The 3rd, 4th and 6th of May sessions with James Hargest College (JHC) Junior Campus Year 8 Science classes were held at Thomsons Bush and at the Environment Southland Waihopai Restoration Project site. These classes have been looking at climate change and looking at the impact of taking action by planting natives and how this mitigates the effects of climate change.
The Thomson Bush sessions with each class earlier in the week focused on the identification of NZ natives that are used in restoration plantings and learning about growing plants for restoration projects. We learnt that growing native plants from seeds is easy, once you can recognise what seeds you are wanting to source (for restoration we want nursery species of plants), how to prepare the seeds ready for sowing and what time of year to collect seeds! We noticed a number of different types of seeds in Thomsons Bush and looked at the restoration planting being undertaken there, noting the importance of eco sourcing seed and choosing the right plant for the right conditions here in Southland. The students were set the challenge of growing some native plants from seed (see the helpful instructions at School Activities • Southland Community Nursery) and taking home a pack of seeds eco sourced from the Southland Community Nursery.
On the Friday I teamed up with the Environment Southland team and the classes got hands on at the Waihopai Restoration Planting Site. We learnt about the history of this site and the community input into the plantings happening there. We planted broadleaf, ribbonwood, cabbage trees, mingimingi and pittos, with many of these native nursery species now being recognised. The students growing knowledge about native plants was added to with specific discussion around what plants do for our environment and for climate change, through the process of photosynthesis and carbon sequestration. Some facts and figures of how much CO2 can be used by one mature native tree and how much oxygen is realeased surprised us all. Taking action for climate change as part of their learning will help the students relate to their own ‘taking action’ assignments that they will be completing to finish off their science unit learning. It was great to see these JHC students (dressed up in house colours) taking action for climate change - climate change heroes in tutus!
Bronwyn
Posted: 7 May 2022
Teaming with Josh (EnviroSchools Environment Southland) we had a full day with Garston students as they explored and learnt about the environment from coast to hill top. Visiting Rotten Row shipwrecks at Greenpoint, and Mokomoko inlet the students looked at the plants that grow (learning to name quite a few) and the characteristic features of these coastlines and what lives in these habitats. Crabs were the favourite! After lunch it was a fascinating wander through ‘buoy cottage’ getting an insight into what can be found on the coastline and how the bits can be put to use. An amazing place full of wonder and curiosity. Then after finding out a bit more about the plants and their uses (see Leaf Bingo and Leaf Bingo Māori Use resources at School Activities • Southland Community Nursery) we planted some plants. Meeting the pests and learning all about the characteristics of these species that have made them so successful in NZ habitats and how to manage these completed a fun day out in the sun.
Bronwyn
Posted: 7 May 2022
Nursery Fridays have been busy and varied. Autumn brings lots of seed collecting, seed cleaning and preparation for sowing. Potting is still happening but the nursery is pretty full as the very dry weather has meant people have not picked up their plants for autumn planting yet – hopefully soon now that the drought has broken! We have also been preparing for a new track by moving a paddock fence, had a foraging session, a trap setting demo, processed a massive crop of BB peaches and have pressed some, but by no means all, of our apples. If you would like some apples for pressing, eating or cooking send me an email and come and pick some. Earlier, through much of January, February and March watering has been a constant need, Geoff has been a star on the weeding front and morning teas have been held largely outside.
We are closing over Easter – Friday 15 and 22 April resuming on Friday 29 April 22.
Posted: 13 April 2022
On 6 April 2022 Jesse Bythell and myself held a Plant ID workshop for first year SIT Environmental Management students. Seven students accompanied by tutor Mark Oster braved a cold weather day to learn about the NZ native flora.
The course is adapted from the two day NZPCN course https://www.nzpcn.org.nz/conservation/training/module-1-plant-life/ but is very specific to Southland using Southland plant examples and plant id card resources created by the Community Nursery - https://www.southlandcommunitynursery.org.nz/site/assets/files/1096/southland_plant_id_-_scn_2015_plant_course.pdf
The course content went through the following topics “Why New Zealand Plants”, “Plant Names”, “where plants grow and why”, “Plant communities”, “Life cycle and growth form”, “flowers”, “spores seeds and fruit”, “leaves”, “stems and bark”, “roots” and “plant identification”. The workshop was a combination of slides, exercises and bush walks but due to the weather probably a bit more time inside than we would have liked.
Thanks to Jesse for her abounding enthusiasm and energy and to students for their interest and enthusiasm to learn about our unique flora.
Chris
Posted: 13 April 2022
Spending time out in the bush reserve with the Ponga (Year 2) class we focused mainly on noticing and learning all about ferns. The 1st March after looking closely at some silver fern (Ponga) and wheki ponga fronds we set off to the reserve with Mrs Rodway - and we found so many different ferns. We had to use our eyes to spot the differences, becoming botanists as we learnt that there are over 200 types of ferns in NZ. We wondered how many were in the reserve? As well as the leaves of ferns being called fronds, we also learnt that the seeds are called spores. Great words to use. The 15th March Mrs Mac and the class were on a mission - for each student to find 3 leaves (not picked, but instead from the forest floor) - all different kinds and all different colours. As we wandered the class also shared their knowledge of ferns with Mrs Mac - and we discovered and made neuron connections as we shared. When we didn’t know we looked at a great book “Which Native Fern?” by Andrew Crowe, being introduced and using a KEY to work out which of the 200 species of fern it could be. Great learning for us all. Back in class the students grouped their leaves - by shape and colour and other ways - thinking about what might fit and not fit as the case may be. This made us all look very closely at the leaves. On the 29th March it was another opportunity to have the children/ tamariki share with Miss Nieborg their learning about ferns from the past visits to the bush. Their growing and developing knowledge was shared and grew even bigger today with great noticing of more types of ferns. We used our book again today to identify and name more ferns, and learnt how we can post pictures to iNaturalist to get other experts to help us. We saw a hanging spleenwort, a fern climbing a tree, and many other of the ferns found in the Otatara reserve. There was lots of scientific thinking and noticing as we compared fronds, where spores are found on the plant, and the feel and shapes of the ferns. Some fern fronds (pressed) from the Southland Community Nursery were left with the class for comparing and learning. The 12th of April our focus shifted away from ferns to other aspects of the bush world in the reserve. We met some other Otatara School classroom trees including tī kōuka/cabbage tree, mānuka, horopito, tarata and tōtara starting our noticing and comparing different tree species. We looked and described the bark and leaves and there were some great descriptive words used to distinguish between different species. We then explored the reserve finding something really interesting to sketch and coming up with three descriptive words to go with our drawings. Such great noticing and recording like a scientist!
Bronwyn
Posted: 12 April 2022
