Rahui being urged for Waitakere Range

Threat of extinction from kauri dieback could see Govt stepping in to close Waitakere Ranges http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11964160

More from this morning: http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018629541/mpi-responds-to-criticism-of-its-kauri-dieback-programme > MPI responds to criticism of its kauri dieback programme > > A lack of coordination, money spent on ineffective treatments, moving goal posts for scientific research, a review that went nowhere, and no sense of urgency. They are just some of the complaints raised by scientists and conservation groups about the Ministry for Primary Industry's approach to saving one of New Zealand's most iconic trees. Meanwhile MPI says it is working as hard as it can and has spent approximately 70 per cent of the $3 million since 2014 that has been committed to research to help stop the spread of the disease. Kathryn Ryan speaks with MPI's Manager of Recovery & Pest Management John Sanson.

MPI also worked very hard to prevent varoa mite spreading. They did succeed with keeping dydimo in the South Island though but only because the volcanic nature of north island rivers makes them pretty much toxic to dydimo (higher levels of a certain phosphorus compound)

Auckland Council votes to close entire Waitakere Ranges forests http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11998203

That’s going to be interesting to enforce. Have to say I’m glad the ambiguity of the messages has been removed. I’ve respected the Rahui since it was implemented but it’s been frustrating to read that it’s generally being ignored. It’s just 5 minutes from our place in Waiatarua to many track entrances and the area was excellent training.

For those who didn't catch it, Auckland Council voted yesterday to permanently close all forested areas of the Waitākere Ranges, with only selected tracks remaining open. https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/354682/council-votes-to-close-more-of-waitakere-ranges

Walked the Hillary Trail over Easter with my 13 yr old girl and her friend. They did really well, the last day is a pretty epic 30 km for a teenager. There’s been a lot of upgrade work done, some parts are nearly great walk standard now with gravel and drainage paths cut. Hopefully the work will not be wasted and this convenient and challenging life experience can be reopened in the future.

And here a great opinion piece [blasing the decision](http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/103648421/the-kauri-dieback-dilemma-why-our-native-trees-will-be-fine): > Forest & Bird say 'the kauri could be extinct in our lifetime' and claim '20 per cent of kauri in the Waitākere Ranges are dying of the disease'. It's easy to see how many well-meaning people are swept up by this kind of rhetoric and accept such baseless statements as fact. > I attribute a lot of the hysteria surrounding kauri dieback to the biologists and science community in general - they have remained silent when faced with such obviously misleading reporting. It’s very disappointing that they would be afraid to speak out, in spite of the flak they would no doubt encounter.

Is a rahui enforceable by law? If not then wouldn't it be within anyone right to enter the forest anyway?

Rahui might not be but if its supported by a bylaw which I believe is at least being considered then the bylaw has the effect of making it enforcable by law. Even without that Rahui are mostly used for good reason and should definitely consider respecting them