Waiheke

Creating our future today

Transition Waiheke is part of the Transition Towns movement: a grass roots approach to making our communities more self-reliant in the face of peak oil and climate change. Our aim is to engage all sectors of the Waiheke community in addressing the greatest transition of our time: from oil dependency to a low energy future. Transition Waiheke is facilitated by a Core Team so please contact any of us for more information.

By working with others locally, we can support each other, empower ourselves and get things done. We can seek local solutions. We can experiment and try out new sustainable approaches...local food, local energy, local industry. We won't always know the answers but together we have the energy and innovation to create them.

What's on this page

Our current focus
Transition Waiheke subgroups
Transition Waiheke needs you
Links to peak oil resources and community inventory
News of what Transition Waiheke has been up to
Contacts

Our current focus

Building Waiheke's community inventory

We need your community initiatives! Transition Waiheke is developing a community inventory of a wide range of Waiheke initiatives which strengthen our community. Having an inventory provides people with the opportunity to join initiatives and enables groups to network with others who have similar goals. The inventory also provides community resources which groups can draw on to support their work.

We would like to get your community initiative on the inventory. If possible we would really like a contact (name, phone number or email) so people can contact you if they want to join, link or get more information. To add or edit your initiative, you can edit this site (see the Basic Editing link in the side bar), or email Claire on clairemortimer@clear.net.nz with the information you want to put on.

Transition Waiheke subgroups

We started the process of becoming a Transition Town in Summer 2007, and we now have the following active subgroups:

The Fabulous Fruit Tree Initiative

With a ten-year vision of planting 20,000 fruit and nut trees on the island's public and private land, the Fabulous Fruit Tree Group is working, in conjunction with Auckland City Council, towards planting its first orchard reserve this winter – possibly behind the old Surfdale post office. Approximately 25 organic trees will be under-planted with heritage daffodils and narcissus; a bench will be placed for contemplation in the shade and a path weave through the young trees.

This model orchard will be the launch of the "Fruit Bowl of the Hauraki Gulf", taking us one step closer to feeding the community more locally. A private donation has been gratefully received to purchase these trees. A map of all the fruit trees on the island is being drawn up, identifying those with fruit to share and also those quality ones from which to graft future stock.

Contact: Deb Lyttle 372 9484 or Sue Connor 372 6183

Wise Women plus a couple brave men

At her 81st birthday party, Fay Giles invited her friends to take part in the transition movement. Since then, she has signed up 15 energetic women and three men to launch a number of projects. Her cottage at the Ostend retirement village has become a drop-in centre for those interested in the cause. With plans underway for a raised bed veggie garden, the Waiheke Resource Trust has donated a worm farm which Faye is carefully feeding every morning.

A documentary is being considered for Faye and her friends, recording the sustainable histories of these stroppy individuals with a positive and practical attitude. We are looking for funding to buy this group "Transition Waiheke" t-shirts to be worn during the filming.

Contact: Faye Giles 372 4411

Energy Group

An energy group is just being set up. For more information, contact Ben Levi Ph: 372 8561 or ben@dialogue.org

Transition Waiheke needs you

We would like to ask anyone interested to help us to move forward the process of making Waiheke a more sustainable community.

• First, we are looking for ideas for sustainable projects that Transition Waiheke can help promote. If you are interested or have an idea, please contact James Samuel 09-372 8737 or Claire Mortimer 09 - 372 9609
• Second, we are looking for funding to get a number of community projects off the ground , you may be able to contribute funds or in kind expertise, contact James Samuel 09-372 8737
• Third, as we have outlined above, we are building a community inventory. Take a look and add your initiative to it, that way we can all stay in touch.
• Finally we would welcome any feedback on any of the information raised here on the Transition Waiheke website. Email clairemortimer@clear.net.nz

Links

Community inventory This is a growing inventory of a wide range of Waiheke initiatives which are strengthening our community. Take a look, there is an incredible amount of community action on this island - You might want to join an initiative or add your own initiative to this list.

Core Team of Transition Waiheke

Transition towns resources. This is a list of films, books and materials on peak oil, climate change , energy and related topics.

News

March 8th

Roberto Perez, a world renowned Cuban biologist, and permaculture spoke at the Ostend Market and Waiheke Theatre about the power of community action and Cuba‘s response to its oil shock in the late '80s. In total over 300 people attended the two events. The theatre event also held a thought provoking session with a panel of experts in community action and sustainability; Roberto Perez, Dr Lesley Stone - an environmental scientist specialising in learning and change for sustainability, Prue Taylor - expert on climate change ethics and law, James Samuel - member of the Transition Waiheke initiative and Archer Davis - Group Manager for Transport Policy and Planning at North Shore City.

Roberto was inspirational, his key message was about the importance of community and that sustainability is ultimately about people learning to work together for a common future. He celebrated the achievements of his country and demonstrated through the Cuban experience that a lower energy future can provide us with fulfilling and dignified lives, excellent healthcare and life expectancy, great education, and a depth of sharing and community spirit.

Jan 20th

Awareness raising of Transition Waiheke at the Green's "Picnic for the Planet" at Surfdale on Jan 20th. In Jeannette Fitsimmons annual state of the planet address, Jeannette announced that “Waiheke has just become the first place in New Zealand to be formally named as a transition town with active programmes to reduce the community’s dependence on oil”.

The Transition Waiheke team at the picnic for the planet(From Left: Sue Connor, Jan Bakuwel, Deb Lyttle, Derek Hayward, Claire Mortimer and James Samuel.

Jan 14th

Transition Waiheke gets the nod from the Transition Network in the UK, approving its request to formalise the Transition Waiheke initiative - New Zealand's first official Transition Town.

Dec 3rd

The first meeting was held with possible steering group members, to focus on Transition Island Waiheke. Read the notes from the meeting and see the Inventory of resources and initiatives, which came out of it.

Early October

A meeting was called at the beginning of October. 22 people were invited at short notice and 27 people turned up. We watched some TT video clips of Rob Hopkins describing the 12 steps. People expressed a keen interest to continue the dialogue.

History

With the benefit of the charitable trust operated Waiheke community cinema, it has been possible to do some good raise awareness over the last three years. As an island community Waiheke is very aware of how much it has become reliant on outside inputs, and is now embracing many initiatives to strengthen local resilience.

Contacts

Please email or call James Samuel on 09-372 8737 for information or any of the members of the Core Team of Transition Waiheke. For more detailed news, visit James's website www.#