News

1700 pingao and spinifex were planted on Saturday by a large group of volunteers ranging in age from 2 to 80.

The planting was organised by the Riversdale Dune Committee to improve the resilience of the dunes and help protect the coastal settlement from the sea.

Saturday’s planting was just south of the surf club and the planters replaced introduced marram grass, which makes steep, unstable dunes that are prone to “blowing out”, with two native dune plants: spinifex and pingao.

Read the full story.

A dune ship is for sale on Trade-Me! The 9m long boat-like caravan cannot go on the highway so you need to live in the Manawatu/Rangitikei or be prepared for truck shipping if you are interested. One of a kind! Check listing here. Bidding is frantic and closes in 10 hours.

Kāwhia school kids and volunteers spent many hours putting in native plants this year, but thousands of hours of their work are being undone by careless motor bike riders who ignore signs and rip up their newly planted dunes. In addition, the local mārae is being threatened by the sand due to this inconsiderate behaviour. Read the full story.

The Ministry for the Environment’s updated Coastal Hazards and Climate Change: Guidance for Local Government document was released in December 2017.

Workshops for those implementing this guidance will be held around the country from next week to mid September. Check this site to find out when they come to your area.

The NZ Herald’s Local Focus was on school kids planting on dunes in Papamoa and Mount Maunganui this week.

80,000 dune plants have been planted in the area in the last few years!

Watch the video, which was produced with funding from NZ on Air, here