Science in the Swamp

July 2023 planning and preparation

Friends of the Taupo Swamp and Catchment and Plimmerton School students will be working together to study the ecology of our vitally important wetlands.

This science project will kick off at the start of term 2 in early October with Drone Day. Students will gather on the domain with interested locals and all the other community groups involved in the project.

Cratos, a locally-based drone company, at the forefront of drone technology, will showcase their impressive unmanned aerial system SkyRanger R70, and other drones, they are using to help environmental groups to map and monitor wildlife.. Students and teachers will share footage and begin their in-depth study. 

Class teachers will work with a specialist science adviser to help develop students’ understanding of the flora and fauna and wetland ecology.

Environmental testing, water quality monitoring, plant and animal life, geology, pests and threats, climate change effects plus the history and geography of the area are some of the aspects that will be covered.

Students will express learnings in a variety of ways from website reports and presentations to detailed drawings and artworks. Plimmerton school staff are currently planning the programme to involve all students which will take place over several weeks in August and September.

The Rotary Club of Plimmerton has invited all students to get involved in a community tree planting day alongside Taupo Stream in Plimmerton Domain at Plimmerton Domain on 19 August. Parts of the domain are reverting to swampland. 

A science themed mural will be created by some of the senior students. This will installed in the rail underpass where it can educate and delight residents and visitors.

Many community groups are contributing and working together on this very exciting project:

  • FOTSC (oversight and scientific input)
  • Plimmerton Residents’ Association (communication and art teacher funding)
  • Rotary Club of Plimmerton (tree planting organisation)
  • PCC (science advisor/teacher)
  • Plimmerton School teaching staff (programme development) 
  • Cratos (Drone Day and drone footage)

We hope that our guest speakers at the 2024 AGM will be some of the students who can report back to the community on the great success of this project and what they have learned that they can share with everyone here!

Back to the Community Projects list

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Environmental presentationsPRA AGM 2023