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  • EHA | Envirohub

    Envirohub Marlborough is proud to be a member of Environment Hubs Aotearoa and one of 15 EHA environment centres around NZ. Environment Hubs of Aotearoa Envirohub Marlborough is proud to be a member of Environment Hubs Aotearoa (EHA). We are one of 21 environment centres and hubs around Aotearoa that make up EHA. "We bring together 21 leading regional environmental organisations, from Kaitaia to Riverton. We provide our hubs with opportunities to partner and learn from each other, capacity and capability-building activities, and organisational development. Through a collaborative approach, our mahi empowers community organisations to increase social cohesion, community resilience and environmental stewardship." From the EHA website. Together, we have seen huge collective impact across the entire of Aotearoa. For more information on our fellow members and the work done by EHA check out our collective impact on their website: Or you can view the most recent Impact Report by clicking on the image or click on the button below: EHA member Collective Impact EHA Impact Report 2024 Environment Hubs Aotearoa is a Charitable Incorporated Society whose members are independent local community hubs that provide practical support for people to look after themselves, their neighbours and their environment. All members have strong local connections and individual strengths. In 2015 a national organisation was created that allows us to share our vast experience with each other and better empower more New Zealanders to create a thriving and sustainable Aotearoa. For more info, check out: www.environmenthubs.nz

  • Species Superstars | Envirohub

    Species Superstars As a part of our Save Our Species Programme which launched in 2023, we will select one stand-out individual during each event to be crowned the Species Superstar! We are seeking a tamariki who shows, in their own unique way, their passion and enthusiasm for the species and their protection. With each event, we will announce our Species Superstar. Each Superstar will also walk away with an awesome prize pack, to encourage and continue to inspire them to continue on their journey as kaitiaki. Check out our Species Superstars so far below! 2025 Species Superstars 2024 Species Superstars 2023 Species Superstars

