Students join in wetlands conservation

Last month Te Puke High School science students worked with Maketu¯ Ongatoro Wetlands Society (MOWS) to help conserve, protect and restore the native biodiversity in the Maketu¯ area.

A group of Year 13 students went to Maketu¯ Spit to establish the fencing around the New Zealand dotterel nesting area.

The fencing and signs are there to discourage people, quad bikes and dogs from travelling through the dunes, action which has, in the past, significantly decreased the numbers of dotterel eggs and chicks surviving.

The students and MOWS staff also completed a waste clean up on the beach of the Maketu¯ Spit, where rubbish is left and washes in along the shore.

The students were surprised by the amount of rubbish they were able to collect, especially the amount of fishing line which can be dangerous for birds as they can get tangled in it and die.

The following day, a group of Year 12 high school students went out along the Kaituna to Tumu Kawa wetland to plant.

Wetlands are an important part of the ecosystem as they keep it healthy by cleaning and storing water, preventing floods, providing a habitat for plants and wildlife, as well as storing carbon and providing recreational opportunities for local communities.

Over 600 plants were planted on the day, including manuka, karamu, mingimingi and kahikatea.

The students who took part in the opportunity to contribute to the Wetland Restoration & Dotterel Protection Projects gained knowledge of the impacts on dune and wetland ecosystems and how to restore them to create better habitat for native species.

This allows them to be advocates for their local environment and raise awareness in the community.

They are also able to gain NZQA credits for their work through NCEA Level 2 and 3 Education for Sustainability assessments offered as part of the science programmes at Te Puke High School.