PiPS garden facilitator Nina Henderson says while not established in New Zealand, the stink bug could get through border controls.
“We will still keep looking for them, but we hope we don’t find them. It can be boring for the kids, but if we can’t find any, that’s a good sign.”
PiPS worked with the Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital (TMBC), a Tauranga-based collaborative organisation working to strengthen New Zealanders’ awareness of biosecurity, to deliver the gardens.
“Having the sentinel gardens as part of the wider gardening programme helps our tamariki to understand we need to protect the environment and the way of life for our orchardists and farmers in the Bay of Plenty from biosecurity threats,” says PiPS manager Clare Rogers.
Kiwifruit Vine Health chief executive Leanne Stewart says as a member of TMBC, the organisation is proud to be helping support the gardens.
“The gardens consist of a variety of plants, including some that might provide early warning of invasive insect species and pathogens that could affect Bay of Plenty kiwifruit orchards.
“Our kiwifruit growers across the region do everything they can to look out for unwanted threats that could have serious impacts on orchards, and these gardens are a great way to help build biosecurity awareness and surveillance skills amongst younger members of the region.”
The programme has also had the installation of several planter boxes in which a range of fruit, vegetables and herbs have been grown.
Maria Turol is one of the enthusiastic students at Suzanne Aubert School who has been helping out.
“I find it quite fascinating what comes from one seed — one little lemon seed can grow this,” she says, standing next to a small lemon tree.
She was particularly impressed when one kumara, cut in half and planted in November, ultimately produced 207.
“You also get to eat [what’s grown]. Lemons, you get to add it to drinks, I got to take a kumara home and cooked it up and my mum loved it.
“Also, you know what’s in it, it hasn’t been sprayed and it tastes fresher because sometimes they ship stuff that’s not in season and it’s not as fresh.”
She says she is patient and has grown popping corn at home.
Greer Jackson says she is interested in the science side of growing things.
Talking about various colours of silverbeet, she says: “I’m interested in why things come up the colour they are”.
Ethan Stewart says he enjoys gardening and thinks it’s fun.
“I like getting messy hands and I like planting stuff and then pulling it out [harvesting].”
The students have been experimenting with ways to deter unwanted butterflies and created a mock white butterfly made from a milk bottle they hope will scare away the real thing.
“We read up on it and tested it — the white butterfly is territorial,” says Nina.
Early indications are there has been a decrease in the number of caterpillars found, although that could have also been a result of dropping temperatures.
Earlier this year, PiPS won the Sustainable Future Award at the Western Bay Community Awards.
