Emergency Budget: Delays to Kauri Track Upgrades
Auckland Council are proposing to defer many of the bush track upgrades that the Kaipātiki Local Board has secured to protect our precious kauri trees from dieback disease. This will be done as part of a 50% reduction (approx $7mill) to the kauri tracks budget across Auckland in regional and local parks. [Note: The budget documents incorrectly say it will be a 35% reduction].
This will mean that many tracks we were expecting to re-open or begin work in 2020/21 will will be delayed by 1 or more years. This will have a roll-on effect, meaning that trackwork planned for the following year (2021/22) will also be pushed out, and so on.
The details around this are still to be determined, but will affect the following parks in some way:
* Birkenhead War Memorial Park - Stage 2
* Eskdale Reserve Network - Stage 3
* Fernglen Native Plant Gardens
* Kauri Glen Reserve - Stages 3-4
* Leigh Scenic Reserve - Stages 1-2
* LeRoys Bush Reserve - Stage 3
* Chatswood Reserve - Stages 2-4
* Rangatira Reserve - Stage 2
* Soldiers Bay (track from Island Bay Road)
Fortunately work already contracted will continue, including Eskdale Reserve Network Stage 2, Kauri Glen Reserve Stage 2, LeRoys Bush Reserve Stage 2.
A couple more kauri budget gems:
* "Reduced kauri dieback compliance monitoring through fewer contracted enforcement staff"
* "Some reduction in large pest reduction programme and Kauri dieback research"
Please have your say on the budget here: akhaveyoursay.nz...
Consultation is open until Friday 19 June.
Download PDFs of the consultation document and supporting information here: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz...
Heartbeats Cardiac Support Group Meets at Sunnynook on Thursday
Heartbeats, cardiac support and heart services charitable trust, has its next monthly meeting of the Sunnynook group on Thursday 26th February at Sunnynook Community Centre.
WHERE: Sunnynook Community Centre, 148 Sycamore Dr, Sunnynook
WHEN: this Thursday 26th February
TIME: 7:00 - 8:00pm in the meeting room on the north side of the building, entrance from outside.
Heart disease causes 31% of all deaths each year in New Zealand and about 3,000 of these are premature . . . . they could be saved with better knowledge of a heart attack, and greater education on heart disease.
If you are a heart patient or heart event survivor, come along and meet people with the same life-changing condition in a friendly, informal and engaging informative way. You will learn a lot, and it may save your life.
Heartbeats is all about 'by the patient, for the patient' and we are committed to helping heart people everywhere lead longer and full lives.
Bring a spouse, partner or friend - everyone is WELCOME
Some Choice News!
DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.
Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.
For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.
Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?
We hope this brings a smile!
Have you got New Zealand's best shed? Show us and win!
Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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