Twin Coast Cycle Trail (Pou Herenga Tai) Extension
The details
The 87km Pou Herenga Tai Twin Coast Cycle Trail runs between Horeke in the west and Ōpua in the east, taking around two days to complete across four sections. It currently holds “Great Ride” status, the only Great Ride north of the Hauraki region.
The eastern end of the 11km Ōpua to Kawakawa section has, until recently, sat within the former railway corridor. The Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust has reinstated this section of railway, and this project was about building a new cycle trail alongside the Taumarere to Ōpua section of the line.
The challenge
The trail needed to deliver a route consistent in quality and experience with the rest of the network, so it could retain its Great Ride status. The current rail corridor and proposed cycle route sat largely within the coastal environment, so understanding the ecological values along the route, and what wildlife permits and consents might be required, was essential before route selection could be finalised.
Our approach
Our team of ecologists provided an ecological assessment to inform the initial route selection, including:
- An initial biodiversity assessment
- Development of an Ecological Impact Assessment
- Wetland assessments
- Lizard habitat assessments
- Mapping the ecological information onto a plan of the proposed route
- Working alongside the design team to understand their design, methodology and programme
- Liaison with iwi and related stakeholders
We provided ecological support through the design and construction phases, too.
Outcomes
Our early ecological input helped shape route selection along a coastal, ecologically sensitive corridor, and clarified what wildlife permits and consents were needed as the project progressed.
