Highlights from around the country
 
  • Schools and communities from regions throughout the country have increased knowledge and understanding of freshwater environments & catchment restoration/management.
  • Canterbury has kickstarted their delivery after taking a while to get started and have had a very successful year and piloted a new interactive classroom approach to stream investigations!
  • Marlborough South have reached a level where they can sustain the WBC programme locally through working collaboratively with MDC.
  • Northland have kept the mauri of WBC alive and helped it to evolve through its 2008/2009 transitional period and are looking forward to a very exciting 2009/2010!
  • Gisborne have ventured into a range of new and innovative projects that will be documented on the new WBC website with photos. These include mapping the ecology of all the waterways in the Gisborne region - in partnership with schools and community groups - and developing relative restoration plans with students, whanau and the Gisborne DC and Wairoa DC in possibly a more homogenous way than in the past. This project will be well underway by June 2010 from where they intend to be in a good position to receive substantial local funding to continue the work.
  • DOC’s profile in the community was increased.
  • Schools and communities have increased knowledge & understanding of and support for freshwater conservation/preservation and catchment restoration.
  • The development of the WetFeet resource, DVD and the LEARNZ virtual field trip – with the first ever Te Reo audioconference!!
  • Website upgrade – will be launched in October 2009!!
  • Increased profile for WBC.
 
Future Directions and Summary
 
✔     The MTSCT is committed to supporting the national delivery of the WBC, with Kim Jones (nee Boyle) as the national coordinator. The trust is actively researching alternative funding sources to help boost the national funding for this programme.
✔     Priority areas include Nth Canterbury, Northland and Gisborne. Communications have also begun with Waikato, West Coast and Dunedin.
✔     The incorporation of the new and improved WetFeet inquiry model/manual into the WBC framework. The model will be documented, evaluated and piloted this coming year. It has been developed to support coordinators and teachers doing the WBC programme and will be able to be applied nationally!! We have designed it with a national focus in mind so that even people in the South Island can use it. It includes an online resource portal and is built around the inquiry model so can be applied to a range of year levels and differing environments. Kim Jones attended the WWF 'Rethinking Resources' workshop in Wellington in July 2009 which has helped to affirm the process and need for this resource.
✔     MTSCT would like to continue our partnership with DoC in the national delivery of the WBC programme, based on the success and benefits highlighted in this report both the environment, the community, the WBC programme and the Department of Conservation. 
✔     MTSCT aims to continue the spread of the WBC programme throughout New Zealand and are committed to the development of the programme and its resources, including improving website presence, national communication and evaluation, collaborative partnerships, WBC national Hui, and the provision of a strong community engagement model to other coordinators.