Maree Treadwell- Member Spotlight

I’m an ecologist and wildlife manager by qualification. Bats, particularly flying-foxes, are my passion. Bats have an undeserved bad rap, and “management” of bats is a “wicked problem”.  Wildlife management is more about managing people’s behaviour and expectations than managing wildlife. I’ve been educating school children and the general community about bats and interpreting bats’ ecology and behaviour to help people live with bats for over 30 years, mostly as a volunteer with conservation organisations but sometimes in paid positions. On the way, I discovered interpretation and wildlife tourism as key techniques in shifting public attitudes toward bats.

What was the start of your interpretation journey?
Bachelor of Science majoring in Physical Geography and Botany, Graduate Diploma in Biological Sciences (on bats!) and Masters of Wildlife Management, at Monash University, the University of NSW and Macquarie University respectively.

What does interpretation mean to you?
Interpretation makes sense of and connects the audience to aspects of the world, including historical events, cultures and nature. From the perspective of wildlife tourism, interpretation is key to people’s understanding of wildlife and nature, as it fosters a connection to the wildlife and inspires them to take action to conserve the species or ecosystem. Interpretive techniques like storytelling and “sticky” messaging assist the process of connection to a particular species or taxa, like bats. Interpretation can be a powerful voice for community change, particularly with resolution of wildlife conflict through normalising “controversial” species such as bats as part of iconic Australian wildlife.

When and how did you start working in interpretation?
While working at the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT) in Canberra, I heard about an International conference by NAI being held in Townsville. This conference was the most inspiring one I had ever attended, particularly Sam Ham’s presentation. I realised that interpretation was what I’d been doing since I was a volunteer guide at Melbourne and Taronga zoos. I joined up with Interpretation Australia straight away to learn how to do it better.

What is your favourite interpretive project to date and why?
My favourite interpretive project is the Australasian Bat Night program because of its potential to change community attitudes about bats. I created this program in 2012 for the Australasian Bat Society to raise national awareness about bats and debunk myths. This annual series of community events across Australia and New Zealand features talks, bat walks, festivals, art projects, education programs, and citizen science initiatives, organised by local governments, Natural Resource Management groups, conservation and community organisations, as well as art galleries and museums. Notable events include the Pollinators art and education project by Orange Regional Museum and Gallery in 2021, which exhibited works by local students and featured the grey-headed flying-foxes as vital long-distance pollinators and the 2015 Batmania exhibition at the Atrium in Federation Square in Melbourne by artist Kathy Holowko, the annual Flying-fox picnic in Woree, Sydney, and the Blue Mountains and Maleny Bat Nights which attract over 1000 people and include guest speakers, bat walks, craft activities and batty dress ups for children, plays about bats, storytelling and information on bats, education programs and citizen science projects and local bat rescue organisations. While my role is to coordinate and promote the program, I also manage the annual Cairns Bat Festival as part of the program. This comprises three events: the Bat Activity Space at Cairns EcoFiesta, the gala Bat Night event, and the Flying FoxTail Trail, a cocktail trail inspired by bats that interprets their role to a new audience that may never have considered the significance of bats in producing their favourite beverage.

What role does Interpretation have in the world today?
Interpretation has the potential to benefit the world through social and environmental change. Its methodology and tools are powerful. Quality interpretation is more important today than ever, with the widely available sources of “information” in the digital age. Good interpretation that challenges the audience and encourages questioning can cut through simplistic “false facts and narratives” by recognising complexity and nuances in both cultural and natural heritage.

Interpretive skills can assist audiences to appreciate this complexity and recognise biases in messaging from digital and mainstream media. Interpretation can help people navigate “wicked problems” and come up with novel “solutions” which may involve challenging social norms and values.