News article

Motupipi Spit is near Takaka in Golden Bay and is one of a number of sites where dune restoration is being undertaken as part of the Tasman District Council’s Coastcare Programme. Coastal Restoration Trust scientists familiar with Tasman District Council Coastcare describe the work as some of the best in NZ, despite challenging circumstances and limited resources.

Restoration work on the exotic-dominated Motupipi Spit dunes commenced six to seven years ago, though a large fire about three years ago destroyed much of the earlier restoration planting. Planting is guided by sound ecological principles and ongoing learning based on results at the site. This is one of the local sites that will be part of the two day optional post-conference field trip in March 2013.

Other progress with the Coastal Restoration Trust backdune project, jointly funded by the Ministry for the Environment’s Community Environment Fund and local agencies over the last six months, has included reviews of restoration and community-based monitoring initiatives at over a dozen coastal sites from Northland to Southland with a focus on several South Island regions including Nelson, Canterbury, Otago and Southland. In addition to the demonstration site set up at Motupipi Spit, a further demonstration site was established at several beaches in the western Waikato region. Read more or check out our CEF backdunes project partners backdune newsletters.