Funding to help protect native kauri trees will increase by $480,000 following a donation from the Tindall and Aotearoa foundations.

The biggest threat currently facing kauri is the deadly ‘kauri dieback' disease which is caused by Phytophthora taxon Agathis – a fungus-like disease which was formally identified in 2008.

The Tindall and Aotearoa foundations have made a combined donation of $480,000 to help protect native kauri trees around the country. Photo: File

Over the next three years Sir Stephen Tindall and Julian Robertson will contribute a combined $480,000 to protect kauri trees.

This donation has been described by Coromandel MP Scott Simpson as a 'wonderful, generous gesture”.

'The kauri tree is a New Zealand treasure, and we're fortunate here in the Coromandel to have a great number of them,” says Scott. 'This donation will primarily be focused on assisting private land owners.

'Many of our most precious kauri are on private land and some landowners simply don't have capacity to provide resources to fight dieback on their land.”

He adds: 'This donation will assist greatly in taking the fight to parts of the Coromandel currently under threat. All of us on the Coromandel are committed to help Keep Kauri Standing.”

The donation will help tackle the spread of kauri dieback which is being welcomed locally.

The Department of Conservation and Ministry for Primary Industries are already carrying out work to stop the spread of kauri dieback.

'I thank Sir Stephen Tindall and Julian Robertson, this is a gift that's going to go a long way in the area and will be truly appreciated,'” Mr Simpson says.

As well as the focus on tress located on private property the donation will see $100,000 a year spent directly funding hygiene stations at track entrances and on public education.

Another $60,000 a year will be used to support local kauri protection groups, schools and iwi, in their efforts.

Sir Stephen Tindall says unless we take urgent action to stop the spread of this deadly disease, kauri trees could be completely wiped out.

'We are very pleased to support this initiative,” says Sir Stephen, 'and in particular to work in partnership with the Aotearoa Foundation and the Government to help protect and preserve kauri for future generations.”

The funding comes in addition to the Government's $26.5 million commitment to combating kauri dieback, announced in Budget 2014.