Kauri health survey Waitākere Ranges
A new kauri monitoring programme has been launched in the Waitakere Ranges.
Auckland Council workers are surveying healthy trees as part of their study into kauri dieback disease.
They are investigating the impacts of the disease on individual trees and the wider kauri population.
Auckland Council kauri dieback team manager Lisa Tolich said new remote sensing technology had given the council a good estimate of how many kauri trees spanned the ranges.
The team had drawn a sample of trees to survey.
“We are giving 3500 kauri in the Waitākere Ranges a full health check and will continue monitoring these specific trees for years to come,” Tolich said.
“The trees have been randomly selected from the overall population so field teams don’t know going in whether they’ll be assessing healthy or diseased trees.
“This is important because it means we can build a picture of what’s happening across the entire population – not just the areas where we know the pathogen is already present.”
Data collected will identify risks to tree health associated with the locations, environment and other factors such as changing climate.
Survey findings will help the council assess how well precautionary measures are working and if any adjustments are needed.
Funding for the monitoring programme comes from the Natural Environment Targeted Rate at an expected cost of between $650,000 and $700,000.
This includes the design and delivery of the Waitākere Ranges Surveillance programme between 2020-2022.
Environment and Climate Change Committee chair Richard Hills said the investment was another step towards helping protect and preserve kauri forests.
“Kauri dieback disease is unfortunately not going away and the more we can find out about the disease, through robust processes like our surveillance and monitoring programmes, the better placed we are to protect our native taonga now and for generations to come.”
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
-
53.7% Human-centred experience and communication
-
14.6% Critical thinking
-
29.1% Resilience and adaptability
-
2.6% Other - I will share below!
Poll: Should complete designs be shared with the public, or should the community help shape the designs from the start?
The Post recently shared an opinion piece on the Harbour Crossing and why a more democratic approach might be needed 🚗🚲👟
While most decisions sit within the political arena, many organisations—like NZTA—manage long-term projects that go beyond party lines. Politics can sometimes disrupt progress, and the next Harbour Crossing is a big decision that will affect all Aucklanders.
We’d love your thoughts: Should near-complete, shovel-ready designs be shared with the public, or should the community have a hand in shaping the designs from the start?
-
81.3% Community feedback and transparency is needed.
-
18.7% No. This would be impossible in practice.
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.
Loading…
