Francis Douglas Memorial Collage – 2018 TRC Environmental Award winner                     17/7/23

Francis Douglas Memorial College won a 2018 TRC Environmental Award in the ‘Environmental action in education’ category  sponsored by Contact. The award was for removing predators and pest plants to restore native biodiversity at Paritutu Centennial Park.

More than 150 Francis Douglas students are taking practical steps to control predators and restore biodiversity at Centennial Park in Paritūtū, and the nearby Ngā Motu/Sugarloaf Islands.  They built and installed 150 predator traps at Paritūtū, and they continue to monitor and check them, under the guidance of teacher Tina Dalliston. Their work assists native species including blue penguin, seabirds, threatened plants and lizards. It also reduces the chance of pests infesting Ngā Motu, which is part of the iconic Taranaki Mounga restoration project that extends out to the coast. The students gain a practical understanding of biodiversity, develop practical skills and become familiar with online technology to record and analyse trapping results and pest plant locations. They work closely with hapū, community groups and agencies including the Taranaki Regional Council.

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