Growing Forests of Tomorrow - May Newsletter 2025
Kia Ora,
He tipu, he taonga — every plant a treasure, every seed a story. As winter whispers across the whenua, we look to the nurseries, where quiet hands tend to future forests, and where children learn that kaitiakitanga begins with care.
This month, we highlight the powerful mahi of the Learning Environment in Whanganui, in particular their on-site nursery which now gives the team capacity to grow around 100,000 eco-sourced native plants each year. Each seedling, grown with reverence for local ecosystems, holds the potential to both regenerate landscapes and reconnect people to place.
Their work doesn’t stop in the soil. In partnership with local organisations, the team recently celebrated Ngā Tipu ā Nuku Harvest Festival, a community celebration of Autumn abundance. More recently - Earth Day with a day of nature-inspired art-making. where local children shaped clay, inked leaf prints, and listened to stories beneath the trees. In this union of creativity and ecology, a new generation is being woven gently into the land.
Their story is one of many this month. From Kōanga’s heritage crops to Tū Wairua’s groundbreaking rongoā research — our giftees are reminding us that regeneration is not a theory, but a practice, deeply rooted in community and care.
Please enjoy this month’s updates.
Ngā mihi aroha,
— Biome Trust
Native Trees - The wonderful work exchange volunteer Anna, in the new 'stand out' nursery which has the capacity to grow around 100,000 native plants each year. More
Ngā Tipu ā Nuku Harvest Festival, a community celebration of Autumn abundance at the Learning Environment. More
Lydia from Pickled Compost demonstrating the Bokashi compost method at Mangaroa Farms Compost Awareness Day.
Giftee Updates
Mangaroa Farms recently hosted Compost Awareness Day, featuring Bokashi fermentation, BioChar workshops and natural textile dyeing sessions. More
Papawhakaritorito Charitable Trust’s Dr. Jessica Hutchings featured on 95bFM, exploring seed rematriation and Indigenous food sovereignty led by wāhine Māori. More
Kōanga Institute released their 2025 Fruit Tree Catalogue, emphasizing the need for resilient trees and nutrient-dense soil to thrive in changing conditions. More
Local Futures invites groups, individuals and networks to celebrate World Localization Day (WLD) on June 21st, and during the entire month of June. More
Happen Films is in the final editing stages of upcoming feature film The New Peasants, set to be released in June 2025. More
Kelmarna Farm celebrates a new twenty year lease, which is double the length of previous terms. More
Kaicycle Urban Farm is celebrating Matariki with a kai and workshops at the gardens on Sunday 22nd June. More
Kōanga Institute is supplying heritage artichokes, comfrey, alpine strawberries, yams, and yacon. More
Organics New Zealand highlights more than 32,000 signatures on the petition against raising safe glyphosate levels in NZ Food Standards. Signatures close 23 June. More
Tū Wairua’s paper entitled Development of an Indigenous Rongoā Māori approach to healing with psilocybin containing mushrooms is now internationally available. More
Tiwaiwaka’s Donna Kerridge features in the documentary Eternal Song exploring the deep wound of colonisation and the path to collective healing. More
Eco-Index is providing science based information to help with planning and prioritisation of biodiversity initiatives. More
One Earth highlights solution pathways to Coral and sea ecosystem restoration. More
Dolphins swimming over a coral reef in Attenborough’s Ocean.
Additional News
Sir David Attenborough at 99 delivers 'greatest message he's ever told' his new, cinema-length film Ocean. More
Department of Conservation looks at the spread of “wilding pines”, and what you can do to help. More
Predator Free Wellington has successfully removed rats from the Miramar Peninsula, creating a blueprint for how this can be done anywhere. More
Farmers Footprint are raising $50,000 to directly support farmers’ mental health. More
Mind Menders is a two-part documentary on how psychedelic drugs could offer better treatment options for New Zealand’s ongoing mental health crisis. More
Blue Borage highlights 50 Beneficial Plants to enhance your edible garden (and your compost bin). More
“Permaculture is revolution disguised as gardening.”
