Kaikorai school students undertake estuary study

Local water quality and stream life come under the microscope in the Kaikorai Stream tomorrow (Tuesday 9 March 2010).

The Kaikorai Catchment Group, a collaboration between schools in the Kaikorai Stream area, the Dunedin Environment Centre (DEC) and the Otago Regional Council (ORC) is holding an environmental event near the Kaikorai estuary as part of 2010 Seaweek activities.

John McGlashan College teacher and event group co-ordinator Andrew Innes said about 50 students from Kaikorai schools are taking part in scientific activities at different sites on the estuary fringes.

Activities include testing estuary water quality, making a habitat survey of the area and investigating what creatures can live in the estuary.

Mr Innes said a student team will carry out a detailed investigation into the pattern of vegetation and the distribution of key animals using labelled grids (a transect line and quadrats). They will be working alongside the other teams, but their focus and responsibility is recording data from the transect line.

Staff from ORC and the Department of Conservation will be on hand to assist with the activities and answer questions about the students' findings.

Local bird expert, Derek Onley from the Ornithological Society will help students identify estuarine birds and understand their habitat. Noted botanist and wetland expert, Peter Johnson will provide information about plant life.

DEC co-ordinator Joseph Dougherty said the Kaikorai estuary and stream fulfill many functions for Dunedin residents, but their importance as a living ecosystem was often overlooked. "The Councils and other agencies contributing to this project have an interest in the catchment and its surrounds and raising awareness of the environment is best approached collaboratively."

Following on from the field event a youth forum will be held on Thursday 17 March at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori O Otepoti School. At the forum, some of the students will meet to present the results from the estuary study and staff and pupils from Te Kura Kaupapa Otepoti will make a presentation based on tangata whenua perspectives on streams and estuaries.

The Kaikorai Catchment Group has operated for about three years and has previously run several successful events for Kaikorai Valley schools. The current event is another good example of a joint venture where different groups can work together for a common purpose.

"The group's activities are making a good contribution to the science curriculum in several of the area's schools. Many students now have a keen interest in the catchment they live and have also worked to improve the stream surrounds by planting native shrubs in several sites", Mr Dougherty said.

He added that the group was very grateful to Otago Waste Services (OWS) who have made the event possible. OWS gave permission to hold the event on land they own which gives easy access to the estuary.