Dunedin Environment Centre Trust

Conservation : Conservation Week 2009

Posted by admin on 14/7/2009 19:54:49 (196 reads)

Kia ora tatou

As you know, Conservation Week (13 - 20 September 2009) is sneaking up on us. It’s time now to get ideas together about what activities we can organise and promote in Coastal Otago for Conservation Week to increase local participation in local conservation issues.

The theme is Get Involved! Kia Mahia te Mahi. From joining an organised group, to participating in a Conservation Week activity, doing something in your backyard or even engaging online, there’s a way for everyone to ‘Get Involved’.

So far, we are organising and promoting:

* Pa Harakeke at Orokonui on Sunday 13th Sept. (a partnership between Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, Otago Natural Heritage Trust and DOC)
* Conservation Awards in Dunedin on Tuesday 15th Sept.
* ‘Be a DOC Ranger for a day!’ Children’s Competition
* Virtual lessons – Monday 14th to Friday 18th Sept. (a partnership between DOC and the Ministry of Education)
* DOC has also produced a set of curriculum-linked education resources that teachers can download and print or use online.

Conservation Week events will be promoted on the new website www.conservationweek.org.nz from mid August (education resources will also be available then). It would be great to have even just the basic details for events to promote through the Conservation Volunteers Newsletter August/Sept edition (which I will be compiling at the end of this month). This newsletter is now posted on our website, so is available to a much wider audience than ever before!

Please let me know asap if you can coincide a workday/working bee/public meeting/slide show/fieldtrip/training session/competition/celebration/commemoration/special activity or event with Conservation Week.

DOC’s aim is to show the public how easy it is to join in with conservation activities in their local community! Perhaps some of your group’s aims can be achieved through increasing local participation!?

For background information on Conservation Week visit:

http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/in-your-community/events/conservation-week/

THE FOLLOWING MESSAGES ARE GOING OUT THROUGH THE DUNEDIN ENVIROSCHOOLS NETWORK:

_________________________________________________________

Conservation Week 09 – What’s happening?

Get Involved!

* Enter the ‘Be a DOC Ranger for a day!’ Competition – 2 winners will become a DOC Ranger of their choice for a day! (see below for details or check out conservationweek.org.nz)
* Join in conservation activities happening in your neighbourhood during the week (from mid August, events and activities will be listed at conservationweek.org.nz)
* Run your own conservation activity or event (and advertise it free at conservationweek.org.nz)

If your school would like to get involved – contact the Dunedin DOC office on 477 0677 or email Liz at lsherwood@doc.govt.nz

To help your school get involved!

* DOC will be presenting a series of virtual lessons using the Ministry of Education’s Virtual Learning Network system, each day of Conservation Week!

‘Be a DOC Ranger for a day!’

2 winners get to choose to be either: a skink ranger, a freshwater fish ranger, a coastal ranger, a threatened plant ranger or a recreation and historic ranger for a day!

How to enter:

* Explain in your own way – how you can get involved in conservation in your neighbourhood.
* Write (fiction/non-fiction/poem/prose/song), draw (cartoon/masterpiece), or construct (sculpture/photograph) your response.
* Send your entry to DOC by Monday 14th September 2009. Post: PO Box 5244 Dunedin; Delivery: 77 Lower Stuart St; Email: lsherwood@doc.govt.nz
* Enclose your name, age, school and address and contact number. Winners will be announced during Conservation Week.

_______________________________________________________________________

Please get in touch if you have any questions or ideas – I’d love to hear from you!

Take care

Liz

Liz Sherwood | Community Relations Ranger | Department of Conservation | Coastal Otago Area Office | Box 5244 Dunedin 9058 | 77 Lower Stuart St | DDI 03 474 7094

Comments?

General : Open Orchard Project - West Otago

Posted by pmgnicol on 15/9/2008 19:44:07 (555 reads)

The Southland Open Orchard project is now available in the West Otago/Otago region. The great work done by the Guytons in Riverton to preserve and resurrect the heritage apple trees of Southland has been taken on by Paul Nicol from Edievale, near Raes Junction. We would like to see heritage apples planted by councils, hospitals, schools or anyone wanting to grow heritage trees. Initially we will be doing a grafting workshop in the next few weeks with 50 rootstocks available and a variety of scions from the Southland Region. Another 50 rootstocks will be grafted and planted at Edievale, with excess stocks being for sale in 2010. Edievale will become an orchard of heritage trees and a genetic base for these.

Toward Autumn of 2009 we will be looking to find old heritage apples from the Otago region. As we are establishing a heritage orchard, it will be important to source scion wood from within our own region. No doubt there are some wonderful specimens out there. We have already identified an old orchard that at this stage is being conservatively dated at around 120 years old.

As the West Otago area has a very good climate, we will be looking at other species as well. We already have currants and berries and some soft fruits growing. I would like to see nuts included in this as well. All heritage stock of course!!!

If anyone wants to contact us we are available via email: pmgnicol@xtra.co.nz or ph 03-2048618. Check out www.sces.org.nz for web based information.

