NEXT MEETING:

MONDAY 3 FEBRUARY, 6 pm. Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park. NOTE THAT THIS EVENT REPLACES OUR REGULAR SPEAKERS EVENING. Explore Canterbury’s Native Treasures: Guided Native Garden Tour with Botanic Gardens Curator Luke Martin. Join us for an insightful evening with our native treasures hidden in plain sight in the heart of Christchurch. Led by Luke Martin, the Native Garden Curator, this special tour offers a rare opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of the ex-situ cultivation of threatened Canterbury and New Zealand native plants. Discover how these vulnerable species are being preserved through practical conservation efforts, and gain a deeper appreciation for the conservation efforts undertaken by the Christchurch Botanic Gardens. A unique behind-the scenes opportunity to hear from Luke about the native taonga/treasures being cultivated there.

Where: Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Hagley Park
Meeting Point: Outside the Ilex Café – be there promptly at 6 pm.
Parking: Enjoy free parking at the Botanic Gardens car park from 5 pm (charges apply beforehand). Please note that gates close at 9 pm.

We’ll aim to conclude the tour by 8 pm, leaving you plenty of time to soak in the evening beauty of the gardens. Whether you’re a plant enthusiast, a conservation advocate, or simply looking for a tranquil outing, this is an event not to be missed! Bring your curiosity, comfortable walking shoes, and perhaps a friend or two for an evening that’s sure to leave you inspired.

Covid-19 Notice: Canterbury Botanical Society committee encourages members to take measures to reduce transmission risk of Covid-19 (and other respiratory illnesses) at Bot Soc events. Face coverings/masks and normal Covid-19 precautions (e.g. physical distancing where possible) are welcomed. Please do not attend Bot Soc meetings or field trips if you have Covid or any cold/flu symptoms.

NEXT FIELD TRIP:

WAITANGI WEEKEND CAMP: Thursday 6th to Sunday 9th February 2025. Fox Peak Ski Field and Opihi Gorge. Our 2024 Spring Camp was postponed due to poor weather and will now be our 2025 Summer Camp over Waitangi Weekend. The Waitangi Weekend Summer Camp will be based at the Fox Peak Ski Field Lodge near Fairlie. Accommodation in the ski field lodge (in shared bunk rooms) will cost $70/night per person if we have fewer than 20 attendees and will come down to $35 a night if we have 20 or more attendees. See https://www.foxpeak.co.nz/accommodation for more information about the lodge. We will provide dinner for all 3 nights (vegetarian meals), as well as tea, coffee, and milk – this will cost $15/night per person. BYO meat, breakfast and lunch. Please organise your car share if required – a payment of $100 to the driver is suggested. There is also the option to come down on the Friday night and stay 2 nights, however priority will be given to attendees staying all 3 nights.
Alternatively, book your own accommodation in Fairlie. We will meet at Fox Peak Ski Field lodge at 10 am on Thursday 6 of February and botanise the ski field after we settle in.

We will aim to visit on the following days (depending on weather conditions):

– Fox Ski Field (Moderate or Difficult options)
– Opihi Gorge (Easy or Difficult options)
– North Opuha Track and Lake Opuha (Easy or Difficult options)
– Pioneer Park (Easy)
Please email fieldtrips@canterburybotanicalsociety.org.nz and fill in this GoogleForm if you are interested in coming to the camp https://forms.gle/wYVUzHUz1rVJPqAx6

UPCOMING EVENTS:

MEETING: Monday 3 March 2025 at 7:30 pm. At St Alban’s Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch (parking available at 126 Caledonian Road, see https://www.sacc.org.nz/). Speaker: Dr Antony Shadbolt (Ecology Team, Christchurch City Council). Topic: Forest restoration experiences in Christchurch and Borneo.

FIELD TRIP: Saturday 8 March 2025. Kaitorete Spit.
Where to meet: TBA.
What to bring: Lunch, drink bottle/thermos, sturdy footwear, warm jacket, raincoat, warm hat and sun hat. A hand lens will be useful. Bring a first aid kit, PLB and mobile phone if you have these available.
Suitability: Easy.
Cost: Suggested petrol reimbursement of $TBA to drivers if you get a ride with someone else (calculated from $1/km, 4 to a car).
Trip leader/s: Tom Ferguson (H&S, car-pooling). Please email fieldtrips@canterburybotanicalsociety.org.nz if you intend to come along so we know where you will join the group and can organise carpooling.

