Have you seen a dead or unhealthy kahikatea tree in Taranaki?
Kahikatea (white pine) around the North Island are dying and experts are trying to figure out why. There have been reports of trees dying across the North Island and we’re aware of a handful of affected trees in Taranaki.
We need to hear if there are more.
Please keep an eye out and report any kahikatea:
- With yellow, brown or lost leaves, bare branches
- That are stalky, rotting or appear unhealthy or dead
How to report it:
- Email a photo and location to biodiversity@trc.govt.nz
- Call us on 0800 736 222 and ask for a Biodiversity Officer
- Upload a photo to the iNaturalist app
Whatever this is, it has the potential to be a major threat to biodiversity in Taranaki.
Kahikatea is New Zealand’s tallest native tree and one of our most iconic wetland trees. Its numbers have already declined due to a loss of habitat, so we can’t afford to lose any more.
Severe kahikatea dieback in Waikato. Photo: Karen Denyer