Episodes

  • Environmental art’s vital contribution to protect nature and climate stability

    Environmental art’s vital contribution to protect nature and climate stability
    Jan 18 2024
    GUEST: Jill Sampson - visual artist, Bimblebox Art Project coordinator and the curator of Bimblebox 153 Birds. Jill completed a Fine Arts degree at Queensland College of Art in 2019 extending her previous study at the Sydney Gallery School. She was awarded the 2001 Pata Paris residency, France by Daniel and Anne Pata and the Sydney Gallery School. Jill was a keynote speaker at the Eco Arts Australis 3rd National Conference, Wollongong 2019 Introduction to this episode : The important capacity of environmental art to engage audiences powerfully with environmental challenges and potential solutions is still being researched. It is already clear however that environmental art’s ability to engage audiences on an emotional as well as purely cognitive level; to be able to reach the heart as well as the head on environmental problems is part of its power. My guest in this podcast episode, Jill Sampson has developed great expertise in helping harness environmental artistic power to persuade audiences about the dire threats to nature posed by fossil fuel expansion. Art has the capacity to do this in a non-threatening and inspiring manner and in ways which can help develop a motivation in audience members to want to care for and protect the natural world. Helping facilitate such work has been a cornerstone of Jill’s important environmental art advocacy achievements over more than ten years. A central focus for this interview is based upon Jill’s extended efforts from 2012 onward in helping develop and co-ordinate the ground breaking Bimblebox Art and Bimblebox 153 Birds Projects – along with their influential art, science and nature intersections, artist camps and touring exhibitions. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Current episode and introduction to Jill’s work – 2.17How did your passion for the environment start? – 4.10Who inspired or mentored you in your work? – 8.27How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 17.12When did you first realise the impact of your work on restoring the environment? – 22.00The Bimblebox Art Project and guest’s environmental art achievements – 30.14What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond? – 37.36How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 52.24Acknowledging the important network of collaborators helping enable Jill’s work – 57.50What are you working on currently and what does the work future hold ? – 1.05.20Guest short take home message - 1.11.00Final advice for next steps in environmental support and advocacy. – 1.16.50Thanks to guest, acknowledgements, and episode close. – 1.19.11End of episode – 1.21.25 GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS: Guest: Jill Sampson WEB https://jillsampson.com/ Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE Inc. Australia): Tel: 07 4639 2135 Email: WEB Facebook Production: Produced for HOPE Inc. Australia by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 27th November 2023. Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula-Kaczmarski Incidental Music: James Nicholson Indigenous artwork for podcast logo: courtesy of Queensland Depart of Justice and Attorney General, Queensland Women's Strategy (2023) * Not all podcast platforms will activate the URL links shown below.They can however always be opened on the Podbean and Spotify platforms. IDEAS AND RESOURCES MENTIONED OR RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION Note that a full list of URL linked resources do not appear on shownote listings across all podcast platforms. They can always be found in full on the Podbean podcast hosting site and usually on Spotify Podcasts. THE BIMBLEBOX ART PROJECT A brilliant portal website on the Bimblebox Art Project (2023) documents many aspects of the inspiring and diverse artistic work undertaken under this project head over the last 10 years plus. With articles on the history of evolution of the projects and depiction of some of the artworks created in the process. There are also details on location and the background story of the Bimblebox Nature Refuge in Queensland, how to attend the artists camps on the Refuge, and much more beside. EARLY CHILDHOOD NATURE CONNECTEDNESS for establishing lifelong environmental values Information on Nature Connectedness from one of the leading international research centres. Author Richard Louve’s work on the problems which can arise from the lack of childhood exposure to nature and the concept of nature deficit disorder. ECO ARTS AUSTRALIS 3RD NATIONAL CONFERENCE, WOLLONGONG 2019 – conference program ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CURRENT UNDER RESOURCING in schools and in other sectors. An excellent recent academic paper on the need to ‘reimagine, recreate, and restore’ the crucial importance of environmental education for ecological transformation (...
