Bathurst's 200 plants and animals Project: Do-it-yourself climate change communication in a regional context

Engaging the public on climate change is difficult because it is often framed as a
problem remote in time and space. This paper describes my own experiences as a member of a local environmental group, Bathurst Community Climate Action
Network (BCCAN), as we sought to overcome this barrier by using community arts activities. Over six months, BCCAN worked with environmental groups and
individuals based in the Bathurst region to collect representations (photography,
visual art, biological specimens) of local plants and animals. These were then
exhibited to the public for two weeks in an empty shop in the Central Business
District. The project created a framework for participation for local ecologists,
professional and non-professional artists and craftspeople and children. The
development of this project took place as I embarked on the early stages of my PhD candidacy and following treatment for cancer. This paper correlates themes
emerging from my reading in the field of climate change communication and
autoethnography as research method.