Kauri Come Home: 2,000 Seedlings Planted in Te Wao Nui o Tiriwā Restoration Milestone

Efforts to restore the health of the Waitākere Ranges reached a major milestone on Thursday, 1 October 2026, with the planting of nearly 2,000 young kauri across five sites in the region. The project, known as Te Kāwai Kauri, represents a collaborative effort between mana whenua Te Kawerau ā Maki, Auckland Council, and scientific partners to ensure the survival of one of Aotearoa’s most treasured taonga species. The seedlings represent a completed cycle of restoration. They were originally propagated from seeds collected from healthy kauri within the Waitākere Ranges before being nurtured at a nursery in Rotorua. According to Waatea News, the young trees have now returned to their ancestral whenua in Te Wao Nui o Tiriwā to help secure the future of the ngahere. For Te Kawerau ā Maki, the initiative transcends simple conservation. The iwi regards kauri as rangatira and living tūpuna, viewing the wellbeing of these trees as inseparable from the mauri, or life force, of the forest. Te Kawerau ā Maki Chief Executive Edward Ashby told Radio Waatea that the kaupapa is centered on kaitiakitanga and the hope that these seedlings will eventually grow into the thousand-year-old giants of the future. The restoration work is particularly vital as kauri dieback continues to threaten the species across the North Island. With no known cure for the disease, the project emphasizes the importance of protecting healthy trees and preventing the movement of contaminated soil. Through Te Kāwai Kauri, mana whenua and their partners are working to protect the whakapapa of the Waitākere kauri, ensuring the species remains a cornerstone of the landscape for generations to come.