Do you ever wonder if you have anything to bring to the effort to protect and restore the planet? Perhaps you feel small and insignificant considering the scale of the problems. Or you think the task requires specialist skills and experience that you lack. The truth is, all of us have something to bring. And we are all needed. Embert Messelink began his working life as a journalist and a Christian who enjoyed birding but who didn't see how they connected. When he came across A Rocha, he...

Should we really be eating Nutella? Or buying products that contain palm oil? How can - and should - consumers make environmentally-friendly choices when supply chains are so complex? Ken speaks with Bryony and Peter about moving from the private sector to the environmental sector, his passion for the environment and the challenges of supply chains. In his professional life, Ken Yeong has worked on responsible supply chains and nature conservation. Currently, he works as Sustainability...

The latest IPCC report was even more dire than predicted. As one of its authors, no one could accuse Rodel Lasco of burying his head in the sand. Even if he wanted to, living in the Philippines where the changing climate now causes thousands of deaths annually, reality would have confronted him with the painful truth. And yet, in this extraordinary conversation, Rodel's deep faith and peace are palpable. If you are in need of reassurance and comfort, look no further. Dr Rodel D. Lasco is a...

The Israelites in exile wondered how they could sing (Psalm 137:4); in our current dire situation, you may wonder what good it does to write songs. Bryony and Peter talk to a dear A Rocha friend, Sandra McCracken, about how her music has come to be her contribution to the 'renewal of all things' God is working out in and through each of us, whether artists, scientists, activists or peacemakers. Sandra McCracken is a singer-songwriter and hymn writer from Nashville, Tennessee. A prolific...

Are people always bad news for nature? And is there anywhere we haven't had an impact?  Dr Sarah-Lan Mathez-Stiefel is a Senior Research Scientist at the Centre for Development and Environment at the University of Bern, and Senior Advisor for the Regional Hub South America of the Wyss Academy for Nature. She has a long history with A Rocha, having first met Peter aged 11!  Now in her 40s, Sarah-Lan has had an impressive career in the fields of sustainable development, natural resource...

In our increasingly globalized and interconnected world, the question ‘where are you from?’ is, for so many of us, difficult to answer. In the 21st century, our connection to a place and land as ‘home’ are radically different to any other time in human history. Cheryl Bear is from Nadleh Whut’en First Nation and is well-known as an important and respected voice on behalf of Canada’s Indigenous peoples. She is an Associate Professor at Regent College in Vancouver, BC, where she currently...

Have you ever felt as though your life is racing past at a breath-taking speed, or that every space is filled by electronic, fast-paced noise? Those living with trauma often testify to the healing impact of nature and the stillness that can be experienced in the great outdoors, yet we avoid it and worse - collude in its destruction. Mako is a leading contemporary painter whose "slow art" the New York Times called a "rebellion against the quickening of time." As a Master of the Japanese art...

What is it that motivates us - people of faith or none - to care for the planet? And why are conservationists so reluctant to admit their beliefs and values? Darren Evans is Professor of Ecology and Conservation at Newcastle University, his research earning him the nickname 'Dr Duck.' He leads a research group examining the impacts of environmental change on foodwebs, especially in forestry and farmland, with a focus on mitigation and restoration strategies. He enjoys working at the...

For all the good work now being done to address the environmental crisis, why do we not see more impact? Why do things seem to be going from bad to worse and what can be done? Jyoti Banerjee is co-founder of North Star Transition which aims to accelerate systemic change with the goal of increasing the impact of global efforts to halt climate change and biodiversity loss.  He was part of the team that created the Integrated Reporting movement globally. He has been an impact investor for two...

How do we keep going after trauma and tragedy? How can we avoid becoming overwhelmed and despairing in the face of the environmental catastrophe unfolding before our very eyes? Ruth Padilla DeBorst is a renowned Latin American theologian based in Costa Rica, where she lives in Casa Adobe, an intentional community committed to living as good neighbours in right relation with people and the rest of creation. She is a long-time friend and former trustee of A Rocha International.  In this...

Is nature intrinsically valuable? Or should we only value nature that benefits humanity? Trained as a Chartered Management Account with an MBA in International Business, Seth Appiah-Kubi hasn't come from a conservation background. However, his background in finance and subsequent work in securing natural resources shows the importance of an interdisciplinary approach in caring for creation. We need scientists, but we also need economists, politicians and a wealth of other professions to...

Are human livelihoods more important than nature? Dr Deepa Senapathi is Senior Research Fellow in Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, at the University of Reading, UK, and also serves on A Rocha International’s Conservation Science Advisory Council. Deepa was born and grew up in Chennai, India, before further studies and research based in the UK. Her research has focused on critically endangered bird populations in Mauritius and India and, more recently, on insect pollinator communities in...

The Dakatcha Woodland is facing a crisis. It is among the ten most threatened forest hotspots in the world, located 150km north of Mombasa in the south of Kenya. It is home to a number of rare species, but is threatened by an unprecedented rush of people purchasing land for agriculture and, in particular, pineapple farming and charcoal burning. Colin Jackson, Director of A Rocha Kenya, founded the organisation in 1999 after working with A Rocha Portugal for three and half years. He speaks...

The world’s high seas – our so-called international waters – represent nearly 50% of the planet’s surface but is not owned by any state. Research shows that around half of fishing in the high seas would not be profitable without government subsidies or slave labour… So could we protect it by creating a giant marine reserve, and let nature flourish? In this episode, Enric speaks honestly with Bryony and Peter about the desperate situation our oceans are facing. Despite the urgent and very real...

Rachel Mander talks to Bryony and Peter about being an unlikely campaigner, the power of personal action and unlikely places to worship. As a young and increasingly influential  leader in the environmental movement in the UK, Rachel speaks honestly about the struggles and external and internal opposition she faces in challenging the status quo.   Rachel is part of A Rocha’s Theology and Churches team. She coordinates the Young Christian Climate Network and also works for Hope for the Future,...

Why do starving manatees matter when there are children dying of preventable disease? Is telling people about Jesus the priority for Christians or should we be doing beach clean ups too? Dr Robert Sluka, A Rocha's Lead Marine Scientist, talks to Bryony and Peter about how he came to believe that holistic marine conservation brings glory to God and what can be done to help the hungry manatees.  Bob is a curious explorer, applying hopeful, optimistic and holistic solutions to all that is ailing...

Wine is mentioned over 1,000 times in the Bible, but what is its significance for the Christian faith today? And how can we produce and buy wines which care for creation? Gisela Kreglinger grew up on a family-owned winery in Franconia, Germany where her family has crafted wine for many generations.  This unique experience has inspired her to write several books, including 'The Spirituality of Wine' and 'The Soul of Wine'. As a trained theologian with a PhD from the University of St Andrew's,...

In the face of rising average global temperatures and the destruction of life on earth, how do we look after our mental health? In this moving interview, Dr Stuart Blanch, President of A Rocha Australia, tells us about his personal experience of dealing with eco-anxiety, despair and anger in the face of the destruction of the natural world. He continues to hope and to love. Stuart grew up on the New South Wales Coast in a banana farming family and, alongside his role with A Rocha, now works...

What does the Bible have to say about caring for creation in an age of industrialised agriculture and urban-dwelling? Ellen F. Davis is Amos Ragan Kearns Distinguished Professor of Bible and Practical Theology at Duke Divinity School. The author of eleven books and many articles, her research interests focus on how biblical interpretation bears on the life of faith communities and their response to urgent public issues, particularly the ecological crisis and interfaith relations. She speaks...

This is an A Rocha Field Notes podcast bonus track. We asked Ellen Davis to walk us through one of her favourite Scriptures. This is what she shared.

What role does reconciliation, mediation and forgiveness have in tackling the climate crisis? Dr Paul Kariya is Senior Policy Advisor for the Coastal First Nations Great Bear Initiative, an alliance of nine British Columbia First Nations which aims to protect the Great Bear Rainforest, and was a trustee of A Rocha International for nearly a decade.  By the end of the 1990s, forest and ocean resources of the area were being rapidly depleted by heavy industrial logging and commercial fishing....

Is nature conservation a luxury for those who live in such poverty that even their survival hangs in the balance? Dr Florence Muindi is a medical doctor and founding president of Life in Abundance International. As a young adult, Florence felt called to serve some of the most vulnerable communities in Africa. She soon learnt that if she and her colleagues were to make any impact on all the causes of deprivation then an integrated approach was essential. In this episode, she talks with Bryony...

Dr Paula Banza talks to Bryony and Peter about moths and their little-known role as pollinators, and what it was like seeing her study site destroyed by fire only to recover before her eyes. She also shares insight from her 30 years living and working...

A brief intro to our up-coming series Field Notes. We talk to people who are working to care for creation around the world