BLUESKIN GARDEN CLUB

by Lyn Hastie

 

Blueskin Garden Club members recently spent a day on the Otago Peninsula. We travelled to Larnach's Castle where we did a tour of the expansive and beautiful gardens. The place was busy with tourists and locals, and we all agreed it is a wonderful asset to Dunedin. After a shared lunch we travelled down to Hoopers Inlet where we visited Hereweka Gardens. A huge garden, well laid out with rhododendrons, blossoms, trees and beautiful flowers. We had a guided tour and enjoyed looking out to the wonderful coastline and the sights of Portobello and surrounds. A trip down the bay would not have been complete without a trip to the Broad Bay China Shop.

December will see us all join for a progressive dinner at the homes of members who live in the Mount Cargill area. If you haven't been phoned re this then let me know -- 15 December at 6:00pm is the date and time.

'Spud in a container' competition: this will be judged at the Blueskin A&P clearing sale/show day on 13 April 2013. Spuds are available to purchase at the Blueskin Nursery for $5.00. Turn your spud-growing skills into money (see poster). A great idea for friends, neighbours, children, grandchildren -- you name it, we can all get into it and compete amongst each other. Good luck to you all. We will also be having fruit, vege and flower competitions and scarecrow-making. More details to follow next year. Wishing you all a happy Christmas holiday and good gardening. Details 482 2896.

OROKONUI ECOSANCTUARY

by Sue Hensley

 

The tuatara released in early November appear to be exploring their new surroundings. In fact the females being tracked are dispersing further than had been anticipated. The juveniles however thus far seem to be more content to stay fairly close to the release site.

The excitement of translocations of tuatara has been somewhat tempered by the unexpected death of Te Hoiere one of Orokonui's two ambassador takahe. He was found by staff member Kelly Gough far away from what had been his usual haunt on the grasslands close to the Visitor Centre. Preliminary autopsy results show that he died of septicemia. Although he was rather 'shy' (not often visible) it was great to hear him 'boof' at people as they walked a little too close to the vegetation where he was hiding, and it was always a thrill to see that large red beak and blue head amongst the tussock.  Quammen, the other takahe, remains in the swampy area at the northern end and has been seen by a number of people including a group of 30 school children; he has even been known to approach people sitting on the seat close to the gate. DOC have located a female on Kapiti Island as a possible mate for him.

Chicks are starting to make an appearance throughout Orokonui with the sound of bellbird chicks most numerous.  On the way to the aviary, fernbird chicks have been seen, and the first kaka nest of the year has been found, with three eggs in it, close to a public track. Reception had previous reports of these not-shy birds mating in full view of visitors. The robins have fledged 21 chicks so far and many pairs are onto their second nest.

Christmas is almost here and the Visitor Centre shop has lots of new products for Christmas. Gift vouchers are always available for memberships, tours, annual passes etc.
Details of happenings over the summer can be found on www.orokonui.org.nz or on our Facebook page. The Visitor Centre and café are open daily 9:30am – 4:30pm. We are closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day only.

Merry Christmas, and thank you to all for supporting this project in so many different ways through 2012. Enjoy our beautiful country over the summer and travel safely.

The Solar Tube – a BRCT project

by Scott Willis

 

Chris Le Breton sends his apologies from Australia, where he has been running workshops for the past few weeks. He has had email challenges while away but will soon be connected again and will respond to messages. Meanwhile, we have received further interest in the solar project (bulk purchase deals for photovoltaic and potentially solar hot water systems) at the BRCT office and are all looking forward to having Chris back among us.  Get in touch with him at: solar@blueskinpower.co.nz

 

 

 

BLUESKIN ENERGY PROJECT

by Scott Willis

 

