University of Waikato Hamilton, New Zealand Environmental Education: Garden Project
SCHOOL University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand New Zealand is an English-speaking country with a population of approximately 4 million people.
The Waikato River meanders through the green valleys of the Waikato region and the region’s largest city, Hamilton. Hamilton is a city of education and scientific research. During the summer months, the average maximum temperature ranges between 15-30º C (59-86 ºF), and in winter 5-15º C (41-59 º F). Forest parks and lakes can be found all over the Waikato region.
From modest beginnings on what was largely farmland, the University of Waikato has grown to a student population of about 13,000 of whom more than 4,000 complete a qualification annually. Today the University has the largest campus site in New Zealand, and employs nearly 2,000 academic and support staff, making a significant contribution to the local and national economy. In 2009 the University was home to more than 1,800 international students from 70 different countries. Qualifications taught include 3-year and 4-year undergraduate degrees, postgraduate degrees, and a variety of diplomas and certificates. The University of Waikato is one of New Zealand’s leading research universities and is at the centre of a Waikato network of research institutions and industry responsible for a significant proportion of New Zealand’s research.
ABSTRACT Kopuroa Community Garden Project: this project aimed to develop a community garden for the students and staff of the Kopuroa building on the University of Waikato campus. Many of the staff are keen home gardeners, and many of the students are from overseas countries and live in small apartments where growing their own food is difficult. The idea behind the garden was to bring the staff and students together in a community endeavor that produced fresh food that we could share together. The garden has been growing for a year now and we have shared much fresh, organic produce using a permaculture approach.
GOALS AND OUTCOMES Goals Firstly, the idea behind the garden was to bring the staff of the Kopuroa building (where the University’s co-operative education unit is housed ) and students together in a community endeavor that produced fresh food that we could share together. It was hoped that we could produce enough food to share amongst our overseas students. We wanted to plant particular vegetables that might remind these students of home. Secondly, we wanted the garden to be a model for other groups in the university to copy, with the aim to create more communal use of our grounds.
Accomplishments and Outcomes As noted above, we are just entering our second growing year, having grown summer and winter vegetables successfully. We have had a number of celebrations at which we have shared the produce and National Wildlife Federation • Campus Ecology • 2010 given spare food to our students. There have been a number of enquiries from other groups on campus about developing their areas of the grounds into gardens, but none have as yet begun that I am aware of.
Our only policy for this project was to encourage anyone to participate that would like to, and to share everything.
Challenges and Responses The first step was to gain permission from the grounds staff to plant the garden. A strip of land was negotiated. We had no budget for the project, so staff donated a small amount of cash and plants were purchased at Farmers markets and a small number of tools were obtained. The response from staff and students has been great. Planting sessions involve everyone, and many attend the food sharing celebrations. Reactions across campus have been very positive.
Campus Climate Action: Your School’s Carbon Footprint This project does not directly address climate change on campus, but the project has raised a number of discussions and built awareness of sustainability issues. The project might reduce the number of trips made by vehicle to the supermarket, perhaps.
Commentary and Reflection The project has been great for building community and helping engender a sense of pride amongst our students and staff.
ENGAGEMENT AND SUPPORT Leaders and Supporters This has been a collegial effort amongst the staff of the building to drive the process and the students have been willing collaborators. The grounds staff have supported well with providing mulch from their facilities. The effort was conceived and is led generally by Chris Eames, senior lecturer in environmental education, but other key staff contributors have been Dr Karsten Zegwaard, Raewyn Oulton and Sue McCurdy, and our resident permaculture expert has been PhD student Nelson Lebo.
Funding and Resources As above, there was no budget for this project. We spent in the region of US$30 for a year’s worth of planting, including equipment, some of which was donated.
CONTACT INFORMATION Project leader: Dr Chris Eames, +647 838 4035, [email protected] Other contact: Dr Karsten Zegwaard, +647 838 4035, [email protected]
Case study submitted by: Chris Eames, Director, Centre for Science and Technology Education Research
MORE ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL Campus Sustainability History The University of Waikato provides courses and undertakes research in a number of sustainability fields such as biological sciences/restoration, chemistry, economics, earth and ocean sciences, education, engineering, environmental sciences, geography, law, philosophy, politics, public relations & marketing, science & technology education, and strategic management. The University’s Environmental Policy is available at http://calendar.waikato.ac.nz/policies/environmentalpolicy.html Waikato EnviroNet is available to share information between staff and students: http://www.waikato.ac.nz/environet/ Facilities National Wildlife Federation • Campus Ecology • 2010
Management Division has implemented a number of initiatives to address energy, water, and waste management practices (see http://www.waikato.ac.nz/fmd/environment.shtml). In 2007 we became the first New Zealand university to achieve the Bronze level of Enviro-Mark TM http://www.enviro- mark.co.nz. We work closely with the Sustainable Business Network http://www.sustainable.org.nz and the Waste Exchange http://www.nothrow.co.nz and donate used equipment to nearby schools. We have faculty members on the Hamilton City Council Environmental Strategy working group http://hamilton.co.nz/page/pageid/2145842771/Environmental_Sustainability. We host sustainability events. We strive to have efficient fleet vehicles and have a bicycle on offer for staff. Planting on our campus consists of at least 90 percent native species.
National Wildlife Federation • Campus Ecology • 2010