23 April 2008
Students give local estuary a helping hand
Students from Haumoana School are giving the environment a helping hand by monitoring mammal pests in the Tukituki Estuary.
The students are working alongside a local Environmental Scientist to monitor the numbers of rats, mice, stoats, feral cats and other pests present in the estuary so the information can be passed on to the Hawkes Bay Regional Council to help them decide what predator trapping programme is required.
“It’s terrific having the students involved. They get to go out to the estuary and lay the ink boards baited with peanut butter, the next day they come back to get the ink boards and take them back to the class room to analyse them for me,” says MWH Environmental Scientist and local Futureintech Ambassador Adam Forbes. “They are learning a lot about the different mammal pests and the damage they can do, they are also learning to analyse scientific data. Their involvement is also helping to engage the local community to look after wetlands in a sustainable way.”
“The enthusiasm shown by the students by getting involved in this ecological research project is brilliant. They kids get to carry out a real environmental research project at a local site. They are learning that introduced mammalian predators have been one of the key drivers of the decline of native biodiversity in New Zealand. The research that the students are involved in provides a perfect opportunity to grasp an understanding of the issues, and make a positive contribution to the estuary’s birdlife in the future,” says Mr Forbes.
The students identify the footprints left on the ink boards by the predator by comparing them to a foot print chart, they then enter the results into a spreadsheet.
“It's a fantastic environmental education project. The student’s get hands-on outdoors visits to the estuary, back in the classroom they analyse the ink prints learning all about the history, why we have the pests in New Zealand, why stoats were introduced, why they didn’t control the rabbits, why the stoats and ferrets targeted local birds, the impact they’ve had and the importance of protecting our estuaries,” says Haumoana School Principal, Marty Hantz.
Rats, mice, ferrets and stoats found in the estuary prey upon the adult birds, their chicks and eggs.
“The valuable information the kids are collecting will allow the Regional Council to choose the most effective predator control programme to help reduce their numbers ,” Mr Hantz says. “The students are really enjoying been part of the project and they feel they are making a real difference which will eventually help the survival rates of the estuary’s bird species, which is great.”
Futureintech is a Government-funded initiative of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand, the professional body for the engineering profession. Futureintech encourages young professionals to be involved with school students showing them their work, the skills they've developed and encouraging students to pursue a career in technology, engineering or science. Students from Havelock North High School have also been involved in the project.
For more information contact: Adam Forbes, Phone 06 873 8901
Prepared by Julie Buchanan, Communications Manager, IPENZ, Engineers NZ, DDI: 04 473 2028, 021 479 885
