For Schools

Projects from energy efficient olive harvesting to planting natives to cut highway traffic noise are among 21 school initiatives to share this year’s $20,000 Northland Regional Council Environmental Curriculum Awards (ECAs).

Regional Council Environmental Education Officer Susan Botting says the annual awards aim to foster excellence in environmental education, with schools eligible for up to $2000 each for their efforts to educate children ‘in, about and for’ the region’s environment.

This year’s 20 recipients will receive between $424 and $1800 each for their 21 projects.

“Once again, this year’s projects are impressive; both in their scope and their quality.  Especially pleasing is the increasing role that students are playing in planning and designing them,” Ms Botting says.

She says the ECAs recognise and support the environmental education efforts put in by more than 2000 Northland students (aged five to 18) in 132 classes and/or school student environmental groups.  Six winning schools are based in the Far North, 10 the Whangarei District and three in Kaipara.

Read on to find out more about the projects of each successful applicant:

Dargaville Intermediate

Project: Budding Horticulturalists
Dargaville Intermediate was awarded  $821.15 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding to help buy a mist propagation unit to boost schoolground greenhouse production of vegetables and other plants. Students learn propagation methods to use in the greenhouse. Students are involved through a speciality environmental class comprising 172 students aged 11 to 13, drawn from the whole school in years seven and eight. Ten specialty groups move through the environmental class in three week blocks.

Huanui College

Project: Wetland
Huanui College was awarded $1800.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards the school fencing off its wetland area to improve water quality in Opapaka Stream. This area is at the head of the Hora Hora catchment. Fencing will assist the heath of and animal and plant biodiversity in the wetland. This work is driven by the school’s year 10 global perspectives students. Students aged 13 to 15 across several classes are involved in planning this project. 

Kamo Intermediate

Project: Islands of Life (2011)
Kamo Intermediate was awarded $894.80 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards expanding on the school’s decade-old Islands of Life Environmental Education project with further plantings. More than 1000 trees, shrubs and grasses have already been planted, a worm farm built, an eco pond established, vegetables and herbs grown and a flax resource created. One class of 33 students aged 11-13 (year seven and eight) is driving this project extension.

Karetu School

Project: Well Water
Karetu School was awarded $500.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding to purchase a NIWA Stream Health Monitoring Kit as part of efforts to rejuvenate local wetlands. This is seen as integral to boosting catchment water and contributing to estuary health. The kit will be part of looking at water quality aspects including stream communities and the effects of farm runoff. This project’s part of a year-long water focus at the school themed on conservation, preservation and protection. Fifty students are involved, aged five to 13 across three classes—new entrants to year eight.

Kaurihohore School

Project: Seed for Raising Sustainability
Kaurihohore School was awarded $1300.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding to assist efforts to boost the school’s sustainability efforts through contributing to the purchase of a greenhouse to grow seedlings. Worm farm “juice” produced at the school will be used to assist plant growth. Plants will be used as edible produce and sold to raise funds to purchase further plants and soil. This work compliments the school’s existing zero waste programme. The whole school’s involved with one class overseeing the participation of 165 students aged five to 11.

Kerikeri High School

Project: Seedling Nursery
Kerikeri High School was awarded $750.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards creating a seedling nursery for production of native and unusual heirloom seedlings with a grow house, polytunnel and gardening materials. This project’s being driven by the school’s Environmental Education-themed Recycling Action Group (RAG). RAG members hope the heirloom plants such as cherry tomatoes, popcorn and purple tomatoes will be bought by fellow students whilst the native plants are to be gifted to local farmers for planting along waterways.   There are 33 students in RAG aged 11 to 15 in years seven to 11, with wider school impact among many other pupils.

Okaihau College

Project: Sensory Garden
Okaihau College was awarded $1000.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding  towards  establishing a sensory garden. The creation of this garden’s a team effort. This garden will be used by the school’s special needs students. It’s being created in conjunction with the school’s senior graphics students who will design its layout whilst year eight students will select plants and the school’s envirogroup create the garden.  Maori perspectives will also be worked into the garden. This project’s an extension of well-established Environmental Education projects in the school. Forty-five students are involved aged 11-20 in years seven to 13, through four classes.

Onerahi School

Project: Irrigation System
Onerahi School was awarded $500.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding to purchase a 1500 litre rain water tank as part of establishing  an irrigation system to water vegetable gardens and future planting expansion. The project’s themed on students learning about sustainable water management and other aspects of Environmental Education. It builds on a number of existing projects within the school including a native bush area, edible garden, worm farm and recycling systems. Fifty junior students are involved in two classes, aged five to seven in year two.

