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IMAGINING 2040 - PATHWAYS TO FLOURISHING FUTURES

IMAGINING 2040 - PATHWAYS TO FLOURISHING FUTURES

Written by: Householders' Options to Protect the Environment - HOPE Inc. (Australia)
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 This series explores how public imagination could help facilitate citizen-led pathways toward better futures. Imaginative vision once powered major human wellbeing reforms. But in the face of today’s urgent challenges we now have a public imagination deficit. We need more people thinking more imaginatively about flourishing futures and how to achieve them. Join our uplifting guest conversations framed by imaginative questioning. Hear how we can use our imaginations to help co-create futures which could be climate safer, properly nature protected, more socially supportive and economically fair.Householders' Options to Protect the Environment - HOPE Inc. (Australia)
Episodes
  • 10. Series end of year mini report for 2025 - and extra shownotes from Episode 9

    10. Series end of year mini report for 2025 - and extra shownotes from Episode 9
    Dec 18 2025
    SERIES HOST: Andrew Nicholson This brief 3 minute audience feedback report describes the achievements of the series across its first 5 months - and where we plan to take it next year commencing in April 2026, following a break.For those wanting more future vision imagination podcast content before that date - please consider listening in to the excellent series described in the shownotes for our introductory episode at No 5 in our series. The links to the text based content there should also give you plenty to chew on before we come back in April 2026 - more visionary and energised than ever!* CARRY OVER RESOURCE LINKS FROM EPISODE 9. ON MICROFORESTS REGENERATION OF LOST AND DEGRADED URBAN ECOSYSTEMSLack of space prohibited us from including the these important links following a wonderful discussion with Liz Addie from the Friends of the Escarpment Parks Toowoomba Inc, S.E. Queensland.Examples of Miyawaki forests in AustraliaThe story of the microforest created by Friends of the Escarpment Parks in Toowoomba – local community group partnering with the broader community. Funded by grants. Pocket Forests W.A. partnering with schools Microforest Collective - ACT and NSW – partnering with local communityTiny Forests Wollongong - led by local governmentPractice examples of Miyawaki forests overseas IVN Nature Education, Netherlands - Aanbod Tiny Forest Urban Forests Organisation – Europe SUGi organisation Community Bushcare groups: Friends of the Escarpment Parks Toowoomba Inc (FEP) NFP organisation based in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland. FEP has published two guidebooks describing local plant species in the Toowoomba region’s bushland parks.Habitat Brisbane: provides a good example of a well resourced council supported community Bushcare volunteer program in the S.E. Queensland region. Protect Trees Toowoomba : is a grassroots community campaign supported by the Darling Downs Environment Council. (DDEC). The campaign is dedicated to safeguarding the region’s significant trees and ensuring that development respects Toowoomba’s unique ‘Garden City’ character. Perhaps listen to Episode 7 of the series to hear more about DDEC's work. First Nations Peoples are custodians of our land: Bunya People's Aboriginal Corporation – has a stated mission of ‘healing country, strengthening songlines, living and sharing Culture’. The organisation’s Bunya Mountains Aboriginal Aspirations and Caring for Country Plan is available for download from the Corporation's website. Queensland Truth Telling Commission Native Plant Nurseries:Crows Nest Community Nursery Brisbane community native plant nursery Sunshine Coast Community native plant Nurseries OTHER INTERESTING LINKS:Gardening Australia TV show – the ABC streaming website, IVIEW, holds many editions of the production.Toowoomba Regional Council (TRC) – Green Infrastructure Strategy (2025) and Greening Toowoomba information page Wollongong City Council – Greening your Suburb initiative and urban greening strategy(2017-2037)BOOKS AND ARTICLES Hannah Lewis, (2022). Mini-Forest Revolution: Using the Miyawaki Method to Rapidly Rewild the World. Chelsea Green Publishing.Sarah Barnes, Scott Hawken, Grey Coupland, Kazuo Asahiro (Oct 2025) Miyawaki forests-in-the-making: Enlivening values of human–nature care and gathering through the cultivation of Miyawaki forestsAbout Akira Miyawaki * You can now send a VOICE MESSAGE to the show. Let us know if you are okay with your anonymous comments being used in future audience feedback episodes and podcast research
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    4 mins
  • 9. Imagining better urban nature regeneration using micro forest plantings in the Toowoomba and Southeast Queensland regions by 2040

