What's living on your land? Know what’s there, know what to do
Whether you're looking to tackle invasive weeds, encourage native wildlife or simply better understand what’s living on your property, Environment Southland has two free biodiversity workshops this month to provide practical tools and advice.
Knowing what's living on your land is the first step towards making informed biodiversity decisions. Through the workshops, participants will learn how to identify invasive plants threatening bush, wetlands and other valuable areas on their properties and recognise native species and pests.
The first workshop, The Root of the Problem – Pest Plants and Weeds, is being held in Winton next week.
Environment Southland Land Sustainability Manager Simon Stokes said one of the biggest challenges for landowners wanting to take more action to enhance biodiversity on their property was often knowing where to start.
“This workshop will help people identify which weeds need attention first and which control methods are likely to be the most effective."
The second workshop, Signs of Life - Biodiversity Monitoring, is being held in Otapiri at the end of the month.
Simon Stokes said this will be a practical workshop designed to help landowners learn how to recognise where native species and pests are living on their land, from mysterious bite marks to tiny footprints and everything in between.
"Many people are surprised by the variety of native plants and wildlife already living on their property. Once you know what's there, you can make informed decisions about what to protect, what to manage and where to focus your efforts."
What: Root of the Problem – Pest plants and weeds workshop
When: Tuesday, 10 November from 5pm to 6.30pm
Where: Ivy Russell Reserve, Welsh Road, Winton or Winton Memorial Hall, Meldrum Street if wet.
What: Signs of Life Biodiversity monitoring workshop
When: Saturday, 28 November from 10am to 12.30pm
Where: Otapiri Hall, 8 Stirling Road, Otapiri
Registration for these workshops is essential. To register, go to the Environment Southland website www.es.govt.nz/events or call 0800 76 88 45.
