Eco News

The concept of Tiny Forests was developed in the 1970s by the Japanese botanist Dr Akira Miyawaki. His method to create small, dense, fast-growing native woodlands has spread worldwide and has been taken up by many environmental groups.  SMV is planning to partner with St Nicholas Church, Littlemore, to raise money for a forest, research a location, consider which native plants to grow and, over time, maintain and monitor this forest. There are some examples of Tiny Forests in Oxford already - one can be found on the edge of Dunstan Park, on Foxwell Drive.

You can find out more about Tiny Forests by visiting the Earthwatch website. Earthwatch has partnered with communities across the UK and has planted over 200 forests in the past three years, with the very first tiny forest being planted near us in Witney. They are never bigger than the size of a tennis court and are densely populated with as many as 600 native trees. Earthwatch claims that within three years, these spaces can become habitats for 500 animal and plant species.

These magical spaces can reconnect people with nature, raise awareness of climate change, creating climate-resilient urban areas and can also be places of peace and stillness in our busy world. 

In this time of terrible global conflict, where we are witnessing so much pain and horror, a straightforward way of staying in touch with God can be by walking in nature and appreciating the beauty of the Earth around us. 

Would you like to be involved in this project? Would you like to donate money for the trees? If so please get in touch with Ana on ana-maria.niculcea@universitychurch.ox.ac.uk

We recently beat the bounds at St Mary's - here's a poem from Sara Mark, St James's Church Piccadilly: 

Do not beat the bounds.

Bind them tenderly to your memory, a quiet folding waiting resurrection.
They are young; tied loosely to the Earth barely three hundred years. Bless them.
Place your feet carefully with soft tread. Earth shudders
under too-thick carapace, heel-clack and rubber-roar.
Ancestral knowledge re-membered. Gather each piece,
walk and breathe and hold in soul’s eye a deeper rhyme.
Let your foot feel landfall Thamesward, invisible surrender to love’s gradient.
And Blackbird sings, and Earthworm tills the meadow stretching to Thorney eyot.
Honour us with visions loved ones;
lend us hope for an age beyond exclusion and border:
Dream us into the ecozoic.

By Al Dutton

24 March 2023

When the land dries up, all life dies: the plants wither; birds and animals starve; the soil turns to dust and is blown away; the sun-baked ground becomes so hard that little rain soaks in; the land becomes drier still.

In February I visited one of several valleys in northern Ethiopia where water conservation reversed this arid story of desertification.  Where there was once a dry rocky gully in all but the rainy season, now a gushing stream flows through verdant fields all year round. I saw it with my own eyes.

How is this possible? With so much talk of climate change, and increasing desertification and food crises, it’s easy to think that we’re fighting a losing battle but much can still be done to improve things dramatically.  Working with the Church about ten years ago, the Ethiopian Government built a series of low earth-dams, about 10m high at the top of the valley. 

On relatively flat plateaus, these trapped the rains and held them upstream in lakes.  Slowly this water percolated into the land and over several years created large underground reservoirs, which hold the water in the sediment all year round.

The Church then worked with the community to build irrigation ditches which follow the contours to take the water high up the sides of the valley below.  Using compost and animal manure, the villagers improved the organic content of the soil, thereby increasing the absorption and retention of water.  Similarly, putting a mulch – even a simple one of maize stalks – on the land prevents evaporation, increases absorption, and encourages ground-level insect life which breaks down the vegetation and increases the fertility further.

Where once the villagers only had one, increasingly unreliable, harvest of cereals a year, they now have three harvests and are growing many vegetables, including tomatoes, ground nuts, carrots, and cabbages to increase the variety of their diet and sell at market.  For the last two years Tigray – this region in northern Ethiopia – has been cut off by brutal civil war.  While people have under siege and no supplies could be delivered, this stream has continued to flow and these fields have fed the surrounding towns and villages.

by Tess Blenkinsop

24 February 2023

Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may have her young” Psalms 84:1-3

Christianity is rich in the symbolism of birds. The Eagle signifies strength, the Dove peace and grace, the Owl desolation. In Renaissance Art Jesus is often depicted holding a goldfinch, thought to symbolize the soul, resurrection, sacrifice and death. In Oxford birds are very much part of our daily environment, even in the city centre. The screeching of the University Museum Swifts in Summer, the occasional mewing of a Red Kite hovering over our gardens, serene Swans, squabbling Ducks and squawking Geese on the river are all common enough sights and sounds.

Care of our avian neighbours in Holywell Cemetery is an important consideration in our quest, as an Eco church, to reach the Silver Award from ARocha. This afternoon a small group met at Holywell to discuss the siting of bird boxes. It was led by Andy Gosler, Professor of Ethno-ornithology, University of Oxford, who delighted the group by identifying the calls of Great tits, Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Goldcrests and Fieldfares. In listening to the Great Tits three note song, he observed that Holywell must be a quiet environment within an urban setting; when noise levels are high their song is limited to two notes. It is good to know that birds recognize it for being a peaceful haven within a bustling city.

