Showing posts with label Robert Guyton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Guyton. Show all posts
Saturday, April 8, 2017
Get Growing
Saturday, January 7, 2017
The Essential Forest Gardener
If you care to read the 12 chapters of my soon to be published on paper, book, "The Essential Forest Gardener", the link is here.
Weka, who authors posts on The Standard blog, put the chapters up for me, week after week for 12 weeks, then compiled them into one place and that's where my link will take you. I've also linked, here, to Ad's post on the same blog, where he (or she, I don't know Ad's gender) sums up after the series finished. It's a lovely follow up to the 12 posts and I'm grateful for the mention. The work is not quite as polished as it needs to be before being printed out in the form of a hold in hand book, but Antoinette, part of the Happen Films crew that filmed "An Invitation for Wildness" in our garden and home recently (here's the link to that film - 102,917 views so far!), is professionally proof-reading it for me and pruning off the extraneous bits to make it more readable. Exciting times!
Weka, who authors posts on The Standard blog, put the chapters up for me, week after week for 12 weeks, then compiled them into one place and that's where my link will take you. I've also linked, here, to Ad's post on the same blog, where he (or she, I don't know Ad's gender) sums up after the series finished. It's a lovely follow up to the 12 posts and I'm grateful for the mention. The work is not quite as polished as it needs to be before being printed out in the form of a hold in hand book, but Antoinette, part of the Happen Films crew that filmed "An Invitation for Wildness" in our garden and home recently (here's the link to that film - 102,917 views so far!), is professionally proof-reading it for me and pruning off the extraneous bits to make it more readable. Exciting times!
Sunday, May 15, 2016
We're up on Youtube
Our most recent production, "Forest Garden - Autumn" is online now and if you'd like to take an 8-minute look at what our garden was like last month, make yourself a cup of tea, click on this link and (I hope) enjoy.
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Food forests growing in popularity - today's Southland Times
Food forests growing in popularity
DAVE NICOLL
It's almost like having the produce section of a supermarket in your backyard... only it's not quite as organised.
Food forests, also known as forest gardening, are an easy to maintain and sustainable way of cultivating a garden by creating a mini ecosystem in your backyard.
One of the world's leading examples is growing in Southland.
Permaculturalists Robert and Robyn Guyton had been working on their Riverton forest garden, which has been internationally recognised, for over 20 years.
It was in the last three years that the couple have been running workshops teaching people how to develop their own food forests.
"We've probably spent about 30 hours working on our garden since spring," Robyn told the group.
Anytime we need anything we just go for a browse, Robyn Guton said.
"All year round I can have a green salad."
The couple even had their own bees and hens.
However, they still had to buy dairy products and other essentials, she said.
Yesterday the Guytons hosted a group of ten people at their property who had come from throughout the South Island to see their forest.
Juliet Pope said she had come from Arrowtown with her family to see the Guyton's "legendary" food forest.
"It's the best example, evidently, in the world of a cool climate food forest."
Pope had done a permaculture design course and was also a qualified architect, she said.
Pope and her husband had two and a half acres on which they had fruit and nut trees, plus ducks and chickens, she said.
"We're going to continue working with the orchard and bring in more diversity."
They were trying to make their property to be self-reliant and grow a lot of their own produce, pope said.
"It's about resilience."
One of the challenges was letting go of neatness and control, and the idea of a conventional garden and just allowing nature to take over, she said.
John Borger who had come with his wife Valarie said he was there to learn something new.
The couple owned a 12 acre hazelnut orchard in Thornbury.
The retired dairy farmer said he liked the idea of food forests because you didn't have to do a lot of work, and that weeds were actually not a problem.
They had a traditional vegie garden which required a lot of weeding but they were looking at incorporating some elements of a food forest into a section of their orchard, he said.
"We'll try and see what works and what doesn't."
Julia Middleton-Chapman took part in one of the Guyon's workshops two years ago and since then they have their own food forest and are looking to expand.
"We've taken ideas from our tour of the Guyton's food forest from two years ago and basically tried to emulate what they are doing there."
Their food forest ,which is located at Riverton where they live, is unique in that it features a a bike track running through it.
"One day we might be able to pick apples as we're biking past."
Initially she said they put in regular gardening work as they started from a dirt patch, she said.
"Although in saying that it's not a regular garden so you're not having mow lawns or maintain it in that regard, you're more often that not planting more plants."
