North Canterbury News: September 09, 2021

Take a moment to
Te Wiki TiakiAoTūroa 4–12 Mahuru 2021
Conservation Week 4–12 September 2021
conservationweek.org.nz
Embrace nature during Conservation Week
People are being encouraged to take a
moment for nature at home, or online,
during the 52nd annual Conservation
Week, ending September 12.
Department of Conservation Director
General Lou Sanson says this year’s
Conservation Week focus has changed to
reflect the changing Covid­19 Alert
Levels.
‘‘Our health and wellbeing are
strengthened when we connect with
nature, which is so important now,’’ says
Mr Samson.
Arecent New Zealanders in the
Outdoors survey showed aclear link
between mental and physical health and
the outdoors.
The survey asked respondents to
describe the key benefits of spending
time outdoors: 41 percent referenced
their mental health as amotivation, 35%
referenced physical health, and 34%
cited adesire for connection with
nature.
Getting away from everyday routine
and reflecting were also considered
important.
‘‘Our team of rangers and fabulous
community and iwi groups around the
country had lots of great events planned,
which we hope we will be able to hold at
some point, but nature is adaptable, and
so are we.
‘‘Instead, we have come up with
innovative ways to make Conversation
Week happen online and at home with
activities to connect people to nature –
there is something for everyone.”
‘‘It’s great to see ahuge range of nontraditional
nature connection activities
for people to get their nature fix at the
moment, and our thousands of walks,
camps, and huts will be ready for you
when it’s safe to return to the outdoors.’’
Snap nature and win
Show us how you have taken a
moment for nature and win some
amazing conservation prizes.
In partnership with North
CanterburyNews, the Department of
Conservation, North Canterbury, is
running aphotocompetition to
celebrate Conservation Week.
Just send us an image of how you
have taken alocal moment for nature
over the next few weeks in the
distribution areacovered by North
CanterburyNews —the Waimakariri,
Hurunui and Kaikouradistricts.
Images can be of:
Celebrating nature –sharing your
favourite nativearea and image
Discovering nature ­native bird,
plant, insectorany other native
species aroundyou
Enjoying being in nature–walking,
mountain biking, hunting, fishing,
swimming or just sitting and thinking
Caring for nature ­planting atree,
pulling some weeds, clearing, or
setting atrap
Firstprize:Goodnature® A24 Rat &
StoatTrap (Worth $199).This gas
canisteroperated resetting trap
automatically kills rats, stoatsand
mice.
Second prize: DOC annualback
country hut pass (Worth$144). Keep it
for yourself to stay in any DOC
backcountrystandardand serviced
DOC huts,orgift it to afriend.
Thirdprize: A$75 gift voucher to
spendatthe Arthur’s PassVisitor
Centre.
Fourth prize: A$50 voucherfrom DOC
Motukarara Nurserywhich
specialises in germinating and
growing locally sourced Canterbury
native plants.
Just emailareasonable sized
imagesuitable for publication
(minimum 1MB, max 2MB) to
info@ncnews.co.nz.
Entriesclose5pm Friday,
Enjoying nature . Loburn School
students on the Kereru Loop Track at the
Mt Thomas Conservation area. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
September 24.
Include your name, address,
contactemail, phone number, and the
locationofthe image.
Imageswill be judged by the North
Canterbury News team. Winning
entries will be published in the North
Canterbury News in the 30 September
2021paper.
The DOC North Canterbury team
willcontactthe winning entries to
supply the prizes.
The North Canterbury News and
DOC reserve the righttouse the
winning imagesfor any furtheruse /
publication, crediting the
photographer.
For all otherimages, we will
contact you for approval if we would
like to use them for publication /
website, ensuring the photographeris
credited.
Protecting nature ... The Ashley Gorge Track and Trapping group. From left Keegan
Brenmer, Emma Warwick, Bailey Baker and John Burton.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
Love nature in Covid times
What better time than alockdown to stop
and take notice of the naturearound you?
As well as discovering nature in your
back yard,inAlert Level2,you can visit the
native forests, reserves,parks,rivers and
beaches thatCanterburyhas to offer,so
this is an opportune time to explore.
Both doc.govt.nz and conservationweek.
org.nz websites provide awealth of
information and activitiesonhow you can
take amoment to notice /protect /celebrate/
nurture /remember /discover nature during
Conservation Week.
Suggestions on howtoembrace nature
any time:
Downloadanew nature wallpaper for
your phone lock screenorfor your next
digital meeting;
Go for avirtual walk to find penguins,
kakapo, or simply soak the views on a
GreatWalk;
Join acitizen science project;
Boost your wellbeing withDOCs
immersive digital nature experiencesby
tuning into our sound hub for podcasts,
nature audio and visual soundscapes.
Join the dailyConservation Week quiz at
conservationweek.org.nz;
Findmore inspiration on our
Conservation Blog for easy activities you
can do fromhome includingpot plants,
coffeewith nature, and nature
photography;
Wanttobecome an approved userof
VespexWasp Bait in time for late
summer? Now is agood timetogoonline
to learn more and take the test so you can
purchase the bait in the future. www.
merchento.com/vespex.
Takeamoment to refresh in nature on
your next dog walk. The DOCfoothill
forests, and Hanmer ForestPark are all
dog friendly. Readour blog to get some tips
and tricksfor when you are out withyour
dog.
Collect ToyotaKiwi Guardian (TKG)
medals. There are nine TKG adventure
sites in Christchurch and North
Canterbury,along with 16 activities where
you can earn action medals.
Do afive­minute bird countinyour
garden or local park, find out how on:
www.doc.govt.nz/our­work/five­minutebird­counts/.
Take a moment to
Take a moment to
Take a moment to
Take a moment to
Photos LtoR:Juriah Mosin (Shutterstock), Sabine Bernert, Sustainable Coastlines (www.flickr.com/photos/sustainablecoastlines), Sabine Bernert and Nick Graham.