Eye On Nature Family Day Event 2019

South Auckland's biggest environmental event, is back for 2019!

Adventure into the forest at the Eye on Nature Whanau Day.

Eye on Nature takes children and their families on an experiential journey through our native New Zealand forest, learning how the health of the forest and all its inhabitants impacts the health of us all.

After the annual event was cancelled in April 2018 due to extreme weather, organisers from the Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust (MBCT) have been dedicated to ramping this event up for thousands of school children and families to enjoy this year. With the overall vision 'to plant a seed and grow a young mind’ this event will focus on the theme ‘Healthy Trees, Healthy Me, Hauora Rākau, Hauora Ahau’.

Open to the public and at no cost, the Family Day will present a myriad of events and activities to entertain and educate young minds. The aim of the family day is to wrap up the learnings of the school days and engage parents and communities members too.

Visitors will leave the outdoor environmental expo with an understanding of the key role our forest plays in combatting pollution and climate change, as well as the ecosystems, biodiversity and interdependence within the forest community, and human influence on these. Children will learn how to identify risks to the forest in their own school and community and the importance of being an environmental leader in the restoration or protection of their local bush.

During the Family Day, budding chefs will demonstrate their skills in the cooking competition, with high school students competing 'MasterChef' style watched-on by the judges and public. School children will show their creativity with a creative arts competition based on ‘Friend or Foe’. The Eye on Nature competitions are open to schools Auckland wide.

An activity for every age; including guest speaker, Riki Bennett who will navigate the bush as a Maori storyteller and environmentalist, and show visitors how to discover and identify native trees and the special uses for them in navigation, construction, food and medicine.

Plus, build your own pest tracking system to discover what pests animals are threatening the forest in your community; receive the tools to make a pledge to become sustainable in one area of your life; learn how be a part of Predator Free 2020; come along and learn how to upcycle T-shirts; watch cooking demonstrations; support cultural performances; and learn all about how a healthy tree means a healthy you!

Check out our event page, pack a picnic and head on down to the Auckland Botanic Gardens on Saturday 30 March 2019!