Point sampling along dune transect, Cooks Beach, Coromandel.Surveying involves an easy-to-use rapid-point sampling method for vegetation cover and species composition:

• Determine sampling points at fixed intervals along the transect. This is likely to be 1m apart for most dunes.
• Drop the fibreglass pole at the sampling points along the transect tape.
• Record the uppermost species touching the pole in the “Touching species” column of the survey sheet.
• Record the top (tallest) species within a 30cm diameter column of the pole in the “Top species” column of the survey sheet, and record the height of this species in the “Top height” column of the survey sheet.

Drop the sampling pole at 1m intervals along the transect tape. Record the uppermost species and height touching the pole (1); and record the top height of vegetation and the species within a 30cm diameter column of the pole (2).