Tamariki of Clifton Terrace Model School understand their role and place within the local environment. The Envirogroup undertook a series of days exploring the history and health of Te Waimapihi Awa, beginning in the ngahere of Te Aro and moving down to Te Whanganui-a-Tara where the culvert stream flows out. Tamariki eDNA tested a number of sites. They hope to do some restoration planting and also present at the eDNA conference 2025 in collaboration with Ngā Kaimanaaki o Te Waimapihi and Wilderlab.
The school reached out to their Enviroschool facilitator, Chloe, to seek opportunities to build further knowledge and engage with another awa closer to their school, the Kumutoto stream. The Enviroschools team shared examples with the students of what others in the network had achieved over time through the Ōtarikākā – Ōtari-Wilton Bush Student Event run by Enviroschools (see article here: Enviroschools | Ōtari Wilton’s Bush Student Event )
Examining the culvert structures.
Checking the flow through the ngahere.
Martin Andrews, the coordinator for ‘The Many Streams of Wellington’ part of Heritage Festivals Series of Events was contacted. Martin generously took up the request to run a tamariki-appropriate version of the stream talk for Kumutoto. Staff at Clifton Terrace Model School were so invested in tamariki connecting to local place they held a teacher PD of the stream hikoi. The Envirogroup visited Kumutoto ngahere where the stream flows between culverts and Martin also came and presented to the whole school.
Exploring the awa.
Hearing stories and collaborating.
Martin’s connection to Kumutoto awa is a personal one and he invited tamariki to consider if they would like a relationship with the awa too. The Envirogroup students were able to share the significant whakapapa of the stream “for fresh water, where food lives, bathing and birthing babies”.
Ideas flowed from the whole school about actions they could undertake including holding the biannual school picnic at the Kumutoto Orchard nearby to engage whānau, regular stream clean ups, restoration planting, writing a story to share with community, and a mural on the fence to engage local community. Martin also supported these ideas by connecting the school with Kedron Parker, the artist behind the sound installation at Woodward Street – a soundscape indicating what Māori could have heard before the seabed was reclaimed land.
“I would like to continue to develop our relationship with the Kumutoto Stream, riparian planting and a possible art project – creating a mural at the Kumutoto picnic area. Our idea is to start at school, replanting our planter boxes and growing native plants from seeds to transfer to Kumutoto. I am keen to build on the relationship with Martin to encourage tamariki to develop a deeper understanding of the cultural contexts underpinning the stream restoration”. Liz Melchior, Enviro Lead kaiako
Liz Melchior’s expertise in art and drama was tapped into to support ākonga learning in an Envirogroup session, reflecting on their time at Kumutoto awa. Using freeze-frame and spoken word aloud, the depth of understanding and connection students felt was evident.
“I was a wētā because it is native to New Zealand and it has been around a very long time,” said Silvie about the drama experience.
“I was an insect. Even though we don’t really see them, they are part of the ecosystem,” Phoebe explained.
Banner image: mapping the local environment – Where have we come from and what do we know now?