Sustainable Seas

Introduction 

During Seaweek, your students can tackle a major New Zealand problem: the conflict between the many uses of our marine environment.

Aotearoa is an island nation with very close ties to the marine environment. 75% of us live within 10km of the sea. We value the sea for its resources such as fisheries, tourism, oil and gas and shipping. We also value the sea for food, recreation and spiritual well being. Māori have long standing ancestral connections with the sea and the sea is a taonga that we all need to help look after. The challenge is to manage the different uses and values of our seas so that they remain healthy for future generations.

On this field trip you will join experts who are developing a special tool to help manage our seas sustainably. This tool is called ecosystem-based management (EBM). Your class will explore the different ways that Kiwis use and value our marine areas and help scientists to better understand how these ecosystems respond to human pressures. 

Meet Shelley the LEARNZ field trip teacher.

Watch the introductory video - on Vimeo.

Location

You will travel to Nelson to explore Tasman Bay in the Tasman District. Tasman Bay has both coastal and offshore waters, and a variety of marine environments. These environments are used for many different purposes by many different people making sustainable management a challenge.

Monday 4 March

Travel Day 

Read Shelley's diary about travelling from Dunedin to Nelson to begin the Sustainable Seas virtual field trip. Read about Māia the LEARNZ ambassador's adventures.

Tuesday 5 March 

Ecosystem connectivity

Take a boat ride out past the boulder bank in Nelson to catch a fish. Watch the videos to see how everything is interconnected within an ecosystem. Read the diary to find out more about the Tasman Bay ecosystem. Watch the recorded web conference and read about Māia the LEARNZ ambassador's adventures. 

Wednesday 6 March

Estuaries and tipping points

Watch the videos to discover why estuaries are such important ecosystems. Read the diary about what impacts upon estuaries and help experts with their research into environmental tipping points. Watch the recorded web conference and read about Māia the LEARNZ ambassador's adventures. 

Thursday 7 March

Ocean currents and plastic pollution

Watch the videos to learn more about ocean currents and how far plastic waste can travel from its origin. Read the diary to find out more about the problems plastics can cause in our marine environment and explore ways to reduce plastic pollution. Watch the recorded web conference and read about Māia the LEARNZ ambassador's adventures.