Local schools support pest control initiatives

Two rural schools are big supporters of Kia Wharite and are actively involved in pest management.

Kaitieke School in the Kaitieke Valley has a current role of 10, the students have their own trap line in a little bush reserve that backs onto the school.

Orautoha School is a rural school of 14 based in the Ruatiti Valley near the Orautoha stream, a tributary of the Manganui o te Ao River. The Orautoha School students also run their own trap line consisting of ten ‘DOC 200’s’ that they check monthly.

Each school is keen to be actively involved in pest control that will enable whio, kiwi and many other native species in the area a better chance of making it to adulthood to breed and increase in numbers.

Both schools are big supporters of Kia Wharite and help to keep their communities informed and up to date on the projects progress through newsletters and involvement in project events. Recently the schools were given some whiteboards for the front of the school highlighting their support to the project so that they could keep a running tally of the pests that they catch and keep their information in a place where parents and friends of the community can see it.

“The boards are a great way for the kids to publicise their efforts in pest control but also to keep the school community informed on what is happening at school” say’s Kaitieke School Principal Debbie Couper.

Top photo; Kaitieke School kids in front of their newly erected boards - Photo Peter Lock

Orautoha school kids checking their traps with Ranger Rufus Bristol - Photo Connie Norgate