Reflections from my Earth Expeditions to Australia
By Shelby Elder
My time on my Earth Expeditions Australia course this summer was not only a journey across landscapes but also across ideas, perspectives, and connections. Each place—Sydney, Tasmania, Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, and Townsville—offered a different window into the theme of interconnectedness, which became the thread tying my experience together.
Talking with local experts about unique species and their conservation challenges highlighted the importance of inquiry—asking not just what we see in biodiversity but why it matters and how it can persist.
In Sydney, I felt the pulse of a global city built along a coast where development and conservation constantly interact. Conversations there reminded me that environmental stewardship must be woven into the fabric of human systems, not set apart from them. Moving to Tasmania, I was struck by the island’s wildness and the depth of ecological history preserved there. Talking with local experts about unique species and their conservation challenges highlighted the importance of inquiry—asking not just what we see in biodiversity but why it matters and how it can persist.
Adelaide and Kangaroo Island provided a powerful lesson in resilience. On Kangaroo Island, walking among recovering landscapes after devastating fires showed me the power of both natural regeneration and human care. I found myself asking questions about invasive species, habitat restoration, and long-term sustainability—questions that mirror the ones I carry into my own local conservation work in Goshen, Ohio. It was a space where environmental stewardship and community engagement blended seamlessly, with local voices guiding the narrative of recovery.
Finally, in Townsville, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, I encountered one of the most powerful images of interconnectedness: the reef itself. Snorkeling among corals, fish, and seagrasses was both exhilarating and humbling. The reef’s beauty was undeniable, but so was its fragility. It reminded me that global issues like climate change ripple into local ecosystems with lasting consequences. This moment pushed me outside of my comfort zone, as I confronted not only the wonder of biodiversity but also the responsibility to protect it.
Snorkeling among corals, fish, and seagrasses was both exhilarating and humbling. The reef’s beauty was undeniable, but so was its fragility.
Across all of these places, the Dragonfly core areas shaped my journey. Inquiry fueled my curiosity; community engagement deepened my understanding; environmental stewardship became a call to action; global/local understanding tied my experiences abroad back to my home community; and scientific content gave me the framework to ground my reflections in evidence. I return home with a renewed sense that conservation work is not confined to one place. What I learned on Australian reefs, coasts, and islands also applies to the creeks, woods, and classrooms of Ohio.
I wrote a poem about my experiences. Please enjoy.
Threads of Renewal
By: Shelby Elder
Fragile worlds surround our view,
reefs of gold and forests too.
Islands scarred by fire’s flame,
yet life returns to stake its claim.
In broken places, hope takes root,
green shoots rise, and corals suit
the cracks with color, life anew,
reminding us what we can do.
Fragility is not defeat,
but a call to tread with careful feet.
Threads connect both land and sea,
and in our care, they heal, they free.
Winds may scatter, tides may break,
storms may come, and rivers quake.
Yet patient hands and watchful eyes
can mend the weave before it dies.
Every life, both great and small,
depends on each to stand or fall.
From mangrove roots to reed’s bright blow,
what we protect will thrive and grow.
Renewal asks that we attend,
to nurture, guard, and gently mend.
Fragile worlds, if tended well,
will tell the stories we must tell.
Author Biography:
Shelby Elder is a high school science teacher from Goshen, Ohio, where she leads hands-on ecological research and conservation projects with her students. She first learned about Project Dragonfly from a professor during her undergraduate studies who had completed the AIP program and spoke highly of the experience, later recommending that Shelby pursue it when she began her master’s degree. Shelby is now a student in the Global Field Program and will graduate in December 2025. Her work centers on empowering students to become environmental stewards while deepening her own role in conservation and community science.