Kororā caught in scrap between council and dog owners
The Hutt City Council has found itself in the middle of a fight between environmentalists and dog owners over proposed bird protection areas in the Lower Hutt suburb of Eastbourne.
Kevin Biggins, one of 281 people who made a submission on the issue, argued that he should be able to take his dog to his local beach and enjoy the dunes.
“It seems unconscionable that we are putting our citizens’ welfare and right of access to the dunes at risk for a bird protection area.”
The council held a hearing yesterday to listen to submissions on a proposal for four bird protection areas in Eastbourne, which would have implications for dog owners.
It was forced to look at its dog by-laws after granting resource consent for an $80 million shared pathway and seawall.
The 2021 resource consent for Tupua Horo Nuku required council to establish Bird Protection Areas, and to initiate potential changes around dog by-laws to protect kororā and other species displaced by the seawall.
If the council does not create areas where dogs are excluded, to protect kororā, it is required to take other measures including fencing and planting.
The council contacted all dog owners in the city, seeking feedback and overall the submissions were in favour of creating areas where birds would be safe.
Just under 60% opposed banning dogs from Bishop Park, arguing they should be on leads and that a ban would have negative health impacts on people and dogs.
Bishop Park is a popular destination for picnickers and has a beach that attracts a lot of swimmers to Eastbourne.
Forest and Bird’s regional conservation manager Amelia Geary told The Post that she was frustrated with the council, which seemed reluctant to accept the need for safe areas for birds.
Anecdotal evidence suggested that dog owners were already flouting the rules in existing areas where kororā nest, she said.
Forest and Bird’s submission highlighted the negative impact the seawall had on wildlife, including the loss of habitat for kororā and oyster catchers.
“Forest & Bird absolutely supports dog prohibition areas to provide protection for displaced kororā/little penguins resulting from the habitat loss they will experience as a result of Tupua Horo Nuku.”
Phil Della said he had lived in Eastbourne all his life and had never seen a kororā in the area of Bishop Park and it made little sense to ban dogs.
Suzanne Willis told the hearing that Bishop Park was not an appropriate area for penguins and there were better options elsewhere. “It unfairly places both kororā and dog owners in a potential conflict.”
Simon Edwards, who chaired the hearing, told submitters the council was in a difficult position.
The Tupua Horo Nuku consent required the councils to create bird protection areas, including Bishop Park, where dogs would be banned.
If the council appealed the condition, it would have to appeal the entire project. That would mean work would have to stop, and the path and seawall could be delayed for years. Environmentalist Sally Bain told
she held little hope for kororā in Eastbourne. As well as dogs, kororā were threatened by cars and had suffered the loss of most of their habitat. “People need to realise that human encroachment does not just happen on David Attenborough shows, it is happening right here in our backyard.”