On Wednesday and Thursday, learners in the Mataī Team travelled to the Styx Rongoā Māori Demonstration Site to participate in a Community Action Day.

In Concept, the Mataī Team have been learning all about our local waterways. After visiting Travis Wetlands, learners split into two investigation focus groups:

• Rivers/Animal Habitats

• Wetlands/Native Birds

Learners had the opportunity to choose a research question to delve deeper into an area that interests them within this focus group.

The next step in the inquiry cycle is to ‘take action’ with our new understanding. To take action in our community, we partnered with the Styx Living Laboratory and organised a full-day programme for each group filled with hands-on actions at the Styx River and Wetlands.

Topics of the day included:

• Understanding and controlling Predators of the Styx

• Water quality monitoring and filtration

• Maintaining native plants: weeding (releasing) and litter pick

Thank you to all of the parent volunteers who made this trip possible. We look forward to taking further action at school to promote awareness about protecting our local waterways. 

About the Trust and Volunteer Opportunities:

The Styx Living Laboratory Trust is a local river care group with a focus on restoration, conservation and developing learning and research in the Pūharakekenui (Styx) River catchment. 

Did you know it's easy to get involved? 

We hold weekly volunteer events, perfect for the whole family. From tree planting to bird monitoring, Invertebrate monitoring to water quality and pulling invasive weeds. 

Visit https://www.thestyx.org.nz/volunteering-0 for more information or follow us on Facebook @styxlivinglaboratorytrust or Instagram @styxlivinglab to see what volunteer events are up next. 

We also work with landowners in the Styx River catchment to advise on planting projects along rivers and lend traps to households looking to get involved with predator control.