More adventure programmes

PARENTS dreading the school holidays and the inevitable squabbling of children that goes with it now have another option.

Three more sites in the Otago area have been added to the Toyota Kiwi Guardians nationwide adventure programme.

The activitybased conservation programme aims to turn New Zealand children into guardians of the land and sea, while increasing their connections with nature by encouraging them to go on exciting, selfguided adventures and earn rewards.

Department of Conservation education manager Anita Anderson said the programme started in March last year and had grown to more than 90 sites across New Zealand, of which 15 are in the Dunedin and Central Otago area.

‘‘Children can earn Kiwi Guardian medals by working on a variety of conservation tasks at home or in their local park, from becoming a pest detective to joining the War on Weeds, and even tracking their cat along the way.

‘‘The programme allows young people to engage with our natural environment — to feel part of it and want to care for it now and into the future.’’

One of the new sites added to the list was Brighton Beach, which offered the chance to explore rock pools and collect different types of shells and rocks from the beach.

Another was the Otago Central Rail Trail between Lauder and Thurlow Rd, which provided 9km of historical countryside to discover schist rocks, tunnels, viaducts, bridges and the remains of the camps and sheds used by the workers who built and maintained the railway.

Taiaroa Head had also been added to the list, she said.

While the albatross colony was a good reason to visit, there was also the possibility of seeing fur seals, sea lions, penguins and the remains of gun emplacements when the area was fortified.

The programme provided ideas for parents to keep their children entertained over the holidays.

‘‘It offers fresh air, adventure and education at a fraction of the cost of school holiday programmes.

‘‘It’s also about getting outside and being entertained in nature, reducing time indoors and in front of screens.’’