Spreading the Good Word

Like many other people, Nicky Glenjarman first heard about the Waste Exchange service from another user, and now Nicky is spreading the Waste Exchange word herself. “I have expounded TerraNova’s virtues to everyone I know” she says. “Just the fact that Terranova and the Waste Exchange exists is great as far as we are concerned.” 

Nicky and her husband Shane run the Glenshire Educational Menagerie at Kaiapoi. The farm is privately run and receives no funding, so money for resources is always tight. During the week the farm hosts school classes and a wide range of community groups. All of these groups can book free visits to the farm to learn about native flora and fauna, typical pet animals, introduced pest species, natural history and conservation. The farm is also open to the public on Sundays 1-5 at no charge. 

Given the range of activities on the farm, Waste Exchange Co-ordinator Jim Forsman felt it best to visit the farm to assess what types of materials might be of use. “Since then it has been awesome” says Nicky. 

	The farm has been provided with a wide variety of materials. Three large polystyrene vaccine boxes (about 1.5 metres high) with lift off doors have had ventilation holes drilled, and they now serve as breeding centres for meal worms that feed the birds and turtles. “It would have been very hard to find something similar” Nicky says. “Staff from Orana Park and Willowbank came and had a look at them too, and since then they have gotten some for the same purpose. We like to trade ideas and share resources, and it’s nice for us as the little guy to be able to help them out.”
Wooden trellis used in a roof	Old paint was used for the annual refurbishment of the aviaries, and proved very cost effective. Concrete blocks were also used to make concrete floors in the aviaries, and have helped decrease rodent problems. Elsewhere old Hessian sacks have been used for flooring. An especially great find was chain link fence, which has helped improve security; unfortunately the farm has been broken into several times. One of the more unusual acquisitions was a 2.5 metre high ramp, which Nicky intends to use to provide people a different perspective of the farm; for a change you can look down on the ostriches instead of having them look down on you!
Recycled wood and reels are ideal for goat-play	“I can’t express enough what a great job the Waste Exchange is doing. I think it’s fantastic. We are privately run get no funding and the difference it makes to us cost-wise allows us to carry on with construction, rather than just conserve our resources for maintenance. But it’s not just about money. It has allowed us to become more creative; I knew when I saw the ramp exactly what we would use it for. I just love what you guys do.”