Waikato Community Garden Network Meeting

Friday the 23rd of October, 10am-12pm.

Meet at the Community Garden, Cnr of Ross Crescent  and  Holland Rd, Hamilton.  Delon Birch will provide a tour of the garden and talk about his experiences of building community. This will be followed by a cup of tea and  shared morning tea at the at the Waikato Environment Centre, 242 Peachgrove Rd, Hamilton.

Contact Anna for more information - anna@envirocentre.org.nz

 

Waikato Botanical Society - Field Trip to Opuatia this Saturday

A field trip to Opuatia is on this Saturday, meet 9am Landcare carpark. Trip leader Catherine Beard cbeard@doc.govt.nz  (07) 858 1034 (wk.) or 027 337 4337

Opuatia Wetland is always a great place for botanising and we’ll be going there during peak orchid time. Expect to see several types of greenhood orchids including the nationally critical Pterostlyis micromega. If we have time we will also explore the small peat lake within the wetland.

Please let Catherine know if you are planning on coming. More details at http://waikatobotsoc.org.nz/?tribe_events=opuatia-wetland

 

ONLY ONE MONTH 'TIL THE WAIRARAPA RETREAT

10 am Friday 20th to 4pm Sunday 22 November 2015

Join us for 3 days of adventures in nature connection for mind, body and soul,with an off-grid lodge, hot pool, fire, massage and delicious food.

Reserve your place now by contacting liana.stupples@gmail.com or phone 021 154 6034.

 

National Wetland Restoration Symposium 2016 – Call for presentations.

The organisers of the symposium are keen to hear from you if you have a message to share from your experiences in

• restoring, creating or managing a wetland,
• developing policies or educating people about wetlands,
• advancing our understanding of wetland science, or
• developing tools or methods to improve how we restore, manage, or monitor the biodiversity, cultural, recreational or environmental values of wetlands.

Wetlands include fresh or salt water wetlands, lakes and their margins, braided rivers, lagoons, geothermal wetlands, swamps and bogs.

Abstracts are due 30 October 2015

Visit www.wetlandtrust.org.nz for more information

 

Give A Little for Kaivolution

Our first Kaivolution van has maxed out and we need another van and van driver to ensure that we can rescue all the good food that is available before it goes to the landfill. With 60,000 kilos of food rescued since Kaivolutions inception in October last year, food donations are coming in thick and fast. Donations of food are also likely to increase in the spring and summer when there is an abundance of delicious Waikato fruits and vegetables.

Lots of food will be available for rescue right before the holiday period and we need another van so that we can collect it and redistribute it to those in need. It makes no sense to throw good food away just because we don't have the capacity to collect it!

Rescuing food that is "good enough to eat but not good enough to sell" is not only good for our environment, but also good for those in need. Another Kaivolution van and van driver will ensure that more good food is rescued. Rather than being discarded to landfill, all the food that Kaivolution rescues will feed those in need.

 

Free Awe Inspiring Movie Night for Environmental Volunteers - Planetary

Friday 6th of November, 7pm at Creative Waikato, 131 Alexandra St, Hamilton. 

This fun movie night, with pop corn and ice-cream, is part of the Environment Centre's Conservation Week Celebratory Art Exhibition - Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au. I am the land, the land is me. 

Check out this webpage for more details.

Please book in with Jan for the movie - admin@envirocentre.org.nz

Free for volunteers, $10 for everyone else. 

 

 

Our first Future Living Conversation is on

15 October 7pm to 8.30 pm at the Environment Centre

Want to grow your own food?

Fruit trees are the way to go - even in an urban setting!

And Maxine Fraser will explain how.

Maxine has so much knowledge and so many skills, including a long history with Tree Crops Association.

So dont miss out!

Just RSVP to Tania :  tania@envirocentre.org.nz  and join us for a very informative evening

 

CHECK OUT THE NO THROW SITE

http://www.nothrow.co.nz/

Our latest listing is for heavy duty brown paper rolls . We have a pallet

of rolls from Sealed Air and they are going out like hot cakes

 

Here's a couple of innovative ideas for the paper..

THANKS SEALED AIR!

A Wee MEMO Maker

A Party Tablecloth, or Committee Meeting Table,Useful for Boardroom NOTES!

HEALTHY RIVERS EVENTS :

WATER QUALITY POLICIES & SOLUTIONS WORKSHOPS

Please find attached a flyer with information on upcoming events for Healthy Rivers: Plan for Change/Wai Ora: He Rautaki Whakapaipai.

