Ashley Rakahuri School, an Enviroschool for 14 years, first partnered with their Enviroschools facilitator, Siobhán Culhane, Waimakariri Biodiversity Trust (WBT), and Daiken last year to connect the students to this area.
This year, they took it further by investigating the terrestrial invertebrates and planting native seedlings, which Daiken generously provided.
These native seedlings were specially chosen to restore this area to being a wetland.
The year three to five students tried out three fun activities:
- planting native trees along Saltwater Creek to create this wetland environment
- recording the bugs, worms and creepy crawlies living under logs, and in the grasses and bushes.
- looking at the mayflies, caddis larvae, snails and flatworms that live in the creek.
The students were engaged, eager, and enthusiastic to get planting and reporting!
The 46 ākonga/students, with help from kaimahi/staff from Daiken and other organisations, planted 630 native seedlings, including kahikatea, tōtara, and mataī in just over three hours!
Tamariki/children found many terrestrial invertebrates in the grass and bushes alongside the creek including earthworms, earwigs, caterpillars, slaters and even a massive trapdoor spider. All were photographed and uploaded to iNaturalist for expert identification with help from Siobhán and Anna Veltman, a senior land management advisor.
Surface water scientist Lucy Barltrop helped the students rediscover some of the same freshwater invertebrates they discovered last year.
Suzy Parker, a kaiako/teacher at Ashley Rakahuri School, said, “Seeing the progress the students’ impact is having on their local environment is very cool.”
Restoring a precious wetland
There has been a lot of mahi that has been going on behind the scenes before this day. Daiken, the Sefton Saltwater Creek Catchment Group (SSCCG), and WBT joined forces to come up with a plan for restoring the upper part of the Saltwater Creek catchment to a wetland.
A wetland enhancement plan was developed with freshwater ecologist, Diana Robertson.
“It was amazing to see some quite early conversations blossoming into this new project with so much local engagement and agency support.
“I’m looking forward to the ongoing development, community involvement and restoration works for this part of the Saltwater Catchment,” she concluded.
Daiken staff also valued the change to get involved. “Our staff get an opportunity to do something different and proactively interact with the community,” said Daiken’s technical manager, Federico Roura.
“Daiken is incorporating the concept of sustainability into its way of doing things, and looking at how we can get involved with projects that align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”
A huge thank you to Siobhán, Ashley Rakahuri School, WBT, Daiken, SSCCG, Waimakariri water zone committee, and parent volunteers for making this wetland planting day such a huge success!
Find out more
Environment Canterbury © 2024
Retrieved: 12:02pm, Mon 14 Oct 2024
ecan.govt.nz/get-involved/news-and-events/zone-news/waimakariri/saltwater-creek-becomes-outdoor-classroom-for-planting-day/