Education
Empowering Young Minds
Our Commitment to Education
Rivercare Group Te Wai o Pareira's environmental education program explores various topics, including freshwater stream health, pest species management, marine biodiversity, and ecological restoration. We facilitate place-based learning experiences by utilising hands-on activities and citizen science tools.
Our approach
Integrates Mātauranga Māori (indigenous wisdom) and modern science, fostering connections to the rich history and traditions of the local people and environment. We aim for students to develop a holistic understanding and appreciation of their surroundings by embracing Mātauranga Māori principles such as kaitiakitanga (guardianship) and whakapapa (connections) and an appreciation of the principles of ecological restoration.
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Education events held through Rivercare Group
940
Children reached through our education initiatives
May
Peak month for education events (23 events)
Students observe predator species and their impact on native flora and fauna using tracking tunnels. Additionally, Marine Meter Squared allows students to study aquatic species crucial to the diverse bird population of Te Atātu Peninsula. Moreover, freshwater monitoring instils an understanding of water quality's vital role in sustaining our ecosystems. We also empower students to actively contribute to ecological restoration by joining our Tawa Esplanade planting days.
Our educational endeavours look to empower students with scientific knowledge while nurturing a deep connection to their environment, deeply rooted in Mātauranga Māori values and a strong sense of place.
Te Atatū Endeavour Sea Scouts
A group of Venturers - 14-18 year old Sea Scouts - have committed to an introduced predator reduction programme at the reserve. This mahi runs throughout the year and will make a huge difference to our native flora and fauna. Forest & Bird estimates that 72,000 native birds are killed by predators every day in Aotearoa, that's a sobering number and makes us all the more determined to protect them by creating a safe haven. These photos are from our first training session with Bronwyn from Wild About Te Atatū. Step one is to find out which types of predators are living at the reserve. Bronwyn took us through the process of setting up monitoring tunnels and we all learned a lot. Ngā mihi nui kia koutou Venturers - you are superheroes!
Nau mai, haere mai Matipo Primary School!
We are delighted to be joined in our restoration efforts by Matipo Primary School students, who are now growing harakeke/flax seedlings to be planted in future stages of the Tawa Esplanade Restoration project. A massive thank you to the teachers and to Wild About Te Atatū and Te Atatū Marae for making this a rich learning experience for the tamariki. We welcome community involvement, if you would like to be involved please get in touch here.
Matipo Primary School's Te Puāwaitanga o te Wairua students are raising harakeke seedlings from seeds sourced at Tawa Esplanade. Harakeke seeds take a very long time to germinate so the tamariki had to practise patience as well as kaitiakitanga!
Our budding naturalists tried two different methods of seed raising to see which was more effective. Some seeds were soaked overnight in water, some weren't. Which method worked better?