Autumn and/or Spring are great times to sample with students.  Sampling equipment can be borrowed from your Regional River Detectives Coordinator.  Contact them to book it ahead of time.

Ideally it’s wonderful to sample several times a year and across different seasons so students can practise their skills regularly and observe patterns/changes.  Having your own sampling equipment at school ready to go means that you’re more likely to grab opportunities to conduct macro sampling without the hassle of borrowing equipment.

Most equipment is readily available but specialised equipment such as a sampling net and picking trays can be purchased at The Waterbug Shop or Westlab (a great use of grant funding/sponsorship if you have a supportive local Landcare group or business)