Canterbury Resource Management Award Winners 2006
November 1, 2006
MEDIA RELEASE
Canterbury Resource Management Award Winners 2006
Orana Wildlife Trust is this year’s supreme Canterbury environmental achiever.
The Trust won this year’s Supreme Award in the Canterbury Resource Management Awards 2006.
The biennial awards, which celebrate the efforts of people living in the Canterbury region who are improving their environment and promoting sustainability of natural and man-made resources, were announced today by Hon. David Parker, Climate Change Minister.
Orana Wildlife Trust, which runs Orana Wildlife Park on 80 hectares of land on Christchurch’s northern border, won for its conservation, habitat restoration, environmental education and waste reduction programmes. The judges said Orana Park is making a significant contribution to the conservation of some of New Zealand’s highly endangered biodiversity and offers excellent educational programmes and experiences, raising awareness of conservation issues. Orana Park also won the professional/institutional category and was a joint winner of the Target Zero Award for business resource efficiency.
The individual category winner was North Canterbury resident Greg Bennett for his contribution to Amberley Beach Coast Care projects, which include restoring a lagoon, wetlands and native flora.
The community category winner was the Summit Road Society for its Ohinetahi Bush Reserve at Governors Bay on Banks Peninsula where the Society has been working on enhancing and restoring native biodiversity since 1992.
Joint winners of the commercial/industrial category were Fonterra’s Clandeboye Dairy Factory, South Canterbury, for its eco-efficiency and wastewater disposal programmes, and the Selwyn District Council’s Hot Rot composting plant, at Rolleston, south of Christchurch.
Fonterra’s two programmes involve minimising the amount of waste generated, and the volume of waste sent to landfills. In addition, its irrigation farm provides a way to dispose of wastewater.
Fonterra was also a joint winner with Orana Park, of the Target Zero award for business resource efficiency.
Selwyn District Council’s Hot Rot composting system, developed by Canesis Network Ltd at Lincoln, minimises the quantity of organic waste being sent to landfills.
Fulton Hogan Canterbury was highly commended in this category for its100 per cent recycled roading project - Golf Links Road in Christchurch’s suburb of Shirley, which it undertook as a demonstration project.
Judges in this category also commended Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools, Winstone Wallboards and the Ultimate Car Café (Addington, Christchurch) for projects related to water conservation and water quality. Judges also commended the Waitek Shower Monitor and Timaru’s Tyr-mesh, both for being innovative products.
R D Hughes Holdings Ltd won Landcare Research’s Special Award for the integrated, environmentally-sensitive design concepts being incorporated into its Ocean Ridge housing development at Kaikoura.
Landcare Research also presented a Merit Award to Kaikoura High School and its eco-council in recognition of their practical approach to environmental education.
The Sustainable Business Network’s four “Get Sustainable Challenge Winners” were:
- Peel Forest Outdoor Centre for providing an opportunity for users to experiment with use of “green” technologies and living within resource limits.
- Youth Hostels Association for its recycling and energy efficiency programme that involves both staff and guests.
- Capital Investment Planning Ltd for its commitment to social responsibility and ethical investment.
- Solar water heating company H2 Flow for involving its staff in sustainability and its policy of using local suppliers.
Highly Commended in the Target Zero special category for business resource efficiency was Ashburton Meat Processors for its worm farm and office recycling programme.
The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) Award went to Energy Mad for its energy efficient light bulb programme.
The inaugural Te Mata o te Tuatara Te Rünanga o Ngäi Tahu Special Heritage Award was won jointly by Ngäi Tahu Mäori Rock Art Trust and Meridian Energy for their commitment to protecting and raising awareness of Mäori rock art sites.
The Environment Canterbury Award for excellence in environmental journalism was awarded to Press rural reporter Tim Cronshaw, for two articles on the future of irrigation in Canterbury.
The Future Environmentalist Award joint winners were Sarah Smith, a year 12 student at Kaikoura High School and Tom Baker, a year 13 student at St Bede’s College, Christchurch.
The awards are hosted every two years by Environment Canterbury with support from Landcare Research, the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority, Te Rünanga o Ngäi Tahu, the Target Zero Business Network and the Sustainable Business Network.
For details about
the awards, please contact Chris Macann, Resource Management
Awards project leader, Environment Canterbury, 03 353 9735
or 021 878 001 or email chris.macann@ecan.govt.nz
For more information about individual projects, please contact the winners directly.
Details on winners:
Supreme Winner and
Professional/Institutional Category Winner
Orana Wildlife
Trust, Christchurch
Conservation, habitat restoration,
environmental education and waste reduction
programmes.
Orana Wildlife Park runs an impressive
conservation breeding project for threatened New Zealand
animals, which includes breeding for release programmes for
the blue duck (whio) and brown teal (pateke). Over the years
the park has been transformed from a dry stony riverbed to a
lush environment with an extensive planting programme using
native fauna. Quality environmental education programmes
inspire children to act responsibly towards the environment.
