'Apathy, stupidity' will cause Kauri extinction

A distinguished NZ scientist is warning that kauri are heading for extinction because of public apathy and stupidity. Professor Peter de Lange was for 27 years a principal research scientist with DoC and chairs the New Zealand panel that decides which plants will go on the international red list of plants facing extinction. Dr de Lange says it's the pig-headed behaviour of supposed nature-lovers who won't wash their shoes and stick to the tracks, that's led to the doubling of kauri dieback in the Waitakere ranges in the past five years.