New Zealand/Australia 2019-20

After Melbourne and Bimbi Park our final adventures occurred on Phillip Island. Phillip Island is well-known for its Penguin Parade, Seals, and Koalas — all aspects we are very grateful to have experienced first-hand. However, my personal favorite (and I can confidently say they impressed everyone else as well) was the evening we experienced the Shortail Shearwaters. These birds are wonderful examples of how interconnected our globe is, and just how specialized and well-adapted organisms can become. We learned that these birds follow the summer season, migrating between Alaska and Australia — only touching land to breed, only breeding in Australia. Furthermore, while they are caring for their young in Australia, they are hunting in Antarctica! It takes them only 3-4 days to get there! Every new fact we learned was mind-blowing. Did you know they can sleep while flying? We were lucky enough to be able to watch these birds fly in at dusk.

The walk along the beach to their nesting spots was beautiful, the ocean sun painting the sky as it slipped below the horizon. The rhythmic splashing as the waves greeted the shore. There was even a seal splashing close to the beach! Whether it was playing in the waves or practicing some niche hunting technique, our guides said we were extremely lucky to witness it since seals rarely come that close. Once we reached our observation point on the trail, we settled in along the path and waited. Soon we were welcoming hundreds of Shearwaters home as they awkwardly attempted to ground their flying machines. We sat in silent awe as we listened to their wings whooshing by, their funny calls as they pushed their body to their nest. It was a perfect way to welcome an evening.

-Hannah

 

While our time in Australia was cut short, the two weeks we were lucky enough to spend there were full of amazing lectures, people, and experiences. We learned so much about the First Nation People of Australia’s heritage and culture, as well as being able to get a better understanding of the diverse ecosystems of Australia. Our first week in Australia, we stayed mainly in the Melbourne area, seeing a much more urban side of the country. But at the start of our second week, we drove down the coast to Cape Otways, where we definitely got our fix of the Australian bush, and oh man was it incredible. While in the Otways, we went to Pt. Lookout for an educational nature walk with a man named Richard Collopy, who showed us the importance of the land, and the relationships that the people of that area have cultivated with it for thousands of years. We learned more from him in one morning walk than we ever could have on our own.

Richard knew the land well, he grew up in the area and had an incredible understanding and connection with it. We started our little hike up on a hill overlooking the water, where Richard didn’t just tell us about the edible plants that were there, but showed us where we could find them and let us try them. It was really interesting to see how so many unassuming plants have many different uses for us, far beyond simply aesthetics and creating a beautiful landscape to wander through. We slowly made our way down to the beach where our little feast continued. He showed us that if we dug down into the sand deep enough in the right places there would be fresh drinking water, if we overturned the right rocks there were little sea creatures that, although we had heard from other sources didn’t taste too great, were perfectly edible, and if we looked back towards the hill, some of the plants near the base were edible as well. We truly were surrounded by a small feast without even knowing it. 

Our time in Cape Otways was such a beautiful and informative time, and when I look back at the Australian portion of our trip, it definitely comes back as a highlight for me. We were able to experience things we never had before, while being surrounded by some of the most stunning views. Being able to learn about how First Nation People in the Otways lived for thousands of years was incredible, and not something I will soon forget. Our morning with Richard made me think about how much I really don’t know about the Native American People that lived and continue to live in my area, the Ojibwe, and how much there is to learn about their culture and about the land around me. There is so much to see if you know where to look and are willing to take the time to, and Richard was really able to show that to us. Even though our trip may have been cut short, our exploration of the world around us doesn’t need to end, it is something we can pick right back up again in our own backyards.

