Out and about with
Anglican EcoCare

The Revd Bruce Hyde, Chair, Anglican EcoCare Commission

In March my wife and I travelled to Europe and the UK for a holiday and most importantly to visit our grandson and his parents. While travelling through Spain and Portugal by train, I refrained from reading so I could soak up the scenery and observe the farming activities across the Iberian Peninsula.

During the 400+km journey from Madrid to Granada, I was struck by the endless groves of olive trees, which were growing on every available piece of land, from the top of the rocky hills, down into the fertile valleys. Olives have been cultivated there since the Phoenician times, nearly 3,000 years ago. Since then, they have become a staple of the Mediterranean diet, with Spain now the world’s largest producer of olives. While this was a surprise, the thing that stood out for me was the complete absence of natural vegetation or woodlands. Coming from Australia, where significant tracts of natural habitat are intact, we might be forgiven for assuming this is the norm everywhere, but not so in southern Spain.

So, what happened to all the natural vegetation? Does it matter that there are hardly any native forests/trees?

You might find it interesting to know that, while journeying on horseback from Seville to Granada in 1829, Washington Irving, author of the famous book Tales of the Alhambra, made the following observation:

“…though there are some exceptions in some of the maritime provinces, yet, for the greater part, it is a stern, melancholy country with rugged mountains and long sweeping plains destitute of trees and indescribably silent and lonesome, partaking of the savage and ‘solitary character of Africa. What adds to this silence and loneliness is the absence of singing-birds, a natural consequence of the want of groves and hedges.” (Irving 2007, p15).

The absence of native vegetation in southern Spain caused me to reflect on our own landscapes in Australia. Even though we are very fortunate in Western Australia to have large areas of natural forest close to the city of Perth, this does not mean we have the luxury of being complacent. Habitat loss remains an ongoing issue for native wildlife, with the Black Cockatoo being one species that is particularly under pressure. At last year’s Synod, the Diocese passed a motion presented by the EcoCare Commission titled Wings and Wildflowers.

The motion recognised the impact that habitat loss has had on Western Australia’s native flora and fauna and reaffirmed our commitment to the Fifth Mark of Mission: to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth. Through Wings and Wildflowers, parishes, schools and agencies are encouraged to learn more about our native birdlife, plant native species, provide watering points and record bird sightings as a practical way of caring for creation in their local communities.

A significant agency within the Anglican Diocese of Perth is the Anglican Schools Commission, with more than 22,000 students attending schools across Western Australia. The sheer number of young people within this network highlights the important role Anglican schools can play in nurturing an appreciation for the natural world and encouraging practical care for creation.

Over the past two years, members of EcoCare have joined Bishop Hans for part of the Pilgrimage of Hope and Pilgrimage of Joy between Anglican school campuses. As a passionate advocate for the environment, Bishop Hans has helped create opportunities for EcoCare to connect with students and school communities. The pilgrimage itself also encourages pilgrims to slow down, engage with one another, and appreciate the beauty of the natural world through which they journey. A highlight of each pilgrimage is the planting of a tree at a participating school, providing a lasting reminder of our shared commitment to care for creation.

More recently, this commitment was evident during a visit to the Lorax environmental group at All Saints’ College. It was encouraging to meet young people who are already passionate about caring for the natural world and actively involved in environmental initiatives within their school community. Our visit provided an opportunity to share how Christian faith can offer another perspective on why caring for Creation matters.

It is fitting that this edition of the Messenger coincides with Schools Tree Day and National Tree Day. These events provide practical opportunities for schools, parishes and households to put their care for creation into action. For EcoCare, they also align closely with our Wings and Wildflowers project, which encourages the planting of native species that support black cockatoos and other wildlife.

The State Government’s WA Treebate program provides an additional incentive by helping Western Australians offset the cost of planting suitable native trees. Together, these initiatives offer simple and practical ways for all of us to contribute to the restoration of habitat in our local communities.

Trees and native shrubs provide important food sources for Western Australia’s black cockatoos, as well as the nesting hollows they depend upon for breeding. With the relentless march of urban sprawl across the Swan Coastal Plain - home to the banksia woodlands that provide an important food source for this species - black cockatoos are finding it increasingly difficult to survive.

The Synod motion sends a clear signal that the Anglican Diocese of Perth deeply cares about both protecting our natural environment and the creatures that depend upon it. Through Wings and Wildflowers, the EcoCare Commission is exploring ways to encourage and support people to take practical action in their local communities.

Published in Messenger July 2026