On this page:
Beachcare groups are involved in caring for beaches around the region. They are partnerships between the local community, iwi, district councils and Environment Waikato, working together to protect and restore our precious beaches. There are currently 16 community beachcare groups working on the east and west coasts of the Waikato region. Find out more about beachcare groups and how you can get involved.
Why we need beachcare groups
Many of us love spending time at the beach. During summer many of our region's coastal towns and beaches become crowded with visitors and holiday-makers. Unfortunately, as our beaches become more popular and coastal development increases, the natural character of many of our region's beaches degrades.
Beachcare groups are made up of people who care about a particular area of coastline. They work together to help protect and care for it. Check out our map to see where beachcare groups in the Waikato region are located.
Fragile dunes
Many of the beachcare groups in the Waikato region focus on protecting and restoring native coastal vegetation and sand dunes. Dunes play an important role in protecting beaches from coastal erosion and flooding. Dunes and their vegetation also protect the natural character and beauty of beaches.
However, dunes are fragile and easily destroyed. Dunes rely on the plants that grow on them to trap sand. When dune plants are destroyed dunes are lost. Find out more about dunes and the role they play in protecting beaches. Check out the Dune Care Code to learn more about caring for dunes.
Working together
Environment Waikato and district councils have been providing administrative support and other resources including plants, signage, technical advice and building materials to beachcare groups since 1993.
What beachcare groups are doing
Beachcare groups around the Waikato region help protect our coastlines by:
- building accessways, so people can get to and from beaches more easily, while still protecting coastal plants
- planting and protecting native dune plants
- building lookouts, so people can have views of the beach without trampling dunes
- building fences and boarded pathways to protect dunes
- installing signs to keep people informed about what they are doing
- speaking to other community groups about what they are doing and progress made
- running seminars to help educate people about caring for coastlines
- monitoring beaches for changes or problems that may need their attention.
Call on Environment Waikato's Freephone 0800 800 401 to find out what your local beachcare group is doing and how you can get involved.
Beachcare newsletters and magazine
Keep informed about beachcare groups and events! Beachcare newsletters are produced twice a year, in summer and autumn. The summer newsletter comes out before Christmas to help keep you informed about events over summer. The autumn newsletter comes out in March and gives details about upcoming working bees and planting days for the year ahead. Find out what's happening in your area and get involved!
You can read the latest beachcare magazine in PDF format below:
Beachcare magazine edition 1 - Autumn 2009
(782 kb, 111 seconds to download, 56k modem)
You can read recent beachcare newsletters in PDF format below:
Beachcare newsletter issue 9 - Winter 2008
(385 kb, 55 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare newsletter issue 8 - Summer 2007
(1138 kb, 162 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare newsletter issue 7 - Autumn 2007
(246 kb, 35 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare newsletter issue 6 - Autumn 2006
(918 kb, 131 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare newsletter issue 5 - Summer 2005
(892 kb, 127 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare newsletter issue 4 - Autumn 2005
(425 kb, 60 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare newsletter issue 3 - Summer 2004
(476 kb, 68 seconds to download, 56k modem)
If you would like to receive a copy of the next beachcare newsletter please contact us on Environment Waikato's Freephone 0800 800 401 and we'll put you on the mailing list.
Beachcare Annual Report
The Waikato Region Beachcare Report 2006/07 outlines the progress and achievements made by each Beachcare group in our region. Find out what each Beachcare group has been doing over the last year in the group activity summaries section.
Check out the Waikato region Beachcare report 2007/08 in PDF format below.
Waikato region Beachcare report 2007/08
(631 kb, 90 seconds to download, 56k modem)
Beachcare features on national television
The dune restoration at Marokopa was featured on television one's 'Close-up' on 9 May 2007. You can see the interview here: Mucking in at Marokopa.
The report focused on the involvement that local identity Kahu Hohaia has had over the years. The interview included messages about the importance of dune plants for dune rebuilding and protection from storms.
Over the next few years dune vegetation will be returned to the whole sandspit. We look forward to seeing how the restoration work at Marokopa progresses.
Find out more
Check out our Beachcare Links and Resources page for information about beachcare in other parts of New Zealand, and more information about caring for our coasts.
See our coastal publications for more general information about coasts.
Contact us on Environment Waikato's Freephone 0800 800 401 to find out more about beachcare.