Charter for Trees

Charter of the Forest, signed Nov 6, 1217

Were you aware that when the British Magna Carta was signed 800 years ago it took place beneath some towering trees, a thousand years old or more at the time, one of which was still standing in 2015 at the anniversary? If "yew" didn't (my apologies), join the club. And did you know that two years later another charter was established two years later as a companion to the Magna Carta called the Carta de Foresta, or Charter of the Forest? Nah, I didn't know that either! In 1215 the British monarch had a monopoly on as much as a third of the extensive forests of the land, including Sherwood Forest. This monopoly was lucrative for the king but oppressive for the common schmo.

The reforms of the Magna Carta led to a new model for managing forest resources. The charter stated: “Every free man may henceforth without being prosecuted make in his wood or in land he has in his forest, a mill, a preserve, a pond, a marl-pit or a ditch, or arable outside the covert in arable land, on condition that it does not harm any neighbour.”

With this clause, responsibility for the stewardship of common resources on forest land shifted from the monarch to the community. The last clause of the charter asserted: “These liberties concerning the forests we have granted to everybody.”

This is the 800th anniversary of that historic charter, which set precedent for many other land use agreements around the world, including here in Canada.

It makes sense then that  today marks the launch of an ambitious project called The Charter for Trees, Woods, and People, which has incorporated the participation of thousands of Britons. https://treecharter.uk/ Citizens are invited to sign the Charter as a sign of support for the principles.





We have a lot of trees in Canada, with a massive boreal forest. Just the same, we have taken our trees, woods and First Peoples for granted in ways that border on abuse.

I would hope that Christians whose story begins and ends with trees of life, and whose Saviour died on the "tree" would appreciate the practical importance of sustainable woods and forests.

Any tree-huggers out there (I are one!)?  Would it make a difference for Canadians to have a similar Charter? I don't think we'd be required to build a castle for the launch.  
 

Colonialism & Climate Change

                                                                   The Congo River

In one of the congregations I served as a minister there was an elderly woman who had served as a nurse in the Congo through the United Church of Canada. I had known her for years because she is a dear friend of my mother but I didn't know her story well until I was her pastor. She ended up marrying a Congolese man and had two children who grew up in Canada. Before she left she endured abuse from her husband, who had mental health issues. He also took a second wife, as was the custom in his region, but definitely not the practice of small town Ontario, where she grew up.

She loved the novel The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver and led a discussion group about it at the church. It tells the story of a missionary family from the US who go to the Belgian Congo in the 1960's to spread the gospel. It gives insights into the perils and pitfalls of colonialism, both political and religious.

I thought of our family friend and the novel when I read about a trove of decaying notebooks discovered at a derelict research station found in the jungle of what had been the Belgian Congo. Yangambi Biological Station was once Africa’s leading forest and agriculture research institution and in the 1930's careful records were kept about tree growth.



We now know that jungles such as the Congo forest play a critical part in controlling the rate of global warming; vegetation sucks up about 25% of the carbon dioxide we spew out of our tailpipes and smokestacks. But research shows the tropical carbon sink is no longer as effective as it once was. Using sophisticated technology it will be possible to establish a comparison between the research of eighty years ago and the information gathered today. Colonialism was destructive in so many ways, including the exploitation of resources but this may give some clues to help address climate change.

Read the article and read The Poisonwood Bible, which I really should do again. Go to just about any church book sale and you'll find a copy!
 
https://amp.theguardian.com/environment/2017/sep/22/long-lost-congo-notebooks-shed-light-how-trees-react-to-climate-change

Memories of Solitude on Quiet Day

My wonderful wife, Ruth,  reminded me that a year ago we were exploring Iceland, a life-long dream for her. I was her willing partner in this adventure, although she did the "heavy-lifting" of establishing our route and booking the guest houses.

Iceland is a place of such extraordinary and other-worldly beauty that it is has become the backdrop for series such as Game of Thrones and a number of movies.



Game of Thrones filming sites

Unfortunately the whole world wants to get in the on the beauty and this year 2.2 million visitors will invade a country which has a population of 330,000. Tourism has rescued an economy which reeled after the financial collapse of 2008, but many places of tranquility have taken on a circus-like quality. Because we rented a vehicle we literally went off the beaten path to explore some spots or started early so we could avoid the crowds.

On this National Quiet Day I recall bumping along a rocky road recommended by our hosts to a glacial lake where we were virtually alone. This path which passed sheep pastures was so rough we considered turning back, but it was worth picking our way along to a spot that was holy for me. I was quite moved, and felt the presence of the Creator. We skirted the lake on foot to get close to the glacial tongue, and even though it was overcast the experience was overpowering. There were essentially no human sounds around us.

I was aware that these glacial lakes are becoming larger and more spectacular because of climate change, but for the moment I relished the silence. I was also mindful while in Iceland that while the country uses geothermal energy to meet most of its energy needs, tourists are expending a colossal amount of fossil fuel to get there. Ah, yes.

