Visitors to the Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges are being reminded by Auckland Council to play their part in protecting one of the region’s most important natural assets ahead of the Easter break.
The ranges are the largest remaining native forest in the Auckland region and, critically, they remain free of the deadly kauri dieback disease.
A 2023 survey confirmed that 95% of kauri in the ranges are healthy, a remarkable achievement when compared with nearby forests such as the Waitākere Ranges, where the soil-borne pathogen has already taken hold.
Auckland Council’s Policy, Planning and Development Committee Chair, Councillor Richard Hills (pictured) says Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges represent a vital stronghold for these ancient trees.
“Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges is the last large kauri forest in our region still free of kauri dieback, and that’s something we all have a role in protecting,” Cr Hills says.
“We want people to enjoy these incredible places over Easter, ride the Traverse, explore the bush and spend time in nature but please follow the hygiene rules. They exist to protect a taonga that can’t protect itself. It is on all of us to protect our forests across Tāmaki Makaurau for today and for future generations.”
The Hūnua Traverse runs between Clevedon and Kaiaua along 26 kilometres of Watercare service roads, climbing to elevations of more than 1,100 metres. Riders and walkers pass two scenic reservoirs and travel through towering stands of kauri and rimu.
Senior ranger, Bronwen Lehmann says most visitors are trying to do the right thing, but hygiene stations are not always being used correctly.
“We’re really grateful for the high level of compliance we see in the Hūnua Ranges, especially from riders using the Traverse,” Ms Lehmann says.
“But our monitoring shows that while many people attempt to use the kauri dieback stations, they’re not always scrubbing and spraying properly. Walkers tend to comply better than horse riders and mountain bikers.”
Visitors must scrub soil from footwear and tyres and spray them at the hygiene stations before entering and leaving the forest and at the additional four stations along the ride. Coming in clean also helps prevent the spread of other threats, including Myrtle Rust, pest plant seeds, and even tiny wildlife such as skink eggs, said Ms Lehmann.
“Enjoy the adventure, take in the incredible scenery but please clean your gear and stick to open tracks.”
“A few extra seconds at the hygiene station can help keep the “Te Ngāherehere o Kohukohunui / Hūnua Ranges disease-free for generations,” she said.
