The NPMP represents the culmination of many years of effort from those involved in kauri protection, and it builds on the knowledge and work programme of mana whenua, regional councils, scientists, MPI, and the Department of Conservation over the last decade. Biosecurity New Zealand has established a new kauri protection team called Tiakina Kauri as the management agency for the NPMP, to partner with mana whenua and co-ordinate a collaborative kauri protection effort between government, councils, iwi/hapū, and non-government organisations.
- The objectives of the NPMP are to:
- Reduce the spread of PA; and
- Maintain areas free of PA; and
- Reduce the impact of PA within infected sites; and
- Locally eliminate PA within infected sites; and
- Protect kauri with special value from PA; and
- Facilitate controlled access to kauri forests where it does not compromise the future or protection of kauri.
At the heart of the national plan is Te Tiriti o Waitangi and a partnership between the Crown and Māori. The aspiration is to embed active co-design, co-governance and collaborative implementation approaches into the kauri protection programme of work carried out under the NPMP.
The NPMP sets out mechanisms which will be used to increase protection for kauri, as well as ten new rules/regulations to help protect kauri from Phytophthora agathidicida. The priority is to protect kauri forests and stands/groups of kauri trees.
Tiakina Kauri, the Department of Conservation and regional and district councils in ‘kaurilands’ (Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty) are actively working through processes to support implementation of the NPMP rules. Once these processes are clear then work on co-design can begin. Tiakina Kauri are also developing a publicity campaign to raise awareness of the national plan in kauri lands and nationally.
For more information about the NPMP, see Overview of the national plan for kauri. The full plan is available here: National PA Pest Management Plan. To receive updates from the Tiakina Kauri | Kauri Protection programme, sign up to their newsletter.
Update thanks to Tiakina Kauri.