Broadwood Area School 2009

Year 7 and 8 students from Broadwood Area School visited Matai Bay as part of their unprotected area investigation.  They investigated marine biodiversity and human impacts both above and below the waters.  Here's what they found...

Species seen: Parore, Clown Nudibranch, Octopus, Squid, Spotty, Triplefin, Blue Mao Mao, Goatfish, Paua, Jellyfish, Hermit Crab, Cooks Turban Shells, Limpets, Snapper, Red Moki, Leatherjacket, Piper, Starfish, a shark!

Human Impacts seen: Rubbish - bottles and cans, plastic bags, sinkers, fishing line, a jar, a lack of Crayfish, large Snapper, Paua and Seaweed, tourists, deforestation on hillsides, Kina Barrens.

Then the students went back to school and asked the questions:  What are the human impacts in our local marine area (where we go the most)? (e.g. west coast - Hokianga harbour).

Their next trip was down to New Zealand's oldest marine reserve at Goat Island (Cape Rodney to Okakari Point Marine Reserve) where they stayed at the Omaha Marae and investigated the social, economic and environmental changes this area had experienced since having a no-take marine reserve.  Goat Island is a similar habitat and environment to Matai Bay, so the students compared these places with the main difference being the presence of a no-take marine reserve.  They found that there was a lot more marine biodiversity in the marine reserve and that the local community had benefited socially, economically and environmentally from the marine reserve. 

They now all think that marine reserves are a good idea, based on ther own experiences and support a network of marine reserves around New Zealand.  They would like to see a marine reserve in the Hokianga Harbour.  Broadwood area School is now committed to being Kaitiaki of their local marine environment and want to do the EMR programme every year.  They cleaned up their local beach at Hokianga and have committed to doing this every year.

Broadwood Area School 2006

With the support of WWF- NZ - Environmental Education Action Fund. Broadwood area school compared Matai Bay to Leigh. All the year 6, 7 & 8’s were involved (25 students) in 2006. The dads on this trip admitted that it was the first time that they had been snorkelling without taking anything and they loved it!