President Viv Pearce OAM (centre) with 2019 nominees from left Julia Landford (NatureArt Lab), Taz Whan (President SEAACT) and Sue Jones (Director DanceKids and TakeFlight Education) at the Australian Academy of Science Shine Dome for National Science Week at the ACT AAEE session ‘Thinking Outside the Planet’, showcasing different and innovative ways to do education for sustainability. Read on for the nominations for the 2019 ACT awardees, Taz Whan and Julia Landford.
Tarun Whan - Emerging Environmental Educator of the Year ACT 2019
Criteria 1 How has the Nominee made a substantial contribution to
environmental or sustainability education in the ACT (EE/EfS) ? *
Taz's main contribution to ACT EE so far has been in the school community where he teaches.
After seeing the ABC’s War On Waste Taz immediately overhauled his personal waste
system and wasted no time setting about sculpting sustainability into his Science
classroom curriculum, pedagogy and practice.
In short order, he quickly discovered that there many students across years 6-10 that shared a passion for sustainability and the Caroline Chisholm School (CCS) Sustainability Squad was born.
The Squad has ~25 members and runs for 2 hours each Friday afternoon, planning and acting to make the school community more sustainable.
From the success of this program, Sustainability Ignite was established as a vertically integrated (6-10) fortnightly class, where students co-design sustainable learnings and projects partnered with the Junior Campus and Pre-school.
Building on the success of the Sustainability Program at CCS, the Year 7 wellbeing curriculum has been re-designed to incorporate a solutions-based sustainability-focused school/community improvement Pitchfest, with the school committing to implement up to $5000 worth of in-kind support for sustainable improvements.
Criteria 2 Has the nominee made a national contribution to EE/EfS? *
As well as leading new school initiatives Taz has a role as an executive of the local chapter (SEAACT) of the Australian Science Teachers Association. In that role he has contributed to the sustainable development plans of the Academy of Future Skills in the ACT, and facilitated the inaugural ACT STEMEd – Future Impact conference to have a commitment to minimising waste to landfill.
In doing this he was able to strengthen ties between government-led Sustainable Schools program (Actsmart Schools in the ACT) and teacher professional associations. Recently, Taz has partnered SEAACT with the Australian Association of Environmental Education to coordinate sustainability curriculum mapping professional learning events to empower teachers to understand the planetary system and how this knowledge and understanding underpins sustainability.
Taz has also participated in meetings with Prof Will Steffen and Prof Keith Skamp, author of Teaching Primary Science Constructively, to help set the groundwork for initiating world-first science education program around the concept of Planetary Boundaries and Earth System science and its potential application to sustainability education.
All of these initiatives are beginning to have repercussions nationally, which will continue to be important due to Taz's role as one of the coordinators for the 2020 national science teachers conference here in the ACT.
Criteria 3 How has the Nominee exhibited Territory or National ‘EE / EfS leadership’ and/or influenced others? *
Taz seems destined to become a highly accomplished educator but is in reality still very new - he only started teaching with Teach for Australia in 2016 and then with ACT Education Directorate in 2018.
He has a very strong academic Earth Science background which he brings to the area of sustainability with good effect. He has an excellent grasp of the sustainability opportunities across the school curriculum and an exemplary capacity to speak to the importance and substance of education for sustainability.
Taz has specialised in studies in school leadership and clearly exhibits trans-discipline thinking and excellent collaborative and consultative skills. This is very evident in how he has initiated and implemented a range of whole-school school sustainability initiatives in just his first 18 months as an ACT teacher.
Criteria 4 How has the nominee demonstrated an ongoing commitment to EE/EfS? *
Because Taz recognises that school sustainability education is highly reliant on teachers who can champion it he has already started the long term work of investing in collaborations to further develop education for sustainability capacity across the education network.
Criteria 5 How has the nominee led by example and 'walked the sustainability talk'? *
Taz admits to being newly converted to environmental sustainability, personally and
professionally. However, the way in which he has implemented so much high-value education for sustainability in such a short time is very impressive, way above and beyond the normal. It will be
exciting to see how this unfolds in the rest of Taz's career in education for sustainability.
