Junats starting this Friday

This term Hamilton Junior Naturalists Club meetings will start a little earlier than usual and so our first session will be this coming Friday (October 11). We are very lucky to have David Fleetwood all the way from Alaska who has some fascinating stories about this amazing place. He has been working there for over 30 years.
Anyone welcome, especially those with children 12ish up.

Down at the Hort Centre at Hamilton Gardens at 7pm. Gate 2.
Contact Dave Matthews Ph (07) 846 4013

Saturday 12th October

Bee keeping workshop

Only a couple of spaces left (from cancellations), contact the Hamilton Permaculture Trust if you would like to come along

10am.  Waimarie Community House, Wellington St, Hamilton East

The Hamilton Permaculture Trust has organised a day's workshop on keeping bees in your home garden.
Join us for this six-hour introduction to urban beekeeping. Observe a hive in action, enjoy a shared lunch, and come away with the basic knowledge and skills to begin keeping your own bees at home.

Cost is $40pp. Prebooking is essential as numbers are limited.
Contact the Cheryl to register,  (07) 834 2249  or permaham@actrix.co.nz.

Sunday 13th October

Forest and Bird Trip to Miranda, leave Hamilton by 8.30am to arrive for talk at the Shorebird Centre at 10am, then see the migratory birds which have arrived at Miranda. Hot pools visit as well. Contact Katherine Hay 839 4452 or 021 267 2773 or email

Tuesday 15 October

A free public lecture by Richard W. Benfield
Professor of Geography, Central Connecticut State University

Dr. Benfield is the author of Garden Tourism, the leading book on public gardens and the tourism sector.

7pm — 8pm
Chartwell Square Room, Hamilton Gardens Pavilion

Saturday 19th October

Pukemokemoke working bee
from 1-5pm.

Work will mainly involve getting rid of seedling privet and grass around the new plantings.

Alan Leadley
Ph: 07-8552919
Cell Ph: 0272249622

12 leverarch folders
Free to a home (good or not) -  good condition.
In the Environment Centre

Free plants available -  dug out of the ground yesterday, contact the Waikato Environment Centre 839 4452 or admin@envirocentre.org.nz

Astelia chathamica 'Silver Spear'  (Chatham Island Asteli)

Also available - hybrid cabbage trees, in  root trainers, need planting out.

Living Streets Hamilton is looking forward to the fourth series of its annual Sunday afternoon Spring Strolls. These gentle outings, introducing Hamiltonians to parts of their city they are often unaware of, have been steadily gaining in popularity, with attendances topping a hundred for some walks last year.

This year’s set of four walks has been christened “Hamilton Hills and Hideaways” because every walk has a hill component (the steepest can however be bypassed if you need to!) and one or two incorporate sections that even the organisers were unaware of until they started planning the routes.

 All walks start at 2pm on Sunday afternoons, last between 60 and 90 minutes, and will be held on the following dates, two either side of Labour Weekend. All you need are sensible walking shoes, a coat, a drink bottle, and some sunscreen if we’re really lucky.
If you need more information, phone Judy on 8552019.
See the Environment Centre  website for links to maps for each walk.

Sunday October 13th: meet in Valley Tce, off Hammond St, to follow a path back to and through the Waikato Hospital grounds, down to Melville Park, across to Yendall Park and back along the river to Radnor St and thence back to the start.

Sunday October 20th: Meet in McDonald Rd on the corner of Resthills Rd in Glenview, to explore the Resthills Park and Houchens Rd area

Sunday November 3rd: Meet behind Hukanui School in Pickering Cres to wend your way to Hillary Park, Porritt Stadium, then home via the shared path on Wairere Drive and through the gully behind Hukanui School

Sunday November 10th: Meet in Merlot Place, off Coleraine Drive. The walk will incorporate a gully restoration project between Grenache Place and Sexton Rd, and some lovely views from the top of Somerton Drive before returning through quiet back streets, taking in Rototuna Park on the way.

Sunday 13th October

Want to become a bit more confident about riding on the roads? Here is a Free Cycle training opportunity supported by HCC -

FREE Novice On-Road Cycle Training for Adults

This practical on-road session is for adults who can comfortably ride a bike in off-road environments, but want to learn the basics for riding on quieter roads. In order to attend this workshop you need to be able to ride with one hand for at least 3 seconds (so you can signal turns), and also be comfortable with looking behind you while riding. The workshop will cover basic safety and road rules (conducted in the school playground), followed by on-road riding including how to pass a parked car, turning left and right at controlled and un-controlled intersections, and navigating single-lane roundabouts. The course will be held on quieter roads only. No traffic lights or heavily trafficked roads will be used.

Where:    Rototuna Primary School

When:     Sunday 13^th October

Time:       9.30am – 2.30pm

Contact:  For more information or to register contact Julie Roe phone 021 799 377

Wednesday 9th October

Pedalling for Papua
Alan Leadley has asked that we circluate this talk - which is to raise awareness of the continued illegal and oppressive occupation of West Papua by Indonesia.

From the Ministry for the Environment:

Community Environment Fund (CEF) Update

CEF Round 5 is now open for registrations - due 16 December.