-Alex

Howdy hey! It’s Grant!! It’s been a long month since the last blog post, but we are here to say that we are still moving ahead with class. Sadly, due to the coronavirus pandemic, we have had to journey back home to our home states. We were scheduled to leave March 20th from the Melbourne Airport, but had to reroute our flight because we were unable to fly through New Zealand, the country that we had only just left. We left Australia on March 21st, flying to Los Angeles, California, then back to our own homes. Since then, we have all been in quarantine at home, some of us staying together or alone, most of us going home to our own families. Back home, we have had time to reflect on our experience, pondering on how we want to make changes in our own environments. 

 

Reflecting on the talks we had with John Bradley of Monash University, Richard Collopy, and several others throughout the trip, I have been working to learn more about my own local flora and fauna and local indigenous people.  While I grew up appreciating nature and the places around me, I was almost never aware or thinking about the people who had first walked where I was walking. Similarly, I was almost never aware of both the spiritual and medicinal properties that existed in the plants and animals around me. Our teachers in New Zealand and Australia made me aware that these beliefs and practices have existed for millennia, and still exist today. With my time home, I have been lucky enough to read and listen to people who are able to share this knowledge in an effort to gain a better understanding of who and what has come before me, making up for knowledge that I should have learned long ago. As a non-indigenous person, it has been difficult for me to read about what my own ancestors committed only years ago and still do today, but I believe we have the ability to renourish our relationship both with the land and local indigenous peoples if we put mindful and caring energy into our actions. 

-Grant

This week has been such an interesting ride of reflection and transition. Not only have we gone from country to country, but we began a transition to a whole new viewpoint on culture and values. The last nights in Queenstown, ranging from a winery tour to review sessions that gave us time to have  overall reflections on we experienced in New Zealand, were so important to cement the value of all the perspectives that we learned in terms of Environmental Science and Cultural Anthropology. It was harder than expected to say goodbye to our lovely guides, but getting through the airport and customs was one of the easiest airport experiences that most of us have had since security didn’t make us take our shoes off and customs didn’t really check any of our bags. The whole process was only like 5 minutes in security overall.

During our first week in Australia we finally got to experience a cultural anthropology lecture by Thomas Heenan on Australian Culture and Diversity. This talk was such a culture shock in comparison to New Zealand where Maori people and their culture had such a large impact and importance in Kiwi society, because in Australia it is the opposite. It was saddening to draw a parallel to the United States because it shows how ignorant general populations are on their indigenous peoples mainly because it is not taught in schools and ignored. 

I was approached by a woman on the street on the 7th purely because I was of African descent and there is not a large population of us in Australia. She wanted to know if I would be part of her photo/video project that serves the purpose of being a reminder of existence. She told me that she wants to use her project as a reminder that even though you may not see black people around a lot of the time, the photos and videos of us existing and being ourselves in the cities are a record of beautiful existence. A person may not be able to see someone like them in real life, but the knowledge that there are others is enough to inspire people to remember that they are beautiful and supported no matter what. She also talked to me about the mentality of Australians towards aboriginal people on a governmental level. Whenever she asked other Aussies how they felt about the treatment of Aboriginal peoples generally they would say “I think a lot is being done by the government to help them” but not a single person could say what was being done. It really ties into Tom’s talk about mythologising of white australia as a saviour and builder of Australia even if nothing is being done on a large scale. 

 

After this we were guided by Xena, our program facilitator, around downtown Melbourne to look at the street art scene at some important spots like Hosier Lane and Centre Place. Then we visited the Kings Arcade with beautiful architecture and specialty stores. 

Next we rushed back to a guided tour at the Ian Potter Centre which is part of the National Gallery of Victoria. The painting we started the tour with were an opportunity for the guide to explain how biased a lot of representations of First Nation People in Australia is towards a Eurocentric perspective. It is important that they started with the notion of having extremely limited knowledge on First Nation art and the people that make it so that we know that we would have to look deeper and not take everything at face value. The next pieces we saw explained how important art is for telling stories and the immense amount of information that is stored in the tradition of bark paintings. The last section of the tour was about modern First Nation artists that shined light on their marginalisation and the effects that has had on their communities and a warning to restore value in the environment. 