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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES

    INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES
    Jul 21 2023
    A warm welcome to Queensland Women: Inspiring stories from Environmental Champions (QWEC) This is a podcast series showcasing the vital environmental protection and advocacy work of Queensland women, many of whom have made important contributions to this vital work across the Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland. PURPOSE: This podcast project was produced in conjunction with the Queensland Women’s Week (2023) event, and it supports the goals of the Investing in Queensland Women and Queensland Women’s Strategy 2022-27 initiatives. Particularly as those initiatives aim to increase the empowerment and recognition of the achievements of women and girls in Queensland. As a long-standing community environmental education and capacity building organisation in Queensland, Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE)Inc.(Australia) is delighted to produce this series as a celebration and fuller acknowledgement of the vital contributions that the women of Queensland and the Darling Downs region have made, and are continuing to make, toward protecting and conserving our nature and natural systems in this place. BACKGROUND: In 2023 we believe that Queensland women and girls are still not sufficiently recognised for their contributions to protecting our environment, or for the integral part they have played in our environmental support history. We believe that without their tireless but often underacknowledged efforts, many environmental and socio-ecological protections and reforms would not have achieved the level of success they have today. HOPE Inc. is producing Queensland Women: inspiring stories from Environmental Champions (QWEC) to help bring wider recognition to the work and stories of inspirational regional women, and the beneficial impact their environmental advocacy, championing and leadership work has made across the Darling Downs region and in Queensland more widely. Women have worked tenaciously in these various places, and elsewhere, to help lead and inspire, implement policies, and to enact change to preserve and protect our nature, our ecosystems and natural places— our waterways and landscapes, forest cover, oceans and mountains, and the precious wildlife that reside within those places. And through those environmental protective processes, they have also made valuable contributions to maintaining community human health and wellbeing, based upon crucial human need for access to clean air, potable water, nutritious food and a healthy natural world around us. Podcast guests will share some of the successes, struggles, and hurdles they have had to overcome in their mission to protect our environment. And by producing these podcast interviews, (HOPE)Inc. (Australia) wants to raise community awareness of the multiple benefits of having more women in crucial environmental decision-making and leadership positions. There is a misconception in our society that success and meaningful leadership opportunities exist only in the realms of the male-dominated corporate sector centred in large cities. This could be one of the many barriers to female representation in leadership across Australia. This podcast showcase of the successes and impacts made by Queensland women in achieving important environmental protections highlights a possible alternative path to leadership for regional and rural women across Australia. Our podcast guest stories help demonstrate that women can become influential leaders at any point in their lives, be they 20 or 70. FORMAT: Each podcast guest interview is structured around variants of some core questions: How did you develop your interest in environmental advocacy and protection work?What are some of your environmental achievements? What are you most proud of?What are some of the challenges you faced in your career and how have you overcome them?What exciting new environmental projects are you working on ?Do you have any advice, and particularly for women, wanting to step up into conservation, wildlife protection or other environmental support roles? DISTRIBUTION: Episodes of (QWEC) will become available from late June 2023 onward and we hope the series will be promoted widely across relevant networks. The episodes of the series should become available on various platforms including: PODBEAN, SPOTIFY PODCASTS, GOOGLE PODCASTS, STITCHER, PLAYERFM and APPLE PODCASTS. Contact details for any responses to the series will be made available in the resource and reference show notes accompanying each episode. We also ask listeners to consider giving us feedback through podcast app ratings and comments sections - and perhaps in more detail by using our short, online listener survey as detailed below. HOW TO ACCESS OUR PODCAST SERIES LISTENER SURVEY Our Queensland Women Environmental Champions Podcast Series - listener survey is available now on Survey Monkey and consists of only six simple questions which should take only about five minutes or less to complete....
