Water Quality Education and Awareness

In late 2012 VEPA was donated a water quality educational pack from Melbourne Water Corporation and Baulderstone Pty Ltd.  The pack is designed to teach students about different water quality parameters, including dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH, temperature, nitrates and phosphates.

Since receiving the equipment we have had fun teaching students about water quality, including how to monitor various parameters and what impacts human activities can have on water quality.   The equipment has also been used to assist the ministry of Environment and Climate change to measure water quality at the rehabilitated rubbish dump.

USP Student (Josh) measuring dissolved oxygen

For the first Nature Explorers Club students from the University of South Pacific measured the temperature, pH, Dissolved Oxygen and Electro Conductivity in the Port of Refuge.   I also did a presentation to the Form 5 biology students at Mailefihi Siuiliku College and afterwards we measured the DO concentration from a water with algae.  Not a scientifically sound measurement, but it taught the students about DO and what role it plays in keeping a healthy ecosystem.   It was also a good example of how algae can reduce the DO concentration. 

Presentation to Form 6 Biology students at MSC

In my previous job I used to do water quality monitoring by just sticking a couple of probes in the water.  Technology has made water quality monitoring very accurate and extremely simple.   Unlike the advanced equipment I am used to the equipment donated uses a modified Winkler method, chemical reactions to calculate the dissolved oxygen concentration.  This is not as accurate as a probe but much more exciting!  The students were mesmerized when the water turned purple (manganese oxide hydroxide oxidizing the iodide to iodine) and then clear again by adding the titration (thiosulfate) to reduce the iodine back to iodide ions. 

Thank you to the Water Resource Alliance for donating the equipment. 

We are hoping to do more presentations in the other high schools over the next two weeks and continue to do the dissolved oxygen exercise to teach the students about the important relationship between oxygen levels and maintaining a healthy aquatic ecosystem.     

Elana Balderstone

VEPA Volunteer (Aus Aid)

Santa Came Early for VEPA this year

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a blog for VEPA.  We have been so active over the last couple of months with the lovely international volunteer Vicky managing the coral reef nursery out at Matamaka (sad to see her go), the Nature Explorers Club, Karen and Kate rescuing turtles and running workshops for the board.  

The new year will be a busy time for VEPA as in the last month we have successfully been awarded not one but TWO grant applications, and an unofficial acceptance on another.  In addition to this The Vava’u Turtle Monitoring Program has been awarded the Prince Bernhard Nature Fund, which will supply funding to purchase a vehicle, rent for an office space and office equipment. 

The excitement started when we found out VEPA was successful in getting funding for a joint composing project with the Women’s Division in the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries Forestry and Farming (MAFF).  The New Zealand High Commission has kindly funded this project and we will start building the compost at the MAFFF farm in January 2013.   Following the construction of the compost a series of composting workshops will be held for the women’s groups of Vava’u.  We will show them a variety of easy low cost compost types, which will not only improve soil quality but also reduce the amount of green waste being burnt. 

In the village of Toula the Australian High Commission will be funding a waste management and recycling project.  Two recycling stations will be set up where residents can separate their plastic, aluminium cans, steel cans and glass.  These cages will be collected once they are full and taken to GIO Recycling.  VEPA will be assisting Toula to plan, implement and monitor the project.

Lastly, but arguably the most exciting, it looks like VEPA will get funding to employ a part time project manager and run a year long project on sustainable mangrove management.   We will keep you updated when the official agreement has been signed.  

The new year will also bring a new office space.  We are currently looking at a cosy little space, ideally located in the centre of town with a ‘terrible’ view of the beautiful Neiafu Harbour.   This space will be shared with Kate, who manages the Vava’u Turtle Monitoring Program.

I hope all the VEPA followers have a wonderful Christmas and I look forward to updating you on VEPA’s activities in 2013.

Ofa atu

Elana

Exploring the microscopic community

Vepa was very kindly donated a microscope kit last year by the Department of Land and Natural Resources in Canada, through Don Marks who lives here and runs a snorkel boat.

The microscope is being currently used to aid the biology study for these students who are having great fun exploring the microscopic environment.

Again, VEPA would like to extend its gratitude to all our donors and look forward to more of these experiences for the youth of Tonga and conservation of our resources.