ABOUT

THE BRIEF

Sefton Coast is home to rare and declining species including the natterjack toad, red squirrel and native butterflies. Despite living locally, many families are disconnected from the fragility of these ecosystems.

The challenge was to design an accessible, art-led framework that reconnects communities with local wildlife while supporting wellbeing and environmental literacy.

CONCEPT

The project reframes conservation education through immersive art practice.

Rather than passive information, participants engage with endangered species through making.

Original watercolour wildlife illustrations by Rebecca Christian form the visual foundation of the programme. These are translated into custom-designed origami papers, kinetic paper constructions and structured pastel pencil sessions using scientific illustration methods.

Each activity connects creativity with ecological understanding:

A fortune-teller origami tool revealing environmental species facts

A build-your-own butterfly worksheet, where participants select a native species to construct while exploring habitat needs, seasonal behaviour and what to plant locally to support its survival

A butterfly bookmark cut and folded from Rebecca’s pre-illustrated watercolour designs, created alongside guided discussion about species identification and ecological facts

A natterjack toad folded from illustrated paper, engineered to “bounce” into a red squirrel habitat basket

Scientific pastel sessions teach observation, proportion and anatomical accuracy — encouraging deeper attention to species detail and vulnerability.

Conservation is experienced physically, not abstractly.

EXECUTION

All artwork, visual identity and paper designs are created by Rebecca Christian.

The project was initially piloted in early 2024 and has since undergone significant independent redevelopment and expansion.

Following completion of a Level 3 Award in Education and Training, the programme was refined to strengthen learning outcomes, accessibility and structured delivery.

Development focused on:

Translating fine art illustration into functional foldable formats

Engineering kinetic paper mechanisms for durability

Integrating scientific drawing techniques into community sessions

Aligning each creative task with clear environmental messaging

The result is a cohesive art-led conservation model that balances craft precision with educational clarity.

IMPACT

The workshops:

Increase awareness of Sefton Coast’s endangered species

Encourage intergenerational participation

Promote mindful, therapeutic engagement

Demonstrate how fine art practice can operate as a behavioural tool

The project positions illustration not as decorative output, but as an active medium for environmental connection.