Environment Minister Amy Adams says tonight’s Green Ribbon Awards, recognising the positive difference that communities are making to the environment, are a great way to mark World Environment Day.

Ms Adams will host the awards ceremony at Parliament tonight. Eleven category winners will be announced, before a Supreme Winner is revealed. The awards recognise the outstanding contributions made by organisations, businesses and communities to protecting and enhancing New Zealand’s environment.

Being held for the 24th time, this year’s awards had more than 200 entries from 46 towns and cities. The finalists cover areas such as caring for water, minimising waste, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and business leadership.

“World Environment Day is an ideal occasion to show the human face of environmental issues, and promote the fantastic work that is happening in our communities,” Ms Adams says.

“The Green Ribbon finalists are a diverse group of people. They come from a range of backgrounds and the work they do is challenging, time-consuming and sometimes unrewarded.

“Tackling environmental issues is not easy. It takes initiative and dedication, and the awards pay tribute to the incredible work being undertaken all over New Zealand to address the environmental challenges we face.

“The panel of judges faced a tough task picking the finalists and winners from amongst a high quality field of contenders.”

This year, the United Nations theme for World Environment Day is an anti-food waste and food loss campaign, encouraging everyone to reduce their food print.

In previous years, the Green Ribbon Awards have recognised organisations that model this theme. The 2011 supreme winner – Eco Stock Supplies – is turning waste food into high quality food product for livestock, while last year, Wellington’s Kaibosh Food Rescue was a finalist in the minimising waste category.

A number of unsafe Douglas Fir trees will be removed and replaced at Glendhu Bay Campground after Easter.

The trees have become unstable over recent years and there have been a couple of near misses recently with large branches breaking off and landing on tents or vehicles.

Queenstown Lakes District Council General Manager Community Services Paul Wilson said the trees have reached the end of their natural life.

‘These trees are very large and due to their age have become very brittle,” he said. “The branches crack easily and it doesn’t take much of a wind for very large branches to fall.”

‘The trees have been part of the scenery there for a very long time but all trees have a lifespan and we don’t want any injuries to the public.”

Mr Wilson said it would take around a week to remove the 32 trees and the process, which involved felling the trees and removing the stumps would be done by the contractor at no cost in return for the wood.

He said the replanting process would use shade trees or blossom trees that were more suitable for the site.

In a first between the Christchurch City Council and Ngāi Tahu, a joint consent application will be lodged to continue the opening of Te Roto o Wairewa / Lake Forsyth to restore the lake’s water quality and fishery and to avoid flooding.

The joint application seeks to replace previous consents for both the beach openings and the experimental groyne and canal opening that Wairewa rūnanga has been trialling for the past three years.

In effect the consent application proposes that the rūnanga canal outlet be principally used and that the mid-beach opening be available mainly for emergencies.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Tā Mark Solomon says the application is part of ongoing work by Wairewa and the Christchurch City Council to form a culturally- and environmentally-integrated management approach for the lake. “This is a terrific milestone to see the Papatipu Rūnanga and Council coming together like this to enhance the values of Te Roto o Wairewa. It speaks volumes about what can be achieved when a vision is shared.”

Mayor Bob Parker, having previously been involved in the project as Mayor of Banks Peninsula, says it is gratifying to be involved in a landmark joint consent process with the rūnanga.

“We want to continue to ensure that the destructive presence of cynotoxin algal blooms at the lake is a thing of the past, and the best approach to this is to work together with Papatipu Rūnanga to further the improved conditions that have occurred due to recent work by the rūnanga.”

Mayor Parker says the Council and rūnanga are collecting better information, including rainfall and lake level information, in order to improve ongoing management.

Project leader from Wairewa Rūnanga, Robin Wybrow, says a public meeting has been organised to allow local residents and anyone interested in the lake to ask questions and update themselves on the evolving management regime.

“Over recent years we have talked a lot with the local community. However, with the joint application about to be lodged, we wanted to provide another opportunity for people to update themselves,” he says. The meeting will be held in the Little River Rugby Club rooms from 7pm–9pm on Wednesday 27 February.

“Speakers will talk about the current state of the lake, the existing consents and details of the new consents being applied for,” Mr Wybrow says.

“We are particularly proud that the groyne and canal opening has permitted better control over the lake levels and restricted the entry of seawater, contributing to lower salinity levels in the lake. For us the new management regime is proving its worth as an innovative way to enhance cultural tuna (eel) harvest, fish migration and overall water quality. This is the first step in realizing the future aspirations and vision for the Lake developed at our earlier consultation with the Rūnanga and the community. Built by man and driven by nature we aim to harness the solar and lunar cycles turning the lake from a liability to an asset for all Cantabrians.”

