Mihi Awhimate is the leader of a care group which has put thousands of native plants back into sand dunes to enhance a stretch of beach near Otamarakau.
Since 2004 the Ngati Makino Coast Care group, made up of tangata whenua and supported by other members of the Otamarakau community, has mainly planted pingao, hinarepe and kowhangatara.

The Ngati Makino Coast Care initiative works in partnership with the Coast Care BOP programme.
Their aim is to restore about two kilometres of coastline along the Matata straights.
About half of this area has been successfully restored with native foredune and work has now started further up the beach, according to EBOP.
Several hundred shrubs and coastal tree species have also been planted near the mouth of the Waitahanui Stream and 500 metres upstream.
This year about 30 volunteers from the care group put in an extra 1,500 foredune plants and 120 trees and harakeke.
Group leader Mihi Awhimate says it was really special to see the return of the native plants to the beach.
'It's wonderful to see the return of the native plants to the beach, coast and river.
Many of these plants we will utilise on the marae for traditional cultural purposes. It is so satisfying to see the plants grow and change the beach and river back to how it used to be,” says Mihi.