July 2015, Issue 19
(06) 764 8500
[email protected]
www.rotokare.org.nz
Kia Ora,
We have had a fully
booked term 2 which
has been great!
We are heading into
term
3
with
an
emphasis
on
our
“Discover
Your
Schoolyard”
programme, which will
see us visiting schools
to see their local
environment and they
get to visit us at
Rotokare.
We are still taking
bookings for Terms 3
& 4, and have some
planned Night Tours
scheduled, read on for
more details on these.
Melissa has officially
started her maternity
leave and we wish her
all the best! - we will
keep you updated next
issue
Rotokare’s School Outreach Biodiversity Programme
Term 3 is busy with our
Discover Your Schoolyard
programme
This programme is designed to initiate, inspire and
encourage student-led environmentally based social
interaction within the school grounds that has
ownership by the students and school community.
A key aim is to provide authentic, hands on, scientific
methods and equipment to monitor and record
biodiversity, whilst enhancing students’
understanding of biodiversity and knowledge of local
flora and fauna.
This is achieved through various activities, from
making tracking tunnels and pit fall traps to bird
counts and plant identification within their school
environment.
The programme involves a trip to Rotokare (a
“Biodiversity Hotspot”), and 2 sessions at school with
a Rotokare educator.
HAPPY
Nga mihi nui
BIRTHDAY KARE!
Jess & Jen
Our Wellington Green
Gecko Kare turns 1
this month.
www.facebook.com/rotokare
She is the first gecko born in captivity at
the Rotokare Reserve, and is unusual as
geckos normally have twins—but Kare is
a single.
CAUGHT RED BEAKED!
We decided to set up a security camera at one of the
tracking tunnels. We suspect a range of birds are
responsible for pulling out the tracking cards and
making a general mess of things! - it is neat to get
some actual footage of them, this is a pukeko in action!
Ever wondered what happens in the bush after dark??
EDUCATION TEAM
GOES
Why not join a
‘SPEED-DATING’
Night tour at the Rotokare Scenic Reserve?
A chance to see and hear some of our nocturnal wildlife
including kiwi, ruru (morepork), glow-worms, geckos,
weta and other invertebrates, tuna (eels) and even
koura (freshwater crayfish).
Tours available:
Friday the 14th of August at 5:30pm
(postponement Friday the 21st of August)
Recently Melissa and Jess attended a
“speed-dating” seminar of volunteer
organisations for the Sacred Heart Girls
College students. The girls got a chance to
discover what they could try their hand at
and were encouraged to put themselves out
there and commit to some volunteer actions.
It was a really positive day.
(postponement Friday the 11th of September)
School Holidays:
Wednesday the 30th of September at 6:30pm
(postponement Thursday the 1st of October)
Cost : A minimum donation of $5 for Adults and $2 per Child
to the Rotokare Scenic Reserve Trust
TRUST FEATURES
ON TV ONES
‘GOOD-SORTS’
Friday the 4th of September at 5:30pm
To book contact us on 06 764 8500 or
[email protected]
Artistic Adaptations
Here is a sample of
some of the artwork
created through our
Artistic Adaptations
programme proudly
hanging at Rawhitiroa
School—great work
guys!
During The school holidays Hadyn
Jones from TV One filmed a segment
at Rotokare and the decade of work
the Rotokare Trust has put into the
sanctuary. Here is a photo with one of
our volunteers Jenny tracking kiwi on
our night tour.
THANK YOU!
A big thank you to Spotswood Primary Young
Leaders, who held a sausage sizzle fundraiser after
visiting with us a Rotokare!
Here they are in action!
The Rotokare Education Programme is made
possible by the generous support of these
funders. We would also like to thank the education volunteers for their invaluable hands-on
contribution, each term.
Subsidised Transport From NP To Rotokare
Contact Jamo Hire for all
bookings 06 765 4045
Rotokare and Jamo Hire have negotiated a great deal for New
Plymouth schools. 16 seat vans
are available at a discounted rate
for schools to utilise on a visit to
Rotokare $100 + gas for the day
Rotokare Education News, February 2015, Issue 18