Ruamāhanga Mauri Oho
Ruamāhanga Mauri Oho (a working name for now) is a wetland and riparian forest restoration project started in 2021 by Liz, Jane and Lucy Riddiford and Rod Sugden. In the first instance land on Ruamāhanga Farm near Martinborough has been set aside and stock excluded.
With the help of local volunteers we have introduced native plants eco sourced from the Wairarapa. We are developing education activities for local schools and associated health walks for the wider community.
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We hope our contributions will:
• Add to the green corridor for birds flying between the Remutaka and the Aorangi Ranges
• Support the nature / taiao connection as a foundation for growing community
• Encourage other landowners in the vicinity of the southern end of the Ruamāhanga river, and all the way down to the Wairarapa Moana, to adopt practices that restore wetlands.
We are grateful to be involved with the Aorangi Restoration Trust, the South Wairarapa Biodiversity Group and the Tangata Whenua. Their guidance and support is helping us understand what it might mean for us as a family to let parts of the land embrace the wider domain of the river.
Mauri oho volunteers Cushla Murphy and John Mullany
Auction of Michael Moore Paintings
In collaboration with Enviroschools and the Ruamahanga Restoration Trust we are developing a basic infrastructure to enable us to host school and community groups.
This includes:
- A Green Dunny
- A Gathering Shelter
- A Shade House for the propagation of plants.
Whilst we are enthusiasts of upcycling materials that are ready for another life, we still need funds! To get us on our way, renowned New Zealand Artist Michael Moore generously donated a series of paintings.
The first paintings were successfully auctioned on the 1st of April and the Green Dunny Installed.
Two, three sided ‘sliver’ paintings, “The Three Sisters” and “tī kōuka Grove”
“Ti Kouka Grove”
“The Three Sisters”
Dimensions 1050 mm x 50 mm x 50 mm each and painted on three sides. Acrylic on canvas on cedar.
Michael Moore’s acrylic and oil paintings appear in private and public collections around the world. He has exhibited nationally for almost 30 years, and in 2022 he was invited to exhibit in the Beehive. Through his painting, Michael aims to express his deep connection to the New Zealand landscape. For more about his work, visit his website here.
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