Coasts
Our coasts are complex, dynamic, and threatened. Coastal management needs multidisciplinary science.
Research projects
Featured research project
Estuarine Ecodiagnostics
Date: April 02, 2009
National Centre:
Monitoring the impact of urban development on estuary ecosystems. Read more about Estuarine Ecodiagnostics
Latest projects
Restoration of seagrass beds in Whangarei Harbour
Seagrass beds form an important undersea habitat for small fish, seahorses and shellfish in New Zealand. A large amount of New Zealand’s seagrass habitat has been lost as a result of human activities, with only small pockets remaining in some harbours. NIWA is leading a small-scale transplantation trial in Whangarei Harbour to determine whether transplanted seagrass can survive, and hopefully thrive, at a former site. Read more about Restoration of seagrass beds in Whangarei Harbour
Predicting long-term sedimentation and heavy metal accumulation in estuaries
NIWA has developed an Urban Stormwater Contaminant (USC) model to enable urban planners to predict sedimentation and heavy metal accumulation in estuaries and identify problem areas in order to target mitigation measures. The model supports decision making by predicting contaminant accumulation under various catchment development scenarios over 50-100 year timescales. Read more about Predicting long-term sedimentation and heavy metal accumulation in estuaries
Our Services
We offer expert services in environmental impact assessment in estuaries and coastal areas, coastal erosion and hazards, port and estuary contamination, environmental monitoring, numerical modelling and coastal habitat assessments. Read more about Our Services
Tools and Resources
NIWA is constantly making new tools and resources available related to our work with coasts and estuaries. Read more about Tools and Resources
Publications
The Centre shares a monthly publication with the Oceans centre "Coasts and Oceans Update" Read more about Publications
Coasts Update
This quarterly e-newsletter of NIWA's National Centre for Coasts brings you news of coastal research, events, and workshops at NIWA.
Sign up to the Coasts Update.
Read more about Coasts Update
Coasts & Oceans Update
Up until 2008 this was a joint quarterly update from the National Centre for Coasts and the National Centre for Oceans. The publication facilitates public, industry, and governmental access to NIWA's expertise and knowledge in coastal and ocean research. Read more about Coasts & Oceans Update
Antarctica
NIWA scientists have worked for many years on Antarctic atmospheric processes and aquatic ecosystems. Our research vessel RV Tangaroa also supplies logistical support for scientific studies and hydrographic surveys in the Southern Ocean. Read more about Antarctica
New Zealand IPY-CAML project
Read more about New Zealand IPY-CAML project
IceCUBE - Antarctic coastal marine ecosystems
IceCUBE (Coastal Underwater Benthic Ecosystems) is the umbrella name for our coastal marine research project that had its first field year in 2001/02. The project aims to better understand the structure and functioning of benthic (seafloor) ecosystems along the Ross Sea coast. Read more about IceCUBE - Antarctic coastal marine ecosystems
Ross Sea Trophic Model
Tools and Resources
NIWA is constantly making new tools and resources available related to our work with coasts and estuaries. Read more about Tools and Resources
Marine Environment Classification
The Marine Environment Classification (MEC), a GIS-based environmental classification of the marine environment of the New Zealand region, is an ecosystem-based spatial framework designed for marine management purposes. Read more about Marine Environment Classification