Kia ora koutou and welcome to the April edition of REEF! With the business of March and Sustainable Backyards now easing into the cooler quieter months, we still have plenty of events and activities happening in the Bay of Plenty. There is something for everyone to get involved in, so make sure you take the opportunity to go somewhere new, learn something new, or meet someone new! Have a great month. Summer HarvestFri 31 Mar 12:00pm - 7:00pm Rotorua Youth Centre, 6 Te Ngae Rd, Victoria, Rotorua 3010, New Zealand Free educational event with environmental and sustainable activities to do. There is a 12.00pm-3.00pm section for schools, organisations and groups to attend. Followed by a 4.00-7.00pm section for after work hours of families and groups to attend. Workshops will include Composting, Making your own Kombucha, Worm-farming, Bicycle Safety plus more... We will host a Home Made Soup Challenge any works, staff, teams, organisations or groups are welcomed to enter. Ohope Scenic Reserve Night WalkApril 1 @ 7:00 am - 10:00 pm Come and explore Ohope Scenic Reserve after dark! Kiwi Trust volunteers will guide you along the Fairbrother Loop Track. Share information about the kiwi project and point out our nocturnal wildlife. You may even hear a kiwi! Bookings essential: www.whakatanekiwi.org.nz. Adults $15, Children $10 (Families: 2 Adults & 2+ Children $40) House of scienceScience holiday program term 1 EnviroFest – ‘Clean up your Backyard’April 2 @ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Family friendly Enviro day all about waste. With talks on recycling, organic waste , a hands-on clean up, and a workshop with hints and tips to turn your waste into something useful. Children will learn about recycling doing the Great Waste Race and making bird feeders out of recycled materials. Historic Village, Tauranga Otanewainuku Family Night AdventureOtanewainuku Forest, Mountain Road, Oropi, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty. Friday 7 April 2017, 7pm – 8:30pm. Donation to Otanewainuku Kiwi Trust: $5.00 Bubbles: The Bath and BeyondThe Royal Society is bringing another fabulous lecture to Tauranga. Who: UK scientist Dr Helen Czerski, British physicist, oceanographer, broadcaster and author of Storm in a Teacup – The Physics of Everyday Life (2016) Bubbles are a fascinating and important part of our everyday world, they’re everywhere – not just when you do the dishes or have a bath. However, what do bubbles do and why are they important? It’s not all obvious - snails blow bubbles to float, penguins use them to go faster and there is a precise technical reason as to why bubbles are a champagne connoisseur's best friend. Dr Helen Czerski’s own research is on the formation and structure of bubbles made by breaking ocean waves, as well as the impact these bubbles have on weather and climate. So how does one even go about studying such fleeting phenomena? Dr Helen Czerski appears in conjunction with the Cosmic Shambles LIVE tour and is presented in partnership with Trunkman Productions (UK), the Atheist Foundation of Australia, Cerebral Events (NZ) and the MacDiarmid Institute Where: TAURANGA Yacht & Power Boat Club Guided Walk of Rapurapu Kauri TrackKaimai Mamaku Forest Park, Hot Springs Road, Katikati, Bay of Plenty Thursday 13 April 2017 10:00am – 2:00pm Forming part of the incredible Echo Walking Festival, this guided walk takes you along an undulating track featuring mature tawa/podocorp forest, many fern species, a stream with swimming holes and three impressive kauri trees that are growing near their southern limit. The walk is 5.5km return and involves crossing the Rapurapu Stream eight times before reaching the kauri grove so expect to get wet feet. Before returning, enjoy your lunch while learning about the area from your guide who has hiked and worked in the Kaimai ranges for over 40 years. Duration: 3-4 hours. The meeting point is about 4km past the Kaimai summit towards the Waikato side. A short gravel road on the left (not signposted) leads to a parking area where the track begins. Guided Walk - Te Rere I OturuOmanawa Hall, Omanawa Rd, Omanawa, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty Wednesday 19 April 2017, 9:30am – 3:30pm Accompanied by your guide who has hiked and worked in the Kaimai Ranges for over 40 years, you'll traverse private roads and tracks before arriving at the very secluded Te Rere I Oturu waterfall - an awesome spectacle over 40 metres high and 25 metres wide. This walk includes some uneven terrain, and the descent into the Ouiaki Gorge means a climb to return - suitable for those with a high level of fitness. Duration: 4-6 hours. Meet at the Omanawa Community Hall before being transported on to private land as a group. Numbers a limited - register on the website! Have a Go At GeoteeringPapamoa Hills Regional Park, Poplar Lane, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty Saturday 22 April 2017 10:00am – 12:00pm Forming part of the incredible Echo Walking Festival, this is your opportunity to have a go at Geoteering while exploring the beautiful Papamoa Hills Regional Park. Geoteering is a combination of treasure hunting, geocaching and orienteering. Great for all ages so bring the whole family or challenge your friends. Duration - 1 hour (approx) Waste Free Parenting WorkshopWith Kate Meads The Historic Village, Seventeenth Ave West, Tauranga, Bay of Plenty Saturday 29 April 2017, 10:00am – 12:30pm. For more info, click here Youth Jam15 - 17 May 2017 Youth Jam is a free 2 day event for secondary students across the Bay of Plenty to come together and learn about environmental and sustainability issues. This year’s Youth Jam event will focus on Pests (plants and animals) – how they impact our environment and what measures can be taken to contain, eradicate and prevent their spread. Students will attend the 2 day event in Rotorua and have the chance to participate in some fantastic fun, interactive and informative activities around the theme, as well as learn leadership skills and have the chance to participate in the process of creating our Regional Pest Management Plan. For more info, contact Natalie.ridler@boprc.govt.nz Ten by Ten: Climate ChangeTen things you didn’t know about climate change… Climate change is already redefining coastlines and the weather, both here in New Zealand and around the world. But will it affect me and what can I do about it? Tim Naish and James Renwick will give their take on this biggest of issues – from the very local to the global. Rotorua | 6pm Tuesday 5 July |