bateman presentation

Robert Bateman Centreat royal roads university

Come forth into the light of things. Let Nature be your teacher.

William WordsWorth, poet

The Robert Bateman Centre will broaden core strengths of Royal Roads University. It will be a catalyst for dialogue, research, education, outreach and involvement, action and stewardship through a range of life-long

learning programming; a place where art and science merge, where cultures overlap, and where relationships between the university and community leaders are forged. The Centre will embrace people

from all walks of life (business leaders, artists, practitioners, researchers, naturalists, children, youth and seniors) from around the world, in virtual and real classrooms. It will lead sustainable community development by deliberately bringing the best, diverse minds to the table in democratic dialogues around critical public policy issues. Its programming will also explore the design and redesign of the built environment by equally taking into consideration stewardship of place and the sustainability of the natural environment.

Learners at this unique living laboratory for sustainability will explore the basic tenets of interconnectedness, living sys-tems, ecological literacy and the arts as an expression of humanity’s engagement with, and responsibilities to, the natural world. It will be a centre of centres of

excellence for people of all walks of life, providing opportunities for reflection and enrichment; a reflexive

space to develop and test creative ways to connect generations of learners with the skills they need to ensure a sustainable and viable future for all species.

ann dale, trudeau Fellow (2004)professor, School of environment and Sustainability Faculty of Social and applied Sciences Canada Research Chair on Sustainable Community Development Royal Roads University

Learning at the leading edge, grounded in the past, sharing knowledge centred in the present with an eye to the future, underpins a Royal Roads education. Its curriculum moves practitioners and decision-makers from a model where communities lurch from one crisis to another to one where we learn from our history, under-

stand our dynamic relationship with the natural world and anticipate and plan more sustainable futures. Royal Roads University’s interdisciplinary focus acknowledges that one of the greatest challenges today is not necessarily one of scientific or managed origin, rather it is about dealing with people, their diverse cultures, interests, visions, priorities and needs to effect change for a more sustainable world. Royal Roads is a leader in both place-based

and virtual teaching methods and techniques; a Royal Roads education brings people into a rich learning environment, where students learn equally from their educators and from one another’s diverse experiences.

The ability to reconcile, reconnect and redesign ecological, social and economic systems is at the heart of our univer-sity curriculum for the 21st century. teaching and learning embedded in critical inquiry creates graduates capable of thinking for themselves, and capable of questioning

without reservation, while exercising intellectual humility and empathy. Royal Roads University is, and always has been, committed to leadership in sustainability through the integration of natural and social sciences programming. Its interdisciplinary and applied research focus is designed

to contribute to the creation of useful knowledge for Canadian communities, and internationally.

A University of and for the 21st Century

The University will continue to be a global leader in environmental

sustainability through innovative strategies which foster the protection

and preservation of the environment.

Peter robinson, RoyAL RoADS UnIveRSIty BoARD ChAIRmAn AnD ChAnCeLLoR


Royal Roads University & hatley park national historic Site

A stately old castle facing the sea, manicured gardens, old-growth forests, and meandering streams— hatley park has retained its edwardian elegance for

more than a century as Greater victoria has developed around it. Coast Salish people used this site for thousands of years before the early 1900s when the land became the private estate of coal baron James Dunsmuir. hatley park later served as a military college for 55 years until 1995, when Royal Roads University was established here and the 230-hectare property was designated a national historic Site, the largest and most diverse in Canada.

This diversity, a unique blend of natural and human history in the midst of the British Columbia capital, is a vital asset for the future of Royal Roads University. RRU’s undergraduate and post-graduate programs in communications, tourism, business, technology, and environment are closely tied to the physical setting of the campus at hatley park.

now RRU has embarked on a plan to take this campus “off the grid,” to become the nation’s first carbon-neutral, self-sustaining university. At the heart of this ambitious goal is the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University, an art and environmental education centre where the renowned artist’s works are showcased and his conservation philosophies are shared.

