Schools in the Environment (SITE) Newsletter October 2018

Taranaki Regional Council Education Programme Here is a general overview of the educational programme that we currently offer at the Council. We can also provide advice and support with developing your teaching programme or environment-based action projects. Taranaki All of our study units are available on the TRC website: www.trc.govt.nz/study-units/ Regional Council 1

Schools in the environment news letter

Tēnā koutou katoa SITE OCTOBER 20 8 ISSUE NO.87

Pukeiti Rainforest School It’s been full steam ahead with Towards Predator-Free Taranaki this last term. Pukeiti is a flourishing New Zealand Education activities with schools have rainforest ecosystem that provides reflected this and so does this SITE Taranaki an outstanding venue for environ- Hollard Gardens Regional Council newsletter. The project is enabling the whole mental education. Field trips to Woodland School Towards Pukeiti typically run between Tūpare Riverside School region to work together to better protect 10am from 2pm and incorporate a Students can learn about native animals and plants against introduced rainforest walk, focusing on native beneficial birds and bugs, in Close to schools in the New predators including rats, stoats and possums. Predator-F ree Taranaki Plymouth area, Tūpare provides biodiversity and one other activity addition to how to compost Given that so many species in New Zealand of the school’s choosing. Check and make their own worm farms. a great location for a river study. are endemic and threatened, this project We’ve had fantastic support and interest from schools with Towards Predator-Free Taranaki. This the Pukeiti Rainforest School Check the Hollard Gardens Students can also learn about last term, we’ve been working with many schools around the region and we have lots of new Study Unit to see the broad range Woodlands School Study Unit native wildlife and sustainable provides an amazing opportunity for your schools signed up for Term 4. This SITE newsletter provides the opportunity to say a massive of activities on offer. for more details. gardening. school to make a real difference safeguarding species and helping Taranaki move towards thank you and celebrate results of schools we have worked with during Term 3; your efforts are being predator-free. If you and your school already making a real difference! For those not yet on board, check out what you’re missing out are keen to get on board with Towards on! If you are interested, get in touch ([email protected]) and we can hatch an exciting Predator-Free Taranaki, please don’t hesitate project plan based at your school or a suitable green space close to your school. to get in touch ([email protected]).

If trapping rats is not your thing, there are plenty of other areas of environmental education that we can provide support for through the TRC education programme. Stream studies Towards Predator-Free There have been a few tweaks to the At primary level this involves Taranaki and protecting programme recently, with district councils finding and identifying stream Wetland studies native biodiversity taking over delivery of waste minimization bugs and measuring other water and civil defence. An updated summary of the There are a number of wetland Native wildlife in Taranaki is under quality parameters. High school education programme is provided on the students can use the Stream areas suitable for school visits. constant attack from pest animals back page. Health Measurement Assess- We have a wetlands study unit and plants, posing a serious threat available online and we also to regional biodiversity values. ment Kit (SHMAK) that enables In addition, enjoy the Enviroschools collection of scientifically robust recommend booking a visit to Linking in with the Towards Predator newsletter, which reports on lots of exciting data that can be used to make the Taranaki Wetlands exhibition -Free Taranaki project, students can Oakura School assessments of stream health. at Puke Ariki. learn how to monitor and trap stuff that Enviroschools have been up to. introduced predators, protecting native biodiversity around their Nāku noa nā, school and local bush. We can help Dr Emily Roberts schools to run a BioBlitz, providing a great way to record native and introduced species in a chosen area. Rocky shore studies Rocky reefs dominate the Taranaki Need support with anything else? coastline and provide a wonderful habitat to explore. At primary and For assistance or information on intermediate levels rocky shore environmental education contact: investigation focuses on species Emily Roberts, Education Officer identification and adaptations. Taranaki Regional Council More advanced quantitative Private Bag 713, Stratford 4352 surveys can be undertaken at Ph: 06 765 7127 Fax: 06 765 5097 intermediate and high school [email protected] level on request. www.trc.govt.nz Woodleigh School

Printed on recycled paper SITE OCTOBER 201 8 ISSUE NO.87 Monitoring biodiversity One of the main purposes of Towards Predator-Free Taranaki is to better protect native species. A fun way to measure the effects of predator control on native biodiversity values is with a BioBlitz, where all species Restoring habitats within a chosen area are identified, photographed and uploaded to Towards Some schools have set about restoring/improving their local iNaturalist NZ. A number of schools have being blitzing their local area environment, planting native trees and removing pest plants and the results of their awesome efforts can be seen here: Predator-Free Taranaki in addition to trapping predators. tinyurl.com/PFBioblitz Egmont Village School Huirangi School

