Conservation Week Gathers Momentum

Media release

11 November 2014

Conservation Week Gathers Momentum

Over halfway through Conservation Week (1-9 November), the events are just picking up in the Wellington Region! There is no shortage of activities and opportunities to get involved in Conservation.

Events happening this weekend include exploring the Paekakariki Stream at night, Do at the Zoo, Go Green Expo, and the Family Pest-Fest.

So far, Conservation Week participants have enjoyed the Whareroa Farm Reserve Picnic Day, Rimutaka Forest Park Open Day, and pre-screenings of Chatham Islands documentary, Hallowed Isles, amongst various other events.

Families who visited the Rimutaka Forest Park Open Day last Sunday enjoyed the BBQ, live music, official launch of the Rimutaka Forest Park Kiwi Ranger programme, egg painting for stoat traps, crafts, and a display by the Wainuiomata Bush Fire Service. Film goers who attended the Hallowed Isles documentary received a treat when filmmaker James Reardon introduced the film and spoke of the inspiration he found in community conservation efforts, and stunning natural environment of the Chatham Islands.

The second annual Family Pest-Fest will be the finale of Conservation Week 2014, this Sunday (9 November) from 9am - 3pm at Waitangi Park, Wellington. With twenty organizations involved, there are numerous opportunities to collect samples, play games, and find out about conservation in your own backyard.

Kids can even fill out their own ‘pest-port’ to go into an hourly prize draw and, if you bring in a pest weed from your garden, you can swap it for a free native plant.

Find the information and contact details for all events on the official Conservation Week website: www.conservationweek.org.nz.

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Background information

Conservation Week 2014
This year’s theme is 'Discover the world where you live' and it’s about getting out and enjoying your local treasures. These are the local campsites, scenic reserves, wetlands, forests, walking tracks and other areas that have conservation values that can be found right on your doorstep.
Conservation Week gives you the opportunity to celebrate the natural environment and make a connection with your local special places. There are heaps of special places in New Zealand that you can visit all year round with your family and friends.

History of Conservation Week
The New Zealand Scout Association originally kicked off Conservation Week for New Zealand in 1969. The Nature Conservation Council then had a turn at running the campaign, while other organisations like the Post Office Savings Bank, Caltex Oil NZ, and The Todd Foundation came to the party with educational resources.
Famous artists like Friedensreich Hundertwasser and Don Binney have contributed their art for previous campaigns—you can check out some posters of the past on the Conservation blog.

When the Department of Conservation was formed in 1987 it took over the Conservation Week duties, and has since worked with other groups, businesses, councils and agencies to make it all happen.

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