Experiencing Marine Reserves Manual – Section 2
Programme Breakdown
The aim of EMR is to raise awareness, understanding and involvement in marine conservation through provision of dynamic experiential environmental education
opportunities. The EMR concept
INFORMATION – EXPERIENCE– ACTION!
The EMR concept is the essence of the programme.● Introduction to marine biodiversity ● Investigation of local marine area ● Marine reserve experience
● Comparisons between local area and fully protected area ● Action for the marine environment
Learning Outcomes:
• Give at least 3 examples of New Zealand marine biodiversity and explain what a marine reserve is
● Explain and use snorkel equipment
● Describe their local marine area and what lives in it
● Identify and classify some of the marine creatures that they see
● Make comparisons between the marine reserve and their local marine area
● Base their opinions about the value of marine reserves on their personal
experiences and action what they have learnt in their community Main Curriculum Links:
● Science – Living World, Ecology and Evolution ● Social Science
● Health & PE
What we do (for free)*:
● Explain how the learning outcomes will be achieved ● Provide marine education resources
● Deliver a marine biodiversity and conservation presentation to the class ● Work in partnership with you to coordinate and organise field trips ● Provide safety management and briefings/leadership on field trips ● Provide snorkeling equipment and instruction for water activities ● Provide RAMS forms for snorkeling water activities
What you do:
● Explain how the intended learning outcomes are based on the achievement
objectives in the relevant curriculum areas
● Provide adequate parental/community supervision for field activities
(EMR recommends 1:2 ratio, and can help identify community support for supervision on request)
● Provide student participation consents, swimming ability, medical conditions and
permission for EMR use of student images/footage
● Provide appropriate support for students with special needs
● Review the snorkeling risk management template provided and seek approval from
Board of Trustees
● Risk management planning for all activities other than snorkeling ● Provide first aid kit
● Cover costs associated with transport, food, accommodation and optional glass
The Action
The action component of the EMR programme is an essential factor in the students learning process and one which helps us to assess the effectiveness of the programme at meeting the projected learning and conservation outcomes. By encouraging students to undertake action, that is based on their own experience, EMR aims to empower students and encourage support for marine conservation.
To be eligible for the Northland Poor Knights competition, students must be involved in a group activity/action and an individual action. Some examples are listed below. Younger students may need more guidance when deciding on actions. However, students are encouraged to come up with their own action, based on their own experience – what do they see as something which they could do to help out the marine environment... can they put their idea into action?
Group Action examples and ideas:
The EMR programme and follow up action projects stretch far and wide and cover a variety on conservation and curriculum areas.
● Onerahi Primary school made these bill boards to show their support for their local
marine reserve, they displayed these outside their school and on the road on the way to the marine reserve.
● Whangarei Intermediate got excited about a variety of topics and wrote letters to the
editor on issues such as marine pollution, bottom trawling, critically endangered Maui’s dolphins and marine reserves. One student made a t-shirt to campaign against the damaging techniques bottom trawling.
● Waiheke and Great Barrier Island schools have started regularly surveying shellfish
numbers and sizes on their local beaches, supported by the Department of Conservation. Gathering real, relevant data to assess the health of our marine environment has proven to be a practical and fun way for students to further develop their knowledge and understanding. Each site has been surveyed and transect lines have been mapped using aerial photos and GPS technology to ensure the same sites are sampled each year. Follow up classroom work has often been based around statistics, with teachers appreciating the ability to use real data that students
● Kamo Intermediate School made language a follow up focus and wrote letters to
their district council campaigning for toilets and changing facilities at the car park above the newly established Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve, as they did not think it was good for them or the environment to do any business in the bushes!
● Opua School used music, drama and technology to perform their marine reserve skit
& waiata to the Minister of Conservation and other dignitaries at the opening of the Whangarei Harbour marine reserve, as well as in front of their parents on a public community evening.
● Art in the form of dioramas, 3D, posters, display boards and murals are a major part
of EMR follow up for most schools.
● Russell Primary produced some amazing work including surveys of marine reserve
opinions of their fellow school mates, with 3D artwork and cool poems. Their work was on display at the local information center, so it could be seen by a wider audience.
● Some students and classes have also made video, Te Huruhi Primary on Waiheke
showed their video on the Ferry between Auckland and Waiheke.
● Whangarei Heads School held a marine conservation information evening.
● Ahipara School held a marine display in their classroom during the annual school
gala day.
● Kamo Intermediate students made individual submissions for a local marine reserve
application.
● Orakei School set up a display and presented their powerpoint at the local shopping
mall. Orakei Schools work was published in the Auckland Regional Council’s ‘Treasures handed on – Taonga tuku iho’ journal in 2004.
● Ngaiotonga Valley School had a marine expo day at their end of year prize giving –
● Some schools get involved in our EMR Drains to Harbour campaign (Whangarei
District) which involves stenciling stormwater drains as an action follow-up.
Individual projects & action examples/ideas:
● Diorama Displays ● Design a t-shirt ● Design a radio ad
● Write a letter to a local politician about your
experience
● Make a marine biodiversity treasure box and
Action Case study – Dargaville Intermediate School
Summary of action initiatives resulting from Dargaville Intermediate's (Year 7 & 8) whole school (170 students) participation in the EMR programme Term 1, 2008.
