The Conservation Certificate
Equipping Christians to be hopeful and effective conservationists
- Gain skills & competencies in conservation theory and practice
- Deepen your understanding of creation care theology
- Join a supportive global community of Christian conservationists
- Receive mentoring from an experienced practitioner
- Design and deliver a conservation project with real-world impact
Questions? Email us at [email protected]
Testimonials
The Story
The A Rocha Conservation Certificate launched in 2025 with a vision to equip Christians to be hopeful and effective conservationists. Our first cohort of 15 students came from 10 countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and Central America and Oceana.
The certificate was created to honour the memory of Chris Naylor (former Executive Director of A Rocha International & founder of A Rocha Lebanon), his wife Susanna Naylor (co-founder of A Rocha Lebanon) and Miranda Harris (A Rocha co-founder) who died in a car accident in 2019. Chris, Susanna and Miranda were known for their investment in younger leaders and for inspiring and encouraging countless people working in conservation around the world. Their stories are told in the books Postcards from the Middle East and A Place at the Table.
The teaching modules
The certificate has three modules, each with leaders and a diverse range of guest contributors. Sessions are held on Zoom and are a combination taught content and interaction.
Module one provides the biblical basis of creation care, exploring key texts from Genesis to Revelation and introducing foundational theology for the practice of biodiversity conservation.
Module two is designed to give students both theory and practical skills in science and conservation.
Module three asks what does it mean to be a Jesus-like leader in conservation? How do we gather others around us in the task of caring for creation, learn from setbacks and grow healthy teams and organizations?
The Conservation Project
Outside of your modules, the main additional focus is your project. The goal is for all students to engage in a practical creation care project at or near your own home location.
The project is designed to ensure that there is a specific, real, live initiative through which you can apply and therefore reinforce your learning from all modules, and to reflects the A Rocha commitment to place-based, hand-on projects.
The project incorporates:
- Practical Conservation experience
- A project proposal
- The project
- A project report which summarises the following two key aspects:
- Part 1) document your project as a report, to include your project’s methodology and its outcomes
- Part 2) a summary self-reflection on how the project has helped in your personal formation
- Presentation summarising your project and/or self-examen reflection of the year for a Conference Celebration
The mentoring
You will be assigned a mentor who will meet with you four times for one hour over Zoom during the certificate for advice, support, and insights to help you develop new skills and competencies. They will act as a confidential sounding board, sharing their expertise and challenging you to think differently.
The community
Students from our first cohort highly appreciated the relationships they formed, the learning and encouragement they experienced from each other and the opportunity to meet with such an international group. Aside from the live Zoom sessions, we have a Slack channel where we interact outside class times.
Course structure
Three modules of eight 90 minute sessions:
- The biblical basis of creation care
- Conservation & science
- Learning leadership by following Jesus
Key dates
| Online sessions | Track A dates | Track B dates |
| Launch events | Thursday: 24-Sept-26, 1900-2030 UTC | Friday: 25-Sept-26, 1200-1330 UTC |
| Getting to know you sessions | Thursday: 01-Oct-26, 1900-2030 UTC | Friday: 02-Oct-26, 1200-1330 UTC |
Module 1 The biblical basis for creation care | Thursdays: 08 October – 26 November 2026 1800-1930 UTC | Tuesdays: 06 October – 24 November 0700-0830 UTC |
| Tutor call | Thursday 10-Dec-26 1800-1930 UTC | Tuesday 8-Dec-26 0700-0830 UTC |
| Christmas | ||
| Southern hemisphere summer | ||
| Tutor call with Hannah and Jo | Thursday 14-Jan-27 1800-1930 UTC | Friday 15-Jan-27 1200-1330 UTC |
Module 2 Conservation & Science | Thursdays: 28 January – 18 March 2027 1800-1930 UTC | Fridays: 29 January – 19 March 2027 1200-1330 UTC |
| Easter | ||
| Tutor call | Thursday 8-Apr-27 1800-1930 UTC | Friday 9-Apr-27 1200-1330 UTC |
Module 3 Learning Leadership through the Lens of Following Jesus | Thursdays: 15 April – 3 June 2027 1800-1930 UTC | Tuesdays: 13 April – 1 June 2027 0700-0830 UTC |
| Wrap-up Conference Celebration | Thursday 17-Jun-27 1800-2000 UTC | Friday 18-Jun-27 1200-1400 UTC |
