Kookaburra at risk in Wanui Vally

[Meekins]

HELP! we have Kookaburra at Upper Waiwera Road but they have been put in danger by a bottling plant that has been planed right in the middle of this area. They intend to bore into the water table and sell this water overseas. The watertable feeds the wetlands and thats the food the Kookaburra eats!! Its just GREED! What would you do? I dont want this to kill off yet another bird...

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Hi John,
Thanks for posting. This isn't really a bird sighting so I've moved it to the general discussion forum.
Cheers,
Neil.

[Rewi]

Good luck. Transportation of bottled water uses vast quantities of fossil fuel, and the popularity of this product is one of the needless eco-dosasters of the century.
However.... I don't think you'll get far by saying that an introduced pest species like Kookaburra needs protecting. You could inadvertently damage your own cause by making a big noise about a claim that is doomed for the start. Couldn't you do your own little survey of what else might be down there, then try to aim your campaign in that direction?
I hope you succeed. But forget this knee-jerk reaction about Aussie nuisance species, or you'll lose the fight.
Rewi

[Neil Fitzgerald]

Is there evidence that extracting water will have some effect on the wetland?
If so, you need to know what of significance is there. Maybe something like crakes or rare plants, but as Rewi says, not an introduced (albeit interesting) species.
Has there been a consent process?