Taipa Area has had a long involvement in EMR over the years. EMR has made working with this school a priority, due to the ground swell of support their involvement makes with regards to local marine protection initiatives such as the Doubtless Bay Marine protection group. One of the teachers at this school, Dwayne Welsh is an active member of the Doubtless Bay Group. 

Two classes (year 13 biology & enviro studies) were involved in the 3 day delivery of the EMR programme from Pakiri Beach holiday Park in 2008. The first day involved an initial snorkel at Goat Island marine reserve, followed by a marine biodiversity presentation that night. The next day we snorkel at Goat Island marine reserve and nearby unprotected area – Matheson bay. The students compared seaweed cover, kina and fish at both sites. Students also looked at whether the Kina were cryptic (hiding) or not inside and outside the reserve. The students are currently writing up their results now and we plan to publish an article about their findings in the local newspaper. We were also treated to a talk from Bill Ballantine and a visit to the Leigh Marine Laboratory to investigate some of the student research projects associated with the reserve and marine environment. It is expected that the student with the best action project will be selected to go to the Poor Knights in May. I will also be working closely with Dwayne Welsh to help him establish a marine reserve group at the school, as a result of this trip.

The environmental studies class also participated in the EMR programme in term 4, 2008 investigating the difference between a heavily recreational fished location near the beach at Matai Bay, and a less fished area on the open coast north of Matai Bay. The students found a huge difference in the diversity and abundance between the two sites which are less than 2kms apart.