Photo: Natalia Ramirez Roman/Shutterstock

Defiant Hikers Are Killing New Zealand’s Treasured Kauri Trees

News National Parks Sustainability Auckland, New Zealand
Photo: Natalia Ramirez Roman/Shutterstock
Eben Diskin
Jan 17, 2020

Park rangers in Auckland, New Zealand, are attempting to save the native kauri tree from extinction, but their efforts are being thwarted by local hikers. The trees are suffering from a deadly fungal disease called kauri dieback — which can spread by the transmission of soil from hikers’ boots — and in an effort to preserve them, hiking trails in regional parks around Auckland have been closed. Keeping tourists out, however, has proven difficult.

Over 10 days around Christmas, authorities found 14 people in prohibited areas. The worst offenders were banned from the parks for up to two years. Perhaps the most distressing part is that the trespassers aren’t acting in ignorance, but defiance.

As reported by The Guardian, Rachel Kelleher, regional park manager for Auckland Council, said, “The types of things we’ve heard is that they understand the issue but believe that they are able to manage themselves appropriately. Because they feel they can manage themselves appropriately, they believe they’ve got a different entitlement to others.”

The battle against kauri dieback will be an uphill one, as the sheer scale of the problem seems insurmountable. The Waitakere Ranges area has almost 40,000 acres of regional park with over 120 miles of trails.

While hiker presence in affected areas has decreased since awareness of the disease became public, prohibitive fences are still being removed, ignored, or vandalized. The disease is so devastating and contagious, one hiker could potentially contaminate an entire forest accidentally.

So if you’re planning to hike in the Auckland region anytime soon, do everyone a favor and don’t ignore the barriers. They’re there for a reason.

What did you think of this story?
Meh
Good
Awesome

More on

Auckland, New Zealand

A New Direct Flight From New York City To New Zealand Will Be the Fourth Longest in the World

What NOT To Do in Auckland, New Zealand

10 Australian Summer Music Festivals

Eating Asian in Auckland: A City Guide To Ethnic Food

The Best and Worst Toilets in the World

Top 10 Places To Study in New Zealand and Australia

We think you might also like

How To Visit Tsingy de Bemaraha National Park in Madagascar

Get To Know the Real Banff, From Hot Springs and Waterfalls To Historic Town Sites

7 Great Wilderness Areas and State Parks Near Yosemite National Park

This Lux Eco-Lodge Puts All Other Puerto Natales Hotels To Shame

8 Perks of Using a Guide in Torres Del Paine National Park

8 Unique Airbnbs by Grand Canyon National Park

Sustainable Travel Guide To the Missouri Outdoors

Save Bookmark

We use cookies for analytics tracking and advertising from our partners. For more information read our privacy policy.