Description:
When
a questionnaire was distributed to all NZ
BPW clubs enquiring about local water supplies,
young BPW member Andrea Panther, informed
Kaitaia BPW that health hazard warning signs
had been erected beside the Wairoa River
at Ahipara. We all assume that in New Zealand
our waterways are clean and healthy; that
it’s the third world countries in
trouble. Andrea had an idea to get a group
of students at her school to investigate
what was happening to this vital natural
resource. Under Andrea’s guidance
the students researched what the river used
to be like and why it has deteriorated to
a point where Northland Health had erected
health hazard warning signs.
Unfenced
land with stock excreting faeces into the
waterways, inadequate sewage systems on
old properties near the river, possible
landfill leechate from the nearby rubbish
dump, careless dumping of household rubbish
beside the river, dead animals, erosion
and noxious weeds such as wild ginger taking
over the riverbanks were contributing factors
to an unhealthy waterway. Students were
still swimming in the river as a favourite
pastime and the school had an outbreak of
boils. The students quickly worked out that
if the river is unhealthy, we are unhealthy.
We started thinking about the fish life,
the effects of the polluted river running
out to the Ninety Mile Beach where we play,
fish, swim and eat shellfish from.
A community
meeting was called to inform and educate
people about what the group had discovered.
The aim was to start a Streamcare group
to look after a precious resource and to
get the river back to a healthy state so
that the warning signs could be removed,
recreational facilities returned and safe
kaimoana (sea food) could be eaten with
confidence.
Representation
from the community was impressive; local
iwi, landowners, residents, retired businesspeople,
landcare members of the Herekino community
(next to Ahipara), parents of the students,
Environment Centre, Northland Regional Council,
Northland Health, radio presenter and principal
of the Ahipara School.
The
students were taught how to run a meeting
by our yBPW member and led the entire evening.
The result was that the people attending
were impressed with what the students were
wanting to do, how they had run the meeting
and because of the students, they were willing
to work together to help minimize the negative
effects which were contributing to the ill
health of the river. The suggestion of a
Streamcare group was proposed but the Herekino
Landcare group suggested the group be called
Ahipara Landcare Group to apply for future
funding to sustain the project.
Several
weeks later a community working bee saw
a section of the river (highly visible by
the road) sprayed for noxious weeds, fenced
(to keep stock away from the river as their
faeces were contributing to the E Coli levels)
and planting of native species (to return
a native riparian strip which would prevent
erosion, act as a natural filter to the
river and shade the waterway to encourage
bird and fish life back).
The
students involved both the community and
the entire school. Over 200 people worked
by the river, weeding, planting and fencing.
The sight was impressive.
The
aim is to continue this work up the entire
7km of the Wairoa River, hoping to create
a domino effect. As the community can see
the benefit of the area which is visible
from the road, other landowners may get
inspired to do the same or else allow the
Landcare Group to do the same on their land.
Andrea
taught the students how to create a brochure
which has been printed and sent out to the
community. They have designed their own
web page and have a plan to erect a billboard
to inform the community on the current state
of the river.
They
have presented their project to the Far
North District Council and hope to work
with them to investigate the sewage systems
of properties alongside the river and upgrade
the Ahipara sewage system as the area is
developing and growing at a fast rate.
Andrea
entered the team into the NZ Community Problem
Solving competition and they won the national
title. The group will now be representing
NZ in the USA next June.
She
also took an opportunity to enter two of
the students in the Sir Peter Blake Trust
scholarship which sends six NZ students
to the world youth summit for environmental
issues in Japan in July 2005. Hannah Kiely
(a female Year 7 student) will represent
NZ at this summit. The interview panel was
so impressed with the Ahipara waterway project
that they have asked Hannah to present the
project to a trust meeting in Auckland before
presenting it to the world youth summit
in Japan. Only 50 students get to present
their work and they want Hannah to be in
the top 20. The waterway project is going
to get international coverage in both the
States in June and Japan in July.
Duration:
The
project started in March 2004 and we now
realise it will be a 5 to 10 year plan which
includes continuing with monthly Landcare
meetings, completing the fencing and planting
of both sides of the Wairoa River, erecting
a bill board sign which will inform the
community about the current state of the
river, continue updating the web page, putting
together a user-friendly resource for other
communities to duplicate what we have done,
and lobbying government to enforce the fencing
of all waterways (Fonterra has a policy
for dairy owners but we need all stock fenced).
Results:
The
impact has been significant. The polluted
river was a problem everyone thought was
too big and blamed the council. The student
group has been the catalyst in bringing
together the community to work towards a
common goal as it requires everyone working
together. The population of Ahipara is 1400
in the township, however people in Kaitaia
(which has a population of 5000) are contributing
to the project and they are getting well
known in the Far North District area. Approximately
1000 women and girls have participated directly
and indirectly in this project. They have
learnt about protecting their environment
and revitalizing a local waterway. They
have developed new skills in organising
a project and lobbying relevant decision
makers. They have learnt how powerful team
work can be: “together everyone achieves
more”. They have learnt public speaking
skills and how to run meetings and apply
for funding from a young age. Their involvement
has benefited whole families and the community
in which they live.
Health
The results of the water quality work will
improve the health of an entire community.
In time the physical work will reduce the
E coli levels, allowing for safe swimming.
If the river is healthy, more fish and bird
life will return. The seafood collected
and eaten will be safer to eat. Whitebait
will return which is not only a food source,
but an income for some people. The Health
Centre at Ahipara and Northland Health in
Whangarei has already written letters of
congratulations and support for the work
being done in the community.
Environmental
Education
The students plan to put together educational
packages in booklet and CD form which can
be duplicated for other communities. The
education of communities will spread to
many areas in the North and then NZ. Exposure
in the States and Japan will also be an
opportunity to duplicate their work in other
countries. All their work is on the web
which is available to anyone in the world.
Most
importantly Andrea and the students have
the entire school at Ahipara (250 students)
working on Environmental Education for 2005
and beyond which is teaching the next generation
of young people about the caring for our
environment. Each class is picking up on
a different focus from marine coastal biodiversity
to a school nursery to grow and supply further
natives for the river planting project.
Leadership
The group of 8 students who have led this
project are made up of 7 young females aged
between 11 and 13 years. The exposure and
training in a real community problem, the
leadership opportunities and public speaking
skills are all contributing towards developing
these young women into amazing role models
and mentors for the future. Both the staff
at Ahipara School and their parents have
noticed significant changes in these students.
They have exposure to BPW through speaking
to the group and learning from our young
BPW member Andrea Panther. They have learnt
how to run meetings based on BPW club meetings.
They will learn how to go about lobbying
government starting with our local government
and then work through how to put a submission
together. These are our future BPW members
in what ever town, city or country they
may end up in.
The
impact of this project is already having
a domino effect which is reaching out to
so many more people than first anticipated.
Project Team:
Since 2004, the project
team include:
- Anita Devcich (President,
BPW New Zealand)
- Leslie Whitehorn (President, BPW Kaitaia)
Young BPW participation:
Andrea Panther
Evidence:
- Community
Problem Solving booklet
- Photos of
the project
- Newspaper
articles
- Brochure
- Business
card
Last update: year 2005 |
