A virtual walk in the park

Mission Heights Junior College pupils out for a walk. Photo / DoC

Dionne Christian checks out New Zealand’s Great Walks around the city

In a corner of the Auckland Botanic Gardens, tucked away from the main walkways and thoroughfares, is the serenely beautiful New Zealand native forest walk. Called the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail, it links walking tracks in the gardens and neighbouring Totara Park.

Park rangers tell me it features "one of the finest examples of a lowland broadleaf/conifer forest remnant in the area" and as I make my way along well-maintained tracks, I can well believe it is home to some 155 native plant species.

It's vibrant and delightful and I'm left wondering why I haven't spent more time in this part of the gardens.

I'm not exactly here for a walk in the park, though. I'm chatting with Year 8 pupils from Mission Heights Junior College in Flat Bush, Manukau, who are participating in a new Department of Conservation initiative designed to get New Zealand youngsters outside and enchanted by our great outdoors.

The Virtual Great Walker is open to organised groups of at least five kids who go walking and learning - and that includes families as well as school or youth groups. The group selects one of the nine New Zealand Great Walks: Lake Waikaremoana, Tongariro Northern Circuit, Whanganui Journey, Abel Tasman Coast , Heaphy, Kepler, Milford, Routeburn or Rakiura tracks.

Then they decide how far along that track they'd like to go - maybe aim for a hut or a bridge or a well-known landmark, or even go the full distance - and plan to walk the same number of kilometres as the length of the walk.

Then it's a matter of getting out and walking: along local tracks and streets, through neighbourhood parks, beaches, school fields and sports grounds.

As well as pounding the pavements (or bush trails), walkers complete online activities on biodiversity, history, recreation, culture and conservation. It's a perfect marriage of outdoor learning experiences and more theory-based work.

The Virtual Great Walker is open to organised groups of at least five kids who go walking and learning. Photo / DoC

Mission Heights teacher Catherine Hunter says the school likes to focus on "context-based learning" so the Virtual Great Walker ties in well. In addition to visiting the Auckland Botanic Gardens, pupils have been walking at Barry Curtis Park and in the Hunua Ranges.

So what do they think of it so far? Camryn, 12, and Tiana, 11, say they have loved getting out and seeing stunning scenery they never realised was so close to home as well as learning how to recognise different trees.

They've also learned how to use a compass and say the practical maths element is far more fun than sitting and doing maths in a classroom.

And, music to the ears of their teachers and parents, they say it's shown them the outdoors is "pretty cool" and perhaps better than sitting inside and playing on their tablets.

There's also a chance to win a Great Walker Experience for up to 40 people thanks to DoC and Air New Zealand.

Each team keeps a record of the kilometres they walk together (and there's no combining each person's total; if a team of 20 walks 2km, the total is 2km not 40km).

They then submit a presentation to DoC describing what they did, the things they learned about conservation and explaining the differences between their chosen Great Walk and neighbourhood tracks.

There's a pretty good reason to register: the winner of the Great Walker Experience gets flights, accommodation and walking for up to 40 people thanks to Air New Zealand's sponsorship.

With access to so many walking trails and tracks, there are no shortages of places to go walking in Auckland. Even if you can't form a five-strong group and get organised in the next few weeks, use the Virtual Great Walker as inspiration for some family holiday activities.

I plan to return to the Puhinui Stream Forest Trail with my family and a few others. There are a number of entry points so we've got the option of walking the full length, which takes about two hours, or taking shorter treks along specific sections.

NEED TO KNOW

The Department of Conservation's Virtual Great Walker competition runs until Thursday, April 2 (with projects to be submitted by April 10). The Air New Zealand Great Walker Experience prize will be tailored to the capabilities of the winning group, working with the teacher or group leader.

The Puhinui Stream Forest Trail has well-maintained tracks but suitable footwear and clothing are recommended. A brochure is available from the Auckland Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre.