Borman Village Kids, an Early Childhood Centre in Rototuna, Kirikiriroa Hamilton, has embraced two streams in their local area, after teaching tamariki (children) how to care for waterways and the endangered freshwater fish species that live there.
This tuna (longfin eel) sign made out of scrap metal has been applied to a waterway in the Borman Village Kids playground to remind everyone that drains are streams and to be careful of what goes into our waterways.
Jenny Harris, Centre Manager of Borman Village Kids, shared her insights on the initiative and why they have been inspired to embrace this initiative:
“We embraced this project because we want to teach tamariki how to care for the environment and live more sustainably. At Borman Village Kids, we believe it is important to instill values of kaitiakitanga in our tamariki, helping them understand their place as part of an ecosystem and build a connection to the earth," she says.
"Many of our children are growing up without backyards, so creating these connections to nature is increasingly important," says Harris.
The preschool room teachers created interactive classroom materials including stories, information about endangered fish and how to adopt a stream.
This project is part of a much larger project to improve the sustainability of the centre, which has included reducing their rubbish by 50%, instituting reusable hand towels and recycling. Borman Village Kids are also in the process of switching to reusable nappies, which should significantly reduce landfill waste.
On the day tamariki took a class trip to visit waterways in their local area and learnt more about how they can help look after streams.
"This project brings the concept of stormwater and its journey to life for children. Just like with rubbish - when it’s in the bin, it’s not gone; it goes somewhere and has an impact," says Harris.
The idea of keeping drains clean to protect our waterways is very tangible for young children, and they have real-life actions they can take to make a difference. Our children are so excited about their drain and are eager to keep it clean.”
Shannon Morton, Team Leader, Jenny Harris, Center Manager, and Joline Manuel, Teacher at Borman Village Kids in the Preschool room.
Natalie Jessup, General Manager of Tāngaro Tuia te Ora - Endangered Species Foundation, expressed her gratitude to the staff at Borman Village Kids for embracing this project so wholeheartedly:
“We are thrilled to see this project being implemented at an urban childcare centre, which is so dedicated to sustainability. It was inspiring to witness the engagement from teachers and tamariki alike, and their genuine interest and enthusiasm for looking after our waterways and learning about endangered fish.
Teaching children about environmental stewardship and allowing them to take the lead is essential for the future of our waterways.”
Background:
76% of native freshwater fish in Aotearoa New Zealand are threatened or at risk of extinction. This includes all mudfish species, four whitebait species, lamprey, longfin eel, and Stokell’s smelt. New Zealand's freshwater ecosystems are critically endangered, with less than 2% of waterways pristine. Pollution and declining water quality have left 45% of rivers unsafe for swimming and nearly half of our lakes in poor health.
Help Restore Waterways!
Drains are the headwaters of underground streams flowing untreated into our rivers and lakes. Learning how drain systems work can help us restore waterways and create healthy habitats for endangered species. Thousands of litres of stormwater flow untreated into our waterways annually, impacting all wildlife. By keeping drains clean, we can protect our rivers and lakes.
Awhi Awa - Embrace a Stream! Learn More About Waterways and Endangered Fish
Our “Awhi Awa” packs are available to purchase for educators and anyone in our communities keen to restore our urban waterways.
Your Awhi Awa | Embrace a Stream kete includes:
Advice on how to look after a stream
Metal signage of an endangered tuna (longfin eel) or kōanga (native fish) to install on your drain
Concrete drill and screws
Education material about endangered freshwater fish
Information about how drain systems work, and why we need to restore the health of our waterways
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