    9. Imagining better urban nature regeneration using micro forest plantings in the Toowoomba and Southeast Queensland regions by 2040
    Dec 18 2025
    GUEST: Elizabeth Addie, President of Friends of the Escarpment Parks Inc.In this episode we are going to focus on the exciting prospects for extending future Microforest plantings as one important element in repairing and restoring some of the huge damage done to native plant and animal species in this part of urban Australia, and in other urban settlements across the continent. And joining me in this imaginative exploration of microforests and their wonderful future regenerative potential for our region is my inspiring guest today, Elizabeth Addie, President of Friends of the Escarpment Parks (FEP) based in the city of Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia.Elizabeth has a professional background in applied psychology, guidance and counselling. She has also pursued a long term interest in natural environments which has developed into a passion for native plant and bushland protection. FEP has a future vision that eventually all of Toowoomba’s bushland parks will be regenerated with local native plant species and be free of weeds. Within the last few years, and in alignment with that vision, Elizabeth and her FEP colleagues have championed the establishment of the first Microforest in Toowoomba and S. E. Queensland.INTERVIEWTALKING POINT SEGMENTS FOR EACH GUEST – time elapsed in minutes. GENERIC INTRODUCTION – 0.00 GUEST FORESHADOW - 0.30 EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 1.04 GUEST INTRO TO WORK IN 2025 AND AHEAD – 6.45HOW TO PLANT A MICROFOREST – 8.45 IMAGINE EXER 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 – 11.15IMAGINE EXER 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE IN 2025 – 19.23IMAGINE EXER 3 – TAKING BOLD ACTIONS IN 2025 – 27.49 GUEST CLOSING WORDS - 33.36 HOST TAKEAWAYS – 36.24 AUDIENCE INVITATION – 38.27 END OF EPISODE – 40.55RESOURCES - * due to space constraints please go to the show notes resource listing for Episode 10 to find links to examples of Australian and International Miyawaki forest projectsPrior to undertaking the microforest project, Elizabeth and her FEP colleague Bev Yates undertook research into how to create a microforest and investigated many examples. Links below are on “how to” and best practice examples.Introductory talk by Shubhendu Sharma explaining the microforest concept.Open Source video tutorials from Afforest - teaching the entire process of microforest creationHandbook of Tiny Forest Planting Methods -microforest creation focussed on the northern hemisphere. Miyawaki in Australia (and see Ep 10)The story of the microforest created by Friends of the Escarpment Parks in Toowoomba – local community group partnering with the broader community. Funded by grants.INITIATIVES AND ORGANISATIONS - and also see Episode 10 show notes listings for more information.Microforest creation has a unique place in regenerating lost and degraded ecosystems, within a broader scope of the environmental conservation of natural ecosystems and nature based solutions for urban areas. A key component of all of these endeavours is understanding ecosystems and creating habitat to promote biodiversity. Community Bushcare regeneration groups play a vital part in this work identifying plants, sourcing seed, growing local species, removing invasive weeds, campaigning for bushland protection. Community Bushcare groups: Friends of the Escarpment Parks Toowoomba Inc (FEP) NFP organisation based in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland. FEP has published two guidebooks describing local plant species in the Toowoomba region’s bushland parks.GUESTS AND CONTACT DETAILS:GUEST: Elizabeth Addie- President of Friends of the Escarpment Parks Toowoomba Inc (FEP) E: president@fep.org.au Web: Facebook: InstagramAUSPICE PARTNER: Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment: T: 07 4639 2135 E: WEB: Facebook: Instagram: VOICE MAILPRODUCTION:Produced for HOPE Inc. Australia by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 2nd December 2025 Music: James Nicholson.
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    41 mins
  • 8. Imagining community empowered protection and stewardship of nature in Southern Queensland by 2040

