Children get hands-on with water
For immediate release: 18 March 2013
About 200 children from 17 schools throughout the Bay of Plenty are working together this week at a two day Hands On
Water expo at a Paengaroa farm park.
The expo, to be held on Thursday and Friday, has proved so popular that an extra day has had to be added to accommodate
the numbers wanting to attend. It is hosted by Bay of Plenty Regional Council, with support from the Enviroschools
Foundation, Tauranga City Council, Rotorua District Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Landcare and the
Department of Conservation.
Regional Council Environmental Management General Manager Eddie Grogan said the aim of the expo was to raise awareness
with students and their teachers about water issues and give them some practical skills they could use in their own
community. The day coincides with World Water Day, and Sustainable Backyards month in the region.
“We want to involve children in meaningful activities that will help them to look after their own water ways. It also
gives them an opportunity to meet the different water related agencies so they know where to go to ask about water
issues,” he said.
“Water is a significant issue at present for central and local government, and the various agencies are working together
to showcase local government collaboration on common issues. Particularly in view of our recent drought, it’s important
that children understand how we manage water.”
The various activities will explore water quality, allocation, stormwater, catchment protection, cultural health and
native fish. They cover aspects of riparian protection planting, pollution prevention, water allocation and catchment
management and water monitoring.
Children will be designing fencing and planting to protect waterways, identifying insects as a measure of water quality,
getting up close with live eels plus other activities.
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