Strath Taieri School rewarded for supporting Otago skink

Pupils at Strath Taieri School was one of five schools chosen from 150 around the country who will receive a visit from Ruud "The Bugman” Kleinpaste and Shark Scientist Dr Riley Elliott to talk to about sustainability and the importance of looking after the environment.

They will also receive $1000 and 200 native trees from Trees That Count to go towards their school projects.

Strath Taieri principal Jim McArthur said supporting the critically endangered giant Otago skink was a key goal of the school’s local conservation efforts.

"The Otago skink is a very special animal to our community and is both the school symbol and mascot.

‘‘We are looking forward to working with the TREEmendous team to study the Otago skink and develop a school habitat which is skink friendly.

"We are also excited for our students to learn more about the local skinks — from their impact on the environment to their significance in te ao Maori.”

Chairman of the Mazda Foundation David Hodge said he was delighted to see how many schools applied to win a TREEmendous Education Programme for 2022.

"It’s great to be able to inspire young New Zealanders to be passionate about our environment and encourage learning outside of the standard classrooms."

 

 

 

SIMON HENDERSON