 

TREATY OF WAITANGI & CONSTITUTIONAL KORERO

 

 

SEARCHING FOR AN APPLE TREE

Jonathan from Soggy Bottom Holdings at the Farmers' Market is looking for a single Monty's Surprise apple tree to replace one of his that has died. He's wondering if anyone local has been DIY grafting and might have a spare Monty's Surprise tree that he could have. If you can help, please email him at jonosarahwalker@hotmail.com

Thanks!

 

 

NO THROW DESKS FREE!

We have listed a few more desks on the No Throw Site so please have a look at whats available

 

NZ TREE PROJECT Monday October 5th,

5.30pm tea and biscuits, 6.00 pm start,

Community Waikato Building, 33 Victoria Street (North end, near the Meteor)

Join us for an evening talk on the NZ Tree Project presented by Catherine Kirby (University of Waikato) and Andrew Harrison (Wintec).

The New Zealand Tree Project is an innovative film and photography venture that captures imagery of majestic trees and native podocarp forests from viewpoints that we rarely get to experience from the forest floor. Using methods such as time-lapse, hyper-lapse and 3D video, coupled with custom built camera rigs, drones and 50m long cable cameras, the project is creating one of a kind footage of the forest from ground breaking new angles. Come along to a hear about the goals of the project, for a behind the scenes view of how it is done, and be one of the first to see some of the incredible imagery this project is generating.

http://waikatobotsoc.org.nz/?post_type=tribe_events

 

Phone Mike 854 7259 or 021 203 2902 for details

CENTRAL CITY TRANSFORMATION PLAN

If you would like to have some input into the draft Central City Transformation Plan, which is the proposed revamp of the CBD and Victoria St, please follow the links below to see the plan and provide feedback. The public can have their say on Hamilton’s draft Central City Transformation Plan (CCTP) from 28 September until 16 October 2015 to provide feedback on the draft plan, which outlines a long-term practical approach to transform Hamilton’s central city.

It’s online: hamilton.govt.nz/CCTP

LIVING STREETS' SIXTH SERIES OF SPRING STROLLS ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 11th

Just a reminder to those who enjoy a pleasant walk that we will be starting Living Streets' sixth series of Spring Strolls on Sunday October 11th. The menu is laid out below, and I'll send out the maps a few days in advance of each walk (except for the Te Awa walkway at the end, which doesn't need a map - you just follow the only path there is!)

See you on the 11th! Dogs are welcome, as long as they are friendly and on a leash.

Kind regards,

Judy

All walks last between 60 and 90 minutes, with the exception of the Te Awa walkway which is a little longer. You will need good, comfortable, preferably waterproof shoes, a raincoat, a drink and some sun lotion, just to cover all the possibilities of a Hamilton spring day! All walks start at 2pm.

The full list of walks is as follows:

1. Sunday October 11: Dinsdale’s gully and the Frankton Railway Village. Park in Dinsdale Rd or Robyn Place, just behind the Dinsdale shops. Meet at the intersection of Dinsdale Rd and Robyn Place and we will inspect the stream that flows under the Dinsdale roundabout, then explore some local parks on our way to enjoy the unique railway village community in Weka St and surrounding areas before returning through the higher altitudes of Dinsdale to our starting point.

2. Sunday October 18: Smyth’s Plantation and surrounding parks. Park at the Grandview Rd end of Western Heights Ave, off Newcastle Rd. We will walk up to Sunset Close, head through a very lovely local park and on to the delightful haven that is Smyth’s Plantation, followed by a circuit of Caernarvon Park. This walk is hilly, and parts may be a little muddy, so wear clothes that don’t mind a bit of rough treatment.

3. Sunday November 1: Nawton’s green connections. Park in Metro Ave or Lugton St and meet in Metro Ave to begin our walk through a total of eight separate green spaces.

4. Sunday November 8: Te Awa cycle and walkway: Meet at the Waikato Equestrian Centre parking lot off Pukete Rd and we will follow the walkway back up to Pukete Rd, down behind the Fonterra Factory (admiring the lovely plantation of young fruit trees on public land) and along the shared path to the Horotiu Bridge. This is a there-and-back trip of slightly over 4km each way. You might like to bring snacks and drinks and have a small picnic afternoon tea at the bridge before heading back the way you came.

For more information, contact Judy on 8552019.