At last month's community meetings (Long Beach, Warrington, Waitati) we reported on the developments in the Blueskin Wind Cluster and sought further community participation in this project. There was plenty of positive community input, with many ideas shared and values reiterated. Wonderful new offers of practical assistance were also received. The Waitati meeting was even covered by National Radio on 20 November. The project has moved forward significantly in the 14 months since last year's open days, and the practical pathway options have become much clearer. Importantly, we have been in discussion with Port Otago and Pioneer Generation and their roles as potential institutional investors in the project. Port Otago is 100% owned by the Otago Regional Council, and Pioneer is 100% owned by Central Lakes Trust, both already providing returns from their existing activities to their Otago owners. Both also possess experience and attributes that could bring value to this community project. We've confronted the realities of New Zealand's electricity market, with its regulations around generation and retail. We believe that while we cannot in the short term achieve our 2006 dream of total control over our power and the price we pay for it, we can be confident at this stage that the wind cluster development can provide financial returns to the community and will, in turn, assist us to develop greater energy sovereignty and provide those benefits in the longer term.

A simple exit survey was held at each meeting, with results below:

Our exit survey didn't capture all who attended and some couples just filled in one form but in macro terms this reflects the range of support uncovered in our extensive community engagement project (available in the Blueskin Library and soon on the Blueskin Power website – see "Blueskin People Power: A toolkit for community engagement"). Renewable generation projects in New Zealand typically only 'consult' when required to under the Resource Management Act. This project, initiated, owned and managed by the community is working on a very different model. Well before any formal requirement we have been inviting participation and working to incorporate as many community dreams and desires as possible, and working them into a practical, realistic model. The great value of this inclusive approach is that it does allow great creativity. The big challenge is that some perspectives are mutually incompatible. It is our job to try to distil out the essential, maintain the community core, and work to make the dream a reality.

Blueskin residents are a passionate bunch and this is a significant project, for our community and for New Zealand. We are proceeding at a considered pace through data analysis, relationship building, regular feedback and professionalism. At its heart, this is about doing something well, for our community, and providing greater benefit to our community. Without local generosity of course, none of this could happen. We are so lucky to have well-maintained community halls run by dedicated volunteers for community events; Thank you to Alistair and Bev for delivering all the flyers; Helen, thank you for sharing IT resources, and thank you to everyone who made the community evenings such dynamic events.

Visit us at: www.blueskinpower.co.nz, or at the office at 1121 Mt Cargill Rd, Waitati (on Waitati School grounds). Telephone enquiries can be made on 482 2048  (the Wind Cluster) and 482 2207 (Energy Advice) and for any information about the solar project email Chris Le Breton at solar@blueskinpower.co.nz.

 

BLUESKIN RESILIENT COMMUNITIES TRUST

by Scott Willis

The Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust's capacity to deliver actions to support the Trust's strategy is being enhanced with a growing contribution from dedicated community volunteers, and now four staff (paid and volunteer) at the BRCT office.  We are very happy to announce that Niki Bould (formally a Port Chalmers Community Board member, among other accomplishments) has joined the operations team as BRCT Projects Coordinator. Welcome aboard, Niki!

 

 

BRCT provides governance and support for Blueskin sustainability initiatives requiring a legal body. Recent community meetings organised by BRCT in Long Beach, Warrington and Waitati were all about providing residents with an update on developments in the Trust's Blueskin Wind Cluster  – our core project – and inviting community participation. While this is not the Trust's only project (within the Blueskin Energy Project stable, for example, are: the wind cluster, the Home Energy Advice Service and the Solar Project), it is the one that defines Trust activity. This it does in several ways:

•       As a headline project, it attracts interest, resources and assistance, all of which help to build up our local capabilities and ability to provide or support other initiatives.
•       As a community project it holds the potential to free ourselves from dependence on grants for our community initiatives, and proposes development of a social enterprise to benefit all.
•       As a potential energy infrastructure project it attracts a great deal of community interest on the merits of particular technologies, on costs and benefits, etc.

The Blueskin Wind Cluster project is a key part of BRCT's overall strategy.  Each year trustees and staff renew the BRCT strategy document and we're coming up to that time again. The Trust has a 'Vision', that is a description of our values and long-term goals, as well as a 'Mission' statement and objectives. Strategy, in contrast, is the practice of figuring out the best way to get from 'here' to 'there', or a general plan of action. It is easy, sometimes, to forget the challenges we face – the economic, climate and resource challenges – yet if challenges can be effectively acknowledged, a good strategy is possible. A good strategy expresses:

•         where we are now;
•         where we want to end up;
•         what stands in between;
•         a chosen approach; and
•         a specific course of action.

