Tukituki Land Care - Engaging CHB Students with Local Land and Water
Added 2 weeks ago
Last year, Tukituki Land Care (TLC), a farmer-led catchment collective, awarded demonstration grants to various Tukituki sub-catchments. The Papanui catchment directed its grant towards educational field trips, designed to help students build a connection with their local land and waterways. This week, the final tour brought students from Ōtāne to a hands-on learning experience, exploring local history, natural events, and environmental science.
During four day-long tours, students from Pukehou School and Ōtāne School engaged in activities such as river paddling, testing water clarity, searching for macroinvertebrates, and fun experiments like floating apples downstream to measure current speed. The children were captivated by the creatures they discovered in the water and enjoyed identifying them. Many students especially loved reaching a pā site to take in panoramic views of the catchment.
Pixie Seligman, catchment coordinator at TLC, highlighted the impact of these tours, saying they provide a unique way for young people to connect with their surroundings and learn about their environment outside the classroom.
These tours were made possible with support from Central Hawke’s Bay Enviroschools, Wai Connection, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC), and members of the Papanui Catchment Group. Local farms, Kahotea Farming and Ludlow Farm, also participated, welcoming students to experience farm life as part of the tours.
Beyond field trips, TLC and the Papanui catchment group have partnered with Trees for Survival and Wai Connection to set up shade houses at both Pukehou and Ōtāne Schools. This project will enable students to raise and plant native seedlings, deepening their connection to conservation and native habitat restoration.
For more information about TLC and to connect with your local catchment group, visit www.tukitukilandcare.org.
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