SEPTEMBER MAHURU 2022
Lack of consultation over bird protection areas angers Eastbourne residents were surprised to hear a fence is to be erected at Rona Bay Beach to protect penguins relocated there as a result of construction of Tupua Horo Nuku shared path. Residents living by Bishop Park are questioning the reasoning behind moving the penguins to the beach, and why they were not included in consultation over the path, which was held with residents around the Eastern Bays. Consent for the path was approved by the Environment Court last year. It includes provision for four bird protection zones: Oyster Catchers at Sorrento Bay, and penguins at Rona Bay, Robinson Bay, and Whiorau Reserve. Peter Smith lives by Bishop Park and is unhappy with the plan to restrict public access to the Rona Bay foreshore behind Bishop Park. The fence will be erected at the atop the sand dune bank on the west of the Park, in front of the plantings, and Mr Smith wants to know why local residents were not consulted, and says he and his neighbours have struggled to get answers from officials and elected members of HCC and the Eastbourne Community Board. Speaking on behalf of the Board, Belinda Moss said the path plan was publicly available information from at least November 2019 when the first proposed map was released by the shared path project team. "Protection of penguins and Oyster Catchers was a key consent condition of the project and an open day last October included information on the four bird protection areas. It said the team would work with residents and the community on what the protection would look like." The ECB is also disappointed that the project team has not yet consulted with residents. "The Board’s view is that the proposed design, which stipulates a 1.2m fence
Love Your Outdoors
Left: the consented bird protection area along Rona Bay, starting next to Bishop Park, shown in pink. Right: the consented bird protection area in Rona Bay, next to HW Shortt Park and including rocks where penguins currently nest..
from Bishop Park to just north of the Rona Wharf, goes beyond the project’s consent requirements. Residents have told ECB they are happy with the area north of Bishop Park to be fenced and the ECB supports that. The Board has questioned the need for the high fence south of that area. We agree with residents that there should be more access passages to the beach. HCC says the bird protection areas will enhance habitat to benefit native flora and fauna, notably kororā little penguins and oyster catchers."at a time when species are under pressure from the effects of changes including climate change and urban development". Mr Smith is questioning the sense of moving penguins to the beach; "I haven’t seen a penguin there in 50 years,” he says. HCC says the dune behind Bishop Park
was identified by the specialists involved in the consenting process as a suitable habitat location which will be enhanced through the planned fencing, planting of suitable plants, and placement of new nesting boxes. Consultation would be held once a more detailed plan had been created. The council says people will continue to be able to use the beach through access points across the bird protection area, to be decided in consultation with neighbours.Dog restrictions for the beach will be consulted on as a part of consultation on the dog management bylaw. Consulting on and considering these restrictions is also required as part of the consent conditions, "but alternatives are available which include additional dune planting enhancement". A meeting between residents and HCC was to take place on Thursday.