All things KIWI or a trip to the Auckland Museum

The Auckland  museum is a majestic Georgian style building located in a beautiful park called the Domain.

After a long first day, my plans were to spend time learning about New Zealand's natural history.  The museum is magnificent!  The first exhibit that I entered was a wildlife photography contest that highlighted winners from all age groups and from all over the world.  This was the award winning photograph and every picture told a story, captured more than just images, and had everyone admiring in awe.       Next exhibit was on the evolution of wildlife in NZ.  Seeing the birds "stuffed" is not quite my preferred manner, but it did give me a perspective of size and class of the different species.  On to the Native Maori exhibition and to view some of the wooden carvings that they are knows for creating.  I just did a quick overview as I have more opportunities to have the Maori cultural experiences on my journey.  The exhibit that captured my interest was the "Volcano" exhibit.  The history of the volcanic formation of NZ was presented in time lapsed video.  To say that the formation of NZ has been violent is an understatement.  And, as the Tongarriro eruption yesterday proves, it is not over yet.  New Zealand volcanoes are subduction in nature as opposed to "hot spot" areas like Hawaii.  The difference is that hot spot volcano are spawned by hot lava building up pressure and exploding, sending the hot lave flowing down the mountainside, while the hot gases escape fairly easily so that of the two types, these can be less damaging.  The subduction volcanoes heat sea water to a temperature which heats and melts the rock, builds pressure and then when it erupts, it does so with an incredible violence due to the steam, the sticky viscosity of the lava, and the gases are trapped in the lava.  Ash spewing from the subduction is around 77% silicone which is what glass is made of.  This means that the ash is full of tiny shards of glass floating in the air and setting on the ground.   Breathing problems can ensue as well as damage to anything it covers.  If cars are covered and you "scrape" the ash off, you will scratch the paint. 



Interactive children's exhibit



Volcano Erupts!

Awoke on my second morning, flipped on the news to hear that Tongarriro, a volcano located in the middle of the North Island, had erupted around midnight.  The monitoring systems had not indicated any upcoming events, so it was lucky it was in the  middle of the night when no one was hiking on the range.  Hot rocks of "good size" flew about one kilometer and ash was spewed over towards the east coast.  Some roads were closed and flights cancelled.  This was not a big event, but it was still a volcanic eruption while I am here.  I had originally scheduled a hike over Tongarriro, but not anymore!      

Now, the picture is obviously NOT this particular eruption as it was taken during daylight.  But, it was taken on NZ of a previous volcano.  And, the WARNING sign was posted in the museum to keep children from climbing on the display, but I think this warning now speaks to me! 

Rangitoto: the Hike and Succesion of Ecosystem

Black volcanic rock

The hike was posted to be "fairly easy" and take about "an hour".  I do not think they factored in someone doing this on the day they arrived into NZ at 6 a.m after 24 hours of travel.  But, I took the hour time as a challenge.  When we docked, the first very noticeable sight that we are on volcanic rock is the "blackness" (if there is such a word) of the terrain where plants are not growing.  I started down the road to find the "hour long" trail head.  For the first 2 -3 minutes, it could have been a walk in any park or forest with a well defined sandy path with lush growth on each side.                                                                                                                                                                               As I rounded a slight curve, I saw my first lava field.  This is what the entire island would have looked like after the eruption 600 years ago.  The hot lava cooled on the top first and since lava was still flowing underneath the solidified lava, it caused the lava to crumble into fields of ankle twisting rock.

As years passed and weathering eroded the lava rock into fertile soil, plants began to take root. Plants could be seeded by birds, wind, and natural succession.  Some of the plants on Rangitoto defy normal habitats.  For example, mangroves in the rest of the world live in coastal water ecosystems.  Here they can survive on the rocky terrain by sending their roots down to find water. The DOC paths are crushed lava rock.  It is literally impossible to walk on the natural lava fields.  And, in the summer with high temperatures and more direct sun, the hike is incredibly hot due to the rocks absorption of solar energy.  I am glad it was in the 60's for my hike.  As you can see in the pictures, the vegetation is encroaching on the lava fields.  The roots of the established vegetation break down more rocks, allowing for the growth to expand.

