In Part II: The Rise of Humanity from Terra Nostra, Garrop has selected text by John Gillespie Magee, Jr. which describes the nearly spiritual arrival in space ("Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth"). This is but one of the major technical advances of humankind during a period of growth unconcerned with the effects on our planet. Of Terra Nostra, Garrop has said, "My hope in writing this oratorio is to invite audience members to consider how we interact with our planet, and what we can each personally do to keep the planet going for future generations. We are the only stewards Earth has; what can we each do to leave her in better shape than we found her?"