Up to 300 tamariki to attend fun-filled Seaweek-themed Enviroschools Encounter events around the region

Students undertaking whale rescue training at a previous Enviroschools event at Waitangi.

Organisers are hoping up to 300 tamariki will attend one of a series of fun-filled Seaweek-themed Enviroschools Encounter events being held around the region.

Seaweek - Kaupapa Moana was New Zealand’s annual national week celebrating the sea. It took place from March 5 - 13 and was nationally co-ordinated by the Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (Merc).

Northland Regional Council chairwoman Tui Shortland said in Northland, Seaweek would be marked with a series of encounters for youngsters organised by Enviroschools.

NRC introduced the popular Enviroschools programme to Northland in 2004, where there are now more than 140 schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres in the programme region-wide.

The free Far North encounters for Year 4 to Year 8 students will run from 9am to 3pm and take place at Taipa Beach Resort on Friday, April 28.

The early childhood encounters (which were also free) will be held on the same dates and at the same location, but will run for an hour at a time over several time slots.

Both encounters will see children explore te moana, with the Year 4 - 8 students learning how to be safe when diving, biscuiting or fishing, finding out how pests affect the marine food web and learning about Māori traditional knowledge and techniques for sourcing kaimoana.

Activities for the younger participants include playing a fishing game, pretending to save a shorebird by trapping a rat, hunting for rubbish on the seashore and enjoying face painting with a te moana theme.

Registrations for the Year 4 - 8 encounter can be made here, and for the early childhood event here.