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Students from Otago Boys’ High School are swapping textbooks for alpine landscapes as part of an Education Outside the Classroom programme at Aoraki / Mount Cook National Park.
The programme is led by Department of Conservation ranger Lisa Winterfeldt, who describes the lessons as taking place in “the highest classroom in New Zealand”.
Learning in the alpine environment
The Year 12 geography students travelled to the national park to study how landscapes and plant species change over time and at altitude.
“You can look at this in books, but when you see how dramatic the changes are, how the glaciers move, and the different plant species, the students are blown away,” Lisa says.
“When we walk up to Red Tarns, you’re looking straight out at Aoraki which is stunning.”
Lisa, a former teacher, now delivers DOC’s Education Outside the Classroom programme, funded by the Ministry of Education.
Tourism icon becomes outdoor classroom
The students gathered data on plant species and ecological patterns across different alpine zones.
Otago Boys’ High School head of social science Sam Bradbury-Leather says the Aoraki environment provides a unique learning opportunity.
“Aoraki/Mount Cook is a fabulous place for learning how different plants adapt and survive in alpine environments.
“The DOC team did an awesome job of engaging the 44 students on a huge range of geographical issues in the Aoraki National Park area.”
Inspiring future conservation awareness
Lisa says the programme also helps students better understand native species and conservation challenges.
“Some of them have never seen snow before, let alone walked 1200 metres up a mountain.
“I want to inspire them to get out naturing – this is a first experience for some of them, and I know they’re very keen to do more.”
