Last term four schools took the opportunity to work next to and learn from the Wetland Warriors volunteers just how amazing our wetlands are. It was made possible thanks to a wonderful collaboration between Junior Landcare, Enviroschools and the Wetland Warriors at Grovetown Lagoon.
Standing on the banks of the lagoon, it can be a little tricky to understand just how wetlands filter water and protect surrounding areas from flooding. So Angela visited the schools armed with two experiments that helped to explain the wetland superpowers.
The first experiment explored how wetlands manage water, especially during heavy rains or storms.
Students built a landscape out of clay then imitated a rainfall event by pouring water over...
Read More A worldwide celebration of our waterways. More details can be found here https://worldriversday.com/...
Read More 2024 Action Theme:
Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate
https://worldoceanday.org/...
Read More The Tuamarina Awa is a tributary of the Wairau Awa and flows through the largest remaining wetland in the Wairau catchment, the Para Wetland. Unfortunately, the water quality of the Tuamarina awa is rated as marginal, unacceptable water quality that needs to be improved.
The awa passes Tua Marina school on the opposite side of SH1. It’s not an easy place to get to but the senior students wanted to learn more about it. Particularly its health and what they could do to care for it now and in the future. With a whole school inquiry into science, they leapt at the chance to investigate the awa with a scientific lens. They studied the cycle...
Read More On a cool Spring day on the Taylor River the 21st poem was unveiled.
Written by Mia Lasenby from Wairau Valley School, this new poem forms part of the Writers Walk. Springlands School students who were passionate about the environment start the project in 2009. The students had been learning all about the Taylor River including its water quality and came up with an idea that would make a difference then and in the future.
With support from Marlborough District Council, who provided the large rocks. Sowmans Funeral Home who set the poems on plaques. Cathee Wilks and Ali Kay, teachers and project champions. 14 years on, the project is still going strong. They have...
Read More The children in Waihi class at Grovetown School have been investigating the health of the creek that runs alongside their school.
After the Grovetown School students first visit to observe the creek they felt pretty confident that it wasn’t in a very good state. But the children wanted some facts to back up what they saw. The children named the weed on top of the creek Frog Porridge.
Using the Enviroschools Stream Study Kit they measured the flow, temperature, and clarity of the water, before identifying the creatures that live in the creek. Unfortunately the only creatures they found were small snails. All their tests of the creek failed to meet healthy...
Read More World Rivers Day is a celebration of the world’s waterways. It highlights the many values of rivers and strives to increase public awareness and encourages the improved stewardship of rivers around the world. https://worldriversday.com...
Read More They promote worldwide awareness of hunger and promote action for the future of food, people and the planet. 2023 - Water is essential to life on Earth. It makes up over 50% of our bodies and covers about 71% of the Earth's surface. Only 2.5% of water is fresh, suitable for drinking, agriculture, and most industrial uses. Water is a driving force for people, economies and nature and the foundation of our food. Indeed, agriculture accounts for 72% of global freshwater withdrawals, but like all natural resources, fresh water is not infinite. https://www.fao.org/world-food-day/en...
Read More Join us for coffee and cake as we unpack our Enviroschools kits and get hands on with some practical activities that you can take back to your classroom.
We have several kits available to borrow that have all the resources you need to explore the Enviroschools theme areas of Water of Life, Zero Waste, Living Landscapes and Ecological Buildings. We also have a Beeswax Wrap kit that has all you need for making beeswax wraps. Thursday 10th August 2023 3.30 – 5pm Join us from 3.15pm for coffee and cake Venue to be confirmed Email ramonamillen17@gmail.com to register...
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