Top stories

Every movement needs a soundtrack 12 June 2013
Stop press: Jill Phillips (an A Rocha USA board member) and her husband Andy Gullahorn are both offering their three latest CDs on NoiseTrade for free download until 25 June. 100% of the donated ti... (read more)

Nesting mystery solved at last! 1 June 2013
Until 2013, nobody had ever found the nest of Clarke’s Weaver Ploceus golandi. For the last thirteen years, A Rocha Kenya has been hunting for breeding sites, for this species only occurs in an a... (read more)

Land management: investigating a Christian perspective 1 June 2013
What does it mean to be a Christian landowner? In April, A Rocha UK and the Goring family of Wiston Estate, in Sussex, hosted a land conference attended by major landowners, estate managers, invest... (read more)

One Saturday in Hong Kong 1 May 2013
Let's imagine: if nearly thirty Christians, each one agonizing over the ecological stress and degradation in the region they call home were to meet for the first time, what would happen? They mig... (read more)

Ready for a sporting adventure? 1 May 2013
If you enjoy walking, cycling or sailing, why not get fit and have fun exploring some beautiful British landscapes this summer? At the same time, you can help raise essential funds for A Rocha’s fo... (read more)

Saving the source of the Limpopo River 1 May 2013
The Groot Marico is of huge importance.  This nearly pristine river runs north through the verdant bush veld of South Africa’s North West Province and is drinkable for the first third of its jo... (read more)

April International News is now online 1 April 2013
Water is life! Thanks to your support, A Rocha is working with many communities who are determined to protect the outstanding wetlands on which they depend. Do you know why the Lubigi Swamp, in Kam... (read more)

Fancy a walk? 1 April 2013
Exploring the beauty of God’s creation on the doorsteps of our churches offers the perfect opportunity to wonder at all He has made. That's why A Rocha is launching 30 Wonder-ful Walks – a chance t... (read more)

Home – A Rocha’s 2013 Environment Resource Pack 1 April 2013
Where is your home? Many Christians have been taught that our ‘real’ home is in heaven. Yet, the Bible actually says that God’s home will be with humanity (Revelation 21:3), and God calls us to put... (read more)

New blog series: John Stott and A Rocha’s commitments 1 March 2013
John was a great friend to A Rocha. He was also a great Christian: what can we learn, from the way he lived his life, about how we should put our core commitments into practice? (A Rocha’s core com... (read more)

Good weather for ducks? 1 March 2013
Lennart Saari has been regularly counting ducks and swans in SW Finland for 38 years - and made some fascinating discoveries. We asked him some questions: Where do you count? On the lakes and coa... (read more)

Could you star in the new video? 1 March 2013
Come participate in A Rocha’s 30th anniversary video! The theme is ‘The Earth in Our Hands’. Write a message on your hands. Take a photograph or ten-second video clip of you and your hands. What ... (read more)

News from Portugal: Alvor update 1 February 2013
In 2012, A Rocha won two historic court cases against the owners of Quinta da Rocha who had illegally destroyed habitats of outstanding conservation importance on the Alvor estuary, close to Cruzi... (read more)

Surprises for Kenyan bird ringers 1 February 2013
Each November since 1969, a team of bird ringers from many countries has gathered at Ngulia Safari Lodge in Tsavo West National Park, Kenya, to catch some of the thousands of migrant birds pouring... (read more)

Celebrate your birthday with A Rocha! 1 February 2013
A Rocha celebrates its 30th birthday this year, so why not join us and make your own birthday wish? Would you ask your friends and family to make a donation instead of (or as well as!) buying you ... (read more)

Burn off those Brussels and Get Fit for Forests! 1 January 2013
With Christmas over, why not get fit and plan to explore some of the UK’s most stunning scenery this year? If you live in the UK, we’re inviting you to participate in one of our sporting challenges... (read more)

We’re celebrating 30 years of A Rocha! 1 January 2013
It all began 30 years ago: a Christian field study centre in the south of Portugal and one small team with a big vision!  Today, A Rocha has grown into an international organization coordinating co... (read more)

Teaching resources for you 1 January 2013
Did you know that we have tried and tested resources which you are welcome to download – free − if you work with children and want to inspire them to care for creation? Our online resources have b... (read more)

The Big Give is over – a ‘Big Thank you’ to all who took part! 10 December 2012
We want to say a great big ‘Thank you’ to everyone who donated to A Rocha this year during our Big Give Christmas Challenge! With your support we managed to raise a staggering £58,475.50, which wil... (read more)

December International News is now online 1 December 2012
Why has A Rocha Uganda been helping young people to write songs and plays? Why is A Rocha South Africa using music and poetry in the great outdoors? Why are teenagers in Canada making ice sculptur... (read more)

Leaders conclude environmental crisis, ‘Must be resolved in our generation.’ 1 December 2012
The Lausanne Global Consultation on Creation Care and the Gospel, held in Jamaica in October, brought together 60 participants from 23 countries. Throughout the week, scientists, theologians, spec... (read more)

