Record set in environment awards
A record 17 Environmental Awards are being made today by the Taranaki Regional Council, most of them for grassroots projects with strong community input.
The Council Chairman, David MacLeod, says the 17 awards – the most since the annual prizes began in 1993 – reflect a special relationship between the people of the region and their environment.
Winners include the Womad festival, an electric-car maker, a school that generates its own power and farms where environmental enhancement has become a family tradition.
“It was heartening to have a bumper crop of nominations from which we could make so many awards,” says Mr MacLeod
“Environmental issues are the top of everyone’s agenda these days, of course, but I believe these awards also demonstrate something special about Taranaki.
“We enjoy healthy rivers, a rich landscape, clean air, and a quality coastal environment – but this is not simply by good luck. The awards recognise fine examples of the combined effort that is required to maintain the quality of our environment.”
The awards are split into three categories: Agricultural (five winners), Business/Local Authority (five) and Individual/School/Community group (seven).
Business/Local authority winners:
* Furlong Motor Inn, Hawera – for energy efficiency and waste minimisation.
* Pukekura Park Tearooms, New Plymouth – for energy efficiency and waste minimisation.
* Ugly Duck Restaurant, Fitzroy – for energy efficiency and waste minimisation.
* Bella Vita Restaurant, New Plymouth – for energy efficiency and waste minimisation.
* Vector Kapuni – for reducing the office environmental footprint.
Agricultural winners:
* John and Barbara Sextus, Toko – for commitment to protecting and improving biodiversity.
* Cam and Sarah Collier, Lake Rotorangi – for sustainable land management.
* Howe Family Trust, Uruti – for sustainable land management.
* Morrison Family Farm, Ngaere – for riparian management and sustainable farming.
* Murray and Zoe Barrett, New Plymouth – for riparian management and sustainable farming.
Individual/School/Community Group winners:
* Taranaki Arts Festival Trust and volunteers – for integrating waste minimisation into public event management at Womad 2008.
* Lynda Sutherland, Eltham – for biodiversity work and education.
* Taranaki Environmental Education Trust – for promoting sustainability through environmental education.
* Gavin Shoebridge, New Plymouth – for innovation and efficient use of energy for transportation in the electric car he developed.
* Enviropower Inglewood High School – for sustainability education and increasing energy efficiency.
* Midhirst School– for implementing a school recycling and composting programme.
* St Josephs Primary School, Hawera – for environmental education and waste minimisation.
To be eligible for an award, projects or activities must:
· Make a practical contribution to sustainable resource management or promote awareness of the need for sustainability.
· Be sustainable over time, not depending on a continuing subsidy which is larger than the benefit to the community.
· Be current, ongoing or nearing completion.
· Be carried out within the Taranaki region.
Mr MacLeod says the level of grassroots community involvement in many of this year’s winning projects is an encouraging sign for future sustainability.
Winner profiles - New Plymouth/North Taranaki
Howe Family Trust, Uruti – for sustainable land management (category: Agricultural).
Since 1984, when they purchased the original 739 hectare farm, Bob and June Howe have been committed to sustainable land management on their Uruti property.
Planting has continued each year and the Howes also carry out annual possum and goat control. There is a diverse mix of plantings - pines, eucalypts, redwoods, poplars, cypresses and a mixture of amenity trees.
The plantings have changed the landscape, stabilised eroding soils and gullies, improved water quality created shelter, and enhanced the aesthetics of the land. It has been a lifetime’s work for Bob and June and now, with the commitment of sons Andrew and Ian, it is set to continue. Poplars are being planted annually and more recently native vegetation allowed to regenerate in gullies.
Ugly Duck Restaurant, Fitzroy – for energy efficiency and waste minimization (category: Business/local authority).
A Taranaki Regional Council waste and energy assessment in November 2006 found some energy efficiency and waste minimisation measures in place, but now they are well established. The amount of waste sent to landfill has been halved from 3,000 to 1,500 litres weekly.
Bella Vita Restaurant, New Plymouth – for energy efficiency and waste minimization (category: Business/local authority).
A Taranaki Regional Council waste and energy assessment in October 2006 found some energy efficiency and wast minimization measures in place, and since then a general recycling system has resulted in a 75% reduction in waste going to landfill, with half to one 240-litre bin collected weekly.
Energy efficiency practices include putting glass covers on tables to reduce laundering.
