Kauri disease under spotlight

Kauri Dieback is wreaking havoc on Kauri trees.

The tiny organisms that slay giants will come under scrutiny during the second national symposium on kauri dieback disease.

The event, which is open to anyone interested in the disease that is literally stumping kauri, will be held at Omapere on February 14 and 15. On the symposium's second day Waipoua iwi Te Roroa will host a field trip into the Waipoua Forest.

Phytophthora taxon agathis, as the fungus-like disease is scientifically known, was thought to be newly discovered in 2008 but subsequent research found its presence in kauri goes back as far the 1950s.

In Northland, it has been detected in Trounson Kauri Park, Waipoua, Omahuta, Russell, Raetea and Pukekaroro native forest reserves managed by DoC, the privately-managed Glenbervie pine forest which has pockets of kauri and a number of other sites on private land.

"We held our first Kauri Dieback Symposium in 2013 to encourage open discussions about this disease, the current research and efforts to reduce the disease spreading," said Kauri Dieback Programme Leadership chairman Erik van Eyndhoven.

"This symposium will provide a number of inspirational talks from iwi, scientists, landowners and community groups, on their perspectives on the importance of kauri, the threat faced from kauri dieback and what they're doing to manage it."

The Kauri Dieback Management Programme - a partnership between tngata whenua, Ministry of Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, Auckland Council, Northland Regional Council, Waikato Regional Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council - was established in 2009.

In last year's budget the strategy received extra government funding of $26.5 million over four years. The disease spreads through microscopic spores in soil and vegetation matter.