Massive community opposition at hearings
During the hearings for the resource applications by McCallum Bros Limited to extract more sand from Pakiri Beach, the Endangered Species Foundation presented the devastating effects that sand loss is having on the tara iti and the 26 other at-risk or endangered birds that live in this area.
We were joined by many groups, iwi, scientists, lawyers, conservationists, residents and bach owners, who together make up massive community opposition to these applications. Hours of scientific evidence and local, witnessed experience was presented and we were humbled and deeply moved by the levels of heartfelt compassion and objective evidence that was shared.
As you can see in the images below, these beaches are at a crisis point and the ecosystems have reached a final threshold.
Pakiri Beach July 12, 2021: The very steep angles of the dunes (35 - 70 degrees) are similar to other damaged beaches ecosystems, in unnaturally induced erosional states.
“Pakiri beach is a “sick beach” and has lost its natural resilience to weather events...” Statement of evidence from Gregory Jenks.
Mangawahi Beach July 10, 2022. The wooden path to the beach now protrudes metres above the beach, and the polls hang in the air due to so much sand erosion.
Photo: Jacob Ball, DoC.
Beach narrowing, due to sand loss forces the terns to nest closer to the sea, putting their eggs at risk during storms and king tides. Dune erosion has become severe and unstoppable, moving to the ‘exhaustion and collapse’ position.
Giant SOS sends strong message
Thank you to everyone who turned out on July 10, to create a huge, human SOS on the sand, calling for an urgent stop to sand mining in Mangawhai and Pakiri. Together we sent a clear message to Auckland extraction company, McCallum Brothers, that their sand mining practice along the Mangawhai/Pakiri coastline is not welcome and that we need to protect this precious coastline for all the endangered species that call this place home.
On 10 July 2022 hundreds of people met at Mangawhai Beach to tell McCallum Bros no to sand mining.