At level 2 the Southland Community Nursery is closed to large groups of visitors (including schools). We will open for small groups of 10 - please book below. While the education centre is closed, our educator can come and visit you and your class at school, if your school requirements allow this. Contact tracing, physical distancing rules, hand hygiene etc will be followed. To ensure group size restrictions are met please use the emails below for any proposed visits, plant purchases or workshops.
At level 1 the Southland Community Nursery is open to all visitors (Friday volunteer mornings, school visits and plant purchases).
Please follow this process prior to your visit to the Southland Community Nursery (at alert levels 1 and 2):
- Visitors to the Nursery by prior arrangement only please. Email Chris at [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
- For schools wanting to visit, arrange with Bronwyn at [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
- Please stay away if unwell, or if you have been unwell in the last 48 hours prior to the nursery visit.
- Upon arrival, please use hand sanitiser provided
- A QR code is displayed – please use the contact tracer app. Or alternatively sign in and out of the nursery session – using the sign in sheet in doorway of education centre. Please include your name, contact phone number and email address. For schools visiting, one contact person shall sign in and keep attendance records of students.
- Hand washing facilities are to be used. Remember to wash your hands for 2 minutes before you eat, or use the hand sanitiser provided.
- Bring your own gloves (if possible), food and drink, including a cup or mug
- Please advise us if you become unwell after visiting the nursery.
Thank you.
Posted: 1 September 2020
Ben (Sustainable Coastlines, Litter Intelligence Programme) and Aless (mm2 Marine Studies University of Otago) shared their passion and knowledge with those wanting to learn more about the Litter Intelligence Education Programme and Marine Metre Squared – 2 wonderful citizen science programmes that schools can get involved in. Theory and learning about the programmes was balanced with hands on opportunities – carrying out a litter survey and audit at nearby Oreti Beach, and undertaking a mock mm2 survey! Lots of connections made and fun had.
Bronwyn
Posted: 13 August 2020
The new entrant class at Otatara School visited today to learn how to sow kōwhai seeds. First the students told me all they know about the kōwhai tree and how to identify it. They told me about a kōwhai tree that they walk past on the way to assembly, saying hello to it – it hasn’t talked back to them! Lining up in buddies, like the leaves on the kōwhai stem we went into the education centre. We started by looking at seed pods and taking the yellow coloured seeds out. We talked about the magic of seeds and how it has everything for a kōwhai tree to grow from, with the roots growing down into the soil and the shoots growing up. I talked about how I had soaked the seeds in boiling water overnight ready to sow them today. We then put some soil in a tray, levelled it out using a block, sprinkled our soaked seeds over and then covered the seeds in gravel. The class knew all about what plants need to grow – water, sun and soil, and asked some great inquisitive questions. It was great to have this group learning about their classroom plant.
Bronwyn
Posted: 11 August 2020
Young Environment Group members from James Hargest College Junior Campus explored the Southland Community Nursery as part of their Friday Sport and Recreation programme. The orchard, edible gardens, worm farm, nursery native plant growing operations, pond track and restorative native plantings were looked at. Lots of ideas were discussed for what they can do back at the school campus. It was great to get outdoors with this awesome group of students, learning about local native plants and gardening. We look forward to being involved with future plans and developments for back at their school campus.
Posted: 11 August 2020
Inviting teachers - If you would like to learn more about the Litter Intelligence Education Programme and how your school and learners can get involved, please join us at the Southland Community Nursery on Wednesday the 12th August 2020 from 9am to 3pm to learn more about this programme and how you, your School and students can can get involved. This event is free of charge and lunch is included. Spaces are limited so please register via the event page on the Sustainable Coastlines website.
Litter is a major risk to people, culture, environment and economy, especially when it enters the marine environment. This is a problem we can – and will – solve. Led by charity Sustainable Coastlines, the Litter Intelligence programme collects data, provides insights and inspires action for a litter-free Aotearoa. Launched in May 2018, the programme is funded by the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund and works in close collaboration with Statistics New Zealand and the Department of Conservation. As New Zealand’s first national litter database, Litter Intelligence is helping build a better understanding of the problem.
To collect and input this litter data long-term, Sustainable Coastlines is engaging with communities around Aotearoa, providing the training, equipment and technology required for people to take part in the programme as ‘Citizen Scientists’. By working to a United Nations Environment Program / Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission methodology, data is collected at the highest standard of scientific rigour, allowing it to be used for national, regional and international reporting, including the relevant Sustainable Development Goals.
To achieve this, Sustainable Coastlines are training and supporting educators around Aotearoa to deliver an exciting new and innovative litter reduction education programme called the Litter Intelligence Education programme or LIEP for short. By combining evaluation of our education programme with on-the-ground litter data, we will measure the effectiveness of education and a range of other litter-reduction interventions, giving us a strong understanding of the best solutions.
All programme findings are freely, openly and publicly available through our purpose-built Litter Intelligence digital platform, giving politicians and business leaders, educators and students, scientists and researchers the right information to take action for a litter-free world.
Posted: 24 July 2020
