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From our chair…

I am standing in front of the microphone at the Green Ribbon Awards. My heart is racing, I am very nervous. I am accepting the award on behalf of the Coastal Restoration Trust. I am feeling proud to be there and proud to be representing all the coastal communities who take on restoring their dunelands. This is a big deal and well deserved. I realise I am standing there with the support & aroha from all of you who are passionate about your beach and those pioneers of the Coastal Dune Vegetation Network who took the chance to change the paradigm of dune restoration. I make a speech which I have loosely reproduced here:

Early settlers came to New Zealand with their assortment of browsing mammals. The beaches became the first roads, very quickly the dune vegetation was eaten and large areas of sand mobilised. The response was to plant marram and then lupin with Government funded schemes. Most of this stabilised land is today’s pine plantations. Kikuyu grass became the norm at coastal reserves and within a short generation we collectively lost the memory of what New Zealand dunes should look like. The coastal landscape was so modified that dunelands are New Zealand’s most degraded ecosystems, even more than wetlands which receive a lot of the press and precious funding.

Over the last 20 years the science of restoring dunes has been well researched and this information is in our handbook and available on our website. Many dune projects involve schools and a new generation is seeing pingao and kowhangatara (spinifex) shaping the dunes into their natural coastal landscapes, as they should be.

The Matariki storm that hit Wellington last year has shown us what the effects of a storm can do to our coastline. The warnings have been issued regarding the effects of climate change – more frequent intense storms coupled with rising sea levels. The importance of well managed dunes in comparison to the cost of maintaining coastal infrastructure is being realised around the country. We know that a foredune planted in kowhangatara is best for a quick recovery after a storm. We understand that the coast is a dynamic landscape subject to seasonal and decadal changes.

Winning the Green Ribbon Award provides the Trust with two things: kudos and opportunity. Kudos gives us credibility and mana. Opportunity is there to leverage this and cement the Trust at the forefront of coastal management.

Cheers

More information on the project here: http://pingao.wordpress.com/

Working Bee at Taipa beach to fix access ways and replant species damaged during recent stormsNorthland Coastcare Coordinator Laura Shaft said that beaches such a Taipa, Tauranga Bay and Waipu Cove demonstrated that while dune plantings could not prevent erosion in extreme weather, they significantly reduce its impact and are already showing signs of natural recovery with green spinifex shoots springing up.

Catch up with Northland stories in the latest Coastcare Northland Newsletter, or check out their website here.

The Ministry for the Environment Green Ribbon Awards recognise the outstanding contributions of individuals, organisations, businesses and communities to protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s environment.

The Coastal Restoration Trust won the ‘Protecting our oceans and coasts’ category which recognises those who have demonstrated innovation and initiative in protecting, restoring or enhancing marine or coastal ecosystems.

Greg Bennett Trust Chair said “we share this award with all the hundreds of hard working, dedicated individuals and organisations we have worked alongside for over a decade, it is as much their journey as ours…..thank you.” Greg also acknowledged the generosity and financial support of the Trust’s Research Partners and principal sponsor Quinovic Property Management.

The Trust was congratulated for taking a collaborative approach, and providing robust, science-based, practical and cost effective guidelines for large scale restoration and sustainable management of NZ’s sand dunes.

The winners of the 2014 Green Ribbon Awards were announced by the Minister for the Environment, Hon Amy Adams, on 16 June 2014.

The Trust will be sending the award around the country to celebrate locally with it’s many partners and collaborators.