Image: An epicormic shoot on a burned eucalyptus tree in the Tambo Complex north of Orbost, Victoria (Australia). These shoots allow the tree to continue photosynthesizing while the tree canopy regrows. (DOI/Neal Herbert)
Fire is a fundamental earth systems process. Behind climate, it’s the most important factor that determines vegetation across the earth.
Michael-Shawn Fletcher, July 2020
In a year book-ended by catastrophic bushfires both in Australia and the Americas, it’s clear that existing approaches to caring for Country need to change.
Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher and award-winning STEM journalist, NITV’s Rae Johnston will share a yarn about First Peoples cultural burning traditions as scientific practice and the role of Indigenous futurism.
Join their discussion as they imagine a future where Indigenous knowledge has radically changed the threat of climate change.
More guests as part of series of conversations on First Peoples’ fire practice in collaboration with Science Gallery Detroit to be announced soon.
Speaker Bios
Associate Professor Michael-Shawn Fletcher is Wiradjuri man, Physical Geography researcher and Assistant Dean (Indigenous), Faculty of Science at University of Melbourne. He is also Director of Research Capability at the Indigenous Knowledge Institute. His interests are in the long-term interactions between humans, climate, disturbance and vegetation at local, regional and global scales. Professor Fletcher’s current work involves developing and integrating high-resolution palaeoenvironmental records from across the Southern Hemisphere using multiple proxies, including microfossil, charcoal, geochemical and isotopic analyses to provide comprehensive reconstructions of environmental change.
Rae Johnston is a multi-award-winning STEM journalist, Wiradjuri woman, mother, broadcaster, voice actor and MC. With almost a decade of experience appearing on every national television and radio news program in Australia, Rae is a leading commentator on all things science, technology, video games and geek culture. Rae is a founding mentor with The Working Lunch program, supporting underrepresented entry-level people in games. Rae is a part of the prestigious “brains trust” Leonardos group for The Science Gallery Melbourne, a mentor for Science Media Centre Australia‘s Indigenous Science program, and a Federal Council Delegate for the MEAA.
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