For the twelfth year, volunteers are invited to Dunes Trail planting days.

Regular planting began alongside the Dunes Trail back in 2014. Since then, over 30,000 trees and plants have been dug in. Last year, one popular planting day saw a record turnout of 47 volunteers from across the community.

With shared environmental effort, the dunes have steadily been transformed. There are now large areas of harakeke (flax), karo, ngaio and ti kouka (cabbage tree). In more sheltered spots, houpara (coastal five finger) is doing well.

In some places, the tree canopy is well overhead, providing shelter for the increasing bird life as well as shade for trail users on hot summer days.

Those who look carefully under the karo and ngaio may spot the occasional puriri, pohutukawa, and porokaiwhiri (pigeonwood), planted in the shelter. One day, hopefully, these trees will add scale to the coastal forest canopy.

This year’s first Dunes Trail planting day will be on Sunday, June 7. The place to meet is the eastern end of Hukuwai Beach picnic area, accessed from SH35, or 3km along the Dunes Trail.

This planting, with 500 trees and flaxes, will be where a short section of trail was realigned a couple of years ago. The area is fairly sheltered from the wind and low lying, so should offer ideal growing conditions.

The second planting day will be Sunday, June 21, at Tirohanga beach, and in nearby dunes, with both foredune plants and trees to dig in.

Everyone is welcome to attend both planting days, whether experienced or a first-time tree planter.

Planting days are from 9.30am, Sunday, June 7, with access from Hukuwai Beach, off SH35 3km east of Ōpōtiki. Sunday, June 21, access from Panenehu road/Tirohanga Beach, off SH35 6km east of Ōpōtiki. Please wear covered shoes and bring a spade if you have one, there will also be spades to borrow. The planting will be followed by refreshments.

A planting day will only be cancelled in the event of a storm, a cancellation will be notified on the Motu Trails Cycleway Facebook page. Contact Jim on 020 4069 3890 for enquiries.