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    6 mins
  • Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation and Education

    Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation and Education
    Jul 21 2023
    Thirty years’ experience in the field of Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation and Education Guest: Patricia LeeHong - expert and dedicated practitioner in Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation and Education Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Queensland and PhD Candidate in the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences at the University of Queensland: Gatton Campus. Introduction to this episode: The crucially important environment protection roles served by wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and education practitioners have only increased in recent years in Queensland in Australia, nationally, and in many other parts of the world. Almost everywhere around the planet the ever diminishing remnants of the natural world ( habitat) and the wildlife species they contain (biodiversity) remain under constant further threat from impacts such as poorly planned urban and agricultural expansion. These trends have led to what has been termed by scientists the 6th species extinction crisis - and unlike the previous 5 extinction crises - this one is being driven solely by human impacts. In the south east corner of Queensland the continuing trends of habitat and wildlife destruction are sadly all too evident and are well known to my guest in this episode of the podcast series, Trish LeeHong. Over many years Trish has worked at a variety of roles in wildlife protection, most recently from within the wildlife rehabilitation centre she has created near the town of Toowoomba. Amongst many species of animal brought to the centre for rehabilitation from injury or even starvation, Trish is devoting particular time to koala rehabilitation and building an in house facility to help improve the professional care for koala and other wildlife in this region. Trish’s recent receipt of the Australian Wildlife Society Serventy Conservation Award 2022 is only one of several official forms of recognition of her valuable contribution to wildlife conservation. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Current episode and guest introduction. – 2.16Guest comments: how did your passion for the environment start? – 4.21 (story of juvenile wallaby care) Who inspired or mentored you in your work? – 12.30 (story of early 1990s Japanese research on climate change impacts) How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 22.15When did you first realise the impact of your work on restoring the environment? – 28.30What are the environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why? – 42.28What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 51.21How has your work influenced your wellbeing - work philosophy?Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 1.03.28Advice for some next steps in environmental protection. – 1.11.00Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close. – 1.12:30End of episode – 1.14.18 IDEAS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION TRISH LEEHONG – some information relevant to her organisation and work Wildlife Rescue Rehabilitation & Education Association Inc. (Facebook page) and Website (2023). The Serventy Conservation award - history of the award in Australia and an article about Trish LeeHong's specific 2022 award (2023). ABC TV Australia video clip reports relevant to Trish’s work on Koala rehabilitation in 2020 and another native species in 2010 A recent (2023) promotional video about Trish’s work made by Griffith University Queensland social marketing studies students OTHER LINKS ABC TV (Australia) documentary on Platypus conservation in Hobart, Tasmania; The Platypus Guardian – first broadcast in Australia in mid-June 2023.Link to streaming media broadcast of the programme in Australia. And an example of local public response in Hobart (2023) Anthropocentric and ecocentric approaches towards the environment explanation – an interesting Indian article viewing these terms through an environmental law framing (2020) Australian example of response to nature loss issues at the Federal level (2022) Australia-Japan Wildlife Conservation and Education Foundation – a Japanese originated conservation partnership organisation which operates a tour group program. That program sends students from various Japanese schools and universities to study wildlife conservation here. For instance, Trish will have an exchange student staying for 2 months internship with her at the end of the 2023. Biodiversity (nature) loss and nature positive conservation strategies - explanation of these terms (2023) Biodiversity Conference - the UN COP 15 meeting held in Montreal, Canada in December 2022 - with information on some of the international reduction and reversal of nature loss (biodiversity) targets agreed, including the so-called 30 X 30 target (2023) Human excessive consumption and waste as key drivers ...
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    1 hr and 14 mins
  • Biodynamic agriculture

    Biodynamic agriculture
    Jun 19 2023
    BIODYNAMIC AGRICULTURE – ACHIEVING BOTH PROSPERITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ON THE LAND Guest: Louise Skidmore - ACO certified organic/biodynamic beef producer since 1990 also qualified in conservation, land management and company directorship. INTRODUCTION TO THIS EPISODE: In the ongoing development of more intentional, environmentally supportive forms of farming, the practices of organic and biodynamic agriculture have been experiencing ever greater adoption since their first appearance in the early to mid-twentieth century. Both forms of agriculture can be interlinked to influence progressive systems of environmental and farm management. Organic farming can be described as the practice of producing food of high nutritional quality and flavour whilst avoiding the use of artificial fertilisers and synthetic chemicals, whilst permitting some limited use of naturally occurring pesticides and fertilisers. Bio-dynamic farming practice can be thought of as a logical and compatible extension of organic methods. It requires a holistic focus, with all aspects of a farm being considered as a tightly interrelated, living system, including animals, soils, plants, and natural ecosystem processes. My guest in this episode of the series, Louise Skidmore is highly knowledgeable and skilled in all aspects of organic and biodynamic farming approaches. Along with her partner, Randolf, she has been an ACO certified organic/biodynamic beef producer since 1990 in the Darling Downs region of Queensland and in Hernani, NSW, where biodynamic practice specifically guides the couple’s environmental and farm management systems. Louise is also an influential catalyst and change agent within her agricultural sector, holding various not-for-profit board positions, including the regional the Natural Resource Management body, Biological Farmers of Australia (now termed the ACO), Organic Federation of Australia, and Central Downs and Clifton Landcare. Presently, she is also treasurer of Clifton Landcare Group Inc and company secretary for Biodynamic Agriculture Australia. To top off all of those commitments, she also holds qualifications in conservation and land management and company directing and is a general aviation and RAA pilot - owning her own small aircraft for use in inter-farm commuting. