On the 5th June, An excursion with the National Environment Service (NES) to Avatiu Stream provided Tereora College Level 1 geography students with hands-on experience in water health research, comparing upstream and downstream conditions to understand the impact of environmental factors and human activity.
The excursion allowed students to apply their classroom knowledge in a real-world setting by collecting and comparing water quality data from two stream sites, one inland and one downstream behind the Punanga Nui Market.
Students were split into four research teams, each supported by NES staff and partners. Tasks included testing pH levels, observing stream velocity, recording vegetation cover, and identifying aquatic life. The groups collected baseline data at the upper stream site, then repeated the process at the lower site to assess changes in water quality and biodiversity.
“My observation was that upstream was a lot more populated with life than downstream, more healthy,” noted Ashley George, a Level 1 Geography student at Tereora College, reflecting on the difference in aquatic biodiversity between the two sites.
NES environmental specialist Mike Bowie supported the biodiversity assessments, with students discovering organisms such as baby shrimps, Melania snails, mosquito larvae and a millipede. The downstream site revealed a larger number of snails, including one blood snail.
Meanwhile, pH testing was led by NES intern Keanu Harawira, with additional support from Gemma Langley of Muri Environment Care, who provided equipment for the activity.
The session was designed to mirror NES’s own stream monitoring methods and demonstrate how waterway health is influenced by environmental pressures and land use.
Back in the classroom, students will now analyse their data and reflect on how these findings connect to larger environmental management challenges in the Cook Islands.
