Emerald Heart
Forest School

Place-centered Nature Education

At Emerald Heart, we honor and nourish relationships with ourselves, each other and Earth. We value the dynamic landscape of our forest home and the unique inner landscape of each child.

We believe that our direct experiences in, with and as nature are beneficial to us and to our world--now and in the future. We foster love and gratitude for Earth through direct experiences with our beloved forest kin, who we consider our friends and wise teachers.

Our place-centered nature immersion programs and events are held in the Point Reyes area of coastal Marin County, California, unceded land of Coast Miwok.

Note from Taira Restar, our director: As of spring 2024, Emerald Heart offerings are supported by and folded into In Place, a new local nonprofit for place-centered nature education. This means the ability to serve a wider range of families, a new and robust scholarship fund and more community partnerships.

Teacher Taira. My son's first preschool experience was with Taira Restar, truly an expert at supporting early childhood.

I'll never forget that my son (aged 3 at the time) would get so overstimulated during free play that he would stand in the middle of the group and scream. How did Taira deal with it? She SAW him in all his intensity and sensitivity--really saw him. She created a plan for him to "help" her prepare snack in a different area BEFORE he melted down. Suddenly school became the safest place for him to be.

I'm not sure who learned more, my son or me.

What a gift Taira is and how fortunate that children get to attend Emerald Heart Forest School with such a master.

Alane Freund, MS, MA, ICHS
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
International Consultant on High Sensitivity

Thank you for all you did for Audrey this past year. I absolutely loved your forest school and all the amazing projects you did--pine cone crafts, scavenger hunts and art work. The words and messages you gave to these children are priceless. They have been given a real gift. I will always remind Audrey to continue the Kindness Club, practice gratitude and learn to recognize and appreciate the beauty and awesomeness of the natural world. I hope our paths cross again.

Rachel Pedemonte, RN

Intentional. Patience. It takes immense patience to be a preschool teacher; your continued investment in me as an individual has given me tenacity in myself.

Ruby Clarke
university student

former preschool student

You taught me how to be creative in a meaningful way. You taught me to use creative energy to spread ideas and love. You taught me how to have intention.

Camila Killion

artist, college student
former girls' group participant