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Current episode and guest introduction. – 2.15Guest comments: how did your passion for the environment start? -5.02Who inspired or mentored you in your work? – 7.10How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 9.49 (the importance of floodplain management.)When did you first realise the impact of your work on restoring the environment? – 14.20 (the experience of being an early adopter and innovator.) What environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why? – 18.20 (increasing difficulty of accessing project grant funding.) What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 36.18How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 47.57Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 52.32Guest takeaway message . – 56.01Advice to audience for some next steps in environmental protection 59.55Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close. – 61.20End of episode – 63.10 TOPICS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION Epigrams/mottos ‘Don’t let the future be that time when you wish you’d done what you’re not doing now’ (Anon). Adopted by Louise Skidmore. ‘Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it: Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.’ (often attributed to Johan Wolfgang von Goethe). Biodynamic Agriculture Biodynamic resources, in Australia: www.https://biodynamics.net.au (articles, films, preparations, Biodynamic Agriculture Australia Ltd is a membership based not-for-profit company) and in the UK site https://www.biodynamic.org.uk/about/biodynamic-methods/ Biological control in land management Dung Beetles, guru John Feehan, along with son-in-law Jon Lea, the top resource in Australia, www.https://dungbeetleexpert.com.au/ Endangered species conservation: Bulloak Jewel Butterfly, https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2019-01-06/bulloak-jewel-butterfly-ant-mistletoe-a-web-woven-across-species/10477430 Floodplain management PA Yeomans' book, Water for Every Farm metricised and reprinted by son Ken Yeomans, available in paperback and electronic version here: https://www.keyline.com.au/ Landcare Clifton Landcare Group (Facebook page) Location: The Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland GUEST AND CONTACT DETAILS: Guest: Louise Skidmore Tel: 0427699894 Householders’ Options ...
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Landscapes and catchments

    Landscapes and catchments
    Jun 19 2023
    THIRTY YEARS’ EXPERIENCE OF LANDSCAPE AND CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT WITHIN S.E. QUEENSLAND. GUEST: Mary-Lou Gittins, OAM. Educator and irrigator from Goomburra Valley in the Upper Condamine catchment of S.E. Queensland. Mary-Lou has a strong background in community participation and representation. Over thirty years she has represented Agriculture, Landcare and Natural Resource Management groups at a local, regional, state and commonwealth level. In that time she has helped plant thousands of trees and facilitated Waterwatch and Landcare education for children and adults. Mary-Lou’s current roles include Secretary to the Condamine Catchment Management Association, she is Chair of Queensland Water and Land Carers and secretary to the Australia Citizen Science Association. INTRODUCTION TO THIS EPISODE We have heard from other guests in this series about the central importance of the Landcare initiative in protecting and enhancing the landscapes of S.E. Queensland over many decades. The volunteer facilitated, collaborative, cross-sectoral environment support model which Landcare helped develop is also present within Australian community catchment management initiatives, and together these two approaches to caring for the natural world have formed a cornerstone of the effective public involvement to improve environmental quality in Queensland, and the rest of Australia. My guest in this episode, Mary-Lou Gittins, OAM, has a detailed experience of the workings of both Landcare and community catchment management in this part of Queensland, gained through thirty years of on the ground work at various administrative levels. In our discussion, Mary-Lou taps into her extensive history of environmental protection work across landscape and catchment to offer our audience insights into the trends she has observed over the decades, what the future may hold in store for necessary work going forward in these sectors, and advice for listeners who might wish to enter some of the roles she has pursued with such determination over the years. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Guest introduction and how did your passion for the environment start? – 3.31Who inspired or mentored you in your work? - 7.08How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 10.59 (reflection on major trends across 30 years of experience) - 12.57When did you first realise the impact of your work in restoring the environment? – 17.30 Are there any environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why?