Welcome to the August issue of Leaflet
The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is a major sponsor for the EIT Science & Technology Fair and staff attended the prize giving on Thursday 22 August at EIT. The Regional Council's Senior Environmental Scientist Dr Thomas Wilding was on hand to present prizes and certificates to the worthy recipients. The Regional Council has been a long time sponsor of this event. This year our sponsorship of $1,500 went towards the HBRC Technology Challenge Category as well as several prizes in other categories totaling 24 winners. It is great to see so much interest and potentially budding scientists who may one day work for the Regional Council.
Lexi Trotter from Karamu High School, pictured above, was outstanding in her field winning several prizes from HBRC. She also won the University of Otago Prize for the best application of scientific method, an all expenses paid attendance at the "Hands on Science" event at Otago University in January 2020. Congratulations Lexi one of 18 students representing Karamu High School at the awards.
Several student projects focused on the local Hawke's Bay environment as a basis for their project. This leads well into a recent publication from Ministry of Education - "Leading Local Curriculum Guide" - designing rich opportunities and coherent pathways for all learners by creating local curriculum content. HBRC Enviro Ed would like to be part of this conversation in the months ahead and support local initiatives. If this is something of interest to you then please get in touch enviro@hbrc.govt.nz
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Our Conservation Week starts in August...
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The official Conservation Week is celebrated between 14 & 22 September. Here at Hawke's Bay Regional Council we start our school activities in August and roll into early September.
With our partners Pan Pac Forest Products and Guthrie Smith Arboretum & Education Centre we are once again supporting seven schools to experience a lowland bush remnant at White Pine Bush, a bus tour of the Pan Pac Whirinaki site and a guided walk and native tree planting around Guthrie Smith Arboretum and Lake Orakai. The end of the day is spent on the edges of Tutira Lake before the bus trip back to school.
This year we are hosting the following schools, Mahora, Waipawa, St Patricks, Camberley, Flaxmere, Irongate and Parkside. A total of 200 students along with their teachers and whanau.
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The above pictures are of previous school visits. Pereri King (above right) holding the rat from the trap. Always an exciting find! as you walk around the Arboretum.
The photo on the right features Lynne Arnold who leads the education team at Guthrie Smith. Sharing her knowledge with young students.
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Connected to Nature - September teacher workshop
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We have checked out the site and sussed out our activities. It will be another hands-on workshop at Dolbel Reserve on Thursday 12 September. Commencing at 3.45 pm with afternoon tea.
A confirmation will be sent to all participants closer to the date. We still have a few places left if you wish to attend please use this link to register register here.
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1 - 30 September - Bee Aware Month
There is no denying how important bees are to our survival. For ideas to help the bees please check out the Apiculture New Zealand website.
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Celebrate Māori Language Week -
9 - 15 September 2019
Kia Kaha te reo Māori is the theme for this year’s Māori Language Week. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori provides an opportunity to celebrate and learn te reo Māori, helping to secure its future as a dynamic and rich language. Visit the TPI website for ideas and suggestions on how to get involved.
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Mental Health
Awareness Week
23 - 29 September
Such an important topic. The MHAW website has resources for schools so check out their website.
Alice McNatty, Senior Biosecurity Advisor for HBRC, left - in her mental wellbeing/happy place.
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Make sure only rain goes down the drain because in Napier 70% of our stormwater ends up in the Ahuriri Estuary. There are about 14,500 hectares of land that drain to the estuary, and when we leave contaminants (such as paint, oils, chemicals, litter, etc) exposed to rain, the water that flows off our properties pollutes these environments.
The stormwater network consists of roadside channels, drains, sumps, underground pipes and urban waterways.
Hawke's Bay Regional Council have a stormwater education resource called Drain Detectives. To find out more email enviro@hbrc.govt.nz
Visit www.napier.govt.nz/stormwater for more information and tips on helping the Citys stormwater system.
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If you would like to borrow the rain only stencil contact enviro@hbrc.govt.nz
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YOUTH ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL UPDATE
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HB Youth Environment Council - Are busy planning a student quiz night for Friday 13 September to be held at Napier Girls' High School. All secondary schools will be notified and students encouraged to put in a team or two. The cost to participate is $5 per person. Funds raised on the night will be donated to Our Seas, Our Future. There will be great prizes and a raffle.
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Meet our new schools facilitator Amy Davidson. Amy is based in Central Hawke's Bay and takes over from Kate Luff who has left to focus on her family and farm.
Amy has been introduced to all her schools and is becoming familiar with the Enviroschools resources.
She is off to Wellington in a couple of weeks for further facilitator training.
Welcome to the team Amy!
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HERETAUNGA KINDERGARTEN
ASSOCIATION REACH 100%
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The last word goes to the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association - CONGRATULATIONS All 16 kindergartens can now call themselves Enviroschools. Regional Council and Toimata Foundation have been partners with the Association since 2011.
As part of this partnership agreement the Association trains their own teachers to be facilitators. There are currently three fully trained and active facilitators while another three have just come on board. The model for ECE Enviroschools in the early years differs from region to region.
Our other ece partner is Napier Kindergarten Association who has also been a partner since 2011 and have 13 Enviroschools Kindergartens.
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Note - some website links in this newsletter may only work in internet explorer.
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