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Last Sunday, a group of volunteers from Fiordland College and Te Anau School checked Line 9/1 (College Teachers Line on the map). Total catch: 2 stoats, 1 rat and 1 unidentified mustelid Great job everyone! 📸 Kids Restore the Kepler

Kids Restore the Kepler

We've just received this pics from Clutha Valley Primary School 🙃 At the end of last term, one of their classes spent a week in Te Anau and got in touch with us to find out about the mahi we do off the Kepler Track. Four passionate Fiordland College students (Gwylam, Jasper, Amber and Nina) guided the group along the Student Line while sharing their knowledge and deep connections with the Kepler area. We had a great day out with Clutha Valley Primary School & thank you for the photos! 📸 Reegan Tourell (Clutha Valley Primary School)

Cool!

https://form.typeform.com/to/bG1ng06v?ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_5_18_2021)&goal=0_fee93e1adc-743b41731c-285090577&mc_cid=743b41731c&mc_eid=1bd4128057

Today, three volunteers from Fiordland College completed the Student Line check. Total catch: 7 rats and 3 stoats. Great work Fiordland College and Te Iho Whenua, School of Geography, University of Otago! 🙃

Definitely worth watching! 😉 Season 1 - Episode 1 is already on TVNZ OnDemand!

The message below is from Libby, Adam, Jordan, Anha, Emma and Jimmy 🙂 "On Tuesday, our Geography research group from Te Iho Whenua, School of Geography, University of Otago were lucky enough to get invaluable insight into the Kids Restore the Kepler project. We joined Alessandra and six Fiordland College students along a trapline and were really impressed by the amazing mahi being done here - even the Fiordland rain couldn’t dampen the fun! The kids passion and knowledge of the environment really shone through as they guided us along the trapline, pointing out the unique flora and fauna along the way. We learnt so much about the importance of introduced predator control and we caught a few rats and mustelids. A few of us also got to set a trap for the first time. We would like to thank Alessandra and the students of the Kids Restore the Kepler Project for their hospitality and helping us greatly with our research." 📸 Otago School of Geography Research Group

To all the wonderful parent helpers and volunteers that always join the school trips in the Kepler area, you might like to consider this opportunity 😉 Kia Ora! We are a group of six, third-year Geography students from the University of Otago. We are in Te Anau conducting research around the Kids Restore the Kepler project this week. We are looking for research participants who would be willing to meet us for a short, informal interview. We are flexible on location and are available: Wednesday 12th May after 3:00pm, Thursday 13th May at any time and Friday 14th May any time before 11:00am. We can meet with you via Zoom after this week also if these times do not suit. If you are a parent of a child who is/was involved in the Kids Restore the Kepler Project or are connected with this project in any other way, please get in touch with us via email: wilem633@student.otago.ac.nz or by texting/calling: 021 049 4880. Interviews will take no longer than 15 minutes and your responses will be made anonymous. We are very open to hearing a range of responses regarding experiences with the programme. We look forward to hearing from you. If you have any questions at all feel free to email, text or call the above contacts or get in contact with our supervisor Associate Professor Sophie Bond: sophie.bond@otago.ac.nz Thank you!

A peek at this week's Nature Discovery Programme at Ivon Wilson Park: Mika, Matthew & Liam loved undoing and doing up the stoat trap they found... Their wētā box is always a favourite stop too! On Wednesday the children were given golden tickets (autumn leaves) from a deciduous tree that had been cut in half and they had to match halves to begin their adventure with the 'golden ticket' 🍂 🍂 🍂🙃 Thank you, Fiordland Kindergarten for sharing your stories and these beautiful pics with us! 📸 John Carter & Fiordland Kindergarten

https://www.epa.govt.nz/community-involvement/open-waters-aotearoa/newsletter/feature/ Check this out! ; )

Inspiration: "Young people are the drivers of a sustainable future, and their ability to access capacity building, networking and collaboration opportunities is critical." - Manon Frezouls, YoU-CAN coordinator. https://youtu.be/QR_za7P28bI

Yesterday, Te Anau School Room 4 enjoyed a great day by the lakeshore. The students have been investigating ‘water power’ and walked to a little creek draining into Lake Te Anau to simulate flooding events. Thank you, Mrs Taylor & Room 4, for this cool video! https://youtu.be/rYwcXVL0Z4I

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Isn't this beautiful?

