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A garden home for all

Although wild creatures are adept homemakers, you may find that going the extra mile to welcome them into your neighborhood pays off. A Rocha Czech Republic’s environmental centre has a two-hectare garden teeming with life, testament to the work they’ve done to create all sorts of habitats and homes for local wildlife.  

There is a heap of leaves inside a dry stonewall for snakes. Two insect hotels have rooms to suit all manner of preferences. Inside the drawers are dark corridors, off which little compartments sit for bees to deposit their larvae safely before heading off to gather pollen from the numerous varieties of native flowers allowed to blossom where they will. The six ponds are full of frogs, fish and newts, a fertile feeding ground for birds. Brightly coloured dragonflies dart above the water.  

Inside a manmade hillock, there’s a chimney – the perfect little house for breeding Kingfishers Alcedo atthis, complete with perches and inviting burrows. A composting area is fronted with plexiglass so you can peek in on the earthworms in their underground home. Tall reeds have been propped up, providing cover in an open area. Badgers raise their families in sets on the wooded edges of the property, sometimes coming into view via the camera trap at night.    

Any time spent in this natural wonderland restores vision for God’s good design in creation – where each living thing has its place, the right to belong and the ability to live alongside others in peace and harmony. It serves as a reminder that although humans often make a situation worse, we can also make it better.  
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Species rediscovered: a long-lost echidna and three wetland wonders

God is concerned for life on Earth in all its variety. His love extends to each creature, which is why we lament anytime there is human-induced extinction of a fellow species (read more in the Evangelical Call to Action on Biodiversity). However, we rejoice all the more when a species is rediscovered! We’ve seen this many times over A Rocha’s 40+ years, like when an intern discovered a Salish Sucker Catostomus sp. in Canada, and a White-naped Mangabey Cercocebus lunulatus was photographed by a camera trap in Ghana’s Atewa Forest. In 2023, several more iconic species were rediscovered by the A Rocha Worldwide Family.  

Thanks to a member of the Friends of A Rocha Network, YAPPENDA, Attenborough’s Long-beaked Echidna Zaglossus attenboroughi has been rediscovered in Indonesia! Feared extinct for over 60 years, this egg-laying mammal was found in the previously unexplored Cyclops mountains. Alongside members of the indigenous Yongsu Sapari community, scientists from the University of Oxford and students from Cenderawasih University, YAPPENDA embarked on an expedition to document the Cyclops Mountains with the goal of finding the lost echidna. The team deployed over 80 trail cameras, making multiple ascents of the mountains and climbing more than 11,000 metres in total. Finally, the echidna was caught on camera on the last SD card, from the last camera collected on the last day of the expedition. Many more discoveries were made which highlight the importance of protecting this rich wilderness, including a new species of terrestrial shrimp, dozens of new insect species and a new species of frog.


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You may remember that A Rocha France observed beavers for the first time in the Vallée des Baux marshes last year. In the spring, they found three more rare and threatened species. Savi’s Warbler Locustella luscinioides once nested in the Baux marshes, but it hadn’t been observed during its nesting period in over 20 years. This elegant marsh warbler is in decline worldwide and red listed in France. A Rocha scientists observed singing males twice, almost a month apart, confirming the existence of their territory within the reserve. This migratory species prefers old reed beds with large reeds, a habitat which is gradually developing within the reserve’s wetland. 

The other spring surprises concern two rare and protected plants: the Hedge Hyssop Gratiola officinalis and the Marsh Woundwort Stachys palustris. Sensitive to grazing, the first had not been observed in the Baux marshes for almost 15 years. However, with low pastoral pressure on the reserve, these lovely flowering plants were given the opportunity to grow and bloom.  

A Rocha Lebanon is currently searching for the elusive and critically endangered Hula Painted Frog Latonia nigriventer in the Bekaa Valley. Previously suspected to be extinct, its rediscovery elsewhere in 2011 has given new hope to learning more about and protecting this species. 

