PTC’s Indigenous Sparks empowered rangatahi to learn about robotics, coding, and navigation as applied to our coastlines. Nelson City Council reports that ‘coastal erosion is a natural process where land along the coast is worn away by natural forces. It is mainly caused by waves, tides and ocean currents. Wind, rain, surface runoff and some human activities can also cause erosion. Over time these forces break down rocks, sand and soil causing the shoreline to move landward.

Erosion can happen gradually over many years or suddenly during storm events. In some places, erosion is temporary, such as when storms strip away sand, but the beach rebuilds naturally afterwards. In other areas, erosion is on-going and the shoreline doesn’t recover on its own’. Replanting our dunes is a way of increasing the resilience of our coast with plants adapted to withstand the dynamic coastal environment.

PTC’s robotic iniitative is designed to twin the use of technology as applied to coastal science.