Environment

 

Location of CoastCare groups in Northland

 

 

Baylys Beach Society Inc

This group was originally set up to deal with the issue of inappropriate use of vehicles on the beach. The group is keen to reduce and mitigate the damage to the dunes caused by vehicles.  Some planting of spinifex on the dunes near the access point was undertaken in 2007 and funding has been applied for again this year so that further planting can be done in 2008.  The group is also undertaking pest control in the back dune area.

 

 

For more information:

Graham Jones

Email: geejay@xtra.co.nz

 

Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust

A call for help from the Department of Conservation in managing reserve land at Bream Bay has renewed interest in the Bream Bay Coastal Care Trust.  The Trust was reactivated after the Department of Conservation (DOC) released its Bream Bay Strategic Plan in April 2006.

 

Trust members have been very active in assisting DOC to enhance the Tip Road entrance on to Bream Bay beach.  A good turn-out of volunteers meant that the car park could be fenced, pohutukawa trees were planted and the access to the beach upgraded.  Members of the trust have also been very active with the NZ fairy tern breeding programme, helping DOC officers to fence off nesting sites, monitor the birds and educate the public.

 

The trust intends to protect and enhance indigenous flora and fauna and ecosystems and to work with individuals, groups and authorities to enhance the Bream Bay area from Marsden Point to Waipu Cove.

 

 

Glinks Gully Protection Society

Preserving the special character of the west coast’s dune environment is the aim of the Glinks Gully Protection Society.

Society members have been involved with the restoration of a back dune area located at end of the Glinks Gully settlement.  Funding has been secured through the Northland Regional Council’s Environment Fund for several years and a successful replanting programme has been occurring under the guidance of a local landscape architect.

 

Control measures for the pest plant, Cape Ivy, are being investigated. The plant has smothered native vegetation found within the gully and at the back dune planting site further along the beach, and has proved difficult to control.  A strategy is being developed to monitor the control of the invasive weed in the gully while being mindful of the extreme vulnerability of this landscape to wind erosion.

ENSIS scientist David Bergin attended a planting and information day held last year with residents supported by the Glinks Gully Protection Society, Northland Regional Council and Kaipara District Council. 

 

A planting day is held over the winter months every year. For more information please check out the CoastCare events calendar.

Glinks Gully Planting Day, July 2006

 

Planting day in September 2006

 

 

Hokianga Harbour Foreshore Restoration Society Inc

Problems with coastal erosion at Opononi and Omapere are being targeted by the Hokianga Harbour Foreshore Restoration Society.

Hokianga residents established the incorporated society to help the Northland Regional Council and the Far North District Council manage coastal erosion along

Opononi and Omapere beaches near the entrance of Hokianga Harbour.  Data is being collected from within the harbour to determine the best solution to manage the coastal erosion.

 

Public meetings have been held to determine how the community would like the coastal erosion issue to be managed.  Surveys completed by community members enabled the society to assess the community’s understanding of the erosion process.  Regular updates are given to the community via e-mail and publication in the school newsletter.

 

Members of the society meet once a month to tackle issues related to the coastal erosion and ensure that the project is maintaining momentum.  It is envisioned that a coastal management plan will be completed in 2008 and, depending on funding, works will be undertaken in 2009. The society is currently focusing on funding options, and on undertaking a cost-benefit analysis.

 

Dune revegetation works were undertaken in 2007, with assistance from the Environment Fund.  This work is set to continue in 2008, as the application for funding from the group has again been improved.

 

 

 

For more information contact:

Laura Shaft (Secretary)
Email: lauras@nrc.govt.nz

 

John Klaricich (Chairperson)
Email:  JKTHTK@ihug.co.nz

 

Kaimaumau Coastal Reserve Care Group

The Kaimaumau Coastal Reserve Care Group was established in response to threats to the Kaimaumau reserve from vehicles, pedestrians, fire and pests.  The group has only recently been established but is keen to start its projects in the reserve and adjacent wetland with funding secured from the Northland Regional Council’s Environment Fund.

 

Group members intend to restore the dunes adjacent the coastal reserve by directing vehicles to the existing access way and blocking the newly created access through the placement of large logs which will eventually rot away naturally.  The area will then be renourished with the sand which has blown into the reserve, and projects include fencing, planting and educational signage.

