MONARO RUNES

by Sharon Field

The impact of climate change on the Monaro region, NSW, Australia, has been significant. Following one of its worst droughts on record at the turn of the century, there was an unprecedented drop in autumn rainfall and steadily rising temperatures.  The impact on the natural environment in this area was significant, with an area of 2000 square kilometres dominated by thousands of dead trees, the majestic Eucalyptus viminalis commonly known as the Ribbon Gum or Manna Gum. 

So while my project focuses specifically on the Monaro, the implications were much more widespread.

Project Goals. The primary goals of “Monaro Runes” were to:

• use the power of beautifully painted and very detailed botanical art to raise awareness of and educate people about the extent and impact of the phenomenon known as eucalyptus dieback in the Monaro Region, and
• communicate the importance of plants for maintaining a healthy and robust environment

Outputs. The main output of this project was

• an exquisitely crafted work of botanical art in the form of three hand bound artist’s books.  Book 1 - In the beginning (before dieback). Book 2 - Devastation (the impact of dieback). Book 3 - Regeneration (the efforts to rebuild the landscape)

Each book has 6 pages, with the work completed on Fabriano Artistico 300gsm hot pressed paper. The front and back covers are leather with a dieback timber insert. The three books were hand bound and presented in a handmade carry box. A short video was also produced.

Outreach. The outreach activities associated with this project were phenomenal – national television coverage, local newspapers and e-magazines, radio interviews, children’s workshops, an exhibition, talks to various groups. One common point of interest was that ASBA was funding this project in Australia!

A workshop observation. When we were talking about the purpose of an artist’s book and dieback, I asked the children to look out the window and to describe what they could see (the hills were covered in skeletonised trees). They commented on the trees with no leaves. 

I asked why they thought the trees might have no leaves. Some suggested that the trees had lost their leaves because it was winter (all eucalypts are evergreens). Others thought they may have been burnt in a fire. When I told them about dieback, they were interested and surprised. They had not heard of this before. 

Following the workshop, when I discussed the responses of the children with Nicki (Greening Australia) and Lauren (Landcare), we realised that these children had been born after the dieback had impacted on the area. This meant that what the children were looking at was normal for them. They did not know any different. They accepted what they saw as the usual landscape for their area. How sad and worrying.

Collaboration. One of the great things about this project was the opportunity for collaboration with local landholders, schools and particularly with Greening Australia and the local Landcare Group. 

Follow up to my Grant. Since 2017, I have developed the workshop model even more, and in 2020 ran four workshops for children for another organisation in Canberra, with more in the pipeline for this year.