Kelly Tarlton's Marine Wildlife Trust’s Ocean Youth Aotearoa project aims to empower rangatahi to take positive action for our oceans.
The eight-day school holiday programme for students aged 13-16 has a focus on conservation threats in the Hauraki Gulf//Tīkapa Moana. Students learn about marine species in the Gulf, local community and iwi-led conservation projects, and the value of marine protected areas.
The programme has a very practical focus and students are supported to design and implement their very own conservation projects in their local communities to promote the health of the Gulf. Some examples include using harakeke (flax) as mussel farm ropes, organising a beach clean-up day to turn beach litter into shark-inspired art, and creating a social media group to educate people about sustainable fishing.
And no ocean conservation programme would be complete without some snorkelling! The week includes field trips to snorkel at the beautiful Te Hāwere-a-Maki/Goat Island marine reserve and Waiheke Island’s Enclosure Bay.
“Young people are greatly concerned with the state of the environment and Ocean Youth can provide them with the tools they need to start improving their local marine environments,” says project spokesperson, Dan Henderson.
The project is one of 18 initiatives WWF-New Zealand, in partnership with the Tindall Foundation, is supporting this year through its Community Conservation Fund.
The Fund supports local communities to run projects that conserve and restore Aotearoa’s natural environment, while also educating New Zealanders about its importance.