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Backdune Restoration 2011-2014

Restoration of Indigenous Biodiversity on Coastal Backdunes, 2011 – 2014

For three years the Coastal Restoration Trust (then Dune Restoration Trust) worked in partnership with the Ministry for the Environment, Coast Care groups, iwi, DOC and Councils around the country to research best practice methods for long term backdune restoration.

The following articles highlight key outcomes of this project. We would like to thank all the individuals and organisations who have worked with us and helped resource this project. In particular, we acknowledge the Ministry for the Environment CEF Team for partnering with us and investing in the long term future of New Zealand’s coastal sand dunes.

A summary of the project can be downloaded here (PDF, 5.25 MB) and articles can be found here in the Coastal Restoration Trust’s Coastal Restoration Handbook.

Read updates in our project newsletters:

We thank the following partner organisations for their funding and ongoing involvement in this three year project.

For further information on any of these projects please contact [Enable JavaScript to view protected content].

  • Ministry for the Environment - Sustainable Management Fund
    Project Brief: Empowering coastal communities to adapt to climate change.
  • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry - Sustainable Farming Fund
    Project Brief: Adapting productive coastal landuses to Climate Change.
  • Development of reliable techniques for raising low-cost spinifex seedlings for dune revegetation programmes - seed collection, handling and germination techniques as well as vegetative propagation.
  • Spinifex phenology - flowering and seeding studies
  • Fertiliser requirements of existing spinifex and pingao cover on coastal foredunes, Bay of Plenty
  • Restoration of exposed sites - establishment of mixtures of spinifex and marram grass on foredunes at Santoft, Rangitikei
  • Restoration of exposed sites - establishment of natural sand-binding plants on mechanically-shaped dunes in Oakura, Taranaki
  • Restoration of exposed sites - establishment of spinifex and pingao on unstable dunes at Te Henga/Bethells Beach, Auckland
  • Establishment of indigenous plant communities on foredunes and backdunes at South Brighton, Christchurch
  • Restoration of indigenous plant communities on semi-stable and stable sand dunes
  • Propagation and establishment of Euphorbia glauca (shore spurge)
  • Review of rabbit and hare control methods on sand dunes
  • Scoping Report on Developing a coastal dune ecosystem database. This led to a project developing such a database.