Tory Byrne
Tory is blessed to have been surrounded by nature throughout her life, and this has left her with a need for a healthy environment, and a fear of its possible disappearance. Interest in the living earth led Tory to a degree in geology, which in turn led her to starting a master’s degree focused on the study of foraminifera (single cell creatures whose shells were useful in oil exploration) in estuarine habitats. Becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of fossil fuels was a gift from early environmentalists.
After moving to Halifax, Tory found a job in laboratory medicine, solving life-threatening dilemmas and working with people in crisis. This led her back to a long-ago calling (back when “girls can’t do that”), and she went back to school to take up her call to ministry. Tory is now an Anglican priest and working-retiree. She feels the spirituality of all aspects of the environment: evolution & extinction, eons of orogeny & the brief life of a fruit fly, eco-justice & living justly, past-present-future, all bound together.
Tory has become a part of the Diocesan Environment Network (DEN) through the Anglican Diocese of NS & PEI. As a big-picture person, the networking approach suits Tory, which is why she represents DEN on the NSEN board.