Thanks to everyone that participated in our annual national Mountains to Sea wānanga in October 2022. What a treat to come together in the rohe of Patuharakeke at Takahiwai Marae to explore the theme of Te Kotahitanga. Highlights included: 🌱Our amazing keynote speakers; Rereata Makiha, Sheridan Waitai, Eimear Egan and Dr. Irene Middleton 🌱The field trips to the Whangārei Harbour Marine Reserve, Ruakākā River īnanga spawning habitat restoration project site and NIWA Hatchery. 🌱Uku/clay kotahitanga workshop 🌱Social evening with quiz night and DJ Koha 🌱Exploring the Poor Knights Islands and Waipū River tributaries during coordinator training and finding a Hochstetters Frog! Common themes that emerged were centered around the power of kotahitanga/unity. It's vital to be open and make space for multiple perspectives through creating supportive and safe spaces for honest korero, and recognizing that different perspectives are an opportunity, not a threat. During our workshop we worked together to come up with a whakatauki: Mā te ta me te hi kia mauri tū, kia mauri rere, ki ngā ao e rua, hei whakakotahi ai i a tātou From the blend of this and that we become one, Take in the ever flowing life force, review the two worlds, through two contexts, two perspectives, to unite us. Proceedings can be viewed on our website www.whitebaitconnection.co.nz Video clip and images by 📸Sophie Journee Huge thank you to our funders Foundation North, 2plus, Ministry for the Environment and to our partners and collaborators Experiencing Marine Reserves - EMR, Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, NIWA, Oceandiversity Sea Adventures, Francida, Maria Lawton, The Porthouse Bar and Eatery, DJ Koha, Wednesday Davis (Quiz Master extraordinaire), Davina Duke and Hera Johns (Uku Shack), Luana Pirihi, Ruakākā Scout Den, Dive! Tutukaka, Tasman Bay Guardians, He Awa Ora, He Tai Ora, Healthy Rivers, Living Sea, Mountains to Sea Wellington, EOS Ecology Participatory Science & Engagement, Northland Regional Council,Carolyn Smith, MTF Finance, NZAEE. #kotahitanga #mountainstoseawhanau #patuharakeke #mountainstosea #catchmentrestoration #marineandfreshwaterlove #goodthingsaregoingtohappen #thebestisyettocome #EMRTeKuraMoana #whitebaitconnection

It was exciting to have the team from Barker and Associates up to Takahiwai Stream for a planting day this Thursday. Whitebait Connection- Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust teamed up with the Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board, Takahiwai Marae, Uri/Landowners of Paki and Maki Pirihi, David Lourie to plant a second section of this awa with NZ natives from our nursery at He Kakano. The hard working crew from Barker and Associates had traveled from offices all around Aotearoa to get stuck into getting 1200 native trees into the ground as part of this mauri restoring riparian planting. We appreciate the hospitality of Takahiwai Marae throughout the day. Looking for your workplace's next team building exercise? Contact info@whitebaitconnection.co.nz for the opportunity for your company to make a difference at the grass roots level.

This video showcases the work that Whitebait Connection and Experiencing Marine Reserves does in the marine and freshwater conservation fields. www.emr.org.nz | www.whitebaitconnection.co.nz Edited by Lorna Doogan. Music 'Tino Atahua' by Pauanation

Edited by Lorna Doogan Footage from Lorna Doogan, Sophie Journee and the EMR archive. Music 'A Silver World' by Pitch Black

Whitebait Connection offers many services, including our hands-on science and conservation action focused programme for schools. Check out this video to hear from students, teachers, whanau and WBC coordinators what the Whitebait Connection programme for schools is all about and how you can get involved.

The twentieth anniversary Poor Knights competition trip in partnership with Dive! Tutukaka took place on the 14th May 2021 and included students from as far north as Waiharara and as far south as Rakiura - Stewart Island. Students are selected based on their action projects undertaken and enthusiasm they show when studying & experiencing the marine environment. In addition to the opportunity to represent their school or region for the EMR ACTION prize, we offer the EMR Ocean Art prize. The Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation supports this special prize for young kiwis that have experienced the marine environment with EMR and display that passion and experience through art. The national expansion of EMR in the regions is supported by The Tindall Foundation Action projects included removal of invasive seaweed, citizen science fish surveys, shellfish monitoring, wetland restoration, a mufti day and ocean disco fundraiser, presentations to parents, upcycling waste to furniture, murals and marine artwork on a double decker bus! We had 34 students and 29 guardians from 25 schools from 7 regions of Aotearoa including Northland, Auckland, Taranaki, Gisborne, Mountains to Sea Wellington, EMR Nelson and Rakiura (Stewart Island). Special guests included rangatahi/taitamariki who are in training with EMR thanks to the support of Foundation North and students from the first competition trip twenty years ago! This time Cameron Pene experienced the Poor Knights with his daughter Dylan -Rose. Since 2002, we have taken representatives from 351 schools, totalling 500 students on this annual trip! On board the vessel ‘Perfect Day’ our snorkel site this year was the stunning ‘Garden’s at Maroro Bay, part of the Poor Knights Islands that have been protected by no-take status since 1981. A commotion amongst the boat’s crew alerted Ben and Bryce Wigley from Kaingaroa School who were first on the scene for a glimpse of a sunfish before it headed for deeper water. They were treated to a face to face encounter with the charismatic fish and observed its interactions with a group of king fish. The cave snorkelling experiences were particularly memorable this year. The conditions allowed safe snorkelling through the dark passages of the caves where vast schools of blue maomao lingered. Thousands of two spot demoiselles were feeding on the surface. Participants were delighted to see scorpion fish, black angel fish, massive snapper and friendly sandagers wrasse. Here's to another 20 years of getting students experiencing marine reserves!

In February 2020, Experiencing Marine Reserves was lucky enough to explore the Kaikōura Coast beneath the surface. We were able to see first hand the impact of 15 years of protection via rāhui has had on the taonga species of kōura - crayfish, pāua, kina and reef fish. Local conservation powerhouse Brett Cowan, shared some history of his rohe and the positive impact that this rāhui has had to restore mauri to the coastline. Let's protect more of our coastline through rāhui, mataitai and marine reserves! Music is 'Daylight Wasting' by Pitch Black Filmed and edited by Lorna Doogan - additional footage from Sophie Journee