Since 2002, programme uptake has continued to increase throughout the country and EMR has held an annual competition trip to the Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve for representative students from each school that participates in the EMR programme (for Northland and Auckland Schools only). Support from the Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation has allowed participation in 2015 from all of our eight EMR regions around NZ (funding flights and accommodation), supporting an experience that would not otherwise be possible for these students and their parents. This competition offers the students an added incentive to produce action projects towards marine conservation within their community. It also gives the students, along with their parents/guardians a chance to experience the magical Poor Knights Marine Reserve, which is a new opportunity for most (especially those coming from Taranaki, Gisborne, Wellington, Nelson, Coromandel and Otago). In addition to the annual competition action prize to the Poor Knights, EMR has introduced a new prize – the Bobby Stafford-Bush Ocean Art prize. The Bobby Stafford-Bush Foundation supports this special prize for young kiwis that have experienced the marine environment with EMR and display that passion and experience through art. Chosen representatives from the eight regions participating in EMR will also attend the trip to the annual competition trip to the Poor Knights Islands.
