This Friday Green Drinks is being hosted in the SITUATION ROOM, a 5-week experimental space, bringing together issues and solutions in our region and world. Different people are adding their knowledge and ideas to the space between 26 March – 1 May..

 23 April, Friday 5.30 – 7pm
The Situation Room, 391 Victoria St.

(Not far south from Ward St)

An Economy That Works

Rod Oram speaks on how NZ can catch up with leading countries in building an ecological economy. People are starting to talk about a ‘new economy’, one that could come from the combination of economic recession and environmental crisis. Could this be a huge opportunity for New Zealand? Do we have the innovators, entrepreneurs and leaders?

Rod Oram writes for the Sunday Star times and Good Magazine and is well known for his insightful commentary on the economy and environment.

His talk will be followed by ‘Green Drinks’, bring a bottle and have some informal discussions with Rod and others. Nibbles provided.

Wednesday 5th & 12th May

7-9pm

In the  Hamilton Environment Centre, 25 Ward St, Hamilton

Do you present to funders, councils, community groups or schools,

but don’t know how to grab and hold their attention during your

presentation? Do you get so nervous when presenting publicly that

your mind goes blank and your throat dries up? Do you get confused

with presentation aides like Powerpoint?

This workshop shares tips and ideas on how to present effectively and

convincingly, so that your audience becomes involved and engaged.

The workshop will be run by Dr Suzette Major, over two sessions;

Workshop 1 will cover presentation tips, ideas and techniques, and

Workshop 2 will allow participants to present for 10 minutes and put

into practice what they have learnt.

* What makes a presentation memorable?

* Tips for coping with public speaking

* Presenting with Powerpoint

* How to present green ideas clearly and convincingly

* Tools for giving effective and memorable presentations

For environmental groups only.  Places limited
$15 (includes 2 workshops)

C o n t a c t : R a c h a e l G o d d a r d
021 261 5759 | 839 4452
rachael@envirocentre.org.nz

www.envirocentre.org.nz

Supported by Trust Waikato

City Walks for the next month

For the next four weeks there will be lunchtime and evening walks, organised by Sport Waikato, Push Play, Sparc, Living Streets Aotearoa and ZHFM.

There will be safety in numbers - so grab the family and friends and walking shoes and come along - there will be spot prizes, and a Push Play passport which if it has 4 stamps on it will go into a draw for a $250 voucher from Smiths Sports shoes
(so you can replace the ones you have worn out!)

Tuesdays 5.30pm:
Starting today April 13th  Hamilton Lake (meet by the restaurant)
April 20th: Hamilton Gardens (meet at the carpark closest to Cobham Dr)
April 27th: Flagstaff (meet at the shopping centre carpark)
May 4th: Parana Park

Wednesday lunchtimes starting April 14th - 12.15 meet at Garden Place, different path each week.

Permaculture Hui 16 - 18 April

This is on in Raglan this coming weekend. There are still places available so if you haven't registered, you can still do so. Great way to escape Hamilton while a certain other event is on.

Come along to the 2010 Annual Permaculture Hui April 16 - 18 in beautiful Whaingaroa Raglan where the local community will share their successes and showcase many of their gems with Annual Hui participants all weekend long.

Meet up with other permaculturalists, ecological designers and change agents from around Aotearoa New Zealand and share the harvests, innovations and success stories of your bioregion and learn about what others are up to. Bring along surplus food from the garden, resources and project ideas to share with the permaculture whanau. This is a great opportunity to pool our resources and share our taonga!
As always there will be a mix of activities for everyone including a children's area, a film tent, open forums, site visits, and pre-planned advanced skills training workshops.
The open forums will allow time and space for discussions on various topics decided on by participants at the event. These sessions will be scheduled at the start of the Annual Hui.

Site visits have been scheduled to local permaculture properties in Raglan, ranging from small to commercial scale.
There will also be a wide range of skills training workshops. Some of the workshops that have been scheduled so far are: DIY composting toilets and urinals, How to Make Our Own Money, Permaculture in Schools, Introduction to Experiential Education, Tree Care and Restoring New Zealand’s Watersheds. There is still room in the schedule for more workshops. If you have a skill or presentation to share, we are eager to hear from you. It is a great opportunity for us to share knowledge within our community.
Breaking from tradition, this year PiNZ is requesting that EVERYONE attending the Annual Hui register in advance. Spaces are limited this year so register early. Go to the Permaculture in New Zealand website for registration details - http://www.permaculture.org.nz/ We want to ensure that we can accommodate everyone at the venue as well as ensure a quality and enjoyable weekend for all. Your cooperation is appreciated.

