Saturday - get out and vote! (if you haven't already)

Just to take your mind off the results of the elections there are two activities available on Sunday:

Forest and Bird trip to Miranda

Meeting at the Miranda Shorebird Centre at 9.30am. Talk will cost $4. It is a very high tide at present so birds will be in a bit closer for good viewing. Will also go to the hot pools so take togs.
Anyone interested in coming or car pooling from Hamilton, phone Katherine 839 4452 or 021 267 2773

Explore Hidden Hamilton - Gully Walk

Come and join us: 2pm, Sunday 10th October, beginning from Pickering Crescent. Tell your friends!

Just a reminder that the first of our gully walks, (one of four in the "Explore Hidden Hamilton" series) is on this coming Sunday afternoon. These are being staged with the support of Sport Waikato. We will be exploring the Mangaiti gully system and taking a side trip to Chartwell Park before returning to our starting point.The meeting place is Pickering Cres, at the end of the cul-de-sac behind Hukanui School. The walk will last about an hour, and we have some beautiful maps kindly provided by Steve and the team at HCC, with additional instructions on the back compiled by Maxine and me as we did our test walks last month. It should be very difficult to get lost! (Maxine and I will be there to make sure you can't.)

Consultation meetings

A proposed new governance and representative structure is being presented for public understanding and consultation.
We welcome all interested in the Maungatautari project to attend one of two meetings:

Thursday 7th Oct 2010

7pm-10:30pm

Cambridge Health and Community Centre
22a Taylor St
Cambridge

OR

Saturday 9th October 2010

2pm-4pm

Parawera Marae
Arapuni Road,
Te Awamutu

Tuesday 5th October 7.30pm

Lido Cinema

NZ Landcare Trust is launching the latest film directed by award winning film maker Kathleen Gallagher, 'Water Whisperers Tangaroa.'
The film celebrates the work carried out by 10 communities around New Zealand as they seek to repair waterways and protect them for future generations, including Whaingaroa Catchment.  NZ Landcare Trust is delighted to be a sponsor fo this film.

RSVP to James Barnett at james.barnett@landcaretrust.org.nz or phone 859 3778 if you would like to attend.

The film will be screened after the launch - screening times still being worked out by the Lido.

State of the Bat Environment

Wednesday 29 September,
Monday 4 October
Wednesday 6 October

We have more batwalks happening as part of the Museum Holiday Programme. The walk does take about 15-20 minutes each way along path and boardwalk. As it will be getting dark and cold make sure you dress up well and wear suitable walking shoes and bring a torch!

Time: 5.30pm–8.30pm Cost: $5 children and $8 adults.
Children must be accompanied by an adult. Bookings are essential as there are limited spaces so to book phone 838 6606 or email museum@hcc.govt.nz. Talks start at the Museum and you need to transport yourselves to Malcolm St after the talk for the bat walk after dusk.

What you can do for bats:
Where possible avoid the removal of large or old trees along the Waikato River Margin as these are excellent bat habitat.

Thursday 30th September 2010 Seminar

4.00pm
Venue: Seminar Room, McMeekan Centre, Ruakura Research Centre

Climate change: Overview and recent developments.

Come and hear Dr Jim Salinger, an ex NIWA climate change scientist. Lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize in 2007.

Climate science has made a journey from an academic pursuit in the 1970s to being now at a critical cross road. Now the mainstream climate community needs to re-establish its credibility so as to communicate the urgency of relevant science based policy.
Decade 1970s was involved with establishing that climate does change and reaffirming the theory that increases in greenhouse gases lead to a warming of climate. During the 1980s climate science became more relevant to decision makers in the community because of the advent of the 1982/83 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event, and the realization that a major nuclear war could be followed by a nuclear winter with the demise of several millions of people.
In 1991 the Mt Pinatubo volcanic eruption had significant impacts on climate. The 1990s and early 2000s was a time of full maturity of the science with the development that anthropogenic climate change because of the enhanced greenhouse gases was extremely likely to determine the course of climate and its impacts during the 21st century.

Much policy relevant debate occurred with governments of the world signing up to the Kyoto protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). However, with the advent of the late 2000s and 2010s the growth of climate denial and Climategate has turned the science in to being very vexatious political issue. Climate deniers question an empirically verifiable reality: that global warming is unequivocal and that most of the warming observed over the past 50 years is attributable to human activities. Civil society is under pressure to believe the science, and it is a matter of urgency that the science is communicated clearly, frankly and with integrity for decision making. Climatic science has a major role in enabling society to achieve this goal.