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We’re listening

A Rocha is blessed with many faithful, generous and supportive friends. As our friend, we’d love to know more about you. Please take a few minutes to tell us who you are, how we found each other, what interests you about our work and anything else you’d like to tell us. We want to make sure we’re on the right track with our communications and donor care, and we are keen to improve and grow. The survey closes on Thursday 15 February.

As a gesture of thanks, for every 100 responses we’ll donate a sack gardening training day for a school in Uganda.

TAKE THE SURVEY
Earthshot Prize categories of nature, air, ocean, climate and waste.

A Rocha is nominated for the 2024 Earthshot Prize

A Rocha International is thrilled to announce we have been nominated for the prestigious 2024 Earthshot Prize. The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William and The Royal Foundation, seeks to identify and reward innovative solutions addressing the world’s most pressing environmental challenges. A Rocha’s nomination in the Protect and Restore Nature category is a testament to our commitment to advance biodiversity conservation globally.  

A Rocha put forth our faith-based conservation solution which mobilizes Christians to protect and restore nature across six continents by operationalizing our 5 Commitments (5Cs) in landscapes and seascapes (‘scapes) around the world: 

  • CONSERVATION: We develop or support a vision for ‘scapes, implementing conservation science and action. 
  • COLLABORATE: We engage with a variety of organizations, governments, and individuals who share the vision for the ‘scape. 
  • CHRISTIAN: We inspire churches to become agents of change, connecting faith with environmental stewardship. 
  • COMMUNITY: We foster positive relationships, run educational programmes, and initiate livelihood projects in local communities. 
  • CULTURE: We draw on insights and skills from diverse cultures, locally and globally. 

Our solution actively protects vital marine and terrestrial sites, restores degraded areas, and reduces impact on important conservation areas.  

The local anchoring, cultural diversity and varying capacity of our network offer an adaptable approach based on local context. We start our nature conservation journey from where people are at in each ‘scape, nurturing their momentum, leadership, and long-term ambitions.   

Presently, this model benefits 45,500 hectares of land, impacting over 20,000 people and churches across four continents. With aspirations to expand, we aim to safeguard an additional 90,000 hectares and involve over 30,000 people and churches on six continents within the next three years. 

An expert advisory panel will rigorously evaluate the nominated solutions, narrowing down the Top 15 candidates to become Earthshot Prize Finalists, and then ultimately name the five Earthshot Prize Winners toward the end of 2024. Please pray for A Rocha as our nomination is considered for the 2024 Earthshot Prize. Learn more about the Earthshot Prize, its impactful mission, and previous winners and finalists. 

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A year to remember: 40th anniversary highlights

40 is a number of spiritual importance throughout the Bible, associated with periods of testing, preparation, transition and renewal. As A Rocha’s 40th anniversary year comes to a close, we cannot help but reflect on the significance of this milestone and appreciate the foundation on which we now firmly find ourselves. Thank you to all of those that have faithfully walked with us this last year. Perhaps you are new to A Rocha, or perhaps you have been with us since the beginning. In either case, you have a place at the table and we’re grateful you’re here.

From home gatherings with new supporters in Singapore and Texas to anniversary parties with old friends at Cruzinha – it has been a whirlwind of a year, in the best possible way! In case you missed it, we wanted to share some of the highlights of our 40th year and ways you can still join us in this joyous and commemorative time. See some of the highlights from our 40th anniversary below:

  • Virtual 40th Anniversary Celebration – watch edited highlights of this special event.
  • Podcast interview, ‘Milestones, Miracles, and Migration’ with cofounder Peter is available here or wherever you listen to your podcasts.
  • Special 40th Anniversary edition of our Field notes. Get your digital copy.
  • A Rocha International appointed a new Executive Director, Ed Walker. Meet Ed.
  • We celebrated 250,000 birds ringed this year and ten years of the Marine Conservation Programme!
  • Jo Swinney and Miranda Harris’ book, A Place at the Table, won the prestigious international Nautilus Book Award.
  • We released five new videos and discussion guides in A Rocha’s Elements of Hope video series. Watch or download the videos and guides on our Vimeo channel.

