Science fund for Mangawhai Beach School

Pupils at Mangawhai Beach School will be able to delve even deeper into the world of science and nature this year thanks to a $1000 grant from the Bayer Primary School Science Fund towards their aquarium project.

The money will be used for aquarium equipment and a digital microscope.

The fund, sponsored by Bayer New Zealand and administrated by the Royal Society of New Zealand, received almost 100 applications from primary schools around the country.

Twenty-six lucky schools were selected and received grants to help enhance an existing or begin a new environmental science education programme.

Projects range from improving water and soil quality to planting gardens, creating worm farms and bee keeping.

Set in a rural coastal area, water quality has a big impact on the Mangawhai community and environment. The area has many farm dams that run off into tributaries to the sea and the houses at Mangawhai are supplied with tank water.

Local environmental management expert John Dickie has been volunteering his time every Friday morning to teach a group of students about water quality.

The students have taken samples from the estuary adjoining the school, farm dams, water tanks and local waterways.

The aim is to involve the whole school in an ongoing study of the nitrification cycle, a chain of biological reactions producing chemical results effecting water quality.

Students will keep various aquatic animals and plants collected from local streams and ponds to observe and measure environmental conditions in the tanks.

Bayer New Zealand Managing Director Holger Detje says he is thrilled that more schools will receive funding.

“Every year primary schools nationwide send in fantastic applications so it’s great that now more children can benefit from the fund.

“These projects allow children to learn about science and the environment but they are also an investment into our environment as a whole.”