      









 

View of Auckland from the top of Rangitoto




View to the North



Proof that I was there and did not get pictures off the Internet!



 

Southern Black Backed Gull



View of downtown Auckland that greeted me upon return to the B and B.















Rangitoto: Reclamation





Day one.  After settling in the B and B in the early morning hours, listening to the weather report and deciding to change my schedule due to rain the following day, I left for the wharf to catch the ferry to Rangitoto Island.  At the wharf, many warnings are given about transporting Bio-hazards, which include seeds, rats, mice, and skinks.                                    Rangitoto is the newest of the islands that make up New Zealand.  The volcano erupted about 600 years ago and created the unfriendly land mass.  Upon disembarking the ferry, the history of reclaiming Rangitoto as a natural area by the citizens of NZ, with support from the DOC (Department of Conservation), was well documented and posted.  In the last two hundred years, the island was used as a recreational location for social occasions as well as a permanent residence for a few families.  Non-native species, such as the wallaby, were introduced to the island, which later shook the balance of the ecosystem. The possum also invaded the island and together, the two marsupials stripped trees of their foliage, causing forests to be decimated. Also rats, mice, and skinks would stowaway on boats or slip into camping equipment, luggage, or packages which added to the imbalance of the ecosystem.            Volunteers in the 1970's worked with the approval of DOC to reclaim Rangitoto to its original native ecosystem.   The island does not support a large variety of birds as it is not friendly to most due to a lack of fresh water and food.  But, a few species of birds will nest on Rangitoto.  The possums would eat the eggs and baby birds, throwing the ecosystem further out of balance.  Volunteers set traps to catch mice,

rats, possums and wallabies.  Ants and skinks were eradicated.  The process was long and arduous and even continues today as some pests continue to find transport to the island.  Pets are not allowed on the island, although, on my ferry, there was DOC dog trained to sniff out unwanted inhabitants.  Some questions that came to my mind as I was experiencing the first of several reclaimed ecosystems are:  Why do we not aggressively work towards eradication of non-native species in some ecosystems?   How can we rally volunteers to tackle these issues as done in NZ?  Why are we so seemingly "behind" in this type of ecosystem reclamation?

Arrival in New Zealand

The travel to NZ was smooth sailing, just a very long trip of over 24 hours door to door.  My lovely hosts at Ascot Parnell B and B sent me a "warning" e-mail about hiking and camping equipment coming into the country.  Thanks to their advice, I took a scrub brush to my hiking boots to remove any traces of mud or debris that could possibly bring seeds or any other contaminants into NZ.  When you come through customs, if you have not claimed hiking or camping equipment, or they find the boots/equipment have not been sanitized, there is a fine of $200.  The Kiwis take Bio-security very seriously which I find as a wonderful precursor to my studies on conservation and sustainability.  Oh, and upon inspection, the officer commented "Very nice, you could give lessons".                                                  

                                                     Bart met me as soon as I left customs and transported me to their lovely B and B.  Fortunately, I did sleep for about 6-7 hours on the 12 hour flight from LA to Auckland so I was ready to explore Auckland. And this is winter??  It was absolutely gorgeous.  Blue skies, temperature in the 60's, and a crisp fall feeling in the air.  The weather forecast for the following day was rain, so I decided to catch a ferry to Rangitoto for a hike. Lesson number 1:  Never leave without rain protection.  Within five minutes of heading to a bank to exchange currency, the rain began.  So, back to the B and B to grab my jacket.  Lesson number 2:  Always carry a rain jacket so it won't rain!  