Taranaki Arts Festival Trust and volunteers – for integrating waste minimisation into public event management (category: Individual/school/community group).
The Taranaki Arts Festival Trust (TAFT), with support from a number of organisations and volunteers, put in place a comprehensive waste minimisation system at the WOMAD 2008 festival in March. Approximately 75% of the almost 15 tonnes of waste material that left the site was diverted from landfill to composting or recycling. Financial support was provided from the MFE Sustainable Management Fund.
Forty volunteers were the public face of the system and were critical in educating the public. They also sorted out any cross contamination, assisted stallholders and backstage areas to use the system, and took the rubbish and recyclables away for further sorting by two paid staff.
The WOMAD 2008 waste minimisation system has set a benchmark for event management in Taranaki.
Pukekura Park Tearooms, New Plymouth – for energy efficiency and waste minimization (category: Business/local authority).
After a Taranaki Regional Council waste and energy assessment in January 2007, Pukekura Park tearooms has cut the amount of waste it sends to landfill by two-thirds to 480 litres weekly. It sends 960 litres of cardboard and mixed recyclables (cans, milk containers, etc) to taken to the transfer station weekly, and about 50 litres of food waste are separated for collection.
They have also undertaken a range of energy efficiency practices and insulation of the building was improved in a recent building upgrade by the New Plymouth District Council.
Gavin Shoebridge, New Plymouth – for innovation and efficient use of energy for transportation (category: Individual/school/community group).
Gavin has converted a car to run purely on electricity, using an electric motor and 12 deep cycle batteries. The car charges to full overnight and has a 70 kilometre range on one charge with a top speed of 200 km/h. The cost of the conversion was $12,000 for parts.
With no emissions the car is very clean to run and costs approximately five to seven dollars per week instead of $50 for petrol. The vehicle contributes to maintaining the region’s air quality and to promoting Taranaki’s clean and green image.
Murray and Zoe Barrett, New Plymouth – for riparian management and sustainable farming (category: Agricultural).
Murray and Zoe Barrett’s 220 hectare dairy farm borders the Barrett Lake, Barrett Domain and Ratapihipihi Reserve with the Mangahererangi stream, Mangotuku stream and tributaries running through the property.
The Barretts have an annual planting programme to improve riparian margins, farm shelter and aesthetics. Approximately six kilometres of riparian margins have been fenced and planted to protect water. Existing native remnants hidden in the gully areas have also been fenced to protect corridors for birdlife between the reserves. Pest control is carried out.
In 2007, the Barretts permanently protected a two hectare coastal forest remnant with fencing, planting and a QEII Trust covenant.
Enviropower Inglewood High School– for sustainability education and increasing energy efficiency (category: Individual/school/community group).
Enviropower Inglewood High School is a pilot energy conservation and generation project for schools. The one-year project began in July 2007 project and is funded by Venture Taranaki and the Ministry for the Environment, and is assisted by Ecoinnovations and Enviroschools. The project aims to reduce power consumption and to enhance sustainability education opportunities.
Conservation methods implemented at the school include reviewing and reducing water heating, and more efficient lighting and computer systems.
Power generation options include the installation of solar panels and a wind turbine that feeds the school or the national grid.
Taranaki Environmental Education Trust – for promoting sustainability through environmental education (category: Individual/school/community group).
The Taranaki Environmental Education Trust (TEET) runs environmental projects and programmes through the Stratford Conservation Corps and the Taranaki Environment Centre in Inglewood ,which is funded by the Ministry for the Environment.
In the past four years the TEET has worked in depth with 15 schools, had 80 youths on the six-month Conservation Corps programme, had 40 adults attend the Sustainable Living Programme, 80 people complete the Permaculture Design Certificate and had many hundreds attend other workshops and meetings.
Winner profiles: Stratford/Central Taranaki:
Midhirst School– for implementing a school recycling and composting programme (category: Individual/school/community group).
The Midhirst School recycling project has been integrated into the school day and involves the separation of plastic, metal, paper, cardboard and food scraps from the daily waste.
The food scraps go into the composting bin in the school garden. This is an ongoing project and the aim is to make this a habit in the children’s lives both at school and at home.
The project contributes to the sustainable management of the region’s natural and physical resources by helping to reduce the amount of new resources used and landfill space used.
