At this Toru Trail, we are delighted and look forward to a day of planting, learning, connecting and creating at the Ruamahanga farm.

Three kilometers west of Martinborough, Ruamahanga Farm Foundation are restoring an oxbow wetland and the riperian edge of the Ruamanhanga river.

Our hosts: Jane Riddiford and Rod Sugden will be demontrating to us how this restoration work provides a platform for Te Reo o te Wai, and how the arts and conservation programme for local primary children is filling a need for experiential learning.

Children and young people learn about ecology, practice hands-on conservation and find their own ways to ceatively expressing what it means for them to connect to special places withing the Wairarapa Moana.

In the course of the day we will listen to the story of the land, how they are in the early stages of turning a traditional sheep and cattle farm into a regenerative shared community oriented venture, walk and talk our way along the wetland walkway and through the paddocks.

We will learn about the art of story telling, creative writing, and have a shared lunch by the river, or in the belltent.

Jane: growing a forest is about growing a community.