All Welcome - please share this invitation with your friends and colleagues.
This seminar is organized by the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science Inc.
New members welcome www.agscience.org.nz

Saturday 30 October 2010
Waikato Biodiversity Forum 

9am - 3.30pm on  at the Tamahere Community Hall, Devine Road, off SH 1 Cambridge Road

This is a free event with lunch provided.
The Waikato Biodiversity Forum is a partnership between research and management agencies, iwi groups, private landowners and community groups who all have an aim of improving biodiversity in the Waikato region. The Forum runs two events a year to focus on an aspect of improving biodiversity in a particular location. This event will focus on the biodiversity of the Tamahere gullies and how this can be improved. See the Forum’s website for details of its work. www.waikatobiodiversity.org.nz

Purpose of the Day

• Provided gully restoration information to gully owners and other interested members of the community
• Provide opportunities to gather practical skills for gully restoration

This Forum is an opportunity for you to:-
* Network and share ideas with others who undertake conservation related work
* Establish on-going partnerships for biodiversity restoration
* Visit gully restoration project/s in the area
* Learn practical measures to enhance gullies
* Hear the findings of a report “Assessment of the Tamahere Gullies”
* Highlight the projects of community groups in the area
More information and registration form to follow. Moira Cursey m.cursey@xtra.co.nz or phone 07 8465066.

1 November
Fundraising Institute 360° View Not-For-Profit Training Day to be held in Rotorua in November

This may be of interest to committees and trustees of community groups

Rotorua 360 Degree Reg 2010.pdf

Saturday 9th October

Rivers
Sundays at 7.30 on Prime

If anyone has not tuned into the Rivers series by Craig Potton on Prime on Sunday evenings it is worth watching. Last night was on the Waikato, mentioned Waiwhakareke, plenty about environmental issues, next week will be on the Clarence and Molesworth Station.
If anyone recorded the Waikato one could they let me know? ph 839 4452

e2 Energy   on TVNZ 7
Thursday at 7.35pm,
Friday at 9.35am and 1.35pm

On the next episode:
Could California's progressive energy policies influence the United States towards a cleaner energy future?

About the show:

It covers the ongoing shift in design technologies, architecture and urban planning toward sustainability.

The six e2 Energy episodes feature groundbreaking energy policies in California; Brazil and its thriving ethanol fuel industry; energy-saving technologies that are changing the transportation industry; solar power and bio-gas for rural communities in Bangladesh; wind power and community collaboration in Minnesota; and two controversial, yet promising, energy alternatives - nuclear power and carbon sequestration.
Each episode features people, places and innovations that suggest that a more environmentally benign future is possible and within reach.

Monday September 20th

Environmental Candidates evening

Chartwell Room, Hamilton Gardens.
Starting 7pm.

The Environmental forum for candidates standing for Hamilton City Council and the four Hamilton positions on Environment Waikato is on tonight.

Come along and hear the candidates talk about what they think are the issues around sustainability in Hamilton, and what they hope to do if elected.

Each candidate will be given a set amount of time to speak on the topic. General questions will then be directed to candidates from the floor.
Supper will be provided, and is another chance to talk directly to candidates.

And then make sure you go home and vote!! Your voting papers should have arrived by now.

Wednesday 22nd September

NZ Association for Environmental Education - Waikato Branch
AGM

Anyone involved in environmental education is welcome to come to the NZAEE AGM on Wednesday, being held at the new eco-classroom at Hukanui School

5.30pm Tour of the Living Room eco-classroom

6.00 AGM

NZAEE is an umbrella group whose mission is to foster environmental and sustainability education. As someone who is interested in this area, we invite you to join us on a tour of the Hukanui Primary School Eco-classroom, followed by a short AGM (where you won’t be press-ganged on to a committee) and drinks and nibbles.

Where: Hukanui Primary School (park on Hukanui Rd next to St Johns and enter through latched gate in the school fence)

 RSVP: Katherine Hay, Ph 839 4452, email envirocentre@paradise.net.nz

Thursday 16th September

Forest and Bird Conservation Week talk
Talk from Greg Martin (DOC)  in the Chartwell Room at the Hamilton Gardens at 7.30pm. Everyone welcome. No charge. Supper provided.

Come and hear what DOC has been up to this year. Greg Martin, Waikato Conservator will give an overview of the work carried out during 2009/10 in a slide show illustrating the range and significance of DOC’s work.

Also, Kristina Hillock, Conservancy Technical Officer Marine, will speak about her research into Maui Dolphins.

Saturday, 18th September, 1pm

Gully Open Day
Meet at Footbridge accessible from 64 St James Drive or 2 Grenache Pl off Coleraine Dr.
Organised by Rex Bushell, a local resident who is keen to form a community group to undertake the restoration of Mangaiti Park gully area. The project is to help restore the gully back to the native flora (plants) and fauna (animals) .

Rex is inviting anyone that maybe interested to come along to an “Open Day” to look over the area and see what is involved. Bring your gumboots for tours of the area from 12 to 1pm, with some experts in gully restoration available to discuss gully restoration in smaller groups from 1pm.

If the day is wet it will be postponed to the following Saturday, 25th September. Check for a posting on Rex’s blog if in doubt http://gullyrestoration.blogspot.com/

If you would like to be kept up to date on what is happening register your email address (Name, phone number and street address would be oppositional) on Rex Bushell’s email gullyrestoration@gmail.com to receive news letters in the form of a blog link.

This is a great way to meet other people in your local community.

If you have any queries prior to or on the day, please do not hesitate to contact Rex Bushell through his blog site, email or phone me on 8386501 or 021 2862066.

Yours faithfully
Gerard Kelly
Community Planting Co-ordinator
Email gerard.kelly@hcc.govt.nz
Website www.hamilton.co.nz/communityplanting