"We had to build up the soil and just try and create a better sort of soil for everything to grow in."
In the future they were hoping to be able to grow produce to sell at the Environment Centre in Riverton, she said.
Steps to starting your own food garden:
Do a stocktake on what you have got and don't clear-fell your property because you might lose your shelter
Find out where the sunny, windy, wet and dry spots are on your property to know which plants to put where - Blackcurrants like the shade, where as grapes will want some sun.
Then think of what plants you like and check if your neighbours have them because you can grab cuttings or seeds.
Finally just thicken things up - as you add plants you can remove things you don't want and mulch them up.
- The Southland Times
Join hundreds of thousands who found relief with this new formula!
It's almost like having the produce section of a supermarket in your backyard... only it's not quite as organised.
Food forests, also known as forest gardening, are an easy to maintain and sustainable way of cultivating a garden by creating a mini ecosystem in your backyard.
One of the world's leading examples is growing in Southland.
Permaculturalists Robert and Robyn Guyton had been working on their Riverton forest garden, which has been internationally recognised, for over 20 years.
It was in the last three years that the couple have been running workshops teaching people how to develop their own food forests.
"We've probably spent about 30 hours working on our garden since spring," Robyn told the group.
Anytime we need anything we just go for a browse, Robyn Guton said.
"All year round I can have a green salad."
The couple even had their own bees and hens.
However, they still had to buy dairy products and other essentials, she said.
Yesterday the Guytons hosted a group of ten people at their property who had come from throughout the South Island to see their forest.
Juliet Pope said she had come from Arrowtown with her family to see the Guyton's "legendary" food forest.
"It's the best example, evidently, in the world of a cool climate food forest."
Pope had done a permaculture design course and was also a qualified architect, she said.
Pope and her husband had two and a half acres on which they had fruit and nut trees, plus ducks and chickens, she said.
"We're going to continue working with the orchard and bring in more diversity."
They were trying to make their property to be self-reliant and grow a lot of their own produce, pope said.
"It's about resilience."
One of the challenges was letting go of neatness and control, and the idea of a conventional garden and just allowing nature to take over, she said.
John Borger who had come with his wife Valarie said he was there to learn something new.
The couple owned a 12 acre hazelnut orchard in Thornbury.
The retired dairy farmer said he liked the idea of food forests because you didn't have to do a lot of work, and that weeds were actually not a problem.
They had a traditional vegie garden which required a lot of weeding but they were looking at incorporating some elements of a food forest into a section of their orchard, he said.
"We'll try and see what works and what doesn't."
Julia Middleton-Chapman took part in one of the Guyon's workshops two years ago and since then they have their own food forest and are looking to expand.
"We've taken ideas from our tour of the Guyton's food forest from two years ago and basically tried to emulate what they are doing there."
Their food forest ,which is located at Riverton where they live, is unique in that it features a a bike track running through it.
"One day we might be able to pick apples as we're biking past."
Initially she said they put in regular gardening work as they started from a dirt patch, she said.
"Although in saying that it's not a regular garden so you're not having mow lawns or maintain it in that regard, you're more often that not planting more plants."
"We had to build up the soil and just try and create a better sort of soil for everything to grow in."
In the future they were hoping to be able to grow produce to sell at the Environment Centre in Riverton, she said.
Steps to starting your own food garden:
Do a stocktake on what you have got and don't clear-fell your property because you might lose your shelter
Find out where the sunny, windy, wet and dry spots are on your property to know which plants to put where - Blackcurrants like the shade, where as grapes will want some sun.
Then think of what plants you like and check if your neighbours have them because you can grab cuttings or seeds.
Finally just thicken things up - as you add plants you can remove things you don't want and mulch them up.
- The Southland Times
DAVE NICOLL
It's almost like having the produce section of a supermarket in your backyard... only it's not quite as organised.
Food forests, also known as forest gardening, are an easy to maintain and sustainable way of cultivating a garden by creating a mini ecosystem in your backyard.
One of the world's leading examples is growing in Southland.
Permaculturalists Robert and Robyn Guyton had been working on their Riverton forest garden, which has been internationally recognised, for over 20 years.
It was in the last three years that the couple have been running workshops teaching people how to develop their own food forests.
"We've probably spent about 30 hours working on our garden since spring," Robyn told the group.
Anytime we need anything we just go for a browse, Robyn Guton said.
"All year round I can have a green salad."
The couple even had their own bees and hens.
