Stewardship of the Land

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Organic garden at the Monastery

The Benedictine Sisters of Idaho have always had a close relationship with the land. The move to Cottonwood was precipitated by the donation of 85 acres of land and an opportunity to purchase more.

Through the years the sisters have acquired additional land and are presently responsible for 1400 acres. Some of this is leased as farmland or for grazing; some is in garden and orchard. But the largest portion (1000 acres) is timber land with stands of ponderosa pine, fir and spruce.

These woods have provided a source of income for the sisters as well as a place for them to walk, gather berries and find Christmas trees. Since the forest adjacent to the monastery is a favorite area for retreatants, every effort is made to keep it peaceful and attractive. Wildflowers and song birds are important parts of the environment.

In 1994 our woodlands were accepted into the Forest Stewardship Program of Idaho. We are following a management plan that was specifically written for our woods and approved by the Idaho Department of Lands. (IDL) This plan identifies our goals for the property and lists the steps needed to achieve these goals. In the spring of 2001, the monastery was awarded Idaho's Tree Farm of the Year.

The Philosophy of Land Use, approved by the community of sisters in 1993, is the guiding document as management decisions are made. Present forestry activities include: selective harvesting to remove inferior trees, pre-commercial thinning of overcrowded areas and pruning to improve timber quality.

Philosophy of Land Use

We, the Benedictine Sisters of the Monastery of St. Gertrude, have been entrusted with the gift of land by our loving God and Creator. Through the years our community and this land have been bonded together. With humility we recognize the earth (humus) as the source from which we (humanity) receive our life and sustenance. Our inner spirits are renewed by the contemplative environment it provides. Listening with the ear of our heart to the wisdom expressed through creation, opens us to the deeper reality of God in our lives. As a source of food, water and firewood, the land has nourished and healed our bodies even providing the stone for the building which shelters us and the flowers and trees that decorate our home. This interconnectedness is ultimately realized at the time of death when our bodies return to the earth.

"A spirit of reverence for all creation permeates the Rule, together with a sense of oneness with the land, the days, and the seasons. Such conscious respect for all created goods makes it impossible to pollute land, water or air, to waste resources or to forget about the children who will one day inhabit the earth." (All Good Gifts) This challenge of the American Benedictine Prioresses is a call to inner conversion so we might become leaven for change in our world.

We recognize our sacred responsibility to reverence and care for our land and to make proper use of the resources it provides. In order to live in harmony with the earth and to promote responsible stewardship we commit ourselves:

For information about genetic engineering and our food supply, check out these sites.

Stewardship of the Land

Philosophy of Land Use

For Further Environmental Information