We are so very thrilled to share with you the eDNA data of the samples collected by Fiordland College Y10 students over the past two weeks. The Wilderlab team processed our two samples as soon as they received them and the information is now accessible to anyone! This is Citizen Science at its best 🙃 Access the link https://www.wilderlab.co.nz/explore, then zoom in to find samples 505566 (from a small creek draining into the Waiau River - Fiordland National Park) and 505567 (from the Ewe Burn). Click on each sample number to find all the information. By clicking on the taxon_id number of each species (names are all in Latin) you can find out which group each creature belongs to (e.g. mayflies, stoneflies, bony fish, deer, algae). We found some really neat stuff: koaro, gollum galaxias, longfin eel... to name a few! We knew about the koaro (a native fish in the bush stream) and the longfin eels (in the Ewe Burn), but what we didn't know was that the gollum galaxias, a very special but at risk native fish, is found so close to Te Anau (https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/freshwater-fish/non-migratory-galaxiids/gollum-galaxias/)!!! The Y10 students will focus on the invertebrates (like insects, worms and snails) as certain species are given sensitivity scores (based on how tolerant to changes in its environment each organism is) that in turn help to assess the water quality of a stream. The eDNA data, together with field measurements and observations, provide the students with an incredible source of scientific information to complete their L1 Science Internal Assessment. And it doesn't stop here, as the eDNA data analysis also provides a wonderful example of contextual learning, where students are able to construct meaning based on their own experiences. All of a sudden DNA sequencing comes to life for them... so special to witness. Alessandra Menegatti KRTK Education Coordinator

Kids Restore the Kepler updated their info in the about section.

Some days in the sun and some days in the rain... A truly amazing outdoor classroom 🙃

Native galaxiids: kōaro - 'Taiaroa' Stream, Kepler Track. https://niwa.co.nz/our-science/freshwater/tools/kaitiaki_tools/species/koaro

Fiordland College Y10 Stream Study 2021. Last Friday, the students collected the second sample of eDNA. Yesterday morning both eDNA samples were sent to Wilderlab and we are now looking forward to seeing the results! Thank you, Environmental Protection Authority NZ! 📸 Y10 Students, KRTK & Chris Hawtin

How to take a water sample using an eDNA minikit

Since 2016, Fiordland College Science Department and Kids Restore the Kepler have been running a Stream Study programme with both Y10 classes. After a practice run in the Upukerora River, the students collect data from two streams with similar catchments. The data are used to assess water quality and complete a Level 1 Internal Assessment. This year, thanks to Environmental Protection Authority NZ, the Y10 students are also taking part in a new community science project, Wai Tūwhera o te Taiao. Participating groups are invited to take eDNA samples from local waterways, to discover what species are present. The results are posted on an interactive map of Aotearoa. https://www.epa.govt.nz/community-involvement/open-waters-aotearoa/explore-our-edna-map/ Environmental DNA (eDNA), refers to all the genetic material that can be sourced from the environment. When animals move through their environment, they leave behind DNA. Like ‘genetic breadcrumbs’, we can use this unique DNA 'barcode' to identify different species. This technology enables us to see what species are present in our waterways. It provides a baseline to measure the health of a stream and a way to see the ecosystem through a different lens. (Information from: H. Davidson, Science Communication and Research Advisor, EPA) 📸 Jack, Y10 Student

Not to miss! Otago Museum 'Far from Frozen' Climate Change exhibit is visiting Te Anau, in support of the Climate Change 6 x 6 speed talks event. Learn key facts about climate change and the latest science behind them. Explore Antarctica and the potential impacts of climate change using the latest in virtual and augmented reality, holographic computing and animated projection mapping technology. Check out life in a polar tent and the gear required to work and survive in Antarctica. Get to know the faces behind the science from photos and short interviews with those researching on the ice. Free Public Session on Wednesday 10 March from 4pm to 8pm, open to all!