Austin Branches of Faith Workshop
Does your community suffer from summer heat? Are you lacking green spaces in your neighborhood? Your church can be part of the solution by joining our Branches of Faith project. Join this workshop to learn how to receive free trees and technical support on planting and maintenance so that your community will benefit from shade, air filtering, green space, beauty, and heat resilience for decades to come.
Saturday, May 30, 2026 | 9 am – 12 pm (CT)
Sabado, 30 de Mayo, 2026 | 9 am – 12 pm (CT)
Register Here
Caring for Creation, Serving Our Communities
This project invites churches in
Austin, TX, Nashville, TN, Orlando/Titusville, FL, and Baltimore, MD, to live out God’s calling to care for creation by planting trees—bringing shade, beauty, and cleaner air to our neighborhoods, as well as shelter and food for urban wildlife.
Each tree planted becomes a sign of God’s renewal, a reminder of our call to be faithful stewards of His creation, and a blessing to our human and non-human neighbors for generations to come.
Why Urban Tree Planting Matters
Trees are essential to community health, climate resilience to heat and flooding, and even our spiritual wellbeing. However, not all communities have equal access to the benefits trees provide. Planting trees in areas that have not historically had access to the benefits of trees is one way that communities can participate in God’s restoration of all creation.
Our Approach
A Rocha USA’s relationship-based and local action approach sets faith communities around the country on a pathway of sustained environmental action, starting with incremental and meaningful steps toward congregational change.
- Faith-Centered Grounding: We ground our work in scriptural teachings, theological reflection, and spiritual practices, helping congregations see tree equity as an essential expression of their faith and a response to the call for environmental justice.
- Community-Driven Participatory Planning: When possible, we use participatory planning processes that combine local knowledge with technical expertise, ensuring that frontline communities lead in identifying priorities and making decisions.
- Coalition Building: We bring together congregations, tree-planting technical partners, municipal governments, and other local stakeholders into coalitions that provide the structure and support needed for sustained, long-term impact.
- Centering Frontline Communities: We prioritize the leadership, voices, and lived experiences of frontline communities, ensuring that projects address local needs and that benefits flow to those historically excluded from environmental decision-making.
- An Ecosystem of Support: We provide educational materials, workshop curricula, technical analysis, denominational connections, and training to ensure congregations and communities have everything they need to thrive physically and spiritually.
Additional Resources
Partners
