We have put up several articles on the Tradescantia project that students at Kerikeri High School started last year. This is an example of the School's desire to have students experience the practical application of their studies in the community.

On Tuesday, 16 May, a team of 19 students spent the morning taking the classroom down to banks of the Wairoa Stream and working with some of the Friends of Wairoa Stream team to clear two areas suffering from a chronic infestation of weeds such as; Tobacco weed, Mexican Devil weed and Black Eyed Susan vines.

The weeding team

Rod Brown pointed out that the biggest challenge to developing the Wairoa Stream banks as a native habitat corridor in Kerikeri was the plethora of weeds, many that started life as treasured plants in domestic flower gardens. Without control, the weeds soon choke out the natural regeneration of the native species and the vines destroy those native plants already growing.

Sandra Leaming from the Science Department at Kerikeri School explained how the school was very keen to get involved in Community projects such as the Wairoa Stream as it gave the School the opportunity for students to see the practical application of their studies in the Community.

The combination of the two needs saw a win-win outcome on Tuesday as a group of 'The Friends' directed the eager students in the weed clearing exercise. In a couple of hours two sizeable areas had been cleared and are now ready for planting in native species. The weeds were heading back to School in bags and a bin to be part of further studies on compositing.

Mexican Devil weed and Black Eyed Susan met their match with team operating by the old swimming hole

Bags of weeds ready for transport back to the High School

The involvement of both Kerikeri High School and Primary School in The Stream projects has been a rewarding and welcome addition for those already involved and a great example of the unexpected benefits that can flow from what was originally envisaged when the projects were conceived..

The video below (9min) covers Tuesday's efforts.