Northland to host national dune conference

Organisers are expecting more than 80 people from as far as Southland to attend the Dune Restoration Trust of New Zealand’s fifth annual national conference in the Far North.
Conference organiser Laura Shaft, CoastCare Co-ordinator for the Northland Regional Council, says the February 14-17 conference at Taipa will bring together a wide range of community members, management agency staff, scientists and businesses from all over New Zealand.

Ms Shaft says the three-and-a-half day conference is being hosted by the regional council, Taipa Beach Improvement Society and the Taipa Area School and will be based at the school’s cultural centre.

She says the Dune Restoration Trust was formed in 2007 and its aims include facilitating research on dune ecosystems and increasing public awareness of proven methods for protecting, restoring, conserving and sustainably managing them.

“Among the conference activities planned will be the opportunity to view the successful work of Far North CoastCare groups and take a trip along Te Oneroa a Tohe (90 Mile Beach),” Ms Shaft says.

“There’ll also be workshops including pinago weaving and identifying coastal weeds and how to kill them plus a great range of speakers on a wide range of coastal-themed topics from the effect the recent Rena oil spill has had on dunes, to sessions on the collection and cultural significance of toheroa in Northland.”

Ms Shaft says there is still time for interested Northlanders to register for the conference, including those who only want to attend one-day.

A full programme, registration and conference information is available from: www.dunestrust.org.nz