Give a gift that grows! 1 November 2012
Following the success of last year’s Big Give Christmas Challenge, we’ve decided to do it again! From 10am GMT on Thursday 6th December, we have the chance to double any donation you make thro... (read more)

Sara Groves plays for A Rocha 1 November 2012
The American singer/songwriter gave two concerts for A Rocha during her UK tour in October. Sara spoke of her love for creation and told the story of a cellist who played amidst the Sarajevo shelli... (read more)

Lament, Hope & Action in New Zealand 1 November 2012
Chris Naylor, A Rocha’s Executive Director, visited A Rocha New Zealand in October. He reports, ‘At first it seems to be the rural idyll which the tourist posters promise. Fabulous native forests ... (read more)

Environmental Education – our new appeal! 1 October 2012
How would you help blind or partially blind children to get excited about elephants and to grasp some of the conservation issues? That was the challenge for A Rocha India, when they welcomed fourt... (read more)

Meet the Aammiq eco-restaurant staff 1 October 2012
See a short video, in Arabic and English, made by Al Arabiya TV, showing the benefits of the new eco-restaurant to people in the Bekaa Valley. A Rocha’s work in Lebanon began by protecting the Aamm... (read more)

Should we put a price on nature? 1 October 2012
At the IUCN World Conservation Congress in South Korea last month, a new report, ‘Priceless or Worthless’ was presented, focusing on the 100 rarest species in the world, challenging delegates to e... (read more)

Time for Creation 2012 1 September 2012
A Rocha’s Environment Resource Pack on The Life of Trees and the Tree of Life is the perfect toolkit for Time for Creation, celebrated by churches throughout the world from 1 September – 4 October.... (read more)

Getting a taste for nature 1 September 2012
When families get all their food from shops, the youngsters often know nothing about how their fruit and vegetables have been grown, or the traditions around them. During A Rocha camps in July and... (read more)

From sea to summit in less than three days! 1 September 2012
This September, the two teams from A Rocha France, together with friends and volunteers, will be donning their hiking boots as part of Get Fit for Forests 2012! From the sea at Mandelieu-la-Napoule... (read more)

Join our dawn chorus at the British Birdwatching Fair 1 August 2012
Don’t sleep in on Sunday 19 August if you want to join us in worship, as we’ve been given the 9.00-9.30 slot this year at the Birdfair, in the Events Marquee. Early birds will be rewarded with co... (read more)

Changed lives, a roadshow, a restaurant and research 1 August 2012
What do they all have in common? You can find out by reading our new International Review. And here’s a taster: A Rocha Portugal’s Eklogia is a travelling presentation of God’s plans for the whole... (read more)

The 2012 Leaders’ Forum 1 August 2012
A Rocha leaders met in the Netherlands recently for a week of Bible teaching, worship, prayer, lively discussion and the sharing of best practice. Each National Organization described highlights f... (read more)

A Rocha Brazil at Rio+20 1 July 2012
A Rocha Brazil took the unique opportunity afforded by an earth summit in their own country to raise awareness and mobilize churches. Raquel Arouca, Project Co-ordinator, says, ‘Our goals reach b... (read more)

Protecting forests: changing lives 1 July 2012
Daniel Kheri Kazungu grew up on the edge of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest on the Kenyan coast and joined A Rocha’s environmental education activities, designed to encourage the conservation of the forest.... (read more)

A Rocha’s legal campaign protects Ria de Alvor 9 June 2012
In March, we reported that the owner of Quinta da Rocha had been convicted of environmental crimes: a series of illegal actions between 2007 and 2010 which damaged the Ria de Alvor; one of the bes... (read more)

Dr Andy Gosler awarded Union Medal 1 June 2012
We’re delighted that Andy Gosler, an enthusiastic supporter of A Rocha, has been awarded the Union Medal of The British Ornithologists’ Union for 'Services to Ornithology'. Congratulations Andy! T... (read more)

Get Fit for Forests – latest news! 1 June 2012
Last month we asked you to Get Fit for Forests, raising funds so that we can protect and restore more of the world’s prime rainforests and dry forests. If you love walking, sailing or cycling, and ... (read more)

A Rocha research brings new status for Ilon Marsh 1 June 2012
Since 1998, A Rocha has been studying the Ilon Marsh in southern France. Thanks to our research it’s now a Regional Nature Reserve: 170 hectares of marsh, grassland, steppe and forest.  It’s one o... (read more)

Take part in our Get Fit for Forests challenges this summer! 1 May 2012
Do you enjoy walking, cycling or sailing? Would you like to get fit and explore some of the UK’s most stunning scenery in great company? If you live in the UK, we’re inviting you to participate in ... (read more)

Download our 2012 Environment Resource Pack now! 1 May 2012
Our new pack: ‘The Life of Trees and the Tree of Life’ is free, and has been planned for use by churches worldwide. It can be used on Environment Sunday (3 June), during Time for Creation (1 Septem... (read more)