 Feel free to share this opportunity with your networks.

Tuesday 13th April

Reminder:
5.30pm EW Annual PlanRoadshow presentation in the Situation Room at 391 Victoria St.

7.30 Forest and Bird AGM, Hamilton Gardens, Jim Salinger an independent weather scientist will speak on climate change and its effects on NZ.
Dr Salinger is the Honorary Research Fellow of the School of the Environment at the University of Auckland and President of the Commission for Agricultural Meteorology at the World Meteorological Organisation.
He will give his insight into the increasing impact of climate change on NZ lifestyles. After the Copenhagen Summit all will be aware of this major international issue - don't miss this talk.
There will also be plenty of information around issues such as mining.
For information and an easy to fill in submission form go to the F and B website: www.forestandbird.org.nz

Wednesday 14th April

Waikato Botanical Society Talk and AGM

The effects of burrowing seabirds on the forests, Rangatira Island, Chatham Islands talk by Cynthia Roberts  and AGM
Rangatira Island (218 ha) is a globally significant bird sanctuary and with tall deciduous forests it is unusual for a seabird island. The rare and endangered terrestrial and marine bird species that breed on the island are dependent on this forest habitat for their ongoing survival. However, with more than three million burrowing seabirds and a loss of suitable breeding habitat elsewhere in the Chathams Group the forests’ long term viability may be under pressure. In my talk I’ll examine the impacts that burrowing seabird disturbance has on soils and forest dynamics and explore some solutions to the long term survival of the birds and the island’s forests.Cynthia has recently taken up a position as the Plant Ecologist in the Department of Conservation, Waikato Conservancy having just completed her PhD in Tasmania, this talk covers research from her Masters degree.
Time: 6.30pm Annual General Meeting, then 7pm talk followed by tea, bickies and questions. Please arrive promptly as the main doors will be open only at 6.30 and 7pm.

Venue: Landcare Research building, Gate10, Silverdale Rd.
Contact: Monica monica.peters@landcare.org.nz Ph 859 3725 (wk) mob 021 049 2036

Saturday 17th April

Waikato Bot Soc visit to Pukemokemoke Bush Reserve

(combined trip with Waikato branch Ornithological Society NZ)
The Reserve covers 40ha and enjoys a rich diversity of native plant species and bird life. There are over 300 plant species, including matai, kauri, totara, tawa, rimu and native beech. We will follow the bush loop track (1hr 30mins plus botanising/bird-spotting time!) which also has access to a lookout platform at the site of the old trig station. This track is administered by the Pukemokemoke Bush Trust on behalf of Waikato District Council; the reserve was gifted to the public by David Johnstone in 1991. The WBS last visited in 1988 and the reserve is now actively managed; including weed and predator control and planting, by the Trust and is also part of the Regional council ‘Halo Project’ to boost birdlife across the Waikato.
Meet: 10am at the track start by the bridge through the reserve entrance gate, Whitikahu Road. To get there travel north from Hamilton on SH 1B, and just past Gordonton turn right onto Whitikahu Rd. Go past Woodlands for 10 minutes and find Pukemokemoke just past the Tauhei Quarry.

Contact: Liz Overdyck ph 07 825 9743 email eg3@waikato.ac.nz or Dai Morgan email magpie.morgan@gmail.com

Friday and Saturday 23 and 24 April

Community Catchment Workshop

Free two day community workshop in Raglan
(Details in attachment)
contact Monica Peters at Landcare Trust 07 859 3725  021 049 2036 or email monica.peters@landcare.org.nz

Community Catchment Workshop_Raglan April 23-24.pdf

Monday 26 April & Tuesday 27 April 2010

Tools for Engagement

(See attachment) This workshop could be useful for community groups
9.00am–4.00pm each day
Where St Peter’s Cathedral Community Centre
51 Victoria Street South
Hamilton
Cost $300 plus GST (includes morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea, plus workshop materials)

Workshop - Tools for Engagement 1.pdf

Wednesday 28 April

You are invited to a Mayoral Conversation with Dr Jason Gilliland

Healthy by Design: Planning for Children's Well-Being

5pm-6.30pm , Drinks and nibbles from 4.30.                                     Reception Lounge, Hamilton City Council, Garden Place Hamilton.

