The Creation Care Committee’s Habitat Restoration Working Group received 19 applications, many more than anticipated, for this inaugural offering of funding to grow native plants on parish grounds. The program demonstrates the desire of our diocese to be faithful stewards of God’s creation. As native plants evolved in the ecosystem in tandem with its creatures, they are ideal sources of nutrition, decrease soil erosion, and maintain or enhance soil health.
The quality and thoroughness of planning impressed the group’s three evaluators, two of whom are Master Gardeners. While each application was different, all intend to involve parishioners outside of the gardening group, and to inspire individual parishioners and visitors to consider similar projects on their own property. Several applications include removal of invasive species or planting pollinator gardens. Drawing on their expertise, evaluators will advise parish gardeners how to expand native plantings less expensively or for free, more advantageous times to plant, and what is better grown from seedlings rather than from seed.
Even after more than doubling its budget allocation, the Creation Care Committee was unable to meet the requests of most applications. In its desire to reward and encourage habitation restoration endeavors, the group opted to give $500 to every applicant except one, which was fully funded at $494. The 19 parishes receiving grants are:
- Christ Church, Glen Allen
- Falls Church, Falls Church
- Grace, Alexandria
- Grace, Keswick
- St. Andrew’s, Arlington
- Christ Church, Gordonsville
- St. Stephen’s, Richmond
St. Luke’s, Alexandria - Little Fork, Rixeyville
- Trinity, Manassas
- Christ Church, Spotsylvania
- Trinity, Charlottesville
- St. James’, Leesburg
- Christ Church, Alexandria
- St. Mark’s, Richmond
- Church of the Holy Comforter, Vienna
- Church of Our Saviour, Charlottesville
- St. Peter in the Woods, Fairfax Station
- St. James’ Church and School, Warrenton
The Creation Care Committee looks forward to sharing the achievements of the parishes’ gardeners.