Work
A Rocha aims to protect the environment through local, community-based conservation, scientific research, and environmental education,[10] and they have “a track record of successes”.[11]
A Rocha operates field study centres in Canada (two centres), France (two centres), India, Kenya, Portugal[12] and also in the Czech Republic.[13] These serve primarily as a base for A Rocha's and other organisations’ field studies and for environmental education, and most also offer accommodation for visitors.
Areas of A Rocha's work include:
- Species and landscape surveying and monitoring, such as raptor counts in Pembina Valley, Canada,[14] camera trapping of mammals in India,[15] the Kenya Bird Map,[16] dry grassland biodiversity surveys in Switzerland[17] and mapping tropical forests using unmanned aerial vehicles[18][19]
- Habitat and species restoration projects, such as mangrove restoration projects in Ghana,[20] and improving breeding chances for Grey-faced petrels by eradicating invasive mammals, restoring habitats and deploying artificial nests in Raglan, New Zealand,[21] control of invasive Indian House crow in Kenya
- Reducing human–wildlife conflict in India, notably with elephants[22][23] and leopards[24]
- Setting up private or public parks and reserves such as the Kirosa Scott Reserve in Kenya,[25] and Foxearth Reserve[26] and Minet Country Park in the UK
- Enlarging and campaigning for the safeguarding of existing natural and protected areas, such as the Atewa Forest in Ghana,[27] and the Alvor Estuary in Portugal[28][29]
- Bridging biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods, such as via sustainable agriculture and community garden projects across Canada;[30] the Arabuko-Sokoke Schools and Eco-tourism Scheme in Kenya;[22][31] the establishment of CREMAs (community resource management areas) around Mole National Park[22] and Lake Bosumtwi,[32] Ghana; and training community members in Uganda to construct bio-sand water filters[33]
- Environmental education activities and resources, such as the Wild Lebanon website in Lebanon[34] and "creation care camps" in the USA[35]
- Carbon footprint reduction and mitigation projects, such as producing charcoal briquettes from waste in Uganda,[36] the "Eco Church" church greening programme in the UK,[37][38] and running "Climate Stewards", a global programme which encourages people to reduce their carbon footprint, and accepts donations to offset emissions via community forestry and cookstove projects in Ghana, Kenya and Mexico[39]
- Cooperating worldwide for nature conservation, such as being a member of IUCN[40] and IUCN's European Habitats Forum[41]
- Engaging Christian communities with the relevance of nature conservation to the Christian faith, through conferences,[42] speaking engagements,[43] books[44] and papers,[6] and partnerships such as the Lausanne/WEA Creation Care Network[45]
A Rocha also serves as an Erasmus+ / European Voluntary Service agency in France,[46] the Netherlands[47] and Portugal.[48]