Last, but not least – our ‘40 for the Future’ anniversary campaign continues through to the end of the year, with a special match gift opportunity to double your impact with the Big Give Christmas Challenge! Donate between 28 November and 5 December to double your impact. Learn more here. Thank you for helping us make this a year to remember.

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In support of salmon

The Tatalu (Little Campbell) River – which runs through A Rocha Canada’s Brooksdale Environmental Centre in BC – is home to five species of Pacific Salmon, including the Chinook Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and Coho Salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch. Boundary Bay Chinook Salmon, which include the Chinook that spawn in the Tatalu, are classified as threatened.

Chinook Salmon populations have declined in recent decades for a variety of reasons, including their susceptibility to drought and extreme warm temperatures. Coho Salmon also have their issues, witnessed in the Tatalu River. Every summer the river stops flowing in its middle reaches, becoming a string of isolated pools which gradually dry out entirely. This dry reach persists for around four months out of the year, even while the river is flowing both up and down-stream of it. It has profound implications for the surrounding wildlife, including thousands of Coho Salmon fry stranded in the pools. In autumn, the dry reach is an impassable barrier to spawning salmon, cutting them off from the upper half of the river. They must wait until the river reconnects, which can happen as late as November.

Since 2018, Brooksdale’s conservation science team has been walking the riverbed annually to record the timing and extent of the dry reach, and has been part of salmon fry rescue operations. They are also restoring important streamside vegetation that helps shade the river and keep it cool for the juvenile salmon. The vegetation also prevents erosion, which helps the river stay clear of fine sediment, which degrades spawning habitat.

And it’s making a difference! The team’s data and experience are helping raise awareness among community members and local governments to encourage protection of the river and remaining wetlands. Read more directly from the conservation science team.

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Researching climate resilience in coral reefs

Watamu Marine National Park (WMNP) is one of the oldest no-take Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the world, established in 1968. Since then, the park has been protected against human threats like fishing and unsustainable coastal development. However, the coral reefs in the park still face the threat of increasing thermal stress and coral bleaching.

Our Marine team, led by Peter Musila and joined by Dr Benjamin Cowburn, who helped initiate the Marine programme at A Rocha Kenya, diligently took up the regular coral monitoring activity during October. Every six months since 2020, the team revisits over 600 tagged corals in 70 permanent plots to see how the corals are growing and assess if there are bleaching resistant colonies and if baby corals (recruits) have settled in the plots. Our Marine team is concerned about coral bleaching with the predicted El-Nino marine heatwave, due to arrive in April next year. Plot monitoring will increase to monthly through the warm water season, to closely monitor any bleaching and mortality that occurs. The corals experienced bleaching in 2020 but many survived. If we can identify colonies that are resistant again in 2024, these will make good candidates for coral gardening and reef restoration, currently being planned and approved by Kenya Wildlife Service.

Why protect the corals? Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. They support more species per unit area than any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. Scientists estimate there may be millions of undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs. This biodiversity is considered key to finding new medicines for the 21st century. We also believe that coral reefs have value independent of any use to humans and should be protected regardless, as creatures loved by God.

Monitoring efforts in 2024 will require extra funding and volunteers to help. You can support this work by giving a coral care package to help monitor reefs in Watamu Marine National Park through Gifts with a Difference. Or come and volunteer with the coral survey! If you have any unwanted snorkel or scuba kit, we would be happy to put it to good use – email [email protected] to arrange transfer of kit to Kenya.

This picture taken three years ago of a coral in a devastating stage is now considered to be in good condition.

There is indeed great hope for the corals to survive. Let’s join hands and protect our corals.

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The Big Give is back

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We’re thrilled to announce an amazing opportunity. The Big Give Christmas Challenge 2023 is coming soon and A Rocha International will be taking part again! This means that from noon (GMT) on #GivingTuesday 28 November until noon on 5 December any donation you make through our campaign page on the Christmas Challenge website* will be DOUBLED (while match funds last). Whether you care about engaging Christians in creation care, conserving wildlife and their habitats, environmental education and community development, or advocating for women empowerment or the voiceless, there is a story here for you at A Rocha.

