The Communion Forest team is blessed with two brilliant (very) part-time facilitators, Irene Sebastian-Waweru (for Africa) and Nicholas Pande (for the rest of the world). Irene and Nicholas have been reaching out to provinces across the Communion to find out how they are taking the Communion Forest initiative forwards; to learn about what they are currently doing in terms of ecosystem conservation, protection and restoration; and to see how the Communion Forest as a global network can support their work. 

Here are just some of the exciting new initiatives they have heard about:

Communion Forest Zimbabwe

The Diocese of Central Zimbabwe (Province of Central Africa) has committed 105 hectares of church land for the Communion Forest Zimbabwe. Bishop Ignatius Makumbe dedicated this land, which the Church has embarked on restoring and conserving, during the launch of Green Anglicans Central Zimbabwe. The Church partnered with the Zimbabwean Forest Commission and Environmental Management Agency to inspect the land and give recommendations. A teacher in the school, Nyikadzino Mukaro, an ambassador of the Friends for the Environment in Zimbabwe, donated 800 indigenous trees and the Zimbabwean Forest Commission also donated 100 exotic shade tree seedlings, 20 exotic fruit tree seedlings and 2 baobab tree seedlings. 

The Anglican Diocese of South West Tanganyika (Province of Tanzania) has partnered with two government agencies to plant 310,000 trees in the Njombe region. The Church worked with Njombe Natural Resources & Land Management and Tanzania Forestry Services to acquire barren land in 20 parishes most affected by climate change. The agencies also provided technical support to identify the right trees for different areas. 

Trees for special occasions. 

The Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross (Church of Ireland) is busy preparing for Confirmation season. Bishop Paul Colton is keen to make a link with Communion Forest by giving each candidate a wildflower seed kit and having a tree planted for them, with a certificate.  

Andrew Orr, the Archdeacon of Cork, Ross and Cloyne, said "The Communion Forest is such an important initiative, bringing together Anglican environmental action from around the globe. Ireland is the least wooded country in Europe and we are delighted that our confirmation candidates will be doing their part to develop our native woodlands and increase biodiversity across the entire island".

Pledges to engage with the Communion Forest
 

In the United States, at least three dioceses of The Episcopal Church have pledged support for the Communion Forest. These include the Diocese of Virginia, the Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina and the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. This is part of a wider commitment of The Episcopal Church to the Communion Forest, made at the 2022 Episcopal Church General Convention, which resolved “[t]hat the dioceses of the Episcopal Church pledge to support the Communion Forest initiative… to plant trees, practice reforestation and regenerative agriculture, protect forests and other plant communities…”