Nga Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Ngahere chief executive Malcolm Paterson says anyone who uses the forest contributes to the 'upkeep' of it.

An iwi north of Auckland is denying claims it is charging for entry to its land.

Woodhill Forest is owned by iwi Ngati Whatua o Kaipara and managed by Nga Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Ngahere – the "corporate" entity for the iwi.

A poster on social media on March 9 claimed the iwi had been charging $5 per rider to ride at the bike park on Rimmer Rd, Helensville.

CALLUM MCGILLIVRAY/ FAIRFAX NZ The Sandpit is a licensed operator in Woodhill Forest.

The Sandpit bike park was located at the end Rimmer Rd.

Nga Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Ngahere tumuaki, or chief executive, Malcolm Paterson said the collecting of $5 from each person is "not true".

"The figure given is not accurate," he said. However, the principal of collecting income through a licensed operator is "true", he said.

ANDY MCGECHAN The Sandpit is used predominantly by dirt bike riders.

Licensed operators in the forest include The Sandpit, Tree Adventures, Woodhill Mountain Bike Park and Delta Force Paintball.

Paterson said the iwi introduced a forestry use levy in 2014 after purchasing Woodhill Forest in 2013.

The levy applied to all operators and users of the forest – all of which have different, but fair, mechanisms of contributing towards the iwi, he said.

He said the iwi had individual levies for each operator.

The levy contributed towards the "common use facilities" and upkeep of the forest, Paterson said.

"It goes towards the forest's roading network, fencing, signage and security requirements."

He said the iwi spent large amounts of money every year on maintaining the forest's systems.

"We organise the co-ordination of all activities in the forest so we don't get a logging truck meet a dog walker. We don't get taxpayer money – we had to introduce this form of levy."

The Sandpit's Tony Beuth said the iwi charging extra was "definitely not true".

"There's confusion with people thinking the levy only goes towards the roads. There's more than that – such as fencing and security."

The Sandpit costs between $10 and $30 to ride your own motorbike.

Beuth said the contribution to the iwi and forest is included in the price paid to use The Sandpit.

Paterson said The Sandpit was a commercial operator and charged people to use their park.

"They make a contribution to the iwi as our tenant."

Nga Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara Ngahere purchased Woodhill Forest in 2013 from the Crown as part of its Treaty of Waitangi settlement.

The land is privately owned. The iwi purchased it to "support our tribe's social, cultural and educational programme", Paterson said.