Christians adopt “smelly” woods
TORONTO, ON–With sushi, wedding cake and the "luxury" of good china plates, a group from The Church of the Resurrection (The Rez) recently went picnicking along the riverbank beside one of Canada's most polluted streams.
"The ravine is rather smelly and neglected," says Jill Jones of The Rez. "We ran into some kids spray-painting rocks and the path. It definitely needs help! But the message was, 'we can help do something about it.'"
The Rez–an Anglican church–is partnering with Christian conservation organization A Rocha Canada to adopt and maintain Warden Woods ravine in the east end of the city. Paul Abell of A Rocha is leading the volunteer team.
"Warden Woods has got a beauty in it," Abell says. "It's a gem. But we're going to be doing a lot of garbage clean up. I hate to say it, but the whole thing is just litter."
The group is going to help restore the natural forest cover by planting vegetation, removing invasive plant species, watering and mulching trees, and monitoring water quality.
"This is a practical way that people in the community can get involved in restoring the degraded environment," Abell says.
The group is one of 10 teams who have taken on the maintenance of an urban wildlife area through the City of Toronto's Community Stewardship Program.
About 13 per cent of Toronto's land area is made up of "natural areas" including forests, meadows, wetlands and beach bluff, according to program coordinator Cheryl Post.
"It's actually one of the great things about Toronto," Post says, "that we have these extensive natural areas throughout the city� each with their own eco-systems, with different plant, animal, insect and bird species that rely on them.
"It's important to involve the community in getting out and getting their hands into the land. It fosters a sense of stewardship and of ownership, when they get them out there to work in these naturalized areas and help them realize what they are facing. And it helps us accomplish work that otherwise would be difficult to accomplish without the help of volunteers and community involvement."
Post says the program's focus is on restoration and naturalization of the environment. "In general," she says, "the urban forest is facing a lot of stress from issues like the encroachment of invasive species, to the dumping of urban waste or pool water."
"Things that we as people have done–our sin–has messed up the ecosystem," says Abell. "We have to restore that. It's bringing a bit of the redemption we've experienced as people into the natural environment–to the water we rely on, the parks we walk through, the air we breathe.
"It's about trying to live out the Christian faith in a way that is relevant," he adds. "God loves these woods, and we need to learn to love what God loves."
On their walk, the Rez volunteers found a pile of abandoned Christmas ornaments. They used them to decorate a sapling tree. Duke Vipperman, the Rez's pastor, then took some back for use at the church next Christmas.
"As we walked along the path with methane accosting us, we confessed how we have despoiled creation," says Vipperman. "We also saw how, joining in common cause with others, we might participate in the restoration of this little part of God's good earth."
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