Teaching Kaitiakitanga to the Next Generation – Freshwater Education in Full Swing 

Over the past 10 months our Wai Connectors has provided over 100 student learning adventures for pre-school, primary and high school through freshwater and marine education programmes reaching over 3,600 students.  

We picked out a couple of highlights to share some more insights into their mahi. 

In November Timara Wallace, our Wai Connector embedded within Te Kaahui o Rauru, led St. George’s School Year 7 students to the Tauararoa Stream for a hands-on day of learning about guardianship. The group tested water clarity, examined invertebrates, and met a Longfin eel up close—an unforgettable experience. 

“Timara first showed us an eel that she caught using an eel net, which was very fascinating. After she set the eel free, we did a few activities that were: measuring the clarity of the water, the conductivity and the temperature, and discovering all the different bugs. Overall, the trip was amazing […]” – Emma Ding, Year 7 Student 

In December 2024 Nicky Toothill, who is our Wai Connection Educational Support Officer at Taranaki Regional Council, and the students from Toko School undertook a survey of an area of restored wetland on a Stratford Farm as part of their planning mahi for planting their own wetland habitat. They tested water quality, observed the succession of planting, from 2- to 5-year-old established plants, and identified key plant species. The students soaked up practical lessons that will shape their own wetland project launching in 2025.