News

Have your say about vehicles on Muriwai Beach by 7 May 2021. The decision made could be precedent-setting and influence similar decisions around the country.

Go here for information and to have your say: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/driving-on-muriwai-beach

You might be able to find some useful information in the Coastal Policy Statement 2010, a summary of which can be downloaded here.

Kua hinga te tōtara i te wao nui a Tāne.

A tōtara has fallen in the forest of Tāne. Remembering Colin Ryder, our Treasurer, who passed away unexpectedly after a tragic accident on the 9th of March 2021.

Colin did not come to our conference; he was a very busy man and had family commitments. Somehow though, he also found time to attend to one of those things on his to do list and it ended up costing his life.

Colin was our leader and our guide; the loss to us and Papatūānuku is immense.

Wednesday morning, we were two hours into our Annual Conference at Whanganui when we heard the news. It was like a horse stomped on my chest. I did not know what to say or do. I had to break the news to the conference and then we took five minutes to digest this abrupt, tragic thing. The main purpose of our conference is for coastal managers and communities to share stories and support each other’s restoration efforts so we continued to do that. This is exactly what Colin would be telling us, as he was oft to say: Just get on with it.

Throughout the Conference, many attendees gave their aroha for the loss and during our Conference Dinner I recited: Kua hinga te tōtara i te wao nui a Tāne. A tōtara has fallen in the forest of Tāne and requested everyone plant a tōtara to remember Colin. A few of us raised a few glasses of the craft beer that was another of his passions. It was uncanny but also fortunate that many of us were together and were able to share our grief and celebrate Colin’s life.

In another uncanny coincidence, we were pleased to announce that The Friends of Baring Head were this year’s recipient of our Coastal Restoration Award. Colin already knew the winner had been decided but, true to his nature, took the secret to his grave.

My last phone conversation with Colin was when he was on the Head checking his trap lines and complaining about his knees. He was breathing heavily but I could tell by the tone of his voice that he was happy and energised.

Of all the countless projects and achievements, the purchase of Baring Head was Colin’s proudest moment and an outstanding landscape has been secured and protected from development and free for generations of New Zealanders to enjoy. I was fortunate to visit Baring Head with Colin during our Conference in Petone in 2018 and watched him check those traps. Yet another uncanny coincidence is; as I write this, I am travelling home, sailing through the Wellington Heads on the Interislander Ferry looking out at Colin’s legacy.

Colin became treasurer of our Trust in 2014 It is certain that we wanted Colin to be our Treasurer but we did not choose Colin. In our first conversation I felt like I was the one being interviewed. He was direct and blunt. He said he had done his homework on us and only now I realise how fortunate we were when he did choose us.

Colin was one of these rare individuals who live their life authentically. He was a straight talker and always ready to laugh out loud. Those who know Colin also know they have been touched by someone special.

The Coastal Restoration whānau from around New Zealand extend their aroha to Colin’s family for their tragic loss of a loving husband and father.

Tai timu, tai pari
Tai mata tāhuna
Piri tata, piri tahi
Piri kia ora
Mō āpōpō, mō ake, ake tonu rā

Greg Bennett

Tiamana

An article about Colin that was published in the Dominion Post on 3 April is here and one in the NZ Herald on 31 March here.

People are encouraged to report sightings of sea spurge, an invasive weed that grows just above the high tide mark on some of our beaches. It arrived from Australia by sea and was first spotted in NZ in 2012. Here is a recent article about it. You can find photos on the NZPCN website.

Please contact your local regional council if you see any.

Our database has many articles about it if you want to know more detail.

Registrations for our 2021 Whanganui conference (Living on a Dynamic Coast - Ko Te Kawa o Tangaroa, he kawa ora) are coming in fast. Go to our conference page for more information and a link to register.

The free pre-conference workshop Working with Nature will probably “sell” out with only 9 tickets left available as at 1 February. This workshop is especially recommended if you haven’t attended one of our conferences before and for council staff and councillors. Information is on the same conference page as above. Here is a direct link to the registration page. Registrations are essential for catering and venue limit purposes.

We look forward to seeing many of you there!

Photo by Neil Fitzgerald, www.neilfitzgeraldphoto.co.nz

Vote for the banded dotterel / Pohowera, which is in serious trouble. VOTING IS NOW CLOSED. We’ll try again next year!

Threats to this cute little coastal bird include:

* Human disturbance including vehicle and foot damage to nests, which are almost impossible to spot on the beach, and general interference.

Photo by Karen Opie* Predation, especially during nesting by mammal pests and gulls.

* Invasive plants like marram grass, lupins and wilding pines, can degrade nesting areas

Photo by Karen Opie

If you want to give it the best chance of winning this competition, ONLY vote for this bird. Make sure you validate your vote by entering the code or it won’t count!

Watch a lovely video about the banded dotterels of Kaikōura here.

Photos: top: adult in breeding plumage, middle: juvenile, bottom: eggs in ‘nest’.

https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/banded-dotterel