How can communities ensure they have a role in guiding 'nature positive' initiatives in their regions?

Join AELA's Ecologically Just Transition (EJT) Network for our next webinar on 11 August @ 12noon AEST. We'll be in discussion with members of the Biodiversity Reference Group for the New England Renewable Energy Zone (NE REZ). The NE REZ has been working with government and other stakeholders, to ensure ecological needs are grounded in regional expertise, and suit the needs of local communities when transitioning to renewable futures.

This model of locally informed advocacy is seen as a prototype for future transition projects in other parts of Australia.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERS

ANNETTE KILARR

Annette has been the Convenor of Climate Action Armidale (an action group of Sustainable Living Armidale (SLA)) since 2018. She is also a member of Renewable Energy Education, Advocacy and Community Health (REEACH) (another SLA action group ) that she helped form in 2022 and with support from the Community Power Agency (CPA). Annette holds a BA (Hons) Anthropology (USYD), Grad Dip Nat Res Man (UNE) and a Diploma of Project Management (UNEP) and has lived, worked, volunteered, and raised a family in the New England , NSW, for over 35 years.

The objectives of REEACH include renewable energy education, advocacy, community benefit, community ownership, and community resilience. We are about enabling/promoting good action locally, facilitating community engagement from ordinary citizens in public policy and with a view that attention to environmental health in all decision making is the bedrock for achieving community health.

CAROL SHANTAL

Carol Shantal has lived experience across the areas of both western and complementary health care, small business and farming. Her community engagement over the past 30 years has centred on climate adaptation, regenerative agriculture and community resilience. In New England, through ZNET Uralla — which focused on energy saving and renewable energy — she integrated education with action across waste, water, local food and greening liveable landscapes. Carol currently convenes Bioregional Futures, weaving an integrated systems view into a living network of place-based action.

DAVID CARR

David Carr, Principal Ecologist with Stringybark Ecological, has been a leader in the identification, management and restoration of Threatened Ecological Communities in New England and Northern NSW for over 30 years. He is widely regarded as an expert in this field. David is a Certified Ecological Restoration Practitioner with the Society for Ecological Restoration (CERP #0370, expires June 2030) and BAM Accredited Assessor (BAAS 18049).

David has 35 years’ experience working in the natural resource management area, as a botanist, ecologist, restoration practitioner, forester, knowledge broker, extension agent and project manager. This included 16 years working for Greening Australia, finishing up as the National Technical Capacity Manager responsible for technical development and training for all projects across Australia. He has worked for Landcare, Border Rivers Gwydir CMA and North West LLS in recent years. David specialises in communicating environmental science to land managers and landholders through direct engagement in projects, extension, and training. David has worked closely with First Nations people and communities across northern NSW in training, environmental management and advocacy projects.

SARAH HOUSEMAN

Dr Sarah Houseman is a community-based researcher for the NED Foundation. Her current work involves co-creating case studies with sustainability groups responding to the renewable energy transitions underway in regional Australia. Sarah brings a feminist lens to her work at the intersections of climate, community and societal change. Her approach integrates innovative practices with a deep understanding of systemic interactions, to nurture organisational change and learning. Her PhD Emerging Ecologies of Organisation: Renewing Governance in the Anthropocene (2021) investigated participant experiences in non-hierarchically governed organisations. Sarah supports organisations and communities to reflect on their decision-making processes towards fostering participatory governance. Sarah has co-created and is coordinating the Ecologically Just Transitions Learning Network.

MICHELLE MALONEY

Dr Michelle Maloney (PhD) is an Earth lawyer and advocate for ecocentric and bioregional governance. She is recognised internationally and in Australia for her work advocating for Earth centred law and governance, including First Laws and the Rights of Nature. Michelle is Co-Founder and Director of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA), and Co-Founder and Director of Future Dreaming, an Indigenous led organisation that works to share Indigenous ecological and governance knowledge with non-Indigenous people and organisations in Australia. For more information about Michelle's work, publications and affiliations, please visit: www.michellemaloney.au

ABOUT THE EJT LEARNING NETWORK

The EJT Learning Network has been created to bring people together to learn, share and support each other, as we all work to transition to a more regenerative and low carbon future. Over the coming 12 months, the EJT Network aims to: (1) host a series of online and in person discussions to explore and map 'just transition' initiatives in Australia, and around the world, and (2) co-create an AELA 'in-house' publication in 2027, to share transition stories and case studies from around Australia.

Whether you've been working on just transitions for decades, or you're new to the space, please join us for a friendly, informative webinar - and bring your ideas, stories and passion for a deeper inquiry into how we can create more ecologically just transitions to a more regenerative future.

To read more about the Network, and to connect with the Network Coordinators - Sarah Houseman and Scott Matter - please visit this webpage on the AELA website.

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN EARTH LAWS ALLIANCE (AELA)

AELA is a not-for-profit organisation working to increase the understanding and practical implementation of Earth-centred (ecocentric) governance, with a focus on systems change across law, economics, education, ethics and community participation in Australia. AELA's vision is an Australian society that embraces an ecocentric or ‘life-centred’ culture, with governance systems that enable human communities to thrive within ecological boundaries, while nurturing biodiversity and ecosystem health. AELA's work includes education programs and project support for people, communities and organisations working to create ecocentric systems change.

For more information, visit our website: www.earthlaws.org.au
or email us anytime: aela@earthlaws.org.au

Contact the host of Community Advocacy for 'Nature Positive' Outcomes

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