Care for God's Creation 2006 Conference

2006 Conference

This inclusive conference welcomed peoples of all faith traditions to come together for a spiritual experience to hear about trees in various faith traditions, learn of the critical role trees play in our very survival, and become inspired to address the environmental challenges before us.

Presenters Included:


Julia Butterfly Hill	Matt Biers-Ariel

Imam Mohammed Azeez	Reverend Jeanie Shaw

Workshops

Julia Butterfly Hill: She will continue the conversation of her opening presentation.

UU Church Intern and Campus Minister Eliza Galaher: In keeping with her title of "Let Me Lead You Back into Your Wood-Lots Again," Henry David Thoreau as a Transcendentalist Liaison Between Humanity and Nature, will lead a conversation about Henry David Thoreau and the larger transcendentalist movement as voices who held up the sacredness of nature amidst ongoing industrialization and development in the early and mid-19th century United States. How do those times reflect ours?

Warren Roberts, Arboretum Superintendent: His workshop will discuss the UC Davis Arboretum: A Local Spiritual Landscape. His slides, plant samples, stories and more will illustrate the many resources of the UC Davis Arboretum, reflections on and from the lives of some of its many docents, employees and others over the years. This workshop will be an introduction to the Arboretum for those who haven't been there, and a glimpse into some of its little-known corners for those who have.

Ruth Williams, TREE Davis Executive Director and ISA Certified Arborist: She will present an overview of the many community forestry groups working in California to preserve urban trees. The state of California is home to over 80 nonprofit groups committed to planting and caring for urban trees. From Tree Musketeers’ focus on empowering youth to the California Oak Foundation’s legal advocacy, each group plays an important role in preserving and renewing our community forests. California’s trees may not have mouths, but they have many voices.

The Reverend Jeanie Shaw: Her workshop will continue the dialogue established in the opening presentation.

Matt Biers-Ariel : Spirit in Nature: Mixing Religion and Ecology on the Trail. Take a short nature walk while playing environmental games imbued with religious teachings to gain a new perspective of both the natural and spiritual worlds.

Maren Shawesh, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Sacramento:
God's Creations: The Gateway to Understanding our Creator.
Islam makes it incumbent on every Muslim to contribute his/her share in improving the environment. Muslims should be active in growing more trees and advocating for the preservation of all creatures for the benefit of the global community. By doing so, we learn and discover our creator's wisdom and glory.
("O people! Worship your Lord, Who hath created you and those before you, so that you may ward off (evil). Who hath appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy; and causeth water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you. And do not set up rivals to Allah when ye know (better). (Al-Baquarah 2: 21-22)

Maren Shawesh, activist and educator, has lived in Sacramento for over twenty years. Her commitment to change and community involvement drive her to contribute to one of her many goals: a better America.

Michelle Passero, The Pacific Forest Trust The workshop will provide an overview of the relationship between forests and global warming and describe policy ideas/frameworks that are emerging to help mitigate global warming through forest protection.
About The Pacific Forest Trust:
The Pacific Forest Trust is a California-based nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the protection of private forests for their public benefits. As part of its mission, PFT has been very active in developing a framework for the inclusion of forests in emerging climate policies.

Michelle Passero is the Director of Policy Initiatives for The Pacific Forest Trust. In this capacity, she advocates and develops incentive-based policies for private forestland protection. She has been working closely with the World Resources Institute and the California Climate Action Registry to develop protocols to account for the forest sector’s greenhouse gas emissions and climate benefits.

Schedule of Events

Welcome

The Reverend Elizabeth O. Banks

Opening Ritual with Music

Musicians
Masayuki Koga, Shakuhachi Flute
Janie Howard, Guitar and Song
Dan Tennenbaum

Presentation by Interfaith Panelists

Featured Speakers

Refreshments and Tree Planting

Workshops I *
Workshops II *

Closing Ritual

Event Organizers

Reverend Sarah Motley, Chair
Diane Colburn, Vice-Chair
Helen Roland, Secretary
Carl Schwedler, Treasurer
Hannah Biberstein
Ernie Biberstein
Judy E. Moores
Hamza El-Nakhal
Matt Biers-Ariel
Mary Wind

Event Sponsors

Institutional Sponsors

Whole Systems Foundation
Congregation Bet Haverim
Davis Food Coop
Saint Martin's Episcopal Church
Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis
Green Sanctuary Committee, Unitarian Universalist Church

Special Thanks

Barbara Haff
McCarthy Designs
Navin’s Copy Shop