Welcome to the August/September 2018 issue of our newsletter. No Images? Click here Conservation Week is Calling15-23 September New Zealand's wildlife is in crisis with more than 4,000 of our species threatened or at risk.This Conservation Week we're showing you how you can help turn this
around. During Conservation Week 2018, there will be hundreds of local conservation events across the country. These will be family friendly, fun and easy to get involved with. If you wish to register an event for Conservation Week, DOC can help out by advertising your event on both Eventfinda and the DOC website. This is a great way to get our local communities involved in taking action for our biodiversity and being part of the solution! Feel free to contact Jesikah at jtriscott@doc.govt.nz to register an event or head to conservationweek.org.nz for more information. Volunteer SuccessCatlins Conservation Trip July 2018 The weekend of the 13th of July was a conservation success! Bruce and Catherine headed off to the wild south with a motley crew of 14 ready for a weekend of habitat restoration. Day one was with Forest and Bird at Te Rere reserve where hundreds of trees were put in the ground. The end of the day was topped off with a fantastic tour of the reserve to see the success of the previous plantings, unfortunately all the yellow-eyed penguins were in hiding but views of the beautiful coast made up for that! That evening we had a wonderful guest at Tautuku lodge -Ralph, a Forest and Bird volunteer and Clutha local, who talked to us about short-tailed bats and how to find them. An evening nature walk provided the opportunity to try out the bat detecting gear and admire the local glow worms. On our second day we returned home via the beautiful Otanomomo Reserve, The only reserved stand of alluvial plain podocarp forest in the Otago Land District. Here we blitzed through blackberry with Jim and Roy, Forest and Bird volunteers who look after this precious pocket of forest. After we'd finished clearing, we planted native trees and celebrated the achievement with the 'Hectors Dolphin' dance. The highlight of this trip was being able to join a wider conservation community to support the great restoration work that is being achieved and see the hard work that has been put in before. Many hands means more work achieved and more jokes to be had. Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers and hosts of the trip, this event wouldn't be the same without you! NoticesClean-up Week 10-16 September Keep New Zealand Beautiful Clean Up Week Clean Up Week is a chance for Dunedin residents to show their love for our great little city. We encourage communities and organisations to create events in their neighbourhoods, and workplaces to get involved through a staff challenge or community day. Rubbish bags, gloves and information are provided to those who sign up, and rubbish collection can be arranged. To register and for more information visit www.knzb.org.nz/clean-up-week-2018-save-the-date , email keepdunedinbeautiful@dcc.govt.nz or phone 03 474 3401. Project Gold Tree Planting 12 August, 10am-12.30pm The Dunedin Town Belt Education Initiative Student Leaders would love for you to join them to plant 300 trees, learn about Arbor Day, indulge in a BBQ and celebrate the student leaders' visions and goals for the town belt. Join us at Woodhaugh Gardens by the duck pond Bring good shoes and clothes, gardening gloves and a spade as well as drinking water and snacks Don't forget to invite your friends and family too! ORC Eco Fund1 September-20 September The ECO Fund has been set up to support work that protects and enhances Otago's environment. The ECO Fund supports not only shovel time, but also administrative support. Whether your project is large or small, you can apply! Check the Funding Checklist on ORC's website to see if you can get some help! EventsBirds NZ TalksWhy we are banding silvereyes in the Botanic Garden22 August, 7:30pm, Free Room 215, Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street Bruce Robertson will speak about his research on the genetics of how species are formed. He is studying silvereye populations here and in Australia. For further information, email Mary Thompson maryt@actrix.co.nz. The eBird Enterprise - Engaging the Global Birding Community for Science, Conservation, and Fun29 August, 7.30pm, Free Room 215, Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street Steve Kelling from Cornell Lab of Ornithology (which developed eBird) will up-date us on how our field observations of