The National Environment Service (NES) recently took part in the GoCareers Expo 2025, providing students with a series of learning opportunities – from exploring the importance of wetlands to knot tying with Suwarrow Park Ranger, Johnnie Tangaroa.
Students learnt about the importance of dragonflies to our biodiversity through a display by consultant Mike Bowie, which included live dragonfly and damselfly nymphs in their aquatic habitat. They even fed the nymphs mosquito larvae, learning that these insects are natural pest controllers. Adult dragonflies can eat up to 100 mosquitoes per day, and nymphs around 25.
A recycling quiz helped bust myths around single-use plastics, with students scoring an average of 9 out of 13. The biodiversity jenga and wetland filter model showed how wetlands help manage floods, filter sediments and nutrients, and how human activities like backfilling can damage these fragile systems.
Suwarrow Ranger Johnnie Tangaroa and team also taught students how to tie practical knots and shared insight into their work on Suwarrow, where they monitor wildlife and visiting yachts.
Students were introduced to the topic of harmful ozone-depleting substances and how the Cook Islands is working to reduce hydrofluorocarbons through its HFC Licensing Permit System as part of global efforts to protect the climate. They left the NES booth with a clearer understanding of our work and brochures outlining our four departments and environmental career pathways.
NES will be attending the Aitutaki Careers expo in early July and looks forward to encouraging students to explore careers in the environment sector.