  • Tohorā - Southern Right Whale | Envirohub

    Learn about our beautiful taonga species, the Tohorā | Southern Right Whale and check out our games, activities, arts and crafts and how you can better protect them! Tohorā Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis) Southern Right Whales are found throughout the Southern Hemisphere and are a native migrant to New Zealand. They are typically black in colour, have large paddle-shaped flippers and have a large head covered in callosities. Follow along to learn more about Tohorā below. Southern Right Whales are slow swimmers and also very acrobatic! They are easy to identify by their unique callosities on their heads. Callosities are large, white, rough growths that can be made up of parasitic worms, whale lice and barnacles. The callosities on a southern right are unique to each southern right making them easy to identify and track their movements. They also has a unique V blow, with the water rising in two columns to a height of 5m. Tohorā Facts! General ACTIVITIES, CRAFTS, GAMES AND QUIZZES Throughout this page you'll find some fun activities and resources you can explore at home with your whānau and friends. Some of these resources have been put together with the help of our fantastic local organisations. A huge thank you to those people who have helped put these together for us, we appreciate your support! Don't forget to share your activities with us, either tag us on social media or email them to us at conservationkids@envirohub.co.nz Image Credit - Andrea Izzotti Some tribes see whales as the descendants of Tangaroa, the god of the ocean. Whales possess a tapu (sacred) significance to Maori as both supernatural beings and as harbingers of personal change and spiritual growth. When whales appeared on long journeys by waka across the Pacific ocean, they were seen as a sign that the iwi should settle in that place. They were also seen as benevolent guardians when they swam alongside the waka, guiding the way through tumultuous Pacific storms towards the safety of land. Tohorā Facts! Te Ao Maori Art - Create Whale Watching Binoculars Binoculars Have fun making your own whale watching binoculars. Go out and explore the coastline and see what you can spot in the sea. Click the image to download the PDF! Tohorā Facts! Ecology & Diet Southern Rights feed on zooplankton in the cold nutrient-rich Southern Ocean. They are skim feeders and swim with their mouths open for long periods of time, filtering krill and plankton through their baleen plates. Baleen plates are made of keratin, the same substance which makes up our hair or fingernails. CRAFT - Tohorā Snacks Southern Right's Snacks Have some fun making an upcycled southern right whale from paper roll! Don't forget her baleen! Give your whale a name and make her some tasty snacks. This craft is to show how the large baleen plates in a baleen whale's mouth help to catch all their food! Don't forget to share your Tohorā with us, we would love to know its name. Click the image to download the PDF sheet! Tohorā live and migrate in the Southern Ocean. They are found in the South Atlantic between June and December. They migrate from the icy Southern Ocean to their breeding grounds in the South Atlantic along the African coastline. Click on the image to watch a video about how a group of Southern Right whales were discovered again in New Zealand, at the brink of extinction. Tohorā Facts! Habitat Tohorā GAMES Grab some of your friends or whānua and have a go at these fun Tohorā games and activities. How Baleen Works This activity aim s to demonstrate how baleen plates work and how whales uses them to eat. Click on the image to download the instructions. If you give this game a go with your class or some friends take a pic or video a nd share it with us! How Long is a Southern Right? This activity aim s to demonstrate how larg e/long a southern right is. Get your friends and family toge ther, using the cards, measure out and compare the different sizes of baleen whales and toothed marine mammals. Click on the image t o download the fact cards. Southern Right whales are mammals and give birth to live young, just like us humans. A baby whale is called a calf. Females usually give birth to their first calf when they are eight to ten years old. Female Southern Rights only produce a calf every 3-5 years. Tohorā Facts! Breeding ACTIVITY - Baleen whale or Toothed marine mammal? Test your knowledge - download the cards below and see if you can guess which are baleen whales and which are toothed marine mammals. Click the image to download the cards! Ever wonder how the Southern Right Whales stays warm while swimming in the cold waters of the Southern Ocean ?? Well they have blubber - a fatty substance below their skin that helps to keep them warm. Check out this neat video from SciShow Kids that demonstrates how blubber works. Have a go at it your self - Did the blubber keep your hand warm? Tohorā Facts! Crazy Facts! Other Southern Right Whale Resources Below you will find links to other Tohorā resources, click the images to take you to the websites. Check them out! NOAA Fisheries For more Tohorā information click the image below. Tohorā The Southern Right Whale by Ned Barraud Department of Conservation For more Southern Right whale information click the DOC image below. Southern Right Whales were hunted to near extinction in the 18-1900s. In 1920 there were only 400 left on the planet. The Souhthern Right whale gets it name from being the "right" whale to hunt. This was because they are so slow moving and are very buoyant in the water. Since whaling become illegal in NZ in 1978, NZ has made large efforts to help protect our whales and help bring the numbers back. Current threats to Tohorā include: predators, climate change, net entanglement, large boat strikes and ocean pollution. Check out the next Tohorā Fact to find out how you can help! Tohorā Facts! Threats Tohorā Facts! What YOU can do! So... How can you help protect our whales? Glad you asked! Firstly, help to reduce our plastic waste. Plastic can end up in our oceans and harm not only our whales but other marine species. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse and Rot where possible! Keep an eye out for a beach cleanup near you and lend a helping hand. Image Credit - Envirohub Beach Clean Up event What can you do if you see a stranded whale? Reduce plastic use! If you'd like to be prepared to help in a whale stranding you can attend Marine Mammal Medic Course run by Project Jonah. Click HERE to find out what DOC does when there is a stranding. Image Credit - Department of Conservation NZ Act safely on the water around marine mammals When out on a boat there are ways you can safely observe any marine life you come across, especially whales and other marine mammals. Click HERE to learn how you can safely share our coast lines with our beautiful taonga of the ocean. Go Spot a Southern Right! KORI's annual Great Kaikoura Whale Count Each winter, around June/July, the Kaikōura Ocean Research Institute holds an annual whale count, where they count as many whales migrating past Kaikōura as they can. You can even vol unteer to head along and help them out and be a part of the action! Click on the KORI logo alongside to go to their website and find out more. Tohorā Whale Gallery Images from our Southern Right Whale events 2024 Whale Day

