P.S.S. Solid Gold!

Just in case you are missing those hits of the 1960s and 70's, here is the link for Solid Gold FM so that you can hear those familiar Gatorwaka sounds via live streaming. Enjoy!

P.S. Survey Answers

The most abundant mammal on the South Island of New Zealand is the brush tail possum (70 million possums, 14 million sheep, one million people).  

The only mammals native to New Zealand are a few bat species.

August 4, 2010 Safe Travels!

Our class left this evening for the long flights home.  May the journey be safe and not too tiring!

Wednesday, August 4th, 2010 - The Journey Home and Beyond

Kia Ora.  Having been emersed in Kiwi and Maori culture for the past five weeks will make the journey back to American culture another adventure.  Our students will take with them lasting memories of the challenges and opportunities of what not only New Zealand faces, but what the rest of the world faces as well.  Preserving biological diversity, conserving resources, and maintaining a balance between natural and human built environments are key to a sustainable future.  And, it will take all of us with our diverse backgrounds to come together in many different ways to help make lasting change for a bright future.  


Dear students, we hope that what you have experienced with us in New Zealand will help shape the decisions you make for our future in exciting and positive ways.  We thank you for giving of yourselves openly with your hearts and minds so that our time together could be such a special learning opportunity for us all.  We have really loved being with all of you, touring the wop-wops, and sharing a daily cuppa. Sweet As!

From the land of the long white cloud, safe and happy travels!  See you in the land of the flowers (La Florida).  With a special Hongi and hug to each of you, m&m

Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010 - A Time of Celebration and Good Memories

While it was a free day, much of it was spent finishing course journals and the slide show and preparing for the last get together at night at the Famous Grouse Hotel and Restaurant.  We gathered together the students, lecturers, and friends - all essential in making our adventures successful and fun!  With thanks, we celebrated our time together and enjoyed a music video by Jamm and Tupelo along with a slide show of our New Zealand experience.  Not wanting to think about going home, we relived memorable times together over the last five weeks.  Special thanks to our students for diving into our adventures with great enthusiasm, our guest lecturers for sharing their time and expertise, and our friends and families for their support.  Thanks also to our students for the special Koha treasures - very thoughtful and special.  They, and especially our time together, will be cherished.


P.S.  Too bad it was cloudy so we missed out on the Southern Lights!

Monday, August 2nd, 2010 - White Flippered Penguins and Willowbank Reserve

Monday morning and afternoon were left to class decision, and our gang decided they wanted to try to see White Flippered Penguins that were rumored to be nesting off the Banks Peninsula.  Mark contacted a scientist working with this endangered species.  With permission and tips on how to see them, we were off to see what we could see.  Despite rain, we worked our way over to the surfer's beach and batches at Taylor's Mistake and set off along the Godley Head Track.  

Mark took some time to explain that because this particular species of penguin only nests in this one spot and off a small island off the coast of this area, the Center for Biological Diversity (based in California) who petitioned to have several species of penguins listed as endangered because of global warming issues included the White Flippered Penguin on the list.  Our adventure took us through a predator fence (still being erected) and down a long steep ladder to a rocky coastline where nest boxes had been constructed along a 200 meter stretch of the coastline to help facilitate both nesting and scientific observation/study.  

We carefully peeked into the next boxes along the stretch of coastline and were able to see a total of six penguins!  An amazing and surreal experience for all!

Monday evening we experienced Willowbank Reserve.  Willowbank cares for New Zealand wildlife that occurs both naturally in the country as well as species that are part of the country's history (i.e., species that were introduced by colonists over time).  Some of these species are domestic such as chickens and horses, others have become pest species such as wallabies and possums.  The park seeks to educate residents and visitors as to the heritage and challenges New Zealand's animal species bring to the table.  Our nighttime tour also included native New Zealand species where we saw our first Tuatara, Kiwi, and Morepork.

An additional tour was to experience Ko Tane - a Maori cultural performance.  We all had a wonderful time, and our gals got to give Poi a go and 

our guys got to give the haka a go as part of the show.  

