Our Tairāwhiti coastline has special beaches and dunes that work together. Sand dunes are a store of sand that's shared between the dunes, dry beach and wet beach.
Dunes have important plants and animals that need protection from coastal development and recreational use, making dune protection and restoration vital.
Protect our dunes
Because our dunes face many threats, it's important for us to work together to protect, improve and restore them.
Dune restoration and weed management are crucial for safeguarding our coastlines and coastal communities. Coastal sand dunes offer natural, cost-effective protection against erosion and flooding, while also preserving and enhancing the natural, cultural, and recreational values of our beaches.
How you can help protect our dunes
- Use formed accessways like boardwalks, steps, or marked tracks – avoid the dunes. This will help protect the plants and animals living there.
- Keep vehicles off the dunes – dune plants are fragile and can be easily damaged.
- Don't dump household or garden waste in the dunes - it spreads weeds.
- Join a community restoration project like the Wainui Beach Coast Care Group. Contact our team to see how you can help parks@gdc.govt.nz.
Sand dunes are formed by wind-blown sand, shared with the beach and the offshore zone.
They provide sand that waves use during storms to form offshore sandbars, reducing wave energy.
With climate change, rising sea levels, and more storms, sand dunes are crucial for protecting coastal communities.
Dune plants help capture wind-blown sand to form or grow sand dunes. Different types of plants thrive in different areas - foredunes, mid dunes, and back dunes.
Common sand-binding plants found on the foredune include:
- Kōwhangatara (spinifexor Spinifex sericeus)
- Pīngao (Ficinia spiralis)
- Nihinihi (sand convolvulus or Calystegia soldanella)
- Hinarepe (sand tussock or Poa billardierei)
Mid dune plants include groundcover and shrubs, as this area is more protected and stable. Some mid dune species include:
- Pōhuehue (wire vine or Muehlenbeckia complexa)
- Tātaraheke (sand coprosma or Coprosma acerosa)
- Harakeke (flax or Phormium tenax)
- Tī kōuka (cabbage tree or Cordyline australis)
- Toetoe (Austroderia fulvida)
Backdunes have a greater diversity of vegetation and are often more affected by human activity.
As foredunes develop and the land becomes more stable, backdunes build up. Examples of back dune vegetation include:
- Pōhutukawa (New Zealand Christmas tree or Metrosideros excelsa)
- Karo (Pittosporum crassifolium)Ngaio (mousehole tree or Myoporum laetum)
- Pūriri (Vitex lucens)
- Taupata (Coprosma repens or mirror plant)
- Kānuka (white tea tree or Kunzea robusta)
- Mānuka (tea tree or Leptospermum scoparium)
Introduced species have been planted in some sand dunes to stabilise and beautify them. Others have spread naturally through wind, birds, neighbouring lawns and gardens, roadsides, and farms. These species outcompete and invade native dune plants. weakening the dunes and reducing biodiversity. Some common pest plants include:
- Agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox)
- Wattle (Acacia longifolia)
- Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum)
- Buffalo grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum)
- Pampas (Cortaderia selloana and Cortaderia jubata)
- South African ice plant (Carpobrotus edulis)
The introduced species are less effective than native plants at trapping and stabilising sand dunes.
To learn more please visit Coastal Restoration Trust
Community coast care group
The Wainui Beach Coast Care Group, formed in 2011, works with Council and the community to restore dunes, promote biodiversity and stabilise dunes. They plant native species, manage access, control pests and educate the public.
We provide support with resources like plants, fertilizers, signage and temporary fencing, as well as funding experts for advice and workshops.
Check out these resources
Search and join Tairāwhiti Coast Care on Facebook