  • Contact Us | Envirohub

    Get in touch. We would love to hear from you! Contact Get in Touch 14 Auckland Street, Picton | 021 1010818 info@envirohub.co.nz Enter Your Name Enter Your Email Enter Your Subject Here Type Your Message Here Send Thanks for submitting! We Need Your Support Today! Donate

  • Waitohi Picton Community Garden / Envirohub Marlborough

    Learn more about our community garden, future living skills courses and eco-friendly retail. Waitohi Picton Community Garden Project Community Consultation The Waitohi Picton Community Garden Project is very much a community project. As such, we have been encouraging community input and support throughout the process. During the initial process, the immediate neighbours in the vicinity of the proposed garden site were consulted by our team knocking on doors and leaving information in letterboxes. Once the Marlborough District Council (MDC) announced the go ahead for the site, we announced the project and soon after held a Community Consultation Meeting in early May 2022. During this meeting we provided more information regarding the project and the site, the history and what we were hoping. We then opened the floor for constructive and open consultation from the community. Afterward, we also distributed a community survey. This survey is still active as we wish to collect as much information as possible and allow for as many members of our community to become involved and be a voice for themselves and their community. Below are some of the results obtained from our community throughout this process. Support for the Waitohi Community Garden Project We have had overwhelming and open support from our local schools (Waikawa Bay School and Queen Charlotte College), the Waikawa Marae (who we will be working closely with to create mutual benefit and sharing of resources), Te Atiawa, Food Bank and Marlborough District Council (MDC). The Food Bank has praised the potential project, siting that they have had an increase of 35% in families requesting assistance due to rising costs of living. The initial post from MDC announcing the approval of the site had 114 likes and 14 shares, with the comments overwhelmingly positive. Of many posts on social media reaching thousands within our local communities, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Currently 140 people like our Waitohi Picton Community Garden Facebook Page with 182 people following the page. Thus far we have collected over 75 responses to our Community Garden Survey from our community. Of those that responded, 95% are excited about the project. Concerns and Constructive Feedback After the initial announcement and the community meeting, we did receive some feedback from concerned members of our community. We have had several in depth, in-person discussions and written communication with community members that have raised legitimate concerns and that we are taking on board during the planning process. Some of the concerns include: increased traffic to the quiet neighbourhood potential theft and vandalism location - too far away from central Picton ensuring continual buy-in after the inital excitement wears off not enough sunshine hours in the winter organic vs non-organic preferences carparking We are actively paying heed to all such feedback throughout this process, and some answers to how we are taking these on board are outlined in below. Why this location? We have received many queries regarding the proposed location for the Garden. Is there not a location closer to central Picton? Isn't this too far away for more of the community to access? Isn't there a sunnier spot in the winter? What about xxx as a location? As stated in our FAQs, our team scoped out every possible location throughtout the immediate Picton area as a possible site for a Community Garden. All other areas examined were too small, inaccessible, flood prone, were being used for other recreational purposes, unsafe or were not permitted for our use. Please know that we did exhaust every possible location! The Ranaui/Huia St Reserve area was actually proposed to us by MDC as this area has always been ear-marked for community development. Aside from Bronte the horse, there is no other use currently for the site (e.g. the reserve area behind the Skate Park is currently a popular off-lead dog walking park and is not big enough to house both a garden and to continue to benefit our local dog walkers). We understand that there may not be much sunlight here in the winter, due to the proximity of the domain, however, many of us who live locally have the same issue and still maintain our own gardens and we will take this into consideration with the design and use of the area in these colder months. In regards to drainage, we are currently seeking exciting and innovative ways in which to combat this issue AND retain water in the area for use without draining away valuable nutrients. Stay tuned! Survey Responses Below are a few key responses we have obtained from our recent Community Garden Survey. Want to have your say? We'd love to hear from you! We will continue to gather feedback to pass on to our Focus Group, Project Manager and Focus Group so that we can take it into consideration through the planning process! CLICK HERE to have your say! Q: Are you excited about a community garden in Picton? Most responses received were from those in the community that were keen to have garden. Not all are happy with the idea, and some of those individuals have been having active and constructive discussions with us regarding their concerns and reasons for Q: If yes, what would motivate you to become involved in the Garden? Note: respondents were able to make more than one choice. Other responses to this question included: Community involvement Growing flowers Engaging tamariki at Waikawa Bay School with growing food Getting the kids involved Q: Would you be interested in renting your own plot? Those who answered yes were asked how much they would potentially pay for a plot of their own. The answers varied greatly from $5/week, $5/month to $20-$100/year. Q: Would you be interested in being involved in a Communal Plot? This outcome was actually quite surprising, with respondents overwhelmingly keen on a Communal Plot to contribute to. The respondents were then asked whether they would be interested in paying a small annual membership fee for use of a communal plot or volunteering in exchange for produce: If you have any further questions, please get in touch at info@envirohub.co.nz or pop into the Picton Environment Centre, 14 Auckland St (Picton). Follow us on Facebook to keep up-to-date- with news www.facebook.com/pictongarden

