Goethe’s “Delicate Empiricism”: Assessing its Value for Australian Ecologists ‘Melanie Bradley’ Environment Centre of the NT Abstract Johann Wolfang von Goethe, recognised as a seminal German polymat “developed a unique approach for investigating nature, termed agination and int ‘2 German syeright, was also a natural scientist, His areas of scientific endeavour encompassing colour, anatomy, geology, meteorology and botany (Magnus, 1949; Seamon, 2005). However, itis not Goethe's discoveries, but rather, his westigative method termed “delicate empiricism" (Bywater, 2005; Robbins, is relovant to Australian ecologists Goethe recognised the importance and power of the rational, analytical, quantifying, nal scientific” approach (as used by his contemporaries, eg. Newton), yet hho questioned whether it was the only way to develop meaningful knowledge about nature. Hoffmann (1994a) writes that Goethe often perceived "conventional science” to overlook, obscure or even destroy what wat moat precious about a living entity. According to Robbins (2005), Gocthe saw scientists acting as detached controllers, ‘manipulators and predictors of nature, who diseavered knowledge ofthe world through "Address for correspondence: Dr. Melanie Bradley, Environment Centre of the NT, GPO Box 2120, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia. Email: plicy@vent.org ISSN G614-0586 © Australian Astsiation for Environmental cation‘quantitative analysis of phenomena under experimental conditions, where the world of ‘human experience is reduced in meaning to simple cause and effect rel: i of there being a dichotomy between himself and the outer 195) highlight that Gosthe sought to understand onder to achieve a participatory Goethe's ‘and sustained attention to subjects tuition and imagination as the basis {or realising insights (Schilling, 2007; Wahl, 2008). Goethe reportedly avoided the use of preconceived categorisation and classification schemes, preferring an uninsh viewpoint (Hoffmann, 1994 Se ‘walities, raw qual rather than primary qu: into mathematical mode ‘to perception uninfluenced by seientiic ties, Goethe found subjects to become ‘of external explanatory agencies such been applied to a range of subjects including Buropean lan« plants, granite auteroppings, animals and even social devolepment processes (Brook 1998; Cameron, 2005; Colquhoun, 1997; Hoffmann, 1996a; Kaplan, 2005; Seamon, 2005; Vereiken, van Gelder, & Baars 1997). In the Burope Brook (1998), Colquhoun (1997) and Vereijkea, van Gelder, & Baars (1997), empiricism” has been used to analyse and appreciate landscape appearance, for function, context and metamorphosis through time. These studies have esoent sought to understand the ‘character’ oftheir respective landseapes; and have used this “understanding to inform land-use design, ‘The work of Brook (1998), Colquhoun (1997) and Ver ikon, van Gelder, & Baars ‘of Goethe's approach in an Queensland, This application th alo involved studying the Brigalow Belt landscape using “conventional”, reductionist scintifie methods Bradley, 2006). The purpose ofthis paper isto describe the applieation and outeomesof-delicate empiricism’ and to asses its value for Australian ecologists ‘The Brigalow Belt Landseape ‘The Brigalow Belt landscape is so-named because it was onco characterised by lowe Avarta harpophyil ity, Bavironment, Water, Po the landscape for agricultural production Johnson, 1997; is aspiration for rapid lands transformation, more than 90% of brigalow communities have been destroyed or severely degrated (Department of Sustainabil onment, Water, Population tnd Communities [DSEWPAC), 2011). Unfortunately, this has reulted in widespread though, attitudes towards the Brigalow Belt and its native vegetation have begun ‘tw change. There is growing recognition that eologicaly-senstive sgles of Fand-useGeto ‘Dobate Bmp’ Arsen te Value fr Australian Eolgiste 83 need to be fostered to pr biodiversity and landscape health, alongside icone 1: “Delicato empiricism” study site‘A wounded, tired, grieving Heart — Surrounding resounding stillness... And yet ~ pulses of Life emerge Projecting strength beyond thei form. During step 1 the brigalow vegetation stand in the middie ofthe paddock revealed itself as the “Heart” of the landscape. This stand became a significant feature in the steps that followed. ‘Step 2: Detailed Description (Dey 2) raves 2: First impression “mood” drawingGeto “olote Bmpr’ Ansesng Value fr Australi Belogits 85 ‘pen and receptive. During the wall series of inspired thoughts were recorded based ‘on “receiving” the paddock’ ‘character’88 Melanie Bradley (ld, undulating Bed of Soil ‘Profound silenee inthis open space Save the buzzing of persistent flies ~ ‘They that linger ‘round corpses ‘Their activity ~ heartless contrast Down by the watering bole ‘They sock light relief And reminisce about old times. ‘But spare a thought for the Landscapes Heart ‘Oh such aching and pain — Dishovellod and weary, losing form, Wondering how to survive ‘The great land-use change Yes, the machinery and exotic plants — ‘Step 5: "Being One ‘Step 5 builton the prev the paddock “from the i ed utilising intuition sos to exme to know 1d on this basis, to develop a sense of responsibility forReinstate old circuitry ~ Let Native rhythms Pulse through Landscape Again, ‘The step was comploted with an abstract drawing (Figure 8, original in enlou. Ficun 3: Intuitive response to “being one" withthe landscape88 Meloni Braatey cago, the approaches of Colquhoun (1987) and Brook (1998) were followed and three additional steps were worl paildeck, These steps mirror ‘As they behold my Heart [Extend arm of south-eastern border [Lat it meet and greet the south-western, ‘And in areas vast and bare ~ Lat organic organs arise, ‘Number of organs? Let’ see. ‘A dozen would do just fine, or Heart to beat to borders ‘And borders to bounce eneray back. [Latte tothe watering point, ‘Unurual northern boundaryGite Dtite Bop Ancesng te Vale for Australian Biginte 89 ription ~ the Future (Day 4) surveying the patkock on-oot and accurately detsiling thealongside an appreciation of its potential fr extending the present ecological paradigm. undoubtedly a fuid proces, with ractitioners may find that they can arrive ata new landscape perspective. ‘Through applying “del dseape came tothe fore. to sprout freely from landscape restoration of regrowth brigalow bbundreds of years ago. Implications for the Bducation and Practice of Australian Eeologists Some ecologists could regard “delicate empiCostes “Delat pic’ Asresing ite Valu for Australien septs OL (2005, p.77"successflly sustainable human societies must...be as attuned as possible feedback on earlier versions of the manuscript. Keywords: delicate empiricism; Goethe; holistic; conventional science; ecologists; landscape; Brigalow. References Bohnet 1, & Smith, D-(2007), Planning future landseapesin the Wet Tropis Australia ological framework. Landscape and Urban Planning, 80, 137-152 Bortoft, H. (1996). The Wholeness of Nature: Goethe's Way of Science. New York Lindisfarne Press.92 Maan Breatey Bradley, M. (2006). Integration of brigalow vegetation with dryland eropping in south Vegetation succession and Queensland Brigalow Belt, Reological 8 read landscapes. Landscape Research, 63, (2005). Goethe: A science which doos not eat the other. Janus Head, 8(1), 1998). Listen to the People, Listen tothe Land. Carlton South: ‘Melbourne University PressCostes Delt pire" Anssing is Value for Australian Keabgete 99 Smoding,F, & Joanie, V. 1890) Furm-Nature Plan; Landay csiogy bee frm environment organisation in the Northern Territory, Australia,Antrlinn Sora of EncireamentalBéveation eo, 70), 3014 o Experiencing Beach in Australia: Study Abroad Students’ Perspectives Yoshifumi Nakagawa’ & Phillip G. Payne Monash University Abstract The current “Australian-ness" of outdoor environmental education evolving "st" of oxi interpreted within the cixemmstances of an empirical study of tertiary study abroad students’ participation in an undergraduate semestar discourses, uch as ne0- experienced the beach o of fostering 8 Introduction Outdoor environmental education in Australia has a somewhat confused identity largely due to being an uncritical “sot” of sometimes and cultural constructions (Payne, 2002, p. 5. The enigmatic, sometimes, contradictory ‘nature af outdoor environmental education persista despite some promising examples of recent research that have selectively emphasised some of the intersections of the “natural” and “cultural” as it might be found in Australia (for example, Payne & Wattchow, 2009; Stewart & Muller, 2009). Thus, itis possible that the “Australian- ness of outdoor environmental education isa local or national project worth pursuing ‘when globalising forces in education increasingly confront the pedagogical prospect for naively fstering an Australian “place” identity, if indeed that is important. Following Payne (1983), Australian outdoor education has drawn sporadically from the discourse ‘fenvironmental education over the past two decades fo example, Brookes, 1993; Lug, 1999; Martin 1998, Thomas & Thomas, 2000), More recently, a naseont pedagogical ‘movement highlighting the characteristics, qualities and virtues of “place" has been promoted in Australian outdoor environs ‘Brookes, 2002: Stewart, 2004; Wattchov, 2005) ‘Address for correspondence: Yoshifumi Nakagawa. Email: yoshifumi nakagawa@ monasheds 1SSN0914.0625 © Australian Associaton for Environmental Edson