birds entered into the eBird archive can be used to generate graphs, maps, and analysed to help scientists better understand patterns of abundance and distribution of wild bird populations, and the environmental and human factors that influence them. For further information, email Mary Thompson maryt@actrix.co.nz. Wild Bird Watching Walk9 September,10-11am, Free Dunedin Botanic Garden information centre There are over 30 species of native and introduced birds at Dunedin Botanic Garden. Learn from local Birds NZ guides where to look for them and how to identify them. Bring your own binoculars if you have them. Weather cancellations will be advertised on the Dunedin Botanic Garden Facebook Page Taxonomy and biological heritage of NZ birds26 September 7:30pm, Free Room 215, Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street Nic Rawlence will discuss how using ancient DNA techniques has shed new light on the species that have inhabited NZ in the past. For further information, email Mary Thompson maryt@actrix.co.nz. Botanical Society Otago TalksBotanical experiences in the SouthWednesday 8 August, 5.20 pm, Free Zoology Benham Building, 346 Great King Street Hear Lloyd Esler share tales of his botanical adventures in Southland. Lloyd is the chairman of the Fieldclub and involved with habitat restoration, tour groups and school fieldtrips where aspects of botany come up all the time – seaweed balls on the beach, drinking tutu juice, eating miro berries, toadstool hunts in the park and monitoring permanent plots in plantation forests. 17th Annual Geoff Baylis Lecture: Reweaving species: the key role of mutualisms in ecological restorationWednesday 26th September, 6pm, Free Castle 1, University of Otago (drinks and nibbles starting from 5.15 pm in the concourse). Recent years have seen native restoration and replanting projects popping up like mushrooms across the New Zealand landscape. Often the same suite of plants are used – because they are easy to propagate and grow rapidly. But are we aiming too low? Janice Lord will pull together current understanding of native plant mutualisms above and below ground, and ask how we can use this knowledge practically to move towards functional restoration of complex ecosystems. Botanical Society Otago Field TripsExploring Sullivans DamSaturday 25 August, 9.00 am, Free Botany Department car park Join us to visit Sullivans Dam and explore the surrounding forest which contains extensive stands of Libocedrus. Contact David Lyttle (03) 454 5470 email djl1yttle@gmail.comSwampy Spur WetlandSaturday 15th September, 9.00 am, Free Botany Department car park Is it a mire or is it a bog? Or is it a bit of both? As well as looking at the vegetation on the eastern slopes of Swampy Summit, this trip will look at a significant wetland located on the flanks of Swampy Spur. The trip will follow the Burns – Rustler Ridge tracks.. Contact Robyn Bridges 021 235 8997/472 7330 Dunedin Botanic Garden Hort TalksThe Hidden Life of Lichens3 August,12pm, Free Dunedin Botanic Garden Information Centre Hidden in full view, there is a rich assemblage of more than 100 species of lichen at the Dunedin Botanic Garden, some quite conspicuous . Hear Allison Knight talk about a selection of interesting lichens that are found here in Dunedin. What bird is that?7 September, 12pm, Free Can you recognise the 30 plus species of native and introduced birds that are regularly seen in the Dunedin Botanic Garden? Learn some top tips from Mary Thompson on how to identify these birds and where to look for them, based on studies by Birds NZ members. Otago Tramping & Mountaineering Club Working BeeBen Rudd's Property, FlagstaffSaturday 1 September, 9.30am Bullring, Flagstaff-Whare Flat Rd or OTMC clubrooms, 3 Young Street, St Kilda at 9am Join the OTMC working bee to assist with broom and gorse cutting, track maintenance and possibly some wilding tree assaults. The native bush is winning and the weeds are beginning to disappear. There will be good company and some beer and cake during the day. Contact Sue for any questions about the working bee - 021 712 606 or 03 476 2793 Contact Graeme id you are keen to be part of the pine busting crew- 0211322436 Quarantine Island/Kamau Taurua CommunityIsland Open DaysSaturday 25 August and Saturday 29 September,10am-4pm, $15 This is especially suited to individuals and families wanting to enjoy a day trip (or perhaps a night over). Everyone is welcome to join us helping with projects and relaxing in this escape just a stone’s throw from the city. Current projects include weed control, native tree revegetation, predator control and biodiversity monitoring. Pick up from Back Beach, Port Chalmers, or the Portobello side. Carpooling to ferry is often available. Contact quarantineisland@gmail.com 4780874 or 020 4079 1587 quarantineisland.org.nz
