Case studies of action for our waterways
Engaging ākonga with local environmental issues through citizen science projects can provide opportunities for them to get outside, ask questions and take positive action.
Plastic pollution in our waterways is an ongoing issue, with a more recent focus on the impact of microplastics on both ecosystem and human health. New technology to help prevent plastic entering our drains, along with local scientific research has led to innovative projects in schools and communities across the motu.
This Spotlight shares case studies of microplastic projects from both ends of the country: Three coastal primary schools in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, along with ākonga of all ages, researchers and the wider community around Lake Wānaka in Ōtakou | Otago.
Opportunities for strengthening scientific skills, curiosity, numeracy and literacy are embedded within authentic local contexts. We hope these stories will inspire you to investigate your own waterways, whether you are at the very top of the water catchment in the mountains or next to your local stream or beach.
Tāmaki Makaurau: Tackling pollution from school to sea
Plastic pollution is a growing problem that threatens coastal and marine ecosystems worldwide, though it often goes unseen and unnoticed. To increase awareness of this issue, the Tread Lightly Charitable Trust teamed up with students from Point England, Reremoana, and Weymouth Primary Schools to investigate the question:
“Does our school contribute to coastal pollution, and what can we students do about it?”
This innovative year-long project was made possible through the support of the Curious Minds South Auckland Participatory Science Platform. It combined critical inquiry, hands-on experiments, and citizen science to empower students to understand plastic pollution in a local context and explore ways to reduce it.
Investigating the waste problem at school
Students kicked off the project with a waste audit at their school. They collected litter items from the playground and sorted them into categories based on what type of material they were made of, like wood, rubber or plastic.
This simple activity opened students and teachers’ eyes to the volume and types of rubbish (particularly plastic waste) being generated at the schools – one group collected over 500 pieces of litter from their school grounds in one session!
Participating schools also had a LittaTrap device installed in a stormwater drain, so they could regularly monitor the litter that was going into their drains. Students learnt how stormwater networks connect into local waterways and the sea and can carry litter into the marine environment, revealing the direct connection between their small personal actions and large environmental challenges.
Connecting to marine ecosystems
Each participating school “adopted” a park and coastline, which they committed to restoring. Connecting the learning from their school waste audits and applying it to their local coastline was a natural next step.
To conduct marine plastic monitoring, students were tasked with designing their own prototype filters which could be used to capture microplastics from water samples. Guided by Tread Lightly’s science educator, Sam Badias, the students applied design thinking principles to create affordable, effective filters with materials they found around the house.
Sam shares that, “It was particularly rewarding to see the girls… really engage with creating their prototypes, as women are under-represented in STEM fields on the whole. They were thinking technologically, creatively, and all of the students were engaged throughout”.
Students used the filters to collect water samples at their local river or beach. They also conducted Marine Metre Squared surveys to measure microplastic pollution on the beach. After collecting samples of microplastics, students were able to use simple experiments to determine what types of plastic were most prevalent. They were supported by marine experts Dr Olga Pantos and Dr Sally Carson, who helped students with the experimental protocols and also explained how different types of plastics break down and have an impact on marine ecology.
“Getting to use test tubes and tweezers made me feel like a real scientist.” – Year 6 student
Sam adds that “Students really enjoyed learning directly from scientists who specifically research marine microplastics. They asked lots of questions and showed huge interest, not just on the research topic, but how the scientists ended up in their roles and why they chose that work”.
Turning insights into actions
Through this investigation, students have gained greater awareness of the plastic litter that was around their school and how these can end up on their local coastlines. One surprising example – students found fibres from their school’s playground turf at the beach reserve, over 300m away from the school. With a bit of prompting, they were able to recognise what the fibre was and hypothesised about how it ended up buried in the sand in the reserve.
The students and schools are committed to turning their research findings into concrete actions to improve their school and coastal environments. Ideas include ways to raise awareness of the issue, reduce plastic consumption in school lunches, and improve waste management systems to minimise litter. The success of this project has shown how big global problems can be tackled in local contexts. Citizen science projects present a fantastic opportunity for students to gain knowledge and confidence in STEM skills while fostering a sense of responsibility and agency to address environmental challenges.
Wānaka: Freshwater research and action
Wānaka’s microsplastics citizen science journey began in 2022 when a group of Mount Aspiring College Year 7 students were supported by educators from WAI Wānaka to collect, sort, record and dispose of rubbish along a 50-metre stretch of the Lake Wānaka waterfront. Several groups of students studied a small transect of this area and came up with significant quantities of small plastic fragments. This sparked a question:
“If we’re finding these plastic fragments on the lakefront, what’s in the water and where are they coming from?”
Microplastics are a hot topic these days – the word refers to fragments of any type of plastic less than 5mm long. Many studies suggest they impact both human and aquatic health. How much do we currently know about microplastics in Aotearoa’s lakes and rivers? The answer is simple – not a whole lot!