MOREPORK SURVEY

I am repeating a survey of morepork in Hamilton City that has been run during October for the past several years (except last year) and am looking for volunteers.

This survey can best be described as citizen science. We use a method derived from a pilot study created by DOC Science & Policy staff in Christchurch. It is very simple to implement, and involves people sitting at each of 20 sites around the city and recording if they hear a morepork or not (we are not counting number of morepork heard because this is too difficult) for at least 4 nights during one week at the end of October. Recording starts around 8pm (around sunset) and takes one hour. The 20 sites are the same as used in previous years. At this stage this will not change. It is not a census of morepork in Hamilton. It is a survey/sample that is repeated over the years.

Expected benefits from this survey are getting people out volunteering for conservation/native wildlife monitoring and producing results that can contribute to Hamilton City Councils gully management (informing if their management has had any success).

I like to have 2 people at each site for reasons of safety and social interaction. This requires a lot of community contribution – 20 sites x 2 people for 4 nights. If you are interested in taking part please let me know (by email). Also, pass this on to anyone else who might be interested

Andrew Styche <astyche@doc.govt.nz>

Ranger, Partnerships Department of Conservation

Hamilton District Office

HOGS "BEE FRIENDLY MEETING

We'll start with a walk around, then have a chat about bees and Top Bar bee hives with two fairly new keepers of bees, Jenny and David, have afternoon tea and share some bee friendly plants.

What to bring: plants to share esp. ones good for bee fodder; a plate for afternoon tea (optional); the usual - hat, umbrella, shoes. The meet will go ahead unless rain is bucketing.

If you'd like to sell plants or other items, you're welcome. Sellers look after their items for sale.

Contact: hamiltonorganicgardeners@gmail.com for further detail

WAIKATO BIODIVERSITY FORUM VENUE CHANGE

We've had a change of venue for the Forum on the 31 October. It is now being held at Papa o Te Aroha Marae in Tokoroa. I've attached an updated flyer and agenda/registration. This updated information can be sent through your networks so that people are informed of the change. Cheers Moira

Waikato Biodiversity Forum INVITE AGENDA.pdf

Registration form.pdf

BIG NZ BLOOD PRESSURE CHECK SET TO BREAK RECORDS – SATURDAY 3 OCTOBER

The annual National St John, Rotary, New World,Pak N Save and Stroke Foundation NZ Blood Pressure Campaign, starts this week with Saturday 3rd October free Blood Pressure checks at sites around New Zealand at New World, Pak N Save and DHB’s.

www.strokewise.org.nz/bloodpressure

Please see attachement

CALLING ALL ORGANIC GARDENERS

Is there anyone (or maybe a couple of people) who would like to help new migrant women learn about gardening? If you're interested please contact Silvana directly. : Silvana Erenchun-Perez <pd@freefm.org.nz>

Here's what she says:

At Shama - Hamilton Ethnic Women's Centre Trust we run life skill classes for ethnic women, usually with limited English. But we have English class, computer, sewing and cooking. A few weeks ago we started a gardening workshop on Mondays from 10am till 12pm, with the idea to pass eco-friendly tips and ideas to the ladies, as many of them come from countries or cultures where they don’t think much in recycling, composting, growing veggies, etc. But the tutor had a health problem last week and she is unable to continue facilitating the class. Is there any person that you know that could volunteer facilitating this class? Is quite basic, and the idea is to learn about NZ natives veggies and fruits, share info about spices and veggies that the ladies use a lot for their cooking (so maybe we could source those seeds for the garden), and learn tips on composting, recycling, smart use of water etc. I have both some seeds, plants, and tools. And I want to build/buy/source some veggie boxes (until the moment we are using all the ice-cream containers and plastic pots that I've recycled at home.Any ideas or suggestions on where I can find a volunteer tutor?Cheers,

Silvana Erenchun-Perez

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Greatest Climate Show on Earth

With guests to answer your burning questions, Al Gillespie, Jeanette Fitzsimons and Iain White.

Tuesday the 10th of November, 7pm

Wintec, Tristram St, Hamilton.

An event designed to inform and inspire us to take action with our communities to prevent Climate Change! Our guests will address the following questions:

- Why should we be concerned about climate change - what's it all about?

- What’s really going to happen to us and to Earth if we don’t take action?

- What is the most important thing that our government needs to do to prevent climate change?

- What can we do as individuals in our communities to prevent climate change?

Questions will also be taken from the floor. This is your opportunity to engage with an issue that affects all of us and our future generations!

