The official opening of the Nature Education Centre was an awesome event.
Estelle Leask welcomed about 60 people to the new building and with Dave Taylor’s address, it was a very moving start to the celebration.
Brian and I explained our vision for the property and the new Centre and thanked our volunteers, key supporters (particularly Linda and Ray Jackson, Maggie and Stephen Elford, Dawn Patterson and Janet Hodgetts) and sponsors for enabling the project to happen. The funding for the Centre had been one third Southland Community Nursery Trust (from sale of plants), one third from ourselves, and one third from the Community Trust of Southland. Further grants for carparking and decking to finish the building had been given by Department of Conservation and Southland Forest and Bird Society. Janet Hodgetts artwork in the Centre was enjoyed by all.
Our patron Ruud Kleinpaste put the community project in a national context. Earlier in the day Ruud had taken some excited Limehills schoolchildren on a bug hunting expedition around the ponds and bush.
Only the weather didnt behave, but I guess that’s why we build the all-weather facility in the first place!
We welcome school enquires and if you would like to hold a workshop at the property - have a look at the Education Centre section of this website and book with Chris.
Posted: 13 November 2013
There will be two opportunities to visit the new Nature Education Centre - the official opening on Friday 8th November at 1pm with our Patron Ruud Kleinpaste and an Open Afternoon on Saturday 30th November.
We look forward to showing you our new facility at one of these events.
Posted: 4 November 2013
While Brian and I were away visiting family and friends in the UK the “closed” nursery went on as usual with Linda and Ray and regular volunteers coming and helping on Fridays. While we enjoyed the best summer in the UK for many years, there was the odd rainy day - as experienced while camping with nephew Jack in Devon - see his delight as a river started running into our tent!
The Otatara Landcare Group held the third Living Legends planting event in August with 3500 of Linda and Ray’s nursery grown plants going to Bushy Point - totalling 10,000 native plants in the last three years - a mightly effort by the Landcare Group committee, Otarara volunteers, schoolchildren and the public.
The Nature Centre - though not quite finished, was equipped well enough for ES Enviroschools Mark Oster and Pat Hoffman to hold two workshops in the building - one for school caretakers and one for teachers. Both were well received and the Nature Centre proved to be a good venue for the workshops. We are now gearing up for school visits and other workshops.
Murals by Janet Hodgetts and an interactive “tunnel” in the Nature Centre are big drawcards for the children who visit!
Posted: 2 October 2013
In mid July we will be closing the nursery for winter. But in June - lots of action at the nursery. Ray and Derek have been busy fitting out the building with plywood, building window seats and framing the windows beautifully.
Janet Hodgetts has been busy painting two of the tree murals that will grace the building - its an exciting time when our dreams and aspirations for the Nature Centre are coming to fruition.
In June two successful cuttings days have been held - and we will be continuing to do cuttings through July until we close for winter.
Posted: 1 July 2013
In May, our patron Ruud Kleinpaste came to visit and see the progress with the new Nature Centre. He enjoyed a good couple of hours looking at the new building and then showing us the amazing variety of bugs around the building and the restoration area. His enthusiasm is infectious!
Posted: 30 May 2013
