Hamilton Junats this Friday

This week’s meeting is The Kermadec Islands. Last year Olivia Jay travelled aboard the HMNZS Canterbury to the Kermadec Islands, along with 29 other young people, as part of the Young Blake Expedition. The adventure was arranged by the Peter Blake Trust.

Olivia, who was formerly a Junat, was a Year 13 student at Diocesan School when she had her great adventure. I recommend that you come and listen to this inspiring young conservationist and future leader.

Meet at Wintec classroom (Gate 2, Hamilton Gardens) at 7pm.
Dave Mathews phone (07) 846 4013
Anyone welcome to come along.

Free After School Programme

Explore Nature through Art

For ages 7 - 12

Fridays 3 - 4pm, from the 5th April to 10th May

with artist and Enviro-facilitator Adrienne Grant

at Te Whare o te Ata Community House, 60a Sare Cres

855 7804 or tewhareoteata@fairfield.org.nz

Registrations essential by 1 April. Limited places

Explore Art Through Nature.pdf

Good afternoon Environment Centre members,

 On Thursday 14 March at 5pm, Waikato Regional Council will be presenting an Annual Update that incorporates:

· Progress with achieving our council’s vision “competing globally, caring locally”. This includes how we are delivering on the council’s three flagship goals to achieve this vision through our core activities to make the Waikato region the best place it can be and through working on projects with our local communities that we all care about.

· Draft Annual Plan highlights - topics for consultation and projected rate changes

· Regional Pest Management Plan - soon available for consultation

· Changes affecting the local government elections in October 2013

· Our approach to possible local government reform proposals

Members of ACRE (the Advisory Committee for the Waikato Regional Environment) will be attending the update also. Both Staff and Councillors of Waikato Regional Council will be present. The meeting will be held in the Waikato Room which is accessed off main reception in A block.

Please RSVP directly to Katherine Hay at katherine@envirocentre.org.nz.

Parking plan and entry door: Please arrive in good time or let Katherine know if you are going to be late so you can be let in.

I’m really pleased to be able to let you all know about the Weedbusters Small Scale Initiatives Funding which is in place and ready for applications.

The Weedbusters small-scale initiative fund, supported by individual regional councils, unitary authorities, and Department of Conservation, provides funds for Weedbusters groups to cover ‘small scale’ costs such as tools, herbicides, mulcher hire, greenwaste disposal, promotional activities within communities to get Weedbusters groups off the ground, and so on - those little things that would fall outside the criteria of larger environmental grants and which aren’t substantial enough to justify lengthy applications for funding from other sources.

This funding is also on a ‘first in, best dressed’ basis, with no cut off date for applications. Ideally the funding would benefit a number of projects per region, not just one.

The total amount available is $2000 per year per region participating - $1000 from the regional council/unitary authority, and $1000 from Weedbusters national budget on behalf of DOC.

Check out the full conditions for the Weedbusters Small Scale Initiatives Funding are at http://www.weedbusters.org.nz/funding/initiative_fund.asp.

 It would be great to see ALL this funding for EVERY region participating be utilised this financial year – use it or lose it! – so start spreading the word around your community groups and other contacts and encourage them to apply on the forms provided at the link above.

 Give a yell if you have any questions or need more information.

 Carolyn Lewis
National Weedbusters Coordinator  carolyn.lewis@xtra.co.nz

Junats Correction

Friday evening
Apologies to Junats - last week was GoPro, this week is
The World of Insects  - Moira Cursey, DOC and Waikato Biodiversity Forum.     We’ll find and identify some insects and design a pit-fall trap.

We meet at Wintec classroom (Gate 2, Hamilton Gardens at 7pm).
Dave Mathews phone (07) 846 4013
Look on the website for the full term's events  www.junats.org.nz

Two Waikato Botannical Society trips

Saturday 9th March – Dactylanthus trip - Pureora

A trip to visit a population of the rare root parasite Dactylanthus taylorii in Pureora Forest Park. We are timing this trip to be able to collect pollen from flowering Dactylanthus in Pureora, the pollen will then be transferred to female flowers in the threatened plant garden back in Hamilton. This will hopefully increase the chances of seed set for the threatened plant garden Dactylanthus, which last year produced only female flowers.

Please note the date for this trip is dependent on flowering time and may be subject to change, the trip will be confirmed by email notice closer to the time.

Please contact Liz or Thomas below for queries or to register your interest.
Leaders: Liz Overdyck eg3@waikato.ac.nz ph. 07 825 9743 or 021 155 3622 and Thomas Emmitt temmitt@doc.govt.nz ph. 07 878 1055 (work) or 021 152 3030.