However, they still had to buy dairy products and other essentials, she said.
Yesterday the Guytons hosted a group of ten people at their property who had come from throughout the South Island to see their forest.
Juliet Pope said she had come from Arrowtown with her family to see the Guyton's "legendary" food forest.
"It's the best example, evidently, in the world of a cool climate food forest."
Pope had done a permaculture design course and was also a qualified architect, she said.
Pope and her husband had two and a half acres on which they had fruit and nut trees, plus ducks and chickens, she said.
"We're going to continue working with the orchard and bring in more diversity."
They were trying to make their property to be self-reliant and grow a lot of their own produce, pope said.
"It's about resilience."
One of the challenges was letting go of neatness and control, and the idea of a conventional garden and just allowing nature to take over, she said.
John Borger who had come with his wife Valarie said he was there to learn something new.
The couple owned a 12 acre hazelnut orchard in Thornbury.
The retired dairy farmer said he liked the idea of food forests because you didn't have to do a lot of work, and that weeds were actually not a problem.
They had a traditional vegie garden which required a lot of weeding but they were looking at incorporating some elements of a food forest into a section of their orchard, he said.
"We'll try and see what works and what doesn't."
Julia Middleton-Chapman took part in one of the Guyon's workshops two years ago and since then they have their own food forest and are looking to expand.
"We've taken ideas from our tour of the Guyton's food forest from two years ago and basically tried to emulate what they are doing there."
Their food forest ,which is located at Riverton where they live, is unique in that it features a a bike track running through it.
"One day we might be able to pick apples as we're biking past."
Initially she said they put in regular gardening work as they started from a dirt patch, she said.
"Although in saying that it's not a regular garden so you're not having mow lawns or maintain it in that regard, you're more often that not planting more plants."
"We had to build up the soil and just try and create a better sort of soil for everything to grow in."
In the future they were hoping to be able to grow produce to sell at the Environment Centre in Riverton, she said.
Steps to starting your own food garden:
Do a stocktake on what you have got and don't clear-fell your property because you might lose your shelter
Find out where the sunny, windy, wet and dry spots are on your property to know which plants to put where - Blackcurrants like the shade, where as grapes will want some sun.
Then think of what plants you like and check if your neighbours have them because you can grab cuttings or seeds.
Finally just thicken things up - as you add plants you can remove things you don't want and mulch them up.
- The Southland Times
Join hundreds of thousands who found relief with this new formula!
It's almost like having the produce section of a supermarket in your backyard... only it's not quite as organised.
Food forests, also known as forest gardening, are an easy to maintain and sustainable way of cultivating a garden by creating a mini ecosystem in your backyard.
One of the world's leading examples is growing in Southland.
Permaculturalists Robert and Robyn Guyton had been working on their Riverton forest garden, which has been internationally recognised, for over 20 years.
It was in the last three years that the couple have been running workshops teaching people how to develop their own food forests.
"We've probably spent about 30 hours working on our garden since spring," Robyn told the group.
Anytime we need anything we just go for a browse, Robyn Guton said.
"All year round I can have a green salad."
The couple even had their own bees and hens.
However, they still had to buy dairy products and other essentials, she said.
Yesterday the Guytons hosted a group of ten people at their property who had come from throughout the South Island to see their forest.
Juliet Pope said she had come from Arrowtown with her family to see the Guyton's "legendary" food forest.
"It's the best example, evidently, in the world of a cool climate food forest."
Pope had done a permaculture design course and was also a qualified architect, she said.
Pope and her husband had two and a half acres on which they had fruit and nut trees, plus ducks and chickens, she said.
"We're going to continue working with the orchard and bring in more diversity."
They were trying to make their property to be self-reliant and grow a lot of their own produce, pope said.
"It's about resilience."
One of the challenges was letting go of neatness and control, and the idea of a conventional garden and just allowing nature to take over, she said.
John Borger who had come with his wife Valarie said he was there to learn something new.
The couple owned a 12 acre hazelnut orchard in Thornbury.
The retired dairy farmer said he liked the idea of food forests because you didn't have to do a lot of work, and that weeds were actually not a problem.
They had a traditional vegie garden which required a lot of weeding but they were looking at incorporating some elements of a food forest into a section of their orchard, he said.
"We'll try and see what works and what doesn't."
Julia Middleton-Chapman took part in one of the Guyon's workshops two years ago and since then they have their own food forest and are looking to expand.