Julia Landford - Awarded 2019 Excellence in Environmental Education ACT
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| Don't just read about Julia, watch her present! |
Read Julia's award nomination:
CRITERIA 1: CURRENT MEMBER OF AAEE
Julia Landford has been nominated by the ACT Chapter AAEE for her leadership and outstanding contribution to Environmental Education for over three decades. Julia has been a member of AAEE for almost two years and is currently a member of the ACT Chapter Executive, as Treasurer.
CRITERIA 2: MADE A SUBSTANTIAL CONTRIBUTION TO EE/EFS
Julia was born and brought up in Papua New Guinea. The natural environment there was integral in her developing a lifelong interest in nature and its conservation. In the 1980s Julia studied Botany and Human Ecology (ANU). It was one of the first environmental sustainability tertiary courses offered in Australia. She became a strong advocate for environmental interests,
working on field studies with the Canberra Ornithological Group, annual bird counts and entomology with her entomologist husband.
Moving back to PNG in the 1990s with her husband and children, Julia worked as a lecturer with the Bulolo Forestry College, teaching first-year Forestry students and supporting the University of PNG as a tutor with distance education courses.
While there she initiated the establishment of an early childhood learning centre and pre-school while studying for her Graduate Diploma of Education through Monash University.
Julia worked as a volunteer early childhood educator and partnered with her husband in the care of a small wildlife research centre which included birds, tree kangaroos and echidnas. Much of the focus of this centre was on nature and environmental education, sustainable butterfly farming and insect biodiversity.
In PNG Julia began to explore her own creative responses to nature, painting wildlife with visiting artists. Returning to Australia in 1997, Julia embarked on a career in education as a senior college teacher and international development executive with AusAID and DFAT. She completed a Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development at ANU. At the same time, she established a community arts organisation called Wildlife and Botanical Artists Incorporated (WABA) which brought together a national network of artists, scientists and environmentalists to promote engagement with nature.
As Founding President, Julia’s volunteer leadership and guidance spanned almost 20 years, providing an environment that was both nurturing and valuing of a diversity of approaches for this large community of artists. Julia established significant partnerships with Australian government agencies across the scientific and environmental communities building a network of connected interests.
In this role, Julia organized annual members’ exhibitions, biannual national wildlife art exhibitions with CSIRO Discovery Centre, monthly speakers on natural history and art topics, workshops, field trips in collaboration with experts from CSIRO, local naturalist organisations and the ANBG. Through WABA, Julia also initiated a national symposium and established a substantial group membership of over one hundred members from around Australia.
Artists as advocates. In 2017, Julia retired from her career with government and established a privately funded and innovative natural history art school in Canberra – NatureArt Lab. Managed by Julia, this is the only environmental arts education centre of its kind in Australia, offering a comprehensive art and science-based education program promoting engagement with nature for adults and children. For further details see Annex A: ‘NatureArt Lab – Promoting engagement with nature through art and science’ and the NatureArt Lab website at https://natureartlab.com.au/ Further information is also available from the Facebook page@natureartlab
In just two years, NatureArt Lab’s programs have grown exponentially with around 2,000 adults and children from Canberra and other states booking classes. The curriculum has also broadened to include specialised courses, workshops and nature field trips for adults and children across a diverse range of art-science themes.
NatureArt Lab also offers a free monthly NatureArt Sketchers group led by a volunteer artist, to ensure accessibility and to bring together people interested in sketching at nature settings in and around Canberra. Julia’s program has become an important provider for NDIS clients offering a safe space to learn and immerse themselves in purposeful studies of nature. Students become advocates for environmental sustainability and protection and can use their art to promote better understanding of these issues in the public arena. Art and science enhance understanding, create emotional connections and increase individual agency. Art connects people, tells a story and helps to promote empathy for nature.
Teaching children to be inspired by nature and become environmental advocates is another significant focus for NatureArt Lab. Educational art-science school holiday programs for children from 5-12 years old are conducted with access to a fully equipped art-science space at the Australian National Botanic Gardens designed to inspire sustainability and motivate the next generation of environmental custodians. NatureArt Lab provides regular monthly children’s programs and comprehensive school holiday programs with over 800 children at the ANBG on topics such as threatened species, native bees, marsupials, pollinators, and water
ecology. This program is instrumental to championing and sponsoring the annual Threatened Species Children’s Art Competition with successful award-winning entrants each year.
Specialized art-science programs for youth are another focus for NatureArt Lab.
