As our planet continues to experience environmental changes that have brought extreme temperatures and unpredictable conditions, faith leaders are stepping up to offer diplomacy when outside groups seek to extract precious resources.  

Rev. Andrew Black, associate pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Santa Fe and founder of EarthKeepers 360, is one of those leaders. His decades-long work in conservation has centered on protecting the natural landscape and the many ecosystems that inhabit it through implementation of programs and collaborative efforts.  

While working for former U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and later, the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, Black led coalitions that fought to protect public lands and national monuments, like the Valles Caldera and the Rio Grande del Norte, from irreparable destruction.  

That worked has helped him to now fight for the Arctic.  

On the latest “Conversations Different” podcast episode, host Inez Russell Gomez is joined by Black to discuss a trip he took with elected officials and other faith leaders to Alaska. The trip highlighted the relationship wildlife has in that region with the environment and why interference would have serious implications.  

In Black’s words, the trip was about “reawakening the moral consciousness of this nation.”  

While the trip’s mission didn’t have any direct ties to New Mexico, Black explains why the lessons learned there could apply here as the state sees a drying Rio Grande and an increase in animals seeking refuge in urban spaces.