The Waitakere Ranges Regional Park has traditionally been the home turf for Aucklanders keen on the outdoors – until most of the Park was closed in 2018 for the purpose of protecting the forest from the spread of kauri dieback. Even now, after significant expenditure, only a small number of tracks are open.
The Park forms a significant part of the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area and was the subject of an Act aiming to protect it in 2008. Within that Act there was the commitment to the creation of a Deed of Acknowledgement with the local iwi – Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti Whātua. Auckland Council is now leading a public consultation process on this proposal – see this link.
This is the first step in the next round of track planning and reopening. It involves this Deed, the development of a strategic plan for the entire Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area by a new committee, consideration of the Heart of Ngahere proposal, and only then, a review of candidate tracks for reopening — a process likely to take several years at the current pace.
FMC is concerned that this is an overlong and complex process that will divert limited available resources from progress on the ground. We are therefore urging all parties involved to expedite the process, so that the Recreation and Track Plan, stated as a priority in the Regional Park Management Plan 2022, can get underway as soon as possible.
Our submission on the Deed of Acknowledgement process is available here. If you have any queries, please get in touch with Tony Walton: tony.walton@fmc.org.nz
Photo: Waitakere Ranges coastline by Hazel Walton
