Year 11 Practical Science students are involved in a fascinating hands-on research project that will reveal a lot about the quality of air around Avondale. It involves sampling a common plant that might often be overlooked: lichen!
Lichens are the green furry plants that typically form a low crusty, leaflike, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and trees. Lichens are are everywhere and can be used as a bio-indicator of air quality.
Thanks to funding from COMET (WeSTEM), our students will be working alongside scientists at the University of Auckland and GNS to identify air quality issues in the Avondale area. The project aims to engage Pasifika and Māori students in science and share their learning with the wider community. Watch this space for more updates on the collection, analysis and findings from our project as Term 3 progresses.
