Enviroschools Northland Enviroschools Northland Iss ue 27 / March 2018

Enterprise Expos inspire students…and teachers!

It’s possible to start a small and Sampling and bottling tamarillo sustainable environmentally friendly vinaigrette, exploring a berry processing business, enjoy what you’re doing and plant, mingling with goats and chooks, make a living at the same time, as finding out how sausages are made and students attending three Enviroschools learning how to tie fish hooks and Enterprise Expos found out. swivels were among the many experiences they Twelve small businesses in the Far North, could try. Whangārei and Kaipara opened their doors to about 250 participants, giving “We found out what them a real taste of how it is to operate it means to combine a business in a sustainable way that sustainability and uses local produce and benefits local enterprise,” one communities. student said. “We met people Students were inspired as they met who are doing people whose businesses are founded it and who on bees and honey, making preserves showed us how and olive oils, meat processing, long to do it. It was line fishing, oyster farming, free range awesome.” chickens and eggs, growing berries and tamarillos, and milking goats.

ELF funding applications coming up

It’s time for schools to sort out their innovative ELF projects throughout the environmental projects for the coming region. Their ‘Honey Meadow’ Project year, so they can get their applications in has created a special area for bees and for funding from the Northland Regional butterflies in their school grounds. Council’s Environmental Leaders Fund (ELF). Among the other ELF initiatives coming to life around the region are native The keenly sought-after funding has been tree nurseries, wetland restoration, increased from $20,000 to $30,000 this beehives and beekeeping, stream health year, thanks to a biosecurity boost for monitoring, and pest management pest control projects, and applications projects. open on Monday 9 April with a close-off date of Tuesday 22 May. More information is available at www.nrc.govt.nz/elf School is among 21 Northland schools that have been busy with

Some of Ruakaka School’s Honey Meadow team Enviroschools Northland

Kia ora koutou Bush tea, mangals and shore surveys Nga mihi mahana ki a koutou • Nau mai, haere mai! We have eight new Enviroschools – Maromaku and Whau Valley schools, Doubtless Bay, Hurupaki, Mairtown, Mission Place (Kaitaia), Paihia-Waitangi and Selwyn Park (Dargaville) kindergartens • Congratulations! Five Enviroschools recently and successfully reflected at various Enviroschools stages - Anne West Kindergarten (Bronze), Dargaville Intermediate School (Green-Gold), Mangawhai Beach School (Bronze), Ruawai College (Bronze) and Whangarei Girls’ High School (Bronze) • Tēnā rawa atu ki a koutou! Bobby Leef, from Mana Kai, demonstrates the workings of a beehive at the annual WaiRestoraton professional development day. Dargaville Intermediate School and Ruawai College students ably The coastal environment was the “Mangals, (mangrove forests), are demonstrated their WaiNurseries focus for the annual WaiRestoration awesome places”, wrote a person on propagation skills at the Northland professional development day, the ‘save a species’ workshop where Regional Council’s site at the enjoyed by keen teachers and school birds, fish and plants were identified Northland Field Days community members at Aroha Island in the mangrove ecosystem. • Have your say about Enviroschools near Kerikeri. funding through the Northland In the bee plants and beekeeping Regional Council’s Long Term Plan Enviroschools Regional Coordinator workshop, participants were – feedback is due by 17 April by Susan Karels says the coastal theme interested to learn about the link attending a ‘Have your say’ event was introduced because all awa between manuka as a riparian plant or writing a submission: www.nrc. (rivers) lead into the moana (sea) species and manuka honey. govt/ltp2018 so the coastal riparian environment • Nga mihi nui! 1,000’s of students is both important and relevant to will be carrying out Seaweek schools’ WaiRestoration actions. beach clean-ups during Term 1 – remember to enter the photo Participants could choose to attend competition and rubbish audit prize four out of five practical workshops draw: www.nrc.govt/seaweek designed to stimulate, enthuse and • Well done! The Enviroschools provide a kickstart for school-based WaiRestoration project is rolling WaiRestoration projects next year. out nationally with a professional development hui at the end Whananaki School students helped of March – thanks to all the lead the Marine Metre Squared Enviroschools communities who workshop, talking about how exciting continue to contribute to this it was to become a citizen scientist important mahi. and survey what was found within a set quadrant on the seashore.

