Field trips
Wednesday 29 September 2010, 7.30am – 5.00pm.
Buses depart Christchurch Convention Centre from 7.30am and will return at approximately 5.00pm.
One field trip per full conference registration is included in the cost of your registration.
Extra passengers (e.g. spouses) will be charged $50 to cover the coach and catering costs.
1. Arable Field Trip
This will depart the Convention Centre for Dorie, on the Ashburton side of the Rakaia River, to visit the farm of John Evans then back to Chertsey to the FAR Chertsey Arable Research site. Lunch is at Salmon Tales in Rakaia. After lunch a visit will be made to the farm of Richard Redfern at Rakaia then back towards Christchurch for a visit to the Biodiesel NZ plant at Rolleston.
2. Forestry Field Trip
This will depart the Convention Centre to travel to the Ashley Forest, north of Christchurch, to look at Dose Response trials. Lunch is at the historic Hurunui Hotel. After lunch the group will travel to the Hanmer Springs Corner to view a regenerating burnt area and then to Balmoral Forest. The final visit of the day is to the Mudhouse Winery, Waipara for either wine-tasting ($5) or coffee.
3. Pasture Field Trip
This will depart the Convention Centre to visit the Lincoln University Dairy Farm. After morning tea at Lincoln University the group will travel to the Akaroa Highway Hilltop lookout discussing hill country weed issues along the way. Lunch will be at the French Farm Restaurant after a brief stop at the Barrys Bay Cheese Factory to view the cheese-making and make purchases. The final stop is at the historic Akaroa village for some free time before returning to Christchurch.
4. Environment Field Trip
This will depart the Convention Centre for Kaitorete Spit and Birdlings Flat just off the main highway to Akaroa and then to Little River to look at weeds specific to that area. Lunch is at the Little River Café and Craft Gallery. The group will visit Lake Ellesmere/Kaituna and then a local winery on the way back to Christchurch.
5. Aquatic Field Trip
This field trip will visit the phragmites and egeria eradication programmes in Christchurch then travel through to Kirwee for morning tea where Environment Canterbury will speak on irrigation in the past, present and future. After sight-seeing at the Rakaia Gorge the field trip will view Lake Coleridge, a deep microtrophic lake, Lake Selfe to look at the lake surveillance programme and Lake Lyndon to look at amphibious turf communities.