  • Zoe Luffman's Environmental Fund Recipients | Envirohub Marlborough

    Zoe Luffman's Environmental Fund is a fund dedicated to supporting young women aged 13 to 18 years fighting to protect our local environments in Marlborough. Zoe Luffman's Environmental Fund Recipients 2024 Recipients Congratulations to all our recipients - we look forward to hearing the progress of your various projects and supporting you in various ways. Go you amazing young women! MCG Enviroteam Bess Cuddon-Corlet, Sydney White and Laura Elliot-Whale Photo courtesy of William Woodworth, Marlborough Weekly These young entrepreneurs are collecting disused PVC pool toys and are turning them into waterproof bags! Reducing waste by diverting these old pool toys from landfill, their practices are exploring the avenues of reuse and recycle and giving new life to these toys as a part of the 2024 Young Enterprise Scheme. With a percentage of sales donated back to Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and Envirohub Marlborough the Refloat is also a social enterprise. Donate your pool toys or purchase one of these amazing bags today at the Picton Environment Centre! March 2024 Recipients Congratulations to all our recipients - we look forward to hearing the progress of your various projects and supporting you in various ways. Go you amazing young women! REFLOAT Bess Cuddon-Corlet, Sydney White and Laura Elliot-Whale Photo courtesy of William Woodworth, Marlborough Weekly These young entrepreneurs are collecting disused PVC pool toys and are turning them into waterproof bags! Reducing waste by diverting these old pool toys from landfill, their practices are exploring the avenues of reuse and recycle and giving new life to these toys as a part of the 2024 Young Enterprise Scheme. With a percentage of sales donated back to Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and Envirohub Marlborough the Refloat is also a social enterprise. Donate your pool toys or purchase one of these amazing bags today at the Picton Environment Centre! MGC Enviroweek Alex Phelps and the Malrborough Girls' College Environment Club Photo courtesy of Anne-Gaelle Photography at Earth Day: Picnic in the Park 2024 The awesome young women of the Marlborough Girls' College Environment Club run an Enviroweek each year to celebrate and raise awareness. These girls work toward changing practices within their school and educating their fellow students on ways to operate day to day while treading lightly on the environment we rely on so heavily for survival. Envirohub Marlborough was honoured to be invited to run a workshop during Enviroweek and have been speaking and mentoring a number of students at MGC. APPLY NOW I fit the criteria and would like to apply! Click on the button to the left to enter in your application online. Want to complete a form by hand or manually rather than digitally? No worries - click on the link to the right to download a paper copy and email it to: info@envirohub.co.nz . Download form For more info on criteria and about the fund, keep reading or email: info@envirohub.co.nz . I am a fund recipient and I need to do my accountability. Click the button to the right! Accountability DONATE This fund also welcomes any additional donations to keep the fund, and the support for these young Marlburian women, continuing for as long as possible. To donate, please go to: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/zoe-luffmans-environmental-fund to make your donation. Any funds collected via this page will automatically be allocated to Zoe Luffman’s Environmental Fund.

