A track at Chelsea Estate Heritage Park on Auckland’s North Shore has been closed as a precautionary measure while investigations are carried out on a kauri tree that may be affected by kauri dieback disease.
Soil samples have been taken from around the tree and whether it is infected with the disease is likely to be confirmed in early June.
Auckland Council Biosecurity Manager Phil Brown says visual inspection of the tree is inconclusive but there is a strong possibility that the kauri is infected with the disease.
“The tree is showing signs of decline, however we cannot be 100 per cent sure of infection until the test results come back.
“As a precautionary measure, we have closed this track – which is accessed from Blundell Place in Birkenhead – immediately, while we await confirmation from the lab and develop a plan for managing this response.
“From what we know about the incubation period for this disease, if it is in fact infected, this tree may have been in decline for some years yet not necessarily showing any visible signs of infection,” he says.
The tree in question was found during the council’s track surveys that have been rolling out across the north of the Auckland region in recent months. These have followed on from aerial surveys the council has been undertaking across the north of the Auckland region in conjunction with the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Track closure signage will be installed today and additional footwear cleaning measures for the Chelsea Park area are being assessed.
Visitors to kauri forest should always clean their footwear and equipment before entering kauri areas and after leaving; and should use any footwear cleaning stations they encounter on their visit.