Julia has received grant funding in successive years (2018 and 2019) from National Science Week and Inspiring Australia (ACT) to run National Science Week art-science events for youth. In 2018 she ran a series of workshops on Arachnids and Art – some open to the public, and others specially offered free for disadvantaged youth. In 2019 Julia is offering a series of scientific illustration workshops on Butterflies, Bugs and Beetles for youth. This is greatly appreciated by leading service providers in the ACT such as Marymead Autism Centre, Namadgi School and parents of youth with disabilities.
Julia also provided a highly successful free event at the 2-day Bus Depot National Science Week
program in 2018 with over 2,000 student visitors and around 2,000 members of the public on
consecutive days. Julia introduced students to live specimens and displays of arachnid species and
created over 60 metres of artwork depicting spiders by visitors to the event.
The Australian National University approached Julia to deliver art-science programs for its annual
National Youth Science Forum in 2018 and 2019. Julia presents these classes herself, with support and engagement from CSIRO scientists and her team of tutors. The focus of the last two programs has been on Spiders (2018) and Dung Beetles for Soil Health (2019). These activities demonstrate how STEM and art interrelate.
Along with requests from other Canberra schools, Canberra Girls Grammar School invited Julia to deliver art-science programs for Year 7-8 students in 2018 and 2019 for their annual STEMX2 events. These programs focus on subjects such as stick insects or live reptiles and their role in ecosystems. Students handle insects or reptiles (many for the first time) providing opportunities for educating and promoting understanding and engagement with nature and science through art.
Julia is also collaborating on an indigenous youth program with the M16 Artspace Board, providing art content and nature journaling experiences for participants.
NatureArt Lab runs a series of specialized educational nature immersion experiences to Australian and international destinations for artists and photographers. These trips promote greater awareness of environmental and conservation issues, as well as the value and incredible biodiversity of flora and fauna in each location. Artwork and photography from these trips is shared with the public in exhibitions at NatureArtLab’s studio in Canberra.
Julia has led three trips to Sabah, Borneo in 2018 and 2019 with around 40 participants. These nature tours have taken people to varying ecosystems - from the World Heritage site of Mount Kinabalu National Park, to wetlands, rivers and lowland primary forest systems. With a local ecologist, Australian scientist or wildlife expert plus an artist, she runs immersive art and nature photography experiences. In 2019 participants witnessed first-hand the real-time extinction of species with the Sumatran Rhino, and donated over AU$1,000 for this environmental program. Participant feedback on NatureArt wildlife trips has been overwhelmingly positive, with feedback that these trips “were life-changing experiences”.
In 2020 NatureArt Lab will take a group of 20 people to the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador and Peru. Already fully-booked, it will take participants to one of the most famous wildlife destinations in the world. Julia is also taking a small group to Costa Rica and Panama in Central America. These programs include mentoring and tuition with a professional artist and evolutionary biologist both travelling with the groups from Australia.
NatureArt Lab’s in-Australia destinations include Montague Island (NSW), and the Abrolhos Islands (WA). Both destinations provide an immersive wildlife experience for artists and nature
photographers with an accompanying ecologist and artist team. The art from these trips is displayed at annual exhibitions held at NatureArt Lab’s studio in Canberra, sharing information at the public interface. With support from an ecologist, these groups record and monitor wildlife sightings throughout the trip, contributing data back to the National Parks and Wildlife Service and others.
Also recently established, NatureArt Incorporated is a not-for-profit arm of NatureArt Lab, to support artist residencies in Australia and beyond. A committee comprised of artists and scientists, chaired by Julia will consider funding sources and initiate awards for art-science residency collaborations with CSIRO, environmental organisations and other partners.
ACT environmental institutions have also invited Julia to contribute to public forums in the ACT:
- Tidbinbilla National Park invited Julia to participate in their annual Open Day events in 2018 and 2019, to provide educational activities for participants on nature and art.
- The Woodlands and Wetlands Trust Board invited Julia to present on the work of NatureArt Lab.
- There is much interest in future collaboration particularly with the establishment of a new Visitor Centre.
- Jerrabomberra Wetlands invited NatureArt Lab to provide art-science activities for National Wetlands Day in 2018 and 2019. This has been a popular activity for the past two years.
