Free Workshop a Must for Anyone who Loves the Beach

Most New Zealanders live within 10 km of our coastline, 1100km of which is coastal dunes. But as anyone who has recently visited Port Waikato knows, this is a fragile environment which will need our help to survive.

The Dune Restoration Trust of New Zealand, Franklin District Council and the Ministry for the Environment are working together to bring a free workshop on dune restoration to Franklin. The workshop, which will be held on Saturday 6th December, will take place at Port Waikato, a community who knows more than most how fragile the dune system in New Zealand can be.

The July storms ripped away the dunes at Port Waikato, destabilising the cliff face, destroying the accessway and surf lifesaving tower and changing the nature of the beach. With the frequency and ferocity of storms projected to increase, and a possible sea level rise, dune systems will continue to be vulnerable. It’s not all bad news though – as a community Franklin has the power to protect and restore its dunes.

“The soft dune defence system is a more natural and cheaper means of coastal protection than building solid seawalls. And of course dunes also provide far more effective protection from rare and extreme events like tsunami. Wherever possible, it makes really good sense for communities to maintain and restore their coastal dunes, rather than rely on ugly man-made defences,” says Franklin District Council Parks Officer, Greg Lowe.

The free workshop, designed to empower coastal communities to restore their local dunes, will be held on 6 December, at the Port Waikato Hall. Registration for the workshop is free but essential—it includes free lunch, morning and afternoon tea.

For further information contact Greg Lowe at the Franklin District Council or visit dunestrust.org.nz.

Guest speakers are national experts on sand dunes, including Jim Dahm, Dr David Bergin, Harley Spence and Dunes Trust Chairperson Mark Dean.

The project is being supported by the Sustainable Management Fund, which is administered by the Ministry for the Environment.