A British archbishop said he plans to send bird houses to every church in his diocese as part of his effort to encourage wildlife conservation.

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John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, said all 607 churches and 127 Church of England schools in the diocese will receive bird nesting boxes to help replace lost nesting sites from destroyed trees and hedgerows, The Daily Telegraph reported Friday.

"The natural world is a gift from God to enjoy but we are also called to join with God in sustaining and caring for it," Sentamu said. "I want every Christian, every church in the Diocese of York, to pledge to make a difference to their environment in 2011."

"Whether you decide to use a bicycle instead of cars, or put up your bird box in your churchyards to increase biodiversity, everything you do will make a difference to our world and how we care for it," he said.