The 'understories' installations: A creative practice-based case-study in environmental education

This article presents a critical reflection on ‘Understories’, a creative practice-based research project that investigates ecological absence and species endangerment in the eastern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. Developed through interdisciplinary collaboration between three artists and environmental educators, the project employed immersive, interactive installations to engage audiences with the disappearance of eight critically endangered species. Drawing on environmental humanities, place-based education, and relational ethics, the research explores how creative practice can function as both a method of inquiry and a mode of public pedagogy. The installations were informed by archival research, fieldwork, and iterative design processes, and were situated within a regional art gallery context to foster local ecological awareness. By translating species absence into sensory and affective experiences, the project demonstrates the potential of arts-based methodologies to cultivate ecological literacy and relational understanding. The findings contribute to ongoing discussions in environmental education by offering a replicable model for integrating creative practice into bioregional ecological engagement.