UNITEC'S HACK TO THE FUTURE

Slugs and snails and ... just about anything is welcome in this garden of the future. Except budget-pruning bureaucrats. Joseph Barratt reports.
They call it the sanctuary - a place where no insect is a pest or any weed needs to be killed. For 10 years, Brendan Hoare has been working hard to create one of Auckland's shining examples of sustainability in horticulture.
He and Richard Maine follow the principles of permaculture, using natural systems to promote a healthy soil and garden.
With the help of hundreds of students over the years they have established a low-maintenance fruit and vegetable garden.
They use no sprays or outside resources except food scraps.
The system is a working model of how to effectively dispose of food waste, in this case from the campus and Auckland City Council.
But despite being recognised regionally and nationally as a showcase of sustainability it could soon come to an end as Unitec moves to cut costs.
``Essentially, 10 years of work could go down the gurgler - it is unbelievable,' says Mr Hoare, a senior lecturer at Unitec.
``They say we have no need for this sort of thing in the Auckland region. That's rubbish. We need this now more than ever.'
As word has spread that the centre is in danger, the public response has been great, says Mr Hoare.
``There are a whole host of people that are dumbfounded by the move and I am sure more people will be once they hear about it.'
Mr Hoare believes Unitec has used an incorrect method to measure whether the course is profitable.
``They have ignored the fact that we do all sorts of other work as well.
``I will admit that perhaps we could have been better at our communication and public relations skills, but there is still a huge demand for this sort of thing in the city.
``It is phenomenal that they should even consider getting rid of it.'
Unitec chief executive Dr Rick Ede confirms there's a proposal to stop the project but it is not yet confirmed.
Most of the school will be reviewed, says Dr Ede, and ``with all respect to the achievements they have already it comes down to its financial viability. In the past the horticulture courses have struggled to attract students."
Why more and more Aucklanders are going back to basics - See COVER STORY "Dishing the Dirt"