    8. Imagining community empowered protection and stewardship of nature in Southern Queensland by 2040
    Dec 12 2025
    GUESTS: Scot McPhie My guest in this episode, Scot McPhie, trained in anthropology, ornithology and creative arts and over time has occupied many roles as an environmental protection advocate, bird enthusiast, writer, filmmaker, performer and podcaster. One of Scot’s main nature protection advocacy actions in recent years in this region has been to support calls to local government to take a more assertive stand in managing infrastructure development proposals. So as to achieve a better balance between the closely linked needs of our human and more than human, natural world communities. So, what if we could achieve a better development balance in the years ahead? And what might it take to reach that goal? INTERVIEW TALKING POINT SEGMENTS – approximate time elapsed in minutes..GENERIC INTRODUCTION – 0.00 GUEST FORESHADOW COMMENTS – 0.30EPISODE INTRODUCTION – 1.02GUEST SELF INTRODUCTION AND WORK IN 2025 – 3.27IMAGINE EXERCISE 1 - TIME TRAVEL TO 2040 – 15.00IMAGINE EXERCISE 2 - SIGNALS OF THE FUTURE – 23.37IMAGINE EXERCISE 3 - THREE-POINT ACTION PLAN 2025 – 32.25 GUEST CLOSING COMMENTS – 36.48HOST TAKEAWAY IDEAS – 43.36HOST AUDIENCE INVITATION TO IMAGINE – 45.09END OF EPISODE – 47.41SELECTED RESOURCES AUSTRALIAA recent scientific report (2025) on the serious environmental impacts of continued native vegetation destruction in Queensland, Australia.Tree removal public concern linked to infrastructure development in the Toowoomba region of S.E. Queensland and public protest in response (2025)Wellbeing based Economies The Next Economy - a visionary capacity building organisation with a mission to work 'to accelerate the transition to a climate-safe, regenerative and socially just Australian economy.’ Their recent report paper The Economy we Could Have (October 2025) sets out how Australia could transform to ‘embed a wellbeing economy – one that puts dignity, fairness, connection and ecological care at its centre.’ INTERNATIONALThe Limits to Growth report (1972). Research has continued to confirm the validity of the report’s initial findings on possible 21st century earth system level collapses - if damaging forms of economic growth were pursued. The associated Earth4All initiative linked to the Club of Rome group reports on possible failing and flourishing future development scenarios and how we could develop in ways which stay within nature determined planetary boundaries. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) – Living Planet Report (2024) –notes a 73% decline in wildlife between 1970 and 2020CONCEPTSBirds – the important cultural history of birds as representatives of nature and linked spiritual meaningBox ticking and tokenism versus genuine public participation in government and institutional decision making – some recent ideas on how far we may have come.Citizen juries and assemblies – short article on the use of citizen juries (2023) and a recent (2024) vox pop on what Irish citizens think about greater citizen participation in government decision making.Dunbar’s number - a theoretical measure of the influential extent of social networksNature Connectedness – ideas on the mutual health and wellbeing benefits of creating closer ties between nature and humans From the University of Derby, UK (2025)Utopias and Dystopias – short read article on the differences between the two worldviews and their relevance to the exercise of imagination (2024).GUESTS AND CONTACT DETAILS:Scot McPhie WEB: Facebook: LinkedIn. AUSPICE PARTNER:Householders’ Options to Protect the Environment - HOPE Inc.(Australia):T: 07 4639 2135 E: office@hopeaustralia.org.au WEB:Facebook: Instagram:VOICE MAILPRODUCTION:Produced for HOPE Inc. (Australia) by Andrew Nicholson. This episode recorded in Toowoomba, S.E. Queensland, Australia on 27th November 2025 Music: James Nicholson.
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    48 mins
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