A TREEmendous Day for Riverina School

Ruud Kleinpaste - the Bugman and Dr Riley Elliott, Shark Scientist visited Riverina School in Pakuranga last week to talk to students and teachers about the importance of sustainability and how they can help to look after the environment.

They visited the school as part of the TREEmendous Education Programme for 2021, an initiative from the Mazda Foundation.

Riverina School is one of five winning schools from around the country that each receive $1,000 to go towards an environmental project along with 200 native trees from Trees That Count for the school grounds.

Kleinpaste and Elliott inspired students and demonstrated how we can learn from nature and the important role that bugs and sharks play in our ecosystem and how they all impact our environment.

Kleinpaste then spent a second day at the school providing teachers with resources and how to identify ways to incorporate the environment as an immersive part of the curriculum so that students can learn in nature in outside classrooms.

As part of the TREEmendous Education Programme, Riverina School is further developing their outdoor learning space for students to learn in nature.

The school is transforming an area of the school grounds into a vibrant learning space where fruit and vegetables will be grown, and native trees planted which can be used as an outdoor classroom.

Principal Carol Dickinson says the native trees will ensure the project has a strong connection to the natural environment.

“The school provides students with knowledge and tools to help develop their understanding of the natural ecosystem and this new area will enhance this further.

“We really encourage our students to connect with the wider community and help them to understand the role every individual plays in building an eco-friendly lifestyle.”

David Hodge, Managing Director of Mazda New Zealand and Chairman of the Mazda Foundation is delighted that the TREEmendous Education Programme is continuing the fantastic work the initial TREEmendous project undertook in schools around New Zealand for over 10 years.

“We look forward to seeing the results of the work the schools will be doing with Ruud and Riley.”

The TREEmendous team, including Kleinpaste and Elliott, will also visit the four remaining schools throughout 2021 to engage with the students and inspire them in their environmental projects.