The Nature Between Us – Details, episodes & analysis

No doubt many of us know how good it feels to spend time in nature, but did you know that the act of gardening has huge psychological benefits for our brains, our relationships, and many other aspects of our physical and mental health?

In this episode Tessa sits down with Sue Stuart-Smith to discuss the positives of digging around in the soil. Sue is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who’s latest book The Well Gardened Mind explores the psychological significance of gardening. A Sunday Times bestseller, Sue combines observation, horticulture, brain science, literature and history. 

The pair speak about Sues introduction to gardening, her study of horticulture programs within prison systems, why the colour green is so relaxing for our visual cortex and brains, and many other interesting insights into the human/garden relationship.

Keep up to date with Sue on Instagram @suestuartsmith 

This season is proudly supported by Spooked Kooks Surfboards, Camp Cove Swim and For Purpose Recycling. To go in the running to win one of TWO epic prizepacks head to our website for more details https://www.thenaturebetweenus.com/

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The Great Southern Reef spans the entire bottom half of Australia, and 70% of our national population lives within 50kms of it. Yet, it's largely unknown. In this episode Tessa sits down with Dr Sahira Bell to chat about this vital cool water ecosystem, and a marine plant they both adore: seaweed! With its many benefits and uses, seaweed is becoming a hot topic in the climate conversation and on The Great Southern Reef it's the 'kelp forests' that have Sahira's heart. 

Sahira is marine ecologist at the University of Western Australia's Ocean Institute and a self confessed kelp enthusiast, currently working on the Great Southern Reef Project alongside filmmakers and scientists. In 2019 she led the original designation of the Great Southern Reef as a Mission Blue Hope Spot, she sits on the management committee for the not-for-profit, the Balu Blue Foundation, and her mantra 'people protect what they love, and love what they understand' is the driving force behind all her projects. 

You can keep up to date with Sahira Bell on instagram at @sahirabell and The Great Southern Reef at @greatsouthernreef or https://greatsouthernreef.com/

This season is proudly supported by Spooked Kooks Surfboards, Camp Cove Swim and For Purpose Recycling. To go in the running to win one of TWO epic prizepacks head to our website for more details https://www.thenaturebetweenus.com/

@thenaturebetweenuspodcast

@tessadejosselin

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a well known and widespread problem, but because plastic never actually goes away, it just gets smaller and smaller, we are now fighting a new dilemma - micro/nano plastics.... and with recent studies suggesting seafood eaters consume around a credit card's worth of plastic each year, it's cause for concern. In this episode Tessa speaks with conservationist and marine biologist Alice Forrest, who has spent the past decade traveling the world, researching plastic pollution and marine conservation, freediving with whales and teaching people about the importance of treading lightly. We discuss everything you need to know about microplastics, helpful habits you can adopt to avoid em/stop em, her experiences teaching in Antarctica, her self built tiny home, and lots of other interesting enviro saving stuff - like virtual reality ! Oh, and if you haven't already, you can download Al's recent e-book 'Micro Plastics / Massive Problem' here... https://mailchi.mp/9f2bbc600638/microplastic

Listening and learning from First Nations Peoples is crucial to a healthy environment. In this episode Tessa speaks with Christian Hampson, a proud Woiwurrung and Maneroo Aboriginal man who is interweaving Indigenous knowledge and collaborative design thinking to walk a new path - away from conventional approaches. In 2019 Christian co-founded Yerrabingin, a commercial design organisation that creates environmentally conscious native landscapes enriched with Indigenous narratives. One such project was the world's first Indigenous rooftop farm, that hosts over 2,500 Australian native edible plants, and is located on top of Yerrabingin House in South Eveleigh, Sydney. Prior to Yerrabingin, Christian had 20 Years experience as a Senior Cultural Heritage Manager with NSW National Parks where he conserved, shared and celebrated Aboriginal Cultural Heritage. This episodes centers around Aboriginal Cultural Heritage, what it means to care for and acknowledge Country, and Indigenous land management both in rural and urban settings. Christian also touches on the importance of oral knowledge and community kinship, the new Yerrabingin farm currently underway in Bargo, native edible plants, and what we can keep an eye out for when foraging in Sydney! Follow Christian at @yerrabingin & @heathen_black and stay up to date with TNBU by subscribing and following @thenaturebetweenuspodcast

