Pilot trial begins

Kauri RescueTM otherwise known as Community Control of Kauri Dieback: Tiaki Kauri  is engaging the public to refine a new citizen science tool for the treatment of Kauri Dieback Disease, which is affecting many kauri forests in northern New Zealand.  The project team is recruiting private landowners to work alongside scientists to treat their own trees by injecting a compound called Phosphite which has shown great promise in scientific trials.

On Saturday March 4, Dr Ian Horner, Lee Hill, Dr Marie McEntee and eight community members from Titirangi gathered at a resident's property to begin the Kauri Rescue pilot trial.  At the practical workshop Ian introduced the pilot group to the process of treating their trees with Phosphite.  The group will now treat their own trees and record their observations and they will also assist the Kauri Rescue science team to fine tune the project participants' field manual before it is more widely released in the second phase of the project that will begin in April. 

The pilot group, who have trees on their properties with confirmed kauri dieback disease were relieved to be finally engaged in attempting to halt the devastating effect of dieback. Over the next three weeks they will inject their trees with phosphite and make initial observations as a first important step in participating in this trial.

If you would like to become a participant in the Phase 2 trials, please contact us using our contact form on the website.  The Kauri Rescue project will also shortly expand beyond Titirangi to Northland and the Coromandel and updates will be posted here as this occurs.