Background

Wairewa Rūnanga began working with the local community and Banks Peninsula District Council in  2005 on ways to improve the water quality of Wairewa/Lake Forsyth. After community consultations, a Lake Charter was agreed upon for all involved to work on improving the condition of the lake. Since that time the rūnanga has experimented with an alternative lake mouth formed by a groyne and canal against the cliffs at the eastern end of the beach at Birdlings Flat. The groyne and canal were established under a (now expired) temporary consent held by the Wairewa Rūnanga. The new application seeks to replace this temporary consent and also the notified use consent formerly held by Banks Peninsula District Council which allows for managing lake levels by means of a mid-beach opening. The application will be lodged with ECan at the end of this month.

Moth plant has been declared a total control pest plant in the Marlborough region. It has a limited distribution and the long term goal is to eradicate this weed from the district. Sites are visited at least annually to ensure all infestations are controlled, reducing infestation size and eventually leading to their eradication.

The Marlborough District Council Biosecurity section would like to advise residents of Blenheim, Picton and Havelock that Council Biosecurity officers will be inspecting various residential sections during February and March.

If you have any queries please contact the Marlborough District Council Biosecurity section on Ph: 03 520 7400.

Three Massey University staff will present their research on how humans (and godwits) cope with extreme environmental conditions over the next two weeks.

The talks on environmental ergonomics – the study of how people react to environmental extremes such as heat, cold pressure and altitude – are being held in Dunedin and Queenstown.

School of Sport and Exercise senior lecturer Dr Toby Mündel is currently studying how heat affects people when they exercise. He has been invited to give a presentation on this at the Moving in Extreme Environments symposium in Dunedin next week. The symposium brings together world-leading researchers from the United Kingdom, Slovenia, Israel, Sweden, France, Denmark and the United States but will have a distinctly New Zealand theme.

He has been assessing the performance of runners at the Manawatu Striders Sevens Series run and walk during the recent hot weather and comparing the data with that collected during ‘normal’ conditions.

He says while Palmerston North might seem an odd choice as a place to study heat stress, it is in fact the perfect spot.

“In the southern hemisphere, and particularly New Zealand, the sun is a lot stronger because we are actually closer to the sun during our summer than those in the northern hemisphere are during theirs,” he says. “The thinner ozone layer here also makes our sun stronger, meaning a temperature of 25 degrees celsius here can often feel like 35 degrees celsius does at the equivalent latitude in the northern hemisphere.”

Dr Mündel says people exercising tend to just slow down when they are hot, that way their performance suffers but they keep safe from heat illness such as heat exhaustion and the more serious heat stroke. These results will be the first to document whether heat illness occurs in our active population and to what extent. Perhaps more importantly, it moves research away from the laboratory and into a real-world setting.

Another School of Sport and Exercise researcher Dr Darryl Cochrane will talk at the International Conference on Environmental Ergonomics in Queenstown. He has carried out extensive research on vibration exercise, and will discuss how it could be beneficial as a way for astronauts to keep fit in space.

His talk, Shaken Not Stirred, will look at the potential benefits of the exercise. Vibration exercise involves a large plate that is electrically driven and moves like a seesaw. Dr Cochrane has carried out research on its benefits to elite hockey players, those with compromised health, and as a recovery agent after physical performance.

Ecologist Dr Phil Battley has carried out research on godwits – sea birds that make individual flights of over 10,000km, the longest migrating flights that we know of. Dr Battley, who was awarded a Marsden Grant to further his research last year, will also speak at the conference in Queenstown to highlight how similar and different these ultra-endurance athletes are compared to humans.

Greater Wellington Regional Council is once again holding the Hutt Great Gravel Grab on the banks of the Hutt River on Saturday 9 February, and a large turnout is expected for the popular event.

For the last eight years, hundreds of keen landscapers and DIYers have turned up with their trailers, buckets and shovels, keen to grab some gravel or river stones for their garden projects. Normally permission is needed to remove gravel and stones from the river and it’s usually only granted for hand picking stones, so it’s an extremely popular event.

Extracting gravel helps the regional council with its flood protection work – overall approximately 50,000 cubic metres of gravel was removed from the Hutt River last year. Taking gravel from certain parts of the riverbed is crucial, says regional council Flood Protection manager, Graeme Campbell. “High riverbed levels and gravel banks can be a factor in erosion and flooding. Removing gravel helps reduce erosion, and also increases the river’s capacity to cope with flooding.”

Along with the option to grab some gravel, Hutt River Ranger, Thane Walls, will be at the Gravel Grab to talk to people about what they can do for fun along the river. “Hundreds of people run, cycle, walk their dogs and swim in the river every day over the summer months, so I’m here to help people do that in the best location and as safely as possible,” says Thane. “I’ll be at the gravel grab so if anyone has any questions about what they can and can’t do along the river, just come up to me and have a chat.”

