July 2024 Newsletter

Growing in a Sense of Place – Connecting to Country

 
Several years ago, in one 12 month period. I visited the vast Central Australian desert around Uluru, Katatjuta and the Finke Gorge, the towering rainforest of Lamington National Park, and the tiny specks of the Pacific islands of Fiji and Tonga – all places of different biodiversity and cultural/religious diversity. I loved appreciating a sense of place by walking away from the buildings and using my senses to listen, look, notice, try to connect a little more. The words I had heard somewhere resonated with me, “Before you approach another person, another culture, another religion, you must first take off your shoes, for the place you are approaching is holy”. These words might well describe the process of growing in our sense of place and relationship with other species/ life systems wherever we are.

Andrew Skeoch, renowned nature sound recordist and friend of FEN, describes in his book “Deep Listening to Nature”, an experience with a First Nations elder, Harold, who helped him by just sitting a while and listening, to tune into the bush, so that “the bush will start revealing itself… telling you things.” (p7). We can also learn, practise and share ways of doing this in our own place where we live – and wherever we go!

In our July E-Newsletter, we share with you some outcomes from Workshop 2 on this. We raise some ethical questions around biodiversity offsets, such as, “What right do we as humans have to threaten the future of other species because of a mine, a highway or a housing/shopping/office or other development, including renewal energy developments?” This was a question I asked when I joined a rally outside the office of the then Premier of NSW back in 2016 when biodiversity offsets were implemented as part of the introduction to NSW Environment Planning Laws. A recent report bears out that my concerns were real.

As a reader of this newsletter, you are part of FEN for which we thank you. We are happy to share your relevant stories, reflections, poems, drawings, or captioned photos.

Anne Lanyon, FEN Co-ordinator.
 

FEN Local News
  

Biodiversity Offsets

Biodiversity offsets have been part of planning policy around Australia in recent years. They have allowed development to proceed apace across our wide brown land to the detriment of Australia’s precious biodiversity. According to the global Independent Conservation for the Conservation of Nature, “Biodiversity offsets are defined as conservation activities intended to compensate for the lasting impacts of development on species and ecosystems that persist even after other mitigation measures.” These offsets are built around the idea of “no net loss”. This is an assumption that damage to ecosystems wrought by large-scale development projects – from mining and industry through to highways and land-use planning – can be balanced or outweighed by “producing” or preserving nature elsewhere.”

The Biodiversity Council, shared this report in its ENews to us on July 11^th: Federal review sparks fresh warnings that offset scheme is increasing extinction risk:  A recent audit of Australia's biodiversity offset scheme revealed that a third of the sites surveyed are in a worse condition than before they were established as offsets. The clear message from this report is that federal biodiversity offsets are poorly implemented, documented and, in the majority of cases in this audit, don’t protect the extent of threatened habitats that proponents claim they will. The review found that some areas, meant to be habitats for species like the koala and grey-headed flying fox, were actually cleared paddocks. Biodiversity Council director James Trezise told The Guardian “we can’t offset our way out of the extinction crisis” and that “offsets need to be truly relegated to a measure of last resort.”

How can we as diverse people who care about Australia’s unique and precious biodiversity respond to such ethical questions?
 

Time for Action

I have written to Minister Tanya Plibersek on behalf of FEN asking for

• an increase Federal Funding for Nature to 1% of the Federal Budget, as well as
• measures to repair Biodiversity Offsetting schemes around Australia.

Please download the letter and adapt it to write your own letter to the Minister (You can email the letter to [email protected].)

Please keep it concise, but add your own brief personal story to give a sense of why you are concerned, particularly from a faith perspective. You can write a personal letter, collaborate with another supportive member of your faith community.
 
   

 
Ten Ways to Care

 
A big THANK YOU to everyone who attended FEN's Ten Ways To Care Workshop 2: Listen to Wisdom from the Elders & Grow in Your Sense of Place!

Check out these resources from the workshop thanks to our wonderful presenters and participants:

1. Video Recording of the presentation

2. Workshop Powerpoint Slides (Download Slides) 

3. Reflections from workshop participants. (Download PDF)

4. Additional readings for different faith traditions can be accessed at www.biodiversity.faith/faith-teachings

Save the Date: FEN's Ten Ways to Care Workshop 3
 

- Grow in the Wonder of Nature
- Bringing Nature into our Worship & Gatherings

DATE: Thursday 5 September, 2024 
TIME: TBA
WHERE: Online
REGISTRATION: Coming Soon!

This is an excellent opportunity for us to invite along faith leaders who might be interested in how FEN's Ten Ways to Care can assist our faith communities to bring nature into our worship & gatherings, so that we can grow in the wonder of nature.
 