  • Waiharakeke Grass Skink | Envirohub

    Learn about our beautiful taonga species, the Tūpoupou Hector's Dolphins and check out our games, activities, arts and crafts and how you can better protect them! Waiharakeke ~ Grass Skink Oligosoma aff. polychroma Clade 3 This skink was formally kn own as the "Common S kink" - because it was just that, common! The common skink has now been separated into 5 different species, one of which is our local Waiharakeke (Marlborough) Grass Skink. Image credit: South Marlborough grass skink (Kaikōura). © Samuel Purdie These little skinks are found not only in South Marlborough but also in small areas of the wider Marlborough Region. They grow up to 80mm long and their tail is longer than their body! Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! General Image Credit - Tony Jewell ACTIVITIES, CRAFTS, GAMES AND QUIZZES Throughout this page you'll find some fun activities and resources you can explore at home with your whānau and friends. Some of these resources have been put together with the help of our fantastic local organisations. A huge thank you to those people who have helped put these together for us, we appreciate your support! Don't forget to share your activities with us, either tag us on social media or email them to us at conservationkids@envirohub.co.nz Image Credit - Alexander Turnbull Library, Albert Percy Godber Collection (PA-Group-00048) Reference: PAColl-3039-1-012 Ngārara was the Māori kupu | word for all reptiles, Māori called both lizards and skinks Mokomoko. All Ngārara were seen as descendants of Punga - the son of Tangaroa, the sea guardian. All of the decendants of Punga were seen as ugly and repulsive. Lizards and geckos were often feared, linking them with Whiro, the atua of darkness, evil and death. Even though Māori feared them, they also thought of them as guardians, they were put near burial caves to watch over those who had passed away. Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! Te Ao Maori - Art - Colour a Skink Colour your Skink Waiharakeke Grass Skinks have some pretty neat colors and patterns on them. Have a go at colou ring in our own skink, see if you can create those vibrant colors and markings. Don't forget to share your finished creation with us, email us an image - conservationkids@envirohub.co.nz Click the image to download a PDF template. Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! Ecology & Diet Waiharakeke Grass skinks are heliothermic, which means they like to lay in the sun to gain their heat. They eat a wide diet of not only berries and fruits, but they also hunt prey like spiders and other small insects. Image Credit - Tom Heather CRAFT - Skink Puppet Make a Skink Puppet Have fun making your very own skink finger p uppet! Get creative with the colours and decide what kind of habitat / environment your skink lives in! Click the image to download the PDF sheet! Image Credit - Tim Harker Just like other grass skinks, the Waiharakeke Grass skink likes to live in open areas including coastal vegetation, rock piles, grassland, flaxland, shrubland, screes, forest margins, tussock and modified urban / suburban habitats. Often, they can be found hiding under rocks and logs. They can be found in the eastern parts of the Marlborough Sounds, in Kaikoura and in the Wairau Valley. Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! Habitat Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! Breeding The Waiharakeke grass skink matures at around two years old, it is then that the female goes on to breed. Female skinks can give birth to up to six babies at one time! Wow that is a lot, this normally happens in the warmer months in January and February. Image Credit - Tom Heather ACTIVITY - Who's, Who? Skink or Gecko Test your knowledge and see if you can work out what is a skink and what is a gecko? Use your research skills and see what you can find out about each of them. Click the image to download the quiz! Click the skink to download the answers. Did you know that skinks - including the Waiharakeke Grass skink - can amputate their own tails! They do this to help them escape predators, the predators can be distracted by the wiggling tail while the skink gets to safety. But don't worry they do grow back, just not as long as the orginal tail. Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! Crazy Facts! Other Waiharakeke Grass Skink Resources Below you will find links to other Skink resources, click the images to take you to the websites. Check them out! Department of Conservation Information on skinks online Reptiles and Amphibians of NZ by Dyland van Winkel Science Learning Hub | Pokapū Akoranga Pūtaiao Check out this cool video of a skink giving birth to its live young. DOC - Toyota Kiwi Guardian Activity Help attract Geckos and Skinks to your garden ! Although the Toyota Kiwi Guardian programme has now f inished and you can no longer claim the medals. The act ivities are still a fantastic way for your tamariki to help support our conservation efforts and to learn abou t native species. Below is a link to the "Lizard Lounge" activity! Help create a home at your place for our local lizards to hang out! Click the image to download a PDF Instruction sheet to learn how to attract Lizards to your garden! Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! Threats So, what are the biggest threats to our native skinks? Habitat disruption has had a big impact on them, but what do we mean by 'disruption'? Anything that effects their normal habitat, this could be things like the introduction of non-native species, like cats and dogs. It could also mean people planting nonnative plants or grasses into their environment. And of course, the damage to their habitat from people either exploring or altering where they live. So, what can we do to help? Follow below to find out!! Image Credit - Make Lemonade Webiste Image Credit - Tony Jewell How can you help our Native Skinks and Geckos? There are lots of ways you can help our native skinks to survive! - Avoid catching them, it's ok to look but please don't touch them, and if you do lift a rock to spot one. DO NOT DROP THE ROCK BACK DOWN as this might squash the little skink, just place it down gently. - Keep your cats inside at nighttime and put a bell on their collars to warn the skink of their presence. - Plant native trees or shrubs around your land that they like to live in, and avoid planting non-natives if possible. Waiharakeke Grass Skink Facts! What YOU can do! If you see a skink on eggs or eggs like this ---> Please get rid of these eggs, these are plague skink eggs. Our NZ native skinks give birth to live young, they do NOT lay eggs. Plague skinks are a threat to our native skinks because they take over their habitat and push them out. Leaving our native skinks with nowhere to live. One important thing you can do is always check your belongings for skink eggs. If you are moving house from an area you know has the plague skinks, check your belongings especially your outdoor gear for skink eggs, make sure you don't move them with you into a new area. Image Credit - Forest and Bird Visit a Waiharakeke Grass Skink Why not check out some areas near you to see if you can spot some skinks? Can you find some native ones? Or do you have plague skinks where you live? Head on over to the DOC website to read about the different skinks and see where they like to live. You can get an idea of where they might live in your area, then head out for a look. If you live in Marlborough/Blenheim, you can find Waiharakeke grass skinks at these places; - Marfells Beach - Rarangi Beach - Wither Hills Just remember if you're heading out on a skink hunt, make sure you don't disturb their habitat. If you lift a rock up to look under it, DO NOT DROP THE ROCK BACK DOWN, make sure you place it back down softly so as not to hurt the skinks, geckos or other species you might find. Waiharakeke Grass Skink Gallery Images from our most recent Skink event 2023 Waiharakeke Grass Skink Day