Volunteer activitiesBeyond OrokonuiBe a trap line volunteerAre you at home in the bush and hills? Would you like to be part of our trapping network in forested areas around the Inner Halo - including around Mihiwaka? If you're interested, please email halocoordinator@gmail.com or message us on Facebook Forest and Bird- DunedinPine Busting ExpeditionSaturday 11 August, 9am Experimental light weight methods of removing isolated pine groves in the upper basin of Silver Stream. Forest and Bird Forest and Bird - South Otago Otanomomo Work DaysSunday 23 Aug 1pm South Otago Forest & Bird has regular workdays at Otanomomo Scientific Reserve south of Balclutha. Main activities are weed clearance and planting. For queries or to register please contact Roy Johnstone 03 418 1319 johns-stones@rivernet.co.nz. Visit the Forest and Bird South Otago Facebook page for more information
Orokonui Estuary Care GroupPlant care and Weedbusting26 August and 30 September 9.30 am to 12pm Orokonui Estuary is home to an ongoing revegetation project to support native fish and birds. Located off Doctor’s Point Road in Waitati, Blueskin Bay, it lies below the ecosanctuary on the hill. Join our regular group of volunteers working with the plants. Tools and gloves are provided, also morning tea. Lifts from town are available. Contact orokonui.estuary.group@gmail.com to join our email list and for more information. Otago Peninsula Biodiversity GroupTrap line Days16 and 30 August Help the Otago Peninsula Biodiversity Group to reduce possum numbers on the Otago Peninsula by
helping to keep the trap lines in good shape. Quarantine IslandBiodiversity Volunteer In Winter 2016 we began a predator control programme (rats and mice). Rats and mice are our only animal pests on the Island and we expect to see increases in biodiversity as we reduce their numbers. Join the monitoring team to do your part for biodiversity. There's a lot to get involved with! Find out more by emailing jhetherington@doc.govt.nz
Save The Otago Peninsula (STOP)Regular working bees, Smiths Creek Every Sunday 10am - 1pm Meet at the end of Bacon St off Portobello Road in Turnbulls Bay (next past Broad Bay). Please bring: Gardening gloves, garden shears - if you have them. A transport subsidy is available. For more info contact Lala, 027 8756 020 or email stopincsoc@gmail.com Visit the STOP website to find out more about the group and how you can be involved. Tomahawk Smaills Beachcare TrustCommunity planting day5 August, 10am-12pm and 29 July 10am-12pm Come along to our monthly public planting days. Following each planting, the Trust hosts a lunchtime BBQ as a thank you to volunteers. Check our Facebook page or email us for more information and to find out more Department of Conservation Dunedin War on Weeds We've had some fantastic trips over April and May with many a pesky plant busted! We've got plenty more trips planned for June and July to sites such as Sinclair Wetlands, Okia Reserve, Otago Peninsula and Quarantine Island. Check out the DOC Facebook page for event details or sign up to the War on Weeds mail list to get up to date info on the trips! Be a Wildlife GuardianOctober 2018 - April 2019. Sandfly bay lies 15 km east of central Dunedin on the Otago Peninsula. The bay boasts amazing recreational opportunities such as sand-boarding and exploring the walking tracks as well a prime spot for wildlife viewing. Sandfly bay is not only a popular spot for tourists, but is frequented by Hooker's Sea Lions/whakahao, New Zealand fur seals/kekeno and Yellow-eyed penguins/hoiho. We need your help to protect the wildlife at Sandfly Bay. Join us to help educate visitors about the special wildlife that visit the beach and how we should share the space with them . You will also be able to help with wildlife management projects such as pest control and wildlife monitoring. See the Trail, Be the Trail, Join the CrewDunedin and Coastal Otago is blessed with an awesome variety of trails and we need your help to make sure that everyone has the best experience. Join the Trail Crew team to help make these trails into the ultimate experience. There are more adventures and ground to cover than you can shake a stick at. 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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