Orokonui Ecosanctuary is now open for guided tours - Come and see the forest restoration project in progress, learn about the changes that have already been made and support the development of the Ecosanctuary.Tours for all ages and abilities, 1 ½ hours long, $20 per adult, $10 per child. 50% discount for ONHT members. Bookings are essential. Phone (03) 482 1755 or email info@orokonui.org.nz. www.orokonui.org.nz

OROKONUI'S WONDERFUL NEWS: Thanks to our volunteers who have collected huhu grubs this season, our kaka has just laid an egg! On the 8th of December this egg and possibly others will hatch. Then the mother will be frantically feeding them. The more huhu grubs the better. If you’re able to gather huhu grubs please give Chris a call on 482 1755 or email info@orokonui.org.nz. Thanks so much for your help.

We invite applications for our Practical Gardening course which begins after Labour Weekend in Dunedin. Our course will run on Mondays from 10.00am till 2.30pm for 24 sessions, with a break over Christmas.

This course is suitable for the home gardener or someone who wishes to seek employment in Horticulture and includes sessions on maintenance of hand tools, compost making, caring for trees, shrubs and climbing plants, plant propagation and more.

Cost for this course if $190.00 which includes all student resources. On completion of this course, many of our students continue study towards a qualification in Organic Horticulture - a local Agriculture New Zealand course also tutored by Michelle Ritchie.

Please contact local Course Manager Carol Adams on 4700326 for further information.

Hi All,


Welcome to my first newsletter. As usual there are loads of great things going on around the place


1. Speaker next Wednesday night – Swedish Urban Planning and Engineering expert, 6pm LWC

2. eDay – FREE electronic waste collection day at Wastebusters

3. WanaRide share is coming

4. Girls Day Out 11th October – Sustainable Wanaka will be making an appearance at Radio Wanaka’s girls day out

5. Composting Workshops – spring has sprung and Dr Compost is back with a series of great workshops


1. Speaker night, Wednesday 1st October, 6:00pm Armstrong Room, LWC

Sustainable urban planning, construction and civil engineering: a Swedish perspective. Marianne Hedberg is a consultant for Peab, a Swedish urban planning, construction and civil engineering consultancy with a focus on sustainability. Join us to learn about her work and research.


2. eDay 2008 –free drop of Wanaka Wastebusters and Wakatipu Resource Recovery Park, 9am – 3pm

Have you got old computer equipment or mobile phones kicking around? Now’s your chance to dispose of them safely and for free – bring them into Wanaka Wastebusters or Wakatipu Resource Recovery Park on Saturday 4th October between 9am and 3pm.


Find out more about eDay and how your computer will be taken apart and recycled.


Greenpeace have developed a guide for greener electronics – includes ratings of different brands – click here to check it out.


3. WanaRide Share coming soon


By the end of October we hope to have the WanaRide share meeting points up and running. We’ll be calling on all of our supporters to get behind this great initiative and to help us spread the word. Meeting points with information panels and signage will be set up in Wanaka, Albert Town, Lake Hawea, Hawea and Hawea Flat. The idea is that people will wait at these points and drivers will pass by and pick them up. It’s as easy as that and a great way to share the cost of travel, help reduce your greenhouse emissions and make new friends. For longer distance or regular car pooling a website is being developed where you can advertise to share are ride or to find a ride.


WanaRide share was an idea that came from the 2007 Good Ideas competition held during Wanakafest. Big thanks to Ieuan Davies for all his hard work and voluntary hours to get this project off the ground.


4. Girls Day Out 11th October, Lake Wanaka Centre.

Jessica and I will be attending Radio Wanaka’s girl’s day out this year. If you are going along make sure you come and say g’day, pick up a free reusable shopping bag and go into the draw for a free home energy audit. We’ll have loads of information about chemical free cleaning, natural building and ideas for living more sustainably.


5. Workshops with Dr Compost – learn all about worm farms, bokashi and hot compost systems


Wanaka Wastebusters

* Saturday 11th October
* Saturday 15th November
* Saturday 13th December

Queenstown Primary

* Sat 18th October

All workshops run 9:00am – 12:00pm, $5 to attend, no need to register just turn up on the day. For more information call Wastebusters on 03 443 8606

Delivered by Wanaka Wastebusters, Funded by Queenstown Lakes District Council


Sophie Ward

Sustainable Wanaka

PO Box 102, Wanaka 9343



03-443 5057 mobile: 0210 239 5498

www.sustainablewanaka.co.nz

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.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING PROGRAMME: Enrol now for COMMUNITY SUSTAINABLE LIVING CLASSES in St Clair, NEV and Seacliff: This interactive eight-week course will assist you to learn and share practical tips that make a difference and can save you money, meet others in your community who are interested in living more sustainably, gain support for introducing lifestyle changes you want to make. Facilitated by Dr Maureen Howard, c/o Water and Waste Services, Dunedin City Council.

COURSE CONTENT: Introduction - Sustainability in the home. Making changes; Energy - Efficiency and conservation, Renewables; Waste - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle; Composting Shopping - Making better choices. Making your own cleaners; Gardening - Attracting wildlife. Growing your own veggies; Water - Conservation, collection, reuse and keeping waterways clean; Transport - Travelling more sustainably; Final - Community Focus

UPCOMING COURSES:
ST CLAIR, daytime. Start Date: Thursday 16 October, each Thursday, 9.30 -11.30am.
DUNEDIN NORTH, evening. Start Date, Tuesday 14 October, each Tuesday, 7- 9pm.
NEV, daytime. Start Date, Wed 15 October, each Wednesday, 10am-noon.
SEACLIFF, evening. Start Date, Wed 15 October, each Wednesday, 7- 9pm.
All courses are free with a Koha/Donation requested ($25-35 recommended). Courses are restricted to a maximum of 14 people. Registration is essential: Phone Maureen 4739967 or email mhoward@slingshot.co.nz

The Sustainable Living Programme is brought to you locally by the Dunedin City Council.