IMAGINING A STRONGER COMBINED ROLE FOR ART, SCIENCE AND NATURE CONNECTEDNESS STORYTELLING

In this episode we imagine some opportunities for a future strengthening of the collaboration between art, science, and nature connectedness. How might the increased power of storytelling which emerges help us move toward achieving a climate safer, properly nature protected, socially fairer and genuinely more prosperous future? A flourishing future which leaves no-one behind.?

I’m joined by two great guests to help explore this future vision imaginative question and others. Both are from Southern Queensland, Australia.

Jennifer Waithman is co-ordinator of the Wide Bay Burnett environment council, and Dr.Sarah Pye is a staff member at the University of the Sunshine Coast.

Both guests have great experience in combining art and science in imaginative storytelling aimed at helping educate audiences on the importance of proper protection of nature. For Sarah, that has included writing children’s books on the topic and Jennifer has extensive experience in interpretive guiding for nature.

INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS FOR EACH GUEST – with approximate time elapsed in minutes.

(00.00) GENERIC INTRODUCTION

(02.52) GUEST FORESHADOW"

(03.25) EPISODE INTRODUCTION

(06.36) GUEST SELF INTRO AND WORK IN 2025

(19.06) IMAGINATIVE EXERCISE -1 TIME TRAVEL TO 2040

(29.38) IMAG EXERCISE 2 -SIGNALS OF FUTURE IN 2025

(41.41) IMAG EXERCISE 3 - ACTION PLAN FOR 2025

(51.58) CLOSING COMMENTS /AUDIENCE INVITATION

(54.41) END OF MAIN EPISODE DISCUSSION

BONUS CONTENT – ANTHROPOMORPHISM -NATURE STORYTELLING-EDUCATION.

(1.06.34) EPISODE CLOSE

SELECTED RESOURCES RELEVANT TO INTERVIEW COMMENTS

INITIATIVES AND ORGANISATIONS

Interpretation Australia – portal website

Dr Pye’s academic publication record at University of Sunshine Coast, Queensland.

The Wide Bay Burnett Conservation Council (WBBCC).

BOOKS

Lesley Head: Hope and Grief in the Anthropocene: Reconceptualising Human-Nature Relations (2016) short review based on discussion with the author (2018)

Miller, R. (2018). Transforming the future: Anticipation in the 21st century. Free UNESCO book resource on Futures Literacy and Foresight.

Geoff Mulgan: Another World Is Possible: How to Reignite Social and Political Imagination (2022)

Dr. Sarah Pye’s book, conservation and schools education work ⁠website⁠. Freeman Tilden - Interpreting our Heritage (1957)

CONCEPTS

Anthropomorphism - background on the idea

Ecological Citizenship in relation to children’s play areas – taken from tertiary level academic course at Wrexham University, UK (2025)

Ecological economics – a short video introduction to principles and examples by Dr Dan O’Neill of the European Society for Ecological Economics.

Ecological or Eco Grief – a short 2018 Conversation article on this issue.

Experiential Education - a USA perspective on basic principles

Nature Connectedness - taken from the portal site of the University of Derby, UK (2025)

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