Pupils tackle councils for stream and walkway project

 A passion for the environment and a desire to see a small Timaru stream cleaned up, is the driving force behind a group of Grantlea Downs school children taking on a task few adults consider – making submissions to two councils’ annual plans.

The 10 children from years 7 and 8 form the school’s Clean Stream Team, and for the past two years they have been involved in a project focussing on cleaning up the Taitarikihi Stream on the northern edge of Timaru, close to the school boundary.

They are now taking their ideas for the stream further, by making formal submissions to the Timaru District Council and Environment Canterbury draft annual plans, asking for help. They spent the last few days of the first school term completing their submissions and will follow up by addressing the councils when the submissions are up for consideration.

The children want the Timaru District Council to negotiate the management of a strip of land alongside the stream - five metres wide and about 1.5 kilometres long - and fence it off. From that point they want to step in with advice and assistance from ECan, get major plantings underway and create a walkway.

If they get the go-ahead, the walkway will be the last piece needed to create a longer walkway linking around Timaru, and it would also connect with a walkway that the school has created for easy access for children.

Grantlea Downs is an Enviroschool, and deputy principal Bernie Leonard says the project has grown from the school’s desire to encourage experience-based, hands-on learning. Although she confesses, as she sits with the children helping to compose their submission, that it has grown much bigger than expected.

“It’s driven by the students, and that’s empowering,” she says.

The 11 and 12-year-olds that make up the group have strong views about the project and what they would like to achieve. “We want to clean up the stream so it’s free flowing and provide a safe and healthy environment,” says Christopher Clapham. “And we want to provide a walkway for the general public.”

“The stream is very unhealthy,” says James Brosnahan. “And we are the people who want to do something about it. We want to try and take care of it.”

The students have enjoyed working with ECan staff to test the stream’s water, and compare it to water from a healthy stream. They say they would like to see a flowing, healthy stream, with wildlife – and no cattle.

Malcolm Beattie says it is challenging making the submissions, because they are trying to get the two councils to work together on their project. Ricki Mitchell says after lots of work, the students finally feel like they are seeing progress. Now the students want to get the paperwork completed, so they can get on and start planting.

Submissions to ECan’s annual plan close April 29. See www.ecan.govt.nz  or http://www.ecan.govt.nz/Plans+and+Reports/annualPlansReports/Make+a+Submission.htm . Timaru District Council’s submission period opens April 19 and runs to May 19, www.timaru.govt.nz