Boost for kids to learn about water conservation at enviroschools

The opening of the community orchard at Marton School this month. The enviroschool has been given a grant for its mara huawhenua water conservation project to purchase and install a water tank and pump.

The Horizons Regional Council has awarded 24 grants to enviroschools with environmental and sustainability projects for 2023.

The Pat Kelly Enviroschools Action Fund, formerly the Enviroschools Action Fund, was renamed in 2019 in memory of former Horizons councillor Pat Kelly who was an advocate for the programme. This fund supports sustainability projects from enviroschools in the Manawatū–Whanganui region.

Horizons received 27 applications seeking a total of just under $30,000, senior environmental educator Sarah Williams says.

“This year we have seen more schools connecting with the enviroschools programme and recently we celebrated our 100th school signing up,” Williams says.

“We saw an increased desire for water conservation projects last year. With the impacts of climate change increasing, we wanted to consider how we can best support more action learning with our tamariki around water and ways to conserve this precious and finite resource.

“With the increase in the number of enviroschools and adding a water conservation option to the grant, we have increased our funding from $20,000 to $26,000,” she says.

“We awarded funding to eight water conservation projects with the majority of those wanting to purchase rainwater collection tanks. Other projects include food sustainability, waste management, and creating gardens for rongoā and biodiversity.”

Enviroschools in the Manawatū Guardian’s circulation area to receive funding are:

Kimbolton Early Learning Centre – water barrels for rainwater collection

Learning Adventures Ashhurst – move and plumb existing water tank

Tui Early Learners Feilding – water tanks

Bainesse School – hillside restoration with native plants to increase biodiversity

Bunnythorpe School – development of an orchard

Hiwinui School – recycling bins

Kimbolton School – chicken coop

Newbury School – school vegetable garden

Palmerston North Girls’ High School – recycling bins

Horizons Regional Council facilitates the regional co-ordination of the enviroschools programme - a national behaviour change programme that creates a generation of young people who think and act sustainably.