Omanu School and Gwen Rogers Kindergarten have joined forces to win an Enviroschools Green Gold Award.

The award was presented to the schools yesterday, by Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor Phillip Sherry.

Students and teachers from Omanu School and Gwen Rogers Kindergarten hold up their new Green Gold Award signs.

'This is the highest level of achievement recognised by the Enviroschools programme and it's the first time ever that a school and kindergarten have worked in partnership to achieve it,” says Phillip.

'This award recognises the commitment and hard work of a whole community of teachers, students and parents. They've created a culture of sustainable living that is empowering all to take real action to care for their environment and their future.”

Phillip says Bay of Plenty Regional Council facilitates the Enviroschools programme as part of its work to support community involvement in caring for the natural environment.

Omanu School became an Enviroschool in 2004.

Since then, the school has set up their own propagation centre to grow dune plants and have adopted a section of coastline to care for under the Bay of Plenty Coast Care programme.

The whole school participates in maintaining successful waste management systems including a wormery, composting, recycling, and paper from homes recycling.

Omanu School has installed many working gardens including medicinal, flower and vegetable gardens which have recently been complemented by a bumble bee hive.

The school gardens were on show as part of the Garden and Art Festival last weekend.

Gwen Rogers Kindergarten has adopted sustainable and environmentally friendly purchasing and waste management practices.

They've developed a seedling sales programme that encourages families to grow their own food and have planted a community fruit orchard.

The kindergarten also has an energy conservation plan in place and is working towards energy self-sufficiency.

Following the award ceremony, which involved the unveiling of signs for the school and kindergarten gates, local families celebrated with a community duathlon and picnic.

From left to right: Tom McKinley from Gwen Rogers kindergarten with Milla Horton and Emi Craig from Omanu School in the vege garden after the Green Gold Award presentation.