Auckland Council Community Facilities plan to consult on a ‘loop track’ in the cleared forest area in a ‘Have Your Say’ in February 2022.
This proposed ‘loop track’ will adjoin the refurnished walking track where it intersects the devastation caused by the removal of all vegetation when they removed the existing forest, inching approximately 150,000 native and then planted seedlings in the chip. These have been attacked by rabbits, which they are now shooting to control, and the seedlings are being left to survive or not in this hot, dry summer, without water.
The intention is that the ‘loop track’ will intersect with the walking path near the bridge that crosses the Waiōrea Stream before leading to Western Springs Lakeside Te Wai Ōrea Park.
The main issue that a community ecologist pointed out is, that involves traversing down one of the ‘overland water causes’, the most sensitive part of this once ‘significant ecological area’. He is also concerned that this area has not had suitable native vegetation planted there that likes ‘wet feet’, like kahikatea.
Community are also concerned that cyclists will race down this track as the have been doing on the walking track while bouncing down stairs and nearly colliding with pedestrians as was noted in a previous letter to the editor.
Resident, Annette Isbey started the community protection group of the former forest in 2006 after off road cyclists had been causing damage to the native under storey. The cycle lobbyists were among those pushing for the removal of the forest, including former Waitematā Local Board Chair, Pippa Coom. Current Board Chair Richard Northey is suggesting the ‘loop track’ is for ‘accessibility’ but the slopes involved do not make it wheelchair accessible.
Waitematā Local Board Chair approved consultation for the ‘loop track’ in the September public meeting (File CP2021/13646). It is estimated to cost $83,000, to be taken from the Board’s Local Discretionary Initiatives (LDI) capital expenditure budget. Member Alex Bonham voted against the proposal, suggesting that a meeting to look into possible projects for spending of the LDI budget occur before making this decision. Members Sarah Trotman and Kevin Leoni also voted against the motion.
As could be seen by the pegged out location of the ‘loop track’ during ‘planting day’, the contractors had already removed native trees for the path of this folly. This planning therefore allowed avoidance of another resource consent and the consultation to claim that no trees need to be cut down for this part of the operation.
The forest removal has opened up a lovely view of the lake. So an alternative could be to extend the walking path into the cleared area to a viewing point with seating as a destination without accessing the sensitive overground watercourse, if that view is to be preserved.
This is about a fifth of the alternative and likely to be closer to $10,000 in ratepayers funding. Or the area could be left alone entirely to allow Nature to restore the damage done by unnecessary interference with the transitioning native forest.
Community need to decide, after spending blew out to $2million destroying the forest, if they want another $83,000 spent on this proposal, when that is likely to blow out again.
Gael Baldock, Community Advocate
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Published 4 February 2022