"We've taken ideas from our tour of the Guyton's food forest from two years ago and basically tried to emulate what they are doing there."
Their food forest ,which is located at Riverton where they live, is unique in that it features a a bike track running through it.
"One day we might be able to pick apples as we're biking past."
Initially she said they put in regular gardening work as they started from a dirt patch, she said.
"Although in saying that it's not a regular garden so you're not having mow lawns or maintain it in that regard, you're more often that not planting more plants."
"We had to build up the soil and just try and create a better sort of soil for everything to grow in."
In the future they were hoping to be able to grow produce to sell at the Environment Centre in Riverton, she said.
Steps to starting your own food garden:
Do a stocktake on what you have got and don't clear-fell your property because you might lose your shelter
Find out where the sunny, windy, wet and dry spots are on your property to know which plants to put where - Blackcurrants like the shade, where as grapes will want some sun.
Then think of what plants you like and check if your neighbours have them because you can grab cuttings or seeds.
Finally just thicken things up - as you add plants you can remove things you don't want and mulch them up.
- The Southland Times
Friday, June 20, 2014
Estuary news (Thursday)
Estuarine disaster forecast
BRIDGET RAILTON
Estuaries in Southland are on the verge of an ecological disaster, according to Environment Southland reports.
A report on estuarine and rocky-shore monitoring results was presented to councillors at yesterday's environmental management committee meeting. It painted a dire picture on the health of estuaries.
All bar Freshwater Estuary showed signs of rapid degradation, with the gross eutrophic (rich in nutrients that feed algae) areas of most increasing exponentially.
Jacobs River Estuary's area at a gross eutrophic level had increased from 20 hectares in 2008 to 141ha in 2013 - 30 per cent of the estuary.
Councillor Robert Guyton said he was concerned by this and questioned whether it showed the estuary was on the verge of a huge ecological collapse.
"They talk about estuaries being the canary in the mine and it looks like the canary is dead," Guyton said.
It was a big concern as, among other things, estuaries were habitats for flatfish, the loss of which which would impact the fishing industry, he said.
After the report's presentation, Malcolm Lawson, chief executive of Cra8, the fishery to the south of New Zealand, spoke about the impact of water quality on the fishing industry.
After the food safety scares in China stemming from New Zealand products, New Zealand's fishing industry could not afford any negative perceptions, Lawson said. The industry was keen for opportunities to work with the council and other agencies.
"We can't afford for them to have a perception we are fishing out of waters that are polluted. Whether it's true or not, once that perception is generated it's difficult to change."
BRIDGET RAILTON
Estuaries in Southland are on the verge of an ecological disaster, according to Environment Southland reports.
A report on estuarine and rocky-shore monitoring results was presented to councillors at yesterday's environmental management committee meeting. It painted a dire picture on the health of estuaries.
All bar Freshwater Estuary showed signs of rapid degradation, with the gross eutrophic (rich in nutrients that feed algae) areas of most increasing exponentially.
Jacobs River Estuary's area at a gross eutrophic level had increased from 20 hectares in 2008 to 141ha in 2013 - 30 per cent of the estuary.
Councillor Robert Guyton said he was concerned by this and questioned whether it showed the estuary was on the verge of a huge ecological collapse.
"They talk about estuaries being the canary in the mine and it looks like the canary is dead," Guyton said.
It was a big concern as, among other things, estuaries were habitats for flatfish, the loss of which which would impact the fishing industry, he said.
After the report's presentation, Malcolm Lawson, chief executive of Cra8, the fishery to the south of New Zealand, spoke about the impact of water quality on the fishing industry.
After the food safety scares in China stemming from New Zealand products, New Zealand's fishing industry could not afford any negative perceptions, Lawson said. The industry was keen for opportunities to work with the council and other agencies.
"We can't afford for them to have a perception we are fishing out of waters that are polluted. Whether it's true or not, once that perception is generated it's difficult to change."
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Common Ground
For any Green Man sticker holders following my blog, I can tell you that there has been a lot of interest shown in the Common Ground movement and a lot of stickers posted out to all parts of the country. I don't want to quantify the level of response but I have to say that I'm very encouraged by the number of people who've emailed and snail-mailed me regarding Common Ground and what it means to them and have really enjoyed hearing about the kinds of things people are doing around New Zealand to create a better environment through planting and sowing. A number of people have made the effort to come and visit, bringing with them wonderful stories of their own projects and plans - most recently, an elderly gentleman, and he is indeed a gentleman, spent and afternoon sitting at my table, describing his regular 'green guerrilla' efforts in re-planting the bare spaces of the city he's lived in all of his life. If you'd heard what he'd achieved and was continuing to do, you'd want to clasp him to your breast and clap him on the back, all at the same time - he's a champion!
