Professor David Bowman, one of the world’s leading bushfire scientists, is upfront when explaining why he feels under “astronomical stress” – a situation he expects is common for anybody working in fields related to climate change.
Apart from having nightmares about the threat of climate-charged forest fire disasters, he describes a workload that sounds like juggling the impossible.
“There’s just simply not enough hours in the day to do all of the work you’ve got to do, to educate, to demonstrate the solutions, to motivate people to take up the solutions, to inform government, to advocate for policy transformation, to get private sector incentives to do the right thing,” he says.
“The list is literally mind blowing and that’s just in my domain of fire. There’s so much work to do.”
Bowman, an Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow and Director of the transdisciplinary Fire Centre at the University of Tasmania, is 66-years-old, but has no intention of retiring “because I don’t think I could rest, there’s too much to do”.
He was speaking with Croakey after an outdoors workshop, ‘Staying sane on the climate frontline’, held last month in central lutruwita/Tasmania, on the Country of the Tyrernotepanner people, and attended by environmental change agents from across the state.
The workshop was convened by the Healthy Environment and Lives (HEAL) Network’s local community of practice. It was one of a series of meetings held at regional nodes across Australia, while the national conference was held online with the theme, ‘Healing with Country for a Sustainable Future for Everyone’.
A happy intersection
The workshop was hosted in the expansive gardens of an historic rural property, Mount Morriston, which is owned by sheep farmers Julian and Annabel von Bibra (pictured above to the left of Bowman). They are involved in conservation efforts, including through a study looking at the impacts of cultural burning.
With a colonial homestead providing a backdrop for the workshop, Julian von Bibra acknowledged the impact of colonisation in the area, with the landscape degraded by land-clearing and farming.
Steve Willing, a facilitator and coach in leadership and climate adaptation, spoke about the importance of moving from climate grief to active hope (something we do rather than something we have), and purpose.
He took workshop participants through a series of exercises (see the links below). These included examining different types of world views, and asking: “What is the thing you can do?” and “What will help nourish and sustain you in doing that work?”
Dr Sharon Campbell, from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, who helped coordinate the event, had a light bulb moment during these exercises.
She realised there is a happy intersection between what she loves doing, what she’s good at, and what the world needs – “it’s bringing people together”.
“I always knew that was my superpower,” she said later. “But it wasn’t until today I worked out, it’s actually what the world needs as well.”
Validating and restorative
In another exercise, participants were guided to spend time closely observing nature with all their senses.
One of the most valuable outcomes of the day, apart from spending time with old trees and deep shade, was the opportunity for conversations and making new connections. One participant said the experience, of being with others concerned about climate impacts, had been “validating”.
Dr Nick Towle, who has been active in Doctors for the Environment Australia and is currently doing a PhD on planetary health, said the event had been inspiring, in “making connections with changemakers who sometimes feel alone in that endeavour”.
Dr Jessica Kneebone said the workshop had renewed her determination to press on with her PhD investigating sustainable prescribing in general practice and pharmaceutical pollution.
For Professor David Bowman, the day was restorative and uplifting, and underscored his own personal experiences about the importance of connecting with nature. This was not only important for wellbeing, but also for supporting people to become custodians, caring for nature and Country, he said.
“If we have a sustainable future, stewardship is going to be a key mission, restoration is going to be a key mission [and] having communities and individuals who care for Country,” he said.
Watch this playlist of interviews with Professor David Bowman and other participants.
Resources and reading
Below are climate adaptation resources shared by Steve Willing.
Active Hope, book and free training course
At the Edge: What is mine to do and what can I do it with?
Eye of the Storm: facing climate and social chaos with calm and courage
How to talk about climate change
Welcome to the Great Unravelling: Navigating the polycrisis of environmental and social breakdown
Thrutopia, Rupert Read
Below are reports from other HEAL hub meetings, shared via the HEAL Network while guest tweeting at @WePublicHealth.
ACT
NSW
Northern Territory
Queensland
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