Kiwi Forever

Kiwi Forever – 31st March to 5th April 2007 The Kiwi Forever scholarship programme for secondary students has been created as a partnership with Bank of New Zealand Save the Kiwi Trust, Untouched World Foundation, Department of Conservation, University of Waikato and Ngati Rangi. It is based on the concepts outlined in the Kiwi Forever education resource, field-worked with DOC, culturally-immersed with Ngati Rangi, and modelled on Untouched World Foundation's student-led, teacher-supported programmes throughout New Zealand. Fourteen senior student from six Central North Island secondary schools spend a week completing hands-on conservation work in Tongariro National Park near Ohakune, in the company of teachers, pre-service teachers and personnel from DoC,. Students and teachers set and checked pest traps for stoats and rats, completed foliage counts to assess the health of the native forest, used radio-tracking equipment to track kiwi and were involved with the release of a kiwi chick. Concepts of sustainability are embedded and demonstrated throughout the programme including the recycling of food scraps, reduction of waste, transport by vans and planting of native rongoa trees to offset the carbon generated by travel. Students were required to prepare and present on four key questions underpinning the programme - What is the importance of the recovery and enhancement of the habitat to ensure the maintenance of healthy kiwi populations? - What is the significance of kiwi to the local iwi? - What is the purpose of a national icon and how does this influence our identity as New Zealanders called “kiwi’s”? - What would be the social, cultural, political, economical and environmental impacts of losing the kiwi as our national identify? This was completed to a very high standard to an audience with representatives from DoC, Ngati Rangi, BNZ and Massey University. Students now return to their respective schools and are expected to make presentations both within their schools and the wider community. Throughout these they will be addressing the long term benefits of moving towards sustainability and the role of young adults in achieving these positive outcomes.