Double my donation

This year marks the 40th year of A Rocha since our founding in Portugal in 1983. And what a year it has been! We’ve seen major milestones, like ringing 250,000 birds, conserving 1.26 million hectares of vulnerable landscapes and habitat, engaging over 43,000 people in our environmental education programmes, as well as launching our 40 for the Future campaign.

The 40 for the Future campaign celebrates our legacy of 40 years of conservation work, while also building on our hope for the future for conservation through five key categories: Faith & Creation Care, Biodiversity Conservation, Community Engagement & Education, Advocacy & Restoration, and Growth Opportunities (including our expanding ‘Friends of A Rocha’ network).

We are delighted to share that we are just over the halfway mark to our goal for the 40 for the Future campaign – lighting 22 of 40 candles on our birthday cake! As the title of the campaign suggests, we’ve set our aim to raise 40 gifts of US$40,000 to build towards the future we all envision – a world where nature flourishes as people live equitably and sustainably.

Thank you for those that have already given in support of our 40th campaign. We could not do this work without you. Please consider sharing this opportunity with your family and friends. And if you have not supported yet this year, would you join us this advent season for a final, end of year gift and help us light another candle? Donate to the Big Give between 28 November and 5 December for a chance to double your gift and end the year with a meaningful impact towards A Rocha’s global conservation work. Thank you for helping us make a difference.

* Please note that only donations made through our campaign page on the Christmas Challenge website between 28 November and 5 December are eligible to be doubled.

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Blue: How can nature impact my mental health?

The fifth instalment of A Rocha’s Elements of Hope video series, titled Blue, delves into the relationship between mental health challenges and the positive effects of nature on our wellbeing. We investigate how immersing ourselves in nature can pull us out of our internal struggles and rekindle our connection to God and his call for us to be stewards of creation. In this video, A Rocha interns Michaela Stenerson and Allison Cutting share their experiences of finding relief from anxiety and depression through their proximity to the ocean. 

We’ll also hear from Murray Tessendorf, the National Director of A Rocha South Africa, as he shares how his experiences as a crisis chaplain have motivated him to practice proactive self-care in dealing with depression and anxiety. This includes activities like taking daily walks in nature and engaging in other practices to help redefine our sense of purpose and connection with our Creator. 
 
Learn more about how nature can improve our mental health with our study guide. Feel free to share the study guide and film with your church, school, bible study or youth group.

DOWNLOAD STUDY GUIDE
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Cross-border connections at Courmettes

In early September, 19 individuals from Friends of A Rocha Germany engaged an exchange week with French A Rocha enthusiasts at Les Courmettes, A Rocha France’s field study centre near Nice. The agenda: to learn from A Rocha’s experiences in France and share initial project ideas. The week was partly funded by the French-German Citizens’ Fund, supporting projects enhancing Franco-German fellowship.

Meeting for the first time, the two groups soon felt as one community. What brought us together?

First, the joint learning experience. Morning sessions were for discussing projects and sharing practical creation care insights. Nature outings, especially a joint hike, deepened our connection. Butterflies, birds, stags and deer, sunrise, breathtaking views – we were in awe together. Field visits to dry meadows and the vegetable garden, with a focus on water conservation, were enlightening.

 
  
We reflected together on the ecological crises and the emotions they provoke in us. We thought about appropriate reactions, within ourselves and towards others. Entertainment, such as quiz and talent nights, added a fun element. The joyful evening of folk dancing was definitely a highlight of the week. 
  
Communication, albeit initially challenging due to language barriers, turned into an amusing experience. English – with hand gestures – became our bridge. The heart of fellowship was felt during mealtimes. Sharing delicious, healthy meals, complimented by the hospitality shown through German dishes prepared by the French kitchen, was precious for personal interactions and language learning. 
  
The week concluded with a rewarding clean up activity with the local municipality, sweetened by regional violet syrup and quiche. This poignant ending left us encouraged and thankful as we embarked on our return journeys, enriched by an inspiring week of Franco-German exchange and ecological engagement.