This project is the latest manifestation of our commitment to leadership

in understanding, celebrating, and protecting our natural world, and one that

will make key contributions to the province’s climate change action plan.

allan Cahoon, pReSIDent, RoyAL RoADS UnIveRSIty


envisioning itself as a model campus for the 21st century, Royal Roads University has launched a Legacy Campaign to raise $60 million to transform

RRU into a “Living and Learning Sustainability Laboratory” by 2020. Greenhouse gases will be reduced through the production of biogas energy. Waste water will be filtered through restored wetlands and reused. vehicle traffic will be minimized, new walkways will be built, and existing campus trails will be upgraded.

Funds derived through the Legacy Campaign will also finance advanced learning and research, as well as heritage preservation work, including the “greening” of hatley Castle. The impetus for the Legacy Campaign is the Bateman Centre, scheduled to open in 2011. Robert Bateman has donated $10.7 million worth of original art, prints, photographs, sketchbooks, archival materials, and funds, and he is leading the drive to raise another $20 million for the Robert Bateman Centre.

The Robert Bateman Centre is a catalyst for the development of the university’s sustainability master plan, which involves surrounding communities. Among the objectives is a district-wide waste recovery plant to generate energy by processing waste from the nearby Canadian Forces Base esquimalt and the City of Colwood, the municipality in which Royal Roads University is located.

The Royal Roads University Legacy Campaign

A Bateman picture is full of information. It reflects a scientific knowledge of the

species and a feeling for its nature and behaviour, and it shows a landscape that

is accurately detailed and fully realized....It is a painting that depicts the whole

environment of the species, alive, inter-relating, and constantly changing.

ramsay derry, AUthoR, The ArT of roBerT BATemAN


Since childhood, Robert Bateman has given a voice to nature through his art. he has earned worldwide stature as a wildlife and landscape artist, an environ-

mentalist, and teacher. now literally hundreds of his works created over nearly eight decades, including originals, giclées, sketchbooks, carvings, and sculptures, will remain in Canada, and new works will be added as they are created.

however, the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University is much more than an art gallery; it is an international model

for environmental learning and a think-tank for study and research – all focused on reconnecting us with the natural world. The Robert Bateman Centre celebrates what works, pushing the boundaries of knowledge about sustainability and environmental protection, blazing new territory, and constantly evolving as new challenges and needs are identified.

An officer of the orders of Canada and British Columbia, Robert Bateman was named by the national Audubon Society as one of the 20th century’s 100 Champions of Conservation. his artistic and environmental convictions and wisdom are the ideological basis of the Robert Bateman Centre.

“We have an opportunity to show the world a better way forward,” notes Robert Bateman, “one that celebrates and protects our natural world, inspires involvement and creates an evolving legacy of wonder for our children.”

A Centre for Art and environmental education

The spirit of the building took root in Bob’s mind when he first looked out

at the pasture and the wetland. And I think that when he stood there

and felt that presence, he knew that this was the place for the centre.

riChard iredale, pRoJeCt ARChIteCt


Shell middens on the beaches below hatley Castle, and other archaeological evidence, suggest that Coast Salish people revered this

site for more than 3,000 years. They gathered clams, shellfish, and fish from esquimalt lagoon, collected medicine and food plants from the forests, and peeled bark from cedar trees that remain standing on campus to this day. Like the First nations, builders of the Robert Bateman Centre are utilizing renewable resources from the site.

The Living Building

Conceived in response to the Cascadia Region Green Building Council’s “Living Building Challenge,” the Robert Bateman Centre is entirely self-sufficient in energy and water use. Constructed from local materials, the 2,400-square-metre structure ( 26,000 square feet ) generates its own electricity through solar panels. Winter heating is provided by a huge masonry “solar wall” in the building’s atrium that captures sunlight entering through clerestory windows. Water flowing through pipes in the solar wall is pumped through the floor slabs to heat the rest of the building. on cold winter days, when warmth from the sun is low, four high-efficiency wood-burning appliances built into the solar wall burn waste wood.

traditional forced-air ventilation systems produce greenhouse gases; the Robert Bateman Centre, instead, is ventilated naturally and silently by air currents flowing in through the concrete floor slabs and out through the central atrium. The floor slabs will heat and dry the outdoor air before it flows into the climate-controlled atrium gallery, requiring minimal energy.