Huirangi School Monitoring predators Coastal Taranaki School It’s important to determine what predators are where before placing Trapping predators traps. A number of schools have We’ve been working with schools been tracking and mapping to safely get them up and running predators around their school with trapping. Students have been grounds and local bush using regularly checking traps, with help tracking tunnels, chew cards and from an adult, and some schools wax tags. Some students have even have been catching lots of rats! made their own monitoring gear. Woodleigh School No shortage of rats, mice and ng Group arni tinyurl.com/trackingtunnelprints Le hedgehogs have been detected. to tinyurl.com/toothimpressions ka O Manaaki Whenua Landcare tinyurl.com/chewtrackcards Research have produced some fantastic guides, available online, that we’ve been using to help identify footprints and chew marks: Recording catches Coastal Taranaki School Students have been using Trap NZ (www.trap.nz) to keep a careful Woodleigh School with record of what’s been caught when. Ed Chignell, Predator Free 2050 Most schools have found they start off catching lots of rats and those Raising funds numbers quickly drop off. It’s crucial Schools have been selling trap packs for $10 each to raise funds for to keep checking traps to control school trips, local reserves and national predator control initiatives. re-invasion and catch the more Thank you so much to all of those schools who have done an amazing canny rats. If you or your school job getting the community on board with predator trapping. If your need help getting set up on Trap NZ, school is based in the New Plymouth area and is interested in selling or with ongoing use, please don’t traps to raise funds for the school, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. hesitate to get in touch. We’re We will broaden out the offer to schools in other areas as the project Rats caught by Okato Learning Group and Coastal Taranaki School happy to help! Rats caught at William Corbett Reserve by Coastal Taranaki School rolls around the region. SITE OCTOBER 201 8 ISSUE NO.87 Monitoring biodiversity One of the main purposes of Towards Predator-Free Taranaki is to better protect native species. A fun way to measure the effects of predator control on native biodiversity values is with a BioBlitz, where all species Restoring habitats within a chosen area are identified, photographed and uploaded to Towards Some schools have set about restoring/improving their local iNaturalist NZ. A number of schools have being blitzing their local area environment, planting native trees and removing pest plants and the results of their awesome efforts can be seen here: Predator-Free Taranaki in addition to trapping predators. tinyurl.com/PFBioblitz Egmont Village School Huirangi School

Huirangi School Monitoring predators Coastal Taranaki School It’s important to determine what predators are where before placing Trapping predators traps. A number of schools have We’ve been working with schools been tracking and mapping to safely get them up and running predators around their school with trapping. Students have been grounds and local bush using regularly checking traps, with help tracking tunnels, chew cards and from an adult, and some schools wax tags. Some students have even have been catching lots of rats! made their own monitoring gear. Woodleigh School No shortage of rats, mice and ng Group arni tinyurl.com/trackingtunnelprints Le hedgehogs have been detected. to tinyurl.com/toothimpressions ka O Manaaki Whenua Landcare tinyurl.com/chewtrackcards Research have produced some fantastic guides, available online, that we’ve been using to help identify footprints and chew marks: Recording catches Coastal Taranaki School Students have been using Trap NZ (www.trap.nz) to keep a careful Woodleigh School with record of what’s been caught when. Ed Chignell, Predator Free 2050 Most schools have found they start off catching lots of rats and those Raising funds numbers quickly drop off. It’s crucial Schools have been selling trap packs for $10 each to raise funds for to keep checking traps to control school trips, local reserves and national predator control initiatives. re-invasion and catch the more Thank you so much to all of those schools who have done an amazing canny rats. If you or your school job getting the community on board with predator trapping. If your need help getting set up on Trap NZ, school is based in the New Plymouth area and is interested in selling or with ongoing use, please don’t traps to raise funds for the school, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. hesitate to get in touch. We’re We will broaden out the offer to schools in other areas as the project Rats caught by Okato Learning Group and Coastal Taranaki School happy to help! Rats caught at William Corbett Reserve by Coastal Taranaki School rolls around the region. SITE OCTOBER 201 8 ISSUE NO.87 Taranaki Regional Council Education Programme Here is a general overview of the educational programme that we currently offer at the Council. We can also provide advice and support with developing your teaching programme or environment-based action projects. Taranaki All of our study units are available on the TRC website: www.trc.govt.nz/study-units/ Regional Council 1

Schools in the environment news letter

Tēnā koutou katoa SITE OCTOBER 20 8 ISSUE NO.87

Pukeiti Rainforest School It’s been full steam ahead with Towards Predator-Free Taranaki this last term. Pukeiti is a flourishing New Zealand Education activities with schools have rainforest ecosystem that provides reflected this and so does this SITE Taranaki an outstanding venue for environ- Hollard Gardens Regional Council newsletter. The project is enabling the whole mental education. Field trips to Woodland School Towards Pukeiti typically run between Tūpare Riverside School region to work together to better protect 10am and 2pm and incorporate a Students can learn about native animals and plants against introduced rainforest walk, focusing on native beneficial birds and bugs, in Close to schools in the New predators including rats, stoats and possums. Predator-F ree Taranaki Plymouth area, Tūpare provides biodiversity and one other activity addition to how to compost Given that so many species in New Zealand of the school’s choosing. Check the and make their own worm farms. a great location for a river study. are endemic and threatened, this project We’ve had fantastic support and interest from schools with Towards Predator-Free Taranaki. This Pukeiti Rainforest School Study Unit Check the Hollard Gardens Students can also learn about provides an amazing opportunity for your last term, we’ve been working with many schools around the region and we have lots of new to see the broad range of activities Woodlands School Study Unit native wildlife and sustainable schools signed up for Term 4. This SITE newsletter provides the opportunity to say a massive on offer. for more details. gardening. school to make a real difference safeguarding species and helping Taranaki move towards thank you and celebrate results of schools we have worked with during Term 3; your efforts are being predator-free. If you and your school already making a real difference! For those not yet on board, check out what you’re missing out are keen to get on board with Towards on! If you are interested, get in touch ([email protected]) and we can hatch an exciting Predator-Free Taranaki, please don’t hesitate project plan based at your school or a suitable green space close to your school. to get in touch ([email protected]).

Printed on recycled paper SITE OCTOBER 201 8 ISSUE NO.87