The $2.4 million government funded Rena long term environmental recovery plan is now reaching its final stages as weathered oil and beads continue to wash up on beaches.

The plan, launched by then Environment Minister Nick Smith in January 2012, three months after the ship grounded on Astrolabe Reef on October 5 2011, is due for completion in June 2015, but while some projects continue, a number of the larger ones are now complete.

Former Environment Minister Nick Smith launches the long term Rena environment plan in January 2012.

Plastic beads found at Tay Street this week.

Rena recovery manager Bruce Fraser says beaches are no longer being monitored proactively, with Bay of Plenty Regional Council responding to any sightings of oil through the pollution hotline.

Bruce says until weathered oil washed up after Cyclone Lusi, no oil had been reported on the beaches since August last year.

This week a SunLive reporter also discovered groups of plastic beads scattered along the coastline from Mount Maunganui to Omanu.

Contractors Envirowaste picked up about 20kg of weathered oil and debris on the beach, and another 15kg was collected from Papamoa Beach, following the storm on March 15-16.

New signage is being put up at beach accesses providing contact information for anyone who spots oil or debris.

Bruce says NIWA has now completed its surveys of areas where non-antifouled vessels were working during the early response phase and no invasive organisms have been found.

'The Department of Conservation is contracted over three years to monitor wildlife species and enhance habitat areas.

'Much of this work is done by supporting existing community group initiatives,” says Bruce.

Engagement with iwi continues through liaison with representatives on the Rena Recovery Steering Group and one-on-one meetings with iwi leaders.

'Five iwi groups were contracted to undertake cultural impact assessments of their areas. Representatives from three groups met in mid-December to share their findings and develop recommendations,” he said.

'The Matauranga programme, due for completion in March 2015, applies a cultural lens to the western science on the environmental impact of the Rena grounding.

'The Mauri assessment analyses the effects of the Rena grounding on the life force elements in the Maketu area.”

Both studies are being undertaken by Ngati Makino under contract, and the Mauri work is due to be completed in the middle of this year.

'Professor Chris Battershill reported on monitoring programme results in early December 2013 and concluded that, while there were still concerns, and a need for ongoing monitoring, the environment had recovered remarkably well.”

The Department of Conservation has been undertaking a three year programme to monitor key ecosystems for incursion of invasive plant or animal pests, and speed up recovery of key wildlife populations following the Rena grounding.

Funding of $252,000 spread over three years has been allocated to the wildlife programme, which monitors threatened species and key ecosystems, and restores wildlife populations in areas affected by Rena debris or response activities.

The work includes looking for new invasive species on eight animal pest-free islands, and building community capability to undertake pest control to improve breeding success of coastal wildlife, which includes little blue penguins on Motiti Island.

Recent work has included providing advice, signage and predator traps to protect five or six dotterel pairs at Bowentown, Waihi Beach, which have had a poor breeding season because of high tidal surges bringing driftwood and debris which swamped nests.

Increased predator control of stoats, feral cats and rats is being funded around

Mauao, Moturiki and Motuotau Islands.

Details of the monitoring research project Te Mauri Moana presented to the Rena Recovery Governance Group last month shows promising recovery from the grounding, says Bruce.

Professor Chris Battershill, who undertook the monitoring, says that by world standards the Rena oil spill was relatively small.

'New Zealand by world standards has an extraordinarily unpolluted open coastline, so the Rena incident was very serious.”

'Debris contamination effects are likely to be longer term, but have so far been isolated to close to the wreck and the reef itself.”

Results to date on environmental recovery toward a pre-Rena state are promising, says Bruce.

The University of Waikato and Bay of Plenty Regional Council will continue to work together on future monitoring and Beca (on behalf of the vessel's owner) will continue to coordinate sampling and monitoring at Astrolabe Reef.

Rena debris hotline on 0800 333 771. If you spot oil call Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Pollution Hotline 0800 884 883.