The building collects and stores its own water supply, both for drinking and for landscape irrigation. Usable rainwater is channeled over the sod roof into a catchment pond at the building’s entrance, then is naturally filtered through downstream pools and wetlands. enough water can be stored to meet domestic and irrigation needs year-round.

Like Robert Bateman’s art, the building “should communicate the message of living in an ecologically sensitive way,” says project Architect Richard Iredale, adding that it is a model for other development at Royal Roads and the surrounding communities.

The robert Bateman Centre, or as I would call it the Bateman Lelum,

will be very much integrated into the land that we have here. This living

building will come full circle and take the best of old, take the best of lessons

learned, and make the future even better.

Charlene GeorGe ~ kQWat’st’not, ARtISt

Robert Bateman Centre Royal Roads University

Architectural concept drawing by David Barker—view from northwestVisitors to the Robert Bateman Centre cross a reflecting pool to arrive at the building’s graceful covered porch and carved cedar entrance doors. The porch affords broad views over the newly restored wetland. The pool stores rainwater collected from the building’s sod roof.

The artwork and the educational activities at the centre will promote

environmental understanding in the minds and, just as importantly,

in the hearts of all the people who will come here.

Paul CreCCa, USA ChAIR, LeGACy CAmpAIGn


Architectural concept drawing by David Barker—view from southeast

The gently sloping timber roof structure of the Robert Bateman Centre floats over the reflecting pools of the wetland. Solar panels shade the windows and provide electrical power to the building.

Love for the natural environment is the key sentiment driving

our landscape design approach for the robert Bateman Centre….

We invite the users to explore the natural environment through

a choreographed sequence of visual and sensual experiences.

Jonathan losee and Kristina Zalite, LAnDSCApe ARChIteCtS


A notable part of the human heritage at hatley park national historic site is the contribution of Chinese immigrants. employed by the Dunsmuir family,

they helped transform wild woodlands into luxuriant gardens and productive farmland. While hatley park’s formal gardens remain intact, natural features at the site of the Robert Bateman Centre will be restored and enhanced.

Drainage patterns that were altered to create pastures are being re-established with a series of swales to retain freshwater for marshes and lakes. Douglas fir and western redcedar trees will be planted with other native forest species; a greater variety of wetland plants, and changes in topography, will provide feeding and nesting areas for birds.

“For this special centre, we are creating a site that limits direct impact on the natural environment, adds diversity to the disturbed areas, and invites you into an exploration of nature,” notes Landscape Architect Jonathan Losee.

Architectural concept drawing by David Barker—Robert Bateman Centre site plan

Sunset marsh—photo by Jim Purvis

Robert Bateman Centre

It is the marriage of the soul with Nature that makes the intellect fruitful,

and gives birth to imagination.

henry david thoreau, nAtURALISt AnD AUthoR


A Salish carving at the welcoming portal, Douglas fir pillars and beams under redcedar ceilings: this building is quintessential West Coast. But the contents are

decidedly global—paintings of an Indian rhinoceros, African pygmies, Chinese pandas, Alaskan grizzlies, a Canadian Inuit guide, Saltspring Island otters. The galleries in the Robert Bateman Centre present the worldly perspective of a well- travelled, environmentally-conscious artist. These works reveal his insatiable curiosity, adventuresome spirit, and reverence for the natural world.

to wander these galleries is to share this curiosity, to sense the adventure and awe. visitors immerse themselves in the artistry of Robert Bateman and other like-minded artists, as well as an unparalleled collection of Bateman memorabilia. This is the only place in the world where insights into the life and philosophies of this internationally revered artist and naturalist can be explored through his sketchbooks, personal journals and photographs, books, films and private collectibles.