John and Barbara Sextus, Toko – for commitment to protecting and improving biodiversity (category: Agricultural).
John and Barbara Sextus have contributed considerable time, effort and expense to ensure the protection and improvement of the 4.8 hectare Toko Wetland on their property.
The regionally significant wetland, located in a tributary of the Patea River, contains a variety of aquatic plants and is a valuable habitat for rare and endangered birds, including the spotless crake and dabchick. John’s efforts have included trapping and shooting hundreds of pest animals, maintaing riparian margins and carrying out further planting.
The Taranaki Regional Council has reached agreement with John and Barbara on a Memorandum of Encumbrance to protect the area.
Morrison Family Farm, Ngaere – for riparian management and sustainable farming (category: Agricultural).
The 64 hectare dairy farm at Ngaere includes a permanently protected hardwood forest remnant that was protected in 1985 with the region’s 7th registered (and New Zealand’s 13th) QEII Trust covenant.
The Morrison family is carrying on the vision of Bob Morrison and his late wife Norah with plantings of native and exotic plants and trees. Their son David has fenced and planted riparian areas on the Te Ngaere Stream tributaries, also creating several wetlands around them. The naturally boggy areas have been planted with wetland species rather than being drained and developed.
Lynda Sutherland, Eltham – for biodiversity work and education (category: Individual/school/community group).
Lynda has been secretary of the South Taranaki branch of Forest and Bird for eight years, is the national delegate, has been the Kiwi Conservation Club Co-ordinator for nine years, and is usually present at any working bee.
Lynda has inspired many youngsters to expand their interest in the environment and biodiversity through the many activities that she organises. Through the Kiwi Conservation Club she has involved young people in planting and maintaining areas such as Connell Reserve near Eltham and Sandy Bay near Opunake. And each year she organises interesting excursions for the group, and one major trip. This year she took a group to Te Wera.
Cam and Sarah Collier, Lake Rotorangi – for sustainable land management (category: Agricultural).
Cam and Sarah Collier are committed to an ongoing programme of sustainable land management on their sheep and beef farm, continuing work begun by Cam’s father in the early 1970s.
They match their activities and management practices to the different areas of their property, with exotic forestry on erosion-prone land and a regular soil conservation planting programme on the more productive hill country, with 50 to 150 poplar poles planted yearly on the lower slopes for soil conservation and along tracks to maintain access to the back of the farm.
A 223 hectare block of near pristine lowland, podocarp/hardwood native forest has been protected with a QEII covenant since 1978. A further 10 hectares have been enhanced with plantings and wetland retirement.
Winner profiles – southern Taranaki:
Vector Kapuni – for an innovative approach to reducing the office environmental footprint (category: Business/local authority).
The 25 Vector staff have introduced two initiatives, 5S and Green Task Force, to reduce the environmental footprint.
5S focuses on clearing and sorting; scrubbing/cleaning; storing correctly; standardisation to identify acceptable practice; and sustaining the new standards attained. This means less stock and supplies are required on site which produces less waste and less environmental impact.
The Green Task Force has been responsible for waste reduction initiatives and energy efficiency opportunities including car pooling, reducing use of electrical appliances and heating and insulation. Paper use has reduced by around 50%.
Furlong Motor Inn, Hawera – for energy efficiency and waste minimization (category: Business/local authority).
After the Taranaki Regional Council carried out a waste and energy assessment in June 2007, the Furlong Motor Inn now recycles 1,400-1,800 litres of material weekly and has cut the waste it sends to landfill by more than 50% to 1,200-1,600 litres weekly.
It has also implemented a variety of energy-saving practices including the reduction of bar and restaurant areas to make more efficient use of space heating, lighting and bar equipment, and subdividing chiller areas to reduce the space that is refrigerated.
St Josephs Primary School, Hawera – for environmental education and waste minimization (category: Individual/school/community group).
After becoming concerned about the amount of waste it generated, and undertaking a waste audit with the help of the Taranaki Regional Council Euducation Officer, St Josephs has introduced system giving each class access to containers for genuine non-recyclable waste, recyclable waste and one for food waste only.
Each class has a turn for a month doing the collection, depositing the waste in the correct bins and putting them out for collection. Bins for food waste are emptied into the compost bins daily.
The system is functioning well and the school is using the compost and children have been involved in planting shrubs and flowers. The cost of waste disposal has been drastically reduced.