Homebodies

We have been watching in horror as first Hurricane Harvey, now Hurricane Irma have created havoc in the American South and Caribbean. The torrential rains which accompanied Harvey resulted in loss of life, the displacement of thousands, along with property and infrastructure damage so extensive that this will probably be the most expensive weather disaster in history.

Meanwhile, fires are raging across North America, again causing people to flee their homes and huge areas of forest to go up in flames. In Canada's British Columbia the economy has taken a big hit this summer, including the loss of important tourism revenue. We have friends who cancelled their trip to BC because the pall of smoke would have made in impossible to engage in outdoor activities.

We're also told that BC has far exceeded it's CO2 estimates for this year because of the extent of the fires in the province. Actually, what goes up tends to travel and the map above shows the vast plume of smoke from fires in Western Canada and the Western States.

Sometimes we're told that we can't fix the environment without ensuring a strong economy, as though jobs and profits always trump care for the systems of our planetary home. Yet we are witnessing the catastrophic outcome of this wrong-headed approach to economics. The words economy and ecology come from the same Greek root meaning "home."

Scripture teaches us that God is the Creator of this home and instructs us to live in with respect and care and love. How can we not pay attention, repent of our hubris, and find a different path for the wellbeing of all living creatures?

The Cry of the Earth

We now into the season of the Church Year known as Creation Time, an observance  of the past fifteen years or so in the United Church of Canada. It is truly ecumenical and global though, and on September 1st Pope Francis of the Roman Catholic church and Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew issued a joint statement to mark the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation.

The two said that what’s happening in the world today reveals a “morally decaying scenario, where our attitude and behaviour towards creation obscures our calling as God’s co-operators.” They call on those “in positions of social and economic, as well as political and cultural, responsibility to hear the cry of the earth, and to attend to the needs of the marginalized.” Those leaders, Francis and Bartholomew write, are called to “respond to the plea” of millions, and support “the consensus of the world for the healing of our wounded creation.”

One point stressed by Francis and Bartholomew is that care for the environment, and care for the poor, are inextricably linked.“We are convinced,” they say, “that there can be no sincere and enduring resolution to the challenge of the ecological crisis and climate change unless the response is concerted and collective, unless the responsibility is shared and accountable, unless we give priority to solidarity and service.”

These thoughts are contained in Pope Francis' encyclical from a couple of years ago, Laudato Si, and they are wise and address the broader issues of the planet. I appreciate that these leaders of the majority of Christians on the planet are so forthright, and that they are offering an alternative to the pathetic denial of fundamentalist climate change deniers. The pontiff and patriarch didn't look ready for a hike in the woods as they signed the statement, but you can't have everything.

Here's hoping that someone is listening to what Francis and Bartholomew are saying.

Reverence: The Monarch Project

Sometimes it doesn't take much to make me happy, and often it is the seemingly small observances of the natural world which lifts my spirits.

Since our return to Ontario we have noticed more Monarch butterflies than we have seen in years. We've heard a lot about the catastrophic decline in Monarch numbers and the causes are many. Habitat loss in their wintering grounds in Mexico, efforts to eliminate milkweed which is an essential source of sustenance, and urbanization of breeding areas are all factors. Apparently the cooler weather of early summer this year was beneficial. There are also greater efforts as well to protect the forests in Mexico where the Monarchs congregate, along with the encouragement to plant milkweed. All these may all be factors in recovery, although this is just one year.



There is a film which I would like to see called Reverence: The Monarch Project. It's only 13 minutes long but the trailer is fascinating. Here is the description of the story line:

Reverence: The Monarch Project presents the synergy between art and science. The duet Spazuk-Delhaes collected, in their natural environment, thousands of traces of monarch butterflies on some carbon black to assemble then and create a self-portrait of it majestic lepidopterous. From Mexico to Quebec, the film depicts the journey of these insects who's survival is threatened. Thanks to a meticulous work involving hundreds of volunteers who cut and and assemble pixels to form a unique image. The artistic creation's purpose is to raise awareness about precariousness of the animal and vegetable life.

I like this notion of reverence. When we sense the holy in Creation, when we return to wonder for the the creatures we may have once taken for granted, such as butterflies, we may be motivated to honour and protect. The reverence we experience in places of worship such as churches must be extended to the forests and meadows and waterways.

Have you seen more Monarchs this year? Does the Reverence film intrigue you? Do you experience the holy in the natural world? I think I'll dig out my copy of Barbara Kingsolver's Flight Behavior,  which is also about Monarch butterflies and reverence.

Water Week & Living Water

Sometimes it's a challenge to figure out the international and national events such as special days and weeks. World Water Day was back in March and World Oceans Day was in June. But this is World Water Week -- are you keeping up here? There is a conference in Stockholm with representatives from 130 countries, so it's a global gathering. They will look at issues of improving water quality and reducing waste.