BRCT is committed to developing good strategy to enable a reasoned approach, based on solid factual evidence, to all Trust action.

Visit us at: www.blueskinpower.co.nz, or at the office at 1121 Mt Cargill Rd, Waitati (on Waitati School grounds). Telephone enquiries can be made on 482 2048.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ST BARNABAS CHURCH

from Rev Lois Hurd-McKee

Tickets are available from the Blueskin Library and Blueskin Nurseries for the St Barnabas Church Christmas Hamper Raffle.  Funds from this are for exterior repair work at St Barnabas including around our beautiful and historic stained glass windows.

 

Times of services for December-January – usual 9:30am followed by morning tea – All Welcome.

 

Christmas services – a warm welcome to share in

                                 Christmas Eve – Service begins with Carols at 9pm followed by Holy Eucharist at 9.45pm

                                 Christmas Day – Holy Eucharist with Carols at 10am

Warrington School Christmas pageant

from Rev Lois Hurd-McKee

On Tuesday 18 December at 10:30am the Junior Class from Warrington School will share in a Christmas Pageant followed by morning tea at St Barnabas.  Families and friends welcome.

WARRINGTON PLAYCENTRE

by Lisa Hall

 

Holy Cow, Batman!  It's nearly Xmas!  Not sure how that happened so quickly again but there you go.  I guess when we're all so busy doing things time just flies by, so hopefully by the end of the year we'll all get some time to put our feet up for a bit and reflect on 2012.

Warrington Playcentre continues to grow and we are thrilled to welcome the delicious wee Zara, our newest and youngest friend.  Very proud big brother Alexis is awesome at helping look after his new sister.  We are also thrilled to see Amy and her gorgeous children Leilani and Tane back.  It's fabulous to have a widening age group at our centre and amazing to see how all the children play, work and support each other so beautifully.

By the time this goes to print we will have had another visit from the Blueskin Library 'on wheels' and, like them, we are really looking forward to seeing how the new library progresses.  It's always a delight to see how excited the children are when discovering new books to borrow.

We are also on the brink of a visit from the 'big kids' from Warrington School.  The Year 8s are coming to share some of their books with us and I know there will be some adoring little people in awe of them.  These visits continue to build on developing our links with the local community. 

Another amazing group in our community is the Blueskin Garden Club.  They are always very generous with their support and have very kindly donated a thornless blackberry and two kowhai trees to further enhance our 'patch'.  The blackberry will really add to our burgeoning orchard, which we are watching with anticipation as the weather warms -- I feel fruit salads and jams might be on the agenda.  We are all keen gardeners and have sunflowers sprouting, peas germinating and strawberries and cranberries flowering frantically.  It's such a delight to see the fun and imaginative games and the plants flourishing in our Wild Things area after all the planting, developing and grunt work last year.

Sam, Christine and Pippa are off to the Otago Playcentre AGM to mingle and liase with the region's other playcentres to share and talk about their ideas, developments and successes.

There are some little people who have got bigger, older and cuter!  Happy Birthday's go to our wee hearties Lennox, Oscar, Leon and Ayano.  Ahoy, birthday maties, hope you have 'grrrreat' days and don't have to walk any planks!

To all those who have generously spent time with us over the year, we whole-heartedly thank you.  Communities can't function without the support of all those in them and we are truly blessed to have such a supportive one.  A special mention of thanks to the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board who have given us a grant to purchase new toys, and to the A.W Jones Trust for a grant also for toys and to re-cover our mats which now look incredible and will last for a long time.

May your holidays be spent relaxing and enjoying your families in some of your favourite things.  See you next year.

If you are looking for fun, friends and lots of lovely learning come and join us on Wednesday and Friday mornings, 9:15 to 12:15.  We'd love to see you.  Ph 027 227 7329

 

 

 

WARRINGTON SCHOOL: OGG scythers

WARRINGTON SCHOOL: Bouldering wall