Ōmokoroa bird observatory project takes off
Thanks to concerted efforts by volunteer groups and contributing organisations, Ōmokoroa’s bird observatory educational facility celebrates a special collaboration and its first major milestone.
Over the past couple of months, visitors to Cooney Reserve will have noticed a hive of activity near the carpark area. A bird observatory facility of two viewing shelters will conceal the presence of birdwatchers to avoid disturbing the birds. The entire project is being run by the Ōmokoroa MenzShed and is now well underway.
The project includes the Cooney Observatory and the Tinopai Observatory, named after their respective adjacent sandbars. While the entire facility is designed to cater for educational purposes, the sizeable Cooney Observatory will be able to accommodate larger student numbers, special interest groups and the like.
Access to the water’s edge Cooney Observatory is by way of a boardwalk, while a gravel path will lead to the Tinopai Observatory, which is located at the southern end.
In addition to these buildings, a prominent Godwit-inspired bird sculpture will be erected near the accessway.
Cooney Reserve coastal wetland is highly regarded as home to more than 50 species of birds. These include many threatened birds, such as the endangered dotterel, the very rare fern bird, and the elusive banded rail.
Local MenzShed member Peter Ehrlich, who directs and manages the project, is thrilled with the progress. “We’ve come such a long way already,” he says. “To date, we’ve installed Stop Digging ground screw foundations, constructed the subfloor
structure and fitted the decking for the access boardwalk and the observatory platform.”
The completion of these items marks a significant construction milestone. Importantly, it also celebrates a highly successful collaboration with WBOPDC and the Department of Corrections.
The project was deemed a perfect trial for the deployment of community workers on volunteer-led projects. Accordingly, Peter rearranged the construction schedule to incorporate teams of community workers.
For eight weeks, teams of four to eight workers arrived on site two days per week. After an induction, they could choose from various tasks that needed to be done that day. Peter explains that many of the workers turned out to be remarkably enthusiastic project participants and contributed to a great team spirit overall. “This is a fantastic social outcome that was not anticipated, and on a personal level, it is incredibly gratifying,” says Peter.
The collaboration with Corrections, WBOPDC, and local volunteers meant there was no need for a subcontractor to build the boardwalk; however, it required more effort for the logistics of the operation. “It required a lot of flexibility in terms of prep work, including getting the right amount of material and tools on site because crew numbers varied significantly,” notes Peter. “I basically had to have backup plans in case material was not available and when crew numbers varied.” He laughs as he recounts that it kept him on his toes.
Stage 1 of the project should be finished by early winter. Subsequent Stage 2 construction will focus on the Tinopai Observatory and the fabrication of the entrance bird sculpture.