 

The group has already cleared tracks of vegetation, undertaken a planting programme and pest management within the Kaimaumau Reserve.  The group has the support of the community, Wharemau Marae, Waiharahara School and the Bushlands Trust.

 

Kaimaumau carpark, showing logs positioned to prevent cars from driving over the dunes to access beach.

 

Kaimaumau foredune 

 

Karikari Peninsula Beach Care Group

The Karikari Peninsula Beach Care Group was formed in response to a growing number of coastal issues in the area.

 

Careless use of vehicles on the beach and dunes was creating problems, including compromising the safety of other beach users and causing environmental damage to the fragile dune system.

 

The group has been formed mainly from residents of Tokerau Beach, and its aims are to raise awareness about vehicle safety and safe driving practices, environmental protection and restoration of the beach and current conservation zoned areas and roles and responsibilities of relevant central and local government agencies.

 

The group is encouraging others to join its initial campaign by communicating and collaborating with iwi (Ngati Kahu), central and local government agencies, other community-based groups and the wider community, including visitors and absent property owners.

 

Strategies and projects are also being formulated that will assist in the conservation and restoration of the beach and surrounding significant conservation areas.

Tokerau Beach August 2007

 

Tokerau Beach – contrasted between vegetated and non vegetated dune.

 

For more information:

Annie Tothill

Email: st-art@ihug.co.nz

 

Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society

A large storm that breached the spit to form a second entrance to the south of Mangawhai Harbour in 1978 was the catalyst for the formation of the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society.

 

Over time the original northern entrance closed entirely and the harbour began to backfill with sand.  The closure of the northern entrance and the opening of a much wider and shallower southern entrance caused treacherous navigation for boaties and water quality issues in the harbour due to a reduction in the tidal flushing capacity.

 

Frustrated by the slowness and red tape of bureaucracy, residents took matters into their own hands and illegally attempted to reopen the northern channel using local bulldozers and earth moving equipment, on a day coined ‘‘the big dig’’.  This illegal opening closed up in a matter of weeks and each further attempt to re-open it failed, as the channel became clogged with sand.

 

Since the illegal ‘‘big dig’’ in 1991, the MHRS successfully obtained consent to build a bund – a protective wall – across the southern breach from sand dredged from the northern entrance.  In 1996, for the first time in 18 years, the tide flowed through only the historic northern entrance.  Dredging on the northern entrance and estuary channel continues along with stabilisation of the bund wall.  The sand spit dunes are also being stabilised with wind break fences, revegetation, top dressing and rabbit control to reduce sand movement on the spit and prevent the estuary becoming infilled again.

 

The society has been successful in establishing a nursery which has grown thousands of native spinifex and pingao plants. These have been planted on the spit by volunteers from the community and members of the society.  The planting, fencing and rabbit control are part of a longer term programme which hopes to see the spit completely revegetated. 

 

Healthy pingao plants being grown in the Mangawhai Restoration Society shadehouse

 

For more information contact:

Richard Bull

Phone: 09 431 4813

 

Ocean Beach Protection Group

The Ocean Beach Protection Group aims to work with nature to restore and protect biodiversity in the area.  Made up of a number of residents of the Ocean Beach area, the group is not set up as an incorporated society or trust. 

 

Group members recognise the challenging environment of the Ocean Beach dune system, which is very dynamic with the shape of the dunes changing continually. 

Intensive weed control has been done in a Queen Elizabeth II National Trust beachside covenant at the northern part of the beach.  A large number of native trees – some grown from locally sourced seeds – have been planted by the group and other volunteers from the local community. 

 

The group has also been involved in planting back dunes.  Species planted include manuka, kanuka, cabbage trees, flax, coprosmas and pohutukawa.  The group has received funding from a variety of sources, including Project Crimson, Honda Tree Fund, Biodiversity Condition Fund, and NRC’s Environment Fund.

The group plans to continue this work and also to undertake more revegetation of the sand dunes with the native sand-binding plants, pingao and spinifex.

 

 

 

For more information:

Geoff Pike

Email: princepike@actrix.co.nz

 

Owhata Ahu Whenua Trust, Herekino

A shade house has been built, with money from NRC’s Environment Fund, and this is being used to propagate pingao and other native plants including pohutukawa.  A large number of native plants and trees have been planted on the peninsula, and foreshore. 

