KZ: Hi Dr Judy! How did PlantingSeeds start, and what is the aim of the program?

J: PlantingSeeds ‘emerged’ – like a butterfly metamorphosising from a caterpillar – from all my experience. I really wanted to bring environmental issues out into the open and could see how newspapers, television, and social media often pushed these stories into the background. After years of learning about things such as climate change and species loss, I wanted to help get the facts out there – and, on top of that, teach skills and practices to do something about these problems. PlantingSeeds is all about teaching children – and adults – what is happening in the environment – and about practices to help that are positive and bring people together. Lots of little bits together make something much more powerful!

KZ: What experience did you have before founding PlantingSeeds Projects?

J: Before starting PlantingSeeds Projects, I wore many hats! I worked as a newspaper editor and journalist for major newspapers, a television producer, and a magazine writer. And I also studied at different times over the years. I eventually did a PhD (making me a sort of ‘doctor’) where I explored how to best get people involved in environmental and other causes. Sometimes it’s difficult to get people on board as it can be so overwhelming but my studies – and my media experience – shone some light on ways to inspire. Believe it or not, I used to interview and produce many celebrities and famous people, and even that showed me the power of people who believe in a cause.

KZ: Did you study any subjects or or have any hobbies as a child that gave you skills you use in this role? 

J: I was a child who played with my friends in the bush behind our street. We would look for tadpoles in the creek and watch them grow into frogs, and pretend there were fairies in the little caves. At the local beach, I would spend hours looking at and exploring rock pools; I would collect cicadas. It was a fantastic childhood. I loved writing poetry about nature. I really recommend everyone discovers the Japanese poetry of haiku. It’s simple and powerful and you can draw beautiful illustrations to go with your haikus about the nature that inspires you. I learned about this when I was eight years old.

KZ: What would you say to K-Zoners who want to protect the environment in their local community?

J: I just wrote a book called The Bee Squad: Boosting Biodiversity in your Neighbourhood. It’s for children 8 years and older. It has chapters on discovering local plants, insects, birds and animals and what to plant to bring back nature. Planting also brings down the temperature! You can pretend you are your favourite animal or insect for a day. You can learn from the experts on how to be a nature photographer or illustrator to inspire others. Learn how to be a citizen scientist and take photos that can contribute to our national biodiversity database, the Atlas of Living Australia. You can start – or join – a project or group to do something practical. Each chapter has an inspirational story from a child or group of children. 

To read the main Ideas Lab interview with Dr Judy Friedlander, grab the 'Infinite Dash' 2025 issue of K-Zone, on sale now!