Message from the Educator

WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING?

Horizons Internship Day 2017

Last month, Horizons rewarded three Palmerston North and one Whanganui student with a hands-on internship day to learn about land management and water quality.

Jake Rayner of Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School, Gabriel Maclean of Cornerstone Christian School, Georgia Tindle of Ross Intermediate and Sophie Bedwell of Whanganui Intermediate were recently part of the Manawatū Science and Technology Fair and Whanganui Regional Science Fair.

As the students’ projects focused on erosion and water quality we spent the day with our land management staff visiting sites in the Pohangina Catchment to demonstrate the link between soil loss and sediment entering our waterways. This included erosion sites, planting sites that aim to address erosion issues and water quality testing in the same catchment.

Our aim was for the students to understand how their areas of study can relate to other environmental issues and think about the bigger picture. They are the future of conservation and hopefully the day inspired them to keep up their science curiosity.  We hope the experience inspires them to explore environmental science as a career option in the future. Check out this short YouTube video to see what happened on the day.

Shadow Tech Workplace Visit 

Horizons were fortunate to host four students from Palmerston North Girls High School who attended a Shadow Tech day. Shadow Tech provides young women in years 9 -11 with an opportunity to experience what working in the ‘tech’ sector could be like, encouraging them onto education pathways that lead into tech sector roles. 

The students spent the day with female staff from Horizons' science and hydrology teams where they learnt about the technology they use in their roles. For example how data from monitoring river levels is used in flood modelling. The students were also able to visit the Palmerston North monitoring site called ‘Teachers College’ on the Manawatū River. The students also had the opportunity to get careers advice from the staff in their different roles.

Conservation Week 2017 

Conservation week is nearly upon us and there is a bumper load of events happening across the Region. Check out the DOC website for events near you.

In Palmerston North, Horizons is collaborating with Waitoetoe Reserve Community Group, Palmerston North City Council, Rangitāne o Manawatū, Weedbusters and the Department of Conservation for a ‘War on Weeds’ event at Waitoetoe Park. Saturday 14 October from 10.00am – 12.30pm sees a planting day where for those who plant a native tree, will receive their own native tree to take home. Plant experts will also be on hand to give advice about managing weeds at home. As always, there is a free BBQ, giveaways, music and children’s activities on site.  Check out Facebook for more details.

Horizons’ annual Challenge Day event is also scheduled for Conservation Week so check out the next edition of Seedlings for a write up about how it went, and keep an eye on our social channels for photos from the day.

Schools Celebrating Their Enviroschool Journeys So Far

Holistic reflection is a core part of the Enviroschools programme. This process gives the school a chance to take a breath, look back and celebrate their Enviroschools journey so far. Two of our Enviroschools have held reflections in the latter half of this year.

Manchester Street School, who have been an Enviroschool since 2002, reflected to silver while Marton Childcare Centre, the first in the Rangitikei district, reflected to bronze. It is great to see how each Enviroschool have embedded and weaved sustainability practices throughout their school/centre and curriculum, in their unique ways. A huge congratulations to all staff and tamariki. 

Trapping and Tracking Animal Pests

Building on the momentum around Predator Free 2050, the latest Tararua Enviroschools cluster workshop focused on our animal pests, how they affect our native wildlife and how we can track and trap them. Hosted by Pukaha Mount Bruce, excited staff and students from four Enviroschools, including one from the Wairarapa, learnt about the different traps that can be used to humanely kill pests such as stoats, ferrets, rats and possums. The group then had the opportunity to help check a trap line. Lots of discussion was had about how to check what animal pests are present in their schools grounds and things to think about if they are wanting to set up their own trapping programme.

Spotlight On: Kimbolton School Presenting at National Biosecurity Conference

Students from green-gold Enviroschool Kimbolton School impressed over 200 delegates attending the New Zealand Biosecurity Institute’s Annual National Education and Training Seminar (NETS) in Wellington in August. They presented the results of their five year weedbusting project which grew from the school-wide weed control programme at Kimbolton Reserve. With mentoring input from Horizons, a project was set up which looks at what happens to the native bush when Tradescantia (wandering willie, wandering jew), is removed. Students set up plots in the reserve, with some plots kept free of weeds and others left untouched to serve as control plots. Students then visited the plots up to four times a year to collect data such as how long it takes to weed the plot, to identify the native trees growing and to measure the height of the natives. Results have shown that in plots that were weeded, there was an increase in new native tree species and a decrease in the percentage weed cover overall in all monitored plots. The time taken to weed each plot has also decreased over time, with the students learning that weed control is a long term activity.

The project has provided the students with meaningful hands-on science; including investigating and analysing results, drawing conclusions, and researching to further develop understanding. Being given the opportunity to showcase their work and share the importance of grass roots projects where experimental learning in a real-life context is second to none. Congratulations to Kimbolton School!

Predator Free 2050 Funding for Community Projects

Funding is available in 2017-18 for Predator Free 2050-related community projects. $300,000 is available across the country in 2017–18 specifically for community projects that will help New Zealand reach the Predator Free 2050 goal. About $33,000 will be allocated to each DOC region.

DOC's Predator Free Rangers are using this fund to purchase a variety of traps and help to get them in our communities and backyards. They will allocate the traps to community groups who have an interest in running their own trap libraries.

IDEAS

The BP Educational Service (BPES) offers free educational resources for 4-19 year olds, bringing classroom topics to life with the use of real-world examples. Developed with teachers and education specialists, the resources aim to inspire the scientists and engineers of the future.