Visiting the Otepuni Stream on multiple occasions provides Year 13 Agriculture students with authentic, hands-on learning that connects classroom theory to the local environment. By carrying out repeated sampling of the stream bank, water clarity, invertebrate populations, and overall stream health, students gain valuable skills in ecological monitoring and data collection while observing seasonal changes and human impacts over time. These visits foster scientific inquiry, deepen understanding of freshwater ecosystems, and highlight the importance of sustainable land and water management in New Zealand’s agricultural context. Regular engagement also builds student agency, encouraging them to take responsibility for environmental stewardship and to see the direct relevance of agriculture to community wellbeing. This knowledge will help them on their 4-credit internal assessment at the Waihopai river. Students will visit the Waihopai River to collect critical field information for their internal assessment on Environmental Sustainability in the Waihopai Catchment, which is worth 4 credits. During the trip, they will evaluate the effectiveness of measures taken to sustain or improve the river environment, compare their data with healthy stream parameters, and form conclusions and recommendations for the catchment. The girls will use the data they collect, their observations, and expert advice from John Kennedy (former Head of Agriculture at Southland Girls’) and two Environment Southland representatives to complete their assessment write-up.

Details: Otepuni Stream

• Date/Time: during multiple Agriculture classes in February and beginning of March
• Transport: Walking out the back gate to Otepuni Stream during our Ag lessons
• Meet: Kumagaya Gates at the front of school
• Clothing and Equipment: School uniform but sometimes in Waders which we will provide or mufti but will be pre organised depending on weather conditions.
• Cost: Covered by the agriculture budget.
• Venue: Otepuni Stream, Back gate of Southland Girls High School River, end of Auburn Road

Details: Waihopai River

• Date: Friday February 2026 (to be confirmed)
• Return: Arrive back at Southland Girls
• Transport: Go Bus
• Meet: Kumagaya Gates at the front of school
• Clothing and Equipment Required: Mufti clothes and sneakers or shoes that cover your toes
• Cost: Covered by the agriculture budget.
• Venue: Waihopai River, end of Auburn Road
• Time: 12.15pm during our Ag lesson

Mel Young has a current first aid qualification and will be carrying a first aid kit at all times. Anastazia and the other Environment Southland are hugely experienced with working with school groups of students and is very safety conscious. Each student will get the most out of this hands on opportunity seeing how the surrounding areas affects the Waihopai river on a specific day.  If for some reason an accident does happen, Mel Young will ring the parent Immediately and notify the school.

This event contains risks, including walking to and from the Otepuni stream via the back gate of Southland Girls and public areas and  slipping on the ground or slipping over while sampling the water at the Waihopai river. This event is managed by school staff who will manage risk and hazards according to the school’s safety management plan.  This includes careful consideration of walking carefully on the banks of the stream, only one student entering the water while being supervised by Mrs Young, wearing waders when completing a cross section or looking at the invertebrates living in the stream. This includes careful use of appropriate nonslip footwear, walking carefully in areas that are slippery as some of the rocks in the water are slippery and the banks could be slippery.  While risks can be maintained to acceptable levels they cannot be eliminated.  Some risk is retained for its learning and experiential value.  If you wish to come in to school to see our safety management systems or have any questions, feel free to contact Mel Young 03 2116030 or [email protected]

It is important for safety reasons that students follow instructions given to them by all staff and follow all appropriate school rules. Behaviour by students that is deemed dangerous and puts themselves and/or others at undue risk will result in your child being picked up by a caregiver and not attending further Year 13 Agriculture trips this year.

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I give my child permission to participate in two field trips to Waihopai river and Otepuni stream.

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