Kauri protection is being promoted in the Waikato.
New road signs calling on travellers to take action to protect kauri are being installed in the Waikato and soon in other regions as part of the ongoing campaign to save the national taonga from dieback disease.
The signs, which have been erected initially in parts of the Coromandel and
soon in Northland, alert road users they are entering a "kauri protection area", and reinforce the need to clean footwear and equipment when entering and leaving kauri forests. It is anticipated that more signs will also be rolled out to other kauri regions in future.
"The purpose of the signs is to help build a stronger message around the importance of following the cleaning steps when anyone visits kauri lands," says John Sanson, manager of recovery and pest management for Biosecurity New Zealand, which co-ordinates the national Kauri Dieback Programme alongside partner agencies and groups.
"This is because people are still the biggest factor in spreading the disease, through contaminated soil being collected on boots and gear.
"We know through our behavioural research to date that while there is generally a high level of awareness of the threat of kauri dieback disease, unfortunately this does not always flow through into people doing the right thing when they visit kauri forests," says John.
