The Governor Michael Gore Bird Sanctuary will reopen Friday after a complete face-lift.
The site was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 including the total loss of vegetation and bird blind, said a National Trust press release.
It has taken well over a year for plants to start growing again.
‘I was concerned that salt water may have changed the entire ecosystem of the pond so our first step was a proper analysis of the water,’ said Trust GM Frank Roulstone. ‘Thankfully it checked out just fine. We then commenced fundraising and what we have ended up with is an improvement on what we had before.’
The dirt path has been replaced with a boardwalk made from recycled materials, a bird identification sign and benches have been added, and the bird blind has been reconstructed. There is now a small parking area and the site is now wheelchair accessible.
The plants have rebounded and so has the birdlife.
As Trust staff and Council member Darvin Ebanks cleared debris from the site on Saturday a great number of birds were on hand including a family of Whistling ducks, herons and migrating Kingfishers and Osprey.
‘We still have some work to be done. We are slowly ridding the site of invasive plants and replacing them with native ones,’ said Mr. Roulstone. ‘But the birds, guppies and hickatees are here and Governor Gore’s is open again.’
The Governor Gore Bird Sanctuary will be officially opened on Friday at 4pm. The site is located on Pennsylvania Avenue off Spotts-Newlands Rd.
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