Kauri to be Northland tourism icon

The kauri, economic cornerstone for Northland in pioneering days, is to be the focus of a new drive for prosperity.

Tourism and enterprise leaders believe the kauri tree is one on Northland's points of difference over other regions and are about to launch a campaign cashing in on its status.

This week sees the launch of The Northland Kauri Project, a cultural tourism project for Northland that celebrates and honours the kauri tree.

A week-long Kauri Festival has been also been planned for September to help promote the region's attachment to the ancient trees.

The country's largest and oldest tree, Tane Mahuta, stands in Waipoua Forest on Northland's west coast, attracting thousands of visitors annually.

The Kauri Project will be promoted by way of a fold-out information map and operator directory guiding visitors around the region.

It tells the story of Northland from the viewpoint of a 2000-year-old kauri tree.

When humans first settled in New Zealand, Northland was covered with forest, a third of which was dominated by kauri.

Sailors quickly realised the trunks of young kauri were ideal for masts and spars and settlers discovered the mature trees yielded sawn timber of unsurpassed quality for building.

The gum, too, became essential in the manufacture of varnishes.

From about a million hectares, only about 7500 hectares of mature unmodified kauri forest remain.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)