The illegal planting of 27 trees has "caused significant irreversible damage" to a sacred archaeological site on Mt Albert, Ōwairaka.
Paul Majurey, chair of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, said the damage to the site appears to be deliberate as a large area around the planted trees was also sprayed with herbicide.
“The management of the Maunga is guided by the spiritual, ancestral, cultural, customary, and historical significance of the Maunga to Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau," said Majurey.
“It is tragic that people are desecrating this ancestral Maunga and taonga in complete disregard to the cultural significance.”
The disturbed area is previously unmodified, according to the Tūpuna Maunga Authority, meaning it was in the original form of the Maunga dating back nearly 1000 years to a preserved historic pā settlement.
Similar damage occurred on other Auckland Maunga and historic sites, Mt Richmond (Ōtāhuhu) in October 2018 and Mt Victoria (Takarunga) in September 2019.
Given the historic significance of Ōwairaka, any illegal modification is prosecutable under the Reserves Act 1977 and the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act 2014, warned Majurey.
“Tūpuna Maunga Authority staff and contractors will be closely monitoring all activity occurring on Ōwairaka.
“We have a zero-tolerance of unauthorised digging on the Maunga and anyone found responsible for such activity will be prosecuted."
SHARE ME