 

-Justin

This week was one of bittersweet change for the group as our time in New Zealand came to a close in Queenstown. We ate some final scoops of ice cream from Patagonia (unrelated to the clothing brand), learned of the intricacies and nuances of New Zealand vineyards, and took a lake-side hike to a bluff where the only thing cooler than the view was the water. Aside from activities, we all took some time to reflect individually and discuss collectively our time here. Kia ora New Zealand…

…and hello Australia! Our first week here will be in Melbourne, and the first couple days have proved to be a biology major’s dream come true! Dr. Richard Reina from University of Monash gave us a lecture concerning terrestrial vertebrate fauna of Australia and the unique adaptations of these animals that make them specifically suited for Australia’s sometimes harsh environment. Continuous hopping, for example, is a movement not typically seen in large mammals, but in Australia, animals like the red kangaroo can carry about 15% extra of their body mass for FREE in terms of energy expenditure by hopping instead of running (see figure below), which makes carrying a baby joey around in their pouch seem pretty feasible. 

What made hearing about all of these unique and awesome animals better was getting to see them all two days later at Healesville Sanctuary! We had exciting opportunities to see native species like parrots, eagles, kangaroos, platypuses, and koalas up close, and in case you haven’t heard how a koala sounds, look it up for a surprisingly terrifying roar. My favorite part of the sanctuary was the dingoes. I sat and journaled by the enclosure for half an hour and recorded some quick sketches and observations below. There were two types of dingoes: tropical and alpine, and each had distinct fur colors and coat textures that made them highly adapted to their environment. 

This week was one of bittersweet change for the group as our time in New Zealand came to a close in Queenstown. Outside of my big biology takeaways, I’ve also enjoyed hearing about Australian political and social culture, seeing Aborigines representations in paintings and as artists, and exploring Melbourne’s museums and sites. I’ll end my update here, but make sure to read Justin’s blog post for another point of view on all of our exciting first moments in Australia! Enjoy a picture of a funky-patterned starfish I found on Brighton Beach, and tune in next week for more.

-Rachel

Our twenty St. Olaf students are creating field drawing while in New Zealand and Australia to help them slow down, observe deeply, savor and remember. A field journal is a notebook in which one records experiences, observations, and questions in the form of writing, drawing, diagramming, poetry, and collecting. When we walk into the world with our journals, we have the opportunity to make observations, forge connections, and ask questions that will deepen our understanding of the world.

We can practice using our senses to observe more closely regardless of our level of writing and drawing experience. The point of field drawing is the activity itself. Field drawing is most often used within scientific disciplines to study the natural world, though it need not be so exclusively.

Each student’s field journal is unique to them, reflecting their personal style. As you can see by the examples of the six field drawings below, there is no one way to keep a field journal. Field journals end up being very personal.

Some students like to record their observations with lists, labels, data, and measurements, while others will write detailed descriptions or poetry. Some students make diagrams, maps or simple sketches and others will make colorful or detailed drawings. A field journal can also be a diary-like account. Students can use whatever tools work best for them to record their observations.

Below is a list of tips for field drawing. Try out field drawing the next time you want to harness and focus your curiosity.

Field Drawing Tips

– Always record the date, time, location and weather for each observation.

– Make sensory observations:

• Slow down and look around, up and down
• Be quiet and listen

• Smell
• Feel: the water, the wind, the texture of a rock

– Record your observations using as much detail as possible. This will help you look more closely, make connections, savor and remember.

– Drawings may be simple or complex, including maps, diagrams, and simple line drawings.

– Record your observations with a description, lists, labels, data, measurements or poetry.

– Record your questions.

– Don’t be too critical or edit your journal entries to the detriment of spontaneity. Let you writing and drawing flow. Crossed out words and imperfect drawings are part of the learning process.

