Auckland the largest City in New Zealand is located on the northern shores of the Manukau Harbour. This harbour is the feeding ground for approximately 26,000 migratory shorebirds, the largest concentration of these birds in New Zealand. As the City grows housing and industries are being established around the shoreline of the harbour. David Lawrie from the Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalist Trust has been lodging submissions with the Council to remind them of the vulnerability of the shorebird roosting areas. The planning documents make provision to protect the intertidal areas, which are the feeding grounds for the birds. However, due to the growth of the City there are only 5 remaining high tide roosting areas still available. The submissions are to ensure that these areas are protected from any adjacent development or increase in access by humans that would lead to disturbance during the high tide period. Often Local Government Officials forget that the most critical and vulnerable period for wading birds is during the time of high tide when they are concentrated onto relatively small areas. It is critical that these areas are identified and protected from disturbance.
[Original article provided by David Lawrie, Pukorokoro Miranda Naturalist Trust](709KB)