Here are a selection of encouraging stories on the earthkeeping activities that members of NECCSA are engaged in. We hope that these examples may serve as an inspiration to others:

Please note that the latest stories are added at the top of the list as a general rule.

FeatherLeaf Environmental Ministry

The story on this Lowveld ministry appeared in the NECCSA Update of September 2006. Read more ...

West-Lunga Trust (july 2006)

The West-Lunga Trust, a Community Based Natural Resource Management in the Chibwika-Ntambu Game Management Area in North-West Zambia, has recently become a group member of NECCSA. Here is an extract from its recent annual report on its goals and activities. For more information, contact Charles Rea bex1@zamtel.zm

West Lunga Trust captures the ideal of community empowerment, sustainable resource use and economic prosperity. This demonstrates that resource conservation in sub-Saharan Africa is not a luxury for the affluent, but a necessity for the economic viability of each and every community.  With sound guidance and proper funding, communities neighboring the West Lunga Game Park and surrounding Game Management Areas stand to break new ground in successful community resource management. In this strategic approach WLT will coordinate the efforts of all stakeholders, assist communities in navigating official channels, organize crucial workshops to build knowledge and expand community capacity for resource management. Together we will attempt to realize confident, capable community leaders and institutions.

The 10 year goals of WLT are to realize robust governance structures, healthy resources and prosperous communities in all three Game Managements Areas surrounding West Lunga National Park. However, rather than stretch limited capacity, efforts will be focused on one Game Managements Area for an initial three year period.  This initiative will allow for more time and attention from Community Coordinators and strengthen personal relationships within target communities.  This first project step will help create the prototype model for replication in the other Game Managements Areas.

Creation Care"- A Rocha Interest Group in Stellenbosch (April 2006)

An inter-denominational group of like-minded people have formed an interest group in Stellenbosch called Creation Care (Bewonder en Bewaar), under the banner of A Rocha SA. In April 2005 Lydia Willems from Stellenbosch Gemeente and Sue Winter from Shofar Christian Church organized a Creation Care Workshop, bringing together a diverse group of people interested in conservation from the greater Cape Town area. A network was established to share information and ideas and communicate needs for prayer and conservation action.

The core group focused their activities on outdoor hikes and opportunities to experience and appreciate the splendour of God's creation and the unrivelled biodiversity of the Cape Floral Region. The better part of 2005 was spent in day hikes and outings to visit places such as Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, Paarl Mountain, and moonlight walk on Klapmutskop. The highlight of the year in September 2005 was a Creation Stewardship Weekend, at "Waterval" near Porterville led by Allen Goddard and Dieter Oschadleus. Bible expositions, bird ringing, silent reflection time and an exquisite kloof ramble were enjoyed. In 2006, the group aims to get more involved in hands-on, practical Creation Care projects. On April 22, the group helped plant indigenous bulbs in a municipal park and nature reserve in the middle of town, visited by many local residents. A challenge experienced so far has been establishing a committed core group of people who will make the effort to attend the arranged events.

A hallmark of all Creation Care outings is that an opportunity for an "outdoor quiet time" is created, so that people can take some time to reflect, pray and hear God speak to them through the magnificence of his creation. A theme is normally selected for each outing and then a devotion sheet created around all the scriptures that speak on that theme, such as springs of living waters (when we did a waterfall hike), the oceans (when we had a beach outing) and the mountains. Scripture is actually filled to the brim with ecology when you start to look for it! For more info, contact Sue Winter on bwi@sawb.co.za

Manning Road Methodist Church (MRMC) - Environmental Call Group (March 2006)

This Environment Group was established in 1998 to worship and focus on God in the natural surroundings and promote awareness of Christian stewardship responsibilities towards Creation. The Group has a slogan which reads "The Earth is the Lord's".

The group arranges an event every second month and holds bi-monthly meetings to discuss certain aspects including past activities, future key events and plans for specific national calendar events. They have organised Guided Nature Walks (emphasis on birds & flora) and seminars (hosted by a Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (WESSA)representative), which are then concluded with a meal. The Children's Church have committed themselves to assisting in alien invader removals at various surrounding reserves.

The Manning Road Methodist Church, that is situated at 450 Moore Road in Durban, has a purely indigenous garden on the grounds. Members of the Environment Group are currently members of WESSA as well as suppliers to Mondi Recycling. They also occasionally liaise with the Diakonia Council of Churches.