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Climate Change : Sustainable Wanaka - August Newsletter

Posted by admin on 13/8/2008 11:35:45 (1392 reads)

August newsletter from Sustainable Wanaka

A few events and items of interest this month;

* Contract position available – General Manager, Sustainable Wanaka
* Three Parks proposal – thanks for your feedback
* Green Drinks –this Thursday 14th August at Finchy’s –from 5.30pm

TOPIC Modern building using bamboo technology

* Public lecture series this week; Live Healthy, Live longer, Lake Wanaka Centre
* Wanaride-share – can you help with some simple design work?
* Talk on Green building in New Zealand by Jane Henley, Thursday 4th September, 7pm

* Sustainable Wanaka AGM – Tuesday 16th September, 5.30pm, Lake Wanaka Centre
* Wanaka Farmers Market – AGM Thursday 28th August, 7.30pm, Lake Wanaka Centre

Interesting Articles

* Is Freshwater to be the new oil?
* Lights out for old bulbs
* Avoid ‘greenwashing’ in your tourism business

Sustainable Wanaka General Manager; Due to the present General Manager taking maternity leave we seek to appoint a replacement. Initially the appointment will be to a part-time position but there will be opportunity to develop the position into a full-time appointment depending upon the future circumstances of the incumbent and the extent to which the successful applicant can assist in the growth of the activities of Sustainable Wanaka. Accordingly we seek an applicant with complementary skills to the incumbent and with demonstrated ability to work in a small team. Enquiries to megan@sustainablewanaka.co.nz or phone Megan on 03-443 5057 Applications close on Friday 29th August

Thanks for your feedback on the Three Parks proposal. We had 58 replies to the questions posted in last month’s newsletter. 88% of respondents agree with Sustainable Wanaka that another retail / business centre is unnecessary for Wanaka in the near- medium future. We will continue to lobby against this project. Sustainable Wanaka has written a vision statement for our vision of the current Wanaka Town Centre and we will continue to advocate for improving what we already have.

Green drinks Thursday 14th August, we will meet at Finchy’s restaurant and bar 2 Dunmore Street from 5.30pm. This week we will be discussing Bamboo technology as TJ outlines his experience with Modern building using Bamboo Technologies. Green drinks are normally held in Wanaka on the second Thursday of each month. All Welcome http/www.greendrinks.org/

Public series – This week an expo of lectures will be held in Wanaka on living a healthier life. Gary Martin is a highly acclaimed Naturopath and Founder of the Living Valley Springs Health Retreat in QLD, Australia. His simple secrets have helped to turn around the health and lives of many people worldwide. Gary conducts health lectures in many countries. His simple secrets have helped to turn around the health and lives of many people worldwide. For more information click here.

Sustainable Wanaka is currently working on an idea that came from our good ideas competition for a rideshare scheme in the region. Ieuan Davies has been volunteering on the project for which we are very grateful. We now require some assistance for a little design work. If you are experienced in this area and are happy to offer a few hours of your time, please contact idavies_esq@yahoo.co.uk

Jane Henley, CEO of the New Zealand Green Building Council is visiting Wanaka and will give an evening talk on Thursday 4th September at 7pm. The talk will be an overview of the NZ Green Building Council, and the Green Star rating system that evaluates buildings according to a range of environmental factors. Jane will touch on the status of the building industry today, what is being done in the realm of Green Building and the challenges we are facing, as well as the future of Green Building in NZ. Case studies will be included where possible.

The Sustainable Wanaka AGM will be held on Tuesday 16th September in the Armstrong Room at the Lake Wanaka Centre at 5.30pm. Everybody is welcome to come and hear of our past years activities and or offer input into future direction.

Wanaka Farmers Market – AGM Armstrong room, Lake Wanaka Centre, Thursday 28th August at 7.30pm Come along to discuss the possibilities for a farmers market in Wanaka this summer. For more information, contact Greg Inwood on 443 9046 or email greginwood@actrix.co.nz

Interesting Articles

Will fresh water continue to free and plentiful? This article summarises what may very well become the central issue facing people (particularly further east of us) in the coming years - scarce fresh water supplies. There have been comparisons drawn between oil and fresh water supply issues for some time now, but this is becoming a more mainstream issue as it is picked up by the media. The analogy between oil and water is an interesting one. Unlike oil, water is fundamentally important for human survival but it is potentially renewable. However, the security of fresh water supply relies on foresight and prudent management. Have a look at the article, published by the Christian Science Monitor here.

Lights out for old bulbs - The government recently announced a strategy to phase out standard, incandescent light bulbs beginning late 2009. As part of the scheme, subsidies will be offered to various more energy efficient lighting products. This scheme makes sense, especially when you look at the bottom line numbers; increased life cycles and reduced energy consumption per unit. However, convincing the public of the merits of the scheme may be rather difficult judging by the majority of comments posted underneath the story! One fairly consistent issue that people raise is the fact that Compact Fluorescent Lighting contains (a small amount of) mercury. This concern emphasises the need for an efficient and safe nationwide CFL disposal scheme which is coordinated with the government strategy. Read the story from the Stuff website here.

Research suggests that many travellers are becoming more savvy when it comes to environmental and sustainability issues. This is a good thing, as Wanaka tourism businesses should become increasingly well positioned to tap into such demand. However, it also means that there will be a corresponding rise in awareness of 'greenwashing'; making promises to customers you can't necessarily keep or prove regarding sustainable business practices. This article explores the issue of greenwash and encourages people to think critically when it comes to making purchasing decisions. There is also a story explaining how a Wellington taxi company got into trouble with the Commerce Commission for making environmental claims it could not entirely substantiate.

Megan Williams

Sustainable Wanaka

PO Box 102, Wanaka 9343

03-443 5057 mobile: 027 229 1607

www.sustainablewanaka.co.nz