TRANSITION TOWN KAITAIA

PRESENTS

"ESTABLISHING A FOOD FOREST WITH GEOFF LAWTON"

At the Kaitaia Community Centre

LITTLE THEATRE

FRIDAY 14th AUGUST, 6.30PM

"This is one of the major systems that will allow us to inhabit this earth forever."

Geoff Lawton, an international permaculture designer takes us  on a journey from the theory to the practical. We watch the project grow from bare ground to a mature food forest; a stable, self-sustaining food production system.

The film covers designing, implementing and maintaining a food forest. It also suggests techniques that allow the quick establishment of a forest system, be it for food production or native revegetation.

This is a film that will appeal to everyone interested in home gardening, commercial food production, native revegetation and sustainable living.

The evening will end with an open forum to discuss the types of plants suitable for use in the New Zealand situation. Bring your friends and your plant books!

Come and join us at the Little Theatre in the Kaitaia Community Centre at 6:30pm on 14th August. Supper and discussion included.

Koha appreciated.

This article is forwarded from the Green Party Newsletter and, while we are not presenting it as the Environment Centre's opinion, we feel it is worth sharing for its relatively optimistic view of the challenges arising from climate change.

Big Affordable Climate Change

Target in Sight

Jeanette Fitzsimons, MP 04 Aug 2009 Subjects: Climate Change, Environment

New Zealand can reduce its carbon emissions dramatically and cheaply according to a study released by the Green Party today which sharply contradicts recent Government claims.

“We can have a lot of gain without much pain,” said Green Party Climate Change Spokesperson Jeanette Fitzsimons. “There’s literally money growing on trees if we want it.”

New Zealand could reduce its emissions well below 1990 levels through a series of reforms in the forestry, transport, energy and agricultural sectors, according to the Green Party research, which also concludes that the cost of buying carbon credits has been grossly distorted by the Government. “The Government says it can’t be done, but careful research shows it can be done. Environment Minister Nick Smith says it’s too hard and too expensive to set a responsible target, but the facts and the science say something different,” Ms Fitzsimons stated.

“In the absence of leadership from the Government on this issue, we’ve done the work. There’s a way to be optimistic and constructive in the face of a major international challenge but it seems the Government is taking a different path.”

In order to reach a target that is 40% below 1990 emissions levels, New Zealand must reduce emissions by 48 million tonnes (Mt) below the levels expected in 2020. It could save three-quarters of that, or more than 36 Mt of carbon emissions, according to the Green Party study. New Zealand would then have to purchase less than 12 Mt of credits to reach a 40% target and the cost for the credits would likely be $1.2b according to the study.

For a target of 30% below 1990 (or 41.8 Mt), New Zealand would need to purchase 5.6 Mt at a cost of $560 million. By contrast, the Government has claimed that New Zealand cannot make any emissions reductions, that its international commitment can only be met by purchasing carbon credits and that a 40% target would cost $15 billion.

The Green Party research shows New Zealand has choices, Ms Fitzsimons noted: “We can move to more clean energy generation, we can make our cars more fuel-efficient, we can make our dairy farms more profitable and we can invest in forestry before we have to buy credits. “We can make big gains which means we buy less than a quarter of the carbon credits in order to reach a responsible target.”

The reforms had the added benefit of future-proofing much of New Zealand’s economy, Ms Fitzsimons said. “These types of measures protect our export industries and protect us from rising oil and fertiliser prices, while strengthening our clean, green brand. This approach also helps with our current account deficit because we don’t have to buy as many credits overseas.”

The Green Party research found potential savings in the following places: Electricity 5.25 Mt, Industrial Fuels 1.9 Mt, Transport 4.7 Mt, Agriculture 2.7 Mt, Forestry Planting 10.9 Mt, Forestry Management 10.75 Mt. The research was conservative and based on the best available estimates, Ms Fitzsimons said. “We’ve compared this work with what other countries such as the UK are doing and it’s generally in line with their calculations. What’s out of line is some of the maths our Government has produced lately.”

The New Zealand Government recently calculated the potential cost to New Zealand based on a carbon price of $200/ton to reach the frightening figure of $15b, Ms Fitzsimons said, but had used a price of just $100/ton in other places. In the UK, meanwhile, the Government had taken firm and fact-based action, Ms Fitzsimons said, setting an unconditional target of a 34% reduction and is ready to go to 42% as part of a global accord. The British government had also established an independent commission to administer the plan.

