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The Omaha Shorebirds Protection Trust wants to build a new entrance to its bird sanctuary at a cost of more than $96,000 to help more people understand and care about the endangered birds that live there.
Trustee Ngaire Wallen told Rodney Local Board’s February meeting that the existing sanctuary entrance, off the northern end of Ida Way, looked unloved and uncared for and was cluttered with a confusing mess of signs.
“There are lots of signs, but none of them identify exactly what the place is. It’s no surprise that people behave inappropriately if they’re not aware that they’re in a sanctuary for rare and endangered birds.”
Members heard that human disturbance and incursions by domestic pets were two of the main challenges impacting the breeding success of birds such as NZ dotterels and others. Although community involvement in pest control had improved, many holidaymakers did not know what the sanctuary was for.
A predator-proof fence was installed to protect the reserve land at the northern tip of Omaha Beach in 2012, but there is pedestrian access through the main gate, as well as a second gate next to the large rock groyne at the beach, off the southern end of Ida Way.
Wallen said the trust wanted to close the second gate permanently, as sand had eroded to the point where people had to scramble down rocks to get to the beach beyond the fence. Closure would also close off an effective loop walk through the sanctuary, which currently encouraged people to enter, disturbing nesting and roosting birds.
The shorebirds trust wants to upgrade the main sanctuary entrance with improved roading, pathways, fencing, gates, wooden bollards and a waharoa, or traditional covered entranceway. There would also be new signage to make it clear what the sanctuary was, which birds were present and that it was a place for birds, not people. The trust also wants to install signs that clearly points people to the main beach, something Wallen said was lacking at present.
In the longer term, the trust would also like to see a raised walkway built into the sanctuary that would allow wheelchair users to view the birds.
Wallen said although there may be more than one source of funding, on Auckland Council advice, the trust was seeking support from the Local Board so the improvements could be undertaken as a single capital works project.