EMR Coordinator: Samara Nicholas. Sponsored by the Department of Conservation.
Activities: Classroom introduction, pool session, local investigation (dune care, local issues, Maui dolphin & beach clean up), Goat Island marine reserve snorkel and follow up visit. ACTION results:
● Letter to Iwi asking for greater policing of permits issued for Toheroa collection.
● Fundraiser for WWF-NZ for Maui dolphin protection by selling student made Maui
dolphin shape cookies to staff and family of Dargaville Intermediate.
● Fundraiser for WWF-NZ for Maui dolphin protection by approaching local business to
donate prizes for a raffle.
● Fundraiser for EMR resources in the school, with a raffle for a picture frame made by
a marine student in woodwork.
● Innovative designs to catch playtime rubbish in the drains, thus preventing it from
entering the stormwater system. One student even monitors the rubbish her drain catches weekly.
● Letters to council asking for new ‘Stay off the sand dunes – they are rebuilding’
signs, seeking permission and design input from the council. The student has actually erected the signs!
● Eco bag design.
● Recycling box design for outside local shops so people can recycle their plastic by
placing old bags in the box or taking a bag from the box instead of getting a new one.
● Fundraising and research project to get a aquarium at the office foyer with marine
awareness information.
● Letters to Ministry of fisheries asking for a no trawl zone to extend 4 km from the
beach.
● Key ring prototype reminding people of legal seafood size limits. ● Media articles.
● Paper advertisements, asking people to stay off the sand dunes due to damage to
young toheroa and other wildlife.
● Radio time slot to talk about local marine issues and the benefits of marine reserves. ● Water testing – starting as an EMR action, becoming a science fair project.
● Letters to council requesting bins at entry and exit points to the beach. ● Informative posters on display at local business.
● Letters to the school principal & local council asking permission to stencil local drains
Responsibility Agreement
The Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme empowers schools and communities by providing hands-on experience in the ocean. The programme involves investigating marine biodiversity within local marine environments before venturing to a fully-protected marine reserve. After this experience, students are able to compare unprotected and protected areas and are encouraged to put their knowledge into action within the community.
This is an agreement between: Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) & Mountains To Sea Conservation Trust Address: Phone: Mobile: Email: And: ……… ……… (School) Address: Phone: Email:
Please tick to acknowledge the following:
EMR responsibilities – provide the school with the following:
EMR will take all practicable steps to ensure the health and safety of the school students and staff while participating in the EMR programme.1
Explanation of how the expected learning outcomes of the activity/ies will be met Marine education resources
Marine biodiversity and conservation presentation in classroom
Work in partnership with teacher in charge to coordinate and organize field trips Volunteers with relevant qualifications/experience (if applicable)
Snorkel equipment and instruction for water activities
Safety management plans and policies, for example RAMS for snorkeling activities Emergency procedures for snorkeling activity
School responsibilities – provide EMR with the following:
Intended learning outcomes that are based on the achievement objectives in the relevant curriculum areas
Adequate parental/community supervision for field activities. (EMR recommends 1:2 ratio, and can help identify community support for supervision on request)
Student participation consents, swimming ability, medical conditions and permission for EMR use of student images/footage
Appropriate support for students with special needs
Review of snorkeling risk management and approval from Board of Trustees Risk management planning for all activities other than snorkeling
First aid kit
School covers costs associated with transport, food, accommodation and optional glass bottom boat ride. EMR requires $1 per student per field trip
Please also tick the following to recognize your commitment to EMR:
Our staff and students undertake to:
Recognise that the use of the EMR programme and resources is restricted to educational and non-profit purposes. The EMR resources are protected by copyright, but can be reproduced in their entirety for educational non-profit use.
Incorporate the EMR concept (information, experience and action) in the school programme and curriculum, for example by incorporating an introduction to marine species, investigation of a local unprotected area and marine reserves- and action- oriented activity.
Follow-up the in-water experiences with an ACTION activity. The students are encouraged to put their knowledge into action within the community, such as investigating where a marine reserve would go, sharing findings with the local community, running a public survey or making an official submission about marine conservation. Over the years students have been involved in a range of action projects, from writing letters to their local authorities to letters to Members of Parliament, and presentations in front of assembly to presentations at public events. Refer to the programme as ‘Experiencing Marine Reserves’ or EMR wherever possible.
Recognition that risk management, other than that associated with snorkeling, remains the official responsibility of the school.
Indemnify the EMR leader for any claims, costs, damage and expenses that may result from the failure of the school to fulfil its risk management obligations.
EMR guarantees that the instructors/volunteers it provides for the programme will not have criminal records for violent or sexual offences, and that EMR will disclose any criminal record that may be relevant to the care of students and/or a specific activity. EMR agrees to police vetting if requested.
The school and EMR reserve the right to withdraw any or all participants from the programme if safety is compromised.
Signed: (School) Date:
Name:
Signed: (EMR) Date:
