Environment Committee 12 August 2015 Report No. 15-143 Information Only - No Decision Required ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION 1. PURPOSE 1.1. The purpose of this item is introduce to members of Council’s Environment Committee, the Environmental Education progress report for the period 1st May to 30th June 2015. 1.2. It should be noted that this item was previously included in the Environmental Management progress report. It is now reported separately. 2. RECOMMENDATION That the Committee recommends that Council: a. receives the information contained in Report No. 15-143. b. receives the presentation from Helen Thomas. 3. FINANCIAL IMPACT 3.1. There is no financial impact associated with recommendations in this paper. 4. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 4.1. This is a public item and therefore Council may deem this sufficient to inform the public. 5. SIGNIFICANCE 5.1. This is not a significant decision according to the Council’s Policy on Significance and Engagement. 6. ANNUAL PLAN TARGETS Reporting Period YTD Measure Target % F/cast 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Actual Enviroschools workshops held 6 3 0 7 4 20 16 125% 125% Waiora sessions conducted 3 11 3 16 9 42 30 140% 140% Community engagements 12 4 7 6 3 32 22 145% 145% 6.1. The measure for Enviroschools workshops held includes workshops run by the Regional Coordinator as well as workshops run by the contracted Facilitators. 6.2. The measure for Waiora sessions conducted includes sessions run by the Educator as well as sessions conducted using Horizons Regional Council’s kits without the Educator. 6.3. The measure for community engagements does not include Waiora sessions or Enviroschools workshops. This measure tracks all other events and activities that fall within Environmental Education. 6.4. For all of the measures see the environmental education summary table for further detail. Environmental Education Page 1 Environment Committee 12 August 2015 7. ENVIROSCHOOLS DATA Districts Ruahine Palmerston Ruapehu Wanganui Rangitikei Manawatu Tararua Horowhenua Kindergarten Total North City Association Enviroschools 5 9 1 7 6 3 1 3 35 Friends of 2 1 4 4 6 6 0 0 23 Enviroschools 7.1. There are 35 official Enviroschools spread throughout every district in the Region. 7.2. There are 23 Friends of Enviroschools in the Region. 8. ACTIVITY REPORT - WAIORA 8.1. The Educator conducted the following Waiora sessions: two sessions with North Street School on the Makino Stream; two sessions with Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School at Kahuterawa Reserve. 8.2. Waiora kits booked out and used without the Educator: a Wanganui family for their daughter to work on a water quality science fair project; Freyberg High School for the students on the Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) programme; Wanganui Intermediate School for a student to work on a water quality science fair project; the family of a Whakarongo School student for a water quality science fair project; North Street School to conduct comparison studies outside of the facilitated sessions. 9. ACTIVITY REPORT - ENVIROSCHOOLS 9.1. The Regional Coordinator attended the Long-term Plan submission hearings for Horowhenua District Council, Rangitikei District Council, Palmerston North City Council, Wanganui District Council, and Manawatu District Council to speak on the Enviroschools portion of Horizons’ submissions. 9.2. The Regional Coordinator and Palmerston North Facilitator ran an Enviroschools stall at Zest Fest to promote the profile of Enviroschools in Palmerston North City. The Regional Coordinator also presented a workshop on the Waste Timeline and had Kokopu Mini Golf available to initiate conversations about the impact of rubbish in waterways. 9.3. New Friends of Enviroschools: Longburn School; Barnados Kidstart Childcare, Roslyn Early Learning Centre; Nga Tawa Diocesan School; Marton Childcare; Wanganui High School. 9.4. Wanganui High School has opted to be removed from official Enviroschools status, and become a Friend of Enviroschool. They felt they were unable to meet the expectations of an official Enviroschool at this stage, but would like the opportunity to work towards being actively engaged and committed with the programme in the future. 9.5. The Regional Coordinator met with Ashhurst School and Russell Street School to discuss the Enviroschools Programme. Both indicated interest in being involved. 9.6. The Regional Coordinator received confirmation around facilitation funding for 2015-2016: Wanganui District Council: $10,000.00 – LTP 2015-25 (no change from 2014-2015). Manawatu District Council: $10,000.00 – LTP 2015-25 (increase of $2,900.00). Tararua District Council: $4,000.00 – LTP 2015-25 (no change from 2014-2015). Palmerston North City Council: $5,000.00 – 2015-2016 only (no change from 2014-2015). Rangitikei District Council: $5,000.00 – LTP 2015-25 (new funding partner). Environmental Education Page 2 Environment Committee 12 August 2015 9.7. The Regional Coordinator received confirmation that Fiona Murray would continue facilitating Palmerston North City and the Tararua District for 2015-2016, and Rowena Brown would continue facilitating the Manawatu District for 2015-2016. These contracts take effect 1 July 2015. 9.8. Recruitment for an Enviroschools Facilitator for the Wanganui and Rangitikei districts was successful. Ron Fisher has accepted the contract to facilitate both districts for 2015-2016. This contract takes effect 1 July 2015. 9.9. The Regional Coordinator has begun the process of signing on seven new Enviroschools for the next financial. This includes four new Enviroschools in the Rangitikei District and three new Enviroschools in the Manawatu District. An increase in facilitation funding from Manawatu District Council and the new facilitation funding from Rangitikei District Council has enabled these new Enviroschools to join the network. 9.10. The Regional Coordinator facilitated a regional workshop for Friends of Enviroschools. 17 attended the workshop with three of the attendees clustering together in Ruapehu and skyping into the workshop. 9.11. The Regional Coordinator and Wanganui Facilitator co-facilitated the Wanganui Term 2 2015 workshop. It was themed around the Action Learning Cycle and had nine teachers attend. 9.12. Toimata Foundation, Horizons Regional Council, and the Ruahine Kindergarten Association (RKA) met to review the three-way partnership agreement. The Regional Coordinator and Media and Communications Manager attended on behalf of Horizons Regional Council. The aim was to ensure the partnership agreement is relevant and current for all parties. Toimata Foundation are in the process of drafting up the revised agreement. 9.13. Term 2 Enviroschools activity reports and annual summaries for 2014-2015 are available upon request for Wanganui, Manawatu, Tararua and Palmerston North. 10. ACTIVITY REPORT - OTHER 10.1. The Educator presented River Journey to the West End Kairanga Cubs and Westmere School. 10.2. Kokopu Mini Golf was borrowed by Nina Mercer, Department of Conservation, for the Nightlight After Dark event at Te Manawa. 11. PRESENTATION ON ENVIROSCHOOLS CENSUS 11.1. The Educator will give a presentation to Environment Committee on the results of the 2014 Enviroschools census. 12. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION SUMMARY Project Key Deliverables Progress to Date Target . Takaro School on the Kawau Stream. 30 sessions . West End School twice at Waitoetoe Park. conducted . Tararua College three times on the Mangatainoka River. Waiora Actual . Dannevirke High School four times (twice without the Educator) on an unnamed stream on 42 sessions school grounds. conducted . Terrace End School at Totara Reserve. Mangamaire Country School twice on an Environmental Education Page 3 Environment Committee 12 August 2015 Project Key Deliverables Progress to Date unnamed stream near the school. Eketahuna School at Totara Reserve. Cheltenham School on an unnamed creek. Westmount School at Kahuterawa Reserve. Opiki School at Horseshoe Bend. Tarrangower School on the Whanganui River. Westmount School at Raumai Reserve. Mangatainoka School on the Mangatainoka River. Ohura Valley Primary School on the Mangaroa Stream. Havelock North Primary School twice at Totara Reserve. Te Kura o Kauwhata on the Oroua River. Manchester Street School at Timona Park. A Tararua based home-schooling group at an unnamed creek on Kumeroa Road. Dannevirke High School five times without the Educator at various locations. Taumarunui High School without the Educator on the Whanganui River. A Palmerston North family for a son to work on a project relating to water quality. North Street School twice on the Makino Stream . Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School twice at Kahuterawa Reserve. A Wanganui family for their daughter to work on a water quality science fair project without the Educator . Freyberg High School for the students on the GATE programme without the Educator . Wanganui Intermediate School for a student to work on a water quality science fair project without the Educator . The family of a Whakarongo School student for a water quality science fair project without the Educator . North Street School to conduct comparison studies outside of the facilitated sessions without the Educator Target . Term 3 workshop for Manawatu Enviroschools with 22 participants – run by Manawatu 16 workshops held Facilitator. Enviroschools 101 workshop for the Manawatu Actual District with 22 participants. Enviroschools 20 workshops held . Term 3 workshop for Wanganui Enviroschools with 15 participants – run by Wanganui NOTE: workshops run Facilitator.