Earthkeeping in Madwaleni

Annemie Bosch reflects on her growing insight that earthkeeping forms part of Christian witness. She writes about her and David Bosch’s ministry in Madwaleni in the former Transkei, the events around SACLA in 1979 and subsequent developments: // Annemie Bosch vertel hoe sy langsamerhand gegroei het in die insig dat omgewingsorg deel vorm van Christene se getuienis. Sy skryf van haar en David Bosch se bediening in Madwaleni in die destydse Transkei, van die gebeure rondom SACLA in 1979 en ontwikkelinge sedertdien: More ....

Dutch Reformed Church Magalieskruin-Pretoria

Louis Lemmer from the Dutch Reformed Church Magalieskruin-Pretoria writes about earthkeeping initiatives in their congregation: More ....

The story of Eco Hope

Indigenous Christian nursery to fund food gardens near George

Here is a story on Christian earthkeeping practices that appeared from Ds Michiel Burger. Read more ....

Garden of Healing,  Restoration and Remembrance

This story by Stuart Talbot relates to the garden project he has been involved in at St Aidan’s Anglican Church, Durban. Read more ...

A Rocha South Africa

Read this report from Allan Goddard on what A Rocha South Africa is doing towards earthkeeping. More ...

The Kenosis Community

Here is a story from Günther Wittenberg on what the Kenosis community is doing towards earthkeeping in South Africa. Read More

Adopt a spot

Here is a story on earthkeeping practices in and around the home from Pieter Fourie. This shows what difference you can make where you live.

Almost three years ago the then Tygerberg Municipal Administration had a so-called "Adopt-a-Spot" initiative. The intention was that residents should take the responsibility for a piece of land around their premises in order to keep it clean. Unfortunately, apart from one pamphlet dropped into homeowners' post boxes, the initiative was never taken further, and therefore never really came off the ground and became a sustainable project.

My house is situated at the end of a dead-end street, which provides pedestrian access to one of Bellville's main arterial streets. Because of businesses situated on the main street, a fair amount of pedestrian traffic that is created passes my house. However, the refuse removal department of the municipality regards the area as "residential", which means that no public refuse bins are provided.

I then approached the department, and, with difficulty, convinced them that the stairs at the end of the dead-end, leading onto the main road, was a strategic point to put a refuse bin. One of their objections was that the bins are paid for by advertisements which are stuck onto the bins, and that advertisers prefer to have these bins visible at busy street corners where motorists waiting at traffic lights can read them. For that reason one finds that, at least in the Bellville area, eight to ten refuse bins are often positioned at one intersection, but for many meters in the rest of the four streets no bins are to be seen.

The strategically placed bin in my street immediately impacted positively on the environment. I was at least personally enabled to walk around the street block every second day and clean up the area and put the litter into the bin, whereas previously I had to carry everything onto my own premises to my own bin!

Gradually the environment improved, up to the point where it is now sufficient to go and pick up litter only once a week, and often less. A number of so-called "bush sleepers" or "bergies" reside in the area. They used to be significant culprits in littering. I have, however, tried to involve them in the process. Instead of chasing them away, I invited them to sit on the stairs leading onto the street and eat, but to use the bin afterwards, thereby "keeping the environment clean for all of us, those with the houses and those without". They form a migrating group, which means the "education" is never finished. However, as far as a couple of regulars are concerned, progress has been made. The lesson to myself was not to give up on litter easily. It was only after a year of dedication that my own efforts towards picking up started showing real results.

NG-gemeente Groblersdal

Ds Jannie van Eeden (NG-gemeente Groblersdal) berig dat dié gemeente met talle inisiatiewe rondom natuurbewaring vorendag gekom het. Hy vertel meer:

Catholic Institute for Education:  Using the WSSD for Religious Education

Read more about this report from Paul Faller. More .....

