VAIPL and Chesapeake Bay Foundation work in partnership with faith communities and communities of goodwill focus on the sacred and moral connection to the watershed, water, wildlife, and trees through workshops and engaged education.

The initiative will support the transformation work necessary for faith communities to become better stewards of our natural resources with particular attention to improving water quality. Workshops will also support the water quality improvement installation projects including rain gardens, tree planting, and impervious surface replacements.

Workshops will cover the importance of water as a sacred element in worship, water as feature of the land (watershed), the importance of trees for water quality, wildlife, insects, best practices for home and lawn care to reduce carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus; resilience and greening congregations. All workshops will lead to the outcome of embedding best practices for improving water quality among members and the surrounding communities as well as providing training for clergy to become Creation Care partners.

Resource Materials Created:

• 1 Water Quality Best Practices Calendar,

• 1 Case Study Report,

• 4 (min) Curriculum w/lesson plans

• 1 Pledge Cards

• Sermon starters, prayers, litanies, and liturgy