What are your ideas?

Kia ora koutou,

Thank you for supporting this year’s 8th Annual Sustainable Backyards Trail. We had record numbers attend this year with over 7500 people garnering local know-how. Some of the topics listed below were shared generously by our hosts.

1. Lasagne layering and bokashi

2. Water collection

3. Seed Propagation

4. Making herbal infusions and butter

5. Fermenting and preserving the harvest

6. Restoring landscapes

7. Water in the landscape

8. Healthy homes and communities

9. Regenerative agriculture

10. Mātauranga Māori perspective on growing kai

I’m excited to hear more ideas for how the Trail can support our community’s needs. I look forward to collating your feedback and sharing the results with you at the end of this month - your survey shapes the Trail. Look out for our prize draws on Facebook and Instagram. Winners will be announced in the next Pānui.

If you or someone you know would like to open their backyard for the 2023 event, please get in touch.

Ngā mihi,

Brittany Ryan, Sustainable Backyards Manager

Click here (or on the image above) to watch the video!

Winners will receive the following prizes:

Treasure Hunt for Garden Explorers Winner!

Isaac Christensen is our lucky winner of the Insect Hotel kindly donate by Aaron and Melissa Jacobson from The Little Insect Farm. There were over 100 entries this year from tamariki who completed the Treasure Hunt questions. A special thanks to Egmont Seeds who donated the seed packets to all who participated.

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters. The Trail continues to grow and we are able to invite more into our community with the help of your generosity. Over 25,000 people are making changes in their own backyards!

Upcoming Workshops

Start your composting journey and learn more about ways to rebuild your soil at home. Join us at the new Envirohub next to Brooklands Zoo.

Volunteer With us!

Zero Waste Event Volunteers

Sustainable Taranaki is looking for volunteers from the community to help out with waste management during the busy event season in Taranaki. Throughout the summer we are supporting a number of exciting events with their waste management to make sure we work towards the goal of a Zero Waste Taranaki by 2040. To be able to do that we need people to manage the waste stations during the events, guide patrons and make sure they recycle correctly. 

If you are passionate about sustainability and the environment, and you would like to volunteer for a local non-profit organisation, please sign up through the link below!

Bring It! Choose to Reuse Competition

Local cafes and food businesses are making it easy for you to make the switch to reusable coffee cups and food containers. Head to www.npdc.govt.nz/bringit/ for more info.

Thanks to our friends at Pottery For The Planet we've got a beautiful handmade ceramic travel bowl to giveaway. Enter to win here! The competition closes on November 31st.

Thinking about purchasing a new laptop for Christmas, ‘BYOD' for school kids, thinking about upgrading or replacing your existing device?

Come along to our FREE workshop!! Learn simple maintenance techniques and how to make sustainable choices when it comes to tour devices.

Bring in an old device and get advice on whether it needs repair or replacement (the device must be out of warranty and cannot be water-cooled).

DATE: November 26th

TIME: 1 pm - 3 pm

LOCATION: Education space at The Junction Zero-Waste Hub, Colson Road, Waiwakaiho, New Plymouth

This workshop is free but registrations are essential.

Please register your interest via email: tours@sustainabletaranaki.org.nz

DIY Junction Workshop

Saturday 17th December 1 pm - 3 pm

At the Junction Grassy area behind the Recycling Drop-off, Colson Rd New Plymouth

All particpants will build a covered garden box from untreated wooden pallets and number 8 wire.