14-07-2025
On The Up: Makorori Environmental Protection Society volunteers planting dunes to protect coast
The incorporated society secured funding from the Department of Internal Affairs' cyclone appeal to launch its restoration project, focused on removing exotic weeds, planting natural dune species, reducing accessways across the dunes and erecting educational signage to raise awareness of the work.
By the end of it, the group aims to have planted more than 8000 native plants covering 3000 square metres of dune area, set up more than 250m of protective fencing, remove more than 100 cubic metres of invasive weeds and establish a community shed for tools and health and safety equipment.
They hope to upskill volunteers in safe chemical handling and storage as well.
Makorori resident Gwen Hinga, of MEPS, said there have been a couple of weeding days earlier in the month to prepare the whenua.
Last weekend's outing was the first of three planned planting days.
'Last season we started some backdune planting... with wiwi and that was really successful,' Hinga said.
Wiwi is a variety of coastal rush.
The council had donated plants through local providers.
'Makorori has a lot of exotic weeds that are really stifling the whenua, so it is unable to do the job it is meant to do, which is to protect the land from Tangaroa's encroachment,' she said.
'By strengthening our dunes, we allow proper sand movement, which allows for erosion and accretion. By having good backdunes, we can create the right environment for foredunes.'
She said the plants they were working with were kōwhangatara (spinifex) and pīngao (golden sand sedge), which they were trying to reintroduce to Makorori.
She said there was a 'good mix' of local volunteers and those from outside the area on Sunday.
The volunteers included Martin and Charlotte Friel, from Scotland, who were visiting relatives and decided to pitch in.
Martin, left, and Charlotte Friel, from Scotland, were visiting relatives and decided to pitch in on the dune planting day. Photo / James Pocock
'We have a lot of locals who are super into this and come down to help when they can, because there is a lot to do,' she said.
'Ngā mihi to the community for turning out today.'
She hopes the kaupapa will eventually extend along the area's entire coastline.
'It will be awesome to share that with our people because a lot of people have forgotten why we have sand dunes.'
She acknowledged the volunteers and key partners, including the council, Fulton Hogan, Eastland Port, the Women's Native Tree Project Trust, Tairāwhiti Coastal Care Group, Coastlands Plant Nursery in Whakatāne and Ngāti Oneone.
MEPS received a Coastal Restoration Award at the Coastal Restoration Trust conference in Uawa earlier in the year for its work.
