A Rocha

A Rocha is an international nature conservation organization working to show God’s love for all creation. We work out our commitment to environmental action through community-based conservation projects. A Rocha seeks transformation and change within the church, the environmental world, local communities and the ecosystems that support and surround them.

A Rocha is unique among conservation organizations in that we bridge two seemingly disparate domains - conservation and Christianity. Our work is rooted in and sustained through Christian faith, which gives impetus to solid scientific research and innovative conservation projects. The hope provided through biblical faith is distinct in the environmental world, which is often characterized by despair and fear. This hope is manifest in practical and tangible ways through our Field Study Centres in British Columbia and Manitoba.

Our name comes from Portuguese for “The Rock”, as the first initiative was a field study centre near the Alvor estuary in Portugal. Since 1983 A Rocha has grown from the one project in Portugal to a family of 16 national organizations working around the world in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America and Asia. A Rocha’s work has been supported by the United Nations, international conservation organizations (including the World Wildlife Fund for Nature and the World Conservation Union (IUCN)), government agencies and churches worldwide.

A Rocha Canada, based in British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, is a registered CRA charity with over 2,000 friends nationwide and has been active since 2000. We currently have 20 people on staff and facilitate over 20,000 volunteer hours annually. Our project locations include the Little Campbell Watershed near Vancouver, British Columbia, and Pembina Valley in Manitoba. We also have active community groups in several cities.

Profile of Presenters available with Picture

A Rocha Canada has a number of board, team, and volunteers that are available to speak at churches, youth groups, conferences, Sunday Schools and schools.

Some of our speakers available include:

Markku & Leah Kostamo: Executive Director and Canadian Team Leaders. Markku and Leah are spearheading the vision and work of the Canadian A Rocha projects. They come with diverse backgrounds and experience in ecology, theology, campus ministry, and education. Markku is a Professional Biologist and outdoor enthusiast and has worked as an environmental consultant. Leah has taught in both college and high school settings and has also served as a campus chaplain. Markku and Leah love to spend time outside with their two daughters Maya and Bryn.

  Rick Faw: Education Director, with wife Crista. Rick combines academic backgrounds in science and theology with a love for the outdoors. His desire is for people to integrate their spiritual life with their experience of the created world. With A Rocha, he works alongside schools, churches, and community groups to coordinate adult education in a variety of forms including lectures, classes, conferences, and outdoor excursions. Rick, his wife Crista, son Jared, and daughter Zoë live and play at the A Rocha Field Study Centre in Surrey, BC.

Cindy Verbeek: Church Liaison. Based out of the beautiful Bulkley Valley in northern BC, Cindy works as National Church Liaison. Over the past 10 years Cindy has volunteered with A Rocha in Portugal, on the Canadian board, as a newsletter editor, and as community group leader in Edmonton until she moved to BC. Cindy is a graduate of King's University College with a BSc., and a Naturalist certificate from the Au Sable Institute in Michigan. She presently lives in Houston, BC with her husband Dennis and their three children.

Paul Neufeld: Farm & Nursery Manager. Paul's work at A Rocha is focused on nurturing green growing things, both in the one-acre organic vegetable garden and the Little Campbell Native Plant Nursery. He loves compost, worms and bees, and delights in watching tiny seedlings grow. He also loves to see people get excited about weeding, harvesting and enjoying the goodness of fresh, locally-grown food. Paul lives in East Vancouver with his wife Angela, son Simon and 5 other people in a big old community house near Commercial Drive.

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