Community proposal wins first prize in Singapore 1 May 2012
Supporters of A Rocha in Singapore have won first prize for their ideas in the national government-run Rail Corridor Ideas Competition for a defunct 26 km railway line. For the category ‘Commun... (read more)

Community – read all about it! 1 April 2012
Open the April A Rocha International News to discover how community is at the heart of A Rocha’s work: at our field study centre in France, through a fynbos ecosystem conservation project in South... (read more)

Kenyan authority rejects felling of woodland for biofuels 1 April 2012
Dakatcha Woodland is of huge conservation priority, one of only two forests on Earth to hold Clarke’s Weaver, as well as other globally threatened birds. In 2009 it became known that Kenya Jatroph... (read more)

Planting 800 trees for World Forestry Day 2012 21 March 2012
Tall trees, small trees, leafy trees, bare trees, trees at sunrise, trees at sunset and not forgetting those fantastic tree huggers - you’ve sent in photos of them all! In fact, with your help, we ... (read more)

Legal judgement gives hope for Algarve 2 March 2012
Football club owner and property developer Aprígio Santos was convicted of environmental crime on 15 February, at Portimão, Portugal. In a landmark ruling, the court explained the two-year suspen... (read more)

Uniting diverse communities 1 March 2012
A Rocha’s conservation programmes often defuse tensions by bringing together communities with very different cultures. The Vuya Endaweni Community Conservation Partnership is uniting ethnically an... (read more)

Listen to ‘The creation care legacy of John Stott’ 1 March 2012
John Stott taught that the Bible is a revelation of the grace of God, and nature is a revelation of the glory of God. Throughout his long life he took enormous pleasure in nature, often in the comp... (read more)

A Rocha in the city 29 February 2012
In the last couple of months, groups in Singapore, Nashville in Tennessee and Washington DC have met to think and pray about how they can practice and encourage creation care in their own cities. ... (read more)

You take a photo, we’ll plant a tree! 1 February 2012
To celebrate World Forestry Day on 21 March, we are on a mission to plant 800 trees and to do this, we’re asking for your photos!  For every photo of a tree that you share with our new Forests on ... (read more)

For you: the new Planetwise blog 1 February 2012
Do you ever wonder how much the Earth really matters to God? Do you sometimes struggle to answer other people’s questions about the biblical basis for environmental action? Dave Bookless (author of... (read more)

Coming soon: The Life of Trees and the Tree of Life 1 February 2012
This is the title of our 2012 Environment Resource Pack – downloadable and free, from the Resources section of www.arocha.org by April. It is for use by churches around the world on a Sunday near t... (read more)

Big Give is over – but you can still help us love forests! 9 December 2011
We want to say a ‘Big Thankyou’ to all our wonderful friends who made a donation via the Big Give Christmas Challenge. You donated over £25,000 and A Rocha will receive double: over £50,000. We’ve ... (read more)

Meet the people fighting for forests 1 December 2011
The latest A Rocha International News is all about our focus on protecting and restoring tropical forests. Meet Daryl, our Project Manager in Northern Ghana, who is so passionate about planting... (read more)

Turtles and terrapins 1 December 2011
When the A Rocha France team studied terrapins this summer, two surprises made them very happy! They were weighing, measuring and marking European Pond Terrapins Emys orbicularis at the Ilon Mars... (read more)

Remember, remember, the 5th of December! 30 November 2011
A Rocha International has joined the Big Give Christmas Challenge! From 10am GMT on Monday 5th December, we have the chance to double any donation you make through the Big Give website – at no ext... (read more)

A date to remember: the 5th of December! 1 November 2011
This December, A Rocha International is joining the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which means that we can stretch your generosity even further!  From 10am GMT on Monday 5th December, we have the ch... (read more)

Hope for Creation 1 November 2011
On 6th November, Christians around the world will be joining together as part of Hope for Creation – a day of prayer and action to address climate change. From the UK to South Africa and across t... (read more)

A room with a view 1 November 2011
While enjoying a Lebanese mezze, guests at the newly opened Aammiq eco-restaurant are helping protect the Aammiq Wetland and Mountain Cedar reserve. Find out how and see the extraordinary view fro... (read more)

Rollers on camera 1 October 2011
A Rocha France has been studying the Roller Coracias garrulus in Provence for ten years. This spring, for the first time, they set up digital video cameras in two nestboxes, as a pilot study to... (read more)

Dave Bookless joins A Rocha International 1 October 2011
ARI has created a new post, filled by the Rev Dave Bookless, well known to A Rocha supporters as the founder (with his wife Anne) of A Rocha UK, and as the author of Planetwise and God doesn’t do w... (read more)

Endangered fish found by A Rocha Canada 1 October 2011
The rare Salish Sucker (Catostomus sp.) has been found in the Little Campbell River watershed for the first time in over thirty years. In August, an A Rocha Canada intern caught the fish in a minno... (read more)

Love Birds, Love People, Love A Rocha! 1 September 2011
We’ve listened to the views you shared in our recent international survey and are developing a new approach to how we communicate our fundraising needs. Thank you! From now on you’ll be hearing in ... (read more)