This morning we cycled along the Belleville waterfront, which is on the Bay of Quinte. The lovely trail goes past the sewage treatment plant which was a bit "whiffy" today. After Ruth turned to go to work I carried on past the water treatment plant. I wonder how many people in the city could identify where each of these essential processing facilities are.

We are blessed with a lengthy trail, but there is not a public swim beach in Belleville, which is a shame. Is it because of concerns over water quality.  I see that some Dalhousie students are lobbying for a swimming access spot on the Halifax waterfront, something which would have been unthinkable a few years ago when sewage poured directly into the harbour.

As we watch Texas turn into a watery nightmare because of Hurricane Harvey we know that there will be issues with water quality for millions of people even though days ago they would have taken this for granted.

Water is a recurring theme in scripture and Jesus is Living Water, because it is the source of life and precious. On a planet of nearly seven billion humans it's important that we make the connection between the spiritual metaphors for water and the practicalities of wise water use for all creatures, great and small.

Even the Fish of the Sea are Perishing

Fish, fish, and more fish -- or less fish. The discussions about the presence of fish and the absence of fish were constant during our stay in Newfoundland during the month of July. If we had been moving around or only in the province for a week or two we might not have been as aware. A month makes a difference and we were settled for four weeks on Change Islands, a community with a fish plant.

Fish have become scarce in this province which a destination for European fishers of many nationalities before becoming a British colony. Change Islands was a summer fishing destination for Paleo-Esquimault people, then Beothuk Indians long before the Europeans arrived. At one time the population of Change Islands was as many as 1200 year-round residents but has dwindled to 200, in no small part because of the disappearance of fish. 



While we there the province acknowledged a dubious anniversary, the 25th since the declaration of a moratorium on fishing cod, once so abundant it was assumed that it was impossible to overfish the stocks. That was catastrophically wrong and so a "two-year" moratorium was imposed which has stretched on for a quarter century. For a week following the actual date CBC Radio in Newfoundland ran a series on what happened then and the gradual recovery of cod stocks. There is pressure to expand the small commercial fishery but scientists insist this would be a disaster. While we were there the recreational fishery allowing individuals to catch up to five fish a day was opened, but there wasn't much out there worth keeping.

Other species have sustained a smaller group of fishers, including crab and shrimp, although shrimp have now been over-fished as well. There were a fair number of lobsters "on the go" as folk there say, but in one of the communities I served as a minister four decades ago there are only three lobster fishermen today compared to the thirty back then. The Change Islands fish plant is empty a good part of the year because there just aren't species to process.

This is an ecological tragedy and a human crisis as well. The Change Islands school is almost without students now, and we chatted with the one student who will enter Grade 12 this Fall. All her courses this year will be online -- except gym! It is possible that within a decade or two the government will decide to end costly services to the aging, shrinking populations of many communities such as Change Islands. Resettlement is a real possibility.

Part of the public conversation while we were there was about a different outlook on fishing that moves from methods which are destructive to sustainable practices. The example of Iceland is cited, a nation which reinvented its failing fishery so that it is now a viable aspect of the economy. Interestingly, I spoke with an Icelander during our vacation there last September. He was proud of the change of direction for the fishery and mentioned Canada as a cautionary tale of how not to steward the resources of the sea.

At the top of this blog is an image by David Blackwood, a Newfoundland artist now living in Port Hope, Ontario. I've used this before in a blog. We had the honour of a meal with David and his wife several years ago and I asked him about the subject. This was his uncle, the Master Mariner of the title for the work. It is a lament though, for a lost way of life, one we can hope will be restored, even if partially. There is a biblical reference from the book of Hosea tucked along the bottom:
³
Therefore the land mourns,
   and all who live in it languish;
together with the wild animals
   and the birds of the air,
   even the fish of the sea are perishing.

Hosea 4:3

 

In Hosea there is also the promise of restoration. We'll  continue to pray for this in the province we have grown to love through the years.  

 

 

Devilishly Hot

There are a number of Biblical names for the presence of evil in the world. The devil is one, Satan another, Beelzebub, Father of Lies, and Lucifer. Lucifer is the label given to the latest killer heat wave affecting Europe. Temperatures soared about 40C in places, causing distress to millions. Crops have withered, water supplies have been depleted, roads have sagged and train tracks buckled. In the mountains of Slovenia the first ever overnight temperature of 20C was recorded. Earlier this summer hot, dry temperatures turned Portugal into a tinderbox and a number of people were killed by wildfires which swept across highways.

Rain has brought relief to some countries but we can pray that governments do not ignore what is happening, or consider it an aberration. What some are calling "global weirding" has produced both unprecedented droughts and floods in locations across the planet. A wildfire in Greenland and this year's stunning number of icebergs point to climate change at one of the poles.

What scares me if that this isn't Lucifer at work, it is the result of human activity and indifference to a global crisis. We can't claim that "the devil made me do it" either. We must pay attention and develop strategies for change.

Thoughts?