View of Downtown Auckland from ferry



        Auckland is a very friendly city.  Known as the "City of Sails", it is a natural harbor that provides the local economy the opportunity to ship over $5 billion in goods overseas,  mostly fresh produce and animal products. The people are relaxed, non-hurried, and helpful.  In one of the guide books that I read before arriving, it stated that the Kiwis have a great sense of humor. If asked where something is located, they will reply "It is just a bit down the road". And the guide book author stated that could be a few kilometers to over 100. When walking back from the ferry yesterday to the B and B, I got a little turned around along the way, so I asked several people for directions to Parnell.  I had to laugh when most replies were "It is just a bit over there" or "It is quite a bit over there" or "You have a good bit to go".  And, just so you know, the farthest of the three is "you have a good bit to go"; which is not what you want to hear when you are feeling jet lag and have just hiked to the top of Rangitoto, a volcano.

                                                                                                                                                                            

Per FFT, in twenty five words or less, describe your journey to New Zealand.  I did it in 22! (But it probably took me 25 times to get it to 25 or less.)

So if you want the short version, here it is:

Explore diverse ecosystems and conservation in New Zealand to assist students in understanding the delicate balance for survival of man and nature.

Guess that about says it all.

FUNd for Teachers

FUNd for Teachers

Mission Statement for Fund for Teacher:

“Fund for Teachers enriches the personal and professional growth of teachers by recognizing and supporting them as they identify and pursue opportunities around the globe that will have the greatest impact on their practice, the academic lives of their students and on their school communities.”          OK, so I took the bait.  I applied for a grant.  I wrote 8,000 words about where I wanted to go, what I wanted to study, and how this journey would enhance my classroom teaching.   I was sort of last minute, ok…last two weeks, in writing the grant.  Research, e-mails, Google, tour books, and some sleepless nights helped me find the words to create the journey of a lifetime.  My first statement in the grant was, “The saying “you are never too old to learn” is one I embrace. One of the primary goals to obtain the fellowship is to inspire students to not be just lifelong learners, but to be lifelong thinkers.  Not every student will strive to be an environmentalist, conservation extraordinaire, or superb steward of the earth, but it is my hope to assist them to develop a keen awareness of and sensitivity to environmental issues.”  There, I am done.  But wait; now I only need 7,923 more words!  And the words came.  I read and re-read, spell checked and grammar checked, and kept thinking…is this good enough?  After reading the application for the umpteenth time, I finally had the nerve to hit SEND. Then, I had to try to put it in the back of my mind, filed in the “Wait and See” folder which is located right next to the “Anxious Anticipation” folder in the far reaches of my mind.   The day the envelope arrived, I almost missed getting my mail at school.  But, luckily, Andrea was there and unlocked the door…do I open it now or slide it in my bag to open at home?  With childish abandon, I opened and stood there just staring at the word “Congratulations”….that was all I needed to read and I ran out the door!                                                                                                                                                                              As I look back on the process of writing the grant, my very first statement is holding true to my goals.  I will accomplish those first critical words, which have not changed.  But what has changed is how I will accomplish those goals.  My application was focused on just the North Island but I soon learned that I should plan some time on Stewart Island which is at the very southern tip of the South Island.  Perrin with FFT, graciously accepted my change of plans.  She understands that the trip can evolve and change to become a journey.                                                                                                                                                There are so many people to thank.  First, thank you to Fund for Teachers for fulfilling my dream to study in New Zealand, to my co-teachers and administrators who inspire me to be the best I can be as they set the bar high every day,  to my family who supports me so that I may take this journey (I love you!), to my friends who are sharing in my excitement, to Bob who realizes that I am a true Science Geek and that we need to explore New Zealand by tramping (hiking) on a future trip, and to all the Kiwis (New Zealanders) that I have met on-line and have made me feel welcome even before my arrival.  I look forward to hearing from each of you during my journey. And, if you are so inclined, prayers for safe travel will be appreciated, especially when I get behind the wheel of the car and drive on the LEFT (OMG!).                                                                                                   Cheers,  Anne                                                                                                                                      Link to Fund for Teachers:   http://www.fundforteachers.org/mission-statement.php