The Waikato Environment Centre has an exciting opportunity for a contractor to undertake an organic waste project targeted at waste collection in the CBD in Hamilton.We will be setting up some trial areas, providing some education and introducing changes to waste disposal in the city. The contract is suitable for someone working part time.

You will need great communication skills, be fascinated by putrescibles, totally into sustainability, and able to work independently. If this sounds like you please send your CV and application to the Environment Centre, details on the attached Job Description.

Closing date Friday 23rd August

WEC_Waste_Job_Description2013.pdf

21 August to 15th September.

For more information

Lots of interesting movies, including a variety for the environmentally minded:

Friday night - Tonight - Junats meeting
This week’s meeting is Science: Your Rewarding Future. Dr Jacqueline Rowarth, University of Waikato will tell us about the wide range of sciences that students can do at university. This is a good opportunity for Junats to find out how they can turn their particular interest in science into a fun career.
Down at the Hort Centre at Hamilton Gardens at 7pm. Gate 2.
Contact Dave Matthews Ph (07) 846 4013

Sunday 11th August
Forest and Bird Soc WALK - Waiorongomai

(hard)
The intention is to climb to the New Find stope above the former Quartzville settlement and then follow the tramline to its terminus at Premier Creek, but the weather may determine what we can do; either way we’ll be exploring an old goldfield (so torches needed).

Leave Hamilton at 8.00am and drive to Te Aroha, where at war memorial in centre of town turn right and drive past domain to second road on left out of town. Meet at carpark at end of this road and be ready to start walking at 9.00. Steady uphill track, climbing to about 600 metres above sea level. Fascinating historical area, suitable for fit children aged 8 and above. 
Leader: Philip Hart 07 856 7992

SUBMISSIONS

HCC Open Space Plan - Have you done a submission yet??

Have a look a the draft plan HCC Draft Open Space Plan,  and you can submit online  here. Deadline 16th August
If you have any queries please contact Renee McMillan, senior planner, on renee.mcmillan@hcc.govt.nz.

HCC Speed Limit Bylaw.
Also up for submissions draft proposed amendments to the HCC Speed Limit Bylaw. Submissions close at 12 noon on Monday August 12th, and the hearing will be held on August 22nd. The link, if you would like to make a submission, is http://www.hamilton.co.nz/our-council/consultation-and-public-notices/haveyoursay/Pages/Hamilton-City-Speed-Limits-Bylaw-2013.aspx

8-15 September
Conservation Week 2013

http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/events-and-awards/conservation-week/

‘Celebrate Conservation Week! What’s your whānau doing?’ is the theme for Conservation Week this year. New Zealanders and their whānau—whether that’s families, friends, sports teams, office mates, flatmates, or any group that considers themselves whānau—will be encouraged to make a pledge for conservation. 

Registering a Conservation Week event

If you plan to hold a Conservation Week event and would like it listed on this website, you can fill out a registration form on the DOC website link above.

NZer of the Year awards 2013

Now open. It’s your chance to recognise and highlight the achievements of New Zealanders who are making a positive contribution to our communities and country. Is there someone you know, a person or a group, who deserve acknowledgement for their hard work, leadership skills, innovation and commitment?
You can submit your nomination online at www.nzawards.org.nz  If you need any help in completing your nomination call on free phone 0508 692 927. Nominations close on 30 September 2013.

Community Post open now
Applications are now open and need to be completed online by 5pm 31 August 2013. Find out more and create your application.

HAMILTON GULLY RESTORATION SERIES 2013
With restorations underway across Hamilton, gullies have gone from being rubbish dumps to real assets. The Hamilton Gully Restoration Series 2013 from 15-25 August covers a wide range of gully-related topics, and is made up of two seminars and two gully field-trips. It is a collaboration between the University of Waikato’s Environmental Research Institute and the Hamilton City Council.
The event is open to the public and its goal is to pool information and encourage gully restoration.

15 August - Seminar Session One
7-9pm in MSB.1.01 at the University.
Gully restoration programme - an update Leigh Cornes - Hamilton City Council
Working together - gully networks and groups Catherine Kirby - University of Waikato
Pest animal identification and control Matt Highway - WRC
Mangaiti experiences Rex Bushell - Mangaiti Gully Restoration Group

17 August  Gully Trip One
The first field trip is to Humarie Park 9am - 12.
Meet at Cranwell Place entrance
Restoration hints and tips, including step building, bank stabilisation and plant identification. Bring sturdy footwear and lots of questions. Morning tea provided.