I continue to get requests to join the movement despite not having advertised Common Ground for some months now, so I'm confident that, like a rash, the idea's continuing to spread :-)
If you've not yet taken the plunge and would like a sticker and to be one of us, send me a self-addressed and stamped letter to:
Robert Guyton
20 Thames Street
Riverton 9822
I continue to get requests to join the movement despite not having advertised Common Ground for some months now, so I'm confident that, like a rash, the idea's continuing to spread :-)
If you've not yet taken the plunge and would like a sticker and to be one of us, send me a self-addressed and stamped letter to:
Robert Guyton
20 Thames Street
Riverton 9822
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Interviewing people with something to say
What an elegant title from the Southland Times 'letters' editor today; pithy and amusing too.
He was referring to my letter of response to councillor Miller's earlier, in-my-opinion lame, effort.
Marion Miller rises (November 1) in defence of the "old guard" on the council of Environment Southland.
In response to Stuart Collie (November 2) all Environment Southland councillors understand and accept the democratic process.
He was referring to my letter of response to councillor Miller's earlier, in-my-opinion lame, effort.
Marion Miller rises (November 1) in defence of the "old guard" on the council of Environment Southland.
In doing her duty she takes a swipe at The Southland Times' report and criticises the reporter for not interviewing those 'old guards', talking instead to the councillors who expressed a lively opinion during the meeting.
You can hardly blame the reporter for looking for something other than platitudes to offer readers.
ROBERT GUYTON
Rowly Currie too, had a letter published this morning (it's a good day for democracy, eh, Stuart!).
Rowly exposed an aspect of 'council business' that most people won't have known about; the continued influence of ex-chairman Stuart Collie. Rowly wrote (under the title, Democratic process):
In response to Stuart Collie (November 2) all Environment Southland councillors understand and accept the democratic process.
The majority view will always triumph.
Sometimes, some may not favour an outcome, and will say so, which is a democratic right.
It would appear that Stuart Collie`s remarks relate to the fact that he is the proud mentor of Ali Timms.
ROWLY CURRIE
Beautiful!
It would appear that Stuart Collie`s remarks relate to the fact that he is the proud mentor of Ali Timms.
ROWLY CURRIE
Beautiful!
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Common Ground
I'm doing my very best to start a
movement. Most people who are likely to be interested in joining will
already be actively involved in the business of it, and won't need to
change any thing they do in order to further its aims, as they will
be their aims too. I've thought long and hard about this, talked with
scores of people who are busy making the as-yet unformalised
objectives a reality, I've read all sorts of magazines, books and
on-line articles and discussions that contribute to my idea and I've
travelled as much of the countryside as I could, envisaging the
effects of what I'm considering, enjoying the work that has already
been achieved by people who feel the same urge to 're-plant the
world' as I do. Conservationists already do it. So do farmers, town
and city folk, travellers, tourists, council staff, school children,
prisoners, the list is almost endless. Anyone who plants a plant is a
potential candidate for membership to this movement. They need do no
more than they do now, but they might be inspired to increase their
planting, be it tree, shrub, flowering annual or vegetable, whatever
it is they do now toward improving our various environments with
growing things from the plant world.
I firmly believe that a combined and
conserted effort to grow more plants will benefit everyone. It's a
simple premise and one that's easy to make a reality. Planting things
is not difficult. Tens of thousands of us do it already. Those who
don't can quickly learn from those who do. The benefits of
increasing the number of plants around us are many and I don't think
I need to list them. The problems we face, as individuals and
communities, of food quality and availability, and the enjoyment we
can get from our surroundings, no matter where we live, can all be
alleviated through plants. This is the basic tenet of the movement
I'm proposing. Become engaged in planting and all of us will benefit.