Building on a foundation of the living legacy of Robert Bateman’s art, writing and teaching, the centre nurtures creativity, dialogue, discovery, education and research about humankind’s dynamic relationships in the natural world. The preservation, conservation and regeneration of the living world is at the heart of the Robert Bateman Centre experience, beginning with the stewardship of the unique ecological treasure that is the University’s campus at hatley park national historic Site.

The visitor experience

As an artist, robert Bateman is able to convey a vivid comprehension of diversity

because, as a naturalist, he has mastered the particularity of nature.

stanWyn G. shetler, SmIthSonIAn InStItUtIon


Architectural concept drawing by David Barker—view from entryThe principal Bateman galleries, as well as an ever-changing program of visiting exhibits, are visible from the entry lobby. Insulated white skylight panels illuminate the building with soft, natural light.

Heritage – Bald Eagle; acrylic on canvas

In fact, I think of myself as a 12- or 13-year old kid.

I don’t think I have changed any of my basic standards

in life, or what I want out of life, which is to get out there

and have adventures in nature and put it down in paint.

I was always totally driven to paint.

robert bateman, ARtISt AnD nAtURALISt

Midnight – Black Wolf; acrylic on board

Ocean Rhapsody; acrylic on canvas

Gentoo Penguins and Whale Bones; acrylic on board

Long Light – Polar Bear; acrylic on canvas

Driftnet; acrylic on canvas

Red-winged Blackbirds and Rail Fence; acrylic on board

Queen Anne’s Lace and American Goldfinch;

acrylic on board

Rocky Wilderness – Cougar; acrylic on board

Sheer Drop – Mountain Goats; oil on board

Cardinal and Wild Apples; acrylic on board

A lifetime of accomplishments by Canada’s most notable natural history artist is exhibited at the Robert Bateman Centre. Paintings, prints, sketchbooks, sculptures, photos, slides, and collectibles comprise the world’s most comprehensive Robert Bateman collection.


his paintings have a third dimensional activity, a movement in space,

that many wildlife artists fail to master.

roGer tory Peterson, ARtISt AnD oRnIthoLoGISt


Visitor Experience concept drawing by Reynold Knowlton—Saltspring Studio

The Saltspring StudioVisitors get a true sense of Robert Bateman’s working life in an authentic re-creation of his Saltspring Island home studio, complete with all the tools of his trade. This rich, creative environment is a storehouse of memories and memorabilia, an intimate opportunity for live storytelling and interpretation, and an interactive, multi-layered showcase of a lifetime of learning, teaching, and artistic achievement.

If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom, then the emotions

and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow.

raChel Carson, BIoLoGISt AnD nAtURe WRIteR


Visitor Experience concept drawing by Reynold Knowlton—Story Stations

Interpretive Story StationsThroughout the galleries, visitors will have the opportunity to experience and interact with Story Stations featuring milestone, life-changing events in the life and times of Robert Bateman; his research and painting years in the 1940’s in Algonquin Park; travels across North America, through Europe, ‘around the world’ with Bristol Foster in the 50’s; the inspiration of realist Andrew Wyeth’s 1963 exhibition at the Albright-Knox Gallery; his record-breaking 1987 exhibition at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, among others. These Story Station vignettes make it possible to know and appreciate the person, and thereby gain a deeper appreciation for the body of his work.

I’m really amazed, and delighted, at how often I go back for reference material

to the sketches that I did when I was a teenager and in my early twenties.

robert bateman, ARtISt


Visitor Experience concept drawing by Reynold Knowlton—SketchbooksSketchbooks GallerySketchbooks are an artist’s visual diary and all of those filled by Robert Bateman since his teenage years are on display here. Visitors can appreciate the rarity, the diversity and the spontaneity inherent in this large collection of originals, or they can sit at an art table and leaf through oversized pages of beautiful reproductions. There is a feeling of privilege in sharing Robert Bateman’s keen observations, his practice and his dedication to understanding and recording both human and natural history in these sketchbooks.

If I had tried to dream up the perfect fit between an institution and my art,

my philosophy, and my life, I could not have come up with a better connection

than royal roads University. The protection and celebration of our natural

and human heritage are at the core of rrU.

robert bateman, ARtISt AnD teACheR


named for a man who is as much a teacher as an artist, the Robert Bateman Centre complements and expands existing initiatives at Royal Roads University.

