A Secret Scared Garden

The forest churches of Ethiopia are sacred spaces where faith and the natural world are inseparable. Tucked inside circular pockets of dense forest, these ancient churches have quietly protected biodiversity for centuries, simply by existing as places of worship. In a country where much of the surrounding land has been cleared, the forests remain because the churches remain—held in place by spiritual responsibility, tradition, and care across generations. They are living reminders that preservation doesn’t always begin with policy, but with belief, community, and reverence.