  • Community Directory | Envirohub Marlborough

    Envirohub Marlborough's Directory - find the organisations, businesses, groups in our community working for a more sustainable future. Community Directory and Map Wanting to live more sustainably? Looking to support a conservation organization? Need to know where to recycle something? Check out our Marlborough directory and map for all things eco-friendly. The map has been created by the Environment Hubs of Aotearoa as part of their Interactive Maps project. It is amazing, please use a computer to view as it is not yet set up to work on a mobile phone. Directory Menu Conservation Organisations Op Shops Recycling Alternative / Sharing Economy Climate Change Action Farm Stalls Community Garden Bulk Food Stores Ethical Fashion Retail Community Map Conservation Organisations Endeavour Inlet Conservation Trust Kaikoura Ocean Research Institute (KORI) Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary Koru Native Wildlife Centre Marlborough Falcon Conservation Trust Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust Picton Dawn Chorus Te Hoiere Bat Recovery Project Op-Shops Havelock Charity Shop Marlborough Hospice Shop SPCA Op Shop St Vincent de Paul Salvation Army Family Store St John Opportunity Shop SaveMart The Blue Door Recycling Envirohub Marlborough Collection Point Recycling Mitre 10 Plant Pot Recycling MySpace Collection Point Recycling Recycling at the Transfer Stations Rural Community Recycling Trillo Metals Marlborough Warehouse Stationary Ink, Toner and Printer Cartridge Recycling Alternative / Sharing Economy Blenheim Menz Shed Blenheim Salvation Army Toy Library Havelock Menzshed Picton Men's Community Shed Renwick Menz Shed Repair Cafe Ritual Cafe - CupCycling cup swap program Unwanted Household Good Project Climate Change Action Climate Karanga Marlborough Farm Stalls Daltian Figs Fresh2U Organic Food Delivery Hedgerows Hydroponic Strawberries Isobel Olives Marlborough Farmer's Market Marlborough Food Network Oaklands Milk Old Road Estate Spudz n Greens Windsong Orchard Community Garden Waitohi Picton Community Garden Marlborough Community Garden Bulk Food / BYO Container Stores Bin Inn J Bush & Sons Honey Mr. Asian Picton Environment Centre The Karaka Kitchen The Vines Village Store Williams Green Grocers Ethical Fashion Retail Op Shops Recycling Climate Change Action Conservation Organisations Alternative / Sharing Economy Community Garden Farm Stalls Bulk Food Stores Ethical Fashion Retail Ethical Fashion

