Northland’s sand dunes are under threat

Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·

22 Nov, 2022 04:00 PM3 mins to read

A Department of Conservation sign visible from the inland side of the dunes and estuary at Waipū Cove. Photo / Malcolm Pullman

The sand dunes along Te Tai Tokerau’s coastline are home to an abundance of native flora and fauna, and with the arrival of summer, an influx of beach-goers will descend upon our shores.

Northland Regional Council’s CoastCare co-ordinator Laura Shaft helps protect these taonga [treasured] dunes alongside 30 CoastCare groups across Te Tai tokerau, and according to her, the threats to our dunes are “mainly human-induced.”

“Currently, with the dunes that are remaining, one of the big threats is people in vehicles,” she explained.

She told the Advocate that using four-wheel-drive vehicles, quad bikes and dirt bikes on beaches is a popular activity in the summer, but their use can threaten the dunes significantly.

According to Shaft, sand dunes play an essential role in protecting land and infrastructure from coastal erosion.

“They help to protect the land inland from coastal hazards and even from tsunamis. They take a lot of the impact of large waves and storm waves.”

She said in areas where tsunamis occurred overseas, it was found that “there was far less damage where there was a good, healthy dune system.”

NRC CoastCare co-ordinator Laura Shaft, Camp Waipū Cove manager Anton Trist and councillor Rick Stolwerk at the restored dune area north of the surf club.

Dunes are also areas of cultural importance, something many people aren’t aware of.

“In the past, that was the main burial site. I recently had some iwi tell me they found human remains, so some dunes are tapu.”

CoastCare has facilitated the planting of over 17,400 dune plants this season, at 20 sites around the region.

One of these plants, pīngao, is a considered a taonga due to its use in Māori weaving. The other key species that features is tihetihe/kōwhangatara (spinifex).

Both pīngao and tihetihe/kowhangatara are ‘sand-binders’, which trap windblown sand while allowing sand to continue moving.

Previous coastal erosion work in need of repair at Teal Bay. Photo / Susan Botting

With planting season now over, the focus of CoastCare has moved to protecting the wildlife that exists within the dunes.

Shore birds such as the tūturiwhatu (Northern NZ dotterel), tōrea (variable oyster catcher) and tara iti (NZ fairy tern) all breed and raise their chicks during the summer, so with nesting season beginning as visitors descend, Shaft said it was important people took care around the dunes.

“The key things that people can do is keeping out of fenced areas,” she said.

“Another big thing, of course, is dogs, so to people who have dogs - do not let them run free on the beach,” she said.

Vehicles using dunes for beach access has resulted in instances where shorebirds who are nesting are run over.

Bream Bay and Ruakaka are popular sites for vehicles on the beach, as well as Ripiro Beach, Bayly’s Beach and Glinks Gully. Shaft encourages people to stick to the dedicated entrance ways.

In 2020, concerns were raised over the risk of vehicle-users running over people in the dunes. Kaipara District councillor at the time, David Willis, had said: “It’s only a matter of time until someone else is killed on Ripiro Beach.”