RRU’s School of environment and Sustainability is at the forefront of research on climate change, environmental stewardship, and atmospheric science. As host of the Canadian Centre for environmental education, RRU offers training and accreditation for people in the growing “green” professions.

A “special-purpose” university, much of RRU’s emphasis is on graduate and undergraduate students seeking career changes, and on business people planning to apply sustainable principles to their companies. Also, non-credit Continuing Studies programs take advantage of the natural, historic, and cultural features of RRU’s hatley park campus. Seminars, lectures, interpretive walks, workshops, short courses, school tours, and eco-adventures blend subjects such as art, culture, design, science, environmental and economic sustainability, and natural and human history.

now, the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University will continue to break new ground as it demonstrates and teaches the highest level of leadership and innovation in sustainable development, fosters dialogue and collaboration to solve environmental and social challenges and inspires action to implement solutions.

environmental education

We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options.

david suZuKi, SCIentISt AnD AUthoR

Robert Bateman Centre Royal Roads UniversityRobert Bateman Centre Royal Roads University

Visitor Experience concept drawing by Reynold Knowlton — Centre for Sustainability

A Centre for SustainabilityThe Robert Bateman Centre inspires and influences respect for human heritage and the natural world through the arts, education and the media. It is a catalyst for dialogue, research, education, action and stewardship – opening new pathways for engagement with the global community.

We do not see nature with our eyes, but with our understandings and our hearts.

William haZlitt, WRIteR


Visitor Experience concept drawing by Reynold Knowlton — Window Gallery

The Window GalleryThe Window Gallery, in the light-filled southwest corner of the Robert Bateman Centre, is a meeting place; a place to come together for discussion and interpretation of art and the environment. It’s also a contemplative space for reflection on the experience here. Exhibits inside change with the seasons outside. The floor-to-ceiling windows on the natural world surrounding the Robert Bateman Centre invite visitors to explore the beauty and diversity of Hatley Heritage Park National Historic site through a network of interpretive trails. Small group presentations and a library of art and environmental books, publications and media enhance an atmosphere of relaxed learning.

Beauty in nature is a quality which gives the human senses a chance to be skillful.

bertolt breCht, pLAyWRIGht


Visitor Experience concept drawing by Reynold Knowlton—Interpretive Trails

Interpretive TrailsFrom the upper reaches of forested streams, down through the wetlands and ornate gardens to the seashore, Hatley Park National Historic Site’s 230 hectares are accessible by a network of interpretive trails. The Bateman Trail wanders through the natural environment, connecting to the Heritage Trail, which takes in the human history, including First Nations, the military college, Royal Roads University, Hatley Castle and other heritage buildings.

We can provide solutions. We should all be about the same thing,

we should all be about protecting and enhancing our environment.

Joe van belleGhem, Co-ChAIR, LeGACy CAmpAIGn


environmental opportunity

In donating gifts valued at nearly $11 million to Royal Roads University, Robert Bateman is leading by example. he has also agreed to serve as honorary

chair of the effort to raise another $20 million for the Robert Bateman Centre. This is one-third of the Legacy Campaign’s goal: another $10 million is needed to take RRU “off the grid,” to make it a carbon-neutral, grid- positive model for environmental learning and research; $15 million is required for the “greening” of hatley Castle and the restoration of hatley park national historic Site; and $15 million is needed for scholarships and bursaries, professorships, teaching and research projects.

This is an unprecedented opportunity for Royal Roads University and our donors to do something of fundamental importance for our community, our country, and the world; the preservation of one of Canada’s most treasured art and personal collections for future generations to celebrate and enjoy, and the creation of an evolving global model of sustainable living and learning.

