Last of 2,000 Kauri Seedlings Planted in Auckland’s Waitākere Ranges in Hope of Beating Kauri Dieback The original Newswire New Zealand photograph shows young kauri beside the Fairy Falls Track. Photograph: Newswire New Zealand. A new generation returns to the forest About 2,000 young kauri grown from seed collected from healthy parent trees have now been planted in Auckland’s Waitākere Ranges, offering a measured glimmer of hope in the fight against kauri dieback. The final seedlings were planted on Wednesday 23 September 2026. The project brings together Te Kawerau ā Maki, government scientists, Auckland Council and volunteers in a long-term effort to discover whether some kauri may have a natural ability to withstand the disease. The seedlings were raised from seed gathered from approximately 650 “mother” kauri. These trees were identified by scientists and iwi as healthy despite growing in a forest where kauri dieback is widespread. The scientific reasoning ...