Bay Harbour: June 03, 2020

Wednesday June 3 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 7
Sustainable home
building tips
The Redcliffs
Residents
Association
has launched
an eco-village
initiative in
BIRDS OF THE ESTUARY
Tanya Jenkins is the manager of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary Ihutai Trust, a
non-profit organisation formed in 2002 to protect one of New Zealand’s most
important coastal wetlands. Each week she introduces a new bird found in the
estuary. Her column aims to raise the understanding of the values and uniqueness
of the area.
IF YOU ARE contemplating
buying a section for building on,
or want to build on an existing
property, here are some tips to
consider for a more sustainable
home:
1. Restoring or modifying an
existing house can create fewer
emissions and will conserve
existing resources.
2. A smaller house will have
fewer emissions, use fewer
resources and will be cheaper to
heat, clean and maintain.
3. A section or house wider in
the east-west direction will get
more building heated by the sun.
4. Ensure an allowable neighbouring
building will not shade
the site unreasonably.
5. Make sure soils on the site
are original, are sufficient and
uncontaminated as it means they
will contain numerous microorganisms
for plant health and
no toxic residues.
6. Be certain there are some
trees (preferably native) on the
site, which can provide for wind
shelter, summer shade, wildlife
and pest predators.
7. Ensure groundwater, surface
water and stormwater is natural,
tolerable and controlled.
8. Avoid sites vulnerable to
natural hazards such as flooding,
coastal erosion, strong winds,
earthquakes, eruptions and lahar.
9. Also steer clear of sites vulnerable
to unnatural risks such as
air pollution, dust, smell, vehicle
traffic, fire, aircraft flight paths.
10. Ensure safe access to
walkways, cycleways, natural
areas, recreation areas and local
school.
Declining tern numbers a concern
THE WHITE-fronted tern or
ENDANGERED:
response ^Offer to ends 17/7/2020 Lending criteria, $50 Annual Account Fee,
tara is the most common tern
The whitefronted
tern
the climate $55 Establishment or $35 advance fee, T&C’s apply.
species and is native to New
and ecological
*Promo ends 30/6/2020,
emergency.
T&C’s apply. See www.flooringxtra.co.nz for details.
Zealand.
is classified
Member Dave Bryce
in a suitable location for a home In and around our estuary, we
as being “atrisk/declining”
focuses UNIT on 1 sustainable / 950 FERRY ROAD, garden. FERRYMEAD Double-check | soils 03 376 are 4974 are | lucky FERRYMEAD@FLOORINGXTRA.CO.NZ to have a flock of sev-
| WWW.FLOORINGXTRA.CO.NZ
building
eral hundred terns here all year
round and breeding. You can
often spot some encompassing
the wastewater ponds or sitting
on the water edge in front of the
Mt Pleasant Yacht Club.
Terns reach an average age of
18-years-old, but there is one account
of banded bird identified
as being 26-years-old which, of
course, is an exception. They are
also yet another romantic bird as
once they find a mate, they pair
up for life. Terns can spot shoals
of fish from heights of 3-10m
high, and will then dive beneath
the surface to catch their prey.
But it is so sad to learn that the
white-fronted tern is classified
as being “at-risk/declining”. It
is because of human behaviour
and introduced animal species.
Before colonists arrived, there
were few threats to the terns and
no need for building nests carefully,
so the tern just makes a
wee dent in the ground and does
not use any nesting material
apart from, at times, a few stones
… in which they will lay only
one single egg. The only danger
in those days would have been
the red-billed and black-backed
gulls who would steal eggs and
chicks (and still do).
But then we arrived, bringing
with us major predators such
as cats, rats and hedgehogs …
in addition, the tern’s eggs are
crushed by people driving or
because
of human
behaviour and
introduced
animal species.
PHOTO: CLIVE
COLLINS
standing on them. Disturbance
by dogs is another huge problem
causing parent birds to leave the
nest when frightened.
How can we help the terns
to thrive around our estuary?
Predator control by the city
council’s park rangers, keeping
our cats indoors at night and
of course by keeping our dogs
on the lead not allowing them
to scare birds. Luckily the city
council have established great
dog parks all around the city so
we have no excuse to let dogs
roam around our estuary.
www.flooringxtra.co.nz
^Offer ends 17/7/2020 Lending criteria, $50 Annual Account Fee, $55 Establishment or $35 advance fee,
T&C’s apply. *Promo ends 30/6/2020, T&C’s apply. See www.flooringxtra.co.nz for details.
UNIT 1 / 950 FERRY ROAD, FERRYMEAD | 03 376 4974 | FERRYMEAD@FLOORINGXTRA.CO.NZ