As we approach six months on from sharing our Open Letter with denomination leaders, we are excited to share the progress we’ve made together on the Church Land Use campaign so far.
On World Environment Day (5th June) we delivered the letter, signed by more than 500 supporters calling on churches to use their land for the benefit of climate and nature and to achieve net zero emissions on their land by 2030, to the head offices of eight denominations across London, Edinburgh and Cardiff. During five in-person meetings we explored our Church Land Use Vision, discussed how each denomination currently manages its land, and highlighted opportunities to support climate action and nature recovery. We also shared our beautiful Growing Hope photo book, a collection of inspiring stories and images showcasing what local churches are already doing with their land.
For the remaining denominations we handed the letter and photo book to reception staff and followed up with church leaders by email.
Since these hand ins we’ve continued engaging with each denomination. We’ve held online meetings and been invited to speak about our work at national events. At the Greenbelt Festival – and later online – we launched a postcard campaign that empowers individuals to pledge their own climate-positive actions and call on their regional church bodies to support the Church Land Use Vision. We were also delighted to promote the campaign at the Landscapes conference hosted by Hazelnut Community Farm at Ashburnham.
Below you’ll find a more detailed update on the response from each denomination.
If you’re interested in becoming a campaign liaison with your denomination or regional church body to keep this campaign on the agenda, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact .
Together we can continue to encourage and accelerate progress across UK churches to manage land for climate and nature benefit, and in doing better protect God’s creation.
Church of England
As the Church of England is the largest church landowner in the UK, our early campaigning and report focused on its landholdings. We have engaged with their General Synod through fringe events, supported environmental questions, and contributed to key debates on land, climate and nature.
Due to the current Archbishop of Canterbury vacancy, we delivered the open letter to the Archbishop of York’s office. We received a response noting that he does not respond to open letters; however, our follow up correspondence led to constructive engagement with the Church Commissioners’ Rural Team indicating progress in many areas relating to our Church Land Use Vision.
They have recently published a new Climate Action Plan and reported significant changes in care for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). We are gathering these updates into a fuller summary, which we look forward to sharing in the new year.
Church of Scotland
Our previous engagement efforts with the Church of Scotland have indicated that ownership of church glebe land is managed by the central body the General Trustees. Rather than being instructed by their General Assembly, the General Trustees respond to local congregational requests. Following the open letter hand in, we met online with their Public Life and Social Justice Manager who shared more information about decision making within the church and ways to influence church land use. We have been invited to present a webinar on ‘The Earth is the Lord’s’ on 25th November as part of their Faith Action Programme.
Church in Wales
We have previously had some positive meetings with land staff at Church in Wales and were pleased to be invited to their Rivers event in autumn 2024. Following the open letter delivery in Cardiff by friends from Just Love, we had a warm meeting with the Archbishop of Wales discussing the open letter and church land in Wales. Since his resignation we have pursued further contact with key staff by email but have had less success in arranging further conversations.
Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales
We received a positive response from the Archbishop of Westminster to the Open Letter, and were pleased to meet in person with one of the Auxiliary Bishops of Westminster. It was an encouraging conversation and the Bishop was particularly struck by the Growing Hope photo book.
We learned that land within the Catholic Church is not held centrally but owned by individual dioceses, which shapes how change can happen across the Church. Subsequent follow up has been more limited, with the feedback that the full Church Land Use Vision may feel too demanding for already stretched dioceses.
Even so, we have identified a growing range of resources now being made available to Catholic dioceses, and we’re hopeful that a more regional approach could lead to meaningful progress in the months ahead.
Methodist Church
We have had positive campaigning connections with the Methodist Church over the years and they have often been early leaders on issues such as divestment and green investment. Although they own relatively little land, we had a positive meeting with their Director for Social Justice and Social Action when we handed over the open letter and photo book. Over the summer we met online with their Director of Environmental Engagement to explore practical ways of encouraging local Methodist churches to take action. They already have some excellent environmental resources online.
Quakers in Britain
Similarly to the Methodist Church, we have enjoyed a strong campaigning relationship with the Quakers over the years and they were one of the first churches to divest from fossil fuels and sign up to the Green Investment Declaration. We handed over the open letter and photo book to their Climate Justice Lead who was supportive and suggested other people for useful follow up. Following these introductions we held an encouraging meeting with their Property Manager in the autumn. It was good to hear about a significant tree planting project underway and to discuss future ways of working together.
United Reformed Church
We have a good working relationship with the United Reformed Church, whose divestment from fossil fuels catalysed wider movement away from fossil fuels by others who shared the same fund manager. We held an enthusiastic meeting with their Director of Environmental Engagement when we handed over the open letter and photo book, and they were keen to arrange further input from our team. We subsequently spoke at a network Eco Day and at an online meeting of their regional representatives the ‘Green Apostles’.
Scottish Episcopal Church
Our team on the ground in Edinburgh (mainly friends of ON) had a very positive meeting with the Primus, Director of Communications and Net Zero Innovation Coordinator. They have an active team addressing Net Zero issues but the only land they own is churchyards. They are seeking to use churchyards well and mentioned some positive examples of allotments and adaptations for wildlife including swift boxes. Church members are also involved in local schemes including peat protection which we are keen to find out more about.
Baptist Union
The Baptist Union is currently in a fallow year without a president and so it was not possible to arrange an in-person hand over of the open letter and photo book. Instead we posted these to their Public Issues Enabler – Faith and Society Team after a productive email conversation. We were pleased to hear about the denomination’s season of reflections on their understanding of mission and the possibility that this could include a statement on protecting, nurturing and sustaining God’s creation. We are seeking to continue these conversations as well as finding ways to work with a more ecumenical approach.
What next?
In the coming weeks, we’ll be following up with each denomination to hear more about the progress they’re making. Early next year, we’re excited to share a set of visual progress reports so you can see at a glance how climate and nature-positive land use is developing across the UK church.
We also plan to host more inspiring webinars next year, hearing from fantastic examples from around the country.
In the meantime, we’d encourage you to revisit our Growing Hope series from this spring and summer. These sessions are full of inspiring, practical case studies spanning local church projects, landscape-scale initiatives,and investment approaches that benefit climate and nature.
If you know someone in your church or denomination who’s involved in managing land, why not send them a link? It could spark new ideas and help strengthen the movement for nature-rich and climate-positive church land that honours God’s creation.
Growing Hope Webinars
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