Conservationists in Northland are calling for a halt to the milling of kauri now that it has been declared a threatened species.
Photo: RNZ / Sally Murphy
Northland Environmental Protection Society said significant volumes of kauri were still being felled on private land in Northland, with the consent of councils and the Ministry for Primary Industries.
Society president Fiona Furrell said the dieback disease afflicting the trees made every healthy kauri more precious.
"Both the Far North Council and the Whangarei Council have district plans that give no protection to kauri or other native trees," Ms Furrell said.
"They need to alter their plans urgently. We've been asking them to do this for eight years and they've refused, but now it is a threatened species they cannot continue to allow kauri to be milled."
Ms Furrell said MPI also played a role in consenting to the milling of native timber, issuing land-owners with milling statements for the timber.
"MPI has permitted kauri milling in Purua, north of Whangarei, in a kiwi management zone, while we spend millions trying to save kiwi and kauri," she said.
She said mature kauri were also milled at Ruatangata also near Whangarei, in an area where DOC had requested the trees not be cut down.
"We need MPI to take urgent action ... and rescind those milling statements and permits that are valid for up to ten years," she said.
Ms Furrell said the society would seek a meeting with the mayors of the Far North and Whangarei to see if they could make new rules to protect kauri on private land.