Planting along new walkway to beach

A proposed walkway from Muhunoa West Road to the beach excites its community as they begin the planting process.

A proposed walkway from Muhunoa West Road to the beach has the community excited as they begin planting along the track.

The 900m-long track will soon give Ohau residents access to the beach for the first time.
Wood's Way, dubbed Te Ara o Muhunoa which translates to The Pathway of Reflection, was given its name by tangata whenua at Kikopiri Marae.

Ohau resident Sarah Walsh organised the first official planting day last Monday, which was also Arbor Day.

She said more than 20 people helped dig in 150 plants along the walkway.

"It's the first of many planting days to come," she said.

"This is really exciting and has been a really long process to get to this point."

Mrs Walsh expected the walk to be officially open to the public soon.

"It has been three years of patience to see this come together.

"We have a planting plan to rejuvenate the area to its natural environment, allowing a bush walk through the native planting."

The proposed walkway has been a combined effort by Horizons Regional Council, Department of Conservation, Kikopiri Marae, Ohau School, Ohau Playcentre and the community.

Horizons Regional Council biodiversity co-ordinator Aaron Madden, who helped with the planting plan, said the area was home to two species of plants, the coprosma and NZ sand daphne (pictured).

Mr Madden said there weren't many NZ sand daphne (pimelea villosa) and sand coprosma (coprosma acerosa) left on the coast.

"Protecting them from being smothered by weeds or trampled by people is important," he said.

"The form of pimelea villosa that occurs in our region is more rare and threatened than the form found in most other parts of the country and has a distinctly different appearance."

Mrs Walsh thanked New World Levin, Annie Wild from Tall Poppy Real Estate, councillor Victoria Kaye-Simmons, Johnathan Bell from Horowhenua Hire, Grant and Tina from The Greenery and Horizons Regional Council for their support in making the planting day possible.