The fifth annual beach clean event at Ahipara this weekend is calling for helping hands to tackle the bottomless marine waste found at Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē (90 Mile Beach). Photo/Supplied.
The fifth annual beach clean event at Ahipara this weekend is calling for helping hands to tackle the bottomless marine waste found at Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē (90 Mile Beach). Photo/Supplied.
Many hands are required to make light work of the ongoing task of cleaning our beaches.
This Saturday, local iwi are taking the lead by organising the fifth annual event to tackle litter at Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē (90 Mile Beach).
The driving intentions reach far beyond the day, however, said a representative of Ahipara Takiwā, a local kōmiti (committee) focused on environmental protection, restoration and management.
Ahipara's Tui Qauqau Te Paa emphasised the status of Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē as a victim of the pressures of pollution, exploitation, and now climate change.
She said Northern iwi were kaitiaki, and had been caring for and maintaining the cleanliness and quality of the beach since time immemorial.
"The pressures of urbanisation, farming, vehicles, commercialisation of Tangaroa's tamariki (the ocean's children) and polluted waterways have had detrimental effects," she said.
"Rubbish from fishing boats and dumped rubbish are cleared away by hapū - Te Rarawa Takiwa - and community groups like Ahipara Coastal Patrol on a daily basis.
"The iwi of Te Hiku decided that we would collectively work together and work with other community groups to support the health and wellbeing of Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē.
"Our intent is to share its significance with others."
She said Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa would be present and helping drive the event.
Although attendees have traditionally enjoyed food, prizes, petrol vouchers and a feel-good boost, a supporting environmental group agreed the day was about much more.
Jo Shanks, manager at CBEC EcoSolutions, said it was about promoting kaitiakitanga (guardianship) rather than 'getting stuff'.
"It's about giving to our taiao (natural world), and the empowerment of working together," Shanks said.
Last year volunteers collected five tonnes of waste from the beach, filling a 12m shipping container with rubbish and a trailer with cars. Photo/Supplied.
"We love where we live, and know folks are out there every week looking after the taiao.
"This day is a chance to walk in their jandals."
Shanks said thanks to Covid-19, last year's event saw a dip in volunteers from the usual hundreds to just 40.
But that hadn't stopped the group from collecting five tonnes of waste from the beach, filling a 12m-foot shipping container with rubbish and a trailer with cars.
"We find commercial fishing gear, and many burnt-out cars," Shanks said.
"Once we even found a plastic block from a project to track waste off the coast of Africa."
Shanks added although the event was focused on Ahipara, people from further afield had also used it to support their beaches.
"Folks have brought trailers down from Pukenui and let us know the whole beach needed some love."
EcoSolutions has historically helped sort the salvage and organised free disposal thanks to Far North District Council.
Participants keen to take it a little further and act as citizen scientists are encouraged to take photos and even enter GPS coordinates of locations where they've collected rubbish.
The Te Tai Tokerau Debris Monitoring Project enables people to track litter collected in order to let local and central government know where action is most required.