The royal roads university Foundation 2005 Sooke Road victoria, British Columbia Canada v9B 5y2 250-391-2617 [email protected] www.royalroads.ca

I can’t conceive of anything being more varied and rich and handsome than the planet

earth. And its crowning beauty is the natural world....I want to soak it up, to understand

it as well as I can, and to absorb it. And then I’ d like to put it together and express it in

my paintings. This is the way I want to dedicate my work.

robert bateman, ARtISt AnD ConSeRvAtIonISt


Robert Bateman was 35 years old before he sold his first artwork. By then, he’d been drawing and painting for three decades, had travelled around the world, and had

been a teacher for 10 years in ontario and nigeria. his paintings were finding their way into homes and galleries, yet he con-tinued his career as an art and geography teacher for another decade before becoming a full-time artist.

“I loved it. I loved preparing for classes, communicating,” he recalls of his teaching days. “I loved the mentality of the students, and I like teenagers.” Though he left the classroom in 1976, Robert Bateman has never stopped teaching. Three schools have been named in his honour, and he is one of Canada’s most sought-after lecturers on art and the environment. he is a spokes-man for organizations involved in preservation issues, and is the subject of numerous articles, books, and documentary films.

Robert Bateman’s work is a window to the natural world, a reflection of a man who has rightfully been described as a naturalist, environmentalist, artist, adventurer, explorer, teacher, geographer, storyteller, philanthropist, and lifelong learner. he is Canada’s, and one of the world’s, most noted wildlife painters. his works grace the palaces of royal families in england, monaco, and the netherlands; they are displayed in public museums across north America, and in private collec-tions throughout the world; they have been exhibited—usually to record-breaking crowds—at more than two dozen one-man shows, including one at Washington, D.C.’s Smithsonian Institute. Among his numerous awards are 11 honorary doctorate degrees, the orders of Canada and British Columbia, and the Governor General Award for Conservation.

Born in toronto in 1930, he has five children, is a grandfather, and lives with his wife, Birgit Freybe Bateman, on Saltspring Island, British Columbia.

Study Nature. Love Nature. Stay close to Nature. It will never fail you.

FranK lloyd WriGht, ARChIteCt, WRIteR AnD eDUCAtoR


Architectural concept drawing by David BarkerA light snowfall covers the ground on a clear winter evening at Hatley Park. A warm, inviting glow emanates from the Robert Bateman Centre, welcoming visitors to a new exhibition and unveiling to mark the solstice.

What do we wish? To be whole. To be complete. Wildness reminds us what it means

to be human, what we are connected to rather than what we are separate from.

terry temPest Williams, WRIteR, nAtURALISt AnD envIRonmentALISt

All programming offered through the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University will meet criteria harmonious with Robert Bateman’s

philosophy regarding the importance of natural and human heritage and the arts as an expression of our engagement with, and responsibilities to, the natural world. Among these criteria are the basic tenets of inter-connectedness, living systems, ecological literacy and the connection to the natural world that is facilitated through the art of Robert Bateman and his peers.

The Centre will create the necessary links with researchers at Royal Roads University and elsewhere to ensure we have, or can develop, the knowledge to model effective solutions to the problems we need to address. We will partner with those who have the skills, tools and networks to foster long term public commitment to conservation and positive environmental change and link collaboratively with other mission-aligned centres of excellence around north America and globally.

The Centre’s programming will:

> contribute to and enhance the learning of our learners

> generate and share widely new knowledge, create and confirm best practices and develop case studies and practical applications

> serve as a catalyst for program and research activ-ities throughout the university

> serve as a catalyst for the local and larger communities by providing leadership on critical issues and by increasing the university’s outreach

> open new paths for engagement with the larger community

> make stewardship of place and conservation of the university’s natural environment a priority

Programming initiatives for the Robert Bateman Centre will be focused on the following components:

> community engagement projects/initiatives > research options/agenda > education programming/options > executive education > children/youth education > hands-on immersive environmental opportunities

program plan for the Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University

Activity / initiAtive ProgrAm comPonent

Development of a peer-reviewed online journal showcasing:

> best practices in sustainable development

> social agency

> social change

> impact on policy/legislation development/ change

> new and emerging research

> Community engagement

> Research opportunities

> Education programming/options (journal articles

to become course readings)

