Volunteer with us.
Whatever your passion for the environment, we have something for you!
Field Volunteers
Join our team of Field Volunteers and gain field skills, learn about conservation and help to restore native forests to the Pūharakekenui. Field Volunteers will assist with planting natives, combiguarding plants, hand weeding, and maintaining predator trap lines.
Meeting days:
Every two weeks on Tuesdays from 9am-12pm.
Bi-monthly planting events on a Saturday (during planting season).
To learn more about this programme and get dates, contact the team on gareth@thestyx.nz!
Bird Monitoring Programme
Come join us monitoring the bird species in the Pūharakekenui/Styx catchment. We record the number of individual water bird species using a moving transect method (instruction provided on the day - no experience required).
Two locations are covered during each session to compile a long-term data set for the reserves:
The Styx Mill Conservation Reserve and
The 303 Radcliffe Road Reserve
Data collected is submitted to eBird, and may be explored by anyone with an interest in New Zealand's bird populations.
Date & Location
First Saturday of each month at 9am
Styx Mill Conservation Reserve, Styx Mill Rd Public Car Park
Volunteers need to bring:
Sturdy outdoor clothing & footwear for muddy & wet conditions
And it would be good to also bring:
Binoculars
Camera / phone
Paper & pen
Bird Monitoring Programme Coordinator - Dr. Antony Shadbolt
Antony has more than 30 years’ experience in environmental horticulture, landscape architecture, planning, and ecology & wildlife research. He is a key driver in the re-establishment of Ōtautahi's native forest habitats and is a Trustee of Trees for Canterbury.
For more information
Contact Antony Shadbolt
antony.shadbolt@ccc.govt.nz
Call 0276 83 8618
Water Quality Monitoring Programme
Our community water quality monitoring team take water samples, measurements and write down observations about the water quality, vegetation, and wildlife.
You will be given instructions and paired up with another volunteer. It's rather rewarding to be part of looking after our waterways.
The Community Water Quality Monitoring Programme began in 2002 when a pilot programme, to identify the issues and opportunities associated with implementing such a programme, was undertaken in conjunction with Waterwatch (Lincoln University) and members of the Guardians of the Styx. Since then, our Styx Water Quality Monitoring Volunteers have regularly monitored water quality at a number of sites throughout the catchment.
The data from our water quality monitoring sessions contributes to the Christchurch City Council's Annual Surface Water Quality Report.
SHMAK Kits are used for our monitoring programme.
Date and Location:
Third Saturday of each month commencing at 10 am for inducted volunteers. If weather is unsuitable, or the day is changed, the WQ Coordinator will contact all signed up volunteers.
Induction sessions for new volunteers held once every 3 months. Contact the WQ coordinator if you are interested.
Meet at Styx Living Laboratory Trust Lab at 130 Hussey Road, Harewood.
The laboratory is in the CCC Park Rangers compound, north of the Styx Conservation Park. Turn in the driveway, the lab is the dark building to the left.
Volunteers need to bring
Sturdy outdoor clothing & footwear for muddy & wet conditions
Water Quality Monitoring Programme Coordinator - Leo Fietje
Leo has a background in Agricultural Science and recently retired from Environment Canterbury after 35 years working in various regulatory and non-regulatory roles. Most recently he worked with individual land-owners farming adjacent to sensitive rivers and lakes to research reasons for decline in water quality and actions needed to address, both on and off-farm. He is currently a member of the North Canterbury Rural Support Trust and working with MPI to help build resilience in rural communities. Leo and is married to Julie and they live in Harewood, close to the top end of the Pūharakekenui.
To sign up for the upcoming induction session, please contact Leo and Ted at styxwq@gmail.com
Freshwater Invertebrate Monitoring Programme
Come join us in monitoring the weird and wonderful freshwater invertebrates found in the Pūharakekenui/Styx river.
There are a number of reasons for collecting information about the invertebrates in the Pūharakekenui/Styx river and its tributaries. These include:
To monitor habitat, aquatic plants and invertebrate communities over time.
To determine if there are any changes in habitat and in invertebrate communities over time.
To compare invertebrate communities in the Styx with invertebrate communities in other catchments within the Canterbury region.
To improve understanding of the current state of the in-stream habitat and invertebrate communities.
Invertebrate Monitoring Programme Coordinator - Dr. Jon Harding
Jon has been a freshwater scientist for over 30 years, having undertaken research in New Zealand, USA, Singapore, Tonga and Nigeria. He has published seven books and over 150 scientific papers and reports. In both Singapore and Nigeria he helped produced the first keys to identifying freshwater invertebrates in those countries. Jon has focussed most of his research on the impacts of human activities on streams and rivers. He knows enough about lakes and wetlands to be dangerous! He has worked extensively on urban, agricultural and mining impacted systems. Jon has two doctorates (a PhD and a DSc) and he is a Professor Emeritus of the University of Canterbury. You can follow Jon on Twitter (jonharding333).
Environmental Advocacy Programme
Join our Environmental Advocacy Volunteering Programme and help us to draft submissions and responses for plans, comment on upcoming development, consents and any legislation that may impact the health of our awa. Environmental Advocacy Volunteers will get experience working with a diverse range of groups and it is a great opportunity to meet likeminded people and make a difference in the Pūharakekenui catchment.
If you have a few hours a month spare and are passionate about conservation then the Pūharakekenui needs you!
Friends of Te Waoku Kahikatea Reserve
Want to be a part of restoring a significant piece of nature in the Pūharakekenui-Styx catchment?
Te Waoku Kahikatea Reserve - located at 303 Radcliffe Road - is an 11-hectare planted native forest that supports a high diversity of eco-sourced native plant species, invertebrates, waterbirds and an increasing populations of native bush birds.
Planting began at the site back in 2010, and the reserve has now matured to a stage where we can now begin establishing understorey species like ferns and climbers, and also plants that require a more sheltered microclimate or protection from harsh frosts.
But it’s not all about planting. Although most of what we see in the reserve is a thriving native forest that is larger that Pūtaringamotu-Riccarton Bush, if we look closer, we can see that the reserve is also suffering from weed invasion - most notably woody weeds and ivy. So, part of our job will be helping the Regional Park Rangers get on top on some of these problems so that the native forest ecosystem can continue to thrive and provide a place for both wildlife and people.
When?
11 am - 1 pm first Saturday of every month
What?
Tasks will vary throughout the year, and depending on the season, but will include such things as:
Enrichment planting of understorey species, plants requiring sheltered conditions, and planting of previously unplanted areas.
Control of woody weeds and ivy.
Forest measurement and monitoring.
Wildlife surveys using various techniques.
Forming, maintaining and managing nature trails through maturing forest.
Implementing various small projects.
We’ll supply all the gear – you just bring yourselves (and something for a shared lunch).
Who?
You! This group is open to anyone to join, no-matter what your age, interests or background. The Styx Living Laboratory Trust was set up to foster research and learning associated with the natural environment of the Pūharakekenui-Styx catchment. So, if you know nothing at all about the natural environment, then that’s fine – that’s part of why we’re doing this. Or if you have a PhD in forest ecology, that’s fine also.
The group will be led by Dr Antony Shadbolt, who leads Councils Parks Biodiversity Team and by Council’s Regional Parks Rangers. We’ll be regularly joined by other experts like ornithologists, ecologists, forest scientists throughout the year.