Care Groups

Care Groups are organised community groups which work to protect and enhance a local area of environmental importance. The focus can be coastal, estuary, steam/lake, and/or pest control. Each year, we support Care Groups with funding, as well as offering technical advice and support.

Your group's work could involve coastal dune restoration, wetland and estuary management, stream/lake margin management, catchment management, and/or control of pest plants and animals. Often one issue, such as mangroves in an estuary or acacia on the coast, focuses initial community attention on the health of the natural environment.

Your group's work could be on public or private land.

If your group has sound enviromental objectives and commitment, we'll register it as a Care Group. This gives you access to your resources and support, which may include helping your group to get started, project planning and management, offering technical advice, providing materials, helping with fliers and communications, and lending equipment for your work.

In accepting support, your Care Group agrees to plan and complete the work. You need to be sure your community has a core group to see the project through.

Coast Care

Coast Care Bay of Plenty is a community partnership programme, which uses local knowledge and enthusiasm to restore the form and function of the dunes in the Bay of Plenty.

Estuary Care

Estuary Care groups have formed to maintain estuary values such as open water, clean and clear water, abundant fish and shellfish, estuary margins free of plant and animal pests and rubbish, and to promote native estuarine and bird habitats in their estuaries. There are ten groups around Tauranga Harbour and two around Ohiwa Harbour.

Weedbusters

Weedbusters is about working together to reduce the threat of weeds to New Zealand's natural environment.