Waste reduction and a recycling programme are also in place.
Judges comment: Orana Park is making a significant
contribution to the conservation of some of New Zealand’s
highly endangered biodiversity and offers excellent
educational programmes and experiences which raise awareness
of conservation issues. This is integrated with water
conservation and waste reduction/recycling initiatives
throughout the park’s operations.
Orana Park was also
joint winner with Fonterra of the Target Zero Award for
business resource efficiency.
Individual Category
Winner
Greg Bennett, Amberley
Outstanding achievement
and contribution to coast care.
Greg is a key player in
the Amberley Beach Coast Care project, which is restoring a
lagoon, wetlands and native flora. Eradication of weeds and
pests has been required, including removing infestations of
grey willow trees. The lagoon and wetland use water drained
from surrounding farmland and a golf course.
Judges
comment: Greg has initiated and carried out a lot of the
work himself and has effectively secured coastal land for
use by the public which would have been of low value if
invasive plant species such a grey willow had been allowed
to dominate. Native species have been allowed to regenerate
and a walking track attracts visitors.
Community Category
Winner
Summit Road Society, Banks Peninsula
Ohinetahi
Bush Reserve, Governors Bay, Banks Peninsula.
Since 1992
the Summit Road Society has been working on enhancing and
restoring native biodiversity on the 150ha Ohinetahi Bush
Reserve. The reserve is now part of the network of Port
Hills reserves. Weed and pest control and planting work is
enhancing natural regeneration and walking tracks provide
the public with recreational opportunities.
Judges
comment: This project has been carried out by a committed
group which has developed a well thought out regeneration
project.
Commercial/Industrial Category Winner
Joint
winners
Fonterra Co-operative Group, Clandeboye Dairy
Factory, South Canterbury
Eco-efficiency and waste water
disposal programmes.
These two programmes make a
significant contribution to the sustainable management of
resources at the Clandeboye Dairy Factory. Eco-efficiency
measures include minimising both the amount of waste
generated and the volume of waste sent to landfill. A
dedicated irrigation farm provides a means of disposing of
wastewater from a sizeable industrial site
operation.
Judges comment: The eco-efficiency programme,
established in 2003, has been very successful, reducing the
volume of waste going to landfill by 85 per cent - a saving
of up to 800 tonnes a year. The wastewater irrigation system
and associated farming operations are essential to the
sustainable management of the plant and its effects on the
environment.
Fonterra was also joint winner with Orana
Park of the Target Zero Award for business resource
efficiency.
And
Selwyn District Council, Central
Canterbury
Hot Rot composting plant
The Hot Rot plant,
sited at Rolleston, minimises the quantity of organic waste
being sent to landfill in Selwyn District. The plant has the
potential to divert up to 40 per cent of solid household
waste from landfill and also takes organic waste from
processing industries, including offal and chicken
mortalities. The final compost produce is used by the
Council in its reserves.
Judges comment: The plant, which
was developed by Canesis at Lincoln, uses cutting edge
technology for the management of organic waste, eliminating
waste to landfill, associated emissions to air and water,
and reducing transport to the regional Kate Valley landfill.
At full capacity it can reduce waste going to landfill by
2,000 tonnes a year. This would also result in a 200kg
annual saving in methane gas emissions.
Highly
commended
Fulton Hogan Canterbury
100 per cent
recycled road
The reconstruction of Golf Links Road in
Shirley, Christchurch, with recycled materials was
undertaken as a demonstration project. The subbase and base
course comprise 100 per cent recycled material and the top
layer is 98 per cent recycled material.
The recycled
materials comprise crushed roading materials, concrete and
other non-porous building materials. Technical
investigations for the development of the right “mix’ of
materials was undertaken by Fulton Hogan and peer reviewed
in Australia. Concrete crushing is undertaken on the
company’s Pound Road site. Recycled materials in roading
are used widely overseas.
Landcare Research’s Special
Award
R. D. Hughes Holdings Limited for the Ocean Ridge
project, Kaikoura
In recognition of the integrated,
environmentally-sensitive design approaches being used with
this low density, housing development at Kaikoura.
We
commend Hughes Holdings, and particularly the Project
Manager Stephan Rattray, for their vision and commitment to
an ‘eco-development’ that features extensive green
spaces and restoration plantings in wetlands and reserve
areas, environmentally-sensitive on-site stormwater
management, planned walkways and cycleways, promoting waste
minimisation and recycling to on-site contractors, support
for property buyers with free energy audits and a booklet
commissioned from eco-architect Russell Devlin on
environmentally friendly, energy smart design features for
homes.
The total area of the three-stage development
comprises 135 ha but only 27 ha (20%) is being taken for
residential housing. The other 80 per cent is intended for
grazing or horticulture. Amenity features including 12 ha of
riparian and wetland restoration, plus revegetating 29 ha in
dryland native bush in newly-designated public-access
reserves that will revert to Kaikoura District Council.
