The project focusses on removing invasive weeds such as kikuyu from the dunes and replanting with native sand-binding dune plants, such as spinifex, pīngao, and wiwi.
Hikitia Hita, who leads the project for Parapara Marae, says she can see the results of the work being done.
“Over the last couple of years I can see that not much of the sea has touched any of these dunes. If it does, there’s not much damage once it’s all settled down again,” she says.
“In some parts, where there are still weeds, the sea has cut a steeper slope. That’s because there are weeds in there and there’s nothing binding the sand together. Erosion is happening further down the beach but over here I can’t see that and I feel that it’s working.”
Native coastal plants spinifex and pīngao build dunes by effectively trapping windblown sand and binding it together, which enables the beachscape to recover after wave erosion. With spinifex and pīngao, dunes rebuild between erosion events, so each new erosion cycle removes recently formed sand rather than the land behind; in contrast, exotic grasses like kikuyu allow little dune growth, causing erosion to cut progressively landward.
Trudy Allen of Taipa Marae says the involvement of other community groups is an important part of the project’s success.
“The collective effort is big. Opening it up, sharing, working bees, communicating out to your areas, has been good. A lot of other local groups have come in to support the mahi.”
Students of Taipa Area School, Omātai Waka Ama, kōhanga reo, and whānau groups have come on board to help weed sections of the dunes.
“My vision is for weed-free dunes,” says Hikitia. “We can’t stop erosion, but we can slow it down.”
Northland Regional Council supports the project by supplying native plants, funding, and advice.
Hikitia Hita (centre) and Trudy Allen (right) at Taipā Beach with Northland Regional Council Coastal Biodiversity Manager Laura Shaft. In the background are sections of dunes that have been weeded and replanted with natives (right) and where weed clearance is underway (left).
