Subscribe to RSSWildlife Sanctuary Great News For Auckland -But Good News Doesn’t Sell!
Why has the media become so against any good things happening in Auckland?
One of the reasons I began this site was because rail development was being totally ignored. The Herald has still to publish any photo of the finished Newmarket or New Lynn railway stations. You’d think nothing was happening with rail in Auckland.
Here’s another bewildering example.
An exciting environmental story in the last few days was totally ignored by the Herald and TV.
A few days ago, an important and long –awaited start was made to the beautiful Shakespear Regional Park becoming an open wildlife sanctuary.
As ARC chair Mike Lee, who has long pressed for this, said it means the day will come when native birds like bellbirds, parakeets, hihi, kaka and kiwi are abundant and safely breeding in the park. “Not only will local people come in their thousands to experience this sanctuary, but the birds we breed here will certainly be coming to visit local residents in the gardens of Whangaparaoa and beyond.”
This is a great move for which future generations will be grateful and it’s the sort of thing the public should be loud in their praise and sending a message this must continue.
Remember this comes on the eve of unknown corporate entities moving in to take over from bodies like the ARC, which is presently helping create such things happen.
If we don’t know about moves like this and loudly voice our approval, whoever is in charge of the new bodies may well think that in the future, such greeny things are unpopular and a waste of money. Mind you, that may not be accountable to the public anyway.
Representatives from the ARC, the volunteer Shakespear Open Sanctuary Society, the defence force and Rodney District Council took part in the ceremony.
Ceremony (see bottom of post for names) |ARC
The pest-proof fence and gates will be completed by June next year. The fence will run for 1.75km from Okoromai Bay to Army Bay and the open sanctuary will cover 555 hectares, which includes parcels of land owned by RDC and the NZDF.
The fence doesn’t not cross the peninsula in a straight line. Instead, the route takes into consideration the park’s rich cultural heritage, the visual impact of the fence, park operational requirements, current vegetation and the best fit for pest exclusion.
The overall cost of the fence (excluding the automated gates) is $750,000. Funding has come from the ARC, SOSSI fundraising efforts and grants awarded to SOSSI.
Although closed to public access, the RDC and NZDF land will be subject to pest control, helping to maintain the open sanctuary’s pest-free status.
Public access to the park will stay the same. Pest eradication, which is necessary for current and future wildlife to thrive, will be undertaken in winter next year by a proposed poison bait drop, as well as trapping and hunting.
550,000 people visit Shakespear Regional Park |ARC
When the fence is finished, automated vehicle gates will allow the public into the park while keeping unwanted pests out. The group still needs around $150,000 for the automated gates. And it needs more volunteers.” To join the group or become a volunteer, visit its site
Well done to all involved.
This should have been on the front page.
(People in photo: From left: John Kirikiri, Sandra Coney, Allan Parker, Mike Lee, Captain Fred Keating, Steve Burgess and Glen Wilcox)
6 Comments
Yes, you are right! Good news doesn’t sell. That’s why there is a lack of comments on this article too.
This will turn out to be a wonderful place!
“That’s why there is a lack of comments on this article too.”
I feel the lack of comments here is that a) because this is transport board and b) this is not really a controversial topic, because what Jon C is saying is correct. You get the most comments on issues that get people incensed. Most people like parks, but aren’t so enthusiastic about them they would spend a lot of time discussing them.
Which really goes back to what Jon said - but I disagree that that’s some sort of really bad things. Humans just gravitate towards the more controversial stuff (i.e. “bad” stuff - fights, scandals, things not working out right) partly because those things are more interesting, but also because those need our attention more than those things that are going more or less ok.
Tiritiri Matangi Island / reserve off the end of Whangaparaoa is well worth a visit. An amazing job has been done over the years developing the bush and it is now the home of rare species, which are spreading back to the mainland at Shakespeare Reserve.
Ferries go from the City and Gulf Harbour
this is National, not Labour, if Helen was still around she would be there to open it, therefore attracting media.
“Tiritiri Matangi Island / reserve off the end of Whangaparaoa is well worth a visit.”
Shakespear Regional Park IS the land version of Tiritiri Matangi! One of the reasons birdlife is plentiful here is because it could hop over from the sanctuary island nearby.
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