Coastal Stewardship in WA

In recent years coastal management, policy and planning have embraced stewardship, partnership and community engagement as key strategies. Coastcare and Coastwest groups, along with many other coastal action groups, have become the foci for the community's expression of care for the coast. The chapter explores the many ways in which community groups have sought to express their care, and the issues they have addressed. Coastcare groups have undertaken rehabilitation, planning and monitoring. In some cases their initial aims have been for on-ground conservation but they have become politicised over time. Other coastal action groups such as the Save Ningaloo campaign have been initiated in response to threats of inappropriate coastal development so they have been politically motivated from the outset. We suggest here that the aims and expectations of community groups caring or campaigning for the coast have expanded as their work and that of others succeeds. Community groups are thus expanding their participation, and government is concurrently expanding its mechanisms to engage the community. The chapter explores the thinking behind the government policies that engage communities in caring for the coast. Finally, we ask, to what extent has increased participation generated enduring outcomes in terms of coastal protection?