Over 80% of our coastal dune ecosystems have been lost. So, what about the native species living with them? Ayana Piper-Healion steps into Bream Bay’s sand dunes with a monitoring team to see what lizards can tell us about the health of the sand dunes.
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To find out more on what the local critics think about the Bream Bay Sand Extraction Project’s fast-track application, RNZ’s Peter de Graaf reported on a protest there earlier this year.
Further north, Saturday Morning reported on significant damage being caused to dunes by thrill seekers driving vehicles through them.
Another region dealing with threatened dunes is Waimarama, where weeds are spreading from people fly-dumping garden waste.
In the Hawke’s Bay, the ‘Skink Squad’ are on a mission to save the northern spotted skinks in preparation for an infrastructure project.
In 2021, Our Changing World did a deep dive into dune plants and the largest supplier of plants for dune revegetation programs.
Guests:
Steve Johnson, Patuharakeke Te Pou Taiao
Ari Carrington, resource co-ordinator at Patuharakeke Te Pou Taiao
Katrina Hansen, biodiversity specialist Northland Regional Council
Laura Shaft, biodiversity manager Northland Regional Council
Brooke Gray, biodiversity advisor Northland Regional Council
Richard Griffiths, coastal scientist Northland Regional Council