Indigenous church gardens

On our church grounds all the lawn has been removed and is to be replaced by “water wise” gardening. Unfortunately a very eager gardener has started planting bottlebrushes and “kurkeike”.  I went to investigate what the plan was for the garden and indicated my interest in helping with the project.  On request I have been allocated a piece of garden.  The aim is to plant as locally indigenous and bio-diverse as possible.  Once this garden is well established it will serve to educate the children and challenge the other church members on our responsibility to be worthy caretakers of God’s wonderful creation.  The garden will provide a focus point from where discussion can be opened onto wider environmental and social issues.  Locally indigenous gardens are an important starting point for environmental awareness, but also an essential element of the church’s testimony.  We need to celebrate and nurture the nature around us, where we are. The local indigenous bulb society referred us to a site being developed in Plattekloof.  We were able to rescue local Gladiolas and Watsonias, to be used in our church garden.  We also have donations from local nurseries with indigenous plants.  We have created some enthusiasm for the project in the congregation and hope to follow through on this. - Karen Marais

Read more about the motivation for this project. More ...

I have initiated and planted locally indigenous gardens at various Dutch Reformed Churches and schools. These include the DRC congregations in Kenridge, Durbanville, Parow-North, Buffeljagsrivier. A few other churches are on the waiting list. I am a full-time small animal vet and do gardening as a hobby (I do not play gholf)!). Ek het reeds ’n aantal praatjies gehou by verskeie kerke rondom die praktiese uitvoering van die versorging van God se skepping.- Dr Christie Kloppers –

Ecumenical Institute for Namibia: The presence of the environment in the religion education

Ons het vanjaar 'n video vir onderwysers vervaardig deur 'n juffrou met haar graad 1-klassie af te neem waar hulle 'n godsdiensles oor die omgewing buite die klas gedoen het: prentjies geteken van alles wat hulle sien en dit dan opgeplak teen die mure in die klas, sodat die bome en voëls ens. ook "in" die klas teenwoordig was as tekens van God se goeie skepping. - Prof Christo Lombard

Gqunube Green Ecovillage: The rich can live sustainably too!

Read more about this very innovative project in the report from Rev Roger Hudson. More ....

An eco-cathedral built in Kokstad

Read more about this innovative project initiated by Bishop Geoff Davies and see a picture of this cathdral. More .... 

The Garden of Eden in Transkei!

Read more about this story on the work of father Nceba Gabula. More ...

Lost Crown with Glory and Majesty: Disabled skill development and training:

We as a group in the church train disabled people to do beadwork and sewing. We try to teach them about democracy, development and environmental concerns. We do counseling for raped people and on HIV/AIDS at our church in the area of Mandeni. - (Pastor BP Ngema)

NGK Alexanderbaai: Wat 'n Dienssentrum vir Bejaardes kan doen:

By 2 geleenthede het ons 'n boomplantdag gereël waartydens bome gratis beskikbaar gestel is aan alle inwoners van ons dorp wat daarin belang gestel het. Ons het ’n redelike probleem met rommelstrooi in ons dorp. Ons het maandeliks ’n wyksbiduur, en een van die bidure is gewy aan die ekologie, met die uitdaging dat die wykslede aan die einde van die biduur prakties moes gaan en rommel in hulle wyk en omgewing optel. Enkele wyke het hierdie uitdaging aanvaar, waarvoor ons dankbaar is.  ’n Jaar of wat gelede het ons Dienssentrum vir Bejaardes een van ons byeenkomste daaraan afgestaan om rommelin hulle woongebied op te ruim. Sulke aksies het natuurlik beperkte en tydelike waarde, maar ’n mens hoop maar iewers sien iemand dit en besef: ek het ook ’n verantwoordelikheid.

Quaker Peace Centre: 3 permaculture community gardens:

We manage 3 community gardens in Cape Town townships using permaculture involving about 65 unemployed people in each. One is at the Presbyterian Church in Khayelitsha, one is at The Uniting Reformed church in Nyanga and is on council land in Guguletu. Around each we support a number of backyard gardens. We are piloting setting up mediation services at these gardens and have completed training 20 gardeners at Nyanga and they have successfully set up the service and resolved 17 cases in the first month. One member said, “we used to grow food and now we grow people as well”. In addition we train community groups in setting up gardens. - Jeremy Routledge  

A neighbourhood conservancy:

I have initiated a process to form a conservancy in my neighbourhood. I distributed 1300 invitations for a public meeting. Our local councilor as well as residents heard a presentation on the value of conservancies, as a private-local authority partnership to ensure a healthy environment in an area. Those who expressed an interest will need to work together to take the initiative forward. - Andrew Warmback