Church tree's eco fightback 

First published on: 3rd December 2019

The church yard at St. Mary's Church in Bromley, received a new addition in November.

As part of the Woodland Trust's, 'Big Climate Fightback' initiative, a Rowan tree was planted to help join the fight against climate change, one tree at a time.

The Trust says that trees are vital, as they lock up carbon, fight flooding, reduce pollution, nurture wildlife and make landscapes more resilient.

Maria Beale, an eco-champion at the church said:

"I gained permission from the vicar, the Rev Alan Keeler, to pledge to plant a tree in the churchyard on the Woodland Trust's dedicated tree planting date in November.

"It happily coincided with the church's regular gardening group, which meant that on the day, around 14 members of the congregation helped plant the tree, as well as numerous bulbs and carried out maintenance work in the churchyard."

The initaitve is just one of a number that St. Mary's, Bromley, is  undertaking in order to reduce their environmental impact and ensure they become more energy efficient and more sustainable.

These include, trying to inprove the biodiversity in the churchyard by creating a log pile bug hotel and the putting up bird boxes.

Inside the building they have installed a new energy efficient light system and signed up with a company called Terracycle, which collaborates with companies to sponsor the collection and recycling of hard to recycle materials. 

Their weekly café uses minimal packaging, with milk delivered in glass bottles from the milkman and switching from polystyrene cups to ceramic and from plastic to metal cutlery. 

Maria, says that the church is still on a journey, but thinks that across the Diocese, people can start to make small steps to make a difference - like planting a tree:

"As well as drastically cutting carbon emissions, we need to plant millions of trees across the country to help absorb the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and provide habitats for our native wildlife that is under threat. 

"There are many churches, places of worship, schools, parks and community areas up and down the country which could, I'm sure, make space for one or more trees and protect the natural habitats they have."

 

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