Ngā Manu is refurbishing its visitor centre.
More than 700 submissions from the Kāpiti community were considered by the council when adopting it 20-year long-term plan.
Included in the ones adopted by council is a proposal from Ngā Manu to refurbish its visitor centre.
Run by a trust with the bulk of its money coming from visitor admissions, most of the infrastructure at Ngā Manu has been around for 40 years and needs upgrading.
Plans a couple of years ago to upgrade the visitor centre were done away with when the Provincial Growth Fund came up, providing an opportunity to go bigger.
"We had some plans that were before council for a potential upgrade two years ago, but then the PGF came up, we abandoned doing an upgrade to our existing visitor centre and created an application for a brand-new visitor centre and cafe," Ngā Manu manager Matu Booth said.
"After two submissions this came to nothing, and in the process of licking our wounds we put together a business team which reviewed our needs and put a plan together regarding the visitor centre.
"It is this application which the council have seen, and they have seen that we desperately need that infrastructure which we applied to the PGF.
"They've realise that the community at large wants to see Ngā Manu succeed, what we're looking to do here is secure a more-sustainable business future."
The council has budgeted $266,000 to contribute to the visitor centre development and proposed forest canopy walkway.
In the draft plan this was spread over years two and three of the plan; however, since then, through its submission, Ngā Manu has prompted the council to give it $50,000 sooner to help fund the more-immediate improvements to the centre.
"It's fantastic council are coming on board, this is the first time we've had council support."
"The PGF process turned the focus for us and we feel really encouraged council have seen our LTP application and that the community has responded."
The council said in its report, "Ngā Manu Nature Reserve makes a unique contribution to our environmental and economic development outcomes".
Much of the work done at Ngā Manu is behind-the-scenes conservation work with DoC and recovery programmes, with the LTP funding giving them the opportunity to upgrade the visitor experience.
The visitor centre upgrades planned include removing the animal kitchen from the building for health and safety reasons, upgrading the retail space and adding a cafe in time for the summer season.
"What is especially exciting is getting the advance on the funding this year rather than having to wait until next year as this means we can create a cafe experience, hopefully in time for this summer."
"We will be able to offer more than our urn that bubbles away in the corner and create a better visitor experience, which will also bring in more revenue."
"We see this inclusion by council as recognition of how important to the community we are."
Other submissions adopted include funding safety improvements to the entrance to Paraparaumu College; setting aside money for town planning consultation and engagement after a submission from the Raumtai Village Business Association; further investment in a social investment fund for the Ōtaki community; funding towards youth services in Ōtaki; an indoor sports feasibility study for year two of the plan and further commitment to reducing waste offsetting the closure of the recycling facility in Waikanae; and committing $150,000 to fund further climate change initiatives across the district.