22 August, Seminar Session Two
 7-9pm in MSB.1.01 at the University.
Projects for a gully group to tackle   Gerard Kelly - HCC
Funding your gully restoration    Moira Cursey - Waikato Biodiversity Forum
Pest plant identification and control   Ben Elliot & Ben Herbert - WRC contractor/staff
Reconstructing natural plant communities   Wayne Bennett - Forest Flora

25 August  Gully Trip Two to Mangaonua Gully
10am to 1pm. Meet at end of Silverdale Rd (Morrinsville Rd end)
Show case of restoration work followed by community tree planting.  Bring gumboots and spades. Morning tea provided.

Contact: Ann Huston, 07 838 4775, or ahuston@waikato.ac.nz

HI there,

Local elections are drawing closer, and it will be in our community's interest to ensure that some environmentally and socially aware candidates are successful in getting on our councils.

So just a couple of notices and dates for your diaries:

1. The Waikato Enviornment Centre will be running a candidates' evening on environmental issues on Monday 9th September, at 7pm
at Hamilton Gardens Chartwell Room.

2. And a message from Sustainable Waikato:

Dear Citizens of Hamilton and the Waikato

We would like to invite you to contribute to the election of the best local body candidates to lead us into a sustainable future!

The local body elections for 2013 will be held in October, culminating on October 12. Our group, Sustainable Waikato (SW) has reconvened in preparation for the upcoming elections.  SW conducted an assessment of all candidates standing at the last local body elections for their views and track record on a range of sustainability dimensions. We then endorsed candidates who we felt met rigorously-considered criteria for sustainability and publicised this endorsement through newspapers, flyer mail drops and our website. We believe it made some difference in helping voters be more informed about who they were voting for. 

If you care about a sustainable future for our city or region, we would like to invite you to a meeting on Sunday 11 August,  3pm - 5pm in Kopuroa at the University of Waikato (enter Gate 8 on Hillcrest Rd and park – Kopuroa is a single storey building just past the Motorbike Park).

This will be our critical launch meeting at which we will outline the strategy and set the work tasks. These tasks will include assessing the candidates’ responses to a questionnaire that will be emailed to them, researching their track record in council and/or in sustainability and communicating our findings to the public. I would encourage you to look at the questionnaires we used last time and come to the meeting with any ideas for improvement (see http://www.sustainablewaikato.org.nz/answers2010.html).

We need your help. You could be involved in any or all of these tasks at a level you feel comfortable with. If you cannot attend the meeting, please indicate how you might be able to help out by emailing Chris at c.eames@waikato.ac.nz.

We hope to see you on Sunday the 11^th.
For more information visit: http://sustainablewaikato.org.nz
Dr Chris Eames
On behalf of the SW Steering committee 2013

Friday, 2 August

1 pm, Waikato University, Room S.1.01

Pim de Monchy (BOPRC) is speaking on the Kaituna River Re-diversion and wetland creation project

Pim is a Senior Land Management Office with the Bay of Plenty Regional Council

He will detail the history of modifications to the lower Kaituna River and Maketu Estuary such as the 1956 Te Tumu diversion, the effects of those modifications, and what Bay of Plenty Regional Council is doing in response. Specifically, the Regional Council has allowed funding and provided a mandate to re-divert as much freshwater as possible back into Ongatoro/Maketu Estuary from the Kaituna River, and in the process to re-create wetlands.

Pim will present the project `preferred option´ and hopes to start a discussion with seminar attendees on the environmental effects of the proposal.

Check out this link for more information:www.boprc.govt.nz/kaitunamaketu

Monday August 5th

Waikato Botanical Society warmly invites you to a meeting at Waikato Environment Centre at 25 Ward Street from 5.30 - 7 pm.

For those able to stay on to continue the discussion we will go for a meal to a nearby restaurant afterwards

TOPIC
Avi Holzapfell talking about Dactylanthus taylorii - Biology, Conservation and Research.

Dactylanthus is New Zealand’s only native fully-parasitic flowering plant, growing underground as a perennial tuber attached to the root of native host trees and shrubs. Nectar-rich inflorescences break through the forest floor, where they are pollinated by a ground-foraging endemic bat.

Browsing of inflorescences by introduced mammals is limiting the species’ recruitment and has led to its disappearance over 96% of its pre-human distribution range.

This presentation will summarise our current understanding of the biology and ecology of dactylanthus, and the efforts taken to protect the species, including its inclusion in restoration projects. It will present recent research on the establishment of populations, and stunning new time-lapse images that confirm that dactylanthus should be regarded not as a rare oddity, but an ecosystem driver.

About Avi

Avi is manager of terrestrial ecosystem team here in Hamilton. Born in Germany, he first came across dactylanthus during a visit to Tongariro in 1998, and has been fascinated by the plant ever since. This initial encounter led him to become a botanist, initially completing a MSc in plant taxonomy at the Freie Universitaet Berlin, Germany, and then a PhD dactylanthus at Waikato University in 1999.