WAI Wānaka saw this as an opportunity to bring freshwater scientists and community together to investigate further. They connected with researcher Veronica Rotman, who immediately jumped at the idea of microplastics research in Wānaka. Veronica’s PhD project is titled Ki uta ki tai (mountains to sea): plastics in Southern Aotearoa. She investigates sources of pollution, distribution, and potential threats to culturally significant taonga species from the mountains of Wānaka to the ocean and offshore islands of southern Te Waipounamu.
Microplastics sampling: from lake to lab
Veronica completed the sampling phase of her research in Lake Wānaka and its surrounding tributaries from 2023 - 2024. It was a big endeavour over four seasons with the help of over 30 community volunteers. From boat owners to skippers and those assisting with sampling, it was a blend of fun and hard work. You can read more about the sampling phase here.
She then spent countless hours in the University of Otago’s lab, observing and recording the quantity of microplastics found, and working towards identifying the types of plastic polymers she is finding.
Though her research is not yet complete, microplastics were found at all sites Veronica has sampled, including more remote areas like the Makarore / Makarora River. Her research highlights the pervasive nature of microplastic pollution.
Citizen Science for all ages
WAI Wānaka have also regularly contributed data from litter audits at community clean-ups to the national Litter Intelligence programme. This is a great opportunity for the wider community to get involved with citizen science and includes resources for students as part of the Litter Intelligence Education Programme.
In July 2024 WAI Wānaka officially launched their microplastics citizen science initiative, called A Teeny-Tiny Truth, made possible through the support of the Otago Participatory Science Platform and with the following objectives:
- Collecting data on microplastics in Lake Wānaka
- Empowering our community to get involved in the process and creating change
As part of this initiative, they released two citizen science guides for sampling microplastics in water, one for communities, the other for schools. The guides serve as an enabling tool for groups, schools and individuals to monitor and collect data on microplastics in water. The ‘simple sieve’ method, chosen by Veronica for its practicality, affordability and effectiveness, is the featured method for both guides.
Download the school guidelines: Teeny Tiny Truth Community Sampling Guidelines
Exploring with early learners
A highlight for the WAI education team is their work supporting local early childhood centres to explore and connect with their local environment. In late 2023 the Kānuka kids of Riverside ECE went out to sample the upper lagoon, right in their backyard.
They had so many wonderful conversations about the difference between materials and how long it might take plastic to break down in the environment. As they took samples from the lagoon they kept an eye out for potential sources of contamination and revisited the work they had done the previous term around drains being streams.
Student-led research and action
As part of WAI Wānaka's education work with schools, students from Te Kura o Take Kārara primary school completed an inquiry about the Upper Clutha catchment and the characteristics which enable freshwater ecosystems to thrive.
At the end of 2024 this led to the installation of a LittaTrap device within the school. A group of students will monitor this over the coming year and they have also designed their own ‘litter traps’ for other drains around the school, experimenting with different materials and styles of construction.
The project has also extended to senior students at Mount Aspiring College, with a visit in early 2024 from marine scientist Veronica Rotman.
Veronica inspired a group of four Year 13 Geography students to complete their research project looking at microplastics in different locations along the Mata-au | Clutha river, including before and after the wastewater treatment plant where the treated wastewater goes to ground.
They were interested to understand whether the huge quantities of microplastics found in wastewater (primarily due to the grey water from our washing machines) made it’s way out to the river. We’re please to report that this was not the case according to their study!
“We were inspired by Veronica to find out more about the potential microplastics in our rivers and to see if our rivers are really as clean and pristine as they seem."
- Yr 13 Mount Aspiring College student
Students also added: "I decided to do my project on microplastics as I really wanted to help contribute to the research that Veronica was already doing and I hope our research and results may be useful in some way or another. Existing studies on microplastics in New Zealand rivers are limited, with a larger amount of emphasis being placed on ocean research. Knowing that there hasn’t been much research done on microplastics in rivers in New Zealand is another reason why I want to do this as my research, because it means that our data we find may really contribute the bigger picture.”
We hope this Spotlight has provided some ideas and inspiration for your own teaching and learning, with ideas for engaging ākonga from early childhood through to senior secondary, and from high in the mountains down to the sea. The key ingredients are authentic local issues, curiosity and connections with community and scientists.
Related articles you may find useful:
Moana | Marine Resources for Seaweek
Empowered Students Share Stormwater Designs
Acknowledgements
NZAEE would like to thank Ying Yang, STEM Project Manager for Te Hononga Akoranga COMET, along with the educators from Tread Lightly; and Jose Cranfield, WAI Wānaka educator, and her colleagues, for providing the text and images for this inspiring Spotlight article.
The Tread Lightly Microplastics project was made possible with funding from the Curious Minds south Auckland Participatory Science Platform and supported by Te Hononga Akoranga COMET. Thanks also to our participating schools and teachers, and science partners, Dr Olga Pantos and Dr Sally Carson.
WAI Wānaka’s Tiny Teeny Truth project is funded by Curious Minds Otago Participatory Science Platform, a fund that pairs scientists with community to work together to solve a research question. Massive thanks also goes to marine scientist Veronica Rotman for whom our project would not have the vigour or reach that it’s had within our community and schools.
