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Holliman, Richard; Smith, Kelly; Khatwa, Anjana; Warren, Clare; Araya, Yoseph; Ansine, Janice and Badger, Marcus
(2023).
URL: https://pcst2023.nl
Abstract
The ‘Walking the Walk’ Project was funded by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council to engage with minoritized grassroot community walking groups. We sought to support walk leaders to be confident about communicating the science of the environment, and to identify and remove barriers for minoritized people to study, work and/or volunteer in environmental science. We drew on previous science communication research and practice through engaged research design to lead eight walks. Our approach was responsive, engaging with walk leaders on an equitable basis to exchange scientific and ‘local’ knowledge. Some groups requested training in practical skills, such as map reading and walking route planning; others requested scientific information, e.g. covering processes of landscape formation and ecology of flora and fauna. We produced a detailed map of relevant ‘publics’, from which we identified 12 walk leaders to interview about their lived experiences of walking in nature. The interviews were interpreted through reflexive thematic analysis. The map of relevant ‘publics’ is complex, involving ‘resource-rich’ and ‘resource-poor’ institutional actors. Key 'publics’ include established and establishing community walking groups and Community Interest Companies (CIC) that organise walks with minoritized collectives. Walk leaders’ motivations to organise walks varied, but with a strong emphasis on improving inter-generational health and well-being, (re)claiming outdoor spaces for all, establishing or maintaining connections to recognise and celebrate cultural identity, and education for conservation and stewardship. Overall, we argue that combining ethically-informed approaches to science communication research and practice can secure common ground where scientists and community groups can address long-standing structural inequalities.
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