The New Zealand Government is due to announce an emissions target for 2020 as part of a global agreement to be reached this year. The next international meeting on emission reduction targets begins in Bonn next week. “We could hold our heads high at Bonn and Copenhagen with only modest cost if we offered 30% unconditionally and 40% if other developed countries made similar commitments,” said Ms Fitzsimons. 

Authorised by: Jon Field, 73 Eden Street, Wellington. Copyright © 1996-2009 The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand

BigAffordableClimateChange_1.pdf

Hi Everyone,

The first Transition Kaitaia Cafe Evening was held at The Herb Shack recently.

There was lively discussion on the subject of Community Currencies including Local Exchange and Trading Systems (LETS or 'Green Dollars') and Time Banking. By the end of the evening a Community Currency Working Group had formed.

The first meeting of the Commmunity Currency Working Group will be held from 5 - 7pm, Monday 10th August at The Sea Dragon Restaurant, Commerce Street, Kaitaia. If you are interested in learning about how community currencies work and could be used in Kaitaia, please come along.

For more information call Rebecca Ranum on 409 3077 or John Kenderdine on 406 7774.

Nau mai,

Haire mai,

Welcome

Public Meeting to Promote a Community Development Plan For the Whangaroa Area

Memorial Hall Kaeo

6.30pm Monday 10th August

Community Development Planning

A Community Development Plan is an exercise undertaken by a representative group from a community, at the invitation of the Far North District Council. An officer of the Council assists the community with the process, but the community essentially creates the plan.

Basically, the Community Development Plan produced by the community is an expression of how the community would like its town to develop over the next 15-20 year period. The plan is given a guiding, ‘visioning statement’ which sets the over all tone of the plan and describes the direction the community want to go in. The plan is also normally broken into sections which focus on areas of interest for the community, such as environmental issues, educational, recreational and cultural concerns and business opportunities.

When a draft plan has been created, the group responsible for its creation seek endorsement from the community. Once the community is satisfied the plan express’s their desires for the future, the final plan is presented to the Council’s Community Board. Once the plan is in Council, Department Managers advise on the feasibility, costs and possible timeframes for projects Council might be involved with. Normally, a plan contains material which involves Regional Council, other agencies and Central Government issues also. The Council can sometimes assist the community to work with these other groups.

Essentially, a ‘Community Development Plan’ can be seen as a Blueprint’ for a community’s future in that it can serve as a rallying point for community action, because many of the projects in a plan can be conducted by the community themselves. It can also be viewed as a communal submission to Council planning processes, such as the LTCCP, because the plan goals, if adopted by Council, will guide Council’s own planning, activity and expenditure.

A community development plan can only be effective if it is created and driven by a broad range of committed people from all parts of the community. It also requires strong, positive interest from the wider community, who need to ensure their concerns and idea for the future of their town are reflected by the plan.

This is the third public meeting in a series to develop the planning process. Please feel welcome to attend on Monday evening, and play a part in the future of your community. The intention of the meeting will be to confirm the Vision, elect the Working Party and finalise the Focus Groups.

Agenda for 10.08.09.doc

This message was sent in by Wendy Sporle and is directed primarily at people working on kiwi projects. However, the attached draft Taxon Plan contains a wealth of information about the current state of Northland's kiwi populations and suggested ways of supporting their continuation. As such, it is a valuable resource for initiating discussion or informing research about kiwi in your own neighbourhood.

Please direct any questions or returned comment forms to Wendy at kiwendi@xtra.co.nz

Planning for Kiwi Recovery

Morning kiwi workers or people interested in kiwi work

Please find attached the draft Northland North Island Brown Taxon Plan. This is the first Plan (out of the 11 around NZ) to get to this stage and we can be thankful to the commitment of its writer Nic Renwick and all who have contributed.

This document has been written following a round of public meetings in 2008.

The views of those meetings has been captured into this, the guiding document for all kiwi work on northland brown kiwi. It is a long document but this demonstrates the complexity of kiwi work and how much you all are doing.

Once finalised it will be an important document which you can base work-plans on and where funders will look to clarify the overall strategic direction for Northland kiwi work.

It's creation has been through a genuine engagement process and it is a document which belongs to all of you.