Tutor call How to keep on keeping on. How to be a Christian Conservation Scientist in Community, across Cultural Diversity and in Collaboration. | Thursday 24-Jun-27 1800-1930 UTC | Friday 25-Jun-27 1200-1330 UTC |
| Northern hemisphere summer | ||
Content (indicative)
| Module 1 Biblical basis for creation care |
| Psalms and wisdom literature |
| Creation care and the Genesis story |
| Law and the prophets/ covenant with all creation |
| Jesus and the Kingdom of God |
| Church & creation (including church engagement) |
| Revelation and the New Creation |
| Whole life worship/mission/ discipleship |
| Case Study: an African Theology and the US |
| Module 2 Conservation & Science |
| Overarching view of the whole of creation – what are the biggest threats? Is there hope? |
| How to communicate science (include why & how to communicate with hope) |
| Advocacy & campaigning AND community engagement AND policy influencing |
| Tools needed to do robust science and relevant conservation work (& how to fund it) |
| Case study examples – Protect and Restore – Terrestrial (Atewa) |
| Case study examples – Protect and Restore – Freshwater |
| Case study examples – Protect and Restore – Marine |
| As conservation scientists, how do we find hope – celebrate! |
| Module 3 Learning Leadership through the Lens of Following Jesus |
| Jesus: The Brilliant Leader (from John 3-4) |
| Biblical Wisdom & Ways of Leading |
| Leading through a clear Mission, Vision and Calling |
| Listening, Empowering & Leading Others toward Reconciliation |
| Learning the Hard Way: Leadership Pitfalls and the God who Restores |
| Leading with Discernment, Wisdom through the power of the Holy Spirit |
| How to Lead through Challenge & Loss: Grief, Lament and Hope |
| Case Study: Canada – the forming of a Christian Environmental Centre |
| Case Study: A Rocha – the Birthing of a Movement; Entrepreneurship |
| Wrap-Up Session: What are we taking away? What will we practice? What next? |
Conservation Certificate Leadership
Dr Hannah Hereward
Programme Director
Jo Swinney
Conservation Certificate Lead
Rev Dr Dave Bookless
Module Leader
David & Shauna Anderson
Module Leaders
Dr Hannah Hereward
Programme Director
Jo Swinney
Conservation Certificate Lead
Rev Dr Dave Bookless
Module Leader
David & Shauna Anderson
Module Leaders
How to apply
Application deadline – 18 June 2026
A limited number of bursaries are available for the Conservation Certificate to support individuals for whom financial constraints would otherwise prevent participation.
To apply, please submit a one-page letter telling us about
- your interest in conservation
- what your Christian faith means to you
- how you believe this course will benefit your career, current role, and/or organisation
- why you are unable to pay the full fee
- what percentage of the tuition you hope the bursary will cover (up to a maximum of 75%)
Additionally, applicants must provide a letter of support from their current line manager. If this is not possible, a letter from their pastor or university supervisor will be accepted.
Applications to be sent to [email protected]
Decisions
We will let you know if your application has been successful on or shortly after 25 June 2026
How do I pay?
Once you have filled out the application form, we will email you with an invoice and options for paying depending on where you live.
Can I pay in installments?
Yes you can! Please let our administrator, Benon, know you’d like to do this by emailing him at [email protected].
Do I have to attend all the sessions to be awarded a certificate?
No. The requirement is that you attend at least 75% of the live sessions.
How does the 200 hour time commitment break down?
- 36 hours of taught content (3 modules of eight 90 minute sessions)
- 15 hours undertaking practical conservation work
- 9 hours self-reflection
- 45-60 hours of independent study (reading, watching and listening background materials – spend a maximum of 2-3 hours per session)
- 4, 1hr mentor sessions
- 80 hours spent working on the conservation Project (Estimated split of this time: Module 1 = 15hrs, Module 2 = 35hrs, Module 3 = 30hrs)
Do I have to pay for any study materials?
No, we provide all the content for your extra study.
Do I have to pay for consevation project related costs?
There is no funding available from the Certificate but you may be able to secure local grant funding.
Are there any opportunities to meet in person?
You are very welcome to organise trips to meet your fellow students, but there are no formal get togethers due to the wide geographical span of the cohorts.
How do you encourage a sense of community on the Certificate?
We use a platform called Slack where we can interact, share stories, and ask questions. We have also built in lots of time for interaction in the live sessions.
Still got questions? Write to [email protected]
Equipping Christians to be hopeful and effective conservationists
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