CRITERIA 3: NATIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO EE/EfS
WABA and now NatureArt Lab have engaged people at national and international levels. This has involved submissions to parliamentary enquiries, through to curated programs with CSIRO to promote art and science engagement in Australia and engagement with experts in visual literacy and nature engagement in the United States.
Through WABA, in 2014, Julia initiated and curated an unprecedented gathering of artists, scientists and environmentalists for the first Australian symposium ‘Discover Wildlife: Art and Science’ in partnership with CSIRO Discovery Centre and Inspiring Australia. She brought together an eminent team of presenters including Tim Flannery as Keynote Presenter. Artists, scientists and environmentalists from across Australia, along with indigenous leaders, explored the connections between art and science – stimulating discussions at the forefront of thinking on this topic.
One outcome of the symposium was the formation of a biannual exhibition in Hobart called
‘Vanishing Point – and Art /Science Collaboration’ based on the impact of plastic waste/micro-plastics on ocean health. Julia’s passion for environmental sustainability and community education played a significant role in the groundwork for this exhibition.
Julia prepared a submission for the Joint Standing Committee Inquiry into National Institutions for the establishment of a national natural history museum in Canberra. The submission attracted
strong interest and, in their report, tabled in Parliament (3 April 2019) Julia’s proposal was cited by the Standing Committee, bringing the Government’s attention to the importance of such as
institution for engaging current and future generations with environmental education.
Julia was invited to present as a member of a panel discussing the importance of art-science
connections at the National Library of Australia for an event coinciding with the public exhibition on Captain Cook’s Voyages of Discovery around Australia. Julia was one of three panel members,
including journalist and former broadcaster Genevieve Jacobs and ANBG Director Judy West.
Julia presented an art-science ‘Night at the Museum’ event. Julia and one of her tutors demonstrated and supported drawing and nature observation activities.
Questacon invited Julia to run art-science educational activities at their 30th Anniversary Open Day, engaging members of the public on nature-based activities.
The National Arboretum Southern Tablelands Ecosystem Park (STEP) invited Julia to present a public art event for National Tree Week in 2018 and 2019, and to present a public workshop to promote National Wattle Day.
Julia has been collaborating with experts in the United States in the field of Nature Journaling to
progress her environmental education approaches in Australia.
Julia was an invited speaker at the International Guild of Natural Science Illustrators Conference in Brisbane (June 2019), running educational workshops on bird and insect illustration with one of her tutors. The presentation and workshops were well-received by the international audience.
Julia has also been invited to present at the Australian Society for Fish Biology Conference 2019 to promote awareness of the role of art and creativity across the natural history sciences.
Julia was also an invited speaker at the Eco-Arts Conference in Wollongong in May 2019.
Working with children and youth is a particular interest for Julia and her team of art tutors and science communicators
The National Museum of Australia invited Julia to provide children’s programs in conjunction with the Boudin Voyages Exhibition in 2018. Hundreds of children participated in these programs, learning about the early voyages of biological discovery on the coastlines of Australia and painting their own versions of marine species.
ANBG invited Julia to run a NatureArt Lab insect illustration and identification educational workshop for their annual Bush Blitz public event, which was very popular with many visiting families and children.
CRITERIA 4: DEMONSTRATED AN ONGOING COMMITMENT TO EE/EfS
Through the establishment of NatureArt Lab and its ongoing connections with key partners such as CSIRO, The Australian National University, The Australian National Botanic Gardens and many other organisations in the ACT, Julia has demonstrated a strong ongoing commitment to environmental education and Education for Sustainability.
Julia joined the AAEE ACT Chapter Executive in 2018, and is a member of the Executive working to progress nature engagement through education in Australia. She has been instrumental in supporting the Bauer Media Threatened Species Children’s Art Competition in Canberra, reaching out to promote this with all schools, contributing to National Science Week events, finalizing an online resource of ACT Environmental Educators and managing financial records as Treasurer.
Julia’s work with NatureArt Lab is building networks with important individuals and entities for nature engagement and education. Primary partners include CSIRO - National Wildlife Collection, Australian National Insect Collection, National Herbarium; the ANBG and ANU. Julia also works with many other environmental organisations in Canberra including Waterwatch, Tidbinbilla National Park, Mulligans Flat Nature Reserve, and Jerrabomberra Wetlands for her education programs.
