"Individual actions can make a meaningful difference in safeguarding our precious freshwater environments. To put that learning into practice, students were invited to take part in an action project to create artwork for new local boat ramp signage.”
- Waikato Regional Council Senior Education Advisor and Enviroschools Coordinator Michelle Daly
Student artwork targets Waikato River pests.
Young artists in the Waikato region have been busy painting pests into a corner.
The talented students have been making their mark by coming up with creative ways to alert people to the risks posed by invasive species like koi carp.
A selection of artwork from students at Aka Aka School, Tuakau College and Te Kōhanga and Te Kauwhata Primary Schools is even being displayed on 11 boat ramp signs along the Waikato River.
It’s all part of a collaboration between the Waikato River Authority, Department of Conservation, Waikato Regional Council biosecurity experts and the Waikato Enviroschools program to teach young people about freshwater biosecurity while also reminding boaties to remain vigilant.
Waikato Regional Council Senior Education Advisor and Enviroschools Coordinator Michelle Daly said: “We developed ‘Freshwater Biosecurity Guardians’, a learning resource to help senior primary, intermediate and early secondary students understand the importance of maintaining the health of our freshwater environments. It offers ways to enrich student learning that align with multiple areas in the New Zealand curriculum.
“The resource also helps young people understand how individual actions can make a meaningful difference in safeguarding our precious freshwater environments. To put that into practice, they were invited to take part in an action project to create artwork for new local boat ramp signage, coming up with some fantastic designs in the process.”
The space available on the signs is split between biosecurity messaging and artwork from the children. The aim is to help communities build a greater connection to freshwater biosecurity messaging.
Student artwork targets Waikato River pests
“Waikato Regional Council maintains a network of Check, Clean, Dry signage along the Waikato River,” says Waikato Regional Council Biosecurity Marine and Freshwater Lead, Danielle Kruger. “It’s one of the ways we meet our obligation to inform the public about the risk of transporting biosecurity freshwater pests between waterways.
“The signs are based on the Ministry for Primary Industries ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ campaign and require regular inspection and replacement from time to time due to wear and tear, fading and damage. Some of our signs were coming up for renewal and we saw an opportunity to make them more memorable by incorporating creative designs from local school children.”
Waikato Regional Council’s biosecurity activities are a vital component of the national biosecurity system, and the council is responsible for regional pest management leadership in the Waikato region.
We work to prevent, mitigate or minimise the impacts of pest species, which can have environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts, alongside the Ministry for Primary Industries, Department of Conservation, iwi and communities.
In the freshwater environment, we have limited tools available to control invasive pests once they are established, so we work to educate people to Check, Clean, Dry before moving to another waterway, to stop the spread.