LOCALS’ complaints about people on the Aotea sand dunes have been upheld by Tinaka Mearns, the Department of Conservation operations manager.
“DOC supports the clear sentiment expressed by mana whenua, that the public should keep off the dunes and the foreshore,” she said.
“This is a fragile and dynamic environment with significant cultural values.”
Local iwi Ngati Te Wehi members posted complaints about an increase in people being seen on the northern side of Aotea Harbour, fishing and sliding down the dunes.
Iwi members asked owners of local Airbnb baches and holiday baches to remind guests about the Aotea dunes being waahi tapu (sacred) with strictly no access.
The area is signposted from the Aotea side as a scientific reserve of about 500 hectares.
“As a general instruction to the public, we ask people to keep off and away from the entire area – including the dunes and the adjacent foreshore – as this is a fragile and dynamic environment with significant cultural values,” Tinaka said.
The dunes’ scientific reserve classification appears to have been granted on the basis of its scientific values (including archaeological, ecological and geological).
“In management of the site, we note the presence of an urupā and the need for waahi tapu to be respected by the public,” she said.
The principal purpose of a scientific reserve, as set out in section 21 of the Reserves Act 1977, was a reserve for “the purpose of protecting and preserving in perpetuity for scientific study, research, education, and the benefit of the country, ecological associations, plant or animal communities, types of soil, geomorphologic phenomena, and like matters of special interest.”
