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…”
The resolution from North Carolina called “for the expansion of creation care engagement by all congregations in the Diocese, including but not limited to engagement in the Communion Forest Initiative of the 2022 Lambeth Conference, in support of our Biblical call to care for God’s creation (Gen. 2:15), our Mission Strategy priority of Creation Care and our recognition that each and every time we abuse or fail to protect God’s creation, we are impacting our global neighbors, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable”.
The resolution from the Diocese of Virginia to support the Communion Forest was part of a wider resolution for the diocese to achieve net carbon neutrality by 2030 –ambition shared by other dioceses and provinces across the Anglican Communion, including the Church of England.
The Episcopal Diocese of Washington, whose “resolution seeks to encourage parishes, schools, and other church organizations in the Diocese to plant trees in celebration of special occasions as a symbol of our love of all God’s creation and as an act of environmental justice for all”.
It is profoundly encouraging to learn about these commitments to the Communion Forest and wider determination to safeguard creation. If your diocese has made a similar commitment, please let us know: communionforest@anglicancommunion.org.