Please look through it. Especially the goals and implementation sections. I have highlighted some especially important sections to focus you onto them.

The maps are not included as they are too large. If you would like to see the maps, email me and I will create some small files and send back.

Please also ensure you check that the information about your project in the project table and the appendices is correct. 

I have attached two submission forms. One which can be printed and posted and one which can be filled in electronically. Both forms need to be sent to me by the 24th August please.

We have also planned a meeting to discuss the draft. This will be at Kingston House, Kerikeri on the 31 August starting from 10am. Please RSVP if you are able to attend as we need to arrange the catering.

Can project managers please distribute as they see fit. Thanks

All the best and thank you again

Regards

Wendy

(Kiwi Recovery Group sponsor of this Plan)

Wendy Sporle

BNZ Save the Kiwi

National Mentor for Advocacy

1601 Diggers Valley Road

RD1 Kaitaia  0481

TaxonPlan_NTHLD_MASTER_13-07-09_2ND EDIT (2).pdf

Northland Taxon plan comments form for electronic filling out.doc

Northland Taxon plan comments form for printing and hand filling out.doc

On Monday this week Taitokerau Organic Producers Society (TOPIS) and their organic gardening enthusiast partners celebrated Kohukohu Primary School's achievement in winning Te Manawhenua Challenge 2009.

This challenge is to encourage our Maori youth to go back to the whenua and do planting - whether it's a vege garden, flower garden, landscaping with native trees or just something art inspired - as long as it's a garden exercise using whenua and done by youth in Taitokerau.

Last year's winners were from Paremata, Hokianga so the trophy, carved by Pene Werohia for the challenge, hasn't travelled very far. The other districts of Taitokerau will have to do better to take the trophy, affectionately named 'Rongo', away from Hokianga! Other prizes, sponsored by Taitokerau Organic Inc Society and supporters were a cheque for $500 and seeds and garden resources to help with their next garden entry for 2010.

The idea of recognising youth working the whenua has been a very successful concept and Taranaki and Ngati Porou are determined to start their own Manawhenua Challenge competition in their tribal areas. In the meantime the Challenge is attracting a great deal of interest in Taitokerau with many schools and community groups gearing up to make their gardens highly productive in terms of kai, whanaungatanga and learning for 2010.

We congratulate the principal of Kohukohu Primary school, Tanya Filia, and her staff and community for supporting her gardening group in this effort of connecting our taitamaariki with their tupuna and whenua through the medium of gardening.

Thanks to our sponsors Radio Tautoko 92.8FM, TOPIS, Te Oranga and Far North Environment Centre for this year's support.

Rueben Porter

TOPIS Chairman 2009

More than 30 residents, loosely representing a range of community interests, came to the initial Community Development Plan meeting at Taipa Bay Resort on June 24. Called by Ken Ross, Community Development Officer for the Far North District Council, the meeting marked the start of the CDP process which has been initiated by the District Council to give smaller townships and localities around the Far North the opportunity to have a say in forward planning, identifying priorities in terms of social, economic and environmental goals that emerge from the residents’ shared vision of the future.

With each locality having a unique environment, differing challenges and its particular social mix, the planning process allows a tailor made ‘road map’ to emerge which will then inform the Council’s planning and policy for 10 or more years.

The Taipa/Oruru area was selected roughly along catchment area lines, i.e. the land that drains to the Taipa estuary, so includes Oruru/Peria and right up Honeymoon Valley, Fern Flat and Paranui. However those boundaries are not fixed and the next few meetings will establish the community that wishes to be involved in creating an integrated plan.

 At the June meeting, concerns were raised that while those present came from a range of different interest groups, many other groups were absent and should be encouraged to bring their input to subsequent meetings. Many Marae around the north are working on their own resource management documents and it is hoped that some will bring the insights gained from this process to the community meetings. Likewise, business interests, fisherman (both commercial and recreational), sports groups, farmers and youth were identified as sectors that were under-represented at the June meeting and their voices need to be heard if the planning process is to have credibility, so please hand this notice on to your contacts.

The next meeting will take place at Taipa Bay Resort on Wednesday July 29, starting at 7 pm. All are welcome.

Please find attached below the Winter 2009 issue of NRC's CoastCare Northland News:

Coastcare Newsletter Autumn - Winter 2009.pdf

For more information on CoastCare Northland, please click here.