A rural principal that has promoted hands-on learning in the environment and participated in the Whitebait Connection programme has been recognised with the Apple National Excellence in Teaching Awards. By providing meaningful learning experiences in the field and at the school Darren Kerr, the principal from Whareama School, has created a nurturing learning environment that incorporates all aspects of the curriculum, often through project-based learning. Congratulations!

You can read the full article here.

[Credit: Text adapted from the Wairarapa Times-Age]

Kids lockdown competition time!
Create a poster of some of New Zealand's fab freshwater life. You can use the print outs from this great Taupo for Tomorrow resource https://www.taupofortomorrow.co.nz/freshwater-colouring-in or draw your own!

Whitebait fishing regulations are changing - please make sure you know these new rules and let others know about the changes!

Whitebait Connection was part of a multi-agency effort to monitor and reduce stormwater pollution by installation littatraps around Northland. Some of the interesting results have been shared in the media recently.

We're excited to launch our second He Kākano resource to help schools and communities with setting up their own native plant nursery to grow native plants. 

We are stoked we will be present at several Northland events again this summer as part of Northland Regional Council's Check-Clean Dry campaign!

Make sure you always check-clean-dry between waterways to protect our precious freshwater environments.

Whitebait spawning sites on Northland rivers are being improved by landowners, environmental groups, local iwi and schools with financial and physical help from Fonterra.

Northland regional manager Mike Borrie says the grassroots efforts to survey and enhance riparian zones are some of the most effective and enjoyable community involvements.

Students at Coroglen and Puriri Schools have just completed “The Whitebait Connection,” a learning programme about freshwater conservation and catchment restoration. The programme was founded in 2002 under the umbrella of the Northland-based Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust.

The programme takes a biological and ecological approach, looking at all the life forms and their relationships in and around rivers and streams. Living things like types of water bugs, species of freshwater fish and the abundance of plants in a particular catchment are being investigated.

The lockdown provided a very unique opportunity for He Kākano community nursery manager, Jordie, in lending the time to create a resource for schools, marae and community groups in the form of a native seed collecting guide. Fortunately Te Aho Tū Roa were really keen to collaborate, so Kawiti and Jordie set out to create both and english te reo Māori version.

Whitebait Connection Northland teamed up with the Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, Takahiwai Marae, Uri/Landowners of Paki and Maki Pirihi, David Lourie to plant a second section of this awa with NZ natives from our nursery at He Kākano. The hard working crew from Barker and Associates had traveled from offices all around Aotearoa to get stuck into getting 1200 native trees into the ground as part of this mauri restoring riparian planting. 

A big thank you to all that participated in our last activity for our Critter Challenge Series, which was designing your dream stream. We have loved seeing all your awesome submissions throughout this series and we hope you continue to spread awareness for our native freshwater critters.

We would like you to get creative and stretch your imaginations for our last activity for the Critter Challenge series. We challenge you to design your dream stream! Extra points for out of the box designs that create a healthy and safe environment for our precious freshwater taonga. You can use whatever medium you like, skies the limit.