Experiencing the strong and beautiful singing voices of the women and a true Haka were, again, amazing experiences.  

Following our tours we had dinner at Willowbank and had a chance to thank Colin, Tupelo, Jamm and Meryl for their assistance with the course, and of course the students for their enthusiasm and sense of adventure for making the course a success.

P.S.  It is lambing season on the Banks Peninsula and the hills are alive with the sounds of baby lambs.

Sunday, August 1, 2010

Free time!

July 31st Washpen Falls- Meurky Walk

The group at the top of Washpen Falls - a bit windy!

Today we took a hike at Washpen Falls in Canterbury.  Washpen Falls got its name indirectly from sheep.  European farmers thought that their wool would sell better in England if it was washed.  Therefore, before the sheep were shorn, the sheep got a bath in the creek.  Pens were built in the creek and voila – Washpen Creek!   The hike is on a farmer’s property that not only includes a working farm, but a beautiful gorge that is covered in both native and exotic vegetation.  It was a bit blustery this day with a norwester blowin’ but we donned on our gear and headed up the track.  Lots of Bellbirds were singing around us as we hiked up the trail. 

The gorge was once used by the Maori to trap and kill the giant moa.  They would herd these giant, flightless birds into the gorge and killed them with spears.  Along the trail were several large lava boulders that were blown from volcanic activity 89 million years ago.  Also along the way, we saw several white circles painted on the canyon walls by the late Tom Stone.  These targets were used by the home guard for training during World War II.

Our intrepid scientist, Dr. Colin Meurk, identified a number of different plant species along the trail.  One of these plants were beech trees (genus Sophora), which are endemic to New Zealand.  The trees we passed where covered with a black velvety fungus called Sooty Mould.  In the Sooty Mould there were hundreds of hairlike projections, each with a drop of liquid on the end.  This liquid is sweet honeydew, which is a mixture of sugars excreted by small, scale insects (Homoptera) that feed on the sap from the trees. .  All of us tried a little of this liquid – good even with the knowledge it is the excrement of a small insect! Honeydew feeds a number of different species including bellbirds, lizards, tuis, and bees.  Bees use this liquid to make a unique honey called Honeydew honey.

Washpen Falls

Irina licking some honeydew off of a beech tree.

Kristin giving here best troll face.

Temple Basin trip-July29th and 30th

Thursday morning we met up in front of the dorms, gathered in the gator waka, and headed out once again towards Arthur’s Pass National Park. Our destination this time was to Temple Basin, a ski lodge in the Southern Alps. On the way, had tea time at the ever popular café in Arthur’s pass, where curious Keas are easily spotted. Soon after we made it to the area where we began our strenuous hike straight up the mountain side and to the lodge. The hike was tough, and making it to the top was a great accomplishment. It was worth the effort though, the view of the mountains around us were breathtaking. 

Temple Basin

Once there, we settled in and signed up for our ski gear. A few of us had never skied before, some had experience and the rest were able to snowboard. It was a bit of a challenge for those who couldn’t ski but all in all everyone had an exciting day. Afterwards, we went in for dinner and hung out in the main hall playing ping pong and cards. 

Friday morning we were up and ready to hit the slopes once more. While the others went to the other side of the mountain to ski, Kristin, Dania, and I decided we would take skiing lessons. Our instructor was a really cool Kiwi named Alex. He was very patient and encouraging. He made skiing much more enjoyable for us three Floridians. We all became very confident in how to side step in the skis, how to slide down slopes, and how to direct ourselves. 

After a morning of fun skiing, we all went inside for lunch before it was time for us to leave the lodge.  We gathered up our things and headed down the mountain, trying very hard not to slip on the icy ground. In the end, we all had a great time staying a night in the Southern Alps, and once again had an amazing adventure in the land of the long white cloud. 