Love Birds 1 September 2011
It’s easy to love birds when you are wealthy. But when you’re hungry, birds are more likely to be seen as a handy food source. The Roseate Tern colony which breeds on islands off Watamu, on the Ken... (read more)

Love People 1 September 2011
Would you like to meet the Portugal A Rocha Team? Do you enjoy birdwatching with friends? If so, why not sign up for one of the special birdwatching weeks being planned by the Portugal team for... (read more)

Read our International Review 2010/2011 1 August 2011
Where does A Rocha work? What do we do? If you’re not sure, you can find out in the new Review. We’ve picked a case study for each of our 3 core activities: Scientific research – Protecting remnan... (read more)

Will you be at the British Birdwatching Fair? 1 August 2011
If you’ll be at the British Birdwatching Fair (19-21 August) then please call by the A Rocha stand in Marquee 2. Many of our UK and International Team members will be on duty, eager to meet you and... (read more)

A National Director for A Rocha New Zealand/Aotearoa 1 August 2011
For the last four years the work in New Zealand has been run by a highly skilled group of volunteers. Now one of them, Kristel van Houte-Howes, has been appointed their first full-time Director. Kr... (read more)

Death of Rev Dr John Stott 29 July 2011
John passed away, on 27 July, at the age of ninety. In A Rocha we remember John with great joy and gratitude. When Peter Harris approached John, in the early days of A Rocha, and asked for his su... (read more)

Climate Stewards is growing! 1 July 2011
Since its launch three years ago, Climate Stewards has grown fast! People like you are offsetting your travel; organisations like Tearfund and Stewardship are giving support; and the people of Gha... (read more)

Thank you for sharing! 1 July 2011
Wow, what an incredible response to our survey last month! It was completed by over 450 people (more than 10% of those who received it) so thank you to all who took part.  Eight prize winners have ... (read more)

13,000 birds of prey 1 June 2011
Each spring, thousands of migratory raptors make their way northwards through the Pembina Valley in Manitoba, Canada, from wintering grounds in South and Central America and the USA. This is the 7... (read more)

A Rocha Canada celebrates ten years 1 June 2011
This month is A Rocha Canada’s 10th anniversary – and they have plenty to celebrate! Not just one, but two field study centres are flourishing: in British Columbia and in Manitoba. An incredible a... (read more)

Complete our survey and you could win a digital camera, DVDs and more! 31 May 2011
Maybe you’ve just discovered A Rocha. Or you’ve been a supporter for years. Either way, we’d like to ask you some questions to get to know you a bit better. As a thank you for completing our onlin... (read more)

Chris Naylor in South Africa 1 May 2011
Our Executive Director, Chris Naylor, has just visited A Rocha South Africa, seeing their very varied activities in different parts of the country. The Vuya Endaweni Community Conservation Partner... (read more)

Superheroes wanted (no previous experience necessary) 1 May 2011
A great multitude of volunteers have had a profound influence on our work. We are very grateful to the men and women, of many nationalities, who use their skills and expertise to support us. Find ... (read more)

Education – an essential part of conservation 2 April 2011
A Rocha runs community-based conservation projects around the world and, in 2010, over 15,000 people took part in our Environmental Education activities. Read the April International News to meet ... (read more)

2011: International Year of Forests 1 April 2011
This year the United Nations is celebrating actions which help to sustainably manage the world’s forests. Forests are home to 300 million people and 80% of all terrestrial species. They give us fo... (read more)

Planting Huarango forest in Peru 1 April 2011
Huarango forest is one of the world’s most endangered habitats. Watch our new movie to learn how we are working with churches and other community groups to plant forests of native, desert-loving Hu... (read more)

A Rocha Centre wins award 1 March 2011
A Rocha Prairie Canada’s Field Station, in Manitoba, recently won the Pembina Valley Tourism 2010 ‘Award of Distinction’. The views of the valley are breathtaking from the house, but it’s the ener... (read more)

A Rocha UK is 10 years old! 1 March 2011
A Rocha UK celebrated its tenth anniversary in February, marked by a weekend with friends from around the country. The time together provided the perfect opportunity to reflect on the journey trave... (read more)

See A Rocha Canada’s work in the city 1 March 2011
‘Just Growing’ is a sustainable agriculture project in inner city Winnipeg.  It is also the subject of a new, independent, documentary by Five Door Films. The film follows Jennifer Kornelsen and he... (read more)

2 February is World Wetlands Day 31 January 2011
Forty years ago, on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of Ramsar, a treaty was agreed, known as the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance. It has now been signed by 160 countr... (read more)

Protecting wet meadows in the Czech Republic 31 January 2011
A Rocha is protecting a wide range of wetlands, from Kenyan mangrove swamps to Canadian salmon streams; from marshes in the south of France to an urban river in South Africa. The Czech team is inv... (read more)

