Educators/Researchers

There is an army of hard-working environmental warriors all around us: in soil, on plants, in the air and in the water. Insects are our hidden allies. They protect, develop and maintain our natural environments, and yet their contribution is so often misunderstood, ignored or actively maligned.

Bush Preschool is an international programme which encourages young children to actively engage in the natural environment, rather than just ‘be outdoors.’ Carinya Neighbourhood Children's Centre in Springwood has embraced the idea, taking their pre-schoolers, babies and toddlers out on regular bush excursions to encourage our next generations to learn about sustainability and the importance of caring for our environment.

Hamish Dunlop talks to the Bush Fire Resilience Team at Springwood Neighbourhood Centre Co-operative Ltd. to find out how they have been assisting people to overcome 'preparedness fatigue'.

Joe and his partner Jo are the cogs behind Urbavore Micro Farm. They sell veggies, quail eggs and mushrooms from their suburban Springwood block.

While Blue Mountains residents are all too familiar with the more visible impacts of climate change such as floods, droughts and fires, another lesser known impact of extreme weather is urban forest decline and tree death.