Kia ora koutou,

We hope you're all enjoying a much needed break.

We have been busy working behind the scenes on some new funding opportunities. Check these out under our Ideas & Resources section below.

As always if you are looking for support to help connect your students to explore their local environment please contact us to find out how we can help.

Mā te wā

Sarah & Christina

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Raetihi School Native Plantings and Outdoor Classroom

Raetihi School has a paddock next to it that has been neglected for a number of years and they were keen for it to become a learning space for their tamariki. In the past, trees have been planted in this space but they haven’t been looked after. A stream also runs through the property and moving through a wetland area and into a pond. They were keen to restore the area and use this as an outdoor classroom.

The school were successful recipients of the Horizons Regional Council - Kanorau Koiora Taketake - Indigenous Biodiversity Community grant which provides funding and advice to community groups who are helping to make this region a healthy environment where people are thriving.

With support from Horizons, they were able to clear the site and hold their first planting day, which was a huge success.

We look forward to seeing how this space develops over the next few years.

Cliffton School take on pest animal control

Towards the end of last year, Clifton School started learning about different pest animals, what makes a pest a pest, ways to monitor them, how to control them, and why they can be so harmful to our native birds.

Students decided the first step was to see what pests they have in their school grounds so they set out some tracking tunnels. The results showed they had a rather big rats problem. Horizons Regional Council donated some D-Rat traps for them to try and last term the students have been busy building wooden boxes to house them in to reduce the likelihood of catching anything other than a rat.

They created a plan for setting these out around the school and, only a few days later caught their first two rats!

We are excited to see how many rats you catch over the next few months.

Ohakune School create an Outdoor Classroom

Ohakune Primary School is committed to establishing an Akomanga Ngahere (an outdoor learning forest). Currently their school grounds lack an abundance of trees, but they are determined to change that. While they have a splendid mara kai, they lack a wooded area where classrooms can congregate and explore the significance of their native ngahere (forest).

It is hoped that classes will be able to embark on explorative and adventurous activities in a natural woodland area and forest playground, regardless of the weather and classes may extend their curriculum studies, encompassing subjects such as reading, writing, math, science, and more, into the natural world.

With funding they received from the Pat Kelly Enviroschools Action Fund they were able to hold a planting day in May which was also heavily supported by their local community.

Ka pai te mahi Ohakune School.

Ruapehu College monitor the Mangawhero

Last month, one of Horizons Regional Council research associates joined our Environmental Educator and Year 11 students from Ruapehu College who were learning about how different organisations use science to inform the work they do.

They heard from two perspectives, a matauranga Māori perspective from Ngāti Rangi and then a western science perspective from us.

The students completed a cultural monitoring assessment of the Mangawhero stream and then a traditional stream water quality study using our waiora stream study kit. In addition to this they also looked at sediment and periphyton assessment of the stream bed.

Having a scientist join us for the day brought the sessions to another level, plus there were opportunities for careers talks and Horizons as an employer.

If you want to check out what a stream study day looks like check out the short video on our Horizons Facebook page & Horizons Environmental Education Hub group.

ENVIROSCHOOLS

Congratulations to......

Bunnythorpe School for reflecting at Bronze in term two.

Tino pai 💚

New Enviroschools

A warm welcome to Rangitīkei College and Taitoko School who have joined the Enviroschools Programme last term 💚

IDEAS & RESOURCES

Check out our funding opportunities for 2024/2025.

Pat Kelly Enviroschools Action Fund
Horizons Environmental Education Grant
Horizons Environmental Education Transport Fund

How does the environment contribute to your wellbeing?

Can you tell us with art, photography, or the written word?

We want you to share how the environment contributes to your wellbeing. This is a unique opportunity to celebrate our environment and get those creative juices flowing!

Opening 25 July - keep an eye out here for more information.

Horizons Regional Council are looking at what the next ten years look like at Tōtara Reserve, we know many of you use the reserve, so we would like to hear from you.

Its Plastic Free July!

Join the challenge and join millions of people reducing their plastic waste.

Head here where you can find resources and ideas to help you reduce single-use plastic waste everyday at home, work, school, and even at your local café.

Township Flood Challenge

This is an online climate change and extreme weather adaptation resource for teachers. It represents many towns & cities in Aotearoa, with close proximity to the river and demonstrates how unpredictable climate change and how decisions can impact different towns people in flood events.

24-30 July 2023 is Biosecurity Week

Toitū Te Whenua, Toitū Te Moana, Toitū Te Tangata

“If the land is healthy, the sea is healthy, the people will healthy”

Head here for some activities and resources for all things biosecurity and see how you can make a difference.