By Ivy Arden

By Anna Von Duyke

By Megan Kartheiser

By Sean Daly

By Rachel Raser

By Grant Marolf

Michon Weeks

Kindly note that the end of this blog post contains a picture of squid dissection and a close up shot of a Dolomedes Spider.

This past week has perhaps been the most wholesome week we have experienced in New Zealand by far (in my opinion at least). We spent almost equal time on all four areas of focus: Cultural Anthropology, Environmental Policy, Terrestrial Ecology and Marine Biology, both through on site learning as well as active participation. We volunteered in local service projects, explored the great outdoors, conducted scientific experiments and were showered in a mairead of informative and engaging talks.

We started off our week by conducting service day in Christchurch. We got to experience first hand New Zealand’s active volunteer and community-based spirit. We worked in a neighbourhood community garden in the morning, digging up corn, processing compost and weeding through the garden plantations. It was interesting learning how a simple garden with aims of bringing the community closer together and providing provisions for the underprivileged managed to lower neighbourhood crime rates by a whopping 40%! After a sweaty morning’s hard work, we were surprised to be rewarded with fresh grown corn, garlic, mint leaves and rosemary. We spent a meaningful afternoon at Habitat of Humanity, helping them sort through their donated linen, clothing and books before they are further categorised in the shop to be sold. The big takeaway from our engagement in local service works is the fact that a group of 20 of us spent only 2 hours (at each service) completing what would have been one person’s full week’s workload.

Hard at work removing weeds!

We left Christchurch for Mount Cook Aoraki the very next day. We were greeted by aqua blue lakes from the glacial water as well as a spectacular view of Mount Cook, New Zealand’s highest peak, as we drove towards the mountainous glacial region. Although there was nothing scheduled for our arrival day, all of us took off on multiple different hikes upon our arrival at 3pm. Some of us went looking for lakes to swim in while some of us went on short hikes. I personally went searching for the highest possible peak which we could reach before sunset. We climbed a total of 2200 steps to get a spectacular view of Mount Cook where we were surprisingly greeted by mischievous Keas and chilly weather. We had an early start the next morning with Department of Conservation as we learnt about New Zealand’s heritage sites and national parks. We learnt about how the applied sciences and social sciences tie in to determine the effects of tourism on local climate, landscapes and use of space. The talk ended with a nice walk down Hooker Valley Track with some of us swimming in the valley water and glacial streams. We enjoyed being out in the open lying under the stars at night and watching a satellite launch.

The Kea up to some mischief!

Here we go on a hike!

Mount Cook Aoraki

After two beautiful nights under the stars, we continued our journey on to Dunedin, Otago to delve into Marine Biology and Terrestrial Ecology. We were greeted by super energetic and inspiring Tahu (our guide) at Orokonui Ecosanctuary as well as our accompanying professor, Dr. Jean McKinnon. We had the opportunity to explore edible leaves and berries and feed a long-finned eel at the sanctuary. We were even lucky to have fished up a Dolomedes spider from the pond (a rare sight!). Friday was a treat for us as we went out to the Otago Peninsula. We were engaged in wonderful talks revolving around the local marine ecosystems and works. The highlight of the morning was probably the chance to dissect squid and conduct an experiment to determine how multi stressors of lowered pH values and increased temperature affects marine organisms. We adjourned to the Royal Albatross Colony in the afternoon where we were exposed to the varied methods to monitor nesting and feeding habits of penguins through innovative technologies. Needless to say, we saw a few albatross! 

Some fun facts about albatross:

1. The local Albatross tour 5 years after taking off, including South America and Africa, before they return to Otago to breed

2. Albatross have a wing span of 3 meters!

3. Albatross mate for life and baby Albatross are raised by both their mother and father

The squid ate a squid!

