Student trapline leader gaining confidence and experience

Student journalist Roshni catches up with youth leader Ethan Wan

After leading Rangitoto College’s efforts to run the Centurion Park trapline for a year and eight months, Ethan Wan is still fully committed to “protecting local plants and the environment, and catching rats.”

Since we interviewed Ethan last May, there have been some changes, both with the trapline and in his life. 

He has noticed a decrease in the number of animals trapped, and a new trap specifically for possums has been added.

Since he first started work on the trapline, he feels as though the work has become quite ‘chill’. He has gained experience, knowledge, and an abundance of confidence. Ethan notes that although his role has remained mostly the same, he feels his leadership skills have improved. Around last year, he went to a meeting and heard about how a particular area caught over 100 mice, which, to him, was shocking.

Ethan also feels a sense of poho kererū ( pride) and harikoa (happiness) when he plants new trees. His feelings for the trees are almost motherly, as though he has to protect them from creatures that might harm the rākau. 

He is a Year 12 student at Rangitoto College and takes subjects such as business, English, and maths, as well as all three sciences: physics, chemistry, and biology. One thing he is quite proud of is earning almost all Excellences, the highest grades, in all science-related subjects.

Ethan says, “After school, I want to go to uni. Then maybe I’ll travel, or keep studying. Though it's hard, I might just start a small business.” 

One time, Ethan slipped over on the wet grass, which he now laughs about as one of his funniest moments on the trapline. He mentions that most people don’t expect traps to sometimes get lost, but it's important for him and the rest of the team to check and maintain them properly.  

Though Ethan doesn’t have an idol or someone he looks up to, he says that he strives to be the best he can. When talking to him, he mentions that he is self‑encouraged.

He states that people should pick up rubbish from anywhere and everywhere they go.

“Plastics are really, really bad for the environment, and it's not that hard to just put them in the bin,” Ethan mentions. 

Ethan and his team plan to host an introductory session to help more people learn about the traplines. They’re aiming to increase the number of pest species trapped and continue being amazing kaitiaki for te taiao.