| An outreach mission
of the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Charity,
the Franciscan
Earth Literacy Center (FELC) is an environmental
education and sustainability center grounded in
the Franciscan vision of the oneness of all creation.
The Center is located on 500 acres of land owned
by the Sisters in Tiffin, Ohio. A local farmer
grows corn, wheat, and soybeans on 385 acres of
this land using conventional farming methods. The
remainder of the congregation’s property
includes the convent buildings and grounds, herb
and flower gardens, woodlands, walking trails,
wetlands, and an organic garden tended by FELC
staff. Beginning in 2005, an additional six acres
of land
will be cultivated as a market garden to provide
fresh, organic produce for the local population.
Serving as a sustainability demonstration site,
the Center
provides
numerous
opportunities
for
hands-on learning, discussion, reflection, and
action for both children and adults on issues ranging
from organic gardening, permaculture design, habitat
restoration, wildlife study, nature appreciation,
and sustainable living. The Center won the 1998
State of Ohio award for its innovative renovation
of an old dairy barn, which is now the main building
of the FELC. Using permaculture design principles
that aim to work with, rather than against, nature,
the Sisters made use of a variety of recycled materials
in the building process, including insulation made
from cotton clothing and carpeting composed of
recycled plastic milk jugs. The structure uses
passive solar, wind, and air technology to create
energy efficient climate control (e.g., radiant
floor heat instead of forced air, ceiling fans
and vents instead of air conditioning) and lighting
(e.g., sun-pipes which radiate the equivalent
of a 200-watt
light
bulb by collecting and channeling
light from the sun). |
Christianity
(Roman Catholic) |
United States of America
(Tiffin, Ohio) |
| 1994–Present |
Although the FELC
was officially founded in 1994, its origins date
back to 1992, when the
Sisters
of St. Francis adopted a Directional Statement
committing the Congregation to live out the Franciscan
vision of living in harmony with creation by
creating a model of sustainable community on
their property.
To help them become better stewards of their
land and resources, the Sisters hired Father
Al Fritsch
of Appalachia Science in the Public Interest
to conduct an environmental resource audit. In
1993,
the community formed a task force, called the
Resource Audit Committee, to develop a Ten Year
Plan based
on the results of the environmental audit. The
Plan, which originally consisted of twelve major
areas in need of attention, was approved by the
Congregation in 1994, and an office of Earth
Literacy was established to help implement this
plan. The Plan’s
focus areas were subsequently limited to five:
Spirituality, Land Resources, Wildlife Resources,
Energy Resources, and Environmental Education.
Seeking to provide hands-on environmental education
programs, the Sisters decided to establish an
Earth Literacy Center that would also serve as
a model
of sustainable resource use and permaculture
design. Using permaculture principles to renovate
the old
dairy barn, the Sisters built an ecologically
and economically sound structure to house the
Earth
Literacy Center. Both the building process and
the completed structure itself were meant to
demonstrate sustainability. In 1998, the
FELC received
the State of Ohio award for the most innovative
use of recycled products in a building project.
|
| “In the Spirit of St. Francis, the FELC
recognizes the oneness with all creation. We promote
active learning and healthy relationships with
our natural environment to achieve sustainable
living.” |
Tiffin YMCA
Recycling and Litter Prevention
Office
Campfire Girls Association
Tiffin
Public Library |
| None Listed |
| None Listed |
| None Listed |
Franciscan Earth Literacy Center
194 St. Francis Ave.
Tiffin, OH 44883
Ph: 419.448.7485
Fax: 419.448.7486
Email: earthliteracy@tiffinohio.com |
