30 January 2025
Completed collection of 10 bags of spinifex seed heads at Te Arai. These bags will contain around 2000 seed heads & Coastlands Plant Nursery at Whakatane will separate the spinifex seeds from the heads & then propagate the seed. The seeds collected this year will be available as plants in 2026. The MHRS will be planting 3000 spinifex plants on the Mangawhai distal spit this coming season to assist with the stabilising of the sand.
The collectors were volunteers from the MHRS & the Tern Point community.
PLANTING THE SANDSPIT
An iconic feature of Mangawhai
A highly visible and powerful landform, the spit's size is not readily apparent when viewed from across the estuary, but seen from elevated locations, or from on the spit itself, its scale is impressive.
​
Since commencement, over 100,000 spinifex and pingao have been planted on both the estuary and ocean sides of the sandspit. Net fencing has been installed by the MHRS to stabilise the sand dunes by collecting wind-blown sand drifts.
The planting and fencing programs are carried out with the support of DOC and are designed to be complimentary to the sandspit's bird sanctuary.
Links to Information and Media