AUT capstone student completes pest plant mapping project

This month we are shining a spotlight on Prakriti, a student from AUT whose work with Te Hōnonga a Iwi has been huge in helping us actively manage and efficiently report change in pest plant sites alongside the catchment.

Prakriti’s journey to environmental science was an unique one.  Originally from an arts background, Prakriti completed her MA (Hons) in English Literature at Mumbai University before moving to Auckland in 2019 to start a PhD. As her research became increasingly science focused, she decided to gain practical experience, and is now completing her Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. Fittingly, Prakriti shared that her name in Hindi actually means nature so it’s no wonder she was drawn to the nature-space!

“Rosedale Park has been a great place to build those skills hands-on while getting to be a part of a genuinely meaningful restoration project,” says Prakriti.

She was drawn to the project not just as a way to complete her capstone hours as part of her degree but also because of the values Te Hōnonga a Iwi is rooted in.

“I got involved initially because I loved the bio-organic methodology that was seamlessly integrated with Matauranga Maori. I had read heaps about it as part of my arts degree and this was a chance to contribute to it in practice.” 

Her project involved completing baseline mapping of pest plant distribution across the land and determined how best monitor and manage pest growth. This involved a mix of GIS (Geographical Information Science) and ecological fieldwork skills put into practice, which Prakriti says was exciting to use these skills outside of the classroom. Once the baselines maps were completed, the project moved to the monitoring phase, looking for how these sites change over time.

Working alongside Keith, Louis and Elouise, Prakriti has been essential in completing the pest plant mapping project. We are grateful for her contribution and look forward to seeing what’s next in her journey!