Wetland Warriors
Every Wednesday morning a volunteer team calling themselves the Wetland Warriors meet at Grovetown Lagoon to plant natives, weed, clear paths, raise plants and trap pests to protect the beautiful environment around the Lagoon.
This term on partnership with Junior Landcare, Envirogroup’s have the opportunity to work alongside the Wetland Warriors (WW) volunteers while learning about the wetlands and why its restoration is so important.
Unfortunately the first session was called off due to wet weather, and so in the first week of June Tua Marina and Waikawa Bay Schools became the first groups of students to join the WW team.
Their job for the morning was to plant grasses and trees on the banks of the lagoon just over the bridge near the car park. 22 eager students got to work after planting instructions were given, and gloves and spades found. The banks were tricky to dig into thanks to gravel and concrete left behind from a pig farm that occupied the space 20 years ago but with help from the volunteers some intrepid students took on the challenge carefully navigating the banks while others planted along the top. In no time 30 metres of the banks were planted, ensuring future homes for birds, geckos and insects and shady habitats in the water for fish, eel and water invertebrates.
Koru Native Wildlife Centre
To provide context for the work they had done and efforts of the WW the children moved on to visit Koru Native Wildlife Centre. The centre is home to giant weta, 7 species of gecko including our Marlborough gecko and kakariki. They are all endangered species. The children’s efforts at the lagoon are to protect and provide spaces for them.
There were a couple of squeaks when Ellen brought out a female giant weta for the children to look at and touch but it was so beautiful that those who had shrunk back overcame their fear and appreciated the rare opportunity they had to see such an amazing insect up close.
To find the well camouflaged gecko in their aviary habitats good eyesight was needed. The brightly coloured kakariki on the other hand were easy to sight.
Thank you to Junior Landcare, supported by the Bupa Foundation, for partnering with us to provide a fun-filled morning where children can contribute to their community and learn more about the environment they live in and want to take care of.
Junior Landcare, a national initiative by NZ Landcare Trust-Ngā Matapopore Whenua and supported by the Bupa Foundation, aims to promote holistic health and environmental stewardship through nature connection and intergenerational collaboration, with the goal of effecting positive change. Junior Landcare will work with a variety of partners including Enviroschools, NMIT, and Forest & Bird.
To find out more about the works happening at the Grovetown Lagoon take a look at their website https://www.grovetown.co.nz/