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RESEARCH

Charlie & Richard Sustainability Elders

Charlie has carried out research projects with Southern Cross University, University of Western Sydney, Regional Initiative Social Innovation & Research, Great Eastern Ranges Initiative, Jaliigirr Biodiversity Alliance, Clarence Valley Council, Ngara Institute, Resilient Byron, Coffs Harbour Community Farm, The Innovation Fund, The Forensic Hospital/Long Bay Jail and for a wide range of private projects and consultations. 

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'I am passionate about using methodologies that are qualitative, innovative and inclusive to explore and better understand areas of research including design, conservation, sustainability, resilience, sense of place, horticultural therapy, ecopsychology, ethics, social exclusion/poverty, Permaculture, social ecology, the sacred & regenerative practices in general'.

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Charlie and collaborators, weave theory, research, and inspirational texts with putting these into action in real-life practical projects - environmental, social, personal. This is 'praxis' in which theory and action inform each other. This is experiential learning that then ideally leads to improved practices, projects, outcomes and understandings.

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In 2011 Charlie was awarded a PhD for research into putting sustainability ideas, ideals, designs and targets into practice. ‘Situating Place-Practice: Critical Reflections on Conservation, Sustainability & Environmental Education' - School of Social Ecology, Western Sydney University. 

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He combines practical knowledge with the ability to ask important, and sometimes tough, critical questions. 'My care, attention and expertise is carried out at the intersections of practice and theory and community and environment. Practical disciplined work learnt through tradesmanship and project organising is combined with cutting edge innovative approaches. These have come, in part through being educated at the United World College movement, through Permaculture and Social Ecology'. 

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Travelling widely, Charlie visits and participates in projects, education centres and conferences in many countries. Through attending and presenting at conferences, running workshops and visiting sustainability projects and places he inspires and is inspired by projects around the world.

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Articles, Reports & Presentations

A selection 

Radical Redesign
in Permaculture Magazine UK 
With Bridget O'Brien
(2021)

'Being Lonely: Making Sense of Australia's Epidemic of Social & Ecological Disconnection'. With Richard Hil & Louise Holdsworth

Resilient Byron/Ngara Institute

(August 2020)

Large-Scale & Detailed Regenerative Farm & Garden Designs & Reports. (2015-2020)

Australia, UK, Europe & US

AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

Doctoral Thesis - 

'Situating Place - Practice: Critical Reflections on Conservation, Sustainability & Environmental Education. Western Sydney University (2011)

Reformatted (2019)

'Gleaning, Foraging, Gardening for Survival & Joy'. Urban Agriculture Forum (2018)

With Bridget O'Brien

'Beyond Slogans: Towards an Ethics that Breaks your Heart'.

Permaculture Design Magazine #110 (2018)

With Bridget O'Brien

'Therapeutic Horticultural Possibilities. 

Malabar Hospital - First Steps..'. (2017)

NSW Correctional Services

CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE

'In Defence of Permaculture'. Presentation at Michigan State University (2017)

'Radical Redesign'. Permaculture Design Magazine #104 (2017)

With Bridget O'Brien

'Acknowledging Sense of Place Through Art Innovation'. (2016)

Eco-Arts Conference, Armidale

With Aviva Reid & Bede Brennan

'Cultural Connections Living Land Language & Culture' Project Recommendations Report (2015)

Great Eastern Ranges Initiative

Jaliggirr Biodiversity Alliance

Centre for Ecological Learning 

'The Healthy Clarence Communities Project: Building Confidence, Building Communities '. (2015)

IRSPM conference Ottawa, Canada

Clarence Valley Council

Southern Cross University

Regional Initiative for Social Innovation & Research (RISIR)

With Julie Tucker, Prof Rick Van de Zvan & Dr Yun Lok Lee

'Australian Landcare Movement: Let's Celebrate then Radically Redesign for the Next 25 Years'.

25th Annual Landcare Conference

Melbourne (2014)

'Growing Therapy'.

Landcare-in-Focus Magazine article (2014)

'An Evaluation of Healthy Clarence Communities Project'. (2014)

Clarence Valley Council

Southern Cross University

Regional Initiative for Social Innovation & Research (RISIR)

With Julie Tucker

'Innovation in the Not for Profit Sector: A Regional Australian Case Study '. (2014)

Journal of Economic & Social Policy

Southern Cross University

Regional Initiative for Social Innovation & Research (RISIR)

With Dr Grant Cairncross, Julie Tucker

'Public Sector Innovation as Practice: Social Enterprise, Community Gardening and Sense of Place in the Context of Embedded Social Exclusion in Rural Australia'. (2013)

IRSPM Prague Conference

Southern Cross University

Regional Initiative for Social Innovation & Research (RISIR)

With Dr Grant Cairncross

'Jaliggirr Deepening Sense of Place'

Project Methodology, Report, Findings & Recommendations' (2013)

Jaliiggirr Biodiversity Alliance

Great Eastern Ranges Initiative

With Dr Judy Lambert

Aviva Reid & Bede Brennan

'Reflecting Place-Practice'.

Eco-Arts Conference

University of New England (2013)

With Bede Brennan

'Education and Advocacy'

Social Ecology Symposium,

Hawkesbury Campus

University of Western Sydney (2013)

'An Evaluation of Coffs Coast Community Farm Innovation Farm'. (2012)

Coffs Harbour Support Services (CHESS)

Southern Cross University

Regional Initiative for Social Innovation & Research (RISIR)

With Dr Grant Cairncross

'Deconceptualising Place: Disrupting Discourse and Privileging Practice with help from WG Sebald'. (2009)

Western Sydney University

'Collateral Postmodernism'.

Just Policy Journal (2007) 

With Dr Richard Hil

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