Rena Volunteer Research 2011 - 2015

Following the grounding of the MV Rena on Astrolabe Reef in October 2011, oil spilled from the vessel washed ashore along many kilometres of the Bay of Plenty coastline.

Over the weeks that followed the oil spill, a large group of volunteers was mobilised and cleaned oil from beaches and rocks. 

Heather, together with Rebecca Sargisson, Kelly Smith and Sonya Hunt from the University of Waikato and Pim de Monchy and Stephanie Twaddle from Bay of Plenty Regional Council, conducted research into the experiences of those who volunteered for the oil spill clean-up.

The team also completed in in-depth case study of the Maketū community response.

The Rena volunteer research has resulted in several publications and conference presentations, some of which are listed below. 

Hamerton, H., Sargisson, R.J., Smith, K. & Hunt, S.  (2015). How volunteering reduced the impact of the Rena oil spill: Community responses to an environmental disaster.  International Journal of Mass Emergencies and Disasters, 33(2), 253-273.

Smith, K., Hamerton, H., Hunt, S. & Sargisson, R.J.  (2015).  Local volunteers respond to the Rena oil spill in Maketū, New Zealand.  Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online. 

Hunt, S., Smith, K., Hamerton, H. & Sargisson, R.J. (2014).  An Incident Command Centre in action: Response to the Rena oil spill in New Zealand.  Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 22(1), 63-66. 

Hunt, S., Sargisson, R.J., Hamerton, H. & Smith, K.  (2014).  Integrating research on the impact of volunteering following the Rena oil spill into the University of Waikato social work teaching curriculum.  Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education, 16(2), 36-45.

Sargisson, R.J., Hunt, S., Hanlen, P. Smith, K. & Hamerton, H.  (2012). Oil clean-up volunteering after the Rena grounding: An online survey. 

Sargisson, R.J., Hunt, S., Hanlen, P., Smith, K. & Hamerton, H.  (2012). Volunteering: A community response to the Rena oil spill in New Zealand.  Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management, 20(4), 208-218.