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Devon Intermediate School has been involved with 60 Springs since its inception in 2008. Over the last four years students have investigated Pukekura Park, produced award-winning films, researched and enhanced a wetland area, been on camp and participated in workshops on survival and all things Mount Taranaki. Read all about it below.

Earlier in the year, Nathan Hills supported Devon Intermediate’s whole school camp at Corbett Park, Oākura by running an outdoor survivor workshop. The students were forced to think about the challenges of surviving in an isolated environment. They also engaged in some survivor-style events, during which teams of students were pitted against each other to solve mental and physical challenges. They had to solve and walk through a hidden maze, build an escape-proof chicken enclosure using bamboo strips and string and, as a team, design a sustainable village.

Later in 2011, the 60 Springs team was called upon to participate in the school’s “Conservation on the Mountain” camp. Nathan ran workshops on non-invasive animal tracking techniques. This included a short talk about the significant species on the mountain, a hands-on animal footprint-tracking workshop, short videos from a night vision camera and a plant identification workshop. One lucky group had Nathan as its leader for a five-hour tramp during which he conducted workshops during rest breaks. 

- Plants Matter – investigate the biodiversity of plants needed for a wetland, design a planting plan.

- Where The Wild Things Are? – research and recommend a selection of birds, insects, lizards and wild life that could be encouraged into the wetland development.

- Legal Eagles – find out what the planning requirements are from NPDC e.g. removal of trees, planting new species, digging a pond and putting in a board walk.

- Food for Thought – survey the requirements of the school and the teachers.

After completing these tasks, the students then prepared a wetlands proposal, which was presented to the Board of Trustees in November 2010.

“During this process we looked at two historic wetlands, Umutekai and Waipu, Bell Block. We learnt about the importance of biodiversity and how developing our own wetland could provide an important teaching resource. The Peringa Park wetland showed us how an area can be developed and the importance of wetlands for improving water quality. We also visited St Joseph’s School, Waitara and Spotswood Primary and discussed with staff and students how their wetlands were used. We learnt that as the stream at Devon Intermediate has developed into a storm water drain we are unable to alter stream flow or banks. However, the Council is supportive of us improving the area with planting, seating and pathways. This means that apart from tree removal no major development is required. It is also envisaged that this project can happen in three stages. The first stage includes tree removal along the banks, planting and the creation of a teaching area in the western corner.” (Excerpt from the students’ proposal).

An award-winning film was just one of many creative results of Devon Intermediate’s work with 60 Springs in 2009. This year they continued the investigative studies began in 2008 within the rich environment of New Plymouth’s Pukekura Park. Students visited the park and with their scientific glasses on, honed in on glow worms, frogs, freshwater crayfish (koura), water velocity, duck feeding behaviour, community playground use and data logger construction. They were then divided into groups to work alongside five local creative professionals to explore different ways to present their research. Derek Hughes, Keith Finnerty, Greg Muter, Andrew Hornblow and Rachel Berndt were all at the students fingertips, offering support and advice in photography, film making, graphic design, electronics and community surveying. What a line up!

The field trips were completed over two days and nights and the remainder of work with the professionals occurred at the school. The students put together two funny, informative and engaging films on glow worms and freshwater crayfish. The latter was entered into the 2009 Outlook for Someday: The Sustainability Film Challenge for Young People and won the Ministry of Youth Development Youth Participation Award as well as being one of the top 20 videos. Educational flyers on frogs and fish were produced in conjunction with Greg Muter. Data loggers were designed and built to monitor the environmental conditions in the park. Information collected was also used for math’s and science fair projects. 

The 60 Springs schools programme began back in 2008 with Devon Intermediate as the pilot school. Supported by educator Nathan Hills, students got their hands dirty investigating Pukekura Park and all its natural hidden gems, specifically its frogs, insects (including glow worms), birds and native fish.

Two classes of Year 7/8 students took part in a number of exciting and rewarding day and night field trips to the park. They were split into eight project teams and, with their scientific hats on, gathered data that was then shared via the Pukekura Park kete. The teams then took turns behind a camera experimenting with film as a way to present their research findings. With these first attempts at filmmaking the Year 7 fish group won its category in the EMAP Koura Kraze competition 2008 and the Year 8 teams were highly commended in the Taranaki Regional Council Freshwater Movie Challenge 2008. 

60 Springs is a partnership between Puke Ariki, Shell NZ and Taranaki Regional Council