Final coast care planting days this season

Caring for the coast is an activity that starts early for some

For those who haven't yet experienced the buzz that comes from being involved in a Coast Care day, the last dune planting days of the winter season are coming up this weekend.

There are three planting days planned – Maketu on Saturday August 24, followed by Waihi and Mount Maunganui on Sunday August 25.

This year marks the 25th anniversary for Coast Care, a project based around saving the sand dunes. Dunes act as a backbone of the beach, providing a home for many native species and also working as a buffer between the land and the sea. Without the dunes the land would become vulnerable to storm waves.

Coast Care is a community partnership programme that with the help of volunteers restores, maintains and protects sand dunes across the Bay of Plenty.

This support from the community has meant that the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the four district councils - Western Bay, Tauranga City, Whakatane and Opotiki - have now planted more than one million plants.

As people have grown to understand the importance of maintaining the sand dunes, Coast Care event numbers have risen dramatically in recent years. At the Papamoa event last month 100 people turned up to help. Interestingly it's a new, younger breed of volunteer that is starting to participate, with people taking individual responsibility for helping the environment.

Meet at the carpark at the end of Ford Rd, Paengaroa on Saturday for the Maketu planting which runs from 9.30am – 12.30pm.

For the Mount planting on Sunday, meet on the beach at 10am by Access 4.1 on Ocean Beach Rd, near the Tweed St roundabout. The Waihi beach planting, also starting at 10am on Sunday has a meet up point at the end of Mako Ave.

Look out for the Coast Care flags, bring along a spade if you have one, and wear covered shoes.

Any questions contact Chris and Jayne Ward: 0800 884 881 extension 8801 or email: coastcare.west@boprc.govt.nz

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