A group of Dunedin pupils are encouraging residents to combine photography and nature for their new competition.
The Town Belt Education Initiative is running a school photo competition and is challenging people aged between 5 and 18 to enter their best photos of the Town Belt.
Leadership group chairwoman Stephanie Post, of St Hilda’s Collegiate School, said pupils could submit photos of anything, including wildlife and scenery, as long as it was taken in the Town Belt.
The photos would be judged by members of the group and some ‘‘celebrity’’ judges.
Stephanie said she hoped the competition would be a good way to get people using and appreciating the area.
Group member Esme Liesbeth Blaker (9), of Arthur Street School, said she would like to see an environmental message in the photos, like a piece of rubbish in the belt to encourage people to stop littering.
Pupils will be tasked with spreading the word to their community, including giving presentations at their schools.
Entries will be split into two categories, one for people aged between 5 and 12 and the other for 13- to 18-year-olds.
The winner of the junior category would win a ‘‘high quality’’ point-and-shoot camera, while the senior winner would get a digital SLR camera with exchangeable lenses provided by the Dunedin Amenities Society.
The top 10 photos from each category will be put in an exhibition, and will also be displayed in the participating schools.
Education co-ordinator Claudia Babirat said it would be interesting to see how people used the Town Belt in their photos.
The competition coincides with the Dunedin Amenities Society’s 130th anniversary.
‘‘The amenities society has been a great partner overall for the programme,’’ Ms Babirat said.
Entries are open now and close on Friday, September 28.
