SGHS teacher Lynley King, once again brought her science class to the Nursery and Education Centre. The girls were learning about different native plants but also the role of “community groups” in conservation. The focus of this visit was walking around the ponds and bush, learning new plants and learning about collecting, cleaning and sowing native seeds. Previous visits have also included planting, establishing monitoring plots measuring growth rates of plants and weed control and it is great to have continuing relationship with SGHS here and at Bushy Point.
Posted: 11 June 2015
Teacher Jena Young organised three Otatara School classes to visit the Community Nursery to study seeds and native plants. The three groups of 30 students were split in half and Lloyd Esler lead a group around the pond and bush tracks searching for seeds and looking at native plants. Lloyd related many stories which kept the children enthralled despite the arctic weather conditions!
Meanwhile inside the Education Centre Chris lead some seed collecting, seed cleaning and leaf identification activities with the help of Bronwyn and Kari. We were impressed by the children’s knowledge of seeds, the way seeds are distributed, the seasons, leaf characteristics and the questions the students asked about seeds, plants and the nursery. At the end some seeds were sown in the nursery and each student was given their own Manuka seeds to sow at home. Thanks to the teachers and parent helpers who came along to help.
Posted: 11 June 2015
Fifteen people attended the Weedbusters workshop held in the Education Centre on a chilly Sunday. The weather put paid to any outside demonstrations but Randall Milne (ES), Graeme Miller and Lynne Huggins (DOC) and Janet Gregory (Landcare Trust) gave good practical advice on busting weeds. Particular weeds were brought up by participants – the “favourites” being Darwin’s barberry, Chilean flame creeper, Cutty grass, Aluminium plant, Bittersweet, Blackberry, Muehlenbeckia, Elderberry, Sycamore, Ivy, Grey willow, Periwinkle, Gunnera, Selaginella, Old man’s beard, Cotoneaster, Gorse, Broom, Tutsan. Techniques for all were discussed, new products promoted and funding options explored. Click to see more detailed workshop notes.
Posted: 2 June 2015
Twenty enthusiastic children visited the Nursery on Wednesday 20th May. “Wild Things“ is a home-based early childhood education organisation. The children enjoyed exploring around the ponds, feeding the ducks and using the “sensory scavenger hunt cards” to find natural things with their senses - sight, hearing, smell and touch.
Teacher Keri later forwarded a few photos of the day and said “Thanks again for a fantastic visit, such an educational place and very inspiring. A credit to everyone’s hard work”. For more information about Wild Things visit www.wildthings.org.nz
Posted: 2 June 2015
On 28th April 2015, about 100 Otatara Schoolchildren came to the ponds and Education Centre to learn about wetlands. Our ponds were one of four places students were exploring as part of a science project to look at the similarities and differences between different ecosystems – native forest, pine forest, beach and wetland. Students used their ipads to record plants, birds and insects seen at the different places and one of the highlights here was finding a frog under the logs around the pond. The ducks of course made themselves quite at home being the star attraction as the children passed by! We look forward to seeing the results of the investigations.
Posted: 10 May 2015
