Making tracks in Conservation Week

During Te Wiki Tiaki ao Tūroa/Conservation Week our Learning Team were out and about visiting schools around the region involved in our Nature at Your Place programme, a free programme offered to Wellington schools and kura, deciles 1-6.

The team packed up the Zealandia car with 12 tracking tunnels, some Black Trakka tracking inserts and a set of footprint cards, then headed off to Russell School, Brandon Intermediate and then Miramar Christian School.

This photo of a skink is from Russell School, where they ran an exercise in which the ākonga/students drew the footprints of animals they might see in the tracking tunnels, however some talented students went a step further and drew the animal as well!

Around the corner at Brandon Intermediate the Principal suggested that we take a look at their regenerative planting programme. They’ve been planting species like tōtara and rimu in order to bring back the bird life to their school grounds. The project is called Te Hohoki o ngā Manu (the return of the birds). Tracking tunnels provided by Zealandia will be placed around this area to see what wildlife is returning to the native bush.

The tamariki love the bench halfway up the track, which is affectionately known as “the grandstands”. It overlooks their immaculate field and is also perfect for watching rugby games!

Your support through donations helps us reach more tamariki so they can discover first-hand the positive impact they can have as kaitiaki/guardians of nature.