Natural Resources
NRE News - Student Musings
Vol 1 May 2005
Postgrad perspective | Poetry | 2nd Pro field trip | 3rd Pro field trip
A Postgraduate’s perspective
My name is Yan ( Sarah) Zhou and I am pursuing an ME in NRE under the direction of Dr Painter. As part of my Master's, I am also taking 5 Master's papers in the Department of Civil Engineering. As an international student from Tangshan, a new industrial city in the north of China, I graduated from He Bei University of Technology in China with a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering.
Upon arriving in Christchurch, I was very impressed by the welcoming people, beautiful scenery and garden city appeal. I chose to study at the University of Canterbury as it has a great reputation amongst international students. I have found my supervisor and other lecturers very knowledgeable and supportive; they are always enthusiastic to answer a variety of questions, even if it is just about the English language sometimes!
I participated in the annual NRE Fieldtrip this year and found it a wonderful experience. I learnt a lot of practical information as we visited a dairy farm, mining site, aquaculture centre etc. During each site visit, we met with engineers who explained the problem(s) and technologies employed to treat the problem(s) in their occupations. We also met with people in the Regional Councils who explained all about natural resource management in New Zealand, which is vital to our study. It was quite encouraging to hear how employment opportunities for graduates are healthy and that a degree in NRE is well valued by a variety of employers.
Besides the curricular aspects of the fieldtrip, I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the ‘Kiwi’ culture from undergraduate students and lecturers alike. This included a campfire evening and guitar session on the beach in Pohara and judging the ‘most innovative worst dressed’ competition held impromptu on the last night. Overall, this was a superb opportunity for me to experience the fantastic scenery of the South Island while learning about NRE practical applications in New Zealand. In all, I feel very lucky to have this opportunity to study Natural Resources Engineering.
The NRE Fieldtrip
a poem by 2nd Pro - Kent Jacobsen
We left from the Uni about half past 8
Piling into the minivans and out of the gate.
The wind a blowing gale, road works galore
Over to the west coast and rain continued
to pour.
We drove around a coal mine and the day got
darker
The trip carried on, through Westport and
Takaka.
The jazzman (Matt) played guitar, down on
the beach,
Where we’d built a great fire, and had
a drink each.
Our backs were hurting from the seats in the
van
As we toured the salmon farm and a small hydro
dam.
In Blenheim we examined their great feats
of irrigation
By now all these places had given us such
inspiration!
Kaikoura raved about how they were so clean,
Cutler was glued, because he is so ‘green’.
The last day of the trip, we were sad to leave
Behind us New Zealand’s NRE built schemes.
Just as the van seats were proving quite painful
We arrived at the last stop; the new Christchurch
landfill.
We got back to the Uni about 5 that night,
With Gareth keeping his clothes on to everyone’s
delight.
As for driving the distance and leading the
way,
We thank our NRE staff for the great week
away.
The NRE Fieldtrip 2005 – a synopsis by 2nd Pro
A rude awakening by an alarm clock for an early start signalled the beginning of the annual Natural Resources Engineering Field Trip for 2005. A bleary-eyed gathering beside Creyke Rd, the arrival of three vans for transport, bags packed, all aboard, and then we were off.
First stop was the Lincoln University Dairy farm, with a look at the integrated waste management system and the potential for seepage into the local aquifer. From there we went on to Arthur’s Pass to visit the D.O.C. centre and discuss the issues and inputs of D.O.C in the local area. There was a brief pause at the Viaduct lookout before our next stop. Bad weather and dense fog undermined (excuse the pun) the Strongman Mine site visit, making it hard to appreciate the processes and scale of the operations. A local council engineer and a recent engineering graduate spoke to us that evening at the ‘Denniston Dog’ pub in Westport about job and career opportunities in general, and about what their jobs entailed. The rest of the evening was taken up by socializing including playing pool; revealing some rather sharp lecturer pool-sharks.
From Westport we drove through Buller Gorge on to Takaka to tour the Fonterra plant. After this tour, we looked at the King Salmon Hatchery and the Pupu Springs Power station. Then it was on to the Pohara camping ground to sort out rooms. After dinner, a bonfire was cranked out on the beach, with some token beach guitar accompaniment and sing-a-longs entertaining some visiting tourists. Then it was into town to peruse the bright lights of Takaka, albeit on a Tuesday night.