The aim is to provide 12 boxes, suitable for a variety of small birds and two larger ones for owls and possibly kestrels. Time is of the essence as the nesting season is a month earlier than it was twenty years ago; it is now in the middle of March. This is a direct result of Climate Change.  

We are currently researching which boxes to choose; the average price is between £15 to £20. If you would like to sponsor a box, please make a donation via the website and use the reference Bird Box. We will be holding an installation day within the next fortnight and would be delighted for anyone to join us. Andy Gosler will be on hand with advice and help. As a final note in addition to our Silver Award goal Andy has mentioned that his conservation target bird is the Spotted Flycatcher – Binoculars at the ready!

by Janie Bickersteth

30 January 2023

During the season of Lent, the Green Team will be ‘using their loaf’; we’d love to encourage the whole church to do so too. 

‘Using your loaf’ (cockney slang ‘loaf of bread’ equals ‘head’) is considered a rather pushy way of encouraging people to ‘think more carefully about’ their actions. As Christians, we don’t really do ‘pushy’ but hopefully this nudge towards living more lightly by considering our food choices will resonate.

Using the acronym ‘LOAF’ can help us reduce our impact on the Earth, prompting us to think ‘is it Local? Organic? Animal friendly or Fairtrade?’. Of course, there are many other ways to think about our food, but we’d like to prompt a discussion about our food choices and why they matter.

Our food accounts for 25% of our carbon footprint, so if we are heading for net zero by 2030, then this is one area where we could all make a significant dent. To get started, you can calculate your food footprint, here: https://myemissions.green/food-carbon-footprint-calculator/

The next parish lunch on Sunday 5th March at 12noon in the Old Library, will have food provided by Waste2Taste (an ethical catering company and cafe in East Oxford, using food surplus as the main ingredients, supporting homeless and vulnerable people by running cooking workshops). We will be joined by guest speakers talking to the themes of LOAF, one of whom will be Rev Lyndon Webb, Associate Chaplain of Merton and a member of our congregation. 

Lyndon spent two years at Hilfield Friary, where (as a volunteer) he learnt to grow food and a further two years working with the Pilsdon Community near Bridport, overseeing the kitchen gardens. He has now established a community veg garden for Merton students.

By Janie Bickersteth

8 December 2022

Joni Mitchell’s Big Yellow Taxi words ‘You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone’ are ringing through my head. How can we possibly care for our Earth if we don’t really know it?

The UK has lost almost half of its wildlife and plant species as a result of human and land development since the Industrial Revolution. The country is ranked in the bottom 10% in the world in terms of species depletion and the worst among G7 nations - how shameful is that?

I recently went on an interfaith weekend retreat with 20 other people, organised by the incredible St Ethelberga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace, to plant a hedgerow in Wiltshire. 

I knew hedgerow depletion was significant but I hadn’t realised that we have lost around 50% of our hedgerows since WWII, having been ploughed up for commercial farming. A further 60% of the remaining hedgerows are in a very sorry state. 

What I didn’t fully comprehend was the importance of hedgerows - they create a diverse habitat for 125 of our most threatened species, providing food and shelter. Of course, it’s obvious, but only when I was on my hands and knees planting out skinny hawthorn, spindleberry, hazel and dog rose whips did I fully appreciate what this would mean to the future of the field I was working around.

Here are some fun facts about hedgerows:

The oldest known hedgerow in England is Judith's Hedge, Cambridgeshire, at over 900 years old

Hedgerows bordered ancient paths, often growing up to form an arch. These were known as ‘hollow ways’ (think Holloway Road in London!).

Figuring out the age of a hedgerow can be done as follows: 1. Choose a 30 metre length of hedge. 2. Count the number of species of trees and shrubs you find in it. 3. Multiply the number of species by 100. The answer is the approximate age of the hedge.

 A hedgerow takes around ten years to get established.

By Tess Blenkinsop

14 October 2022

The American minister Theodore l. Cuyler wrote:

‘When a miner looks at a rope that is to lower him into a deep mine, he may coolly say

“I have faith in that rope as well made and strong” But when he lays hold of it and swings down by it into a tremendous chasm, then he is believing in the rope. Then he is trusting himself to the rope. It is not a mere opinion – it is an act. The miner lets go of everything else and bears his whole weight on those well braided strands of hemp, now that is faith.’

Last Saturday I faced two phobias as I prepared to abseil down the face of St. Mary Magdalen’s tower. One was in the ascent, the other in the descent. Confined spaces make my heart race in panic. As my fellow adventurers and I wound up the tightly spiralling staircase I had to concentrate on listening to the conversation ahead of me to combat the claustrophobia. The tactic worked and soon we emerged onto the sunlit roof. Here the second challenge awaited. It was wonderful to see the panorama of Oxford and beyond but peering over the parapet the view of the ground below swam before me as vertigo loomed. The soles of my feet tingled with dread.

