Digging deep for dune health

An eager team of 27 volunteers answered Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society’s call recently, braving the erratic autumn weather to help bed thousands of vital plants amongst the dunes of the Distal Spit.

Approximately 7000 hardy pingao and spinifex were planted on May 28, a crucial task to help stabilise the sand and support the health and wellbeing of the wildlife reserve.

MHRS committee member and coordinator for Distal Spit, Jerry Pilmer, says both types of the baby flaxes have a unique way to help stop erosion of the sand dunes.

“The pingao grow up vertically and catch the flying sand to form dunes. Once the sand dune becomes stable they die off but after a storm where erosion occurs, they will send out shoots which will start growing again,” he says.

“The Spinifex on the other hand are grown in lines along the base of dunes or sandbanks and form dense masses which hold the sand and will keep growing even when covered.”

A further 1700 flaxes were introduced on May 30 leaving 2000 plants remaining to complete the transplanting seasons.

MHRS hold the volunteer planting days several times a year and another 8000 flaxes will be introduced in August.

Pilmer says the Society is very grateful for the volunteers who give their time and energy to the physical work and a barbeque is always held after the day’s work to show their appreciation.

“We limit our planting time to around four hours as a lot of our volunteers aren’t getting any younger,” he says. “However with the growth in Mangawhai we hope that a lot of the younger members of the community will soon start participating in the planting.”

n For more info or/and to volunteer for the next planting day, please contact Jerry Pilmer, 027 495 1237 or go to netlist.co.nz/communities/mhrsoc

STOP EROSION: With spades and hands volunteers help preserve the dunes at Mangawhai’s Distal Spit. PHOTO/Jerry Pilmer