Anyone owning beachfront property in Hawai'i or planning to buy some would do well to pick up a copy of a new booklet that outlines many of the issues dealing with coastal property.

It has an unwieldy title: "Natural Hazard Considerations for Purchasing Coastal Real Estate in Hawai'i: A Practical Guide of Common Questions and Answers." It was produced by the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program, with help from the state Department of Land and Natural Resources Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, the state Department of Planning's Coastal Zone Management Program, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Despite the ponderous title, the booklet is colorful and easy to understand. Often, however, big issues are covered in short paragraphs. You don't want to miss them. It's a tightly written booklet to read carefully rather than to skim.

It provides information on how to assess hazards to your property, where the big swells come from, causes of coastal erosion and how erosion proceeds, and ways to identify potential problems.

Have neighbors been dumping rocks or vegetation along the shore? That's a warning: It could be a sign they are trying to deal with an erosion problem.

On properties threatened by erosion, there are several kinds of actions owners can take, some of which require permits, some of which are permanent and others temporary. And the booklet suggests there are no guarantees: "Don't assume you will be granted an authorization for a shoreline structure just because the shoreline is eroding," it says.

A key recommendation is for prospective coastal landowners to do their research, even to the point of having a professional perform a coastal hazard assessment. At least, a landowner should have "an understanding of the local coastal processes and wave conditions, and how the beach changes seasonally."

If you're buying, a real estate agent has a responsibility to inform you about known and documented coastal hazards, but such information may not be well understood or documented "and may require investigation on the part of the buyer," the booklet says.

You can get a copy of "Purchasing Coastal Real Estate" for $5, including shipping, sent to the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program Communications Unit, 2525 Correa Road, HIG 208, Honolulu, HI 96822. Or e-mail uhsgcomm@hawaii.edu. Checks should be made out to RCUH.

If you have a question or concern about the Hawaiian environment, drop a note to Jan TenBruggencate at P.O. Box 524, Lihu'e, HI 96766 or jant@honoluluadvertiser.com. Or call him at (808) 245-3074.