News & Current Events

Date: Tuesday 14th Sept
Time: 7.30pm
Location: Te Manawa, Main Street, Palmerston North
Talk: It's a hard rock life: Hawaiian conservation from a Kiwi perspective

EVERYBODY WELCOME!

Gaylynne Carter - who is a Ph.D. student in the Ecology Department of Massey University recently spent 2 weeks in Hawaii. During her time, there she was fortunate enough to spend time with a number of conservation practitioners. Gaylynne will give an illustrated presentation on her findings which confirmed her thinking that we don't know how lucky we are!

During the evening, the Department of Conservation will present awards for 'Conservation' to TWO local people in recognition of their dedication to the cause.

Date: Saturday & Sunday 4th & 5th of September
Contact: Sally Pearce (06 359 4326 or 021 256 9641)

An opportunity to participate in some 'Habitat Restoration' - join Sally Pearce & friends at 'Te One' which is approx 100 km north of Palmerston North. Car pooling is being arranged - the weekend will be mainly planting young trees.

Date: Friday / Saturday nights 24th & 25th of September
Contact: Rowan Bell (06 354 1811) or Zaneta Park (06 359 3846)

A weekend at Sixtus Lodge - Rowan Bell will lead this 'expedition' - a joint trip with the Kiwi Conservation Club.

Your chance to experience 'the great outdoors' - a good weekend away!

The Calendars are $14.00 each - the desk diaries are $22.00 each (a $3.00 saving on normal retail price).

They will be on sale at the Branch Meetings. Please make your cheques payable to "Manawatu - Forest & Bird".

If paying by cash, please try and bring the exact amount!

Date: Sunday 12 September
Time: 8.00am - 4.00pm
Location: Manawatu Gorge, Palmerston North

What you will need: The weather can change quickly. You should carry warm and waterproof clothing and wear sturdy shoes or boots. Take plenty of drinking water, and you might want a snack while you enjoy the views from the lookouts.

Contact: Donna Robert (027 432 5519) or forestbirdmanawatu@gmail.com

Here is your chance to experience the Manawatu Gorge Track, which passes through a unique landscape of steep greywacke ranges covered in native vegetation.

From either end, the track climbs steadily before levelling out for a spell high above the gorge. Five viewpoints along the way give spectacular views of the river, road, railway, reserve and nearby windfarms.

It is a one-way track from one end of the gorge to the other. Forest & Bird will provide a shuttle until 4.00pm to transport you back to your vehicle from the Ballance end carpark.

The cost of the shuttle transport is a GOLD coin donation per person.

You must register with the Forest & Bird representative stationed in the Ashhurst end carpark between 8.00am and 12.00 noon.

Weekend away at the brand new eco-friendly Forest & Bird Lodge - Mt Ruapehu.

Our weekend away on Mt Ruapehu will now be November 19th - 20th & 21st not 12th & 13th, as previously advertised.

This will be for Financial Members only!

Do you know what a New Zealand Falcon looks like? Are you sure? One of our members, Paul Vandenberg, is a brilliant photographer and is very keen to learn of recent sightings etc of the Falcon. If you have seen one (or two) in recent times, can you please let Paul know about it. His e-mail address is: paul[DOT]vandenberg[AT]xtra.co[DOT]nz (replace [DOT] with "." and [AT] with "@") His telephone number is: 027-534-9434

We at Forest & Bird (Manawatu Branch) have recently confirmed the first recipient of the Forest & Bird - Massey Scholarship. Her name is Madeleine Jardine. Madeleine is currently a second-year student undertaking a B.Sc. degree, with a double-major in Ecology and Zoology. She is very hopeful of being accepted into the Veterinary Science Programme at Massey, and then studying towards a B.V.Sc. Madeleine will perform many tasks during her scholarship year, which will ultimately lead to a stronger liaison between Massey University and the Forest & Bird (Manawatu Branch).