Queenstown Lakes  
climate action and sustainability update 

The climate is changing. And so are we. 

Kia ora and welcome to our latest climate action and sustainability newsletter. 

In this update, we are excited to launch the Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2022-2025! 

We also focus on our latest submissions to central government, Plastic Free July, the Garden Bird Survey, WAO's Climate Action Initiative and more.

Happy reading!

Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2022-2025 adopted by Council 

We're extremely pleased to say that our Climate and Biodiversity Plan 2022-2025 was adopted by the Council yesterday, Thursday 30 June. 

Read the plan and a summary of the public feedback and our response.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has contributed to the plan, sharing ideas and expertise. Thank you. 

And of course, a special shout out to the Climate Reference Group. 

Katherine Durman, QLDC’s climate action programme manager said the plan "moves the dial" on Queenstown Lakes’ response to the climate and ecological emergency.

It came with some tight-timing though. The hefty 400-page National Emissions Reduction Plan was released just as the team were in the final stages of finalising the plan.

"We were under a bit of time pressure to incorporate the national direction into our own plan but we got there! It's exciting that we’re probably the first council in Aotearoa to release a climate plan hot on the heels of the national plan,"  said Katherine.  

"And I’m proud that we got the 44% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 goal into our plan. We need to challenge ourselves and others to keep warming to 1.5 degrees."  

Bill Nicoll, QLDC’s Risk and Resilience Manager, said an increased focus on biodiversity came through strongly in public feedback and the Climate Reference Group's recommendations.  

"Biodiversity loss and climate change are interlinked and we need to apply equal focus to protecting and restoring biodiversity, reducing carbon emissions and adapting to a changing climate."

What happens now? A celebratory cake perhaps?

Not quite.

"We are hitting the ground running with a number of important actions already in progress," said Bill.

Let's go! 🙌

The birds are a chirp-chirp-chirping (we hope)

The New Zealand Garden Bird Survey is open! 🐦

Taking part is easy:

• Select your garden, park, or school

• Look and listen for birds for one hour

• Record the highest number of a bird species observed at one time

• Submit your survey results at https://gardenbirdsurvey.nz/

Check out the website (above) for more information, including a photography and colouring-in competition. The survey closes this weekend on Sunday 3 July.

This gorgeous photo of two silvereye (tauhou) on a branch was taken by Paul Sorrell and was the winning entry in the 2021 photography competition.

Welcome to Amanda

We're stoked to welcome Amanda Robinson to the Climate Reference Group (CRG) 👋 

Amanda returned to Aotearoa with her family in 2012, after a decade long stint in London. They were drawn to the Whakatipu Basin because of the outstanding natural environment coupled with the convenience of being in a small town that feels like a big city.

She has a background in education and currently works in a national education leadership role for a Crown entity.

Welcome aboard Amanda!

Locally, Amanda is involved with several not-for-profits and community groups, including her role as chair of the Lightfoot Initiative, a local charity focused on supporting the development of more sustainable and healthy transport networks in the district.

"I am excited about my appointment to the CRG because it provides an opportunity to actively contribute to solutions that address one of my biggest worries: the climate emergency."

"Like many people I find the threat of climate change can be overwhelming, however I know that cumulative action at a local level can influence policy decisions. For me, the best approach is to face an issue head on, research it thoroughly, work with others who hold important knowledge, and then work towards finding solutions. The CRG have proven themselves as a group of diverse thinkers who are actively addressing the issues I'm most concerned about, so it is an honour to join them in this important mahi."

And what does she do in her spare time?

"As an ex-English teacher, I'm still obsessed with reading, I love bike touring and I enjoy making mediocre art."

Welcome Amanda!

Here is the full list of CRG members. 

Plastic Free July

It's the middle of the year, the days are short, the sun is elusive... Why not do something to challenge yourself? Why not try a Plastic Free July challenge. 

It's all about picking the right challenge for you. That may be swapping out gladwrap for beeswax wraps, or ditching the plastic bottles for a reusable. For the keen beans, it might be a step further, like getting your workplace to make changes. 

It's all about turning the tide 🌊

The Plastic Free July website has a range or resources available for anyone to share and use. As well as a tonne of great ideas on how to get involved.

For local resources, tips and events, keep an eye on the Facebook pages for Sustainable Queenstown and Wānaka Wastebusters. 

