Rangatahi Day out

It was a very hands-on experience, which taught me about the possible jobs in the local environment. Activities were led by the Council’s Hydrology and Water Quality teams, Predator Free Te Kinga, and the NZ Landcare Trust. All of the activities were interactive and full of useful information we could use later on.

The NZ Landcare Trust allowed students to participate in planting native trees on Wadeson island. We were shown the best spot for each of the native plants, as they all needed different conditions to successfully thrive. We were told about jobs within this sector and the ongoing projects they are completing.

The council water and hydrology team allowed us to use special equipment to test the water of the Hokitika river. The equipment told us the turbidity, temperature, the amount of oxygen it had, and so on. There were also opportunities for students to put waders on and test the water quality independently and in groups. We were told about the various jobs in this field of science as it is more practical and hands-on.

The Predator Free Te Kinga group educated us about the risks pests have on our native environment and the certain traps that catch the predators. They had a stoat, rat, and possum which we were able to hold, the possum was surprisingly heavier than I expected. They demonstrated to students how to set up the traps and how to safely disarm them. They attracted the predators with this special playdough-like bait which smelt like licorice.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and would recommend any students who are looking for career opportunities in our local environment or students who are hands-on and enjoy the outdoors to check out this opportunity next year.