NatureArt Lab’s goal is to promote environmental advocacy and awareness. Julia has instigated a strong social media presence through NatureArt Lab to promote awareness of nature and topical environmental issues.
Julia has shared environmental education and sustainability information daily for the last two years with around 1,400 Facebook followers (and growing each day) from Australia and around the world. She has also established a strong following on social media platforms Instagram and Twitter.
Julia is attending the first US Nature Journaling Conference (September 2019) to study nature
journaling practices. Her goal is to explore the link between nature journaling and improved
educational outcomes. This will include interviewing education policymakers, teachers and students and transforming what she learns into practice in Australia.
Julia is also publishing a nature journaling resource book for use with environmentalists, education for sustainability practitioners and teachers, plus children and their parents in Australia.
CRITERIA 5: EXHIBITED LEADERSHIP THAT HAS INFLUENCED OTHERS
Julia’s leadership skills have been pivotal to the establishment of many innovative and ongoing environmental education initiatives. Her Australian Government career highlights leadership capabilities which have contributed to her strength of conviction for sustainability and environmental education – she was lead author responsible for the coordination of global research contributions to a United Nations publication in New York, and led South-East Asia regional coordination across 13 countries as First Secretary, Australian Embassy in Bangkok. Examples of her leadership initiatives include:
- Leadership and establishment of Wildlife and Botanical Artists Incorporated (WABA) – a long-standing and respected entity with significant influence and substantial networks for art-science education with many hundreds of Australians over its 20 years of operation.
- Bringing together Australia’s artists, scientists and environmentalists for the WABA-CSIRO-Inspiring Australia ‘Discover Wildlife: Art and Science’ Symposium in 2014 which resulted in positive outcomes for change and increased environmental awareness in hundreds of people’s lives and approaches to environmental sustainability.
- The establishment of NatureArt Lab as a social enterprise to promote environmental education and engagement, resulting in a strong and increasing following locally, nationally and internationally. Over 8,000 adults and children have participated in NatureArt Lab programs and events.
- Approached by numerous teachers, schools and home-schooling educators to provide programs.
- Multiple invitations to present at key events in Australia including the National Library of Australia, National Museum of Australia, National Arboretum, Australian National Botanic Gardens, and at events such as the ‘EcoArts’ Conference, and international ‘Guild of Natural Science Illustrators’ Conference.
Since Julia’s appointment to the ACT Executive Committee, she has already assisted with the
completion of projects, participated in National Science Week events and children’s environmental education initiatives. She has introduced potential new partners and ideas such as the Rights of Nature Australia legal perspectives to build new educational and sustainability initiatives for consideration within the ACT Chapter. Julia has encouraged new connections with the Women’s Environmental Leadership Association (WELA) and has introduced potential engagement with the Rights of Nature Movement Australia (RONA), and the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) through her recent participation in the EcoArts Conference.
Julia has influenced M16 Board decision-makers about environmentally sustainable activities at M16, the location of NatureArt Lab. She is also actively working with decision-makers for the new Kingston Arts Space to ensure it is developed along similar lines. Her proposal for the development of a pollinator-friendly outdoor green space has resulted in the engagement of a landscape architect with plans to achieve this outcome.
CRITERIA 6: LED BY EXAMPLE AND WALKED THE SUSTAINABILITY TALK
Julia is an outstanding communicator and passionate environmental networker. She is highly committed, disciplined and constantly challenges herself with new ideas and perspectives while maintaining a strong environmental education focus. Her background in education and teaching, together with her international leadership experience, provides the perfect foundation for the success, expansion and environmental education benefits that NatureArt Lab, AAEE and other partnerships can bring to the wider community.
Julia’s personal commitment to environmental education and education for sustainability through
NatureArt Lab has been teaching her popular nature journaling classes at the ANBG for the past two years. Through them she is empowering people to stop, look and learn about nature through
mindfulness, observation and a change in pace. There is an enormous difference between looking and seeing what is in front of us, and Julia believes that teaching and inspiring others to focus on nature more closely is an important and enduring contribution to society. These workshops focus on why connections with nature are important for environmental advocacy and sustainability, and for mental health and wellbeing. Keeping a nature journal helps people to increase observation skills and mindfulness and creates authentic learning with both intellectual and emotional content.
