Lauree's learning to Blog :-) and writing the 'how to'

Lauree learning how to Blog with her cat Jack in front of the awesome Enviroschools learning tool.

Congratulations - Winners of Taranaki Regional Council Environmental Awards

Enviroschools Taranaki is proud to congratulate Koromiko Kindergarten and Uruti School for winning a TRC Environmental Award 2015.  The Taranaki Regional Council Environmental Awards recognise outstanding initiatives in our region to protect and enhance Taranaki’s high-quality environment.

Koromiko Kindergarten — for fostering education for sustainability and respect for the environment

The children and families of Koromiko Kindergarten learn to respect and care for the environment through many daily activities. Since 2004, the kindergarten has had a philosophy of Kaitiakitanga or guardianship of our environment and to develop children’s understanding of the environment and model sustainable behaviour.

Families take part in many activities. The aim is to educate the children and their families on environmental issues through activities at the kindergarten and to encourage change at home. Children are encouraged to reduce, reuse or recycle material – for example litter-less lunch boxes and composting.

Nature is a prominent feature of outdoor learning and activities which involve trees, insects, animals and birds, and flower and vegetable gardens. Children also learn healthy eating.

Uruti School — for working with the community to control predators and protect local kiwi

In March 2013, Uruti School students began the Kiwi Protection Project after hearing kiwi calling from the bush in the area. Students learned how pest animals are a major threat, with 90% of kiwi chicks dying in the first six months.

They decided to help local kiwi by controlling predators such as stoats and ferrets. Senior students recruited local community members to help them set up, then regularly check, more than 100 stoat traps on 24 properties along 8.5 kilometres of local roads.

The students’ enthusiasm drives the collaboration with parents, neighbours, the wider community and the Taranaki Kiwi Trust, which provides the traps. As well as raising environmental awareness and understanding, the project benefits kiwi and biodiversity.

Impressed at Puketapu

The Enviroschools team had the privilege of visiting Puketapu Kindergarten recently and wow what an amazing environment! 

Enviroschools is an integral part of their identity and their plans and community focused vision are evident everywhere you look.

Maori Perspectives ~ Ngā Atua are an integral part of the environment with plentiful opportunities for children to interact with nature and it’s rich resources.

Waste systems are well established and user friendly!

With a flourishing garden area, native garden track and orchard...

A stunning example of what the Enviroschools Kaupapa can achieve!  

Students with a Vision at Matapu

Exploring Me in my Environment

Students at Matapu are busy creating a vision map for action in their environment.  They have lots of ideas for changing and improving their school including; decorating, planting food, planting for bees and birds and fixing up some areas they have identified around their school. 

Posing in the garden

One of their major projects of late has been planning and redesigning their garden area. To make this idea reality their next step is thinking of ways to fundraise the money needed. 

Plans for a nature trail and pathways

Kapai Matapu school - it was great to visit and see all the fabulous effort you are putting into your environment. 

Woodgroup 'helping hands' at Kahikatea Kindergarten

Wood Group Training is a proud sponsor of Enviroschools, supporting children and young people to plan, design and implement sustainability actions that are important to them and their communities. As part of our commitment to this program, members of our team took part in a working bee held at Kahikatea Kindergarten in New Plymouth, last Friday 28th August. Our team helped the kindergarteners build a ‘mud kitchen’ using left over wood pellets and assisted with maintenance of their composting station and preparations for a new veggie patch.

“Social Responsibility is one of Wood Group’s seven core values” says Kerry Martyn, General Manager at Wood Group Training. “We are pleased to be partnering with Enviroschools to support young people in creating a sustainable future for themselves.”

We all had a great time getting our hands dirty (safely of course) and look forward to partaking in more great sustainability initiatives implemented by members of the Enviroschools program in the coming months.

To read more about Wood Group Training and their sustainable actions visit their website:

http://www.woodgrouptraining.com/news/supporting-young-people-create-sustainable-futures

IVHQ "Enviro Makeover" at Toko School