-Julianna

July 28, 2010- How to change the world

Dr. Will Allen was born on a small family farm on the North Island of New Zealand. Little did he know that on July 28th, year 2010, he would give a talk that would change the lives of 10 American students. He titled it "Solutions for Creating a Sustainable Culture." All joking aside, it was a very informative talk. We learned many things about the way that people make decisions and changes in their lives. It is not possible to create change in a community that is disjoint. When one side of the community wants to build a ditch to prevent flooding and save their houses, they don't understand when environmentalists say no because it will harm fragile freshwater habitats. Talking with and educating the people of a community about the environmental issues is as important as discovering researching the issues themselves. In the photo above we see our teacher acting the veritable Vanna White while Dr. Allen explains how everyone has a different idea of what a sustainable culture would look like. In one group activity, Dr. Allen told us to write down 10 words that defined conservation to us and then to share them with our group. We are in comparable studies, but no group came up with one similar word to define conservation. So if people with similar mindsets can't define this the same way, how would we expect a whole community to do so? The message sent here today was that we have a long way to go to become a sustainable culture, but that hopefully one day, it will actually be possible. So these 10 American students left with a higher knowledge and an even greater longing to change the world.

Kira

July 27, 2010 - Cricket!

This morning we learned how to play Cricket.  The Tuataras took on The Snipe Hunters in a rousing game that was played in a strong southerly wind with scattered showers.  Despite the cold and damp, we all had a good time and were thankful that the match only lasted a few hours instead of the few days that traditional play would.  That left plenty of time to have lunch near Poplar Lanes and spend the afternoon exploring Christchurch.

Looking up at art in The Lanes, Christchurch, NZ

Banks Peninsula Conservation

Today we met Pam Richardson, a landowner in Pigeon Harbour (Banks Peninsula). She is living proof that the community can make a lot of change when it does its share. She has many hectares of land on which she grows crops and raises sheep and cattle. What she also does on this land, which seems to be a rare contribution so far among landowners in that area but a very admirable one, is populate the hills with native plants. The pastures across the harbor and most that I have seen here in New Zealand are either infested with gorse or completely bare with no plant life but grass. Pam and her family have planted natives all over the hills and they are taking really nicely to the land. The shrubs and trees provide shade for the grazers and shelter from the wind as well as restoring the biodiversity back to New Zealand. Pam is part of the Conservation program and takes part in many discussions about different plans for Banks Peninsula. There are only fifty people living in that region which is why it is so important for the landowners to all share their ideas with each other and spread knowledge. The hope is that as more people hear this method of conservation and see it implemented, they will follow along. It was really cool to see the sheep ultrasound images when they were checking to see if they were pregnant with one or two. We also got to see a mussel farm there and they showed us the different kinds of wool, and the picture included is of a Keruru, or New Zealand Wood Pigeon. Later in the day we went to Birdling's Flat and saw sand dunes; the beach is so beautiful.
Katie Black

Free weekend July 23rd-25th

 Mitre Point at Milford Sound

View of Queenstown from the gondola

Woke up extra early on Friday along with Seth, Ashley, Kirstin and Dania at around 6am. It was worth it though because we had to catch an early morning flight into Queenstown from Christchurch. After a very generous ride from Meryl, we got on the plane and about 45 minutes later we were in Queenstown. We spent the day walking around the shops and checking into our hostel. Queenstown was very unique. I loved how everyone walked around either carrying a snowboard or skis, making it an ideal skiing town. While Dania set out to try her hand at rock climbing, the others and I took the Queenstown gondola up a mountain to where we had tea time in a café.  Seth, Ashley and I tried out luging which was so much fun. That night we ate at the famous burger restaurant, Fergburger, and it was the best burgers we've all ever had.

Riding in the gondola

The next day, Saturday, had to get up extra early again in order to get on the coach ride to Milford Sound. It took a good while to get to Fiordland national park from Queenstown, but the scenery on the way was amazing. On the way we made one stop at Lake Te Anau, New Zealand's second largest lake, to have tea time. Driving through the national park was breathtaking and the tour bus made a few stops so we could capture some photos of the natural landscape made up of beech forest and snow-covered mountains.

Lake Te Anu

Fiordland National Park, largest national park in New Zealand.

When we made it to Milford sound, we hopped on a cruise that took us out in-between the mountains. It was definitely one of the most spectacular things I’ve seen. At one point we were directly under a waterfall. It’s so fascinating to think that that region was once a valley covered by a glacier. Sunday was our flight back into Christchurch and we basically just spent the afternoon relaxing from a wonderful free weekend. 

  

Cheers! -Julianna

Thursday July 22nd Rainy Day Lectures and Visit to Addington LID Project

Kia ora koutou,
     Today started off with two lectures at Landcare Research. Our first lecture was from Dr. Dean Anderson on mammal pests in New Zealand.  He discussed how a lot of the pest mammals were introduced by British Acclimatization Societies to help make New Zealand feel more like the home country. Pest animals include possums, deer, rodents, etc...and non-mammals like Canadian Geese, certain fish and some reptiles. Current methods of control include 1080 bait drops and trapping. Dr. Anderson stressed the fact that biological research and technology need to advance new (and hopefully more "humane") ways to eradicate and/or control the pests for successful future preservation and restoration of New Zealand's unique biodiversity.  Robert Watts presented our second lecture on Christchurch waterways. The city was built on a swamp and waterway management originally consisted completely of drainage projects. Mr. Watts has been instrumental in convincing the city council to use a values-based approach to waterway management and shown by the example of Corsers Stream how natural treatment and day-lighting of waterways is an asset; costs less to maintain (and sometimes develop); and increases the value of the property.  
         After lunch at Lincoln, we traveled to Addington, a suburb of Christchurch.  Peter Wehrmann showed us how the city retrofitted an existing, dilapidated subdivision with different styles of experimental rain gardens to create an LID (low-impact design) development. It was interesting to see the differences between American-style rain gardens and Kiwi-style which result from different management preferences and different ecological challenges. The project also included a green corridor to help treat, reclaim, and transport stormwater in an artful way that becomes an amenity and also helps educate the community.   

Lastly, we went to see the Addington Bush and Mike Peters of the Addington Bush Society. In the early 90's, a group of neighboring landowners decided to all donate a piece of their connecting backyards to create a small bush reserve. Through great debate and hands-on learning, they created a now-protected reserve in the middle of the city. It's a wonderful example of how enthusiastic and hardworking people can recreate biodiversity out of vegetable plots and turf. No one in the group had any substantial knowledge in the subject originally! Though they are mostly in a management stage now, they hope to continuing introducing native plants and begin to monitor the wildlife that also uses the area. All in all it was a very educational day. The next three days are free time for the group, with five of us going to Queenstown and Milford Sound and the rest taking day trips from Lincoln including activities like skiing and rock climbing!
A tōnā wā e hoa.

Arohanui,
Ashley

July 21, 2010

Kia Ora!
     Our day started off early with a trip into Christchurch for a few presentations. Our first stop was at Environment Canterbury, or ECan, for a talk with Wayne McCallum, the Regional Biodiversity Coordinator. His presentation revolved around the Canterbury Biodiversity Strategy (http://www.canterburybiodiversity.org.nz/). Wayne discussed why there was a cascading order of biodiversity strategies and how they are used in their projects. What stood out the most to me was how ECan has been able to get the community involved in everything they do. Hopefully we can have the same community involvement and enthusiasm back home!

     Once we finished at ECan, we headed to the Christchurch City Council offices for a few more presentations. First up was Trevor Partridge, who spoke to us about managing biodiversity in urban areas. He talked about the regulatory framework and governance structure behind planning in the city. It was made clear that implementing biodiversity projects is not an easy process. Zoe Dewson spoke to us afterwards about managing waterway biodiversity in the city. In the past, Christchurch waterways were primarily managed for the comfort of its residents. Now they are managed for multiple values: ecology, landscape, recreation, heritage, culture, and drainage. This change in management practices results in higher biodiversity and better water quality. The overall message I got from today's lectures was that projects that aim to increase biodiversity require a lot of planning and community involvement.

      After dinner, Mark drove us into Lyttleton to watch a local band, The Eastern Family, at a place called Wunderbar. It was a really cool and funky bar that looked as if it used to be a thrift store. The entire band wasn't performing but the music was still great. We even bought their album! Altogether, it was a fun way to end the day.

The Eastern Family

-Dania