Do more planting, I propose, and do it in places that are unplanted
as yet. Join other planters. Encourage those who haven't yet
discovered the benefits of growing plants of all sorts, to give it a
go. Start a nursery, no matter how modest, at home or at work. Sow
more than you can mange and give them away to people who don't yet
have the skills needed to grow from seeds, pip and cutting. I don't
mean to be directive. You are welcome to do whatever you wish and if
I never hear about your activities, it doesn't matter one whit,
though it would interest me a great deal if you were to let me know,
but if you do believe that a unifying 'banner' under which all
planters can 'virtually' gather, you might like to align yourself
with me and others of our persuasion. I've settled on a logo to
represent the aspirations and attitude of this 'brother and
sisterhood' of growers. It's more a stamp than anything, a wood-cut
from Europe's past: the Green Man, a figure that represents the
vigour of the vegetative world and posessing an atitude of vigour and
vitality that I hope will become typical of those who adopt him as
their 'mark'.
Here he is:
My proposal is simple; that anyone
wanting to align with this initiative, receives a Green Man sticker,
and puts it somewhere where they can see it and be reminded that
there are others out there in the environment, planting for a
purpose, and who want to be actively replanting an environment that
has been treated less than ideally.
For my part, I intend to make these
stickers available to who ever wants one, write articles around any
developments that might arise as a result of this simple act, ask for
and action any ideas people might have regarding this 'movement' and
pour energy into growing the ideas I've outlined here, so that the
number of people planting and the number of plants planted, grows and
grows.
You are welcome to contact me through
which ever medium you like. The most effective is email, and my
address is: rguy10@actrix.co.nz
Monday, March 4, 2013
Latest "Get Down to Earth"
Download the radio programme we did this morning, live and under time pressure here and enjoy our discussion about preserving fruits and vegetables, making apple jelly, along with tips on tomato culture and the soon to be happening Heritage Harvest Festival at Riverton.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Another grainy image
This time it's me and Breigh. The Southland Express ran this little story yesterday and I've copied it out below.
Gang HQ idea comes to fruition
BY LEEANA TAMATI
ONE Rimu School pupil's innovative idea has won her apple trees to start her own little orchard in the school.
Breigh Stanley (10) originally won Invercargill businessman Louis Crimp's competition to decide what to use the patch of land, at Clifton, the former Mongrel Mob's headquarters was on.
Her idea, to grow a communal orchard, won the $1000 prize Mr Crimp was giving away, but the orchard did not go ahead because he wanted to give the land to charity.
Local organisation Open Orchard's Robert Guyton said he heard of Breigh's idea and offered to help her out to make and orchard at her school.
Open Orchard aims to bring back harvesting trees into Southland, he said.
Mr Guyton was at the school last week helping plant the trees and showing the children how to care for them.
The pupils had been very welcoming of the idea he said.
"The kids have been great.
"They've done all the preparation themselves and they've been digging all the holes themselves.
"They've made an excellent effort."
Breigh said she thought of an orchard after she went to the harvest festival at Riverton.
"I really do enjoy gardening.
"I also thought that in the area the house was, in that part of town, the community might not have helped each other out before, so I thought it could be something to bring them together."
Friday, July 8, 2011
Letters I like
This letter from a P. Clifford of Invercargill in today's Southland Times is the kind that makes me feel that there are many people in our community that know what democracy is all about. Titled 'Preconceived ideas' slur is laughable' by the Times, the letter says:
"So the former head of Environment Southland is concerned that Cr Robert Guyton may have had some preconceived ideas on the environment before he was voted in?
Laughable.
Doesn't he realise that's why I and many others voted for him in the first place?
Does anyone think maybe that Stuart Collie had his own preconceived ideas when he was voted in considering his former background in the farming lobby group Federated Farmers?
Look at the state of our environment and ask yourself just what kind of job he did when he was running the show.
I say we need more like Robert."
That's a very encouraging letter, both at a personal level and where it shows that people are looking to see what really is happening in their own backyards and not just accepting the assurances of those who have been elected to plum positions. In saying that, I'll post all letters that come in on the subject and expect that there will be some that don't echo P.Clifford's and present a different view. That's what it's all about!
"So the former head of Environment Southland is concerned that Cr Robert Guyton may have had some preconceived ideas on the environment before he was voted in?
Laughable.
Doesn't he realise that's why I and many others voted for him in the first place?
Does anyone think maybe that Stuart Collie had his own preconceived ideas when he was voted in considering his former background in the farming lobby group Federated Farmers?
Look at the state of our environment and ask yourself just what kind of job he did when he was running the show.
I say we need more like Robert."