 

An educational programme is being undertaken with Herekino School, involving pingao propagation and native tree planting.

The current project underway involves fencing off parts of the peninsula to protect the wetland and areas where native trees are being planted.  There are also plans to plant more pingao along the foreshore to protect the bank from erosion.

 

Shadehouse built with money from NRC’s Environment Fund. 

 

 

Omamari Beach Care (Hua Rakau Ki Omamari Trust)

The Omamari Beach Care Group was established in 1997 in response to losses of pingao, godwits and inanga populations. The group consists of a wide spectrum of the community, including superannuitants, kaumatua and kuia, sickness beneficiaries, unemployed, a mental health beneficiary, widows and a farmer.

The group started by collecting, growing and planting pingao seedlings on to the sand dunes. They then moved on to collecting pohutukawa seeds which were gathered, stored and then sent off to Auckland to be grown.  Approximately 200 seedlings were then returned and planted.

 

The success of the pohutukawa seedlings led to the formation of a charitable trust – Hua Rakau – growing trees. A hot house and shade house were constructed with funding help from various agencies.

 

In 2004 the group was approached by Northland Polytechnic (now Northtec) to host a level 2 Horticultural Certificate course on the premises. Members of the group became students for two years learning about horticulture with special reference to coastal plants and conditions.

The nursery has been able to supply plants to the Kaipara District Council and Pouto Marae.

 

Issues faced by the group with the pingao plantings have been hungry rabbits, inconsiderate motorists, sand inundation and vandalism.

Faced with these issues the group controlled the rabbit population, erected signage and constructed a wind break made from tea tree which serves to partly stabilise the sand and keep vehicles off the plantings.

 

The group then focused attention on the backdune area, particularly next to the Omamari stream. Pohutukawa and harakeke have been planted, some of the water weeds such as alligator weed have been cleared, walkways created and a controlled programme introduced to control rabbits, possums and feral cats.

 

Dune planting at Omamari

 

Taipa Beach Improvement Society

The Society was set up in 2007 with the aim of making Taipa beach a safe and inviting place to visit and enjoy for people of all ages.

 

After a number of planning meetings, action started in Autumn 2007 with the placement of bollards to restrict access to the beach by vehicles.  Concrete picnic tables have been placed and top-soil has been laid ready for planting.  Flame trees have also been removed and replaced with Pohutukawas.  New rubbish bins, signage, and chains and locks to allow access for maintenance, are planned.

Once the group is satisfied that the bollards are working to protect the reserve, an Environment Fund application will be placed and dune planting undertaken. There are plans for Taipa Area School students to become involved in this project. 

The Society encourages all local residents and students to ‘protect, respect, and monitor’ the beach.

 

 

Taupo Bay Progressive Association Inc

Taupo Bay Progressive Association is a non-profit organization made up from residents at the New Zealand beach settlement at Taupo Bay in the Bay of Islands region of Northland.

 

The group has been very pro-active in obtaining funds for its various projects.  For the last two years, they have hosted a fishing competition which has raised a large amount of money.  This money is held in a separate account, for CoastCare and stream care activities.

 

Taupo bay is a dotterel nesting area, but before the group formed, very few were surviving.  However, intensive pest control has been undertaken and this year there are at least eight dotterels at the beach.  This pest control has also had a positive effect on the remnant kiwi population. Vehicles are no longer allowed on the beach which has also helped the dotterel population.

 

A large amount of planting has been undertaken in the bay.  This has included planting of pingao on the lower sand dune amidst the existing spinifex.

For more information, follow the link to the group’s website: http://www.taupobay.gen.nz/tbpa.html

 

 

 

Tauranga Bay Community Association

A sub-committee of the Tauranga Bay Community Association has been formed to work on CoastCare activities and protection of nesting dotterels from inappropriate vehicle use on the beach. 

 

Last summer the group was given signage from the Department of Conservation and erected fencing standards and tape to protect nesting sites.  One of the access ways leading from the reserve to the beach was also closed to prevent traffic from disturbing nesting birds.  There are now 15 resident dotterels and seven baby chicks were fledged over the 2006/2007 season.  There has also been an increase in the number of oyster catcher chicks surviving through the fencing and care that the group has taken to manage vehicles and dogs at Tauranga Bay. 