The Hutt Great Gravel Grab will take place between 10am and 2pm on Saturday 9 February. To get there, enter off Moonshine Road.

The Hutt Great Gravel Grab

Hutt River Trail, Moonshine Park

Date: Saturday 9 February 2013

Bring: Trailer and shovel

Getting there: Enter off Moonshine Rd

Environment Canterbury will be leading an oil spill response exercise at South Bay, Kaikoura, on Tuesday 5 February.

“The exercise is designed to bring together all of the agencies that would be involved in a possible spill and to practice systems and equipment use,” said Jim Dilley, Environment Canterbury’s Regional Harbour Master and On-scene Commander.

“It is vital we undertake pre-planning work for any possible spill, and exercise our response team regularly.

“This exercise is also about involving the community so we are keen for locals to know what is happening and we hope to see a few people come along to look,” he said.

Oil recovery and containment equipment and oiled wildlife response equipment will be brought to Kaikoura for the exercise.

The exercise will focus on the boat harbour at South Bay, but will include wildlife assessments at the north side of the Peninsula and a review of the possible sites for treating any oiled wildlife.

The team of oil spill responders will include a wildlife assessment team consisting of Environment Canterbury, Massey University and Department of Conservation Staff.

Mimouk Hannan, Environment Canterbury wildlife officer, said Kaikoura has an abundance of wildlife, and much of it can be vulnerable to oil spills.

“Kaikoura has an abundant and diverse range of ocean wildlife including the Hutton’s shearwater, an endangered seabird which is found only in Kaikoura.

“The wildlife here is a significant feature of the area’s conservation values, and it is also important to the community. It is vital we are aware of all the local wildlife, and identify methods of how to protect it from ecological threats,” she said.

The multi-agency team includes members from Environment Canterbury, Massey University, Department of Conservation, Kaikoura District Council and Maritime New Zealand.

Members of the public who wish to see some of the equipment, talk with responders, and find out a little about the team are welcome to come to South Bay Boat Harbour from around 15:00 (3 PM) on Tuesday 5 February.

The Exercise will be completed and the team depart by 16:30 (4:30PM).

Landowners with planting projects planned for winter may be eligible for assistance from the Taranaki Tree Trust – but they need to act now to secure funding.

The Trust wii accept applications between 1 February and 1 March for its first funding round for the year.

The Trust makes grants to support Taranaki projects which protect and restore wetlands, bush remnants, the coast and wildlife habitat. It is also keen to support projects which enhance community areas such as marae, schools and reserves.

Grants of between $300 and $5,000 will be made. The Trust will contribute up to 75% of the total cost of a school or community group project, and up to 50% for a project on private land.  The total cost includes cash, and the dollar value of any ‘in kind’ contributions such  as labour.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome in April and those who secure funding must use it within two years.

Application forms can be downloaded from  the Trust’s website, www.taranakitreetrust.org.nz, or obtained from the Trust Co-ordinator, Leigh Honnor, ph 0800 736 222 or email treetrust@trc.govt.nz.

Applicants are strongly advised to discuss their projects with Ms Honnor before submitting an application.

There will be another funding round in August.

A stream in Whitby ran white last week from paint entering the stormwater system, prompting a reminder from the Greater Wellington Regional Council that roadside gutters are only for the rain.

The Council’s Environmental Protection team were called out to Albatross Close Stream, a tributary of Duck Creek, on Thursday 10 January when nearby residents noticed a paint discharge at a stormwater outlet.

“The source of the paint couldn’t be traced but it probably came from a domestic source such as someone emptying leftover paint or washing their paintbrushes into the roadside gutter,” says Senior Environmental Protection Officer Naomi Middleton, who attended the incident.

“At this time of the year many people are trying to complete their summer DIY projects – but these often involve pollutants like paint, which must be disposed of properly. Paint should never go down roadside gutters because it will drain into the stormwater system and end up in streams and the sea, contaminating the plants and animals that live there.”

Naomi says the correct disposal for small amounts of leftover paint is the wastewater system.

“Put your leftover paint in your laundry sink - this goes for washing paint brushes too and also for ‘green’ or ‘biodegradable’ paint, which is still a contaminant when it gets into the natural environment. And the more diluted the paint is when it goes down the laundry sink, the better.

“Some retailers accept unused or unwanted paint, so that’s another option for getting rid of leftover paint.”

If you see any waste going into the gutter, call the Greater Wellington Regional Council’s 24-hour Environment Hotline: 0800 496 734.

It's never too early to start thinking about sustainability - just ask three Bay of Plenty Enviroschools that have started the new year with awards recognising this.

