Nature Day with Freyberg Community School at Horowai Reserve (Roberts Field)
Mangroves are saltwater trees that grow in intertidal areas. Today Freyberg Community School students learnt about the mangrove ecosystem that lives between the Whau’s streams and the Waitematā harbour. This excursion was one of our Nature Days, which aim to engage children with their local environment, plants and ecology.
Freyberg kids had the opportunity to get close to the mangroves and investigate their root system. Here they discovered plenty of crabs and the best-kept secret about mangroves – how they breathe. The mud around mangroves is dense and there’s not a lot of oxygen. So they use their roots as snorkels! Tamariki were also surprised to learn about the other creatures living in mangrove ecosystem, such as small fish like juvenile snapper.
Becky Carton from Experiencing Marine Reserves is passionate about mangroves. In this short video, Becky talks about how mangroves breathe even though they live in salt water.
Jody Yawa McMillan and Dominque Crawford (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) from Whau the People also had eco-friendly nature art activities for tamariki to make, decorate and take home.
Photo Gallery
About this event
| Date | Thursday 23rd May 2024 |
| Location | Roberts Field | Horowai, Te Atatū South |
| Type | Environment, Arts |
| Who | Auckland Council Park Rangers, Experiencing Marine Reserves, Freyberg Community School, Whau the People |
| Funders | Te Whau Pathway Project |