Dolomedes Spider fished out by Rachel Raser

We wrapped up this actively engaging week through a series of informative lectures from Dr. Jean Mckinnon. She shared an array of knowledge on national park policies, cultural Maori influence on land protection, fun facts on marine life such as squids, sharks, fish and plankton and terrestrial animals (did you know that New Zealand frogs are not poisonous and the males carry the eggs on their backs instead of laying them in the water?). It was truly eye opening as Dr. Jean tied all aspects of our studies together. Our lectures ended with a cool talk from Professor Michon highlighting the importance and contribution of field drawing to our lives. 

That’s all for now! We are now in Queenstown, our last stop, before we fly off to Australia!

-YiWynn-

Kia Ora from the south island! 

On Monday, we boarded a ferry in Wellington that took us three hours south to the town of Picton. From here, we rode via bus for another two hours to the city of Nelson where we would begin our adventure on the south island for the second half of our time in New Zealand. Every week has been busy with fun activities and we are learning a ton along the way!

This week, we heard from speakers at both the Ministry for the Environment and from the EPA (Environmental Protection Authority) about New Zealand’s environmental policies and efforts to keep its citizens safe, and how the government works alongside the indigenous Māori people to make decisions and regulations about the environment. It has been incredibly interesting to make comparisons between New Zealand and the U.S. regarding governmental goals and actions, especially surrounding topics such as combating climate change. This subject has also been especially relevant as this is an increasingly hot topic around the country as New Zealand prepares for its upcoming 2020 general election in September.

Upon arriving in the south island, we travelled just outside of Nelson to hear from the Department of Conservation (DOC), learning about their efforts to rescue the whales that end up stranded along New Zealand’s beaches. Whale stranding has been an ongoing issue in this country, and the DOC has partnered with the local Māori iwi (tribe) and with public volunteers to save as many of these whales as possible by getting them back out into the ocean. Research as to why these whales are washing ashore has only just begun so we do not know exactly why or how these whales are coming ashore, but researchers believe that it is unlikely that these whales are directionally lost and unintentionally swimming to shore. Perhaps these whales are making their way to these beaches with the intention to die, so is releasing these whales back into the ocean actually helping these whales?

After learning so much about the whale species found in New Zealand, we were all very eager to spot some whales later in the week on our whale watching tour in Kaikoura. We saw three sperm whales, tons of seagulls and New Zealand fur seals, and many pods of both Hector and Dusky dolphins! 

We ended the week with a visit to a dairy farm in Christchurch, learning about the effects of these farms on the environment and how farmers around the country have been adopting new techniques to reduce their nitrogen output. Dairy remains one of New Zealand’s most greatly exported goods, however the ammonia in the animal’s urine and feces gets converted in the soil into nitrates that can contaminate the local water supply and contribute to greenhouse gases. Farmers are conducting research to come up with methods that will reduce the amount of ammonium being excreted back into the environment, as New Zealand policies state that the country must reduce its Nitrogen leaching by 30% by 2022.

Amongst learning about and seeing all kinds of new species and environments, we have also learned more about some of the natural disasters that put life in this country at risk, including earthquakes. While earthquakes are an extremely unlikely hazard to us back on campus, New Zealand is at high risk of a quake at any time due to its location atop the intersection of two tectonic plates. Today, February 22, marks the 9 year anniversary since the 2011 Christchurch earthquake. This 6.3 magnitude quake killed 185 people and destroyed a significant amount of the infrastructure that made up the city and its suburbs. This natural disaster brought so much damage to the people and to the city, however if anything positive came from this event it would be that this time of catastrophe revealed how kind and caring the kiwi culture is! This disaster provided the city with the opportunity to rebuild, and we have all really loved immersing ourselves in this super friendly culture while exploring this newly rebuilt city!

– Laura

Wow! Our second week has already come and gone! This last week has once again offered many opportunities for learning and discovery- way more than I could possibly fit in a single blog post. Though if I had to name a few highlights, I would be apprehensive to neglect our snorkeling expedition at the Goat Island marine reserve, our glow worm sighting at Waitomo Cave, and of course I would be committing a highly insensitive faux pas to all the religiously devoted rugby fans if I forgot to mention our visit to the Sky Stadium to watch the New Zealand Hurricanes take on the South African sharks! 