No need to RSVP – open invitation for you and your colleagues to attend. Urban planning plays a vital role in children’s health and development.  Safe and commodious shelter, engaging play spaces, well-connected neighbourhood pathways, vibrant public spaces, clean air and protected natural environments all contribute to the healthy development of children through adulthood. Developing child-friendly environments is not only beneficial for children and young people, but for entire communities.
This presentation explores some of the ways in which the planning and design of cities can positively or negatively impact children’s health. Existing evidence is reviewed, and issues requiring further attention are identified and will conclude with an overview of “healthy communities” initiatives in Canada, and some recommendations for how planners and policymakers can advance the agenda for creating child-friendly cities.
Dr. Jason Gilliland is Director of the Urban Development Program and Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Western Ontario.  He is also a Public Associate with the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and Canadian Institute of Planners, as well as a Scientist with both the Children's Health Research Institute and the Lawson Health Research Institute in Canada.
He was an elected member of the inaugural Urban Design Steering Committee for the City of London, Ontario and helped establish that city’s first Urban Design Review Panel. He is a regular consultant for municipal and provincial departments of planning, transportation, engineering, housing, children’s services, and public health.  He is also an active volunteer, currently serving on over two dozen boards and committees of non-profit organizations across Canada.

Volunteer Opportunities

Conservation Volunteers New Zealand in the Waikato

A not-for-profit organization, Conservation Volunteers New Zealand has been established in New Zealand since 2006 with an office in Auckland. CVNZ developed a partnership with Fonterra to target regeneration of riparian zones on dairy impacted land in an effort to improve water quality and decrease soil erosion. This project has been called Catchment Care.
CVNZ has been charged with putting teams of volunteers onto these projects with a trained team leader to give a hand on both private and public land for the betterment of the environment.

We invite you to join us in becoming a active force in practical conservation projects for the betterment of the environment. We especially need people for tree planting 12- 13 April on a farm close to Mangatautari The Kaka have been visiting and the farmers are keen to establish native habitat for them to feed and shelter in.

The Waikato office is intent on building a good local volunteer base to join our local team leader on projects throughout the Waikato.
We have projects running every day and one day a month we run a Sunday project. There are 10 volunteers on a team with one a qualified Team Leader, CVNZ provide all the tools, protective clothing, transport from a central meeting place to and from project sites.

This is a wonderful opportunity to go visit sites that the public don’t necessarily have access to. One farm we work on has 450year old Kahikatea trees. The places we work are many and varied, (http://www.conservationvolunteers.co.nz/volunteer-opportunities.html) Explore the website – click on Conservation Connect to view all the projects happening in NZ.

Some of the things you can expect to experience as a volunteer are Tree planting, Seed collection, Heritage restoration, Biodiversity protection, Walking track construction, Coastal protection, Bush revegetation, Wetland revitalization, Fencing Species surveys, Environmental monitoring,

For projects you would like our help with contact Yuki Fukuda    Regional manager
Office: +64 7 859 2401
Mobile: 021 755 226
Email: yfukuda@conservationvolunteers.co.nz.

If you are between 18 and 70 and you would like to volunteer than call Janet Planet
Project Officer Office: +64 7 859 2402, Mobile: 021 873 600, Fax: +64 7 856 2816

Tuesday 13th April
EW 2010/11 Draft Annual Plan Roadshow

Venue: The Situation Room, 391 Victoria St (next to Breakers cafe, just around the corner and south from Ward St)
5.30pm

Resource Information Group Manager, Tony Petch, and Councillors Ian Balme and Paula Southgate will represent EW.
The roadshow will be a twenty minute presentation followed by questions. Approximately half an hour all up. So come along and find out what is in this year's draft plan, what is not that should be, what the issues are, and how to go about having your say. It is your opportunity to have input into what our regional council does and how your rates are spent.

While you are there you will be able to find out what is going on in the Situation Room if you have not been in before.

13th April Forest and Bird AGM

Also on that evening is the Forest and Bird AGM down at Hamilton Gardens, where Jim Salinger will be speaking at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome.

www.forestandbird.co.nz for information about mining issues, or join Forest and Bird.
or http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/mining to submit on mining.