Restoring watersheds in Washington, USA 31 January 2011
A Rocha’s work is characterised by community conservation projects and one of the newest is in Washington State, where Restoration Biologist Dave Timmer is involving local families in improving th... (read more)

Discovery and protection 1 December 2010
Read the December A Rocha International News to discover how A Rocha Ghana is helping to protect the animals in and around Ankasa National Park by building fish ponds within the adjacent commun... (read more)

Connecting children with nature 1 December 2010
This year some 15,000 children and teenagers have taken part in A Rocha’s environmental education programmes, including a huge range of hands-on activities. At the centre in BC, Canada, young c... (read more)

Give your friends – and A Rocha – a happy Christmas! 1 December 2010
If you have friends or family who would enjoy helping A Rocha, why not make a donation in their honour? Donate here, then choose a Christmas card, download and print it.  ... (read more)

Support your favourite team! 1 November 2010
We’ve made it easy for you to give an online donation. Click here to see! Wherever you live, you can now give to A Rocha International or any of the A Rocha teams around the world. You can use any ... (read more)

A healthy wetland for healthy lives 1 November 2010
Meet Sara Kaweesa, our National Director in Uganda, in this new video. Sara lives at the A Rocha field base in the slums around Lubigi Wetland and is protecting the swamp through her work with the... (read more)

Found - A treasure trove of new species! 6 October 2010
Working in partnership, A Rocha International and Conservation International have discovered a treasure trove of new species in Papua New Guinea. The findings include a hundred spiders and nearly ... (read more)

Turning bottles into brooms 1 October 2010
In N and NE Brazil, A Rocha has been running workshops for church leaders, inspiring them to assess local environmental and social needs. Watch our new video (4 mins) to see the inspiring story of... (read more)

Czech field study centre purchased 1 October 2010
After years of fundraising, A Rocha Czech has bought the whole of The Mill, near Dobruška, in NE Bohemia. They first bought half the building and are renovating it, and have now completed the purc... (read more)

Community conservation – where and why? 2 September 2010
The new A Rocha International Annual Review for 2009-2010 is now online. Read about our community based conservation projects in many countries: reforestation in Ghana and Peru, wetland protection ... (read more)

Can Kenya’s Dakatcha Woodland survive? 1 September 2010
The Dakatcha Woodland is an Important Bird Area on the coast, just north of the Sabaki River. It holds some of Kenya’s rarest birds, such as Clarke’s Weaver Ploceus golandi and Sokoke Pipit Anthus... (read more)

The creation sings! 1 September 2010
A Rocha Lebanon and the Bible Society have produced a booklet and CD, ‘The Creation Sings’. This new resource for Arabic-speaking Christians highlights biblical verses on the care of creation and a... (read more)

Looking forward together 1 August 2010
It’s three years since A Rocha leaders from around the world last gathered together, so it was a joyful celebration when they met in June with the International Team and Trustees for a week. Expe... (read more)

Enjoy the fun of the fair 1 August 2010
If you’ll be at the British Birdwatching Fair (20-22 August) then please call by the A Rocha stand in Marquee 2. This is the international birdwatchers’ event, drawing over 20,000 enthusiasts each ... (read more)

New A Rocha book 1 August 2010
Meet ‘the Bookless bunch’, a very ordinary family who went green. When God challenged Dave Bookless over his attitude to the environment, he did a total rethink. This led to major changes, not on... (read more)

Biodiversity in the church 1 July 2010
The UK team has produced a new Environment Resource Pack on the theme of biodiversity to help churches respond to God’s world in worship, and be led on to respond in practical conservation and care... (read more)

A Rocha Uganda: our new national project! 1 July 2010
The team in Uganda has been doing sterling work since starting as an A Rocha Initiative in August 2006.  Their Water, Sanitation and Hygiene project has provided the village of Namungoona with... (read more)

Introducing Chris Naylor, A Rocha’s new Director 1 July 2010
Chris Naylor was appointed as A Rocha International’s Executive Director in April. Chris joined A Rocha in 1997 to co-found A Rocha Lebanon, so he brings a wealth of very relevant experience t... (read more)

A Rocha Canada on the move! 1 June 2010
In a few months’ time the team in British Columbia will begin moving to a much bigger farm just 6 km east of their present site. Brooksdale Farm includes environmentally sensitive land along the L... (read more)

Bringing eco-tourism to Northern Ghana 1 June 2010
Mole National Park is one of the best wildlife sites in West Africa, drawing tourists from near and far. However, the people living around the park are some of the poorest on the planet. A Roch... (read more)

Come home Kestrels 1 June 2010
In 1890, Eugene Scheifflin released all the birds mentioned in Shakespeare’s writings into New York’s Central Park − including the European Starling Sturnus vulgaris. The Starling now competes wi... (read more)

Studies in southern Portugal 1 May 2010
How well do plant communities recover after fire? Which habitats have the most diverse spider fauna? Why have woodpeckers started to visit the A Rocha Portugal garden? These are some of the ques... (read more)

