Churchgoers will be donning their wellies this autumn as they do their bit to boost biodiversity in their local communities and help protect the natural world.

The Season of Creation will unite Christians around the world in praying for the environment and getting involved in green community action like tree planting and cleaning up local waterways.

Churches will also be encouraged to leave off the lawnmower and allow parts of their own gardens and churchyards to grow wild in a bid to encourage biodiversity.   

Christians getting involved in the global initiative will be sharing updates and photos of their efforts on social media using the hashtag #SeasonofCreation. 

It gets underway on September 1, which coincides with the annual World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation declared by Pope Francis in 2016. 

The theme of Season of Creation is intended to reflect the source of all creation in God and the role of mankind in caring for it.

The Bishop of Salisbury, Nicholas Holtam, a member of the Season of Creation Steering panel who also chairs the Church of England's Environmental Working Group, said: "We love the beauty of the earth. The fires in the Amazon show how interconnected we are in this beautiful, wonderful, fragile planet. We know there are serious issues to address if we are going to care for God's earth.

"Season of Creation is a chance once again to give thanks for the gifts of creation, to pray and act in ways that care for God's creation and address the issues of climate change and the depletion of species. It is the joyful, hopeful responsibility of people throughout the world and particularly of the Church which is both local and global."

Resources can be found online on the Seasons of Creation website and at churchofengland.org/seasonofcreation