Planting over 40,000 spinifex and pingao – 17th July River City Press Article
Come February you may see a group of people with sacks wandering around the dunes between Rangiora St and Morgan St and wonder what they are doing.
If fact, it is Casltlecliff Coast Care Volunteers collection Spinifex and Pingoa seed for growing on to replant the blowouts in the dunes. Its quite tricky collection the Spinifex seed as the female Tumbleweed has to be growing within a metre of the male plant to be fertilised, so you can’t just pick up a tumbleweed and use it
The seed are then husked and sent to Coastlands Plant Nursery in Whakatane to be grown on. It takes about 18 months before the plants are viable enough to be planted back in the dunes. It is great that most of the plantings that have helped to stabilise the sand through out the dunes are from our own seeds here in Castlecliff
So far approximate 40,000 spinifex and pingao plants have gone back into the dunes. This is quite a labour intensive job and we are always looking for volunteers to help us.
Our other plantings have been in the back dunes on Seafront Road between the skate park and Bamber Street. We have been cutting out the introduce acacia (wattle) and box thorn and planting indigenous species such as Flax, Ngaio, Cabbage Tree, Corokia, Hebe and etc. We are thrilled with how successful this has been and invite you to come and see progress, particularly around the Manuka Street area.
The plants do struggle with the heat from the black sand and the strong salt laden winds, but we spend a lot of effort in mulching them with wood chips and watering in the hot summer months.
Coast Care was started by the late Ted Frost about 20 years ago. He worked tirelessly to start the process. Later, Graham and Lyn Pearson have taken over leading the band of regular volunteers, children from Castlecliff and Aranui schools, as well as from other schools, groups like Rotary, work place community day volunteers and many others. Coast Care also has great suppor from local organizations/businesses such as Whanganui District Council, Horizons and Belton Smith & associates Ltd,.
Paul Jackman has had a trap line in and has caught rats, stoats and possums, all which has helped increase the bird life in the area. We are seeing a lot more native birds. We also have a small nursery but many of the plants have to be bought in.
We have worked with a weaving group to plant a variety of flaxes that they can harvest for their work.
We have regular planting days 4 times a year in June July and August, we are always looking for people to help – so feel free to join us – you will be most welcome.