A Rocha USA

A Rocha USA We are Christians in conservation with a mission to live out God’s calling to care for creation and equip others to do likewise. 🌱

A Rocha USA, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is a national community of Christians working in conservation to protect and restore vulnerable habitats, species, and communities. Our programs and conservation projects focus on applied scientific research, environmental and theological education, and environmental action. Our key areas of work in the USA are marine conservation, climate action, and habitat pr

eservation. As a part of the worldwide family of A Rocha organizations that span over 20 countries, we are committed to restoring people and places by providing resources and community for those interested in biodiversity conservation and caring for all of God’s creation.

A Rocha International is excited to participate in the Christian Climate Observers Program-CCOP at the upcoming UN Clima...
06/04/2026

A Rocha International is excited to participate in the Christian Climate Observers Program-CCOP at the upcoming UN Climate Change Change Conference (COP 31) in Antalya, Turkey this November!

CCOP does vital work in training the next generation of UN climate observers from a unique Christian and missional perspective. Participants receive official observer credentials, granting them direct access to the conference grounds to engage in crucial meetings, briefings, and workshops.

We look forward to supporting these emerging leaders as they engage with global climate policy and advocate for God’s creation at this global conference.

Apply today at https://www.ccopclimate.org/

There's a layer in every forest that most people never notice.“The understory is the forest’s nursery, its root network,...
06/04/2026

There's a layer in every forest that most people never notice.

“The understory is the forest’s nursery, its root network, and, crucially, its memory. Of every zone, it is the most biodiverse, the slowest to reveal itself, and the most vital to the health of the whole.” - Anne Snyder
This past weekend, over 1,000 Christian leaders gathered at the Washington National Cathedral for the Understory Festival, a three-day gathering to ask how we rebuild trust and renew our common life in a pretty fractured moment. Writers, artists, pastors, and institution builders took seriously the question of what holds us together.

We were there, Ben Lowe, and brought butterfly milkweed. 50 seeds per packet, tucked into every registration bag. This wildflower feeds monarchs, hosts caterpillars, and supports native bees, doing simply, in a garden or a field, exactly what the understory does in a forest.

We think that's what creation care is in the life of the church. Not the headline. The understory. The layer that makes everything above it more resilient.🌿🦋🌱

🌊🪸A Rocha's Lead Scientist in Marine Conservation, Bob Sluka, recently presented on the theological basis for ocean care...
06/02/2026

🌊🪸A Rocha's Lead Scientist in Marine Conservation, Bob Sluka, recently presented on the theological basis for ocean care, exploring scripture that calls us to steward the seas and sharing practical steps for churches looking to aid in the current plastics crisis.

Our "Plastics Toolbox,", Bob's full lecture, as well as many other resources and lectures from the "Ocean Plastics and Public Theology" online retreat, can be found here: https://www.eclasproject.org/conference/ocean-plastics-and-public-theology/

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you...or let the fish in the sea inform you.
Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind." - Job 12:7-10

Meet Jenny Ramirez, A Rocha USA's Environmental Educator and a key member of our Picnics en el Arroyo team in Central Te...
06/01/2026

Meet Jenny Ramirez, A Rocha USA's Environmental Educator and a key member of our Picnics en el Arroyo team in Central Texas. 🌸 ⁠⁠In our latest staff Q&A, Jenny talks about fostering belonging in the Texas Hill Country, watching kids grow up in these programs year after year, and even winning a collegiate national powerlifting championship. 🏆

With her background in botany and a love for native plants, such as Texas Redbuds, Blue-eyed Grass and Pearl Milkweed, Jenny brings both scientific expertise and heartfelt caretaking to every outdoor space she enters.

“I’ve come to see caring for the environment not just as scientific work, but as love, responsibility, and care for our places and communities." - Jenny Ramirez
🌿

🔗 Check out our blog to read more about Jenny here: https://arocha.us/fostering-belonging-in-the-texas-hill-country-qa-with-environmental-educator-jenny-ramirez

Every yard, garden, and green space is an opportunity to show hospitality to God's creation around us. Swipe for 4 simpl...
05/29/2026

Every yard, garden, and green space is an opportunity to show hospitality to God's creation around us. Swipe for 4 simple ways to make your outdoor space more welcoming to birds, pollinators, and the creatures who are part of our community. 🐝🌷🌳