One Tree Point School

Projects: Sustainability Station and South Side Seat
One Tree Point School was awarded $1100.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding for two school Environmental Education Projects. Sustainability Station sees the construction of storage bays for collecting resources such as weeds, food scraps and lawn clippings for composting. South Side Seat meanwhile, sees the establishment of a quiet corner for reading and thinking that’s enhanced with native plantings in a traditional koru design. Native insect species will be introduced to this area in future.  The efforts of one class of about 30 students drive this project that’ll impact on the whole school connecting more than 200 students aged five to 11 in nine classes from new entrants to year six.

Opua School

Project: Sustainability
Opua School was awarded $1500.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards  assisting the expansion of the school’s many-pronged, sustainability-themed Environmental Education work. This expansion’s to come from an incubator to encourage egg production, thereby producing more chickens and a honey extractor to help collect honey from its existing beehive for marketing. Other sustainability-themed work at the school includes cleaning up along Opua foreshore and surrounding streets. One class of 30 students aged nine and 10 in years five and six, is the focus of leading this work.

Oromahoe School

Project: Sensory Garden
Oromahoe School was awarded $900.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards the creation of a sensory garden to create an easily accessible area of unique biodiversity. This will allow students to experience nature through all their senses and build on student interest in an existing neighbouring butterfly garden which attracts major interest from children. This will add to a number of different gardens already established in the school including nikau plantings, rongoa garden, bird feeding area and class gardens. About 60 students aged five to 13 in three classes – new entrants to year eight – are involved in this project.

Otaika Valley School

Project: Water Supply
Otaika Valley School was awarded $1061.54 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards purchasing a 3000 litre water tank to boost the long-term survival of existing orchard and new garden areas. The school has a number of existing gardens including a much-loved butterfly garden. About 40 students aged eight to 10 in two classes, year four to six, are involved in the project.

Oturu School

Project: Energy Efficient Olive Picking
Oturu School was awarded $1105.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards expanding its ever-growing and unique Environmental Education projects with the purchase of resources to improve olive-harvesting efficiency. These purpose-designed olive harvesting crates and wheelbarrows will boost harvest quantities as demonstrated through student statistical analysis of the performance of different harvesting methods in the school’s 2010 olive harvest. One hundred students are involved, aged five to 13 in five new entrant to year eight classes.

Parua Bay School

Project: Wildlife Pathway (2011)
Parua Bay School was awarded $1100.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards further boosting the wildlife pathway that has been developed by the school and community over recent years. The Award enables the purchase of native trees to plant alongside the pathway that links the school with its Whangarei Harbour foreshore. The whole school’s involved with more than 200 students aged five to 13 across nine classes of new entrants to year eight involved.

Ruakaka School

Project: Let the Water Flow
Ruakaka School was awarded $734.50 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding for materials needed to set up a water tank-based irrigation system to use in vegetable gardens over summer – part of expanding on the school’s well established gardening programmes. Worm farming and composting are also carried out. The whole school’s involved with 150 students in seven classes ranging from five to 11 years of age – new entrants to year six.

Ruawai Primary School

Project: Sustainable Gardening / Mahinga Kai
Ruawai Primary School was awarded $850.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards purchasing a polyhouse to boost an existing whole-school gardening approach. Five raised garden beds have been created – one per class – with a huge range of plants involved. A gardening committee’s to be set up with older students supporting juniors in their efforts. The school hopes to develop its gardens as a long term teaching and learning resource for its whole school community. Thee are 115 students involved, aged five to 11 across five classes, year one to year six.

Tangiteroria School

Project: Native Bush Learning Environment Project – Bush Track
Tangiteroria School was awarded $424.34 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding to form an all-weather track through the school grounds to link with a learning platform built in the school’s native bush area in 2010. This native bush area is unique to Tangiteroria School. Future goals for this area including pest eradication, natives planting, labelling and interpretation and fencing maintenance. There are 48 students involved aged five to 13 in three classes, new entrants to year eight.

Totara Grove School

Project: E Tapu tahi - Growing Together
Totara Grove School was awarded $1458.67 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards creating a sensory garden. This is a starting point in a journey moving towards the vision of becoming a sustainable school.

There are 260 students aged five to 11 involved, in 11 classes, new entrants to year six.

Umawera School

Project: Nasty Noises, Fabulous Nifty Natives
Umawera School was awarded $1600.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards further strengthening the successful school boundary native planting border aimed at cutting down on traffic noise from the busy State Highway One adjacent to the school.  Thirty students aged five to 11 involved, in years one to six. 
 

Whangarei Primary School

Project: Garden Shed to Store Garden Equipment
Whangarei Primary School was awarded $600.00 through its Northland Regional Council 2011 Environmental Curriculum Award funding towards purchasing a garden shed as part of a developing garden programme. It’s hoped that the vegetable gardening skills involved in this project will transfer to students’ homes so families are encouraged to do the same. Organic waste is composted and worm farms are performing well in existing schoolground Environmental Education projects. About 30 students aged seven to nine form the group driving this project that feeds into six other classes.