Teacher-in-charge / Acting President: Mr Angus Mackay
Email: a.mackay@kingscollege.school.nz

Secretary and Consultant on all matters botanic: Mrs. Joy Leonard    
Email: j.leonard@kingscollege.school.nz

As 'acting president' until the return of Mr.Robson (who, incidentally will be attending the ARC Environmental Awards, with Mrs. Leonard - Kings’ College has been selected as a finalist), I have no long-term vision to implement. However I do have some short term goals:
1.    Maintenance of the “stream regeneration project”, through mulching, weeding and further small-scale planting of native plants along the stream banks and the Mackay Trail.

This will be achieved through the integration of the Environmental Society and a “Volunteer Section” made up of a cross-section of the school populous, who have kindly given up of their time to commit to an hour of “community service” each Friday afternoon.  There will also be some Sunday morning “volunteers”.

Year 9 and Year 10 student groups will also be involved in the “stream re-generation” project during biology lessons, where it is related to their Ecology Studies, with the aim of a greater appreciation of “ownership/conservation” of their local surroundings and in particular the re-generation of a native ecosystem.

2.    To engineer/ construct a “natural” pond area local to the Mackay Bridge to enable the planting of native pond plants, as an additional point of interest for walkers of the Mackay Trail In particular it is hoped to create a natural, safe habitat for the endangered, often heard, but little seen NZ North Island Barking Tree-Frog.

3.    Finally, if time permits it is hoped to construct a picnic/ barbeque/ teaching area well protected by well-established trees with a view down the first part of the Mackay Trail. This will require the building of a wooden- front to the high ground to support the area and prevent erosion, followed by laying down of appropriate quantities of stones/ gravel as fillers, a covering of mulch/ sawdust. Then tables and benches could be secured to the ground to create the final product… the actual planning/ design has yet to be verified and given building permission.

Of course we are always looking for any budding environmentalists to join the society and help us to manage this ecological on-site gem!! 1 hour a week + the occasional Sunday morning can not be too much to ask for…!

If interested please e-mail me, or come and see me in the Biology department (B1).

Angus Mackay