“Toitu te marae a Tane Toitu te marae a The native bush workshop provided Tangaroa Toitu te iwi – If the land is well a hands-on experience with and the sea is well, the participants taught how to identify people will thrive”. leaves that could be steeped in hot water and made into tea. Nga mihi nui

Susan Karels The tracking and trapping pests Enviroschools Regional workshop showed participants how Co-ordinator to use a simple tracking device – a tunnel with bait in the middle and ink either side. 2 Enviroschools Northland

Out and about New Enviroschool hits the ground running Full steam ahead for new Enviroschool

Whangarei Girls’ High School, has leapt Raurimu Ave School is taking its new into environmental-based learning by Enviroschools status seriously with partnering with Bream Head Conservation a successful rubbish clean-up along Trust (BHCT) to help develop the reserve ’s Waimahanga walkway. while learning all about environmental The students picked-up an amazing management. amount of debris including loads of Enviroschools facilitator Jacque Knight, polystyrene, paper, plastic drink bottles who has written curriculum-linked units and other plastics. specifically for the BHCT, says the students are looking forward to replanting a wetland They caught the CityLink bus outside and stream side and learning more about their school to Old Onerahi Road and the area of ecological significance. walked back to their school along the track, picking up rubbish as they went. They plan to design and build a teaching Whangarei Girls’ High School easily achieved Bronze hub and create plant identification walks by the end of its first year as an Enviroschool last year, Raurimu Ave School has also signed-up through the bush, all as part of their with the help of science teacher Tamara Phillips and for the Seaweek beach clean-up this mainstream education. the environmental prefects. year. Slugs, slaters and spider webs

The Papāroa junior class found heaps of exciting things on their discovery walk around the schoolgrounds. Paparoa School’s junior class found riparian plants were growing well along lots to see when the children went for the stream banks. a discovery walk around their school The children also found healthy walnut grounds with Enviroschools facilitator and chestnut trees with lots of nuts, Eden Hakaraia. tōtara berries, bracket fungus, slugs, The grounds include two paddocks and slaters and spider webs, pest plants, Raurimu Ave School children picked-up they were excited to see that last year’s lichen, karaka seeds that kereru had an amazing amount of rubbish from the spread, and a fantail. Waimahanga walkway.

Community planting day teaches life values

Comrie Park () kindergarten’s sense of togetherness and connectedness WaiRestoration planting day embraced to the experience. important life values for the more than “It was about ‘community’ and being 70 parents, children and community involved in an initiative that supports members who took part. someone who is special to them. Our The families planted 300 native plants, children continue to grow their love, provided by Ngä Kaitiaki O Ngä Wai kindness and the feeling you get when Mäori, on the Mangere catchment you give back, help others and also help property of relief teacher Jenny make a healthy awa (river),” said head Wiegersma and her family, bringing a teacher Anna Alexander. The gift of learning and the joy of giving was part of Comrie Park Kindergarten’s WaiRestoration planting day. 3 Enviroschools Northland

Sharing kindergarten journeys

The beautiful grounds of Comrie Park They talked about how they imbed the (Matarau) kindergarten provided the Enviroschools’ kaupapa into everyday backdrop for Northland Kindergarten kindergarten mahi, noting that each Association’s recent professional Enviroschools journey is different development day. because it reflects individual kindergarten communities. Each of the kindergartens – Comrie Park, Ruawai, Portland and Kerikeri - shared . their Enviroschools journeys and inspired the 51 participants, learning more about each other as they exchanged information and ideas.

Bream Bay Kindergarten teachers check out the Enviroschools Enviroschools resources. Northland Team Dates to diary Susan Karels March 14 – 15 June 13-14 Enviroschools Regional PROJECT PEST CONTROL – skills camp 1 PROJECT PEST CONTROL – Skills camp 3 Co-ordinator (Y11 – 13) Kai iwi lakes, Kaipara Lonsdale Park, Kaeo Northland Regional Council April 9 June 28 P: 0800 002 004 ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS FUND PROJECT PEST CONTROL – Assessment E: [email protected] Applications open to all schools workshop 2 Tangihua Lodge, Whangarei Julie Holt April 10-12 Enviroschools Facilitator WAIRESTORATION – WaiFencing skills July 2 (Primary) workshops SECONDARY ENVIRONMENTAL CAREERS P: 027 452 9091 10th Rangiputa, 11th Kapiro, 12th Titoki DAY - TBC E: [email protected]

April 18-20 July 23-28 NZAEE (New Zealand Association for WISE UP TO WEEDS – workshops Environmental Education) Conference Dates and locations TBC Eden Hakaraia Wellington Enviroschools Facilitator Oct 9-11 (Primary) May 9 NATIONAL ENVIROSCHOOLS IN THE P: 021 121 1699 PROJECT PEST CONTROL – Assessment EARLY YEARS FACILITATOR HUI E: [email protected] workshop 1 St Cuthbert’s College, Auckland Kai Iwi Lakes, Kaipara Oct & Nov May 16-17 ENVIROSCHOOLS EXPOS – Ecotourism Jacque Knight PROJECT PEST CONTROL – Skills camp 2 31st Oct Mid North, 2nd Nov Kaipara, Enviroschools Facilitator Tangihua Lodge, Whangarei 7th Nov Whangarei (Secondary) P: 021 488 822 May 22 E: [email protected] ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS FUND Applications close THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Bronze, Silver and Green-Gold www.nrc.govt.nz/enviroschools May 30-31, June 1 reflections WAIRESTORATION – WaiFencing www.facebook.com/ assessment workshops NorthlandRegionalCouncil 30th May Rangiputa, 31st May Titoki, 1st June Kapiro