–21.32What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 28.48How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 32.48Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 35.30Guest takeaway message and advice for next steps in environmental protection. – 38.40Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close. – 42.04End of episode – 46.38 IDEAS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION Caring for Country initiatives – a recent indigenous Australian framing of some issues (2022) Emotional intelligence - An Australian training perspective on its value in leadership and project management roles (2022). And a collection of articles on other diverse applications of emotional intelligence (2023) Environmental education online resources sites Cool Australia – online environmental education initiative Junior Landcare Learning Centre https://juniorlandcare.org.au/learningcentre/ Greening Australia Aboriginal Landcare Education Program https://www.greeningaustralia.org.au/projects/alep/ Queensland Government list of Outdoor and Environmental Education Centres https://education.qld.gov.au/schools-educators/other-education/OEEC Queensland Government - Queensland Sustainable Schools Initiative (QESSI) https://www.sustainableschools.qld.edu.au/Default.aspx?tabid=574 The Eco-Schools global sustainable schools program – Australian links. https://eco-schools.org.au/ Australian Association of Environmental Education - peak professional body for environmental educators https://www.aaee.org.au/ Landcare Landcare generic information on the initiative in Australia. Landcare educational resources – a link on the national Landcare website Landcare and catchment care in the Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland The Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland – basic information on location, history and economy. Some groups mentioned with interest in the Darling Downs/ S.E. Queensland regions: Brisbane Valley - Kilcoy Landcare Association Inc. – portal website (2023) Condamine Catchment Management Association Inc. – Facebook site (2023) Queensland Water and Land Carers – portal website (2023) Nature connectedness and the value of childhood exposure to nature Information on Nature Connectedness from one of the leading ...
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    47 mins
  • The Landcare coordinator role

    The Landcare coordinator role
    Jun 13 2023
    THE LANDCARE COORDINATOR ROLE IN COMMUNITY CAPACITY BUILDING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION IN REGIONAL QUEENSLAND GUEST Bec Kirby, Millmerran Landcare co-ordinator, Darling Downs region, S.E. Queensland. Introduction to this episode: The evolution of the Landcare movement represents one of the most important developments in the history of efforts to restore degraded natural systems and physical environment quality in Australia. The founding focus of Landcare, a community not-for-profit organisation, was the mobilisation and co-ordination of local groups of volunteers working to restore and enhance nature, wildlife and the healthy functioning of natural systems. Originating in Victoria, Australia in the late 1980s, Landcare projects focused initially on agricultural farmland, but later extended to cover urban areas, coastal environments and other communities of interest. The Landcare project model implemented the then innovative concept of collaboration across sectors to achieve environmental restoration objectives. Early projects encouraged and developed collaboration between farmers, conservationists, community members and scientists, all working together to improve interconnected agricultural and natural systems quality and functioning. The Landcare model is still in operation and has extended its remit even further. For instance, It now links to the work of indigenous community members on ‘Caring for our Country’ oriented projects aimed at nature restoration on indigenous lands. My guest in this podcast episode, Bec Kirby provides a great example of Landcare in action in 2023. She has been a professional Landcare co-ordinator for over 10 years to date, and in her work she oversees a range of environmental restoration and enhancement initiatives undertaken under the Landcare program around the small regional town of Millmerran in the Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland. In our discussion, Bec talks about her lifelong passion for land and wildlife, the challenges and opportunities that her landscape protection work provides and her positive philosophy toward achieving environmental protection and enhancement through the influential skills she brings to engaging with people and place. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in minutes. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Current episode and guest introduction. – 2.17Guest comments: how did your passion for the environment start? - 3.44 (value of childhood connection with nature and schools environmental education) Who inspired or mentored you in your work? - 7.23 (therapeutic/healing capacity of nature connectivity) How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 11.14 (tips for how to develop confident communication skills & Millmerran pen picture) When did you first realise the impact of your work on restoring the environment? – 18.48Are there any environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why? – 22.00 (Cultural burning, solution focussed and holistic working philosophy) What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 30.50 (being positive, leading by example, using case study demonstration of solutions) How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 39.05 (work as a vocation and love; quality of life and satisfaction tied to better forms of work) Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 47.12Guest takeaway message and advice for some next steps in environmental protection. – 50.06Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close. – 51.56End of episode - 53.58 IDEAS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION Child and adult health and wellbeing benefits of connection with nature Nature Connectedness research a UK source. Nature mindfulness – an Australian example. Forest bathing and forest therapy approaches. A recent academic paper on human nature interaction benefits (2020) The value of childhood exposure to nature research paper (2020) The use of green prescriptions as a nature based public health intervention. Research (2019) Application of holism principles in agriculture Example of the holistic management model Landcare in Millmerran and the Darling Downs region of Queensland Landcare in Australia generic information on the Landcare initiative nationally. The Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland – basic information on location, history and economy. Millmerran Landcare – information from the initiative’s Facebook site Some other Landcacre groups fairly close to Millmerran. Pittsworth District Landcare Association Clifton Landcare Group (Facebook page) Schools environmental education View the Cool Australia portal website for a rich source of student environmental education content. Value of Indigenous knowledge for more holistic landscape management Cultural burning practice – a recent ABC article (2020) on ...