More students educated ─ and wildlife sites protected 1 May 2010
Every year, the A Rocha Kenya team has the challenging and rewarding task of selecting children to receive secondary school scholarships. The Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-Tourism Scheme (ASSETS)... (read more)

Migratory birds in crisis 1 May 2010
Did you know that 19% of all known birds are migratory? World Migratory Bird Day is 8-9 May and focuses this year on Globally Threatened Migratory Birds. See the WMBD website. A Rocha protects... (read more)

Farming God’s Earth – a different way 1 April 2010
Farming affects the lives of everyone, even the most urban among us who never see a cow from one month to the next. Everyday we face ethical or ‘religious’ choices about the food we eat and the go... (read more)

Elephants and farmers – can they co-exist? 1 April 2010
Despite being the focus of international conservation efforts, the future of Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) remains in balance. In southern India, around the Bannerghatta National Park, one ... (read more)

Taking action for Earth Day 2010 1 April 2010
In April, more than one billion people in 190 countries will be taking part in Earth Day. This year marks the 40th anniversary and is a call for everyone to get involved in the fight for a health... (read more)

2010 International Year of Biodiversity 1 March 2010
To raise awareness of the variety of life that exists on our planet, IUCN is featuring a different Red List species every day on their website, as well as information on the threats it faces.... (read more)

Inspiring people to care for creation 1 March 2010
At A Rocha, we believe that everyone can make a difference, as individuals and as part of a group. Eco-congregation, a project of A Rocha UK, provides one way to help churches address environment... (read more)

Preparing Ugandan leaders for climate change 1 March 2010
A Rocha and Tearfund led a training workshop last month in Kampala, using the ‘Climate Change and Environmental Degradation Risk and Adaptation’ field tool (CEDRA ). The workshop was attended by... (read more)

Replanting Peru’s Huarango forests 1 February 2010
The Huarango (Prosopis pallida) forests on the south coast of Peru are amongst the most threatened ecosystems in the world. For centuries they have been destroyed for fuel and large-scale agric... (read more)

Christianity, Climate Change and Sustainable Living 1 February 2010
A few years ago, Ginny Vroblesky visited Croatia. A shopkeeper in Dubrovnik asked her what he should do about climate change. Realizing she had no good answer, she promised to investigate. In 200... (read more)

We can help you reduce your footprint 1 January 2010
If you would like to assess your carbon footprint for 2009, please use our calculator. You might like to keep note of the total number of kg used in travel, heat and power, and see if you can do ... (read more)

Copenhagen? Hopenhagen? 1 January 2010
Last month the world’s leaders met in Copenhagen to tackle climate change. A Rocha sent two observers. Dr Martin Kaonga, Interim Director of Science & Conservation, attended science presentations t... (read more)

New Conservation Science Review 2 December 2009
How have chilli and tobacco helped reduce the number of human-elephant conflicts in Bannerghatta National Park? How has one bird flying over 7,750 km provided important contributions to bird con... (read more)

Your climate change actions 1 December 2009
Tolling church bells in South Africa and tree planting in Canada; low-carbon meals in the US and bike-powered discos in the UK. These were just some of the activities organised by A Rocha teams a... (read more)

Drawing the future in Brazil 1 December 2009
Last year A Rocha Brazil distributed 35,000 booklets, designed to inspire Christians to care for creation. During 2009 the Environmental Education team has focused on churches in North and Northea... (read more)

Climate change news 1 November 2009
Climate change is the theme of the October International Newsletter. What have mice and elephants got to do with how we live our lives? How can you take easy steps to join A Rocha in tackling cli... (read more)

Wildlebanon website launched! 1 November 2009
If you plan to visit Lebanon, or you are a Lebanese teacher, this site has been designed for you! Written in both Arabic and English, it is packed with information about the majestic cedar trees, d... (read more)

European birds on the move 1 November 2009
During September the A Rocha France team ringed 1,200 Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica and Sand Martins Riparia riparia as they poured through the Vallée des Baux. The flock that roosted in reed beds... (read more)

Mangrove planting in Kenya 1 October 2009
Eight species of mangroves grow along the Kenyan coast, and they are such a valuable resource that in Swahili there are 6 different words used to describe the timber, based on their size. Fito, t... (read more)

Swallows and martins 1 October 2009
Huge flocks of hirundines stop off to re-fuel in Provence before heading south across the Sahara, and each September the A Rocha team there focuses their efforts on studying them. Between 7th and ... (read more)

Joining forces to fight climate change 2 September 2009
A Rocha is pleased to lend its support to the work of the 350 campaign – an international effort to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis. The name, 350.org, comes from the l... (read more)

Hot off the press: the 2008/09 A Rocha International Review 1 September 2009
Want to see what A Rocha is doing around the world? We’ve put together a four page summary, plus a poster map with highlights from each country. The review looks at the transformation, restoration... (read more)

Minet Country Park wins a Green Flag 1 September 2009
The Minet Country Park, 90 acres (35 hectares) of reclaimed wasteland between Southall and Hayes, England, has won a Green Flag Award in recognition of the work A Rocha, local landowners, Hillingd... (read more)

