Please find the Experiencing Marine Reserves panui below. Even though the school/community group participation confirmation date has passed (sorry we got this out late), if you are in the area we are sure it would be a great event to be involved in!
Get involved this Conservation Week - join in on the world first – marine reserve human chain event!!!!
The Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme would like to invite you or your organization to support or participate in the Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve Human Chain event on Wednesday 16thSeptember 2009 (Friday the 18th back up). This is an exciting event that will make a huge difference to awareness in our community, go down in history, be nationally televised and you or your organization could support or be a part of it.
This Marine Reserve was proposed by Kamo High School students and was formerly established by the Department of Conservation in October 2006. Nearing the reserves third birthday, the human chain event will follow the strong student voice and action, and world first traditions of this marine reserve through an estimated 1188 Northland students and community members linking arms on the landward boundary to form a human chain around the Motukaroro/Reotahi site of the Whangarei Harbour marine reserve. Boats will be anchored around the seaward boundary. Advanced safety procedures and plans will be in place on the day. This event will help raise awareness of the reserve boundaries on a local and national scale, promote community guardianship with a goal of reducing the number of infringements within the reserve, celebrate the upcoming anniversary as part of Conservation Week and put the Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve on the map.
When: Wednesday 16th September 2009
10am-11am arrival McLeod’s Bay, 11.00-12.00 human chain event, 1pm finish.
Where: Event registration will take place at Reotahi carpark, end of Beach Rd, Reotahi, Whangarei Heads. Parking will be available at McLeod’s Bay and traffic management will be provided by Transfield. Buses will also park here and students will walk to registration.
What: All students, teachers and helpers register in the Reotahi carpark between 10 and 11am, they will then be directed to appropriate place on the boundary and link arms, aerial photographs will then be taken. All schools will receive an information pack and an aerial photo as proof of participation.
Who: The majority of participants involved in this event are Northland school students, school staff and their associated support people (family members etc.). 1188 students in total.
How: Due to the seaside nature of the location and number of students involved, safety planning is a high priority. All safety planning and coordination will be carried out by EMR coodinators. The chain boundary has been broken down into 6 stages based on difficulty and access. There is one part of the chain that is unsuitable for people to man, so a rope will be used.
We need your help!
To make this event possible, we need volunteers to help with supervision of the various stages of the human chain on the day. Before the event, supervisors will be fully briefed by event managers (EMR staff). Supervisors will be designated to groups of students as they arrive on the day. The supervisor will be equipped with a hand held radio, high visibility vest and whistle. There will be a minimum of 1 fully briefed supervisor per 60 students (2 classes), totalling 20. If more volunteer supervisors are available they will be allocated at 1 supervisor per 30 students, totalling 40. (students will come equipped with teachers and parents to make 1:8 student to adult ratio)
Below details the roles and support required for this event:
- Participation from schools and community groups
- A minimum of 20 - 40 human chain stage supervisor volunteers.
- First Aid Personnel to man a first aid station
- Traffic direction volunteers to assist at each of the 3 parking sites (Manaia Club, McLeods bay and Reotahi)
- Skippers and boats to help form the seaward boundary
- Tee Shirt Sponsor for event (1188 tee shirts required)
- Media coverage and promotion of event
- Loan Walkie Talkies
Can your organization help?
Please send details of how you can support with regards to the 8 aspects outlined above, by emailing info@emr.org.nz by 20th August 2009. If you have a school or community group that wishes to participate, please ask them to fill out the form attached at bottom.
Regards
Samara Nicholas, Kim Boyle & Nicki Wakefield
Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR)
EMR is a programme of the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust. Other programmes we have developed include the Whitebait Connection, Mangrove Discovery and Drains to Harbour (DTH) stormwater programme for schools in the Whangarei District. As a charitable entity, our Trust receives funds from infringement fines when people are caught breaking the rules inside the Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve. We want to use this money to organise this event so that it is going back into the reserve in a positive way and hopefully preventing future offences. This event is also supported by the Department of Conservation, Whangarei Area Office. A decision to go ahead with the human chain event based on safety, logistics and support will be made on 28/08/09.
Confirmation of School or Community Group Attendance
Our school or group wishes to attend the Human Chain event to celebrate the Whangarei Harbour Marine Reserve on 16th September 2009
Name of School or group……………………………………………………………………………
Contact phone………………………………………………………………………………
Contact email ………………………………………………………………………………….
Name of contact teacher or person ………………………………………………………………………
Number of buses or estimated vehicles requiring parking……………………………………………
Number of students or people participating (please provide year levels)……………………………
Number of adults (teachers and helpers)………………………………………………………………
RSVP by Friday 20th August 2009
Or by sending in self-addressed envelope included (please add postage) by 20th August 2009