Green building design, development and production;

a round table/forum with a panel including:

> successful ‘green’ developers

> researchers

> construction trades

> municipal and provincial government representatives

> architects/architectural designers

> politicians

> environmental groups

The round table/forum would focus on, among other topics:

> best practices

> new techniques

> measuring and tracking emissions

> providing the opportunity to discuss issues around

policies, bylaws, costs, complexities, etc., that result

in barriers to creating living/green buildings

> Community engagement projects/initiatives


> Education programming/options

> Executive education

> Hands-on immersive opportunities

Development of an accreditation program for developers

and builders in the application of sustainable techniques





Impact of the informal learning environment of the Centre

itself on the creation of an ’ecology of intention’





Sustainability


Executive round tables, as well as sessions open to the

general public, with leading organizations/individuals

looking at energy opportunities/options with government

officials/policy makers, researchers in these areas and

potential funders, ensuring a multiplicity of views


> Research opportunities (faculty and students)

> Education programming/options (case studies, results,

issues, etc. to be incorporated into the curriculum)

> Executive education opportunities

Development of customized education/training programs

for leadership in the environment, energy and sustainable

business sectors (short term and long term)

> Research opportunities (related to the effectiveness

of the programs)



program planning is underway in the following areas:


Best practices/links to/with the implementation

of the university’s Sustainability Plan





Research undertaken on the Robert Bateman Centre

site, including:

> plant and species identification in the area

> pollen samples prior to wetlands reclamation

and regeneration

> best practices and effectiveness of the wetlands

reclamation and regeneration project

> archeological research on the site as an historic

First Nations gathering place

> soil/air toxicology and ongoing monitoring



> Children/youth education


Effectiveness of the Robert Bateman Centre programs

on getting children and youth into the environment

and ‘out-of-doors’, and the impact on larger social change






Research into ‘Nature Deficit Disorder’ and its impact

and implications for the environment, for community

development/planning, and in turn, sustainability






A round table/forum with leading educators, curriculum

developers, researchers, etc., to look at ways to integrate

nature into the school curriculum






Sessions for school children to experience nature at the

Robert Bateman Centre and the grounds of Royal Roads

University / Hatley Park





Research to determine whether integrating nature into

the school curriculum contributes to lasting social change,

and if so, how this occurs






Development of the Child

and Nature Alliance

> Providing support, toolkits and networking for agencies and organizations

across Canada that support children and families getting outside, into nature

> Networking and collaborating with Children and Nature Network in USA

> Provide toolkits, resources to teachers, researchers, and non-formal educators

across Canada

> Celebrate Best-Practices of outdoor and health education in Canada

> Be seen as the go-to place for environmental and outdoor education initiatives

across Canada

Child and Nature Alliance

Children and families will experience un-structured play through outdoor programming on the diverse Royal Roads University/hatley park site

and the engaging, highly interactive youth-based areas of the Centre. Additionally, the Robert Bateman Centre

will be a centre of research on how to build strong and lasting connections between children, their families and the natural world, and also on how outdoor play can positively affect children’s cognitive, social, and physical development.

the Robert Bateman Centre is building a rela-tionship with the Child and nature Alliance, a society that focuses on improving the health

and well-being of children, youth and families through fostering a strong connection with nature. The Alliance, formally launched in march 2009, is a virtual network connecting programs that encourage children, youth

and families to play outdoors. It collaborates with the Children and nature network in the United States, an organization that was catalyzed by Richard Louv’s book, The Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature Deficit Disorder. The Alliance supports groups, schools, teachers, youth and families by encouraging them to take part in activities and projects that get them outside.

Get outside! It’s in our nature


Forums/sessions with local communities regarding foods

and food issues for Vancouver Island:

> local growers

> restaurateurs

> policy makers/government officials

> researchers

> Centre for Non-Timber Resources (CNTR)

The goal is to develop a plan for the island, to identify

and discuss issues/barriers/opportunities







Development of programs (short term, certificate, degree

programs) in sustainable heritage gardening/agronomy





Exploration of the use of the campus for food production

(including community gardens, etc.)





