An interview with Manitoba Director, Scott Gerbrandt

Oct 1, 2025

Can you share a story or example of how you’ve seen lives, communities, or landscapes impacted through A Rocha’s work in Manitoba? 

I’ll share three stories!

• Our annual Boggy River Survey that we do on said river just west of Falcon Lake is a great example of how people are learning and being shaped by paying attention to a landscape year after year. Many of our volunteers are young aspiring conservationists and they are learning together what it takes to methodically and with love pay attention to the health of a place. It also helps that they have so much fun doing this work together.  This past year we had our highest attendance of volunteers yet. We fully filled up the lodge at the centre and couldn’t take any more people!
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• Our day camps in the summer continue to be places where children’s wide-eyed wonder for the natural world, found even in Winnipeg’s cityscapes, is celebrated and nurtured.  We really took some big steps to deepen our impact of these programs this summer, including hiring a permanent environmental education coordinator and I’m very excited for the future of this program.
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• I also want to share the story of Dave Wiebe of Westwood Community Church who came to our first Consider the Lilies Event three years ago and attended my workshop on “Crafting your Church’s Creation Care Challenge”.  As Dave collaborated with others around the table he became increasingly motivated and inspired to take action in his own church community which resulted in A Rocha partnering with them to host another conference at their church and birthed Westwood’s “Creation Care Task Force” which has been taking action by setting up 2 garden boxes among other sunday morning initiatives. I love this story and this is exactly what I long to see more of! 

Where is A Rocha in Manitoba heading this fall? 

We are SO excited for our fall!  There are three things I’d love to highlight: 

• First, we have the great pleasure and honour of hosting Peter Harris, the co-founder of A Rocha International.  He is coming to Winnipeg and will be giving a public presentation called “Why Creation is Waiting for the Christians”.  If you are reading this… trust me, you do not want to miss this opportunity.  Peter has a lifetime of stories and experiences that will both inspire and challenge you toward care of creation. Space is limited, register HERE.
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• Second, some of you may know that we’ve been working for a long time to increase our capacity at the Boreal Ecology Centre so that we can invite more people to engage in the beautiful landscapes of the boreal forest. We are now on the cusp of renovating the Lodge to increase our overnight capacity AND we are building a new building which will have a classroom lab so that we are able to more effectively grow our conservation science work and partnership.
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• Finally, our annual Boggy River Brunch Fundraiser on Saturday November 8th is at a new location and we will be joined by Luke Wilson, A Rocha Canada CEO,  as we celebrate and raise funds for our mission.

What is exciting to you about this particular moment for A Rocha? 

• I think what I currently find exciting about this moment is that it really feels like we are building momentum as we are seeing a number of programs and projects mature. Our mission is to live out God’s calling to care for creation and equip others to do likewise and right now we can look back and say “Yeah, we’ve been doing this… we can point to people and landscapes that have been impacted by our collective presence and attention.” I can see that we are on the cusp of engaging and collaborating with more people and churches in order that people and nature might flourish together! 

Why is this work important?

• My short, simple response is that this work is important because God cares for all creation (including humans)! And has called us to partner with others to live a life where all people and landscapes flourish. So, as A Rocha thoughtfully, and carefully invites others to experience the wonder, joy, and challenge of creation care we can see our places flourish.  As I see things like the increased pollinators in my front yard, and as I am more aware of the birds who live and visit the place I am in year after year, I become more connected to my place, food, and neighborhoods. This is important work and I’m glad to be a part of it.

How can people get involved and support this momentum this fall?

• If it is your first time engaging us, I’d say come out to the two events that I mentioned above, Peter Harris’s talk and the Boggy River Brunch Fundraiser!  Beyond that I’d encourage you to pay attention to our events that we share in our monthly e-news, and if you are part of a church community and want to connect to discuss how we might be able to encourage and coach you in your creation care journey contact us here for more info