Director’s Note — June
I think I’ve just had my best-ever month while at CEC – I write this after a pretty spectacular couple of weeks. Last week, for example, we co-hosted the second session of our climate and environment talk series, Impact Hour, alongside SEE Change and the Conservation Council ACT Region.
Our guest was all-round rad human Dr Michael Mulvaney, whose work restoring ecosystems on Red Hill sparked a genuinely inspiring and lively discussion about biodiversity, stewardship and local action. Hearing about Michael’s work was incredibly moving.
The next day, I recorded a Local Environmental Heroes podcast episode (CEC’s longstanding series) with Michael alongside our wonderful President, Julie Boulton. By the end of the conversation, we were all in tears. You’ll have to listen when it comes out to understand why – it was one of those rare conversations that reminds you why community environmental work matters so deeply, and how much impact one leader and his troupes can have on conservation of a given habitat.
I also really appreciated attending the screening of documentary On the Edge hosted by the Conservation Council ACT Region, an important exploration of the pressures facing Canberra’s Western Edge and surrounding ecosystems (look out for the second screening).
Motivated by this, I spent my birthday in mid-May picnicking and birdwatching near Uriarra Crossing on Canberra’s Western Edge and was lucky enough to spot a cornucopia of birds, including a flame robin, fairy wrens and crimson rosellas – blissful.
The following week, CEC was thrilled to receive support through the ACT Government’s Community Climate Action Grant program. This funding will help us expand practical climate and sustainability education initiatives in 2027.
We also warmly welcomed Duncan, our new community bike mechanic, who has already become a valued part of the Recyclery community.
Speaking of our staff: our fabulous Bianca brought her expertise in green architecture and landscaping to both the Jyoti Garden tour and the Retrofit for Renters workshop alongside Canberra’s ‘Fix-It Chick’ Jenny Edwards during May, while Zali has continued contributing across multiple programs and events.
The Recyclery has also been full of life recently, with a great turnout for our DJ set and community BBQ on May 2, alongside CEC’s ongoing Thursday morning community garden drop-ins from 9:30–11 am (please do join us sometime, we love newcomers). These casual spaces for skill-sharing, repair, gardening and conversation have become an important part of the Centre’s weekly rhythm.
Looking ahead to June, we’ve got some excellent events coming up, including our Visible Mending Workshop and Clothes Swap on June 13, followed by a Seed Saving Workshop on June 27. You can find details via our events page.
And perhaps the event I’m most excited about this month: welcoming Mark Howden AC for our next Impact Hour on June 16. Mark has been a hugely influential voice on climate adaptation and resilience in Australia, and it’s a real privilege to have him speak to our community at Dissent Bar in the city. Get in and score a ticket before they all sell out.
Thanks, as always, for being part of the Canberra Environment Centre community.
Jennifer