Martinborough School year seven and eight students with their catch of fish from Lake Ferry after cleaning up the lake’s shores last week. PHOTO/ELI HILL
ELI HILL
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Lake Ferry’s shoreline is clean and ready for summer thanks to the efforts of Martinborough School students.
A group of 24 year seven and eight pupils last week spent a morning collecting rubbish along the lake’s shores. Their haul included a dozen tyres, a rotten milk bottle, and an assortment of glass and plastics.
Year 8 student Libby Hughes said the project was part of the school’s values.
“We always get told to pick up rubbish if you see it, so it’s good to go out into the community and help clean up. If the plastic and rubbish get into the water the fish might eat it and then we eat the fish, it’s no good.”
She hoped that they could be an example to other people using the lake.
“People sit there having barbecues and drinking beer and stuff, then they don’t bother to clean it up and take it home.”
Fellow student Gray Castleton said he enjoyed diving in his spare time and said a clean ocean was important.
“If we clean the lake up, then more people will want to come here and be able to enjoy it like we have.”
Martinborough School teacher Spencer Pallister said, “It’s all about teaching them that an outdoor experience can be more than just fun, it’s a great way to help the community.
“One of our values is respect, this was a good way to show it. They’re respecting their environment and respecting their community.”
As part of the clean-up the students were given a talk on Maori values connected with sustainability and fishing by environmental expert Reuben Raihania Tipoki.
He took the class through the local history as well as providing fresh fish from the lake for the students to take home.
All rubbish collected was disposed of responsibly.