  • Waitohi Picton Community Garden / Envirohub Marlborough

    Learn more about our community garden project and how you can become more involved! Waitohi Picton Community Garden Project FAQs The structure of the Waitohi Picton Community Garden will be influenced by our local community, it’s your garden after all! At the moment we are gleaning many ideas from the community, please keep them coming. We have also been communicating with other community gardens from around the country to see what has (or hasn’t) worked for them. This will provide some valuable learnings in these initial stages. There are however a few common questions that we have provided initial thinking on below. Please note that these may change as the process continues. How will it work? We envision that plots can be rented for a minimal fee by individuals, community groups, educational groups, and businesses such as cafes. Any income made from renting out plots would go back into the maintenance and management of the garden. The garden will have community plots managed by volunteers to provide fruit and vegetables for those in need and be distributed via Picton food bank, Waikawa Marae and other organisations. The garden will provide space and opportunity for workshops and educational programmes on sustainable living, organic gardening techniques, composting etc. What is the structure of the administration? The garden will be administered by Envirohub Marlborough (www.envirohub.co.nz ). Envirohub Marlborough is a Charitable Trust and has been operating since 2014. We are based in the Picton Environment Centre at 14 Auckland Street, Picton and we work in 4 key environmental areas; Sustainable Communities, Marine Conservation, Zero Waste and Conservation Kids NZ. Funding permitting, we would like to have a part-time paid coordinator. This is to avoid too much responsibility and accountability being placed on volunteers, and provide resilience to the project over time. We envision there will be a volunteer Focus Group, which will function as a 'think tank', assist with working bees and events, be a community liaison and various other roles. Where will it be located? The garden will be located in the paddock at the end of Huia and Ranui streets. This land is administered by the Marlborough District Council under the Victoria Domain Management Plan. Will it be organic? Envirohub Marlborough’s overarching ethos is to reduce our impact on the environment. Therefore, the community garden will be run using organic principles. Non-organic products may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Mentors and regular workshops will allow us all to learn about and incorporate organic practices into individual plots or at home. What about Bronte the horse? Bronte will remain on-site and contribute to the garden! What about parking? Other than working bee days, we are not envisioning large amounts of people in the garden at any one time. However, we are investigating with Council whether we can put parking inside the reserve to reduce any possible congestion on the streets. The paddock can get wet in winter, what about drainage? We will be investigating what drainage options we will need. The site is cold and dark in winter... We scoped out different potential sites for the community garden and found that this is likely to be the sunniest available. Other sites assessed were in flood zones, too small, or were already used as areas of recreation. Why do we need another community garden when there is one in Blenheim? Blenheim has a fantastic community garden and they have been very helpful and supportive of the development of one in Picton. Often travel is a barrier to gardening, so we think that a local one will give people more options that suit their needs. How much will plots cost to rent? We’re not sure yet. We will try and set a fair and reasonable amount; we don’t want the cost to inhibit people from using the garden. Some community gardens ask for volunteer time as payment so this could be an option for some plots too. Picton is a town of gardens, why do you think there is a need? Section sizes are getting smaller with greater in-filling in Picton. As well as providing space to garden, the garden will provide social and learning opportunities. We will be starting small, with the ability to grow as interest grows (pun intended!). We certainly don’t want to over-invest at this stage Where will we get water from? The Council is organising for the garden to be connected to the mains system. While we’d like to use rainwater and may set up some tanks, the reality is that we are unlikely to be able to store enough for the needs of the garden in critical dry times. We are also not intending on using the nearby stream, the stream's inhabitants would prefer the water to remain there. I live close by, I'm worried about the impact on the neighbourhood? If you have any concerns, we want to talk to you. Having a great relationship with our neighbours is critical to us and the successful running of the garden. Please contact us and we’ll make a time for one of our team to meet with you and work through your concerns. The community garden will adhere to a “Good Neighbour” policy at all times and will prevent any smell and unreasonable noise created by our activities. If you have any further questions, please get in touch at communitygarden@envirohub.co.nz or pop into the Picton Environment Centre, 14 Auckland St (Picton). Follow us on Facebook to keep up-to-date- with news www.facebook.com/pictongarden