Spiritual Harmony Between First Nations People and Hindus

Excerpts from a flyer produced by the Hindu Council submitted by Vijai Singhal

Smoking ceremony – is an ancient Aboriginal practice that involves burning various native plants. to produce smoke, which has cleansing properties and ability to ward off bad spirits from people and the land. It is also done in many ceremonies to make pathways for brighter future. There are many different plants used in smoking ceremonies and for medicinal purposes. Depending upon the region and availability, the plants can include peppermint, cauliflower bush, eucalyptus and Eremophila longifolia (commonly known as Berrigan emu bush).

Havan or Yagna is a fire ceremony in Hindu faith, which translates to sacrifice, devotion or worship & is a part of various Puja ceremonies including Naming, marriage and house warming ceremonies etc. Mixture of various herbs and Ghee (clarified butter) is poured in the fire with chanting of Vedic Mantras/Hymns

Aboriginal Elder, Uncle Graham Paulson has written about some characteristics of Aboriginal spirituality in his article on the subject of Aboriginal spirituality. He writes “Aboriginal spirituality is animistic – In an animistic world everything is interconnected, people, plants, animals, landforms and celestial bodies are part of a larger reality. There is nothing inanimate, everything is alive; animals, plants, and natural forces. As such, humans are on equal footing with nature. They are part of nature and they are morally obligated to treat animals, plants and landforms with respect.”

Hinduism says: “Sarvam Khalu Idam Brahma”- Chandogya Upanishad (III.14.1) meaning “All this is Brahman, the Supreme Consciousness”. Everything animate or inanimate is pervaded by Brahman. Hindus worship the earth, the sun, the rivers, the trees and the animals –nature in all its manifestations and glories, seeing the presence of God in them. Everything is interconnected.
  

Breaking News!

Have you heard!?!? A generous FEN member has pledged to donate $500 for every $100 donation FEN receives before the end of July!

FEN's Ten Ways to Care framework is designed to empower faith and other communities to help reduce the destruction of biodiversity, and we rely on your generosity to do this work. Click the button to donate now and share with your networks:

National Tree Day: Sunday 28 July  

Planet Ark's National Tree Day started in 1996 and has grown into Australia's largest community tree planting and nature care event.

It's a call to action for all Australians to get their hands dirty and give back to the community.

Why not get a group of people from your community to together to plant some Native trees this weekend!
 

FEN Global News
  

 
World Biodiversity Day Video (Featuring FEN!)

The Faith Ecology Network would like to thank the United Religions Initiative’s, URI Environmental Network and Lauren Van Ham for creating a wonderful video for World Biodiversity Day.

The exciting part is that FEN is one of the global Co-operation Circles featured in the film at World Biodiversity Day (canva.com)

Please share!
    
 

FEN Partner News

FEN collaborates with the following partners and as such shares their events and news.
 

Australian Religious Response to Climate Change (ARRCC)

ARRCC warmly invites you to participate in their second ever national Conference, ‘Earth Wisdom: Hope in Action’. They have lined up brilliant, inspiring and informative speakers, including Professor Anne Poelina, Nyikina Warrwa woman, human & earth rights advocate; Prof. Mehmet Ozalp, Head of Centre for Islamic Studies and Civilisation; Dr James Whelan, a climate action strategist; Sophia Walter, Solutions Team at Climate Action Network Australia; and Tim Buckley, Director of Climate Energy Finance. 

WHEN: 4-6 October 2024
WHERE: Santa Sabina College, Strathfield 
REGISTRATION: www.arrcc.org.au/conference
 

Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA)

Join AELA's "Exploring Bioregionalism" webinar series. In the July 25^th webinar, AELA Convenor and Greenprints creator, Dr Michelle Maloney, will be joined by Shrishtee Bajpai, from Kalpavriksh and the Global Tapestry of Alternatives, to explore bioregionalism from the perspective of different communities and projects in India.

Register now: https://events.humanitix.com/aela-25july
 

Nature For ALL

One of the Nature For All Australia’s projects is Habitat Stepping Stones, run by Macquarie University. It is about creating habitat stepping stones in urban areas: When they understand how they can personally make a difference, people’s attitudes change.

The Goal is: To make it easy for people to create effective habitat stepping stones in their urban backyards.

Over half of Australia’s threatened species occur within the urban fringe. They want to make it easy for people to turn their gardens into wildlife-friendly stopovers between existing wildlife corridors. To do that we need to overcome three common barriers to actio

1. Lack of awareness
2. Bewilderment
3. Apathy

See more at https://natureforall.global/blog/habitat-stepping-stones-macquarie-university-australia/