A Rocha

A Rocha is an international network of environmental organizations with a Christian ethos. A Rocha, which means "the rock" in Portuguese (see entry Rocha), was founded in Portugal in 1983^[13] by Anglican minister Peter Harris and his wife Miranda.^[2]

Organization

The organization network is constituted by A Rocha International (ARI), as a supporting body, and other organizations, which can be National Organizations or Associated Projects. Each organization is independent.^[5]

As of 2016, A Rocha is working in 20 countries: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Netherlands, New Zealand/Aotearoa, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, South Africa, Switzerland, Uganda, United Kingdom, and United States.^[5] There are ongoing conversations with other potential groups around the world.^[10]:2

A Rocha’s modus operandi is based on five guiding principles: Christian, Conservation, Community, Cooperation, and Cross-Cultural.^[3]

Work

A Rocha aims to protect the environment through local, community-based conservation, scientific research, and environmental education,^[14] and they have “a track record of successes”.^[15][16]

A bird ringer aging a Hoopoe at the Cruzinha field studies centre, Portugal

A Rocha operates field study centres in Canada (two centres), France (two centres), India, Kenya, Portugal^[17] and also in the Czech Republic.^[18] These serve primarily as a base for A Rocha’s and other organizations’ field studies and for environmental education, and most also offer accommodation for visitors.

Areas of A Rocha’s work include:

• Species and landscape surveying and monitoring, such as raptor counts in Pembina Valley, Canada,^[19] camera trapping of mammals in India,^[20] the Kenya Bird Map,^[21] dry grassland biodiversity surveys in Switzerland^[22] and mapping tropical forests using unmanned aerial vehicles^[23][24]
• Habitat and species restoration projects, such as mangrove restoration projects in Ghana,^[25] and improving breeding chances for Grey-faced petrels by eradicating invasive mammals, restoring habitats and deploying artificial nests in Raglan, New Zealand^[26]
• Reducing human–wildlife conflict in India, notably with elephants^[27][28] and leopards^[29]
• Setting up private or public parks and reserves such as the Kirosa Scott Reserve in Kenya,^[30] and Foxearth Reserve^[31] and Minet Country Park in the UK
• Enlarging and campaigning for the safeguarding of existing natural and protected areas, such as the Atewa Forest in Ghana,^[32] and the Alvor Estuary in Portugal^[33][34]
• Bridging biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods, such as via sustainable agriculture and community garden projects across Canada;^[35] the Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-tourism Scheme in Kenya;^[27][36] the establishment of CREMAs (community resource management areas) around Mole National Park^[27] and Lake Bosumtwi,^[37] Ghana; and training community members in Uganda to construct bio-sand water filters^[38]
• Environmental education activities and resources, such as the Wild Lebanon website in Lebanon^[39] and “creation care camps” in the USA^[40]
• Carbon footprint reduction and mitigation projects, such as producing charcoal briquettes from waste in Uganda,^[41] the “Eco Church” church greening programme in the UK,^[42] and running “Climate Stewards”, a global programme which encourages people to reduce their carbon footprint, and accepts donations to offset emissions via community forestry and cookstove projects in Ghana, Kenya and Mexico^[43]
• Cooperating worldwide for nature conservation, such as being a member of IUCN^[44] and IUCN’s European Habitats Forum^[45]
• Engaging Christian communities with the relevance of nature conservation to the Christian faith, through conferences,^[46] speaking engagements,^[47] and partnerships such as the Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network^[48]

A Rocha also serves as an Erasmus+ / European Voluntary Service agency in France,^[49] the Netherlands^[50] and Portugal.^[51]

References