Students enjoy perfect day
Makahu School’s Libby Hopkirk and Teague Mullin from Auroa School were rewarded with a trip to the Poor Knights islands this month after some excellent work in their school’s Experiencing Marine Reserves programme.
They joined representatives from Northland and Auckland, Coromandel, Gisborne, Wellington, Nelson and Otago.
The Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme in the Taranaki region is provided by Nga¯ Motu Marine Reserve Society, assisted by the Department of Conservation. The programme involves learning about marine biodiversity in the classroom, snorkelling in the pool and investigating the local marine environment before diving in a marine reserve and taking action with regards to marine conservation in their communities.
The Poor Knights trip is sponsored by Dive! Tutukaka and the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation.
Thirty two students, 31 parents and 11 supporters took part this year with regional participation, including flights, transfers, accommodation and charter for the parents provided by the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation.
This year’s snorkel site was the Blue Maomao arch, named in the top 10 for dive sites around the world by Jacque Cousteau. It did not take long for the EMR students to understand why it’s called Blue Maomao arch with thousands of blue maomao and some stunning marine biodiversity along the walls.
“The sea cave was awesome,” said Teague. “It made a mean echo.”
The snorkel site at the Poor Knights Island marine reserve has been protected by no-take status since 1981. Students were selected based on their action projects and enthusiasm studying and experiencing the marine environment.
EMR programme director Samara Nicholas said she was impressed by the students she met.
“Every year I am blown away by the students, the calibre of their action projects and their passion for the marine environment. I can feel satisfied that the future is in great hands.”