Conservation Standards Workshop

Conservation groups from across the district and representatives from QLDC, Department of Conservation, Otago Regional Council and the Nature Conservancy came together to attend a Conservation Standards workshop in late May.   

The workshop, which was organised by the Southern Lakes Sanctuary and hosted by Real NZ, aimed to equip participants with skills to effectively plan, implement, review and adapt conservation projects being undertaken in the district. 

The hui and training workshop was the first of its kind in Aotearoa New Zealand to bring together such a wide range of conservation partners with a shared vision and focus on landscape-scale biodiversity outcomes. 

The Southern Lakes Sanctuary is a not-for-profit partnership between local community groups, iwi, private sector organisations and government with a commitment to work collectively towards Predator Free 2050, and restore the indigenous biodiversity of the Southern Lakes region. Check out this project update (PDF) for the latest on their work.

More information about the conservation standards can be found here. 

Workshop participants at Cardrona Alpine Resort 

Photo credit: Daniel Sweeney

Shining a light on waste minimisation 

We want to shine a spotlight on the recipients of QLDC's 2021 Waste Minimisation Community Fund. They're an impressive bunch of individuals and organisations who are committed to reducing waste. 

Here are three examples - with more to come!

The Wānaka Community Workshop

Dreamed up by locals Ben Acland and Gwilym Griffith-Jones the community workshop diverts construction waste from landfill. “We had this idea for a community workshop, with a vision for a resilient, zero-waste Upper Clutha community,” said Ben.

“We developed the workshop as a community resource, where people can access the tools, materials and physical space necessary for building and repair projects without having to purchase or rent their own.”

The Wānaka Community Workshop welcomes everyone, including dogs!

Read their full story (PDF).

Check them out on Facebook @wanakacommunityworkshop or www.wanakacommunityworkshop.org.nz

KiwiHarvest

Kayleigh Simons-Smith is the Queenstown branch manager for KiwiHarvest, a food rescue charity that collects good food before it goes to waste and delivers it to those in need.

“Food insecurity around New Zealand is a real problem – even here in our district which from the outside has a reputation for being affluent." 

Kayleigh Simons-Smith on a new e-bike and trailer used for collecting food around Queenstown CBD.

KiwiHarvest rescues good food from supermarkets and wholesalers that would otherwise be destined for landfill. Then they deliver the food to community groups and charities including Mana Tāhuna Charitable Trust, Happiness House and Whakatipu Youth Trust.

Read their story (PDF) 

Check them out on Facebook @KiwiHarvest or www.kiwiharvest.org.nz

Sustainable Queenstown Charitable Trust

The Trust is on a mission to rid Arrowtown of single-use takeaway cups, one hot drink at a time. Lana Cruickshank from Sustainable Queenstown said the idea to encourage Arrowtown to be SUCfree (single-use cup free) originated over the hill. Wānaka Wastebusters, Plastic Free Wānaka and local businesses initiated a successful, community-led SUCfree Wānaka campaign aimed at making reuse the norm.

Lana Cruickshank leading by example.

“It was a no-brainer to leverage off their experience to tackle single use cups on this side of the hill,” said Ms Cruickshank.

They have been working in partnership with the Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association to develop a functioning model of a SUCfree town which can then be applied to the wider Whakatipu area.

Read more about the SUCfree Queenstown campaign (PDF).

Check them out on Facebook @sucfreewhakatipu

More government submissions!

In the last few months we have been busy writing submissions on a range of topics 📘

The links below are our submissions - these open as PDF documents.

• The National Adaptation Plan
• Emissions Reduction Plan and Emissions Budget 2022
• Submission on Transforming Recycling

Council staff are currently preparing a submission on the National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity - exposure draft.  

A full list of Council's submissions can be found here.

WAO Climate Action Initiative

Not-for-profit organisation WAO is on a mission to accelerate the Queenstown Lakes District towards a regenerative community.

Their Climate Action Initiative aims to do that by inspiring, educating and enabling schools and businesses to enhance their understanding of their emissions and support them with ideas of how to reduce their environmental impact.

So far, 24 businesses have attended an action planning workshop and 22 greenhouse gas emissions reports have been completed since December's Know Your Number Workshops.

Enviroschools and WAO have also collaborated to support 10 local schools to calculate their carbon footprints and reduce their emissions.

The Climate Action Initiative is jointly funded by QLDC, Lake Wānaka Tourism and Destination Queenstown.