A fund is being established to help community groups care for the Bay of Plenty's coast and estuaries, following the grounding of the ship Rena.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Councils have joined forces to set up the ‘Care For Our Coast Fund.'

A fund has been created to help community groups care for Bay of Plenty coasts and estuaries in the aftermath of the Rena oil spill.

Any donations to the fund will be put towards coast care and estuary work, not covered by the official recovery response and will also be put towards Motiti Island.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council chairman John Cronin says local communities put a great deal of effort and commitment into caring for their special areas.

'We're lucky to have such committed and caring communities around our coast and harbours, and setting up this fund is something positive we can do to help support them.”

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says people are passionate about their beaches and estuaries and it is important to support their future.

'We're so lucky to live here and we all enjoy the outdoors. This is one way the community can be supported directly by those wanting to help.”

Money raised from the fund will go towards the Coast Care Bay of Plenty programme to restore the form and functions of the sand dunes.

The Fund will also benefit islands, including Motiti Island as well as the mainland and will be used to help with estuary care, to create clean and clear waters, full of fish and shellfish and to promote native estuarine plant and bird habitats in these estuaries.

How you can make a donation to the Bay of Plenty Care For Our Coast Fund:

You can make a donation over the counter at any National Bank or ANZ branch or via internet banking to:

- National Bank: Account number: 06-0489-0094734-50

- ANZ: Account number: 01-1839-0256313-00

Details of how donations can be made and how the fund will operate will soon be on the Councils' websites.