Kiwi Coast’s environmental education programme, ‘Te Waka Kaitiaki’, continues to be popular with schools and community groups across Northland. Students young and old are keen to learn more about our wonderful wildlife, special places and how to look after them by removing pests.
The Kiwi Coast team visited four schools recently – Broadwood Area School, Te Tii School, Whangarei Heads School and Morningside School. Each visit was tailored to suit the age of the students, their level of learning and experience to date.
Schools and communities were particularly keen to learn all about kiwi, how they evolved to become such a unique creature, some of their strange features and how simple things like walking your dog on a lead makes all the difference for kiwi survival.
Animal pest control was also a key theme – with many school students already setting traps either around school or home. Kiwi Coast shared information to build knowledge about the traits and characteristics of different pests, the damage they cause, and the range of traps and tools available to control them.
Mae Lewis, Kiwi Coast Mid West Coordinator, visited Broadwood School and ran a rat trap box making workshop with 40 students.
Mae said “The workshop proved to be a great way to engage with the students, who each got to make their own wooden trap box. Northland Regional Council provided rat traps too – so everyone got to take a rat trap home and put their new skills to work straight away.”
Meanwhile on the Purerua – Mataroa Peninsula, Mid-North Coordinator Andrew Mentor returned to Te Tii School. The school is part of the ‘Pest Free Purerua – Mataroa Project‘ led by Kiwi Coast, and they have developed their own specialised ‘Rat Squad’.
Andrew said “Supporting the Rat Squad to build their skills and be actively involved in making Purerua Pest Free is a great way of working with the community. This next generation will be the ones to maintain the pest-free goals attained and curtail reinvasions.“
Communities in the Far North have also been keen to find out more about pests, kiwi and how to get their own projects humming at events like the Kaeo Christmas Parade and Taipa Twilight Market in December.
The fun continues through summer – Kiwi Coast will next be at the Kaikohe Show, North Hokianga A+P Show, Kaitaia Show and the Northland Field Days. Keep an eye on our online events calendar to keep up to date with events, or let us know if you would like Kiwi Coast to visit your school in 2025.
Kiwi Coast thanks all the schools involved for their time and enthusiasm and the Department of Conservation, NRC and Foundation North for their funding and support of Te Waka Kaitiaki.
