Questions are being raised about how long closures in the Waitakere Ranges will last and how they'll be policed.
Closures to forest areas and high risk parts of the Hunua Ranges are up for consultation after an Auckland Council vote yesterday.
It's set to come in on May 1st and is part of a bid to protect trees from kauri dieback.
READ MORE:Â Auckland Council votes to close Waitakere Ranges forests
Alpine Sports Club president Brian Duffy says it could see the club take a financial hit and cause conflict among those who don't stick to the rules.
"There's always the risk of vigilante groups, so that'll only get worse. Are you going to shut it for a year or forever, where's the big picture."
He says that it could be bad for business.
"We would normally be out there at least once a month. We've got the hut, we've got hut users, so we've just lost all our income by the sound of it."
However, the Tree Council says the step is a hugely significant move.
Dr Mels Barton says it's a big step toward buying some time to save Kauri, and to put necessary protective infrastructure in place.
She says it's not a done deal though, with consultation expected to throw up opposition from businesses operating in the ranges, as well as users of the park.
Barton says what's important is the survival and stewardship of a taonga species.
"So self interest views should really carry very little weight because it's about 'me know, what I want', and not about the fact that we're basically going to drive this species to extinction."
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