The group has noticed a large increase in the number of sand-binding plants becoming established in the fenced area.  The plants have already managed to accumulate sand and have the potential to form small sand dunes.

 

The group held its first planting day at the end of July, which was well attended by members of the community. About 1500 native-sand binding plants were planted into three areas previously fenced off by the group adjacent to the Far North District Council reserve.  Plants and fencing materials were purchased through the Northland Regional Council’s Environment Fund and extra funding was supplied by the FNDC.

 

These plantings are to mitigate the effects of coastal erosion and damage by pedestrians.  The project will continue with further fenced plots along the sand banks when extra funding has been secured.

Planting day 27^th July 2007

Planting day 27^th July 2007

 

For more information:

Mary Woodworth

Email: mandm@igrin.co.nz

 

Te Ngaere Bay CoastCare Group

This group has recently formed from local residents who want to protect the bay from damage by vehicles and enhance the natural beauty of the bay.

 

In the storms in early 2007, the track down to the boat ramp was badly damaged, and vehicles have been driving over the dunes instead to access the ramp, causing damage to the dunes, and potentially endangering the dotterels nesting in the area.  The group hopes to restore this track and protect the dune with fencing and further planting.

 

The community has been the recipient of an FNDC beautification award in 2007, and consultation is currently under progress as to exactly how this money will be spent.

 

 

Te Roopu Whakaoranga O Te Taha Moana

Te Roopu Whakaoranga O Te Taha Moana (sometimes called ‘The Pingao Group’) grow pingao from seed and educate children and adults alike about the ecological and cultural importance of this plant.

 

Betsy Young, and other group members, visit schools around the Far North to teach the children about the importance of pingao; and to show them how they can collect the seeds in order to grow new plants. They also run pingao weaving workshops and teach about the traditional uses of the plant. Waipapakauri was one of their first planting projects and a large number of pingao grown by the group are planted there.

 

The group has won a number of awards for this work. Last year they built a shadehouse from money granted from the global conservation organisation, WWF.   They have also received some funding from NRC’s Environment Fund, for nursery materials.

 

Shade house funded by WWF

 

 

Betsy Young and Laura Shaft with pupils from Ngataki School

 

For more information:

Betsy Young

Email: pingaogroup@gmail.com

 

Waipapakauri Coastal Care Group

Waipapakauri Coastal Care Group was set up with the aim of restoring the damaged dune system near the Waipapakauri access point to Ninety mile beach.

Issues faced were sand dune inundation and degradation that was being caused by pedestrians, vehicles and wild horses. The group has sought to protect and reinstate the Waipapakauri dune system through management of these pressures.

 

Dunes have been fenced off and a single pathway for pedestrian access from the car park to the beach has been created using locally donated materials and the group’s own labour.  The access way over the dunes has become a huge hit with tourists who disembark at Waipapakauri and use the access way as a vantage point to see right the way down to Ahipara.

 

The group has also been attempting to stabilise the sand dune blow out by erecting sand fences to capture the sand.  Members have also been successful in securing funding which has allowed them to purchase sand-binding plants which have been planted by the group, community members and children from local schools.  The group has the support of the Bushlands Trust which in the future may be able to grow sand dune plants from locally sourced seeds.

The Waipapakauri Coastal Care Group is committed to restoring the degraded dune system and has achieved great success so far!

 

Foot access to the beach

 

February 2006

 

October 2007

 

For more information:

Mary Jane Ardley

Email: mj.ardley@xtra.co.nz

 

Whananaki CoastCare Group

This is a new group which is being set up as a sub-committee under the existing Whananaki Community Association, in response to dune erosion and pest damage to spinifex growing there.

 

The group aims to conduct pest control and also to plant spinifex to help stabilise the dunes.  The group plans to use lessons learnt by more established groups, such as the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society, to facilitate their work. 

 

Whananaki 19-07-2000

 

Whananaki 20-09-2006

 

For more information:

Christine Stephenson

Email: christines@clear.net.nz

 

Join a CoastCare group or get more information:

Contact:
Laura Shaft
CoastCare Co-ordinator
Northland Regional Council
Email: mailroom@nrc.govt.nz 

Tel: 0800 002 004