Please visit our website to learn about the funding process for CEF Round 5 (September 2013).

The application process for this round involves three steps:

1. Register your organisation by using the portal. Registrations close at 12 noon on Monday 16 December.
2. Complete the online eligibility check for open and contestable funding rounds. You will need to complete one check for each application you intend to submit. Eligibility checks can be submitted until 12 noon on Monday 16 December

The Funds Management Team

The Working Together More fund

This fund encourages projects where groups collaborate for the purpose of achieving greater results for the community. A lead organisation submits the application, with support from committee or board members from all the organisations. Have a look at the website to see some of the previous recipients to give you an idea of what and who they fund, and the amounts.
The funders are themselves working together more - Tindall Fdn, Todd Fdn, Wayne Francis Trust, J R McKenzie Trust and Hugh Green Fdn.
Due 1st November. For more information

In this newsletter:

4th October Sir John Porritt Lecture (Auckland)
7th October Waikato Bot Soc talk - Northland Lakes
23rd October Allan Wilson Lecture Series - "Avoiding Global Collapse" Professor Paul Ehrlich

Other events coming up (in previous newsletters):

Monday 7th  Public meeting to establish a Volunteers/ Friends of Rotopiko group, 5.30 pm at the Ohaupo Bowls clubrooms
Sunday 13th Waikato Branch Forest and Bird walk - Miranda

Friday October 4th, 5.30pm-6.30pm

Sir Jonathon Porritt Sustainability Lecture
AUT, Sir Paul Reeves Building, 55 Wellesley St, Auckland, Room WG126

This is your chance to hear renowned UK sustainability leader, Sir Jonathon Porritt speak in New Zealand about his latest book, The World We Made: Alex McKay’s Story from 2050, a story that has one simple aim – to describe how we got our world back from the brink of collapse. 

In fifty short entries such as ‘Malaria Defeated’, ‘Incredible Edible Cities’, and ‘Slumdog Billionaires’, THE WORLD WE MADE describes the key events, technological breakthroughs and lifestyle revolutions that will transform our planet over the next half century.

Jonathon is the founder director of Forum for the Future, and an eminent commentator, author and broadcaster. He has been closely involved in developing the sustainability strategies for companies like Unilever, Nike, Pepsi, M&S, Telefonica and Carillion, and is an adviser to the Prince of Wales and many other leaders in the field.

Tickets are $12.50, please book on line here. Details on Facebook

Monday 7th October
Waikato Botanical Society meeting

5.30-7pm
Waikato Environment Centre 25 Ward Street (off Victoria Street)

Northland Lakes
Paul Champion, Principal Scientist NIWA (Freshwater and Estuaries)

Northland lakes are of national and international significance, with dune lakes the predominant lake type. Northland has the greatest number of dune lakes nationally, and most probably internationally, and represents a large proportion of warm, lowland New Zealand lakes still with relatively good water quality. These lakes and their surrounding wetland margins support a range of endemic endangered species providing the only known habitat, or the national strongholds for a range of biota. Perhaps the most outstanding character of these lakes is the currently limited impact of invasive species on their biota, which is unparalleled in any other region of mainland New Zealand.
This talk will focus on the range of aquatic plants found in these lakes, but will also discuss some of the threats facing these lakes and management efforts to prevent further degradation.

Paul Champion is a Principal Scientist at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) in Hamilton and has over 30 years’ experience in the field of aquatic and wetland plant ecology. His current biosecurity research mostly concerns proactive management strategies for aquatic weeds.
Paul has extensive expertise in the botany and ecology of aquatic, wetland and terrestrial vegetation and is a co-author of the popular Common Weeds of New Zealand and Common Grasses, Sedges and Rushes of New Zealand books.

Wednesday 23 October

ALLAN WILSON LECTURE SERIES

AVOIDING GLOBAL COLLAPSE

6.30pm Hamilton Playhouse Theatre, Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts, University of Waikato.

Bookings are now open for the public talks by Professor Paul Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies at Stanford University and president of Stanford's Centre for Conservation Biology. There is a charge for the Auckland lecture, and tickets may be purchased on the night at the venue. However, to avoid disappointment, we recommend that you purchase them in advance, and reserve seats for the other lectures.

Click here to register online.

Forwarded message from Eugenie Sage, Green Party MP

"Kia ora

I'd like to invite you to a public meeting in Raglan on Thursday 3rd October.

When: Thursday 3rd October, 7.30 – 9.30pm
Where: Raglan Bowling Club, 19 James Street, Raglan (Click for map)

The Government's proposed changes to the Resource Management Act undermine local democracy and sustainability. Please join us for a panel discussion on changes to the RMA and what they mean for local democracy in your community and New Zealand's environment. The panel will consist of:

Eugenie Sage, Green Party MP
Angeline Greensill, Tainui Hapu; University of Waikato
Malibu Hamilton, Whaingaroa Environmental Defence

All are welcome! Please share through your networks. If you are too far away from Raglan to attend, please forward this invitation to friends or family you might have in the area.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Eugenie Sage
Green Party MP"