Future Whenua Summit
Tairāwhiti
Shaping the Future
March 13th - 15th
FWS2026
March 13 -15
Haere Mai, to the 6th edition of the Future Whenua Summit!
In 2026, this much-loved regenerative gathering lands in the first region to see the sun - Te Tairāwhiti. Over three days, we will explore biodiversity and mosaic land use in farming and forestry systems, balancing economic, ecological and social benefits.
Themes include:
Mosaic Land Use: how to manage diverse land practices that reduce risk, build resilience, support infrastructure and create ecological corridors.
Biodiversity as Infrastructure: not as a “nice-to-have,” but as the living foundation of productive landscapes.
Māori Land Stewardship: exploring models of kaitiakitanga, collective governance, and intergenerational responsibility that challenge Western ownership paradigms.
Forestry Futures: how to move beyond extractive monocultures toward regenerative timber and multi-species systems.
Community Resilience: what it means for rural people to rely less on global inputs and more on local capacity in an era of volatile markets and climate disruption.
Financial markets, catchment-based pest management, land succession, rural finance, policy shifts and more…
Tairāwhiti is experiencing the impacts of previous land use decisions and increased climate risks on infrastructure, businesses and communities.
While heavily reliant on sectors such as farming, horticulture, viticulture and forestry, the region has realised that to achieve economic prosperity and resilience, it needs to manage 100,000ha of land away from grazing and forestry and into permanent native vegetation cover.
With diverse land ownership models, including the highest proportion of whenua Māori in Aotearoa, various forestry companies, large-scale land blocks to small-scale farmers and horticulturalists, Tairāwhiti can showcase models for integrating mosaic land uses into productive systems of all sizes.
By convening this summit here, we aim to celebrate and support the region's leadership in sustainable land management, while fostering collaborative solutions that can be models across Aotearoa.
In Partnership with Tairāwhiti Environment Centre
We’re proud to be partnering with Tairāwhiti Environment Centre (TEC), a locally-led hub bringing decades of knowledge, community connection, and environmental advocacy.
TEC works with and supports on-the-ground Taiao initiatives, catchment groups, and biodiversity projects already underway across the region
Staying During the Summit
Our base for the 2026 Future Whenua Summit is Pākōwhai Marae, located between Pātūtahi and Waituhi, 20km inland from Gisborne. Home to Te Whānau a Kai of Te Aitanga ā Māhaki, the marae will serve as both our accommodation and main gathering space.
Pākōwhai offers marae-style sleeping, with on-site camping available if you would rather be in your tent or camper.
If you are staying please provide a koha to acknowledge the manaakitanga of the haukāinga who host us.
Staying at Pākōwhai grounds the summit in place, people, and community, the heart of our time in Te Tairāwhiti.
We encourage attendees to immerse themselves for the full weekend.
Schedule Coming Soon!
“The earth is what we all have in common”
- Wendell Berry
2026 Future Whenua Field Trip
Join us for the Future Whenua Field Trip, March 12th.
Visit and learn from three active land-based projects in Tairāwhiti. This gives you the opportunity to see, feel and experience the work of some pioneering regenerates ahead of the summit
~ Watch this space for more information & to sign up ~
The Gift Economy
We operate FWS in the spirit of the gift economy. It is our pleasure to host this event and don't want cost to be a barrier to attendance (comparable Ag events range from $200 to $800).
We use a ‘pay what you can’ model, encouraging equity.
We thank you for your attendance and contributions.