About us
Who we are
We are an environmental education centre and members of Environment Hubs Aotearoa and NZ Zero Waste Network.
With the assistance of our trustees and supporters, we aspire:
- To educate and inform the South Canterbury public about a sustainable future;
- To enthuse and inspire, through opportunity and by example;
- To facilitate ways in which businesses, industry, schools and the community can move to being more self-sufficient;
- To demonstrate and develop solutions to minimising waste and using locally-sourced resources.
We are the Sustainable South Canterbury Trust (SSCT). We are led by a group of volunteer trustees with professional skills, drawn from Timaru and surrounding districts, dedicated to making our place a better place.
Current Trustees are Brian Gallagher (Chair), Ross Wells, Rhys Taylor, Kylee Galbraith, Keitha Monson, and Ron Lindsay. Our centre staff include a Crow’s Nest team led by John Wilson, EcoCentre Activator Alice Brice and Chris Konings is the Biodiversity Facilitator.
The Eco Centre is a major milestone in the community’s sustainability journey.
Opening in 2022 the Eco Centre has created a community space for everyone to come together and learn. Showcasing state-of-the-art technology alongside on-site demonstrations of low-carbon and resource-sustaining practices. The Eco Centre will be used by local businesses and educators alike to open everyone’s eyes to a more sustainable future.
Our next step is to develop the landscape plan which is derived from permaculture elements to provide demonstration edible gardens, local NZ native species, an outdoor kitchen and nature play.
In 2023 the Trust gained funding, primarily from Ministry for the Environment (MfE) as well as a community grant from the Mid & South Canterbury Trust, to employ a regional Biodiversity Facilitator. This is a one year pilot project with the MfE to test the value of such a position to enable, support and promote groups and individuals working to protect biodiversity in the rohe/ region.