Wednesday saw a trip to the Nelson Aquaculture centre, then on to Marlborough to look at the new winery irrigation development. After that we went into town to study the Taylor River management through the city centre and looked at the Lower Wairau River and the effects of aggradation and flood control thereof. Part of the last night was spent with a local Blenheim pub ‘enduring’ a rather creative best shirt competition put on by the Nat. Res. crew, for which loose rules were strictly adhered to. Second Pro won by a narrow majority but donated their prize to 3rd Pro.
With the final dawn rising, we were on an early morning mission to return to Christchurch by 5pm. First up, the Blind River irrigation scheme, then on to Kaikoura to discuss the local waste management processes and the future of development in the region. The last stop for the trip was the Kate Valley landfill site in Waipara before reaching home that evening. The large amount of travelling proved a lot for many, with the utilisation of sugar in the form of M and M’s® and Skittles® pulling some through, and sending others into conniptions. Overall, the sites visited offered a large and useful scope of potential opportunities and applications pertaining to Natural Resources Engineering. It would be a shame if 2nd Pro were not able to experience this trip in future years due to insufficient funds for hire of a larger coach.
2nd Pro NRE Students by the Restored Okeover Stream outside Engineering.
3rd Pro Human Ecology Field Trip with Dr Keith Morrison
The field trip began on Easter Monday and headed to the West Coast bush for an exciting 7 nights in tents. The group consisted of 3rd Pro NRE and some Lincoln University students headed by Keith Morrison. Such a diverse range of people led to predictions of a ‘social meltdown’ during the week but the extra food rations carried by most students were thankfully never needed.
The object of the field trip was to undertake a ‘wilderness retreat’ and replicate a community away from urban society. It offered students the chance to get away from town and reflect on morals, ethics and the natural environment. Part of the programme involved meditation and group sharing sessions; talking about what we had been thinking and where it fits into the world.
The organisation of the trip was left largely up to us, the students, while Keith facilitated and guided us in our ideas. We planned the gear required, the shopping for food, equipment and the facilities we were going to require while away. Some students did the shopping on the Easter Monday, while others gathered shelter, tools and cooking utensils. It was a real exercise in implementing teamwork.
We stayed the first night at Lake Kaniere, inland from Hokitika, and were up early on Tuesday to begin walking at 9 am. The Coast had turned on a typical wet day so our gear was soaking as we packed, as if it wasn’t heavy enough already! The walk in was a steady 5-6 hours up the valley with most of the troop arriving at the campsite by 3 pm. The site was located at the junction of Wren Creek and the Toaroha River. At the campsite, there are some hot pools, and the river has some nice swimming holes and an amazing gorge. The water temperature was very cold but when the sun finally came out (on day 3!), the group had an awesome day swimming and ‘plunging’ from hot pools to the river and back again! Three crazy individuals decided to swim the gorge while others jumped from a large rock into the river.
After two days of sunshine, the clouds and rain returned to remind us of what makes a rainforest so called. The days were spent cooking breakfast and bread, and other domestic duties in between Keith’s lectures and discussions in the late morning and after dinner. The field trip enabled the group to develop a sense of what communities have to offer and what we require, in terms of physical needs and social interaction. In addition, a sense of nurturing and feedback with the environment was developed, which enabled the group to see the human/environment interaction as a two-way relationship in which both parties have needs and limitations. The themes of stewardship, sustainability and democracy were common values shared and developed by the group during the trip and, over the 7 days, a real sense of community and comradeship emerged.
Group Campfire
Preparing for morning lectures
The end of the journey was cold and wet but everyone was in good spirits and glad to be heading for the hot showers. The trip wound down with everyone gathering at Greymouth for fires on the beach, and in the morning a final lesson and debrief took place over coffees at a nice café. The 3rd Pro NRE students were then picked up in the afternoon and headed off on the annual joint 2nd and 3rd Pro field trip. A group project is planned describing our experiences and thoughts during our time away and will be published as a booklet and on the internet.