3 reasons why the humanities are key to conservation
Wildlife conservation is vital to slowing the extinction of animals and supporting the fragile ecosystems that keep us alive and thriving. Here are three ways that the humanities support conservation action at the University of Leeds.
Biologists continue to support our understanding of the species we have on the planet, their needs and why they must be protected.
However, most of the damage to the environment is done by humans. It makes sense, then, that social scientists have also become involved in conservation to understand this human activity and support behaviour change.
This picture is not quite complete, though.
Researchers in the humanities, too, are asking questions that get to the root causes of this human behaviour, such as:
· Why do people have harmful beliefs about nature?
· How can we balance the needs of humans and the rest of the natural world?
· Can history and heritage show us how humans and nature best live together?
Below, we explore how these questions can bring about sustainable change in environments around the world.
1. Much-needed context
One project, titled “Corridor Talk: Conservation Humanities and the Future of Europe’s National Parks,” advocates for the humanities to be included in conservation work.
The researchers investigated three national parks in different European countries, looking at:
· Local people’s thoughts and feelings about these spaces
· How animals have historically moved through the spaces
· How humans’ rights to access have changed the spaces.
Comparing the three parks meant that they could study the impacts of different conservation methods.
They worked with local practitioners to find solutions that balance nature conservation and human use of the spaces.
As Professor Graham Huggan, lead investigator of the project, observes:
“Scientists and humanities academics have much to gain by talking and listening to each other, as well as talking and listening to — building corridors with — practitioners whose experience and knowledge are urgently needed as well.”
Read more about the Conservation Humanities project.
2. Changing the narratives
We may not always realise it, but our attitudes, likes and dislikes, fears and habits are often crafted for us by generations of narratives.
For example, many people understand the benefits of a healthy bee population. They may see bees as cute, helpful and unique. However, they might hate wasps with a passion, find them to be a nuisance and want to avoid “wasp season” at all costs.
In truth, both are pollinators who improve our natural world, even if they also have the potential to sting us.
Dr Franziska E Kohlt researches how narratives shape our relationships with insects. From Alice in Wonderland to Animal Crossing, we have all absorbed stories about animals throughout our lives.
Dr Kohlt shows that we must understand which stories are being told about nature and recognise which ones are unhelpful or untrue, so we can change them.
In turn, we are more likely to act compassionately towards nature.
She has engaged audiences with inclusive and interactive work like the “Insects Through the Looking Glass” exhibition.
As Alice in Wonderland is so well known, the visiting public could use their existing knowledge of insects when talking about them in this space.
This meant their conversations were less daunting and more empowering — this is another powerful aspect of stories.
When it comes to the public changing their behaviour, both an understanding and feelings of inclusion and empowerment are needed.
This can be supported by positive, intentional communication strategies by researchers, the media, and other influential people — something that the humanities can help with.
Find out more about Dr Kohlt’s work on bugs in media.
3. Heritage, culture and co-creation
Conservation is a global need. So, many projects at the University of Leeds aim to support environments and cultures worldwide.
To be most impactful, international projects like Professor Graham Huggan’s involve local people and communities.
They are co-produced with local practitioners and organisations and seek to empower communities all over the world.
Their solutions are often more sustainable long-term because they are based on the local people’s lived experiences, resources and ways of living.
To co-create, researchers must be able to communicate well with people from different backgrounds, so an understanding of languages and cultures is essential.
Dr Francesca Giliberto’s World Changers essay ‘Bridging past, present — and future: how can heritage support development?’ emphasises the importance of heritage in all research projects.
“Heritage encompasses landscapes, traditional ecological knowledge and practices, identity and sense of place, rituals and beliefs, local and Indigenous Peoples’ ways of life, world views and achievements,” she remarks.
“Connecting social and cultural issues to environmental and biodiversity concerns makes heritage a fundamental ally of environmental conservation and natural resource management.”
This shows the importance of heritage, history and cultural contexts in conservation and other global projects that aim to meet sustainability goals.
Read Dr Francesca Giliberto’s World Changers essay ‘Bridging past, present — and future: how can heritage support development?’
