It’s not every day a TV icon and one of Aotearoa’s most loved scientist personalities turns your local park into a lab - but that’s exactly what happened when Ruud Kleinpaste, a.k.a the Bug Man, hit Kohuora Park in Papatoetoe.
Ruud is a naturalist, entomologist (a scientist who studies insects) and host of the Animal Planet series Buggin' with Ruud.
On 2 May, over 120 students, teachers, and the Sustainable Schools team gathered at Kohuora Park for a day of discovery, connection, and environmental action, made possible with funding from Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board.
Board chair Apulu Reece Autagavaia says, “We need to care for and protect our public green spaces so that flora and fauna can thrive - so we don’t have to visit a zoo or head deep into the bush to experience wildlife right here in our urban areas.”
Thumbs up and all hands on deck! Photo credit: Sustainable Schools.
From kindergartens to colleges, schools across Puhinui came together in one of Papatoetoe’s best-kept secrets - Kohuora Park, a 34-million-year-old volcanic crater turned thriving wetland. Teeming with native wildlife, rich history, and cultural stories, Kohuora - meaning "mist of life", honours the giant god Matāoho, whose footsteps shaped Tāmaki Makaurau’s volcanic landscape.
A young scientist marvels at what he has discovered with Ruud.
Ruud shares why, if we truly care about the planet, we need to ask ourselves some honest questions: How do the other species we share Earth with see us? Are we kind, generous, and respectful - or are we falling short?
“Over the years, I’ve come to believe that true environmental education is the foundation for becoming nature-literate. And it starts with empowering our teachers to teach outdoors. When we do that, we create generation after generation of children who not only understand nature but learn from it.
Bug Man in action! Ruud inspires curious minds at Kohuora Park. Photo credit: Sustainable Schools.
“Because that’s the heart of it: we don’t just learn about nature or in nature - we learn from nature. We begin to see the connections in everything. Nature runs on sunlight, uses only what it needs, and wastes nothing. It thrives on diversity, local wisdom, and life-friendly chemistry. It’s humbling and inspiring. What an incredible planet - and what an extraordinary outdoor classroom we have right at our feet,” says Ruud.
The day began with a warm welcome from Ngāti Tahinga Wilson of Ngāti Te Ahiwaru, who share the park’s cultural importance as a historic portage site. Image: Sustainable Schools.
Guided by Mātātahi Taiao - a Māori-led youth climate initiative in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland Council Rangatahi Advisors, and leading scientists like fungi expert Dr. Peter Buchanan, students explored ecosystems through a Māori lens and hands-on science stations covering insects, birds, trees, fungi, pest control, and water quality.
Kohuora Park, Papatoetoe. A thriving natural habitat.
Why It Matters
Sustainable school’s advisor Cate Jessep says, “It was a valuable hands-on opportunity for teachers, students, and the wider community to connect with this special local place during Saturday’s community day. This work is more than just science, it’s about identity, guardianship, real world learning, inclusion and future leadership. As tamariki (children) engage with their local environment, they discover that they are part of it, and that they can protect it.”
Throughout the day, they learned new kupu (words), deepened their connection to nature, and strengthened their understanding of how to care for te taiao (the environment).
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