  • Sponsorship | Envirohub

    Acerca de Sponsor Would your business like to help? Would you or your business like to help sponsor our organisation or an environmental event or workshop? We would love to hear from you. We are always seeking sponsors who share our values and vision so if you would like to discuss sponsorship options please contact us at info@envirohub.co.nz and let's chat! Thank you to our amazing past and present sponsors!!

  • Sustainable Communities | Envirohub Marlborough

    Learn more about our community garden, future living skills courses and eco-friendly retail. Sustainable Communities In light of the recent global pandemic Envirohub Marlborough acknowledges the need for increased support to create more self sufficient and sustainable households and communities in Marlborough. Our Sustainable Communities Program has three main components: Establishing and managing a community garden for all members of the Picton community. Facilitating Future Living Skills Courses from the Sustainable Living Education Trust Selling environmentally friendly and affordable sustainable living products at the Picton Environment Centre. Photos from the 2020 Future Living Skills Course with Steve and Rebekah Community Garden Envirohub Marlborough is in the process of setting up a community garden in Picton. The community garden will provide a shared space that allows locals to grow their own fruit, vegetables and plants whilst promoting a peaceful surrounding for social interaction and development, bringing our community together. We also plan for surplus vegetables from the community garden to be distributed to those in need Watch this space, we hope to be up and running early 2022! For more information contact Wendy Sullivan at pcgprojectmgr@gmail.com Future Living Skills Courses from the Sustainable Living Education Trust Envirohub Marlborough facilitates the Sustainable Living Education Trust Future Living Skills Courses. These courses explore practical and fun ways to reduce your environmental impact. The topics range from organic gardening to water and energy conservation, from waste minimisation to community resilience. The courses are run at various times throughout the year and are about finding simpler, healthier, less wasteful ways to live good quality lives here in New Zealand To learn more about the Future Living Skills Programme visit https://sustainableliving.org.nz/ To find out when the next courses will be run contact Heather Barnes at zerowaste@envirohub.co.nz Environmentally Friendly and Affordable Sustainable Retail We sell a wide range of earth friendly products at our retail location, the Picton Environment Centre. This is the home of our our social enterprise aspect of the trust but you can also find us fundraising and selling our retail at local markets and events around Marlborough. Our focus is on making these products and environmentally friendly choices accessible and affordable to our community. We work hard to ensure that not only are our products kind to the environment but they also come with packaging that can be reused, recycled or composted. All proceeds from our retail sales support the programs and campaigns of Envirohub Marlborough Charitable Trust. To find out more visit “Earth Friendly Products”

  • Kaikpupu 2018 | Envirohub

    Kaipupu Sanctuary Dec 2018 Our very first ever trip for our Pelours Members to the wild life sanctuary Our first ever trip as a Pelorous group back in 2018, we headed out to Kaipupu Wildlife Sanctuary just a 10min boat ride out of Picton. Andrew from Forest and Bird talk to the kids about different pests and traps and about some native birds in Picton before heading out to the wild life sanctuary by boat to explore! Andrew showed us all around the sanctuary, explaining the predator fence and showing how it works. The kids played games and explored the sanctuary, such a fantastic day!!

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