Welcome to the June/July issue of our newsletter. No Images? Click here National Volunteer WeekWhiria Te Tangata: Weaving the People Together National Volunteer Week 2019 runs from June 16-22. This year’s theme is “Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together”. Volunteering, Mahi Aroha and social action weave people and communities together. Join us this National Volunteer Week to stand together in our differences and choose to connect. Now's the time to connect with that community group you've always wanted to help with, or join one of the field days that will be running over the week! National Volunteer Week is also a time for us to say thank you for all your wonderful mahi. Since being the Volunteer Project Facilitator for the last 2.5 years I have seen the number and diversity of people volunteering grow and grow. I love connecting with you all and working together in some of the most beautiful places in the world. Let's keep connecting and challenging ourselves as a community. I look forward to continuing to work with you all and to meet those that are thinking about coming on a conservation adventure in the near future! Noho ora mai, Catherine ( Volunteer Project Facilitator, DCC/DOC) NoticesNominate a GreatDunedin is blessed with so many conservation champions! Do you have a friend or group who you think deserves an extra special shout out!? Send Catherine an email answering the following questions by June 16th. Winners will get to choose a $50 New World or $50 Hunting and Fishing voucher! 1. Name of person 2. Type of volunteering they do 3. Why they are a conservation champion KDB Community AwardsNominations are now open for the Keep Dunedin Beautiful awards. The awards celebrate and honour Dunedin people who are committed to beautifying their city and caring for their environment through volunteer action. To make a nomination, please email us the name of the person or group you are nominating and tell us why they deserve to be recognised. Nominations close Wednesday 12 June. Speight's PartnershipMillion Metres is stoked to announce a three year partnership with Speight’s to help take care of Otago’s waterways. Million Metres hosts a crowdfunding platform for waterway restoration, and provides fundraising, expertise and other support to assist local projects to be successful. Speight’s has come on board with a match funding campaign, which will see the brand doubling donations to Million Metres’ Otago projects. Get in touch info@millionmetres.org.nz if you have a waterway project that you’d like to list on the Million Metres website or want some more info. #ChoosetoRefuseTake the challenge - join us this July to say no to plastic! There's lots on for you to get involved with that will help to convert to a plastic-free lifestyle! Check out the PFJ website for details about the challenge. The Dunedin City Council will announce an events programme for July, so keep checking their website! Follow the Keep Dunedin Beautiful Facebook page and Instagram for promos, competitions and top tips! EventsBotanic Society of OtagoField Trip to Okia ReserveSaturday 8th June,9am, Free Botany Department Carpark /Okia Reserve Carpark Okia Reserve is a large coastal reserve on the Otago Peninsula that is jointly owned by the DCC and Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust. It comprises an old dune system that is rapidly changing from its dominant bracken cover to woody coastal species. The hollows between the dunes hold a variety of wetlands that include turf, bogs and ponds. The Otago Regional Council regard the dune hollow vegetation to be the best example in the Otago Coast Ecological Region. Along with the Pyramids - a significant geological feature, and Victory Beach - the longest beach on the Peninsula, there's plenty to keep us occupied. We'll do a walk that encompasses all these features. Meet at Botany Department carpark at 9am or the Okia Reserve carpark at the end of Dick Road at 9.30 am. Contact John Barkla 03 476 3686 or jbarkla@doc.govt.nz Revegetation of Wangaloa Coal Mine ReserveWednesday 12th June,5.20pm, Free Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street Cathy Rufaut and Professor David Craw (winner of the 2018 Otago University Distinguished Research Medal) will talk to us about their ongoing geo-ecology project at the Wangaloa Coal Mine Reserve and how they have monitored re-vegetation on this challenging site. Access into the building is via the Zoology car park by the Captain Cook Hotel. Use the main entrance of the Benham Building to get in and go to the Benham Seminar Room, Rm. 215, 2nd floor. Please be prompt as we have to hold the door open. Town Belt KaitiakiTown Belt Kaitiaki Photography Competition Now-26 July, Free Enter the Town Belt Kaitiaki photography competition to win a digital camera, nature tour family passes and cash prizes!This year's theme is 'Wild about the Town Belt'. Last year we got over 260 entries - let's beat that record!This competition is open to all Dunedin kindy/school students aged between 0 and 18 years, in 3 age categories! Entries close 26 July 2019. Check out the TBK Facebook post for all the details
Volunteer activitiesKamau TauruaOpen Days and Volunteer Trips Sunday 16th June, Sunday 30th June & Saturday 27th July
Check out the website for all the details. Contact quarantineisland@gmail.com to register a spot!
Orokonui EcosanctuaryRegular Volunteers The operations team at Orokonui are keen to recruit regular volunteers to come up on either Tuesdays or Thursdays and give them a hand with whichever task is the priority for that day. Moderate fitness would be required. These tasks change as the year rolls around but can include: Track maintenance & monitoring, construction work,trapping line management, bait station management, fence monitoring & maintenance. Want to know more? Email volunteer@orokonui.nz
Save The Otago Peninsula (STOP)Smiths Creek Working Bees Tuesdays/ Sundays 9.30am-12.30pm Save The Otago Peninsula holds regular working bees at Smiths Creek Catchment on the Harbour Cone. A transport subsidy is available for students and beneficiaries, and the site is dog friendly too! You'll need: sturdy footwear, long-sleeves and long trousers, water and food Contact Lala Frazer stopincsoc@gmail.com, Text 027 8756 020
Tomahawk Smaills Beachcare TrustPlanting Day Sunday 16 June, 10am-12pm We would like to warmly invite volunteers
West Harbour Beautification TrustNative Plant Helpers On-going We're looking for volunteers to help us at Pete’s Patch” ( an approximately 2ha green-field restoration site) – Sawyers Bay To do planting and releasing of plants, Weeding and transplanting in the Sawyer’s Bay Community Native Plant Shade-house, Seed collection, propagation and plant donations for native micro-restorations locally after sycamore removal and for occasional sycamore killing sessions. Contact Matt Thomson. matt@monowaiecological.nz or 021392983 Department of Conservation Dunedin War on Weeds Quiet winter?! I don't think so! We've got plenty of missions to keep you warm! June and July is all about Okia reserve and Quarantine Island. We've got week day and weekend trips planned! Field days are advertised on Facebook ! Register Here to keep in the loop. Happy weed busting! Department of Conservation Catlins Conservation Trip 16th-18th August Every year we venture down south for a fantastic weekend of conservation volunteering with Forest and Bird. This is one wild adventure and is not to be missed! Check out the details and lock in your spot here!
Department of Conservation Clutha Planting Days Join DOC on a day out enhancing habitat for New Zealand’s native freshwater fish species that call the lower Clutha River/Mata-Au catchment their home. There will be several trips during June. These will be held on weekdays from 9am-4.30pm. All the details are on the DOC website Email chosted@doc.govt.nz with any questions
Looking for a volunteer opportunity for your staff or group?Get in touch with our friendly Volunteer Project FacilitatorAre you looking for a fun volunteer experience for your staff or group of friends to get involved with but don't know where to look? Get in touch with Catherine! She can help match you with current projects that suit your interests and needs, or help create something new that ticks your boxes! Email: catherine.hosted@dcc.govt.nz
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