June 18th marks the 1 year anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’: On Care for Our Common Home. Within the last 2 weeks, Laudato Si’ Project has been busy celebrating by taking part in a wide array of activities.

1.) Two members of Laudato Si’ Project attended the “Green Schools Consortium of Milwaukee.” This conference had great speakers and educational sessions on green infrastructure and sustainable building, all aimed at engaging students in sustainability.

2.) We continued stewardship work and woodland restoration at the Schoenstatt Retreat Center. Our woodland trail with signs is now complete (about 2/3 of the buckthorn has been removed from the woodland- stay tuned for another work day this summer).

Woodland Trail that meanders through a mature oak woodland at the Schoenstatt Retreat Center

Woodland Trail with tree identification signs.

3.) We started a Laudato Si’ Project Team at St. Gabriel’s Parish in Hubertus that will also be doing an encyclical study.

4.) Patrick Donohue of Marquette University High School built 3 bluebird nest boxes and  put them on the newly planted 8 acre prairie at HH ski club. While in the Mid Kettle Moraine, he helped with turtle monitoring on the Schoofs Preserve.

5.) The Archdiocese of Milwaukee has written a nice article about Laudato Si’ Project in their June Newsletter. You can read it Here.

6.) This Saturday, June 25th, all are welcome to come out with us to the Mid Kettle Moraine to hike a section of the Ice Age Trail and explore the 1000 acre Loew’s Lake Unit. Please contact me if you are interested.

Lastly, the Vatican’s “Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace” launched a new website dedicated to the Laudato Si’ efforts around the world to put its teaching into practice. http://www.laudatosi.va/content/giustiziaepace/en/speciale-laudato-si.html