Cyrus Sutton is a professional surfer, documentary filmmaker, permaculturalist and DIY king. He's also a friend of Tessa's and in this episode the pair get chatting about small scale agriculture, surf adventures in Russia, life in a van, the commodification of nature and power of storytelling and mythology. Cyrus is a deep thinker with a clear understanding of the connectedness of our planet - from ecology to sustainability, to surfing and the way in which humans can have a more meaningful and rewarding existence within nature. He grew up in the OC in California, and has spent the majority of his life on the road, creating his own curriculum but since the covid shut down, he planted roots outside of Portland and put the decades of his regenerative farming and permaculture knowledge to good use. Follow him @cyrussutton and keep up to date with future episodes @thenaturebetweenuspodcast

Talking about climate change can be riddled with pitfalls...and as it turns out - the scientific facts aren't necessarily the best place to start. In this episode Tessa speaks with one of Australia's best known social researchers and author - Rebecca Huntley. Along with degrees in Law and film studies, and a PHD in gender studies, Rebecca has written numerous books and essays, and is a regular commentator on radio and television. Having delved into some of our most complex social issues Rebecca recently turned her focus to helping the climate crisis and produced her latest book How To Talk About Climate Change In A Way That Makes A Difference. A remarkable study into which emotions are useful and which are not when it comes to climate change communication. In this episode we dig deep into the psychology of the human brain and explore how Australians really feel about climate change, why it's sometimes hard to engage, the perils of politicization and how best to tackle tricky and scary conversations.

The past 20 years has seen a staggering increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. The cause? Scientific consensus says a warming climate is the culprit....but when you break it down, how exactly does that work? And how can futuristic technology and immersive storytelling help us to adapt? In this episode Tessa speaks with two weather obsessed guests. Nate Byrne - a meteorologist, oceanographer, Navy Lieutenant and ABC News Breakfast weatherman, and Emma Morris - an award winning documentary producer/director, immersive technology geek, and the brains behind a new augmented reality experience - Mt Resilience. We discuss our craziest weather experiences, the power of technology for science communication, how Mt Resilience came about and heaps of weather stuff like cyclones, sand sculptures, warming atmospheres, and the el nino and la nina effect. Check out Mt Resilience at www.mtresilience.com.au Stay up to date by subscribing and following TNBU on socials @thenaturbetweenuspodcast

In Australia, 71% of the population live in a major city - but how sustainable is this? And what exactly makes a city liveable? In this episode Tessa chats with Sydney City Councillor Jess Miller to find out. If you're a sydney local you might already know Jess. She was first elected to Council in 2016, and served as Deputy Lord Mayor from 2017-2018. She is currently the Deputy Chair of the Environment Committee, sits on the Cycling Advisory Committee, and is a big advocate for sustainable urban design and a diverse night time economy. Jess is also an Impact Strategist at the socially conscious Republic of Everyone. She breaks down what makes a city liveable, how Sydney City transitioned to 100% renewable energy, the power of trees and the importance of human connection to people and place. You can keep up to date with all her amazing projects on instagram @jessmillersydney, and stay up to date with TNBU by subscribing and following @thenaturebetweenuspodcast

Environmental law has existed since around the 1960s, however only recently have litigations pivoted to address the concerns of growing emission levels and a warming climate. In this episode Tessa speaks with David Barnden, the founder and principal lawyer of Equity Generation Lawyers - a law firm that specialises in Australian climate change law. They discuss the history of environmental regulation in australia, the recent EPBC Act review, how covid is affecting the legal system, the economic impact of climate change inaction on investments and our global reputation, and of course the three high profile and progressive cases he's currently working on. Before starting up Equity Generation David was also a principal lawyer at Environmental Justice Australia, and an associate at social justice law firm Maurice Blackburn. Beyond this David also has a background in applied sciences and coastal management, plus we heard he was a fellow surfer....so knew he'd be good egg! Stay up to date by subscribing, and following on TNBU socials @thenaturebetweenuspodcast

Australia has over 600 national parks, taking up over 28 million hectares of land. Much of which was destroyed in the 2019-20 fire season. In this episode Tessa speaks with Peta Norris, a NSW National Parks veteran, who's worked in wildlife conservation, land management, fire prevention, and as a park ranger and professional firefighter. She breaks down what caused the catastrophic fire events earlier this year and why the tried and tested techniques failed to contain the blazes. We also discuss the recent Bushfire Inquiry Report, why wildlife conservation is key, and the importance of listening to First Nations People. Peta's clued up on environmental law too, so we touch on the recent Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 review, and discuss whos got the most 'clout' when it comes to environmental law in Australia. And in true national park style....there's a symphony of birds singing in the background. Chirp chirp! Stay up to date by subscribing, and following on TNBU socials @thenaturebetweenuspodcast