With fantastic Waikato people, local music, slam poetry - this event will definitely be the Greatest Climate Show on Earth!!

Tickets on sale next week at www.envirocentre.org.nz

 

 

Ko au te whenua, te whenua ko au

I am the land, the land is me

 

An art exhibition at Creative Waikato, 131 Alexandra St, Hamilton.

Monday November 2nd through Saturday November 7th.

For Conservation Week 2015

To especially thank all the people who volunteer their time to care for Papatūānuku

• Pōwhiri and blessing of the exhibition - Monday 2nd of November, 4pm

• Exhibition Opening Night - Monday 2nd of November, 7-9pm - A night of slam poetry, local music and entertainment.

• Craig Potton Meet and Mingle - Thursday the 5th November, 1pm

• Movie Night - Planetarium - Friday the 6th of November 7-9pm. $10 per head.

Contact   admin@envirocentre.org.nz for movie night bookings.

 

 

 

 

 

WAIKATO SUSTAINABILITY NETWORK MEETING

An opportunity to be inspired!! Waikato Sustainability Network Meeting - Monday 28th of September, 12-1.30pm at the Waikato Environment Centre.

Come and share your ideas/work/passion/views about sustainability with interested others. Intermingled with introductions and whakawhanaungatanga, discussion at last months meeting was rich and diverse covering local food, land use, environmental regulations, relationship building and more.

Bring your lunch, kapu ti provided!

 

photo credit: born on the street via photopin (license)

PERMACULTURE DESIGN CERTIFICATE MODULE 9: COMMUNITY RESILIENCE

It is not too late to enrol in the upcoming PDC module on Community Resilience to be held on 3 October. This is Module 9 of a 12 module certificate but you are welcome to participate on a casual basis.

This module will focus on community resilience including the following:

• Possible natural disasters for our bioregion, pest infestation, social-crime, war and revolution.
• Recognising risks and hazards. Coping with dramatic and immediate change.
• Job loss and financial collapse, alternative financial systems.• Food foraging and natural medicine sources.
• Transition towns.

Location: Hamilton

Date/Time: Saturday 3 October; 9am-5pm

Fee: Casuals are welcome to attend modules of their choice at $135 per module.

To register or to learn more about the Modular Permaculture Design Certificate and other modules please contact us:

Hamilton Permaculture
Waikato Environment Centre
242 Peachgrove Road, Hamilton
Ph. 839 4452
Email: permaculture@envirocentre.org.nz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRIENDS OF WAIWHAKAREKE

Saturday 26 September 2015 - We will be weeding and /or releasing plants. The weeding will involve walking through previous plantings and pulling out seedling such as blackberry and gorse.

9am - midday

Meet in the car park on Brymer Road opposite the zoo.

Best to bring gloves and wear gumboots in case we're working in wet areas. And most importantly morning tea.

Look forward to seeing you on Saturday morning. Much appreciated

Cheers Moira Co-convenor of Friends of Waiwhakareke

 

MOKAIHAHA KÅŒKAKO RECOVERY PROJECT

Ngatira Marae on Saturday 31 October. We’ve got an awesome line up of speakers and a trip to the reserve which is inaccessible to the public at this stage. Cheers Moira

Agenda and registration attached

 

CYCLE RESEARCH RESHEDULED to 3rd October

CAMBRIDGE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR CYCLING RESEARCH

The Behavioural Science team at Opus Research Wellington is looking for participants for an upcoming cycling study which involves observing cyclist and driver behaviours in a natural context. This research will be used to help improve cycling-driver interactions and cyclist safety.

To participate, you need to:

· Be able to travel to Roto-o-rangi Road, Cambridge (Waipapa District).

Be willing and fit enough to ride a bicycle on a flat, 8km course multiple times (with lots of breaks).

· If riding your own bicycle, be willing to have a measuring device attached to your bicycle (just like a carrier bag).

· If you don't think your bike would be suitable, be okay with using one of the bikes that we will have on site.

· Be available for up to 8 hours on the day (or 4 hours if you would prefer to come along for half the day).

· Provide a contact phone number so we can confirm details with you closer to the time

We very much appreciate all our participants and will give each a $50 voucher (or $30 for half a day) as a token of our appreciation. If interested, contact me directly by email (Jovana.balanovic@opus.co.nz) or phone (04-587-0630).

