November Newsletter
Did you hear the news about the Australasian crested grebe / kāmana becoming New Zealand’s ‘Bird of the Century’?
Talk about going viral! Kāmana (also known as pūteketeke) have taken the internet world by storm and soared to victory. In the Forest and Bird ‘Bird of the Century’ competition, they received over 290,000 votes. Their win was heavily influenced by an international campaign led by American-British comedian John Oliver.
The results may be controversial for some, but here at WAI we are thrilled to see a bird that calls Lake Wānaka and Lake Hāwea home, take the crown – go kāmana!
Read the full news article here.
Responsible gardening for our freshwater
Did you know your gardening habits could be impacting our lakes and rivers?
Fertilisers, herbicides, and other lawn care practices play a big role in stormwater pollution.
Our Adopt a Drain – Spring Newsletter is live on our website! Discover simple tips for responsible gardening. Keeping pollutants out of our stormwater drains and therefore, out of our waterways.
Defend your plants this El Niño season
We’re in for an El Niño spring and summer. With some serious dry spells and temperature rollercoasters predicted for our area.
Your first line of defence? Mulch! It’s a superhero for plants, locking in moisture and protecting plant roots during hot summer days
We’ve created a beginner-friendly ‘Mulch 101’ guide that highlights the benefits of mulch. Including some of our favourite types we have used here at WAI, and important tips to consider.
Urban action in the Kirimoko neighbourhood continues
Monthly maintenance sessions in the Kirimoko neighbourhood are back.
Thank you to those who came out this past Monday. An evening of plant maintenance, sunshine and good vibes – what a turn out!
“We come once a month, a few folks from the community, to pull weeds out and give the place a good tidy up. We’ve got plans to complete rabbit fencing as well. A great collaboration led by WAI, through Bike Wānaka, Kirimoko Park Residents Association, Southern Ventures and Wānaka Backyard Trapping.”
-Ewan, Bike Wānaka / Kirimoko Catchment Group
The next monthly maintenance session at the Kirimoko Bike Trails is on Monday, 20 December from 5pm – 7pm.
Shout out to B.Effect for providing tasty beverages to Kirimoko volunteers!
Tools for resilient and sustainable farm businesses
Our team has been working alongside farmers and experts to investigate land use and land management enterprises in the Upper Clutha that result in positive outcomes for farm businesses, the community and the environment.
Tapping into research and market knowledge from around Aotearoa, we identified and explored 20 different land use enterprises suitable for our area. Therefore, local landowners are assessing these land uses and help select those that will be developed further.
Our recent workshop was a showcase of collaboration, combining local landowner knowledge and expert advice to create positive solutions for the Upper Clutha.
Thanks to those who attended the land diversification and market opportunities workshop this month. Facilitated by Alan McDermott of AgriFood Strategy Limited.
Join us for some exciting upcoming events
25 November10am – 2pm: Wastebusters’ Sustainable Christmas Market – we’ll have a WAI stall at the market, come by for a chat!
28 November 5:30pm – 7pm at Scroggin Eatery: The Young Environmental Collective presents: ‘Sleighing Sustainability‘
2 December 10am – 1pm: Bremner Bay Working Bee – head to our events page for more info.
19 December 5:30pm – 7pm: Monthly drop-in Secchi Disk workshops on the lake – head to our events page for more info.
20 December 5pm – 7pm:Monthly Maintenance at Kirimoko Bike Trails