We were clipped onto a safety rope as careful instructions were issued. The clarity and patience with which they were delivered helped to quell the mounting nerves. I felt ready to reach my legs over the edge of the tower and then turn onto my tummy to face the instructor. His quiet guidance enabled me to lean out over Magdalen Street and bounce down the golden stone, letting the rope slide through my hand. I had no fear and felt completely calm as the ground came up to meet me.

I realized that all my trepidation had melted away with the three reassurances given to me. I had listened intently while mounting the stairs, dispelling my unease. I had been given clear directions, inspiring confidence and trust. I had placed my faith in the strength of the rope and the experience of the instructor.

Fear is a powerful obstacle which can inhibit both our physical and our spiritual lives. We can defy anxiety if we listen to God, then we hear. If we hear God, then we trust. If we trust, faith in God comes easily.

(Thank you to those who sponsored me. I think the money raised will be in the region of £600.00 for the DEC in Pakistan.)

The Revd Canon Dr Charlotte Bannister-Parker

17 June 2022

Ever since I was a child, For the Beauty of the Earth has been my favourite hymn. The older I get, and the more of the Earth I have been lucky to see, the more I appreciate the hymn’s sentiment:

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night
Hill and vale and tree and flow'r
Sun and Moon and stars of light
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our sacrifice of praise

Next Sunday (26th June) we will be singing John Rutter’s 1978 reworking of the hymn that has become a ‘hit’ anthem. Rutter’s anthem to our precious planet is part of an exciting celebration of the Earth which is descending on St Marys – literally - next weekend. Our church is the latest stop on the worldwide tour of “Gaia”, a truly breath-taking art installation.

Created by the artist Luke Jerram accompanied with music by Dan Jones, this amazing sculpture uses a giant sphere and state of the art imaging and lighting to suspend a hyper-realistic replica of Earth from the ceiling of cathedrals, museums and churches all over the world. This promises to be a utterly unique experience. From the dawn of time, we could behold only as much of the beauty of the Earth as we could see standing somewhere upon its surface. All of that began to change 70 years ago with the advent of the Space Age. Memoirs and quotes of those who go into space, from the earliest Soviet cosmonauts to the Apollo astronauts to more recent ISS dwellers, all contain a sense of awe and wonder. Seeing the whole world all at once, these women and men are struck most especially by two things about the Earth: its almost indescribable perfection, yet also its fragility.

The American engineer and astronaut Karen Nyberg wrote,

“Every single part of the Earth reacts with every other part. It’s one thing. Every little animal is important in that ecosystem.
[Seeing the planet from above] makes you realize that, and makes you want to be a little more proactive in keeping it that way.
If I could get every Earthling to do one circle of the Earth, I think things would run a little differently.”

‘Gaia’ has been touring the world seeking to bring such revelations to those of us who will never go into space. One mother said, “I was immediately moved to tears and my daughter said to me, ‘Why are you crying?’ I said to her, ‘I am not crying I am humbled’ .” Others praise how “all of your sense are involved.” One young visitor proclaimed that, “We need to save the world. It’s our only home and we have to look after it.”

Please come along on at 3.30pm on Sunday 26th of June to sing and join in our special service of celebration. As we contemplate the 30 degree weather today –- record breaking heat for this time in June -- it strikes me that this service will be not just a celebration of the beauty of the Earth but also a contemplation of how threatened and fragile is our precious blue home.

I started thinking seriously about Climate Change 15 years ago. I had young children; my friends and I felt it was imperative to do something. We set up groups exchanging information about how to lower our emissions, we bought solar panels (with generous government grants), vowed we would fly only once a year, and try to avoid long haul altogether. Various books came out around then by local writers - notably, George Monbiot’s ‘Heat', and Chris Goodall’s ‘How to Live a Low Carbon Life’ (which I helped research). Both won prizes, both were slowly shunted out of sight in the book shops. My BBC radio play, The Kingnorth Six, and a Guardian blog about climate conscience also gradually fell out of favour. So now here we are - our teenagers are out on the streets, pleading for us to do something, urgently; I myself have joined amazingly joyful and creative XR demonstrations in London; our Government and scientists have declared an emergency. More and more people now feel the reality of major, devastating destruction of the ecosystem that sustains us. This series of podcasts is an attempt to face that reality - engaging the expertise of people who have being thinking about Climate Change for longer than I have, I want to investigate this ‘emergency’ as a spiritual one. In the deepest part of ourselves, what Christians call our souls, what is it that has brought us here, and how can we go forward?

The first episode was recorded in November 2019 with IPCC author and Professor of Geophysics at Oxford University, Myles Allen. He sets out the IPCC analysis of where we have come to over the past thirty years, and the huge effort necessary if we are to limit warming to a level where life on earth can continue. He refuses to despair and insists there are ambitious solutions ahead, especially in the hands of the younger generation whose task it has become to clean up our mess. 

Julia Hollander

Listen to them here.