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Iwi and Coast Care Bay of Plenty help save native dune plant

Ngati Makino elder Mihi Awhimate amongst the Waiu o kahukura
she is helping to save at Otamarakau near Te Puke.

Environment Bay of Plenty, Coast Care and a Te Arawa iwi are creating New Zealand botanical history.

They are working to re-establish one of New Zealand's rarest coastal plants Waiu o Kahukura (Euphorbia glauca, or beach spurge) at Waitahanui A Hei Marae near Te Puke.

The project involves Coast Care, DOC, Environment Bay of Plenty and the Western Bay of Plenty district council. Coast Care is a regional partnership programme that supports community groups to protect dunes and coastal habitat.

Coast Care Regional Coordinator Greg Jenks says tribal land adjoining the marae, which is located at
Otamarakau, is the only place in mainland North Island where the dune plant has been re-established successfully. Otamarakau is located 26 kilometres west of Te Puke

"This coastal plant is now so rare that we had to source propagation material from off-shore islands, luckily here in the Bay of Plenty."

Ngati Makino descendants began planting Waiu o Kahukura and other native grasses four years ago to protect dunes in the area.

"There are very few places nationwide where Waiu o Kahukura grows because it is often eaten or destroyed by livestock or rabbits."

Native dune plants such as Waiu o Kahukura play a vital role stabilising dunes by binding loose sand blowing along or off the beach. Without these plants, the sand blows away leaving the land vulnerable, Mr Jenks says.

"The survival of the plants at Waitahanui A Hei Marae is also significant, because it is one of the original native plants that lined New Zealand's coasts when settlers first arrived and kept dunes stable.

"Sadly, when settlers introduced livestock it was eaten to oblivion degrading the stability of New Zealand's dunes for the next 100 years."

Mr Jenks also paid tribute to elder Mihi Awhimate who is passionate about the project.

"She has put her heart and soul behind the rejuvenation of this precious resource and is someone to be admired."

Miss Awhimate says local people and relatives from Taupo, Napier, Kawerau, Rotorua and Maketu are holding a mass planting on June 16 and 17. Pingao, Hinarepe (Austrofestuca littoralis) and kowhangatara
(Spinifex sericeus) are some of the native dune species that will be planted during the weekend event.

"We are also planting native trees and harakeke (flax) supplied by Environment Bay of Plenty, up our river Waitahanui to protect it and create a habitat that will encourage native fish to breed."

ENDS

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