Waimakariri Environmental Awards now open
Have you been involved with wetland restoration, pest control, pollution protection or planting work? The Waimakariri Environmental Awards are now open for entries!
The Waimakariri Water Zone Committee and Waimakariri District Council are looking for community champions who help uphold the mana of our local biodiversity and waterways.
You have until the end of July to enter on behalf of yourself or another person, community group, school, organisation or company you believe is making a difference in our zone through environmental work.
The judges are searching for environmental champions from all parts of the community and all age groups.
There are three categories to apply for: Individual, group or youth and applications can be submitted through the Waimakariri District Council website.
Will you be a winner?
To make sure your application impresses the judges, remember to explain how the person or group you're nominating is meeting one or more of these judging criteria:
- improving monitoring of ground and surface water
- increasing indigenous biodiversity
- promoting the natural character of braided rivers (particularly of the Ashley/Rakahuri)
- enhancing environmentally stable recreation/amenities
- improving mahinga kai.
Remember, you need to supply photos and it always helps to include supplementary information like evidence you might have of the impact made.
Last year’s winners – where are they now?
Last year, the awards celebrated Noelene Francis, Silverstream Reserve (Individual), the Oxford Dark Sky Project (Group) and Cust School (Youth).
Noelene Francis - Silverstream Reserve
Silverstream Reserve is a popular 52-hectare recreation reserve in Clarkville. It was developed through the significant efforts of neighbours, the local community and Waimakariri District Council.
For more than 10 years, Noelene has been leading volunteers twice a week to undertake planting and maintenance work at the reserve. Through the work of this group and others like it, approximately 50,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted at the reserve and more than 1,000 predators caught — creating a vast and valuable habitat for native birds and insects.
One of the species that’s found refuge in the reserve is the endemic Golden Copper Butterfly. To celebrate this beautiful insect, Noelene and the volunteer group are planning a music festival called ‘Golden Copper Sounds’. The prize money from the award will help towards purchasing seating for a performance area in the reserve.
Noelene was delighted, if a bit embarrassed by the honour, telling us "we have a great team of volunteers and it was wonderful to have Silverstream Centre Stage for a while.”
Volunteers working hard planting at Silverstream Reserve
Oxford Forest Dark Sky Reserve
The Oxford Dark Sky Group is a collective of more than 25 local community groups and agencies working on restoring and preserving the dark sky in their area by reducing light pollution.
Since winning the group category of the awards for their efforts, Oxford Forest has become New Zealand’s second officially accredited Dark Sky Park.
“The awards were a great event for us because they raised awareness about our project and what we are trying to do,” said Raul Elias-Drago, the group’s project lead.
They chose to receive plants as their prize which were then gifted to the neighbouring farms that had helped to gain the international accreditation, and to the Department of Conservation for their support throughout.
Looking to the future, the group will continue their work to maintain their official Dark Sky Park status and expand the protected area's size to a reserve that includes the Oxford township.
Oxford Forest Conservation Area is located in Oxford, North Canterbury
Cust School – Youth Award
Cust School won the Youth Award for their efforts in investigating the health of the water race behind their school and their plans to restore it.
Their project began with an invertebrate survey to find out about the state of the waterway. Unfortunately, their investigation showed that the water race was in poor health.
They started by removing rubbish they had noticed during their investigation - pulling out tyres, cones, rubbish and 34 sports balls!
The students are now on a mission to see what else they can do to improve this water race or local nearby ones.
They've been working with our Enviroschools Facilitators Siobhán Culhane and Dan Cameron from Waimakariri Irrigation to evaluate their findings about this water race and decide on the best way to use their prize money to improve water quality in their local area.
Cust School students carrying out an invertebrate survey
The Environmental Awards - a winner with the community
Waimakariri Water Zone Committe Chair Carolyne Latham was impressed with both the range and the quality of applications that came through last year.
“We had a really interesting range of applications, it's amazing the great work going on out there, and I can't wait to see who we hear from this year,” said Carolyne.
This year’s award winners will be recognized during the Waimakariri District Council’s Community Awards planned for later in the year.
Visit the Waimakariri District Council’s Let’s Talk page for more information on the application process and how to put your best foot forward.