📄 Read our full guide, written by , here:https://arocha.us/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/4-Tips-for-Creature-Friendly-Yards-and-Gardens_A-Rocha-USA.pdf

What's one change you've already made or want to try? Drop it in the comments. 👇

📸2: Wolfgang Vrede
📸4: Kate L

Jonathan Old Horse is a member of the Oglala Lakota nation and pastors Woyatan Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dako...
05/28/2026

Jonathan Old Horse is a member of the Oglala Lakota nation and pastors Woyatan Lutheran Church in Rapid City, South Dakota. Over the years, our ED, Ben Lowe, has had the honor of getting to know Pastor Jonathan through teaching at the Wheaton College Field Station in the Black Hills. Pastor Jonathan came to a team meeting recently to share stories and wisdom from his life and community, including the powerful Lakota phrase, "Mitakuye Oyasin."

We have so much to learn from our Indigenous brothers and sisters on living in right relationship with all creation and being good relatives. We look forward to continuing the conversation with Pastor Jonathan and his community, as well as other native communities who are the original caretakers of these lands.

When Au Sable intern Kailyn Liu spotted a Turkey Vulture cleaning up a carcass during Holy Week, it sparked a bigger que...
05/26/2026

When Au Sable intern Kailyn Liu spotted a Turkey Vulture cleaning up a carcass during Holy Week, it sparked a bigger question: why would a God who is "the author of life" create so many creatures that live off of death?

Her answer is simple and beautiful: "Scavengers and decomposers are a reminder that God has been redeeming his creation even in its brokenness, and will do so even more when he fully restores it."

For a refreshing reflection on ecology, resurrection, and the incredible ways God cares for his creation, read Kailyn's full blog post here: https://arocha.us/death-turned-against-itself-how-decomposers-make-way-for-new-life🍄🦅🌱

📸1/2: Kailyn Liu
📸5: Don Sniegowski
📸3: Larissa Sayer
📸4: Hedera Baltica
📸5: Derek Parker

We're so grateful for the time and leadership Rick Lindroth brought to the A Rocha USA board and for the way he keeps bu...
05/23/2026

We're so grateful for the time and leadership Rick Lindroth brought to the A Rocha USA board and for the way he keeps building bridges between science and the Christian faith for audiences across the church and academy. 🌿

Rick is an ecologist whose research focused on evolutionary ecology and global change in forest ecosystems and someone who has thought deeply about what it means to follow Christ in a world of wonder.

Thank you, Rick, for your service, your expertise, and for helping so many of us see God's creation with fresh eyes. Read the full interview with Rick at Science for the Church here:

🔗 https://scienceforthechurch.org/2026/05/19/an-ecologist-testifies-qa-with-rick-lindroth/

El calor de Texas está en camino este verano, y su iglesia puede ayudar a su vecindario a mantenerse fresco. 🌳Únase a no...
05/20/2026

El calor de Texas está en camino este verano, y su iglesia puede ayudar a su vecindario a mantenerse fresco. 🌳

Únase a nosotros en persona para un taller gratuito el 30 de mayo (de 9am a 12pm CT) para aprender cómo su congregación puede recibir árboles gratuitos y apoyo técnico a través de nuestro programa de Renuevos de Esperanza en Austin, Texas.

La equidad arbórea significa garantizar que todas las comunidades, especialmente aquellas afectadas por islas de calor, mala calidad del aire y pocos espacios verdes, tengan acceso a los beneficios que los árboles proporcionan. 🌿

¡Los esperamos el 30 de mayo, de 9am a 12pm CT!

Regístrese aquí: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/branches-of-faith-workshop-taller-renuevos-de-esperanza-tickets-1984843716988

The Texas heat is on its way this summer season, and your church can help your neighborhood stay cool. 🌳Join us for a fr...
05/20/2026

The Texas heat is on its way this summer season, and your church can help your neighborhood stay cool. 🌳

Join us for a free in-person workshop on May 30 (9 am–12 pm CT) to learn how your congregation can receive free trees and technical support through our Branches of Faith program in Austin, Texas.

Tree equity means ensuring every community, especially those facing heat islands (urban areas that are significantly warmer due to a lack of trees and green space), poor air quality, and limited green space, has access to the necessities and benefits that trees provide. 🌿

We hope to see you there on May 30, (9 am –12 pm CT).

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/branches-of-faith-workshop-taller-renuevos-de-esperanza-tickets-1984843716988 🔗

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Wheaton, IL

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+18305225319

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