Once the mighty kauri trees were a staple of the New Zealand economy, but the huge trees were logged almost out of existence. Now only a few stands of original trees are left, while new groves are being planted to try to preserve this proud, and colorful, species. But the trees are under attack from “kauri dieback,” a fungus-like disease which only affects kauri trees, killing them when the spores are transmitted from tree to tree. The disease is spread by humans walking among the giants, and most growths of kauri are now protected with boot-wash stations at the perimeter to keep the disease from spreading.

This small grove of young trees was at the Brick Bay Sculpture Trail near Warkworth.

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