Lakes380 Wananga at Oporoa

Day two of our Lakes380 wananga was marked by an enriching field trip to Lake Oporoa, where we had the privilege of working alongside various environmental stakeholders and Iwi representatives from Nga Puna Rau o Rangitikei.

It was a delight to welcome the year 12 students from Taihape Area School, and I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Principal Richard McMillan for creating this invaluable opportunity that allowed students to engage with and appreciate the cultural significance of the Lake to our Iwi of Ngati Hauiti, as beautifully narrated by our kaumatua Neville Lomax.

The students immersed themselves in an extensive participatory presentation focused on the technical processes of core sampling, inclusive of core analysis, which unveiled how this crucial data helps us understand the lake’s health over centuries.

We are immensely thankful for the support of the dedicated science teams from The Cawthron Institute and GNS Science, whose expertise considerably enhanced our learning experience. Additionally, we would like to recognize the contributions of Lequan K Meihana from the Rangitikei District Council, Councillor Nicola Patrick from Horizons Regional Council, Blair Jamieson from the Ministry of Primary Industries, Alistar Beveridge from Te Uru Rakau 1BT, Reece Martin from Matana Consulting, and the committed field team, Scotty and Anna, from Horizons Regional Council.

The collective efforts and contributions of everyone involved transformed the day into an exceptional educational experience, deepening our shared commitment to restoring our treasured Taonga, a journey that is both challenging yet filled with hope for the future well-being of our Lake.