Waikato Trains NOW campaign update

Well done Jon and all those who collected so many signatures.
Worth noting on the news, trucks are about to get heavier, Electric cars are not quite so environmentally sustainable as Mr Bennett makes out, according to a new report from Clive Matthew-Wilson, and we can have a train service up and running much more quickly than the proposed roadway.

Email from Jon Reeves - Campaign for Better Transport:-

Thank you for ALL your help on the petition and the campaign so far. We have had incredible success with 11,500 signatures collected and we have probably spoken to 15,000 people or more! That's a lot of influence we are seeding in Hamilton and the Waikato!

The media exposure has been worth its weight in gold. It increases the momentum of the Waikato Trains NOW campaign. It also increases the pressure on the "anti" or "not as supportive as we like" brigade. Until CBT came on the scene all the focus had been on the incredibly costly and slow Waikato Expressway. The public clearly want an alternative to being "forced" to drive to Auckland and the CBT is championing this issue.
On  Monday  the petition was presented in Parliament by MP Sue Moroney. Ironically we will have to deal with the Transport and Industrial Relations Committee, which is chaired by David Bennett! That will make great media coverage when the time comes as we know his, unfortunate, position on the trains starting this year, the next year or any year this decade.

WHAT TO DO NOW?

- Please write letters to all newspapers.

- Please get friends and family to join the Campaign for Better Transport. We are the only sustainable transport lobby group which stands up for what the community wants. Not what the powerful roading or trucking lobbies want. Membership is also the only funding we have. We can make the $20 membership fee go a long way on our shoestring budgets!

WHERE TO NEXT WITH WAIKATO TRAINS NOW?

CBT is not going to allow this issue to go off the radar. The proposal of Waikato Commuter Trains is just too good to allow to be pushed away into a filing cabinet. So, if we do not see positive action from the Government and Environment Waikato we will unleash the next stage of the campaign. Let's just say that we will pressure councillors stalling commuter rail. There are local body elections this year and the Waikato Trains NOW! campaign will be using these to our advantage.

However, next we will be reminding MPs David Bennett and Tim MacIndoe of what Hamilton wants now. I hope their postal boxes are ready for the next wave of public support to arrive in them. In the latter part of April I will need your help for just ONE day in a weekend. If you can help please contact Rob George. In a few weeks I will let you know what we are doing.

Thanks for signing the petition or, as in the case of Rob George, having thousands sign the petition alone! Everyone has done a great job, whether for 1 hour, half a day or many weekends non-stop! My thanks to the Janson family who combined have put in hundreds of hours. There have been plenty of other people who have helped in their own way and I am sure they know who they are. And thanks to our busload of supporters who attended the petition presentation at Hamilton Railway Station yesterday. I wonder if the staff realise what a great boss they have? I am sure they do!

CBT has won every campaign to date for better transport. We WILL add this one to our list. Good things take time.

Once again thanks and let's get Waikato trains rolling THIS YEAR!
Jon

Jon Reeves
Committee Member
Campaign For Better Transport
Waikato Trains NOW! Campaign Organiser
021 535 295
www.BetterTransport.org.nz

Sunday March 28 - next Sunday!
(sorry about the late notice, this has just come in)

Your chance to help build a cob wall (or just watch!), as part of a new rammed earth building. The first building is complete and the B&B opens this week.

Alistair and Sue Osmond
3635 Cambridge Rd

10:30am - 2pm - you are more than welcome to turn up between these times when suits. Those wanting to do a tour need to be there at 10:30am.
Bring a packed lunch
RSVP/queries to Megan - I need to let Alistair know how many to expect

 Megan Edmeades
grEEnme Environmental Education
021 414 529
07 884 6825
megan@greenme.org.nz

You are invited to be present at the presentation of the Campaign for Better Transport Petition calling for the Government to support a passenger train service between Waikato & Auckland.
See below what Kakariki House are doing about this - fabulous. Here is a challenge for all those on this list who work in businesses - give your staff a half hour off to attend this event - show the polititians that we all want/need better public transport to reduce carbon emissions, congestion and for our safety into the future. 

The petition has had a terrific response, with over 11,000 signatures to date, making it easily the biggest Waikato petition in the last decade. A number of organisations, such a businesses like WISE (see below) have strongly advocated for such a link.

Please circulate this email to anyone you think may be interested.

WHERE: Hamilton Railway Station Platform
WHEN: 9.30am, Monday 29^th March