Julia has established a team of outstanding nature-educators for NatureArt Lab’s adult, youth and
children’s programs. All tutors share a passion for the environment and a commitment to the work of educating others about art and nature, and have been inspired by Julia to extend their skills in this area. Several NatureArt Lab students have now become accomplished art-science practitioners and will be stepping up to assist with future teaching programs in Canberra.
Julia’s approach to her NatureArt Lab social enterprise includes sustainable practices, minimising the use of chemicals, promoting recycling and encouraging the use of recycled paper and goods. Her children’s art programs are sponsored by the Green Shed.
Julia’s interest in sustainable practices extends to her personal lifestyle. She lives adjacent to a nature reserve and shares her love of nature with the important people in her life, including her husband, three children and five grandchildren.
ANNEX A NatureArt Lab – At a Glance:
Established in 2017, already engaging over 2,000 students, and 10,000 community members through public events, 6K+ social media engagement with over 1,400 Facebook Likes, 700+ Instagram Followers
with nature for humans, in a world which is increasingly disconnected through contemporary lifestyles and technology. The fundamental importance of giving people opportunities to connect with nature will also promote engagement and develop future generations of environmental custodians. The natural world forms the basis of our existence and is central to the sustainability of our society and the world.
Our approach: NatureArt Lab’s approach is to provide quality engagement and depth and breadth with its programs. We offer expert tuition, with scientific expertise integrated into content. We reach a wide demographic from young children to youth, through to mature adults, and many groups in between. We offer tactile hands-on experiences for all groups and immersive nature opportunities. We know about the power of art and science to enhance understanding, create emotional connections and increase individual agency. Art connects people, tells a story and helps to promote empathy for nature.
Programs for Adults – all programs are carefully designed and developed to provide a comprehensive educational experience for students.
- Six-week foundation courses on art mediums and techniques eg drawingand watercolour, pastel, coloured pencil, scratchboard, ink- Four to six-week thematic courses on a diverse set of subjects egIntroduction to Botanical Art, Insect Illustration in Watercolour, Make aNature Journal- Threatened Species Art Programs eg Bettongs of Mulligans Flat, Grey-headed Flying Foxes of Commonwealth Park, Threatened Marsupials of
Tidbinbilla
- Two to three day special interest workshops with local, national andinternational tutors eg Herbaria Collecting and Botanical Art – with collectionpermits at Mulligans Flat, Galahs in Watercolour, Fungi and Lichens inWatercolour, Peacock Spiders, Watercolour on Vellum for Botanical andNature Artists, Insects in Coloured Pencil, Drawing and Scaling –Flower Dissections: Revealing the Unseen, Microscopes andMandalas- Two to three-hour workshops eg Nature Journaling: using art toconnect with nature, Insect collection, preservation and identification
Programs for Youth and Children – programs are designed with exciting educational art-science activities with thematic content designed to stimulate enquiry-based learning centred on nature.
- School Holiday Programs with thematic topics: Threatened Species, Water Wonders- National Science Week Programs eg Insect illustration for youth, including targetedopportunities for disadvantaged youth- National Youth Science Forum at ANU eg Topics such as arachnids; dung beetles- Monthly Kids’ Club Workshops eg Arachnid Adventures, Fungi, Reptiles, Design your own Native Garden, Native Bees, Marsupial Traces.
Nature Field Trips in Australia: immersive nature experiences to showcase nature during peak breeding seasons for seabirds at important Australian wildlife sites. Destinations include Montague Island, Narooma, NSW – accompanied by CSIRO ecologist and art tutors; Abrolhos Island, WA – accompanied by local ecologist and wildlife photography tutors
Nature Field Trips International Destinations – designed to build awareness of real-world biodiversity in some of the world’s best nature destinations, experience the beauty of
nature and to learn about environmental challenges; all groups are accompanied by Julia Landford, as well as local guides, Australian expert scientists and art tutors. Destinations include Sabah, Malaysian Borneo; Costa Rica and Panama; Galapagos, Ecuador and Peru; Sub-Antarctic Islands.
Tutors
All tutors leading our programs are highly qualified experts in their field, including some of Australia’s most celebrated wildlife and botanical artists and internationally respected artists. Other tutors are qualified scientists and professional illustrators in their field.
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