Sublime Sunday: Paradise in the Middle of the City

In this age of instant gratification and short term thinking, its rare to find an organisation with a 500 year vision. The Karori Sanctuary Trust is just such an organisation.

In 1995 they began work on the worlds first, fully-fenced, mainland 'conservation island' in the heart of Wellington, New Zealand. Their vision is to restore this 225ha corner of the country as closely as possible to the way it was the day before humans arrived.

The beautiful Karori Sanctuary is home to endangered native flora and fauna living wild. It is open to the public 364 days of the year. A true conservation masterpiece.

Karori Sanctuary Trust is a not-for-profit community conservation charity. The 8.6km pest-proof fence around Zelandia costs NZ$12,000 a year to maintain. You can help with their conservation and ecological restoration work by simply visiting Zealandia (The Karori Sanctuary), by adopting a fence post, adopting an acre of the Sanctuary, or getting your hands dirty and volunteering!

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• Sublime Sunday: Lake Rotokare (digitalphilanthropy.blogspot.com)

Sublime Sunday: Lake Rotokare

Sublime Sunday's are all about highlighting efforts to save the world's beautiful places. Like Lake Rotokare in Taranaki, New Zealand.

Photo: Ruth Stewart

Rotokare Scenic Reserve is a stunning 230 hectare forested hill-country catchment, extensive wetlands and 17.8 hectare natural lake.

Aerial photo Rotokare Scenic Reserve.

The Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust formed in 2004 amid concern that the habitat was in decline. They are now creating a 'mainland island' inside a predator proof fence to protect the native flora and fauna in the area and to create a 'flourishing indigenous ecosystem'. Its a truly amazing community conservation project!

Volunteers on a Planting Day

You can help by volunteering in the reserve on a Sunday or by making a donation to the Trust.

A Garbage Patch Bigger than Texas!

Image by superdumpa via Flickr

In the middle of the pacific ocean there is a toxic garbage patch more than twice the size of Texas. Lindsey Hoshaw, a recent Stanford journalism graduate now working as a freelance environmental journalist, is preparing for a month long voyage to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to take photos for a New York Times article.

The report aims to educate the public about marine debris. It will bring new light to ocean pollution and provide one of the first reports about how toxic chemicals are entering our food chain. Many scientists believe that ocean pollution will be one of the most pressing issues of the 21st century, this slideshow will be one of the first to show direct footage from the Garbage Patch.

If you want to be part of this great work, you can help by donating to help pay Lindsey's travel expenses. You can donate at Spot.us or at her Facebook Causes page. You can also follow Lindsey on Twitter - @lindseyhoshaw

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• Support Research Of The Great Pacific Garbage Patch (takepart.com)

Pledge your Support for the Rainforest Foundation

Around the world, there are millions of people living in rainforests whose livelihoods and cultures depend on their natural environment. In many cases, the basic rights of these people are threatened or undermined by forest destruction, land theft and resource exploitation. The Rainforest Foundation UK (RFUK) is working to ensure the long-term protection of rainforests by securing the rights of indigenous communities to land, life and livelihoods.
- The Rainforest Foundation