Media release

6 September 2013

Friends and whānau targeted for Conservation Week

Conservation Week from 8-15 September 2013 aims to encourage people from all walks of life to get involved in conservation and find out how they can help protect and enjoy our natural environment.

The Department of Conservation’s (DOC) theme for Conservation Week is ‘Celebrate Conservation Week: What’s your whānau doing?’

Events organised include a DOC display in the Meridian Mall in Dunedin, Silver peaks guided walk, a beach cleanup and planting day, wetlands volunteer day, and a talk at Oamaru Library on limestone refuges.
Nine Otago conservation heroes will be recognised at the Conservation Awards in Dunedin on 9 September and Cromwell on 12 September, including children, individuals, groups and local businesses.

DOC partnership ranger Lucy Hardy says every New Zealand family has a stake in keeping nature flourishing well into the future.

“Conservation Week is all about celebrating the connection we have with our special places, plants and animals,” says Lucy.

“Choose something fun to do with your whānau group - make a home for lizards in your backyard, clean up a patch of beach with your friends or just quiz the family on what they know about our unique wildlife. It’s fun, free and easy.”

The campaign encourages individuals and their wider whānau, e.g. families, sports teams, clubs, and other groups, to make a pledge for conservation by getting involved in one of a range of activities.

The Conservation Week website has heaps of activity ideas for getting out and about, and resources like themed Facebook cover images, quizzes, colouring in sheets and other printable activities.

“The pledge activities we’ve chosen show people that it’s easy to celebrate Conservation Week, and that getting involved in conservation with family and friends is actually fun as well,” says Lucy.

For more information, to register a pledge for your whānau, and to view the Conservation Week ambassador video click here

Otago events
Dunedin

Meridian Mall
Saturday 7 September – Sunday 8 September
Celebrate Conservation Week with Department of Conservation rangers in the Meridian Mall, Dunedin. Find out how you and your whānau can get involved in conservation and how you can protect and enjoy are natural environment. There will be fun interactive displays showcasing our native plants and animals.

Sirocco at Orokonui
6  September – 6 October
Don’t miss your chance to see Sirocco, the world famous ambassador for kākāpō and conservation in NZ. Voted the World’s most favourite species, the kākāpō is critically endangered, nocturnal and the only flightless parrot on the planet. Nightly guided tours will take place at Orokonui Ecosanctuary from 6 September - 6 October. Bookings
required.

Sinclair Wetlands Community Volunteer Day
10.30am, Sunday 8 September
Sinclair Wetlands Te Nohoaka O Tukiauau is a private wetland 50km from Dunedin city. The wetland connects with Lakes Waipori and Waihola and consists of ponds, water channels, swamplands and two re-vegetating islands. Sinclair Wetlands provides a home or regular visiting destination for over 60 species of birds.
We need volunteers to help replant and protect native species in the wetland as part of on-going re-vegetation efforts.

Green Hut Track group Guided Walk
9.30am, Wednesday 11 September
Join the Green Hut Track Group for a guided walk of the Burns and Rustlers Ridge tracks in the Silver Peaks.  Climb the tracks through regenerating scrub and native forest to be rewarded with impressive views of the Waitati Valley, Silverstream Valley, Blueskin Bay, Mt Cargill and Silver Peaks. 

Tomahawk Smaills Beachcare Trust Planting Day
10am – noon, Sunday 15 September
Join the Tomahawk/Smaills Beachcare Trust to do some beach planting.

Dunedin Coastal Clean up
Noon, Sunday 15 September 2013

Help to clean up the beaches and coastal environments around Dunedin. Meet at St Kilda Surf Life Saving Club and choose the area where you want to pick up rubbish.

North Otago
Botanical Society of Otago field trip to Trotters Gorge, Palmerston
8.30am – 3pm, Saturday 7 September
Explore the regenerating native bush at Trotters Creek with the Botanical Society of Otago. This is a beautiful spot with impressive rock formations carved out of sandstone and conglomerate by several small streams that merge with Trotters Creek. 
8.30am – 3pm

Duntroon Limestone Refuges talk at the Oamaru Library
6pm, Tuesday 10 September

Strangely weathered limestone outcrops are a special feature of the Waitaki Valley.  Come to the Oamaru Library to hear DOC ranger Graeme Loh talk about these rare limestone ecosystems and the efforts of DOC and the local community to protect them.

Duntroon Limestone Refuges volunteer day
8am – 6pm, Tuesday 17 September

Gards Road, near Duntroon is a newly protected limestone bluff in the Waitaki Valley, with a rare remnant of native vegetation. Boxthorn is invading the habitat of rare plants that grow there and breaking up the limestone bluff. Join us to help bundle up cut boxthorn so it can be burnt.

ENDS

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