Meet: Pureora village 10.30am (appx. 2 hour drive from Hamilton), carpooling and/or accomodation in DoC cabins at Pureora village for Friday night can be arranged.
Grade: Easy

Sunday 10th March – Galaxy Rd North Wetland (Combined Waikato and Rotorua Botanical Societies)

A walk through this extensive wetland/mire - beech forest complex on the mamaku plateau. This wetland and forest complex has an interesting history having being used for forest research by FRI in past and more recently acquired by the nature heritage fund and now managed by DOC. We will see Gahnia rigida near its northern limits, a range of tomos and wetland vegetation typical of mires in this northern part of the mamaku plateau.

Leader : Paul Cashmore 07 348 4421 (hm), 07 349 7432 (wk) pcashmore@doc.govt.nz

Meet : The carpark Rotorua 8:30am or end of SH 5-Galaxy Rd junction 9am 

Grade : Medium
Bring: Gumboots

Thursday 7th March

“Moreporks in Hamilton: results of a ‘community based’ survey”

Andrew Styche - Ruru research

7.30 Chartwell Room, Hamilton Gardens, Cobham Drive.

Everyone welcome

This is a summary of findings after two years of a survey of moreporks within Hamilton City. The study is an example of urban ecology, the relationship between living organisms and their surroundings in the context of an urban environment.
The aim of the survey was to give the local ornithological society a project that they could do that was local, engage a wider community in the project and learn about the status of a charismatic native species in Hamilton. So, how did we do?

In this edition:
8 March Junats - GoPro talk
12 - 26 Permaculture Design Course in Raglan
24 March Nature Education talk in Kauaeranga
6 April Community environmental workshops day in Colville

Bees available for a topbar beehive
Nucleus colony for 395mm bar $90. Contact Erin on 027 287 9126

Friday 8th March

Junats weekly meeting

Do you know young people who are interested in the environment?
Junats meet every Friday evening and run camps during holidays.

This Friday’s session is: GoPro – What is it? Ross Trafford, teacher and photographer, will show us some of his work and give us some tips on how to make great adventure movies.
We meet at Wintec classroom (Gate 2, Hamilton Gardens at 7pm).

Dave Mathews phone (07) 846 4013
www.junats.org.nz

March 12 - 26

Permaculture Design Certificate at Solscape in Raglan
It is not too late to register
For more details go to www.solscape.co.nz

Sunday, 24 March 2013

'Mapbearers, toolkeepers, starmakers'

3pm - 4.30pm at Kauaeranga Visitors Centre
Kauaeranga Valley Rd Coromandel Forest Park

Professor Steve Van Matre will be presenting his inspiring and thought provoking speech at the Kauaeranga Visitors Centre. This speech can also be heard as part of the 2013 Earth Education Gathering which is being held at the Kauaeranga Forest Education Camp on 22-24th March. For more information about either of these events, please phone Louise Deane on: 078684559 or visit the website: www.earthcamp.co.nz/events

Steve Van Matre is the Chairman and the founder of the Institute for Earth Educatio., Professor Van Matre's materials represent the most widely used nature education programs in the world.

 To find out more information and/or book a ticket, click on ATTEND EVENT

Saturday, 6 April, 2013

Community Workshop- Weeds, Pests, Erosion and Water quality

9.30am–3pm

Meet Colville Hall, Colville, Coromandel Peninsula

See attached flyer for details of presenters, discussion/workshop topics and visits to properties in the Colville area.
RSVP to Moira Cursey and state non-vegetarian or vegetarian for catering purposes. Email  m.cursey@xtra.co.nz

Pls send through your networks.

Workshop Colville April 2013 Flyer.pdf

This is a reminder that the closing date for the next round of Environmental Education Action Fund is Tuesday 2 April.
It's a contestable fund open to all NZ schools, ECEs and community groups who as part of their learning programmes are taking action to address a local environmental issue.

For information about the fund and how to apply please visit the WWF-New Zealand website 

For further information please contact me at wbarry@wwf.org.nz. Also please forward to any schools or community groups who you think might be interested in applying.

Noho ora mai,

Wendy Barry

Education Programme Leader. WWF-New Zealand
Tel: +64 (0)4 499 2930    E-mail: wbarry@wwf.org.nz

Vacancy at WRC

Business/Corporate Sustainability Advisor

Are you passionate about working to promote sustainable business practices reducing impacts on the environment, and improving environmental, social and economic outcomes for the region?
We are looking for a dynamic communicator who understands environmental management system design, is able to engage and motivate business owners, industry, community and councils including senior corporate managers and elected councillors. You will also be knowledgeable on topics including resource efficiency, waste minimisation, climate change and green growth.

A tertiary qualification related to environmental management, sustainability and business management is preferred.

Role Description - Business/Corporate Sustainability Advisor

Applications close: Sunday, 10 March 2013

Just a friendly warning to make sure you have a metre of space around your compost bin. With the hot dry weather compost heaps can get very hot and the surrounds are tinder dry as well.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10867870

 But keep composting!