This is an article I had published a few years ago in the Tauranga based magazine, 'Bayfisher'. The problem of beach access is not new and is very likely to expand. This concerns pristine beaches in the Bay of Plenty. Somewhere on my pc I have pictures I took of erosion caused by vehicles,at that time it was not difficult to understand why drastic steps needed to be taken.

Sign for the Times.

At some time in the last month or two, Tauranga based Coast Care, have been instrumental in having customary beach access routes at Otamarakau, blocked with the strategic placement of huge boulders. These do not prevent walking access, they are to prevent vehicle access, the reason: continuing damage to the sand dunes and attendant flora and fauna by four-wheel drive vehicles.

This article is not to express a viewpoint, neither is it to be taken as condemnation for what has happened at Otamarakau. Every angler should be very aware of the controversy surrounding some users of four-wheel drive vehicles to gain access to the beach. Most drivers are sensible; sadly there are some who are not. I leave you, the reader, to draw your own conclusions; for only you can decide whether the actions of a few warrant the sledgehammer approach by Coast Care.
I have been airing my concerns over vehicles on the beach for some considerable time, especially on the beach at Ohope. I believe the beach to be a safe area where children can play on the sand, and parent’s only real worries being the danger posed from water - not from vehicles being driven along the sand.
More recently it has become increasingly obvious some vehicles are being taken off the recognised tracks and being taken through the sand dunes, and this is causing major worries on several fronts.

• Causing harm to the nesting sites of endangered birds.
• Adding to the ever-present dangers of coastal erosion.
• Damage to native fauna and flora.

All these are very real concerns, so much so institutions such as Environment BOP have set up a separate body to keep these problems under a watchful eye. Coast Care has been given the mandate to take necessary steps to help when needed. They have also taken a major lead in informing the public of their concerns by:

• Working with angling clubs and schools.
• Generally trying to educate the public over their concerns.
• Running a major campaign to replant the dunes with flora to help arrest the continual erosion problem. Successful, but still in its infancy.
• To eradicate pests such as rabbits.
• Undertaking an active publicity programme informing the public of the ongoing environmental problems.
• Erecting information boards in affected areas, also beach access and exit points.

In many respects Coast Care’s work has been successful. I believe the vast majority of anglers have been made aware of the problems, and do their best to help in the work to preserve the delicate coastal infrastructure - especially the dunes. Sadly, there are those, including some anglers, who openly raise two fingers to any body trying to get them to understand their driving habits are no longer acceptable, and these people are causing major headaches all round. I must add anglers are far from the only people at fault, I have seen motorbikes being driven through the dunes. This is an ideal area for riders to practice motor cross, with built in jumps and a soft landing when it all goes horribly wrong.
Why do anglers especially, want their vehicles on the beach? The answer to this is not difficult to find and this is where Coast Care may have shot themselves in the foot, and are in grave danger of aggravating the very people who have offered a helping hand.
It is essential that people from both sides of the coin, fully understand the others point of view, for failure to do so could involve a separation which will lead to irreparable harm to both parties. The majority of anglers do understand the aims of Coast Care; can the same be said in reverse?
Many anglers simply do not wish to leave their vehicle by the side of the road as it makes an easy target for theft and vandalism. The same can be said for parking in a spot to the rear of the dunes, away from the angler’s view. Again, this is a cherry ripe for picking, especially when the vehicle may have hundreds of dollars worth of equipment and items such as CD’s plus the player simply begging to be removed.
Of course there are also people who can’t or don’t wish to walk too far, just being able to fish with the vehicle close at hand has many benefits. Comfortable seating, shelter from bad weather and everything within easy reach, such as food, drink and bait, all kept free from sand, rain and sun.
Coast Care, out of sheer frustration, seeing the damage to the environment; have blocked some beach access ways to all vehicles, this move will have an especially detrimental effect on anglers.
There are three distinctly different issues to think about from the environmental point of view.

• The issue of vehicles on the beach.
• The issue of taking vehicles into the dunes.
• The issue of damage to Flora and fauna, especially the nesting sites for endangered specie of bird, a rare Dotterel.

First let’s look at the vehicles on the beach. From the arguments before parliament at the moment, it is abundantly obvious there is no clear cut case as to who exactly has the right of ownership and therefore can say who of what can or cannot go on the beach. The foreshore act is far from settled, and it’s purely conjecture as to whether the crown or Maori have control on this somewhat delicate matter.
Taking vehicles into the dunes is a matter of common sense, and sadly that is its downfall, for there always will be people who have simply no concept to the meaning of such an expression. It could be readily suggested instead of huge boulders blocking access ways; an enforcement of a council made bylaws with monetary penalties for those who insist on ignoring these rules should not only be encouraged, but also firmly enforced. Is it right that the many who behave, should be penalized by the few who don’t?
Now the last part, damage to flora and fauna is very probably one of the simplest to cure. Environment BOP should install and maintain proper access ways to the beach for users, also make efforts to seal off the sides of these paths to stop people from straying onto the dunes. Signs erected informing errant drivers of the penalties to be expected from their folly should act as a deterrent.
Knowing there is an endangered bird now facing further risk, I suspect that Forest and Bird have a hand in the blocking of angler access, their name features regularly when there’s a dispute and they are strong proponents on environmental issues with a history of having no regard for other interested parties.
This is indeed a matter of fair play, but I ask you to give just a quick thought to one small, but rather important consideration. By prohibiting access to this one out of the way beach access, obviously the dunes must recover and flora and fauna improve. With those statistics to hand, what better evidence will Coast Care need to ask for all beach access be stopped along the entire Bay of Plenty coast? Don’t worry, of course this could never happen … could it?