 

GOATS

Waikato SPCA has goats coming in and nowhere for them to go are there any people who have farms/small holdings that would be interested in homing a goat? Please contact Waikato SPCA directly with enquiries. P 847 4868

 

LATEST SUSTAINABILITY MATTERS 17th Sept. 2015

A fortnightly selection of topical news and views about economic, social and environmental issues.

Designed especially for accountants and those who use the services of accountants. See attached

SEEKING COLLECTORS FOR ANNUAL APPEAL IN OCTOBER

Help make a difference to people with autism by giving one hour of your time to our Annual Appeal.

This year, our Annual Appeal is on Friday 16 October and we are looking for collectors. Please pass this message onto your contacts.

To register your interest, please contact Vicki Maxwell (victoria.maxwell@autismnz.org.nz, (07) 849 2896

 

TE PAHU LANDCARE GROUP

Postponing our annual planting day to next Sunday (27th September) instead. Same time, at 9am from the Kaniwhaniwha Reserve carpark and same deal as before, with a sausage sizzle to end the planting around 12pm. Bring a spade, drink bottle and wear suitable clothing.

We have 1500 plants to get in the ground, so please consider coming if you can. Please let others know that might be interested and hope the weather will be a bit kinder to us this time!

Any queries, please give me a call or text: 021 395 503.

 

WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Kaiwhakarite

We have a great opportunity to fill two Kaiwhakarite roles in our Community and Services Directorate. As part of the Tai-ranga-whenua team your role will be to advise and support the Pou TÅ«hono to ensure Council’s obligations to Māori are met through proactive engagement and culturally appropriate policies and processes. Included in this work is the support of governance, co-management, and the preservation and strengthening of partnerships with iwi Māori and communities across the region

http://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/Council/Situations-vacant/Current-vacancies/Kaiwhakarite/

Summer student emploment 2015/2016

Waikato Regional Council are also seeking senior students currently studying in a New Zealand tertiary institute (or similar) to assist with specific projects over the summer break. You’ll have the opportunity to work with professionals on a range of projects for our internal and external clients. We’re looking for students with a can-do attitude, heaps of initiative and a passion for learning. Our work environment is positive, we enjoy each other’s company and have fun.

To be considered for these summer student programme, we would like to know:

- What you’re currently studying

- What year you are in at university (if at all)

- Previous work experience (if any), don’t forget to include volunteer work

- INTERESTS

FITNESS EXPO FOR OLDER PEOPLE Saturday 26 September, 10:00am-12:00pm at Hamilton Gardens Rhododendron Lawn.

LIVING STREETS HAMILTON,

SH3, Ohaupo Road walking & cycling project - Information Day Wed 7th Oct

I have recently received the following information from NZTA regarding an information day on October 7 for the Ohaupo Rd walking and cycling project.

While there are a lot of good things in the proposal, my main concern is that there is still no provision for safe crossing of Ohaupo Rd at the Glenview Shopping Centre. This means that access to the supermarket, library and other facilities is still dependent on people being able-bodied enough to get to a central refuge on a road with a 60kph speed limit (which often means 65kph in practice). That kind of speed is almost always lethal to a pedestrian in the case of a collision.

If you are concerned about this, please try to get along to the information day and have your say.

Kind regards, Judy

 

Please see the attached link for a copy of the flyer for the SH3, Ohaupo Road walking & cycling project Information Day.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/sh3-ohaupo-road-flyer

The Information Day is to be held between 2pm and 7pm on Wednesday 7th October 2015 at Hamilton South Baptist Church on Ohaupo Road close to the intersection with Urlich Avenue.

 

ORGANIC BUTCHERY AND VOLARE BAKERY TOUR THIS Sat 26th September.

The tours will start at 1.30 and will be half and hour in each of the butchery and bakery.

Numbers are limited to 20 with 10 visiting each venue at a time. Cost is $10 to be paid in advance and may include a take home sausage.

Volare will not have started baking for the day so there will not be a lot of baking to see but I'm sure it will be interesting never the less.

If you wish to reserve a spot please let me know ASAP as there are very limited spaces.

http://www.naturalhealthexpo.co.nz/ 17th and 18th Oct 2015

WAPF Hamilton will have a presence at this expo - please stop by and say hello if you are attending. If anyone would also like to help with this event, it would be very much appreciated. Please email me to make arrangements.

Save the Date for Sat Oct 31st.

The topic will be The Importance of Breakfast with real food examples and recipes; a presentation by Dr Sam Shay will included.

Noho ora mai

Marea Smith