Dancing with Dugongs

This book is for people who care about the environment. Physically, our environment gives us everything we need, but then there are things that we just 'want', so as our wants grow, the demands we place on our environment increase even more rapidly. As awareness of these environmental pressures grow, so too do the numbers of people working in environmental fields. People can burn out trying to balance their desire to protect the environment with a wide variety of demands. This book tells the story of Prof. Bill Dennison and Dr. Peter Oliver, two men who have between them spent 60 years of their lives better understanding catchments, waterways, and people and how they interact. It is the result of them sharing stories about their work with each other and having fun doing it. They have recognized that looking after the environment should also be fun, and that there is a real need to reflect individually and with others on the 'how' and 'why' of our work. Articulating such a practical philosophy can help us to do our work better. Bill and Peter have also recognized key lessons in several areas including science communication, empowering communities and working in school and university settings. These lessons are well illustrated in the pages within.