Faith To Forest

An initiative by and for faith communities focused on God’s love for trees, the gifts they give God’s people, and the responsibilities we have to care for trees, particularly in a changing climate. Faith to Forest will include worship, education, stewardship and advocacy at the faith community and general community levels.

Plans are still being developed but include: 

  • Encouraging all faith communities to have a Tree Sabbath worship service, preferably in January or February 2022. 

  • A call for individuals and faith communities to plant and care for trees in 2022 and/or donate to the Lincoln Parks & Recreation Foundation to fund planting and caring for trees.

  • A call for Lincoln volunteers for “Prairie Pruners,” who will be trained to prune small trees and help with pruning trees in parks, along streets and as invited at homes and other locations.

  • Two Zoom presentations:

    Jan 6, 2022—Rev. Dr. Jen Strickland and Rev. Dr. Jacob Buchholz will discuss why trees and the environment are issues requiring attention and action by people of faith.

    Jan 13, 2022—Justin Evertson with the Nebraska Forest Service and Nebraska Statewide Arboretum will give a fast-paced overview of trees, including their economic value, physical and mental health benefits, the latest science, the value of planting native species, how trees impact and are impacted by climate change, and more.

  • Book and article discussions at the faith community and general community levels. The search for a great book is currently underway.

  • One or two advocacy steps for individuals and faith communities. Ideas are under consideration.

More opportunities:

 Interested in participating? Please contact Lorrie Benson or Laurel Van Ham