By ANNE BESTON
If some of New Zealand's rare, beautiful birds were returned to the Waitakere Ranges, too many people might want to visit them, says Auckland Regional Council.
Its nervousness over an open wildlife sanctuary to return kiwi, kokako and weka to Auckland's most important wilderness area has been intensified
by two leading conservation groups being at loggerheads over the project.
Yesterday the ARC's parks and heritage committee delayed a decision on "Ark in the Park", hoping the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society and the Waitakere Branch of Forest and Bird could sort out their differences.
The protection society has always maintained the project is seriously flawed and not enough planning has gone into catering for an increase in visitors it would attract.
President John Edgar said other conservation projects in the ranges should take priority over Ark in the Park.
The first 250ha stage was planned for the Cascades/Waitakere Reservoir area, he said, one of the most ecologically valuable slices of the 30,000ha ranges.
"Like everyone else the society loves to see people enjoying the ranges, but we're concerned about the impact of lots more volunteers tramping through the bush and the introduction of yet more poisons." Waitakere Forest and Bird chairman Dr Peter Maddison said arguments over higher visitor numbers were a matter of opinion, and he was surprised the protection society was not backing the project.
Bringing rare wildlife back to the ranges was one way of getting more Aucklanders on-side in the continuing conservation battle, and people who wanted to watch birds were unlikely to cause serious damage.
The aim of Ark in the Park was to offer Aucklanders the opportunities Wellingtonians have with their Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. If it went according to plan, in 10 years Aucklanders might hear kiwi calling in the wild.
Ark in the Park would eventually be a 1700ha low-pest zone where other rare species including whitehead, North Island robin, giant weta and bellbird could make a comeback, Dr Maddison said.
Meanwhile, the ARC called for a report on a visitor strategy for the ranges, something it has discussed for several years.
Further reading:
nzherald.co.nz/environment
