The Kūaotunu Dune Care Group (a member of Kūaotunu Residents and Ratepayers) the was set up in recognition by locals that the dunes were being invaded by exotic plant species and required restoration. However, getting rid of exotic plants isn’t a fun job and a challenge for the group was finding volunteers who were happy to do weed control or fund specialist contractors to do the work. For this reason, the group became an incorporated society in 2022, which enables it to apply for funding, and was awarded nearly $10,000 last year from Waikato Regional Council’s Environmental Intiatives Fund towards a pest plant contractor and to plant native plants. Funding from Aotearoa Gambling will enable the group to purchase plants and fertiliser tablets for next year.
2023 restoration and planting season wrap-up
Volunteers may hate weeding but they love planting - there was a very good turnout of residents and bach owners for the Matariki planting bee on Gray Beach in July 2023. An area of about 1000 square metres was sprayed out over a period of five months and planted with 2700 dune plants by volunteers in June 2023.
- 5 Coastcare events - 5918 plants; 95 volunteers; 193 volunteer hours.
- Spreading of mulch to help with weed suppression and retention of moisture.
Kūaotunu Dune Care Group were the recipients of the 2024 Coastal Restoration Award, presented to them at the Trust’s annual conference in Kāwhia in March 2024. Click here to read more about the work they did to recieve this award.
Email: [Enable JavaScript to view protected content] or [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Contact: Waikato Regional Council
Phone: 0800 800 401
For questions relating to government policy or the coastal management plan contact [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]