FIELD TRIP: Saturday 5 April 2025. ‘Kaitorete Karo Klobber’, Kaitorete Scenic Reserve (DOC), Birdlings Flat with Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust
Canterbury Bot Soc and Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust (BPCT) are joining forces for an educational and fun day of weeding in the new Kaitorete Spit Scenic Reserve at Birdlings Flat. Come and learn about these unique and highly significant dryland ecosystems and threatened plants like the Kaitorete prostrate broom (Carmichaelia appressa) and leafless pōhuehue (Muehlenbeckia ephedroides), while helping to protect them from harmful weeds. One of the biggest threats to native vegetation in the reserve is karo (Pittosporum crassifolium), a fast-growing tree that is native to the North Island (it does not occur naturally in the South Island). More than 500 karo were found in the reserve in a recent survey, and some plants are starting to produce seeds. BPCT volunteers, DOC staff, and others have spent many hours controlling karo (and other weeds) in Hauroko Covenant (the southern part of the reserve), but karo has not been weeded from the rest of the reserve. To make things fun, we’ll have a competition with prizes for  most karo killed, biggest karo killed etc. and will provide light refreshments at lunchtime.
Where to meet: Meet for carpooling at 8:45 am at the Halswell Bowling Club carpark (301 Halswell Road) or meet at 9:30 am at the end of Poranui Beach Road at Birdlings Flat (see map below).
Suitability: Mostly flat terrain, but the reserve is untracked with scratchy shrubs. Children welcome.
What to bring: Gloves, drink bottle/thermos, sturdy footwear, warm jacket, raincoat, warm hat, sun hat. Long pants to protect against scratchy vegetation. We will provide hand tools but feel free to bring your own loppers and/or saw if you like. We will provide light refreshments at lunchtime. People can choose to stay on and do more weeding after lunch, or go home for a well-earned rest.
Cost: Suggested petrol reimbursement of $15 to drivers if you get a ride with someone else (calculated from $1/km, 4 to a car).
Trip leader/s: Melissa Hutchison (Botanical leader) and Sophie Hartnell (Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust volunteer co-ordinator). Please email fieldtrips@canterburybotanicalsociety.org.nz if you intend to come along so we know numbers and can let you know if the trip is postponed. Postponement day is Sunday 6 April.

 

 

 

 

 

MEETING: Monday 7 April 2025 at 7:30 pm. At St Alban’s Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch (parking available at 126 Caledonian Road, see https://www.sacc.org.nz/). Speaker: Dr Cathy Rufaut. Topic: Enhancement of alkaline saline soil-free bare substrates and specialist ecosystems in southern New Zealand.

FIELD TRIP: Saturday 12 April 2025. TBA.

MEETING: Monday 5 May 2025 at 7:30 pm. At St Alban’s Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch (parking available at 126 Caledonian Road, see https://www.sacc.org.nz/). Speaker: Nicholas Head (Ecologist, Christchurch City Council). Topic: The five wonders of the world in Canterbury (that you may never see).

FIELD TRIP: Saturday 10 May 2025. Staveley forests – managed restoration and fungi in the Totty forest and Staveley camp forest remnants. Trip leader: Alice Shanks.

CANTERBURY BOTANICAL SOCIETY AGM: Saturday 7 June 2025. At St Alban’s Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch (parking available at 126 Caledonian Road, see https://www.sacc.org.nz/).

MEETING: Monday 7 July 2025 at 7:30 pm. At St Alban’s Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch (parking available at 126 Caledonian Road, see https://www.sacc.org.nz/). Speaker: TBA. Topic: TBA.

FIELD TRIP: Saturday 12 July 2025. TBA.

MEETING: Monday 4 August 2025 at 7:30 pm. At St Alban’s Community Centre, 1049 Colombo Street, Christchurch (parking available at 126 Caledonian Road, see https://www.sacc.org.nz/). Speaker: Dr Matiu Prebble (University of Canterbury). Topic: New insights from unearthing stumps from former Christchurch forests.

FIELD TRIP: Saturday 9 August 2025. TBA.

ABOUT CANTERBURY BOTANICAL SOCIETY MEETINGS & FIELD TRIPS

The Society holds monthly evening meetings, usually on the first Monday of each month. Meetings start at 7.30 pm. We organise a speaker and follow the meeting with an informal supper and chat. We have been exploring new venues to hold our evening meetings, so please check the meeting notices to confirm where meetings will be held.

Information for speakers
The meeting room has a data projector (and cable) but you need to bring your own laptop or advise the meeting organiser that they need to bring one. Please check that your laptop is able to connect to an external projector.

Field trips are usually held on the Saturday following the evening meeting. Trips in the winter months are to places closer to Christchurch and in the warmer months we take advantage of the longer daylight hours to venture further afield.

We have a week-long summer camp in January or February, and visit places which are too far to access from Christchurch for a day trip. We book affordable accommodation and make daily excursions from this point.

In spring we usually have a long weekend camp over Show Weekend (Canterbury Anniversary weekend) in November.

Occasionally we hold workshops on specific topics.

The AGM is held on the first Saturday after Queen’s Birthday weekend. After the AGM we have a speaker, followed by a shared finger food lunch.