Sites designated as low-density residential lots (stage 3 in
the development) have extensive areas of native plantings
that are protected by QEII covenants.
Special Merit
Award
Kaikoura High School and its enviro-council for
their enviro-island practical approach to ground management
and ongoing environmental education.
Sustainable Business - Get Sustainable Challenge Winners
- Explorer Award for businesses new to sustainability: H2 Flow Plumbing and Heating Ltd - a solar water heating company that is involving its staff in sustainability through training, is using low waste products and actively chooses local suppliers.
- Emerging Award for businesses with a high level of continuous improvement: Capital Investment Planning Ltd - Capital Financial Planning is an independent firm specialising in investment portfolio management for individuals, companies, trusts, and estates, with a commitment to social responsibility and ethical investment.
- Trail Blazer Award for leaders in the field of Sustainability Youth Hostels Association - YHA Wanaka, YHA Mt Cook and YHA National Office have extensive activity, operations and education about sustainability, including measuring and reporting on its climate change impact, and a full recycling and energy efficiency programme involving staff and guests.
- Innovation Award for businesses with initiatives toward sustainability: Peel Forest Outdoor Centre, South Canterbury - Peel Forest Eco Lodge runs outdoor skills training, recreation and environmental education programmes. It provides an opportunity for users to experiment with use of 'green' technologies and living within resource limits
Target Zero Special Award
Joint
winners of the Target Zero Award were Fonterra’s
Clandeboye eco-efficiency programme, and Orana Park,
Highly Commended was:
Ashburton Meat Processors
Worm farm and office recycling.
Ashburton Meat
Processors, Mid Canterbury, has developed a significant worm
farm system for recycling animal waste. Previously up to 800
tonnes of waste, mostly stomach pouches and pig hair, was
taken to a landfill operated by the local council.
Production of vermicast from the worms is a marketable
by-product. The company’s office recycling programme
results in all office waste being recycled on
site.
Judges comment: This project represents an
excellent approach to recycling of animal waste, removing
the dumping of hazardous waste from landfills and potential
adverse effects on groundwater. It reflects a sustainable
approach to the management of industrial waste and
potentially the long term sustainable management of the meat
processing industry.
The Energy Efficiency and
Conservation Authority Award
Energy Mad
Energy
efficient light bulb programme.
Energy Mad’s household
efficient lighting project aims to sell five energy-saving
“Ecobulbs” to 55% of New Zealand homes, thereby saving
enough electricity to power a city the size of Dunedin. To
date 1.2 million energy efficient bulbs have been sold,
saving an estimated $120 million for consumers over the life
of the bulbs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by
450,000 tonnes per annum.
Te Mata o te Tuatara Te Rünanga
o Ngäi Tahu Special Heritage Award
Ngäi Tahu Mäori
Rock Art Trust and Meridian Energy
The winners of this
year’s inaugural award were finalists in community
category of the 2004 awards and have again been nominated
for a continual dedication to their important work.
They are jointly awarded the Te Mata o Te Tuatara Award
for their outstanding work and commitment in protecting,
managing and raising awareness of Mäori rock art sites and
resources in the Canterbury Region, particularly in South
Canterbury, where the highest density of Mäori Rock Art in
New Zealand is located.
Rock Art is of national
importance and greatly adds to the cultural heritage of all
New Zealanders providing important tangible links to the
lives, activities and environmental conditions of the past.
The artwork is extremely vulnerable to natural processes and
human activities making The Rock Art Trust and Meridian
Energy worthwhile recipients of the inaugural
award.
Environment Canterbury Award for Excellence in
Environmental Journalism
Tim Cronshaw, The Press,
Christchurch
For a two-part series on the future of
irrigation water in Canterbury.
Judges comment: Tim
Cronshaw was a worthy winner for his in-depth analysis of a
vitally important resource management issue in Canterbury.
The two-part series addressed the challenges facing the
region in providing irrigation to ensure the future of
farming when water is no longer cheap and readily available.
This entry stood out because it fostered public
understanding of a complex resource management issue through
well-researched, interpretive journalism.
Future
Environmentalist Award: Joint winners
Sarah Smith,
Kaikoura High School
Sarah's achievements include:
- Attending the Enviroschools Conference April 2006
- Leader of Kaikoura High schools eco-council
- Native tree planting in the school grounds
- Put in full application for funding for tree planting project - Biodiversity Fund - Kaikoura District Council
- Writing of the schools
Environmental Education policy
And
Tom Baker, St
Bede’s College, Christchurch
Some of Tom's achievements
include:
- Development and maintenance of an organic school vegetable garden
- School composting
- Attendance at the Environmental forum in Wellington
- Using his ability and talents in the arts including sculpture and design to re-educate students when thinking about waste and New Zealand's ecological footprint
ENDS