That's a very encouraging letter, both at a personal level and where it shows that people are looking to see what really is happening in their own backyards and not just accepting the assurances of those who have been elected to plum positions. In saying that, I'll post all letters that come in on the subject and expect that there will be some that don't echo P.Clifford's and present a different view. That's what it's all about!
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Collie out of hibernation
Did he stumble out of his warm, dry cave by himself, or was he encouraged to emerge from his long slumber by those upset by my outspokenness, that's what I wondered as I fielded ex-chairman Collie's terse accusations of bias, at the yesterday's 'listen to the public' meeting in Invercargill. Collie was like a bear with a sore head, and his grumbling was caused by my calling a meeting where, shock, horror, the public was able to say what they thought, without restriction, to a councillor who was willing to listen and note their concerns. Collie thought this most improper and said so. He probably wasn't expecting the stropping that followed! Several members of the crowd that turned out for the meeting vigorously chastised the ex-chairman for his churlish views and stated their strong support for the opportunity the meeting provided for them to have their say. Collie vainly tried to maintain his objections, until Labour's Leslie Soper delivered the coup de grace with some well chosen facts and definitive phrases that ended Collies diatribe on predetermination and made my heart swell with pride! There was applause all round at her words. To Collies' credit, he stayed for the rest of the meeting and got to hear, as I did, what people thought about Solid Energy's lignite mining plans, along with other associated issues. The crowd was a well informed one and covered some very important concerns, all of which I will take to the council I sit on, for their information. I learned a great deal from those people and was hugely grateful for their opinions and their support. The Southland Times reporter, naturally, chose to focus on the conflict, as reporters are bound to do, and I've copy/pasted that story below. Thank you, by the way, very much to all those who came to the meeting. I was very encouraged by what I heard and by the calibre of thought that I heard being expressed.
Environment Southland councillor Robert Guyton has been accused of having a conflict of interest after he held his own public meeting to discuss lignite mining yesterday.
Former council chairman Stuart Collie, who was at the meeting, asked if it was appropriate if Mr Guyton sat on the council's resource consent committee.
Mr Guyton's opinion on mining was "predetermined" and that meant sitting on the resource consents committee was a conflict of interest, Mr Collie said.
"As a councillor you've got some very well-known point-of-views ... from a consent committee point-of-view I don't know how you can operate in that role," Mr Collie said.
Mr Guyton earlier this week announced he would hold the meeting to gauge public opinion, instead of attending a council resource consents committee hearing for Solid Energy, which plans to build a $25 million briquetting plant in the Mataura Valley.
Mr Guyton said he had been careful about commenting on mining, and had stepped aside from sitting on yesterday's actual hearing so he could not be accused of having a conflict of interest.
He had also invited people with all viewpoints to attend, he said.
About 30 people turned up at his meeting yesterday afternoon, and the majority appeared to hold their own concerns about the sustainability and potential negative impacts further mining could bring to the area.
Others attending the meeting threw their weight behind Mr Guyton, with many arguing councillors were elected because of the viewpoints they represented.
Otatara woman Sherry Elton said she was grateful Mr Guyton voiced his opinions. "Robert's views have been Robert's views since he was a kid. I'm pleased there's somebody in there willing to listen to me."
After the meeting, Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh said he was disappointed to hear Mr Collie had publicly criticised Mr Guyton.
"I think it's inappropriate for him to be saying those sorts of things about one of our councillors," he said. Many councillors had their own opinions, but all had a duty to remain impartial when making decisions.
He declined to comment on whether individual meetings could impact on Mr Guyton's role on the committee.
alana.dixon@stl.co.nz
* As I expected, the council granted the consent applications from Solid Energy at a meeting held at the same time. "The committee unanimously approved the application for a consent period of 20 years etc..."
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Councillor holds own meeting
Councillor holds own meeting on miner's plant
An Environment Southland councillor says it would be futile to sit on the committee hearing the case for a briquetting plant at Eastern Southland, and will hold his own public meeting instead.
Robert Guyton, a member of the council's resource consent hearing committee, said yesterday he would hold an informal meeting to gauge public opinion on Solid Energy's plans to build a $25 million briquetting plant near Mataura, as legislation meant he would be unable to "ask the questions I feel are most important" at tomorrow's hearing.
A clause in the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill meant councils could not consider climate change and the impact of greenhouse gases when granting consent applications, so the public was unable to question the potential environmental impact of lignite mining at tomorrow's hearing, he said.
