Abel Tasman Youth Ambassadors
Our 2022 Abel Tasman Youth Ambassadors (L to R) Tessa, Mori and Hendrix.
Project Janszoon ATYA Programme
Project Janszoon, DOC and iwi launched the Abel Tasman Education Programme in 2014 to foster the future kaitiaki (guardians) of the park and inspire the next generation of scientists and environmentalists.
Some of our students are proudly part of the Abel Tasman Youth Ambassadors (ATYA) programme.
Motupipi School Section: Wainui sandspit to Taupo Point
Motupipi Primary School has ‘adopted’ the section from Wainui sandspit through to Taupo Point – one of the park’s most culturally significant sites. The history and ecological diversity of this section of the park provides students with a rich learning opportunity.
The whole school is involved with the site, with students connecting their experiences in the park back to what they are learning in school. Younger students begin by learning about plants, native wildlife and pest animals on the sandspit; while older students are involved with monitoring of bird species, weta and plants and comparing how they change year on year.
In 2016 they presented a site restoration plan to the Golden Bay community – an incredible undertaking for primary school students.
Wainui sandspit is a Fire Smart priority site and students and their families have also been working with DOC and Project Janszoon’s restoration supervisor to reduce the fire risk in the area. They have helped remove flammable plants like gorse, planned and undertaken planting, and carried out weeding. It’s fantastic to see how well the school has embraced this site and the learning opportunities it presents
Anchorage ATYA Trip August 2022
Tessa and I went to Anchorage for an ATYA (Abel Tasman Youth Ambassadors) trip.
Golden Bay High, Ngatimoti School and Waimea High were there. The high school kids stayed one night before us. They welcomed us with waiata. After we ate some food we set off on a walk. It was pouring down with rain, so we had to put on our wet weather gear.
We had to put out traps, but not the trap that you know. It's a new trap the DOC has developed that has mayonnaise in it. There is an electric motor that lasts five years that is set to pump the mayonnaise out every 24 hours. The stoat will come and eat some. It will come everyday and eat the mayonnaise, eventually it will come to them on a regular basis. Then DOC will figure out how to kill it. We placed them out along the track deep into the bush to allow better footage from the camera placed hanging from the top.
We then went back to Anchorage Hut and went to bed very late. In the morning we packed up and caught the sea shuttle back.
It was very fun and we enjoyed it very much.
By Hendrix, age 9
