Marine reserves, just like National Parks, are protected areas along our coastline. They have lots of benefits including keeping the marine ecosystem strong, protecting cultural values, acting as a nursery for fish (that can be caught outside the reserve) and as a place to experience what our seas used to be like before humans arrived. With 44 Marine Reserves in New Zealand there will be one not far from where you live!

The Kapiti Marine Reserve, sheltered by Kapiti Island, is famous for its blue moki, kingfish, seals, penguins and dolphins. It was one of New Zealand's first, established in 1992.

This LEARNZ trip is an ideal lead-up to Seaweek and will let you see first hand how 25 years of protection have allowed the undersea world to flourish.

Explore biodiversity above and beneath the waves, including native and endemic species. Learn about spin-off activities like tourism, fishing and diving, and how they are managed sustainably. Go out on a boat and take some great photos and videos underwater. Get to know rangers and scientists who work to help keep the marine reserve full of life.

To prepare for this field trip, LEARNZ content will support inquiry into:

  • New Zealand's marine reserves
  • Marine food webs
  • Kapiti Marine Reserve
  • New Zealand's ocean biodiversity
  • Marine research
  • Recording living things on the iNaturalistNZ app or Marine Metre Squared (MM2)
  • Ocean scientists, marine biologists and rangers

During this field trip you will:

  • Follow tweets from Andrew, the LEARNZ field trip teacher
  • Go on a boat trip around Kapiti Marine Reserve to explore what lives there
  • Look out for seals and dolphins as well as seabirds
  • Go snorkelling to look for "kingies" and other fish
  • Explore the seafloor to see what else lives down there
  • Help marine researchers with data gathering to estimate populations
  • Do some citizen science as you find, catch, identify, classify, record and release living things from the sea
  • Interview and put questions to marine scientists and rangers
  • Get up close to local marine species and observe their special features

Learning areas/levels

Mathematics and Statistics: Number and Algebra Levels 2-4, Statistics Levels 2-4
Science: Living World Levels 2-4, Nature of Science Levels 2-4
Social Studies: Continuity and Change Levels 2-4, Place and Environment Levels 2-4
Technology: Levels 2-4

For more information about the field trip and to register, please visit: http://rata.learnz.org.nz/summary.php?vft=marinereserves191

Related content

To enrich learning before or after the field trip, use some of the Hub’s Seaweek resources.

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