Research projects exploring the impact of local food

production/consumption on urban planning and design,

agency, etc.





Food Sustainability and Vancouver Island

the results and progress of all programming activities will be showcased as part of the Robert Bateman Centre through exhibits, presentations,

a dynamic interactive online presence, access to data and copies of publications and presentations.

The Centre will serve as a resource for the inclusion of sustainability and sustainability concepts in all Royal Roads University courses and programs.

Along with the research undertaken to develop best practices, new ideas and strategies, the incorporation of these ideals into the Royal Roads University curriculum will provide students with the tools and skills they need to change their environment, influence policy in their communities and workplaces, produce lasting changes in their daily lives and habits, and grow into strong and effective leaders for future generations.


Research Nature Deficit Disorder,

ecological literacy, environmental

education experiences, technology

and outdoor experiences and health

and outdoor education

> Collaborate with educators, researchers and experts in these fields

> Provide best practices for environmental sustainability education research through

integration with Environmental Education Journals across North America

> provide cognitive and psychological research in immersive

educational experiences

> Close collaboration with Children and Nature Network

and Child and Nature Alliance

Building integration among formal

and non-formal education sectors

and supporting active and outdoor

learning experiences within all forms

of education

> Work closely with the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Healthy Living

and Sport, and Ministry of Environment for policy and regulation support

for nature education

> Map relationships among government agencies for opportunities to influence

children, youth and families to get outside, into nature

> Map Integrated Resource Packages and Prescribed Learning Outcomes

for outdoor and health education

Round table with youth/educators/

researchers/curriculum developers,

to look at ways to integrate strategies

into the curriculum and into society.

Include school boards, school

personnel, teachers

> Enable a Canadian Speaker’s Bureau across Canada

> Enable a space for youth and adults to dialogue about critical

educational elements

> Use generative facilitation techniques for integration into Bateman Centre

activities – such as environmental art and creativity education

> Coordinate a Natural Leaders youth coalition across Canada – where hundreds

of active youth help support outdoor experiences

Immersive educational experiences

for schools, children, youth and

families at the Robert Bateman

Centre wetland, and RRU/Hatley Park

grounds to learn about nature, being

outside, and creativity

> Integrate with local school districts, and most importantly, support existing

outdoor education programs (e.g. School Districts in CRD and Island)

> Provide a space that is adaptable, functional, and multi-season-oriented

for schools, youth and families, with Bateman Centre staff, RRU students

> Host forums such as the Get Outside! Forum for educational practitioners

> Host a youth forum

A longitudinal research initiative

on sustainable education following

the progress of this topic and

determining the degree of measurable

social change

> Engage with other educators and researchers in the study of environmental

education and its impacts

> Provide RRU with a chance to increase its published resources including books

and peer-reviewed journal articles

Robert Bateman Centre Mission StatementThe Robert Bateman Centre at Royal Roads University is inspired by his life-long passion as an educator and artist, and commitment to the environment. Presenting Robert Bateman’s art as a living legacy, the centre is a nexus for creativity, communications, discovery, active learning and research, and for motivating positive global change in our dynamic relationships within the natural world.

Cover: Lone Raven, 2001; acrylic on canvas

Architectural Concept drawings by David Barker

Visitor Experience Concept drawings by Reynold Knowlton

Coast Salish designs by Charlene George ~ kQWA’ST’NOT

AnCient Song

Ancient Grandma returns with memories of songs and teachings. Combine old with new, put the Creator in all actions, respect every Being, have eyes open. Raven is her speaker, her hand open with many gifts. Be thankful, self-reflect, find joy and reflect outward.

Concept, design, art direction by Gary McCartie

Text by Bruce Obee

Production design by Media Technologies – Royal Roads University

Photos courtesy of: Robert and Birgit Bateman Media Technologies – RRU Derek Masselink P. Ag. Gary McCartie Bruce Obee Jonathan Losee

© 2009

100% recycled post-consumer paper

bateman presentation

Documents