DOC upgrading Dome Valley tracks to help prevent kauri dieback spread

Date:  07 December 2017

The upgrade will be done between Monday December 11 to Friday December 22, weather permitting.

The Dome Forest track upgrade is part of a work programme where DOC is upgrading department managed tracks in kauri forests, to help prevent kauri dieback from spreading.

The Dome Forest tracks will need to be closed for short periods during the upgrade. These short-term closures will occur when a helicopter is airlifting material for the upgrade, onto the tracks.

"These brief track closures will ensure the public and contractors are kept safe while upgrade work is carried out," says DOC Auckland Mainland Operations Manager Kirsty Prior.

Temporary re-routing of some track sections is being carried out to minimise the disruption to the public. This is being done to enable people to continue to safely walk through the forest during the upgrade period.

"Signs advising people of the upgrade will be placed at the entrances to the tracks. Upgrade notices will also be posted on the DOC website. Please follow the signs and instructions," says Kirsty Prior.

The track surface and drainage of the Dome Forest tracks are being upgraded to eliminate wet and muddy sections. 

Boardwalk and steps are being installed in some sections of track. In other sections geoweb is being laid. This involves placing plastic geoweb filled with lightly compacted bark chunks and gravel. DOC developed the geoweb system. Testing shows it provides a high degree of protection for kauri surface feeder roots and keeps the track dry and mud-free.

Kauri dieback

Kauri dieback can kill kauri of all ages. It is caused by microscopic spores in the soil that infect kauri roots, damaging the tissues that carry nutrients within the tree. Eventually the infected tree starves to death.

Kauri dieback can be spread if someone walks through mud containing spores and carries the contaminated mud on their footwear to another kauri forest. It only takes a pinhead of infected soil to spread the disease. There is currently no cure for kauri dieback.

What you can do to stop the spread of kauri dieback

• Clean all mud and plant matter from footwear and equipment before you travel to a kauri forest.
• Use cleaning stations at the start of a track to ensure your footwear is mud free before entering a kauri forest.
• Stay on the track and off kauri roots when walking through a kauri forest.
• Use the cleaning stations at the end of the track to ensure your footwear is mud free before leaving a kauri forest.

Quick facts

• Kauri dieback is killing our forests.
• Kauri dieback can be spread with just a pinhead of infected soil.
• Clean all soil off your footwear and other gear everytime you enter or leave a forest.
• Spray stirigene on your footwear, after you have removed all soil from your footwear.
• Stay on track and off kauri roots.

More information on kauri dieback

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