For Schools

Community vegetable gardens, propagating areas, native worm breeding and recycling systems are among 15 school projects that received $15,000 funding from the 2008 Northland Regional Council Environmental Curriculum Awards.

Council Environmental Education Officer Teresa Rudgley 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 about caring for the region’s environment.

“Most applicants have received a portion of the money they were seeking. We have had applicants from every district in the region.

It’s also encouraging that some of the schools are being funded for ongoing projects, such as Hurupaki Primary School’s wetlands area and Kamo Intermediate’s Islands of Life project.”

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. 

Read on to find out more about the projects of each successful applicant:

This school project first applied in October 2006 with the purchase of a shade house from money provided by the fund raising efforts of Kamo High School Students. The school purchased a propagating house the following year.

The schools project is part of a Transition to Work programme which combines curriculum based learning with developing skills for the workplace. Students are involved in a project to propagate Pingao and other native species for restoration planting out in Waipu and Bream Bay areas.  The project is carried out in connection with DoC who offers advice and seed for propagating.

Blomfield will be setting up an automatic watering system so that plants can be sustained over the summer holiday period.  The watering system is for a shade house and propagating house.

Dargaville Intermediate School

$870.00 School wide recycling

Dargaville Intermediate has planned a school wide project focussed on reducing rubbish in the school. The students will be involved in the process of designing an action plan then approaching the school board of trustees and management.

Students will lobby the Dargaville City Council to look at introducing a district wide recycling programme. The school plans to include the community in launching the schools recycling programme.

Future plans include designing and establishing school vegetable gardens.

Hurupaki Primary School  

$500.00 Medicinal Garden

Restoration of the school wetlands has been a focus for teachers and students for a number of years now. Funding and time has turned a swamp into a healthy habitat for wildlife.  In fact, Hurupaki is known for their special wetland habitat. 

The school now wishes to expand this learning area by incorporating the planting of native plant species known for their traditional healing properties.  Students will be involved in researching appropriate plants and designing the area they will be planted in.  The community will be involved in the practical work and educated by the students about the benefits of the project.

Students have been involved in creating a ‘Dream Garden’ which is a native grove planted in the planted in the school grounds. Other projects they have been involved in are worm farms and vegetable boxes.

The plans are to have a variety of project areas that the students can opt into as part of their environmental education programme. The long term goal is to develop the programme to the point where others beyond the school can participate. One of the schools’ high profile environmental projects is their ‘Islands of Life’ which is a native area to encourage a range of insects for feeding to captive Kiwi.

The current project is to extend the current options to include a water feature, propagating area and butterfly house. 

Okaihau College

$1050.00 Herb Gardens, Planter Boxes and Flax Gardens

In 2007 students completed two environmental projects using NRC award finance. The first was designing and painting school skate board ramps, the second was designing and installing a Quiet Garden.

This year the school is applying for award money to carry out the next part of their plan.  Three projects are planned. 1/ A Herb Garden outside two adjoining classrooms, 2/ A Tui Flax Garden and 3/ Planter Boxes to beautify the deck beside the skateboard ramp.  Students have been involved in drafting out the layout and researching the plants and possible designs to be used. The aim is to attract beneficial birds to the area and learn the benefits of herbs as well as beautify the school grounds.

Onerahi Primary School

$600.00 Native Medicinal Planting

The school applied in 2006 and 2007 for materials to create a native bush area and carry out a teaching a unit on plant growth by purchasing bulbs and seeds for students to grow their own flowers at school. 

This year the school wishes to continue to work on the Native Bush Area and incorporate Maori Medicinal plants.  Students will develop their knowledge of native plants by researching and speaking with elders. They will include historical methods of cultivating the plants and the processes around their use. 

The school has incorporated a plan for gathering community knowledge and celebrating the outcome. Provision has been made in the funding for ongoing maintenance of  the garden in the school budget.

Oromahoe has taken on a number of environmental projects in past years including beautification of the school entrance and community vegetable gardens.

