Cleaning stations will help prevent spread of kauri dieback in Northland

Cleaning stations, similar to this one installed at Hakarimata Scenic Reserve, near Huntly, last week, will be erected at six Northland spots to help prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease.

Innovative cleaning stations to prevent the spread of kauri dieback disease are being erected at the entrances to kauri forests across the upper North Island with six set for Northland.

The roll-out of 20 innovative cleaning stations has started as part of the Department of Conservation's efforts to reduce the spread of kauri dieback, with the first one at the Kauri Loop track in the Hakarimata Scenic Reserve, Waikato, last week.

Stations will be installed on busy and high-risk DOC managed tracks in the kauri region, including at Mt Manaia Track and A.H. Reed Memorial Kauri Park, (entrance at Whareora Rd) in Whangarei, Trounson Kauri Park (entrance by the carpark) and Trounson Kauri Park (entrance by the camping area), in the Kaipara and Opua Kauri Walk and Kerikeri River Track (Rainbow Falls end), in the Far North. No date has been set to install the Northland cleaning stations, but it will be later this year.

"Human traffic is the main way kauri dieback is spread, so cleaning footwear and gear and staying on the track is the best way to contain the disease and save these forest giants," Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage said.

"Research shows people are far more likely to use cleaning stations if they see others do it, and if they can see the stations are good quality and well signposted."

DoC has trialled various cleaning methods and stations over recent years. Two years ago it piloted world-first prototype cleaning stations at four sites in Northland and the Coromandel. Extensive testing, monitoring and evaluation of the stations resulted in further improvements.

This led to the installation of a large walk-through, partly-automated cleaning station at Tane Mahuta in Waipoua Forest, Northland, last year. It is helping to ensure that every one of the almost 150,000 people who visit the site every year arrive at the tree – and depart again – with clean footwear.

The cleaning stations are designed to be easy to install and maintain and hard to ignore. They feature a brush fixed to the base, so people can clean their shoes while holding onto a rail, rather than balancing on one foot holding a scrubbing brush. They also feature a pedal pump to spray disinfectant on to the bottom of footwear.