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    54 mins
  • Landcare and the Natural Heritage Trust

    Landcare and the Natural Heritage Trust
    Jun 7 2023
    LANDCARE AND THE NATURAL HERITAGE TRUST IN AUSTRALIAN NATURE RESTORATION. Guest: Robyn Leahy, former Landcare coordinator, financial support agent and community capacity builder. Introduction to this episode: The separate but closely linked initiatives of Landcare and the Natural Heritage Trust represent two of the most import developments in the history of efforts to restore degraded natural systems and physical environment quality in Australia. The founding focus of Landcare, a community not-for-profit organisation, was the facilitation of local groups of volunteers working to restore and enhance nature and natural systems. Originating in Victoria in the late 1980s, Landcare projects focused initially on agricultural farmland, but later extended to cover urban areas, coastal environments and other communities of interest. The Landcare model implemented the initially innovative concept of collaboration across sectors to achieve environmental restoration objectives. It encouraged and developed project collaboration between farmers, conservationists, community members and scientists, all working together to improve agricultural and natural system quality and functioning. The Landcare model is still in operation and has extended its remit even further. For instance it now links, more systematically, to the work of indigenous community members on ‘Caring for our Country’ oriented projects aimed at nature restoration on indigenous lands. The Natural Heritage Trust, a government fund established in 1997, had an initial capitalisation of over a billion Australian dollars. Over the years it has been used to fund major works within nationwide Landcare projects, extensive tree planting programs and has helped support the indigenous ‘Caring for Our Country ’ initiatives already mentioned. My guest in this podcast episode, Robyn Leahy, developed extensive experience as a community capacity building change agent from the late 1990s, working with several Landcare initiatives in the Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland, and helping to administer significant amounts of the Natural Heritage Trust funding which helped enable them. In our discussion, Robyn describes some of her experiences from those heady days of an upsurge of interest in support for landscape and natural system restoration. And she draws out the arc of her continued regard, interest and affection for the natural world into the quite different context of her professional work settings today. INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comments – 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. – 0.30Current guest and episode introduction. – 2.16 Guest’s main comments: How did your passion for the environment start? - 4.07 (the importance of early childhood nature experience) Who inspired or mentored you in your work? – 6.06How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 8.00When did you first realise the impact of your work on the environment? – 10.42Any environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why? – 12.58 (Holism principles as applied to environmental protection challenges) What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 17.05How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 19.20 (Heart centred work and the quality and purpose of work more generally) Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 21.24 (The potential of holism, heart centred and love ethic principles to enhance quality of life in communities) Guest takeaway message and advice for some next steps in environmental protection. – 27.05Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close – 28.30End of recording – 30.19 IDEAS MENTIONED AND RESOURCES RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION Landcare in the Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland Landcare in Australia generic information on the Landcare initiative nationally. The Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland – basic information on location, history and economy. Some Landcare groups in the Darling Downs region of S.E. Queensland Pittsworth District Landcare Association Clifton Landcare Group (Facebook page) Millmerran Landcare (Facebook page) Natural Heritage Trust in Australia - a brief overview of its history Feminist eco-philosophers (Australia) Freya Mathews, La Trobe University – some examples of her work Val Plumwood (deceased 2008) – an example of her past work Principles of Holism Some early ideas on holism by theorist Jan Christian Smuts (late 19th/early 20th century)A recent application of holism principles within regenerative agriculture developed by Allan Savory as part of the holistic management framework. Quality of work debates An example from the UK linked to job productivity (2017) An example from Australia around work-life balance (2023) Heart-Centred approaches An example of heart centred thinking from a business leadership perspective (...
