Goodwood School students gather around their playground jetski after learning about the importance stopping the spread of gold clams from Hannah Newlands.
Goodwood School students were startled to learn freshwater gold clams, first found locally at Bob’s Landing in May and now widespread in Lake Karāpiro, can produce up to 400 offspring a day, principal David Graham said.
Hannah Newlands from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) visited the school recently to help children learn about the invasive species, which is native to eastern Asia and is threatening Waipa waterways.
MPI says the clams are filter feeders that can potentially compete with native species for food and reproduce rapidly, forming large populations that can clog water-based infrastructure such as electricity generation plants and water treatment plants.
People must not knowingly move or spread them or water that may contain them.
Newlands, who is part of MPI’s gold clam response team, used a jetski in the playground to demonstrate the importance of checking, cleaning and drying watercraft, gear and clothing that has come into contact with river water.
“She shared that another prevention practice was to wash down gear, vehicles, watercraft and trailers that has been in contact with river or lake water with tap water onto grass, beside the waterway or at home and not into a stormwater drain system,” Graham said.
“We are a Green-Gold Enviroschool, so learning about ways to protect our environment is a key aspect of our local curriculum.”