This year students in the middle school have the goal to create a peaceful outside area they can do their class work in. They have drawn plans for access to an area directly outside their classroom with gardens and a table to work on. The area is currently under used, though very sunny.  The funding will cover materials and plants.

Poroti School

$890.00 Friendly Insect Garden

Poroti has applied for funding in 2007 for setting up recycling in the school.  The school now wishes to plant an area of their grounds with plants which are known to encourage beneficial insects so the grounds person does not have to use chemical sprays.  The goal is to create an ecologically balanced garden. 

The students will be involved in researching insects, deciding on beneficial plants, planning out the garden then installing the garden.

This is the first time Raurimu school has applied for funding from NRC. Over the last two years the junior class has been involved in establishing edible gardens with the support of an enthusiastic parent. The plan this year is to extend the garden so that all students in the school can be involved in growing vegetables. 

The students are fully involved in preparing and carrying out the work beginning with a ‘Dig Off’ for the senior students just before winter.  Much enthusiasm has already gone into the first stage with the planting of fruit trees and setting up a composting system.

The planning, research and recording of progress is incorporated in the classroom programme.

Ruakaka Primary School

$1143.00  Edible Garden

The schools plan is to revitalise their school vegetable gardens. The students have drawn plans for the layout of the whole area including reasons for their design. 

There is to be six raised garden beds, one for each class. Alongside this the school plans to set up compost and worm bins.  Ruakaka school will involve the community in acknowledging the efforts of the students at the end of the year with a gala and best vegetable competition, recipes and food.

St Francis Xavier School

$1200.00 Stream Bank Restoration

There has been an ongoing concern by some school students for the waterway that runs through the school grounds.  There has been work done to recover the health of the waterway with the help of the students. 

St. Frances now wishes to extend this with a re vegetating project on parts of the stream bank that is not yet planted up in order to increase the health of the stream. The hope is that this work will eventually encourage wildlife back into this habitat. In addition the stream area will be cleaned up by the school students. An ongoing monitoring programme is to be set up and conducted by students in order to carefully observe any changes in the streams condition. The students have been encouraged to gather knowledge from local experts and informing the community of their progress.

Tautoro School

$1000.00

Toutoro has developed their school wide programme over the last two years to focus on environmental issues. Topics covered with the students include recycling, dealing with organic material, developing a school garden and orchard.

The students have been involved in creating a vision map for their plans to beautify their school and making it more sustainable.  The students are actively involved in growing their own food and taking responsibility for reducing the quantity of waste brought into the school. As part of this the school pans to purchase a water storage tank for irrigation of the edible garden.  Tautoro students are encouraged to recognise tikanga Maori concepts of kaitiakitanga and turangawaewae

Tikipunga Primary School

$1605.00 School Glasshouse

Tikipunga plans to install a glass house for students to propagate native plants. The plants will be used initially for beautifying the school grounds and growing vegetable seedlings for the school garden. Eventually, the school plans to extend this to producing plants for the students to plant in the wider community and saving seeds.

The school currently has two mini hot houses for this work which are falling apart. The students have been involved in working on the edible garden, recycling, worm farming and composting. 

Whangarei Boys High School

$1220.00 Zero Waste

 Whangarei Boys High School has established a student environmental group who have introduced worm farming and recycling to the school. This has significantly reduced the quantity and costs of outgoing rubbish, leaving money for other areas . Native worms are grown and used for feeding Kiwi at the Kiwi House in Maunu. The school now wishes to extend the recycling initiative to include the schools boarding houses.  The students who board in Carruth House will take responsibility for managing this project.

Whangaruru School

$1000.00 Edible Gardens

Whangaruru introduced a school wide recycling system with NRC funding in 2007. This year they plan to install an edible garden and plant an extensive fruit orchard.  The focus is to encourage the community to support the school in developing a sustainable focus based on the concept of Kaitiakitanga, (living together in harmony). This includes students learning about community values around self sufficiency.  Embedded in the children’s learning the school plans to incorporate the stories of the past.

Much of the inspiration for the schools vision comes from another local school, Oturu.