A field trip exploring sites along a local river from upper to lower reaches, followed by discussion of the wide range of achievement standards that can be addressed with reference to Wairarapa’s rivers and alluvial landforms. Participants will learn that much of the modern Wairarapa landscape is a result of the interplay of tectonic uplift and climate cycles over the past million years. They will explore how the modern river system evolves along its course; how human activities have disrupted the natural flows; the rationale behind current remediation strategies, and mātauranga pūtaiao linked to river processes and histories. Options for observation and data analysis will be discussed in the context of agricultural contaminants, toxic blooms, climate change and ecosystem health.
