Here are 10 simple steps  you can take to help us care for Northland's coast:

Keep off the dunes

Wheels, feet and hooves kill the plants which protect the dunes.

Wheels destroy the dunes and dune plants and can disturb or kill native birds and wildlife.

All vehicles – including 4WD, motorbikes and quad bikes – should follow marked tracks and keep to the hard sand.

Give plants a chance.

Native sand-binding plants protect the dunes and help them recover after they have been eroded by storms. You can help protect the plants by keeping to the paths, following directions on signs and keeping out of fenced areas.

Keep stock in the paddock.

Farm stock can trample sand dunes, birds and wildlife, and eat dune plants. Fence off coastal margins and keep stock off dunes.

Ride the waves, not the dunes!

Sandboarding on the dunes destroys plants and loosens the sand, causing wind erosion.

Horsing about is definitely out!

Riding horses through dunes can damage plants and wildlife. Use designated accessways to reach the beach and ride your horses on hard sand.

Leave our beaches litter free.

Rubbish looks ugly and can be harmful to people and wildlife. Please take your rubbish home with you.

Don't let our beaches go to the dogs!

Ask your local district council which beaches you can exercise your dog on.

Always keep your dog under control and pick up its waste.

Get rid of pests and weeds.

Rabbits and possums eat dune plants and shrubs, while garden plants and weeds

smother native vegetation. Trap animal pests whenever possible and compost your garden waste rather than throwing it onto the dunes.

Leave sand and pebbles for future generations.

It is illegal to remove sand, pebbles or rocks from our beaches. These materials are the building blocks of our coastline and take thousands of years to build up.