Ngā Rakau Taketake – combatting kauri dieback and myrtle rust

In November 2018, the Minister of Research, Science and Innovation announced funding of $13.75 million over 3 years for research to combat the spread of kauri dieback and myrtle rust. The New Zealand’s Biological Heritage (NZBH) National Science Challenge has since been working closely with Māori and a wide range of stakeholders to develop a strategic science investment (SSIF) platform of research to combat these diseases.

Research is aligned to both the research priorities identified in the kauri dieback(external link) and myrtle rust(external link) science plans and the Challenge’s objective of protecting our biodiversity, improving our biosecurity and enhancing our resilience to harmful organisms. The research will focus and accelerate current work being done by Government agencies, councils, research providers, Māori and interest groups.

The projects currently funded are:

For more: