Utah Valley University is opening its doors on October 24 for a free evening that blends scripture, science, and storytelling, all centered on trees. The event, called “Every Good Tree,” pairs a National Geographic forest ecologist with LDS Earth Stewardship’s ongoing push to frame environmental care as a matter of faith.
Admission is free. The evening’s headline guest is Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, described in the event materials as a forest ecologist and National Geographic Explorer at Large.
A Theme Rooted in Scripture
The forum’s title draws directly from Matthew 7:17, the Biblical verse declaring that “every good tree bringeth forth good fruit,” according to LDS Earth Stewardship. The nonprofit has built the theme into its broader Our Trees Initiative, which combines the forum with an accompanying art show and the organization’s inaugural writing contest, both aimed at promoting tree conservation through storytelling. Submissions for those contests closed September 19, ahead of the event, and selected works are set to be displayed in person at UVU, while additional submissions are set to be presented in a digital slideshow during the forum.
LDS Earth Stewardship was established as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2012 to explore environmental stewardship as a core gospel principle among Latter-day Saints, per the organization’s own history reported by the Park Record. Though it operates independently of official church governance, the group’s work is grounded in Latter-day Saint theological framework. Its annual Fall Forum has a track record of drawing prominent faith leaders; the organization’s own event archive notes that Sister Sharon Eubank, former first counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency and worldwide director of Latter-day Saint Charities, appeared at the 2020 gathering.
From Rainforest Canopies to Faith Communities
Nadkarni, a professor emerita of biology at the University of Utah, was named a National Geographic Explorer at Large in 2024, according to the Sorenson Impact Institute’s biography of the researcher. She pioneered canopy access techniques borrowed from mountain climbing equipment to study rainforest treetops.
Church Teachings and a Separate Advocacy Arm
The forum’s framing echoes official materials from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, whose Environmental Stewardship and Conservation Gospel Topics entry teaches that caring for the earth is a sacred assignment to honor God’s creation, according to the Church Newsroom.
It’s worth noting that LDS Earth Stewardship is distinct from the Mormon Environmental Stewardship Alliance, a separate group with an environmental advocacy focus, as reported by The Salt Lake Tribune at the time. MESA has been involved in activism concerning Great Salt Lake conservation, while LDS Earth Stewardship’s forum stays focused on education, art, and faith-based reflection rather than policy.
A Big Stage in Utah Valley
Utah Valley University is hosting the gathering. With free admission and a lineup pairing scripture with rainforest science, the Every Good Tree forum is positioning itself as a rare crossover night for Utah Valley’s faith and science communities alike.
