The Fence Monitoring Group
Good eye for detail? Looking to get fit? Want to see a side of the sanctuary most people never see? Fence monitoring may be the perfect volunteer job for you. You can even bring along your dog! Student journalist Sarah Taane meets our volunteer fence monitors:
Clockwise from left: Louise Caig, John Falkner, Ian Hunter, Helen Gibbons, Jim Hefford, Paddy McElroy, Tracyann Lek, Colin James, Robert Caig. And Toby the dog!
Nearly 30 volunteers support our staff in monitoring sections of the fence. They go out once a week; once a fortnight; or even just once a month, looking for damage to the mesh, checking drainage ditches and keeping an eye out for soil subsidence.
“It's really good because we can take our dogs and friends" said recent recruit Tracyann Lek
“We check the mesh and make sure the drains aren't clogged up. If we find some damage, we phone it through to the office using the numbered fenceposts to identify the location."
Colin James, who has been volunteering at the sanctuary for nearly nine years, said the fence was the first of its kind which shows the uniqueness of the sanctuary.
Fence monitor Helen Gibbons said she monitors the fence once a month. “It's a pleasant walk; there are always lots of birds to see and it’s a positive contribution to the sanctuary. It’s thoroughly enjoyable.”
If you would like to find out more about becoming a fence monitor, call 04 920 9200 or email Michael Ayre. You will need to be available at least once a month.