What do faith, medicine and climate change have to do with each other? 30 July 2009
Many Christian health care leaders are now fully aware that environmental conservation is an integral part of their faith commitment. Over 500 people were involved in two weeks of A Rocha meeti... (read more)

Will you be at the fair? 30 July 2009
If you’ll be at the British Birdwatching Fair (21-23 August) at Rutland Water, then we hope you’ll call by the A Rocha stand in Marquee 2. We’d love to meet you and answer any questions you may ha... (read more)

A Rocha Switzerland’s first kids’ camp! 30 July 2009
Wildlife, solar-heated showers, forest walks, nest box building, exploring – these were just some of the many activities enjoyed by 44 kids, aged 9-12, at the ‘Eco-Adventures’ camp this July. The... (read more)

New book on Real Scientists, Real Faith 1 July 2009
The science / faith debate rages on. And yet, many leading scientists have an active Christian faith. In this new book, published May 2009, 17 esteemed scientists tackle two questions: what differ... (read more)

A major milestone in Storm Petrels 1 July 2009
After 20 years of storm petrel research at A Rocha Portugal, the project has reached a new landmark: our 5,000th storm petrel! Well done, everyone! Here is the momentous bird, caught on the night ... (read more)

Veggies for everyone? 1 July 2009
Our mothers told us to eat our veggies, and we instinctively and empirically know they were right. But for some in our community, eating their veggies – particularly organic ones – is beyond their ... (read more)

Creation groans – do we dare listen? 1 June 2009
If you live in Singapore or Selangor, come and be encouraged to care for God’s creation at A Rocha events in July 2009. Hear Dr Graham McAll speak on Climate Change, Health and Faith. Hear Peter a... (read more)

Congratulations to John Busby 1 June 2009
The Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, in Wisconsin, USA, has named John Busby as its 2009 Master Wildlife Artist. He will receive the award during the preview opening of Birds in Art on 11 Septembe... (read more)

Lebanon’s Important Bird Areas go from 4 to 15! 1 May 2009
2 April, at the Ministry of Environment in Beirut, saw the closing ceremony of the Identification and Conservation of New Important Bird Areas project. A Rocha Lebanon and SPNL staff presented the... (read more)

Practical prayer for the climate 1 May 2009
A Rocha is always practical. As one response to climate change, Climate Stewards resources people to pray. Prayer is practical because God is active in His creation, and when people pray they take... (read more)

There’s money in muck! 1 May 2009
All the A Rocha teams are looking for new ways to beat the recession and find funds: some are running, some are jumping and some are getting very dirty! The A Rocha Canada team has discovered tha... (read more)

New Tana River Delta movie 1 April 2009
Now you can meet some of the pastoralists, fishermen and scientists who are opposing the plan to turn Kenya’s Tana River Delta into a vast sugar plantation for bio-fuels. Short movie clips can be ... (read more)

Books for better living 1 April 2009
A Rocha is a very down-to-earth organisation, running community-conservation projects and encouraging supporters to express their care for creation in all kinds of practical ways. Here are 3 books ... (read more)

Come and see for yourself 1 April 2009
Do you have free time, a passion for the earth and enjoy new experiences? We need you! Fourteen of A Rocha’s projects around the world have specific volunteer needs as diverse as ringing storm pet... (read more)

Good news for the Ria de Alvor, Portugal 1 March 2009
A Rocha Portugal has again been successful in court. In 2007 A Rocha began legal proceedings to protect Quinta da Rocha (the headland on which Cruzinha, our field study centre, is located). Part o... (read more)

Studying Stormies in Portugal - would you like to help? 1 March 2009
A Rocha Portugal has been studying the European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus for 20 years. Each May and June they welcome volunteers of all ages, from around the world, to take part in this e... (read more)

A Rocha in Singapore 1 March 2009
Last month, A Rocha’s Director and Founder, Peter Harris, spoke to 750 Filipino and Asian Christian leaders at the 5th Asian Theological Forum in Manila, focusing on the care of creation. He also ... (read more)

2 February is World Wetlands Day 1 February 2009
This year the theme is ‘Upstream, Downstream’ reminding us of our dependence on river water and the ways in which activities upstream can affect those living downstream. A Rocha is working to p... (read more)

The sleeping giant is waking! 1 February 2009
Around the world, the Christian church is waking up to the biblical challenge to care for creation. In the new A Rocha International News you can read encouraging stories from the Middle East, Afr... (read more)

Clean water for Ugandan villagers 1 February 2009
Until December, women and children in Namungoona were collecting their water from a contaminated spring. The A Rocha Initiative Group, working with community leaders, an engineer and the local peo... (read more)

Congratulations to Prof Sir Ghillean Prance 1 January 2009
Prof Sir Ghillean (Iain) Prance, Chair of A Rocha International’s Trustees, was given the Gold Medal of the New York Botanical Garden in November. It is their highest award, which has only been be... (read more)

