Beyond fines: Rethinking justice for crimes against nature.

In August 2026, Professor Miranda Forsyth participated in an online webinar hosted by Environmental Justice Australia and the Nature Media Centre examining the role of restorative justice in responding to environmental harm. The discussion focused on the Wild Cattle Creek case in New South Wales, where the unlawful clearing of protected trees on Gumbaynggirr Country led to a restorative justice process involving Traditional Owners.

As Co-Director of the Centre for Restorative Justice, Professor Forsyth shared insights from her involvement in documenting the restorative justice process and reflected on the capacity of restorative approaches to address harms that extend beyond environmental damage to Country, culture, communities and relationships. The webinar brought together Gumbaynggirr leaders, legal practitioners, researchers and environmental advocates to consider the contribution restorative justice can make alongside existing legal and regulatory responses.

The discussion also connected closely with recent research at the Centre on restorative regulation, including questions about how regulatory systems can foster dialogue, accountability, repair and more collaborative responses to harm. These themes are explored further in Growing Restorative Regulation, co-authored by Miranda Forsyth, Felicity Tepper, Deborah Hollingworth and Alistair Nairn, which examines how restorative approaches can contribute to more responsive and effective regulatory practice.

Participants also reflected on practical pathways for strengthening Environmental Restorative Justice in Australia, including meaningful participation by Traditional Owners and the importance of ensuring that commitments arising from restorative processes are carried through in practice.

Watch the recording and read the webinar recap here: Restorative Justice webinar recap – Environmental Justice Australia