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    30 mins
  • Rural and Regional

    Rural and Regional
    Jun 7 2023
    THE STORY OF A RURAL AND REGIONAL ENTREPRENEUR AND CATALYST FOR CHANGE. Guest: Julia Spicer OAM Introduction to this episode: My guest in this podcast episode, Julia Spicer OAM, is a vibrant rural entrepreneur and a catalyst for change. She is a serial founder of regional businesses including - Engage & Create Consulting and The Goondiwindi Business Hub and lives in Goondiwindi, Queensland. Julia says her mission is to contribute to the vibrancy and viability of rural and regional Australia by helping businesses grow. She pursues that mission through strategic planning, coaching and online courses, helping grow the activity and impact of innovation into rural and regional business communities across the state. She has a particular gift for engaging woman and indigenous businesses in her work and she assists entrepreneurs and business owners with the work of business plan writing, designing value propositions and attracting grant and investment funds. Julia’s impactful work across the years has resulted in high level recognition in many forms, including award of the OAM in 2022 for service to regional business and organisations. In 2018 she was cited as one of the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence and Queensland Government’s 100 Faces of Small Business. Her senior managerial experience has also provided impact in a wide range of board leadership roles. Currently she is a board member on the Queensland Government Innovation Advisory Council, Global Entrepreneur Network Australia and Motherland Australia. Her past board roles have included work with Regional Development Australia for Darling Downs South West Queensland, the Queensland Government Small Business Advisory Council, YWCA Qld, and the Australian Land Management Group. MAIN INTERVIEW TALKING POINTS - with approximate time elapsed in mins. Guest foreshadow comment - 0.00Generic podcast series introduction. - 0.30Current episode and guest introduction. – 2.16Guest comments: how did your passion for the environment start? - 4.33Who inspired or mentored you in your work? – 6.40How did you get involved with environmental conservation to begin with? – 12.04When did you first realise the impact of your work on restoring the environment? – 16.30Are there any environmental achievements you are particularly proud of and why? –What are some of the challenges you have faced and how did you respond ? – 27.17How has your work influenced you to keep doing what you do? – 37.10Are you working on any current, exciting projects? – 42.33Guest takeaway message and advice for some next steps in environmental protection. – 48.33Thanks to guest, acknowledgements and episode close. – 50.32End -51.32 RESOURCES MENTIONED OR RELEVANT TO THE DISCUSSION The benefits of early child and adult exposure to nature Nature play benefits for children and subsequent adult development (2016)A detailed academic literature review on childhood nature connection (2020).Research on the benefits of adult Nature Connectedness (2023) Human and other species health and wellbeing as connected within Planetary Health The Planetary Health AllianceThe People, Planet, Prosperity frame within the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Some of Julia Spicer’s recent professional interests The Glen Innes Natural Resources Advisory Committee (GLENRAC) NSW (2022).The Rural Economies Centre of Excellence (RECoE) Other issues mentioned Long term decline in citizen community engagement/volunteering in Australia – recent report on trends (2022)Australia’s new federal Net Zero Authority (May 2023) GUEST AND OTHER CONTACT DETAILS: For Julia Spicer OAM E: Facebook: LinkedIn: Twitter: @telford_julia Instagram: @Engageandcreate FOR HOPE INC AUSTRALIA Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment, Inc. (HOPE): T 07 4639 2135 Email WEB Facebook Produced for HOPE by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 8th May 2023 Interview questions developed by: Anna Kula. Incidental Music: James Nicholson Indigenous artwork: courtesy of Queensland Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Queensland women's strategy (2023).
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    51 mins