A first official bird count was done recently at the Lake Rotopiko wetland near Ōhaupō.
The group of scientists and RYLA volunteers pictured at Lake Rotopiko during the recent official bird count led by the National Wetland Trust.
The count was organised as part of restoration efforts being done in the area by the National Wetland Trust. Providing voluntary assistance were 26 Rotary Youth Leadership (RYLA) volunteers, known as Rylarians.
Dr Kathryn Ross, environmental lecturer at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, said monitoring the number of birds was essential for understanding the health of our ecosystems and detecting changes over time.
“Bird counts collected by ‘citizen scientists’, such as the RYLA group, provide a snapshot of diversity and abundance of birds present at the site,” she said. “If these counts are repeated in the future, following consistent methodologies, they can provide valuable insights that inform conservation and management practices.”
While the primary focus of the count at Lake Rotopiko was the bird monitoring exercise, the group also checked fences and reported any breaches, and tracked the tunnels laid on the ground adjacent to fences and walkways to record the movement of different species.
Stephen Cox, Rotary Te Awamutu’s environmental spokesperson, said the count resulted in 17 types of birds recorded, and uncovered new evidence of skinks and weta on the tracks.
The group also weeded an area planted last year under a stand of kahikatea, freeing some 200 Swamp Comprosma planted last year from the clutch of weeds, mostly inkweed.
Volunteers help feed the chipper while clearing slash at Lake Rotopiko. Photo: supplied
