Community planting day needs volunteers this Saturday

Are you available to help with planting out at the Heads this Saturday, August 15, 10am until noon? The Northland Regional Council (NRC), Kaipara District Council (KDC) and the community are working together on a restoration plan for the Mangawhai Heads sand dunes which are suffering serious deterioration due to the impact of people and invasion of weeds. The project aims to replant the back dune and re-establish vegetation of the foredune within a staged 3-year programme.

Laura Shaft, CoastCare co-ordinator for NRC has provided the plan in consultation with Dr David Bergin of the Dunes Trust, and is funding plants and materials. Adrian Birkbeck of KDC is providing support and funding for weed control, and Gordon Hosking is providing the link into the community.

Stage 1, during this current winter and spring, will focus on the section immediately north of the Surf Club along to opposite the toilets, involving taping walkway boundaries and the foot of the dune to keep

folk off the restoration area, and planting of spinifex and pingao on open sand, wiwi and flax in the back dune, preceded by weed control.

The community planting day will go ahead wet or fine. If you or your group could lend a hand it would be greatly appreciated. Contact gordon.hosking@xtra.co.nz.

EROSION: Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society volunteers planting on the sandspit last year. –PHOTO/MHRS