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Otago Daily Times

Shady spots for sea lions created

More shady spots for sea lions are going to be created thanks to a Dunedin wildlife trust creating a coastal duneland forest for the marine mammals. On Saturday, the Tomahawk-Smaills Beachcare Trust planted 200 native trees in the dunes behind Tomahawk Beach The planting was part of their project to create a place for sea lions and their pups to rest as they make their way around the coast. Nursery manager Dr Nicole Bezemer said native birds and insects would also benefit from the foliage. Volunteers worked for about two hours to plant all the trees. "Two years ago, it was mulched, and we put in a couple hundred plants. "We have returned to get a bit more species diversity in the area." The local sea lion population was increasing and quite a few pups were being born at Smaills Beach, Dr Bezemer said. There was a lot of area that could serve as habitat. Nate Allen, 19, of Dunedin, plants a native māhoe at Tomahawk Beach on Saturday in order to help create a costal duneland forest. PHOTO: PETER MCINTOSH "What we're aiming for is a coastal duneland forest, which is prime habitat for our local sea lion population." Filling the area with trees would also hopefully keep them in the reserve and stop them going on to roads and backyards. Sea lions wanted a nice, shady canopy, "and the best trees for that is ngaio". "Totara trees are also something we'll add in as a longer-term investment, however they grow much, much slower than ngaio." Half the work had been clearing lupins and weed from the area to create space for the new trees. For years, the trust has been planting more to help create habitat, shelter and safe places for sea lions away from local roads. This year was their 25th year of operation, Dr Bezemer said. The trust had just exited a "funding slump" after being granted $48,200 over the next two years in this year's Otago Regional Council Eco Fund, as well as being granted $15,000 per year in the Dunedin City Council 9-year-plan process. "Thanks to the funding, we're picking up some momentum."