Tauranga youngsters learning about our waterways

St Mary's Catholic School pupil Holly Van den Borst, 11, checks the water quality. Photo/John Borren

Tauranga pupil Holly Van den Borst has become more aware of how she can play a part in keeping water clean and pest free.

The St Mary's Catholic School pupil is one of more than 200 from 21 Bay schools
who have taken part in 11 interactive, outdoor activities to learn about waterways.

Students from around Tauranga and the Bay of Plenty have been learning about the region's waterways as part of the Hands on Water Expo near Paengaroa this month.

Activities included sampling for in-stream bugs, learning about eels and pest fish, measuring water quality, discovering where stormwater went and identifying pollution sources.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council community engagement adviser Natalie Ridler said students were looking forward to sharing what they had learned with their schools, families and wider community.

Ridler said the Hands on Water Expo helped children to understand the part they could play in keeping water clean and pest free.

"Fresh water is essential to everyone's work, life and play and we all have a role in caring for it," she said.

Children also learned how they could help monitor the health of their local waterways.

"Some of the schools are already doing great work to help care for their local streams as a result of learning opportunities like this, and we expect more will be inspired to do the same after today."

The event was co-ordinated by Bay of Plenty Regional Council and delivered in partnership with NZ Landcare Trust, Department of Conservation, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council.

WHO WENT?
- Maketu School
- Te Mahoe School
- Murupara Area School
- Whakamarama School
- Tauriko School
- Te Kura Toitu o Te Whaiti Nui a Toi
- Omanu Primary
- Ohope Beach School
- St Marys Tauranga
- Fairhaven School
- Pongakawa School
- Te Puke Primary
- Mount Maunganui Primary
- Omokoroa No. 1 School
- Rotorua Intermediate
- Lake Rerewhakaaitu School
- Katikati College
- Te Ranga School
- Kawerau South School
- Kawaha Point School
- St Marys Rotorua