Dune bugs in class at Castlecliff

Castlecliff's dunes are an outdoor classroom for Wanganui schoolchildren.
Castlecliff Coastcare (CC) co-ordinators Graham and Lyn Pearson say they have been showing the children of Castlecliff and Aranui Schools the creatures that live in the dunes by developing a nature trail.
"We turn logs over and show them the spiders that live there to get them to appreciate that the dunes is not a dry wasteland."
CC was awarded a Department of Conservation (DoC) award for the work the volunteers have been doing planting native plants on the dunes and raising the awareness of the value of sand dunes to our coast.
Mr Pearson gave the CC report at the Progress Castlecliff annual meeting in October where he spoke about the loss of Ted Frost, who had built a solid foundation and leadership in caring for the dunes. "Ted had established a 20/20 Vision plan for the future of the Castlecliff Coastal Reserve, nurtured strong links with all stakeholders and secured funding and generous in-kind support from several sources."
Mr Frost secured total funding of $6250 for the 2009/10 year.
In March CC met DoC, Horizons, the Wanganui District Council, Forest & Bird and Friends of the Shoreline to review the progress made over the last five years, the successes and progress, what could be done better, who could provide help and the best plants to use.
Mr Pearson said based on stage one of Mr Frost's original plan, efforts would be concentrated on the back dunes in and around the Seafront Rd area and by the playground. Seed collection and growing involving schools and the Kiwi Conservation Club, weed control, containing acacia and removing weeds in the stage one area, planting for stabilisation and beautification and ongoing maintenance of the areas already planted were in the five-year plan.
A World Wildlife Fund grant of $12,000 a year to 2012 was awarded to Progress Castlecliff in August, allowing employment of a part-time, 10-hours-a-week co-ordinator for the CC group to expand on the educational role of the group. Castlecliff Coast Care is part of Progress Castlecliff.
The grant required monitoring of environmental impacts, and CC has initiated animal, plant and bird monitoring procedures and a recording programme.
The nature trail was being developed with the assistance of Terry O'Connor and local schools would be offered the opportunity to conduct the WWF-required surveys as part of their external classroom activities.
When the Pearsons moved to Wanganui from Tokomaru East three years ago, family members asked them what they would do when they got here, indicating there was "not much happening".
The two smile when they say they have not stopped "doing" since they arrived.
Castlecliff Coast Care meets twice a month on Saturday afternoons. For more information 0508 728 454.