Crusaders and Piwakawaka Litter Intelligence Survey and Beach Clean up

On a not so great West Coast Day Piwakawaka and the Crusaders Enviroschools leaders went to the Hokitka beach to conduct the Sustainable Coastlines Litter Intelligence Survey.  Whilst the Crusaders leaders worked with Emma Hunter from Sustaibale Coastlines on the Litter Intelligence Survey Piwakawaka did a beach clean up. 

The Litter intellligence survey requires us, along with Hokitika Primary and St Mary's, to survey the same 100metres of the beach and add our findings to the Sustainable Coastlines data base. We found 14 pieces of litter, categorised them, weighed them and added the information to the data base.

Along the beach we found five bags full of various litter including china plate pieces, plastic, drink bottles, wrappers, shoe inners, cartridges form fire arms and more. We bought this back to school to dispose of.

Silver!

We made it! Kaniere School has earned their Silver Enviroschools status, the first in Westland. It was a lot of hard work. Our Crusaders representatives Zoe Adlington, Elizabeth Olson and Isla Martin stepped up becuase our senior leaders were away at camp. They gave Regional co-ordinator Zoe Watson a tour of our school, after welcoming her along with their Piwakawaka classmates, and talked about all the projects wer have worked on since becoming an Enviroschool in 2010. 

On the last day of term we had a big celebration with Fiona from the Department of Conservation presenting the Crusaders team with the Silver Certificate.  Our leaders gave tours to parents and we had a shared lunch.

We planted a Rata tree to mark the ocassion. Teno pai Kaniere!

Piwakawaka Energy Projects

Piwakawaka have been studying energy. Thi has included personal energy and solar energy. We created  exercise programmes, solar ovens and wrote explanations. Our solar ovens were used to cook Somores for the class, YUM! We have also learnt about energy in space, learning about aurora!

Piwakawaka Stream Health Survey

 We have been learning about water quality and how it impacts on stream health. We surveyed two streams in the local area. One was in a forest and the other had recently had a slip run down it.  We put out fish traps the night before but were not lucky enough to catch anything. Some of the tasks we completed were a survey of the macro invertebrate populations, the speed of the water, water clarity and temperature, and the composition of the stream bed. We wer e supported by Rhianna from Landcare Trust and Zoe from Enviroschools.

Enviroschools Camp

 THe Year 5 and 6 Crusaders attended an Enviroschools camp at the Arahura Marae last week. Our school along with others all along the Coast.  We had a great time: gathering first for a powhiri, then playing "Who am I?",  and later having an evening talk in the whare about the images that stood around us and stories associated with those carvings. 

The next day it was an early start to t head down to the river mouth to check the nets set the night before.  We were able to see inanga, tuna,  and bullies. 

After breakfast we then went to look at native plants that have traditional beneficial properties for people. then it was a off to look at the wonderful plantings along the Arahura River to discuss why plants are chosen and how being planted adjoining farmed areas benefits them and the river.

It was back to the Marae and we quickly potted some seedlings. Potting seedlings is a quick way to get lots on plants to a reasonable size.

After lunch we had a reflection on our learning. After the poroporoaki we headed off back to our various schools

Piwakawaka Planting

 Scratch, scratch, scratch the shovels scratched the long grass away from the soil. We are digging holes for the plants we had donated to the class, thanks Mrs Phelps. These are all native plants that included little rimu trees, lancewood, toetoe, broadleaf and mahoe.

It is nice to think that in years to come we will be able to see the results and there will be more habitat for the insects. 

To plant you need to loosen the soil around where the plant is to go in, dig a hole slightly deeper than the root  ball, place the plant in the hole and refill it with dirt. Finally you have to compact the soil around the plant root to ensure it stays straight.

We will need to make sure that the long grass is kept away from the plant so it does not get suffocated.

Sustainable Planting

 On Friday Weka and Weka Tēina planted some kōwhai seeds. 

We wanted to do some sustainable planting. This means that we could use seeds from plants that we found in our own school gardens.

We spent some time with the tamariki in Piwakawaka collecting seeds from trees around our school and then seperating them from their pods. 

First, we had to put them in boiling water for 24 hours because the shell was too hard and it needed to soften. 

In peers, we got a seedling tray and we filled each little part halfway with soil. 

Then we got 2 kōwhai seeds and put them in each part. 

Next, we put more soil over the top of the kōwhai seeds. 

We then made sure the seeds were in the sun and gave them some water.