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MEDIA RELEASE

5 September 2016

Join the kauri work out club

Fancy a good work out that gets you fitter and helps protects our forest giants?

Then you could consider volunteering for a new kauri protection project that’s kicked off at Pukemokemoke Reserve, 20 minutes north east of Hamilton.

The project involves laying planks on tracks to help avoid people walking on soil near trees and keep them off kauri roots. This lessens the risk of the trees catching kauri dieback disease.

Some 40 hectares at Pukemokemoke is a private bush reserve which boasts some pretty spectacular remnant lowland forest, gifted to the country by David Johnstone.

“This beautiful bush block is managed and worked on by a group of volunteers keen to protect kauri,” said Waikato Regional Council biosecurity officer Kim Parker.

“Some kauri in our region are being affected by the killer kauri dieback disease, and the best way to protect our special taonga tree is to make sure soil movement is limited. Using planks to help keep people off the soil near the trees and their roots is a great tool to help protect kauri.”

“The group needs extra bodies to help transport planks up to the construction site. So this sweaty work is a good chance to help out and get fitter at the same time.”

Those wanting to help can email julane.sutton@gmail.com. The council is also supporting the upgrading of the track.

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