He has been working since 1999 for the Department of Conservation initially as an advisory scientist. His focus in recent years has been on threatened species management. He is a member (and past leader) of the dactylanthus recovery group (RG), previous leader of the native frog RG, science coordinator to the pateke RG, and current leader of the kiwi RG.

Do come and join us next Monday and learn about this amazing plant that is found here in the Waikato

Enquiries: Cynthia Roberts, email: croberts@doc.govt.nz; Ph 858 1034

Wednesday 31 July

from 1-2 pm in S1.03 at University of Waikato

Not yet the End of the World: Political Cultures of Creation and the Global Youth Climate Justice Movement

Professor John Foran

Abstract: This talk will introduce the visions and actions of the youth component of the global climate justice movement, based on fieldwork undertaken at the COPs (Conference of the Parties to the UNFCC) in Durban 2011 and Doha 2012. Featuring interviews, still photos, and video, it will explore the contours of this movement and attempt to portray it in a reading of its own words and deeds – the talk will examine the strengths and weaknesses, problems and prospects of this new movement, and suggest that it’s not yet the end of the world.

John Foran is Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara and Co-director of the International Institute of Climate Action and Theory (www.iicat.org).

For more information, please contact Dr Priya Kurian – pkurian@waikato.ac.nz

Wednesday 7th August

Hamilton City Council Draft Open Space Plan

Between 2pm and 7pm at The Verandah Cafe, Hamilton Lake Domain.
Hamilton City Council Parks and Open Spaces Unit has been working on a draft Hamilton City Open Space Plan. This plan sets out a 50-year strategic direction to guide future planning, development and management of Hamilton’s open spaces.

As part of our consultation on this project we are hosting an open day Wednesday, 7 August. The open day is an opportunity for representatives of stakeholder groups and members of the community to learn about the draft Open Space Plan, discuss and provide feedback to staff. We will have a range of summarised information on display, along with feedback forms for your comments.

Have a look a the draft plan HCC Draft Open Space Plan,  and you can submit online  here

If you have any queries please contact Renee McMillan, senior planner, on renee.mcmillan@hcc.govt.nz.

Saturday 17th August
Conservationists to speak at Pukawa Bay

Two lectures to be given by Professor Charles Daugherty, Professor of Ecology and Assistant Vice-Chancellor Research at Victoria University

And Dr Kelly Hare, a conservation scientist at Victoria University Wellington
to be held at the Conference Room, Oreti Time Share Pukawa off Pukawa Road, on Saturday August 17 2013. commencing at 11 a.m.

Charles’ lecture will be discussing why all New Zealanders have a stake in predator control.
“Miaoschwitz Cats and the Pest Free New Zealand Initiative”, explores the feasibility of a New Zealand with no mammal pests and the particular role that cat management needs to play.

Kelly’s lecture “Reconnecting People with Nature” will present the inspiring story of how Wellington organisations are working together to reconnect Wellingtonians with nature. Kelly will discuss how biophilia (a love of nature) and citizen science projects are raising community awareness and engagement with nature with the ultimate outcome of creating healthy living spaces for humans and our native wildlife within urban settings. The use of these ideas to support the Zealandia “Halo” project will be presented in more detail.

Admission charge: Fifteen dollars per head.This will cover a light lunch and small donation to the Pukawa Wildlife Trust. Please register at the bar on arrival. R S V P: by August 14th 2013 to Jean Stanley
Text: 027 504 982 E-Mail: genie02@orcon.net.nz Phone: 07-386-7647

Monorail in Fiordland

If you disagree with the monorail sign the petition here

Online petition: http://chn.ge/13F8COR

For more information and reasons why this is not a good idea go to www.savefiordland.org.nz

Please follow this link to the New Zealand Plant Conservation Network's E-newsletter Number 116 (July 2014) (file size 941KB):

http://www.nzpcn.org.nz/publications/Trilepidea-116-130721.pdf

(Lots of interesting stuff but of especial  interest is the new website which is an online encyclopaedia of NZ birds, launched in June: nzbirdsonline

Also an interesting list of botanical names derived from Maori words.

And an article about the Forest and Bird restoration project at Paremata Flats in Nelson which now has fernbird numbers increasing. Waikato Branch has supported this project.)

Send in any plant conservation news and events (have you found a threatened plant? Are you undertaking a restoration project? Do you have plant stories, talks, planting days, field trips?) that you would like promoted nationwide. Email to: events @nzpcn.org.nz

The deadline for copy for the next issue of this newsletter is Wednesday 14 August 2013.