Rules that meant regional councils had to look at conset applications on a case-by-case basis was flawed - as shown recently at the waituna Lagoon, he said.
"It's death by a thousand cuts" and I'm not happy to sit and allow that to occur." Mr Guyton said.
That clause made him wonder how much sway industry had on the country's policy-making, and what direction the National-led Government was heading, he said.
Last month the Gore District Council approved a resource consent application from the Government-owned energy company, and Prime Minister John Key has backed plans to mine Southland's lignite.
Tomorrow's Environment Southland hearing is for water and discharge permits.
Mr Guyton said he believed the committee would approve the application, but it was important councillors heard a range of viewpoints and were not close-minded.
"[At meetings organised by stakeholders] I've found they can't really have a say too easily. They're more there to be told, to have the case presented to them, rather than back-and-forth sharing of information," Mr Guyton said.
He wanted to hear from those in support of mining plans just as much as he wanted to speak with others in opposition, and planned to present the findings of tomorrow's discussion when Environment Southland attended a presentation by Solid Energy later this month, he said.
Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh yesterday declined to comment on whether he believed Mr Guyton should be attending the consents hearing, rather than holding his own meeting.
"It's actually a substantial political argument, and it's not up to me to be involved in that realm," he said.
However, Mr Guyton and other committee members were under no obligation to attend every single hearing, and what each councillor chose to do as a private individual was their business, he said.
Mr Guyton will hold his meeting at the Invercargill Public Library from 1:30pm to 3:00pm tomorrow. The resource consent hearing will begin at 1:30pm at Environment Southland.
alana.dixon@stl.co.nz
An Environment Southland councillor says it would be futile to sit on the committee hearing the case for a briquetting plant at Eastern Southland, and will hold his own public meeting instead.
Robert Guyton, a member of the council's resource consent hearing committee, said yesterday he would hold an informal meeting to gauge public opinion on Solid Energy's plans to build a $25 million briquetting plant near Mataura, as legislation meant he would be unable to "ask the questions I feel are most important" at tomorrow's hearing.
A clause in the Resource Management (Energy and Climate Change) Amendment Bill meant councils could not consider climate change and the impact of greenhouse gases when granting consent applications, so the public was unable to question the potential environmental impact of lignite mining at tomorrow's hearing, he said.
Rules that meant regional councils had to look at conset applications on a case-by-case basis was flawed - as shown recently at the waituna Lagoon, he said.
"It's death by a thousand cuts" and I'm not happy to sit and allow that to occur." Mr Guyton said.
That clause made him wonder how much sway industry had on the country's policy-making, and what direction the National-led Government was heading, he said.
Last month the Gore District Council approved a resource consent application from the Government-owned energy company, and Prime Minister John Key has backed plans to mine Southland's lignite.
Tomorrow's Environment Southland hearing is for water and discharge permits.
Mr Guyton said he believed the committee would approve the application, but it was important councillors heard a range of viewpoints and were not close-minded.
"[At meetings organised by stakeholders] I've found they can't really have a say too easily. They're more there to be told, to have the case presented to them, rather than back-and-forth sharing of information," Mr Guyton said.
He wanted to hear from those in support of mining plans just as much as he wanted to speak with others in opposition, and planned to present the findings of tomorrow's discussion when Environment Southland attended a presentation by Solid Energy later this month, he said.
Environment Southland chief executive Ciaran Keogh yesterday declined to comment on whether he believed Mr Guyton should be attending the consents hearing, rather than holding his own meeting.
"It's actually a substantial political argument, and it's not up to me to be involved in that realm," he said.
However, Mr Guyton and other committee members were under no obligation to attend every single hearing, and what each councillor chose to do as a private individual was their business, he said.
Mr Guyton will hold his meeting at the Invercargill Public Library from 1:30pm to 3:00pm tomorrow. The resource consent hearing will begin at 1:30pm at Environment Southland.
alana.dixon@stl.co.nz
Friday, September 3, 2010
Grey Power 'Meet the Candidates'
Grey Power Southland are hosting a 'Meet the Candidates' evening on Monday September 6th at the Ascot Park Hotel.
Every candidate under the sun will be there, judging by the list of councils involved.
That is, if those candidates have received an invitation to attend.
I haven't.
I hope, for the sake of the audience, that someone did!
*up-date - all is forgiven. I've been given a very gracious invitation to speak.
I suspect the podium will be quite crowded, judging by the number of candidates involved.
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