Water’s environmental education opportunities explored

10 May, 2013

Water’s environmental education opportunities explored

More than 20 teachers from across the region are better equipped to take advantage of the environmental education teaching opportunities offered by the North’s many waterways after a special Northland Regional Council workshop.

Twenty-two teachers from Far North, Whangarei and Kaipara schools gathered yesterday (subs: Thursday 09 May) at the council’s Whangarei offices for its annual day-long environmental education teacher workshop.

Environmental Education Officer Susan Botting says the workshop formed part of the regional council’s ‘Waiora Northland Water’ project, focussing on further boosting the health of the North’s waterways.

The multi-pronged project draws together a wide range of water quality-focussed council activities, including catchment care, researching community waterway values and uses and working with industry groups such as Fonterra and DairyNZ.

With that in mind, the council had decided on a water quality theme for this week’s teachers’ workshop.

Ms Botting says workshop participants learned how to use waterways for a range of educational activities from investigating aquatic life to stream health.

“They also took part in a mock resource consent hearing designed to increase their knowledge of the processes local authorities use when deciding water-related issues and highlighting the range of public views typically involved.”

Teachers from 15 schools spanning Cape Reinga to Ruawai had attended, representing primary, area and secondary schools as well as a kura kaupapa.

Ms Botting says participating schools were based in six Northland harbour catchments; Bay of Islands, Hokianga, Kaipara, Parengarenga, Whangape and Whangarei.

“We’re looking forward to seeing how participants – who between them teach about 1000 students – implement the environmental education lessons from the workshop into their teaching.”

ENDS

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