North Shore Times (New Zealand)
Plantings may have helped
Native bush planted as recently as three years ago may have prevented some of the worst damage on Auckland’s Herald Island during Cyclone Gabrielle.
Twin Wharf Rd was partially wrecked thanks to a large gum tree coming loose, taking the footpath, retaining wall and much of the bank down into the sea with it.
Herald Island Environmental Group chairperson Jan Diprose said it had been both discouraging and encouraging – while some of the bank her team intended on restoring was gone, the section they did plant survived the storm well.
‘‘We plant things that will prevent erosion, but of course a huge tree coming down, it’s going to take everything with it,’’ she said.
The team had planted more than 1000 native plants of some 30 species since 2020, with funding and support from Auckland Council.
They planted kōwhai and nikau for the birds, as well as cabbage trees and flaxes that have deep root structures to keep the ground in place.
‘‘We’ve had a really good overall plant survival rate at this site, with hardly any losses and the plants are now beginning to flourish,’’ Diprose said.
Herald Island is a small island connected to Whenuapai by a causeway. It has two main roads circling the land, with interconnecting streets and one community hall in the centre.
University of Auckland coastal erosion expert Professor Mark Dickson said he could see how erosion may have been prevented thanks to the planting.
‘‘Bank stability in soft sediments is quite complex and can vary depending on rock and soil characteristics as well as hydrological conditions and the nature of tidal currents at the base of the slope,’’ he said after seeing photographs of the site.
‘‘If all of these factors were similar across the two sites, then the observed differences in erosion during the cyclone could well be due to differences in the vegetation type and stage of growth.’’
The team had intended to restore the bank where the gum tree came down, but it was less accessible than other sections.
Among their plans was to throw clay ‘‘seed bombs’’ of native seeds to see what might germinate there.
The road has a reduced speed limit while contractors get to the site amid a slew of immense damage from Cyclone Gabrielle around the city.
Auckland Transport has also made some repairs, with a tarseal patch over the worst of the road cracks.
The speed limit has been dropped to 30kph and cars are only allowed to go through one way at the time.
Diprose said the scale of the damage showed how much work the city had to do to ready itself for the impacts of climate change.
In the wake of the flooding, which came after unprecedented rainfall, experts have called for Auckland to become a ‘‘sponge city’’ to avoid further disaster.
University of Auckland senior lecturer in urban planning Timothy Welch wrote that cities had been built to be vulnerable to major weather events.
Streets were impermeable surfaces and need to be built to better absorb and filter the water, he wrote.
‘‘Observed differences in erosion . . . could well be due to differences in the vegetation type.’’
Professor Mark Dickson coastal erosion expert
The accident was so simple. Just a slip. And then godawfulness.
Coming down wooden steps at the end of a gruelling haul during the GODZone adventure race, Ben Lott either fell asleep or just missed his footing.
Whichever it was, he ended up on his side, screaming.
After a while, he seemed okay, so carried on.
But two days later, another team found 27-year-old Ben sitting beside his bike in the middle of a forestry road, concussed and confused.
That team’s leader, Scott Worthington, decided the two teams should stick together for Ben’s safety.
And over the next two days, that’s what they did, till they crossed the finishing line in Te Anau.
Scott, then 61, who’d retired to Central Otago from Auckland after selling his business, had previously bumped into Ben during adventure races, but didn’t expect they’d have anything more to do with each other after GODZone.
But the effects of his fall continued to worsen for Ben over the months ahead.
At first his words became slurred. Then he lost them completely.
He lost his job at a rural supplies company, he lost his partner, his savings, his selfworth.
In their place came an inability to balance and walk, migraines, and constant nausea.
Sometimes he couldn’t even remember his name, so he added notes to his phone’s alarm, so when he woke each morning, he could remind himself who he was, how old he was, and where he lived.
Doctors struggled for a diagnosis, beyond the fact he’d suffered traumatic injuries to his brain and neck, leaving Ben enduring months of painful rehabilitation and repeated tests, with little progress.
At one point, those treating him said he should abandon any goals in his life.
Feeling his recovery had stalled, and sensing officials were content to consign him to a life on drugs and benefits, a life dulled, and devoid of aspiration, Ben decided to quit ACC and go it alone.
‘‘He was just determined to get better,’’ remembers his mother, Maureen.
‘‘He couldn’t live like he was,’’ she says.
Instead, he gathered a group of friends and sports professionals around him, and pushed to get his life back.
Central amongst these people were Scott and Sue Worthington.
What followed is a story of inspiration.