Replicating an ancient local ecosystem and combating noise and air pollution are among 17 school projects that will receive $15,000 funding from this year’s Northland Regional Council Environmental Curriculum Awards.
Council Environmental Education Officer Susan Karels says 15 Northland schools are being funded for a range of 17 diverse projects this year.
Mrs Karels says the annual awards aim to foster excellence in environmental education, with schools eligible for up to $2000 each (plus GST) for their efforts to educate children “in, about and for” the region’s environment.
Applicants had sought $29,341.32 this year – twice the $15,000 available.
“This year’s 15 recipients will receive amounts between $200 and $1800 each (plus GST) for their projects. Once again, this year’s projects were impressive; both in their scope and their quality. Especially pleasing is the increasing role that students are playing in planning and designing these projects.”
Mrs Karels says five of the winning schools are based in the Far North District, eight in Whangarei District and two from the Kaipara.
She says the awards aim to encourage these schools and their communities to actively participate in efforts to improve their environment in a sustainable manner.
Participants this year range from new entrants through to Year 13 (Form Seven) pupils, along with teachers, principals, boards of trustees and wider school communities.
The winning schools and their GST-exclusive projects are:
Ahipara School
Project: Native Birds
Ahipara School was awarded $200.44 to construct bird feeders to attract native birds to their school grounds. The students will track environmental change in Ahipara and investigate how the changes could have affected the number and variety of native birds in their local area. Learning experiences will include carrying out a landscape survey, sharing their experiences relating to the living world, observing and identifying parts of native birds and plants, identifying differences and similarities in forest creatures, investigating and understanding the functions of bird parts and examining the responses of plants, animals and people to environmental changes in their habitats.
Hukerenui School
Project: Sustainable Orchard
Hukerenui School was awarded $416.20 to purchase fruit trees and fertiliser to develop a sustainable orchard. The students will gain knowledge and understanding of the school environment and the impact people have on it and explore systems to manage the orchard sustainably. They plan to establish environmentally-friendly practices and use the edible food in their food technology area to develop an understanding of the seasonal changes in fruit trees and the availability of fruit at certain times of the year. The students will consider sun and shade aspects, create an action plan, survey student fruit tree preferences, research local climate suitability for particular fruit trees, listen to an ‘expert’ guest speaker on positioning plants and the needs of different species, and plant the trees at appropriate times of the year.
Kamo Christian College
Projects: Wai Hou (Aquanova) and Wahi Hirahira (Our Sanctuary)
Kamo Christian College was awarded $1,398.80 and to set up a water quality monitoring programme and create a native garden area in the school grounds.
The students plan to monitor and improve the water quality of the waterway situated behind their sports field. They will carry out water quality testing, devise a plan to improve the quality of the water, design a riparian planting area and identify maintenance needed to maintain or continue to improve the water quality.
The students will also survey the present school environment and how it affects their sense of self value and belonging, design a plan to improve their chosen area, identify the native plants needed to attract native birds and butterflies, listen to guest ‘expert’ speakers’, design the planting area and work out the steps needed to plant and maintain a native plant area, present their plan to the BoT, prepare and plant the site, thank local community partners, conduct an official opening and carry out an evaluation as to the success of their environmental project.
Mangakahia Area School
Project: Fostering Education for Sustainability in Our School
Mangakahia Area School was awarded $928.89 to further environmental education throughout the school. The students will set up worm farms for each of the junior school, senior school and land care department. They will also grow a shelter belt made up of native trees, shrubs and climbers, obtaining NCEA credits along the way.
Okaihau College
Project: Whakapaipai (to make good) – Quiet Area Garden Design
Okaihau College was awarded $679.32 to develop a safe and environmentally-friendly area behind the library and in front of the newly built Rangimarie (special needs) building. Garden art will take inspiration from an existing mosaic mural that depicts the story of the Okaihau flora and fauna and the journey of learning at school. Students will complete a detailed action plan, seek feedback, design a garden concept plan, research appropriate native plants, source plants and equipment, prepare a budget, create mosaics, totem pole and clay chairs, prepare the area and plant, and evaluate their project’s effectiveness.
Onerahi School
Projects: Planting a Native Bush Area and Growth
Onerahi School was awarded $702.87 to extend their native bush area and learn about how plants grow and develop.
The students plan to extend their native bush area by landscaping and planting natives. Student responsibilities include: weekly maintenance of the area – weeding, watering and raking, creation of maps of the area, photographing the processes, eg. tree labelling, building seats, and taking guided tours of all the school’s environmental education projects.
For the ‘Growth’ project the students will label plant parts, understand and sequence the growth of a plant, classify types of plants and relate and compare the growth of a plant to the growth of themselves. They will decide on the best place to plant, interview family and friends about home gardens, talk to the caretaker about building materials for the garden, look at plants already planted in the school, eg. native area, and learn how to care for plants and themselves.
