The Environment Southland team of Shaun Cunningham, Ali Meade and Tom Harding organised a great community biodiversity night on Saturday 30th September here at the Education Centre. Around 40 people came to see what goes on in the night. The neighbours must have thought some strange pagan festival was happening as strange murmurings, light traps and spotlights lit the air!
But first, some interesting talks - Marie Haley from the Banks Peninsular Conservation Trust talked about a restoration project on a grand scale, Estelle Leask on the fabulous work happening at Motopohue/Bluff Hill, Brenton Wilson from DOC showing off the “Walk the Line” pest trapping App and Catriona Gower the batwoman from the Catlins – enthusing us all to go out and survey for bats in our local areas. Ian Davidson Watts another bat expert from Gore was also on hand with his bat loggers set up previously on the edge of Rances Bush. Lloyd Esler had set up a light trap in the paddock and we all crowded around to see what had been attracted – a surprising number of moths for a cool early spring night. Then a walk around the pond on a wonderful calm starry night with bat loggers. Although we didn’t detect any bats on the night – watch this space!
And then there was the excellent food delivered from “Food at Clifton” - http://foodatclifton.co.nz/ which had everyone gathering, networking and sharing information and having a really good catch up with like-minded people. The fact that people stayed well beyond the official finish time shows just how valuable such events are.
Now we are all ready for the Bioblitz at Daffodil Bay, Sandy Point on Saturday 14 October 2017 – 10am-4pm. For more information contact Environment Southland biodiversity programme coordinator Ali Meade on 0800 76 88 45
Chris
Posted: 2 October 2017
Honorlea held another two natural body products workshops in August and September. These two workshops were soap making – and there is much more to it than you’d think. Honorlea is a qualified formulation chemist and so is very skilled, but the science is explained in a manner that makes people feel at ease and all the workshops are held in an informal and relaxed atmosphere. She also prides herself on sourcing natural materials from reputable suppliers and also takes account of “air miles” explaining that being “certified organic” doesn’t necessarily mean the product hasn’t had an impact travelling around the world. Researching local natural products and supporting local communities is a particular passion for Honorlea – she spent 13 years in outback Australia working with local communities and learning lots about traditional ways of doing things – and from that developed a sound knowledge base. She is very open to sharing whatever information she has researched. Honorlea has also developed Kakariki Natural Body Products kits to sell – see https://www.facebook.com/kakarikinb/# and has a Christmas event planned for 25 November 17 in the Education Centre – bookings essential – see more details at http://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/education-centre/activities/workshops/
Networking – you never know who you’ll meet at a workshop! Sophie Cundall age 10 was accompanied by her gran and together they made soap, but Sophie also told us about the Bee Mobile Phone App that she and two Makarewa school friends had made to help save bees.
The girls not only won the South Island regional prize in the Tech Girl Superhero competition but also the prestigious United Nations Environment Award which means they have the opportunity to pitch their app in San Francisco, August 2018. – see this link for all you need to know about bees http://www.beefriendpi.com/. They are now fundraising to go to San Francisco!
Chris
Posted: 27 September 2017
Twenty eight enthusiastic children from Fernworth Primary came to experience the Community Nursery and Bush on 21 September.
After a walk through from the carpark, following signs and looking at fruit and vegetable gardens and the wormfarm, the group, accompanied by teachers Terry and Elaine and Scott from KiwiCan made their way into the Education Centre. A bit of learning about potential hazards like ponds and traps and the children were divided into two groups. Chris led one group around the ponds and bush – matching leaves and learning about maori traditional uses for plants as well as finding birds in the bush. Ray led the other group – sowing native seeds and potting up plants. After swapping over activities the students came back to the Education Centre and reported back on their activities and then did a rousing haka for the Community Nursery volunteers – Chris, Ray, Linda, Sarah, Amy, and Edith. Seldom have we had a group of such enthusiastic and very well behaved children who are a credit to their school and were a joy to show around.
Chris
Posted: 27 September 2017
We have one place left for the Jo Ogier Art Workshop. Jo is a well know New Zealand Artist and the Community Nursery is sponsoring this weekend workshop to bring Jo down from Christchurch. The workshop is just $100 for two days. Further details are at http://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/education-centre/activities/workshops/
And if you would like to go onto a list for this or future workshops email Chris at [Enable JavaScript to view protected content]
Posted: 27 September 2017
The bus pulled in and it was exciting for the tamariki to be coming to visit the NZ jungle. We wandered through the orchard, past the vege gardens and stopped to check out the worms in the worm bath, the signs eventually taking us to the education centre. Exploration of the education centre, some kai and a story energised us for a sensory treasure hunt walk around the pond track, where we saw just how sticky the kohuhu seeds can be, felt how prickly totara leaves are, smelt the citrus aroma of tarata (lemonwood), listened to the birds and the rustling of the cabbage tree leaves, and saw evidence of small insects that live in the NZ bush on harakeke (flax) and in mingimingi. It was great to see the wonder as we touched the different plants - rimu, makomako (wineberry), kapuka (broadleaf), flax, ti kouka (cabbage tree) etc. Back in the education centre it was puzzle time and exploration of what was behind the doors in the tunnel. We found some “good for our native bush” things and some that are not so good (pests etc). We finished off learning the words and actions to the “kiwi bird” song. A great visit. Bronwyn
Posted: 25 September 2017
