15 projects share NRC $15,000 environment awards
Community vegetable gardens, propagating areas, native worm breeding and recycling systems are among 15 school projects that will receive $15,000 funding from this year’s Northland Regional Council Environmental Curriculum Awards.
Council Environmental Education Officer Teresa Rudgley says the annual awards aim to foster excellence in environmental education, with schools eligible for up to $2000 each (plus GST) for their efforts to educate children about caring for the region’s environment.
“Most applicants have received a portion of the money they were seeking. We have had applicants from every district in the region.
It’s also encouraging that some of the schools are being funded for ongoing projects, such as Hurupaki Primary School’s wetlands area and Kamo Intermediate’s Islands of Life project.”
She says the awards aim to encourage these schools and their communities to actively participate in efforts to improve their environment in a sustainable manner.
The winning schools and their GST-exclusive projects are:
Far North;
School: Tautoro School
Project: Water for life
Funding: $1000
Contact: Meri Pera and Mattie Paraha
The school wants to set up tank to collect roof water to be used for irrigation of the school’s garden and orchard.
School: Okaihau College
Project: Sustainability Planting Project
Funding: $1050
Contact: Lynne Couling
The funding is to be used to extend the school’s garden area, including a herb garden, tui flax garden and planter boxes.
School: Oromahoe Primary School
Project: Outside learning area
Funding: $867
Contact: Pauline Stephenson
This project aims to create an outside learning area, with gardens and a table where students can work.
School: Whangaruru School
Project: Sustainable garden
Funding: $1000
Contact: Delwynne Simon
Fruit trees and edible plants are on the menu to plant in a new edible garden and fruit orchard.
Whangarei;
School: Blomfield Special School
Project: Watering system to maintain plant nursery.
Funding: $1000
Contact: Pauline Chircop
This project aims to set up an automatic watering system for the school’s shade house and propagating house to sustain plants over summer and fulfil projects to propagate pingao and other native species for restoration planting in the Waipu and Bream Bay areas.
School: Hurupaki Primary School
Project: Maori medicinal garden
Funding: $500
Contact: Katy Howett and Jo Higgins
Plants and fertiliser are to be purchased to incorporate native plants known for their traditional healing properties into the school’s wetlands and wildlife area.
School: Ruakaka Primary School
Project: Edible gardens and compost
Funding: $675
Contact: Marilyn Dunn
The school plans to create six raised garden beds, one for each class to grow vegetables. Compost and worm bins are also planned.
School: Raurimu Avenue School
Project: School gardens
Funding: $685
Contact: Marie Clare
This project aims to extend the school’s vegetable gardens and fruit orchard.
School: St Francis Xavier
Project: Waterway project
Funding: $1200
Contact: Lynn Douglas
The school has adopted the local waterway that runs through the school grounds, and after testing the health of the waterway wants to plant vegetation to improve stream water quality.
School: Tikipunga Primary School
Project: He Kakano, The Seed
Funding: $1605
Contact: Dianne Ogle
This project aims to install a glasshouse for the propagation of native plants to be used to beautify the school grounds and vegetable seedlings for the school garden.
School: Kamo Intermediate School
Project: Islands of Life
Funding: $810
Contact: Jan O’Connor
The school’s Islands of Life project is ongoing, and includes a dream garden, which is a native grove planted in the school grounds. The award money is to be used to buy equipment for a pond and plant propagation.
School: Onerahi Primary School
Project: Medicinal garden
Funding: $600
Contact: Karen Clearwater and Ursula Pretorius
Research into Maori medicinal plants is one of the aims of this school’s project, which extends the existing native bush area and school gardens.
School: Poroti Primary School
Project: The Living Garden
Funding: $890
Contact: Debra Craig
An ongoing project, the Poroti project aims to create an ecologically balanced garden, with native plantings to encourage beneficial insects.
School: Whangarei Boys’ High School
Project: Recycling and worm farming
Funding: $1220
Contact: Darryl Hewson
Covers for worm bins and wheelie bins are planned to enhance the school’s recycling and worm farming project. The native worms are used for feeding kiwi at the Kiwi House in Maunu. The school now aims to recycle rubbish from the Carruth boarding house.
Kaipara;
School: Dargaville Intermediate
Project: Reduce Reuse Recycle
Funding: $870
Contact: Diane Bell
This project aims to focus on reducing rubbish in the school. Collection bins for plastic are being purchased and compost and worm bins are being established for the whole school to use.