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Our own gold coast

Dunes at Mason Bay, Stewart Island. Photo: G Lind.

Dunes at Mason Bay, Stewart Island

This teaching resource explores the importance of sand dunes for the animals and plants that live in and around them. Find out about the impact of introduced species on our coastline and investigate the reasons for their introduction.

The focus is on pīngao or pīkao - the golden sand sedge and exploring the largest coastal plant protection programme in the southern hemisphere at Mason Bay in Stewart Island.

It links to websites and learning tools which provide practical activities to develop your students' knowledge and skills.

Learning outcomes

Find learning areas and outcomes and curriculum links.

Teaching resource

View the 'Our own gold coast' teaching resource.

Learn more

Find links to related information.

Highlights:

Sand dunes

Coastal sand dunes are much more than heaps of wind-driven sand. They are home to a number of unique native plant and animal communities which exist nowhere else.

Golden sand sedge/pīkao/pīngao

Pīkao or pīngao is a native sand-binding sedge that plays an important role in New Zealand's dune ecosystems.

Marram grass

The vigorous and invasive marram, historically planted for farming or to stabilise dunes, is now threatening plants and animals of dune ecosystems.

Find out more

Publications

View and download all teaching resource publications

2012 Meridian sustainability calendar (PDF, 1100K)

Learn more

LEARNZ website Register for a conservation/biodiversity virtual field trip

Natural Heritage Collection website offers schools free images of NZ's native species

View the Wildtrack children's nature series on NZ on Screen

Contacts

For more information:

Contact your local DOC office

Or email conservED@doc.govt.nz