Teaching church leaders in SE Asia 1 January 2009
The Asian Theological Forum in Manila, 11-12 February 2009, will be focusing on the care of creation. Peter Harris, the Director and Founder of A Rocha, will be speaking to about 900 Filipino and ... (read more)

UK conference for conservation practitioners 1 January 2009
Dr Simon Stuart (Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission), Mark Adderley (former Chief Executive of the National Trust for Scotland) and Peter Harris of A Rocha will be the guest speakers at... (read more)

Watch A Rocha’s Story of Hope from the Kenyan coast 1 December 2008
A Rocha’s latest movie, ASSETS - A Story of Hope, was premiered at the 4th IUCN World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, in October. A Rocha filmmakers Mel Ong and Dan Tay tell the story of ASSET... (read more)

Prof Sir Ghillean Prance now leads A Rocha 1 December 2008
A Rocha’s International Trustees are delighted to announce that their new Chair is Iain Prance, a plant taxonomist and an expert on the flora of the Amazon rain forests. Formerly Director of the R... (read more)

Three new Important Bird Areas in Lebanon this year 1 December 2008
Earlier this year, A Rocha Lebanon (in partnership with the Society for the Protection of Nature in Lebanon) completed a three year project to find new areas that should be designated as Important... (read more)

Arabic makes ten! 1 November 2008
The A Rocha website can now be enjoyed in 10 languages. The recent addition is Arabic and the A Rocha Lebanon team is preparing new resources for the Arabic-speaking world.  Information about the f... (read more)

Kenyan-wintering Terek Sandpiper found breeding in Finland 1 November 2008
Mida Creek, on the Kenyan coast, is an important wintering site for many shorebirds from northern latitudes, and protecting it is an important part of A Rocha Kenya’s work. The team rings some of ... (read more)

A Rocha Trustee the new leader of species conservation 1 November 2008
Congratulations to Dr Simon Stuart, one of the Trustees of A Rocha International, on his election as Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission at the recent IUCN Congress. This is the world’s ... (read more)

New centre for A Rocha France near Nice 1 October 2008
In the hills behind Nice, A Rocha France has just taken over Les Courmettes, thanks to the kindness of another French association, Amiral de Coligny, who have given us the use of it for the next ... (read more)

See the October International Newsletter 1 October 2008
Download A Rocha International News, Issue 45 Find out how you can help prevent Kenya’s Tana River Delta from being destroyed; discover how English language lessons can save forest and creeks; le... (read more)

Barn Swallow migration 1 October 2008
This autumn has once again seen the return of Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica to the marshes of Provence, and with them a period of intense activity for A Rocha France. The first arrivals are in lat... (read more)

Reaching out to China 1 September 2008
Chinese became the eighth language on our website just as all eyes turned to China for the opening of the Olympics in Beijing! We have been planning for some time to become better able to resource... (read more)

It's easier for you to give! 1 September 2008
A Rocha relies on the gifts of supporters so we’ve now made it easier for you to make a donation − wherever you are! Please go to our donations page to find the way that suits you: either onlin... (read more)

IUCN Congress in Spain 1 September 2008
If you will be amongst the expected eight thousand delegates at the World Conservation Congress in Barcelona, in early October, please come and meet us. Dr Marie Connett Porceddu (our Chief Execu... (read more)

Working together 1 August 2008
The theme of the A Rocha International Review for 2007-2008 is our partnerships with other conservation organisations, universities and colleges, relief and development agencies, governments and pr... (read more)

Visit us at the British Birdwatching Fair 1 August 2008
If you’ll be at the fair (15-17 August) at Rutland Water, then we hope you’ll call by the A Rocha stand in Marquee 2. If you visit on Friday, you can hear Chris Naylor and Rich Prior giving the jo... (read more)

The website looks different! 1 August 2008
You may have noticed changes to this website – that’s because we’ve changed our content management system to a much more powerful and flexible base. It may take us a few more weeks to move all the ... (read more)

Help us save the Tana River Delta, Kenya 1 July 2008
Two huge new sugar plantations are being planned for the northern Kenya coast, as well as new sugar factories and bio-fuel plants which will have massively damaging environmental and social impacts... (read more)

Another good Storm-petrel season 1 July 2008
A Rocha Portugal has been studying the European Storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus since 1990, catching the birds as they move northwards along the Algarve coast. This year, with the help of some w... (read more)

Fieldwork and fighting in Lebanon 1 June 2008
On 7 May a peaceful demonstration against low wages soon escalated into full scale street battles as armed militias loyal to the opposition clashed with pro-government supporters in the areas of ... (read more)

Two Wood Warblers caught in Portugal 1 June 2008
Wood Warblers Phylloscopus sibilatrix winter in equatorial Africa, mainly in humid evergreen forests and moist wooded savanna. We know that it makes much longer unbroken flights than the other Ph... (read more)

Better facilities for A Rocha Kenya 1 June 2008
In the last few months the team has been able to renovate some of the centre facilities, including the dining room, the managers’ house and the balcony. The next job will be to tackle the kitchen... (read more)