Work is being done by 7 motivated people on a forest block behind the east end of Little Munroe Beach that is in the process of being donated by the Vinson family to the Whangarei District Council.

Eleagnus is a massive problem in the block – half a square km of Eleagnus in total. Last year's project was to clear Eleagnus and pines from hill side from the beach up to paddocks on the eastern side little Munroe bay.

An Eleagnus waste 15m long by 1.5 wide and 2m high resulted, and the hillside exposed presented erosion worries. Logs are still left to be milled, and weeds are coming up now but the hillside is being replanted with natives and isolated clumps of Eleagnus are continuing to be cut.

The motivation for the work was to extend the Whangarei Heads coastal track, a coastal walkway from MCleods Bay to Taurikura. Opening this bush area up will extend this track through to Taurikura and create an enclave of bush in Monroe Bay adding to existing bush and backed by Mt Manaia.

Nominated by: Gina Williams, DOC.