Botanical Road Kindergarten in Tauranga, Tiaki Early Childhood Centre in Rotorua and Te Puna Kindergarten in the Western Bay of Plenty all became bronze Enviroschools last month. The awards recognise the work put in by the pupils and staff throughout 2012 and the changes that they'd made.

Regional Council Chairman John Cronin said it was terrific to see the sorts of changes being made in each of the three centres by the youngsters.

"We're talking about three and four-year-olds who are taking what they're learning during the day and passing it on to their parents and guardians," Mr Cronin said.

"In a recent survey of parents from 14 Bay of Plenty kindergartens, 83 percent reported their children had told their families about the environmental learning they were doing at kindergarten, to do with energy, water and reducing waste."

Enviroschools is a sustainability programme that encourages schools and kindergartens to set goals for their community. Progress is recognised by becoming a bronze, silver or green-gold Enviroschool. All three have introduced sustainability activities such as water conservation, waste minimisation, sustainable transport, and energy.

Some of the work carried out at the centres includes:

Botanical Road Kindergarten is most proud of their bird table. The children had recognised a problem of what to do with bread scraps possibly attracting rats in their compost. They came up with a solution, designed and built a table for the birds. It's located near a window so they can watch the birds without disturbing them. They are reducing waste, problem solving and learning about wildlife all at the same time.

Tiaki Early Childhood Centre has made the most of their natural surroundings.  This includes a bike track, feeding the hens and worms, turning the tap on to let the collected rainwater from the roof be used in their sandpit play, and watering their vegetable garden. The students are taking what they learn about sustainability out into the community with walks collecting rubbish, and collecting paper from their homes to bring for Paper from Homes programme.

Te Puna Kindergarten has a river in their playground, fed by a rain water tank, with a tap the children can access. This has taught the children lessons in water sustainability, following an occasion when they forgot to turn off the tap, resulting in the river running dry. Children are enjoying water play, learning to treat water as precious at kindergarten, and taking those lessons home.

Enviroschools is sponsored by Bay of Plenty Regional Council with support from Tauranga City Council and Tauranga Region Kindergarten Association.

A boom is in place at Timaru Port to contain the oil spill discovered earlier today. About 40 staff from Environment Canterbury, South East Resources Limited, Primeport, Polar Cold, Sanfords and Wallace and Cooper Engineering have be working since midday to contain the light fuel oil that leaked from a boat.

“The team have been removing oil from the water and expect most to be gone by this evening,” says Environment Canterbury Regional Harbourmaster Jim Dilley. “The boom will remain in place overnight to catch any oil missed under the wharf; any further oil will be removed tomorrow.”

Mr Dilley adds that today has seen a good cooperative approach from many local operators in response to the oil spill.

“While the response is being managed by the spiller and they are using their own equipment to clean it up, as Regional On Scene Commander I am keeping in close contact with them to monitor the operation.”

At this stage the focus is on the clean-up process. Once that is done, there will be an investigation. Right now, however, the top priority is to lessen the impact on the environment as much as possible. There have been no reports so far of marine life being affected.

Environment Canterbury will continue to monitor over the next few days. At this stage the name of the vessel will not be provided.

With summer here and DIY jobs underway Environment Canterbury is reminding home handy-people around Christchurch to do the right thing when they clean paintbrushes to avoid polluting local streams and rivers.

“While many residents in and around the city are aware of the correct ways to wash their paintbrushes, there is always room for improvement,” said Kim Drummond, Environment Canterbury’s Director of Resource Management, “We are keen to see everyone doing the right thing.”

Mr Drummond is pleased that most DIYers were aware that washing paintbrushes over the grass is suitable.

“It does concern us, however, that a good deal of people still think it’s okay to clean brushes or paint near an outside drain.

“If people wash brushes and leftover paint on sealed surfaces like driveways or by stormwater grates, the waste flows untreated directly in to streams and can kill fish, plants and insects.

“We encourage householders who are doing a spot of DIY painting to wash their brushes on the lawn where it is absorbed and broken down by the sun and dispersed safely in the soil,” he said.

It is also acceptable to wash one brush a day in the laundry tub as this paint wash water is treated in the sewer system. Neither option is suitable for large quantities of paint-wash water.

Environment Canterbury’s is targeting all painters – whether professionals or DIY masters – and has prepared point-of-sale posters and pamphlets, as well as information on websites and a Facebook page.

“Thousands of houses are being painted as part of the Christchurch rebuild and many people are taking the summer holidays as a chance to do the work themselves so it is important people are aware of how to dispose of paint in the right way.”

“It is important to tackle this issue now and ensure our local waterways are protected as much as possible.”

If people see or suspect these guidelines are being ignored and rivers or streams are being effected they should call the Environment Canterbury Pollution Hotline on 0800 765 588.