Though for the remainder of this week’s blog post, I would like to offer a little insight into New Zealand’s environmental public policy. What are some of New Zealand’s most imminent environmental concerns? How has Maori culture influenced and been impacted by these said issues? 

New Zealand is often deemed an environmental haven. With 1/3rd of its rich biodiversity legally protected, 6 ramsar sites (wetlands that are considered internationally significant), and some of the oldest national parks in the world (one of which we visited called Tongariro National Park), I personally neglected to consider what less desired qualities may be hiding under this pristine facade. 

Over 4,000 species are currently threatened in New Zealand and invasive species remain the number one threat to native ecosystems. New Zealand is also a popular tourist destination, providing obvious environmental repercussions. We were privileged to have Dr. Marie Doole, a senior associate at the Institute of Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria University, enlighten us to the many environmental concerns New Zealand faces. For example, the power dynamic between public and private interests remains greatly skewed- usually benefiting the private sector. While New Zealand has enacted various methods to solve environmentally related issues, often budgets are significantly limited. Along with this, the inevitably fluctuating political spectrum is unfavorable towards long lasting change. 

However, I must note that in comparison to the United States, there are many ways in which New Zealand tailors to environmentally conscious amenities. For example, there often exists separate bins for differing waste categories- recycling, compost, etc. even in public parks and temporary living accommodations. Toilets almost always have a dual flush system, and outlets often have individual switches that can be turned off when the outlet is not in use. 

I have also been intrigued by the relationship that exists between Pākehā (those of primarily European descent) and the Māori people on managing environmental issues. Māori highly value clean land and water. It is their belief that there exists an interrelationship of all living things and that the wellbeing of a person is determined by their accessibility to natural resources and the present state of such resources. In other words, if you pollute the river, you pollute the person. In 2017, the Māori people established that the Whanganui river hold the legal status of a person.

In all, this week has provided much insight into the policy and regulation aspects related to the environment. While there still remains substantial progress to be made, we were privileged to be able to learn about New Zealand’s environmental concerns. Finally, even though Māori still have a long way to go before receiving proper government representation, much can be learned from the progress that has been made.

-Natalie

Today marks exactly one week since we began our venture to New Zealand and Australia. This week has included travels to Auckland, Paihia and three different Islands. 

The most impactful day for me this week was in Paihia, commemorating Waitangi Day. Waitangi Day gives people the opportunity to remember the treaty of Waitangi that, among other things, granted sovereignty to the indigenous Maori Nation of New Zealand. Waitangi Day provides a day to consider if all aspects of the treaty are being upheld adequately. To take part in this commemoration and reflection, we ventured to the treaty grounds at 4:30 am and watched the sunrise ceremony. It was a surreal and magical experience to congregate in the treaty grounds in total darkness and stare at a jumbotron while leaders spoke words of commemoration and prayer. Following the ceremony, many of us perused the treaty grounds to find breakfast being sold by an array of vendors. One popular option was breakfast served by the prime minister! The rest of the day was filled with song, dance, traditional Mauri boat races, and additional speakers. 

The day was filled with entertainment and good food, however my biggest takeaways were reflections regarding my own country’s inclusion of indigenous voices in the federal government. Despite the apparent room for further progress, it was so powerful to see an event that possessed such dedication to dialogue with the nation’s indigenous peoples. While studying at St. Olaf, I have learned about ways in which First Nations peoples fight for protection of natural resources, however when it comes to the government’s acknowledgement and cooperation with these efforts, they appear one sided. Within the context of environmental science, including indigenous voices and leadership seems to be an invaluable step in the path of pursuing conservation and sustainability. 

Stay tuned until next week to hear more about our ESANZ adventures in New Zealand! 

-Marcel Hones