Steward of God?s Creation Award

The Steward of God?s Creation award is bestowed to those individuals who exhibit courage and commitment in the caring and keeping of the earth in a heroic, distinguished and effective manner. Awardees are determined by a vote of religious leaders and bestowed at a public event, normally the National Prayer Breakfast for Creation Care, which is sponsored annually by a coalition of religious organizations and affiliates.

Rev. Peter Moore-Kochlacs
San Diego, California

The Reverend Peter Moore-Kochlacs pastors a United Methodist Church in the suburbs of San Diego, California. The United Methodist Church nationally receives donations from Collins Pine Company for clergy retirement and overseas missions of roughly $3 million annually. Nevertheless Rev. Peter proposed an official church statement that called for the end of commercial logging and the end to all cutting of old growth trees. To develop the credentials necessary to address forest conservation issues, he went back to college and obtained a forestry degree. During his studies he authored an influential paper, entitled "Valuing the National Forests: From a Religious, Environmental and Economic Perspective." This analysis of the impact of commercial logging on National Forests encouraged the passage of strong forest protection legislation by the Southern California district of the United Methodist Church. This forest protection resolution has since become a template for resolutions from other United Methodist Judicatories, and other denominations and religious groups have used this paper in an effort to bring an end to commercial logging in our U.S. National Forests and protect old growth trees.