Our Works
New seeds of hope for an old forest by Fannie Dionne and José Sanchez | photos : Ignatius Old-Growth Forest
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he Ignatius Old-Growth Forest Project is one of the ministries of the Ignatius Jesuit Centre in Guelph Ontario. It consists of nearly 100 protected acres of trails, forests, meadows, wetlands, and waterways that are home to a rich biodiversity of plant and animal life. The values of the centre, oriented by Ignatian principles such as finding God in all things and practicing a faith that does justice, are an integral part of the project’s foundation. It encourages the sharing of the sacredness of creation through spiritual development, education, community building and the care and stewardship of the earth. “Working with nature, restoring habitats, and inspiring young people to be part of nature is a spiritual journey,” said Martin Tamlyn, the manager of the Old-Growth Forest. A member of the Centre’s team for the past five years, he left a career as a school teacher to be part of the healing process of the ecological crisis. In the following interview, he gives an overview of the project.
WHAT IS THE OLD-GROWTH FOREST PROJECT? Most of the original forest that was on the project site was removed during colonization, says Mr. Tamlyn. The long-term vision of the Ignatius Old-Growth Forest is to restore the site to old-growth forest.
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CANADIAN JESUITS
