New enviro hub for Picton

‘‘Conservation is a huge part of who we are in Picton, hopefully it really adds to the attraction of the town to visitors.’’

Getting youth involved in the preserving the environment. Sounds like a tough ask, but a new shared space in Picton is helping to do just that.

Newly opened Envirohub Marlborough is a base for Marlborough’s environmental and conservation groups to display their posters and to use as an event, meeting and office space.

Located opposite the Picton i-Site, the hub is in a prime position for both locals and tourists. And, of course, its on the doorstep of the Marlborough Sounds.

The centre is being run by Conservation Kids NZ Charitable Trust.

‘‘The aim is to support the conservation or environmental efforts in Marlborough and it seemed like the logical sort of thing to do is to get a facility like this, where everyone knows it’s a bit of a hub, a base to go to,’’ Conservation Kids NZ founder Tash Luxton says.

Their focus is to get more youth and families involved.

‘‘We need more youth on the environment scene in Marlborough and it’s quite hard to do. You can get them involved in different events, but sustained involvement,’’ Luxton says. ‘‘It’s going to be something that’s fun and inviting. Hopefully they can’t get enough of the place.’’

The group plan to run events to get the word out there.

‘‘The more events we have, the more the people will start to come on in and learn what it’s about. Hopefully they will feel really inspired and then start utilising it,’’ says Luxton.

They have several events already planned for November. The Department of Conservation (DOC) will bring in their predator dogs and there will also be an open day for kids.

The hub is to be a community facility, useable by anyone for learning and environmental purposes. Workshops would also be held at the hub.

The hub has been in the planning for a couple of years. The dream would be to have something bigger, but Luxton believes it was best to start small.

It was being supported by a community grant, with the hope eco-retail in the hub would help cover running costs.

‘‘Conservation is a huge part of who we are in Picton, hopefully it really adds to the attraction of the town to visitors.’’

PHOTO: MAIKE VAN DER HEIDE Tash Luxton, Conservation Kids NZ Tash Luxton, founder of Conservation Kids NZ, says the new Envirohub is a community facility, useable by anyone for learning and environmental purposes.

ANGELA O’CARROLL A shared space for Marlborough’s environmental groups has been established in Picton.