Otaika School
Project: Making Our Beautiful Place
Otaika School was awarded $903.25 to continue implementing their whole-school vision map. The students will be involved in a number of action projects including: extending existing native plantings, planting the BMX track, involving the local community in planting, maintenance and decision making, consulting with local Maori to ensure inclusion of culturally valuable plants, teaching about local natural resources, forming a ‘Green Group’, fostering life-long enthusiasm for environmental issues and encouraging regular use of ‘wild areas’ within the school for both recreational and educational purposes.
Poroti School
Project: Composting at Poroti
Poroti School was awarded $420.93 to further their waste management system. The students plan to take full ownership of rubbish disposal and composting throughout the school. They will research past and current waste disposal options in the local community and discuss reasons for any changes, visit the local refuse transfer station to observe the disposal of waste and record feelings and thoughts about the experience, collect, sort and classify the major sources of waste at school and investigate its potential impact on the environment, research compost bin designs, build compost bins and use resulting compost in the school gardens and orchard area.
Pukenui School
Project: Plant Propagation – Erosion Control
Pukenui School was awarded $1,538.30 to erect a greenhouse, collect native seeds and propagate native plants. The students will use the plants to further stabilise a steep slope on the school grounds and then for local areas and as an on-going fundraising venture for the school. Project goals include: to encourage sustainable learning, to encourage bird life around the school and provide bird observation opportunities, to control and eradicate pests and to provide a sense of community through a whole school project.
Tangiteroria School
Project: Shrinking Waste
Tangiteroria School was awarded $627.84 to set up a waste management system at the school. The students will be developing knowledge and understanding of strategies to limit the production of waste, and ultimately become a zero waste school. They will carry out a waste audit, come up with an action plan aimed at reducing waste at school, present their plan to the BoT and local community and take action! They will take a trip to the recycling centre, create an ‘agricultural day’ recycled product, and set up a worm farm.
Tangowahine School
Project: Te Mahinga Motuhake - The Magic Garden
Tangowahine School was awarded $1,500 to create Te Mahinga Motuhake. The students will make their current dilapidated garden into a safe, native garden that attracts native wildlife into the school. The plants will be chosen for the bird and other wildlife that they support. The students plan to make Te Mahinga Motuhake a place where they can both study the environment and play, with or without teachers. The school is aiming to replicate an ecosystem that used to be in the Tangowahine Valley many years ago.
Te Kura Taumata o Panguru
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Project: Whakarapa Awa (Our River – Once a Village)
Te Kura Taumata o Panguru was awarded $1,233.78 to care for their local river. The Kura is taking a whole school approach to developing student awareness of their local environment. Each class will select an area of the river, develop a more detailed teaching and learning unit plan, gather and collate photographs to document the learning process and involve at least one ‘expert’ guest speaker. The students will be water quality testing, planting riparian plants and making the local community aware of the need to care for the Whakarapa Awa.
Umawera School
Project: Nasty Noise
Umawera School was awarded $1,448.88 to combat noise and air pollution by planting native plants. The students will research and consider the national and global environmental issues of: maintaining clean, breathable air, restoring the ozone layer and managing the environmental effects of transport services. They plan to plant the school’s road boundary in native shrubs and riparian plant an associated stream/drain, which flows from a neighbouring dairy farm, with native flaxes. It is planned that these plantings will enhance the students’ learning environment, reduce noise and air pollution, and provide an on-site field trip place to discover the importance of plants and how they help people.
Whangarei Heads School
Project: Fern Valley
Whangarei Heads School was awarded $1,205.84 to extend a sustainable educational resource incorporating the identification, propagation, preservation and nurturing of a native bush community. The environmental project is planned in three parts. Part one will see a natural canopy added to protect the trees and plants already in place and the planting of additional plants. Part two will involve the construction of an information board about the native plants and their role in the bush community. Part three is the identification and long-life labelling of the native plants using the common, Maori and botanical names. The school is committed to the on-going protection of weed and pest-free areas using sustainable and environmentally-friendly methods, such as hand removal of weeds, mulching, and trapping of pests. A main aim of the project is to ‘grow’ children who will be informed, responsible and active members of their unique community.
Whangaruru School
Project: Whangaruru School Rubbish – What a Waste!
Whangaruru School was awarded $1,799.66 to set up a waste management system in the school. The students will be separating, re-using and recycling rubbish. They also hope to stop illegal dumping of waste in their community. The students will carry out waste audits, visit the local refuse transfer station and Resort, and consider options and develop strategies for improved management of school waste. Rubbish sorting bins will be purchased, worm farms developed and native plants planted to make use of compost created.