This group became involved after noticing a bulldozer on the dunes clearing a path through the vegetation to put in a boardwalk. They worked with Wellington City Council to change this project into a dune restoration effort. Wellington City Council has since fenced the area to protect the dune plants from accidentally being destroyed by people walking over them and provided plants to replace those damaged by the bulldozer.
Greater Wellington and the Wellington City Council now work together to support this group and the wonderful work they are doing to restore the dune to a more natural state.
Since 2003 throughout the winter season the group has held public working bees to plant the dune with native foredune plants, such as pingao and spinifex, that catch sand and help to build and stabilise dunes.
The group has also planted a number of rare and endangered native dune plants including shore spurge, shrubby toraro and New Zealand iceplant. Voluunteers at the working bees also remove invasive weeds to make way for the natives. This is being done very carefully because areas of bare sand can erode quickly. The group won a Conservation Week 2007 Merit Award. |