Against Our Better Nature:Engaging Audiences with the Historic Environment in “Natural” Landscapes

Abstract

Government, managing bodies and researchers have all identified the importance of engaging young people with the “natural environment”, particularly that of National Parks, which are created in areas of particularly significant ‘natural’ environments. Yet, as Hoskins notes in his seminal 1956 book, The Making of the English Landscape, much of which we consider today to be ‘natural’ is the product of millennia of human interaction and modification. The engagement of young people with the historic environment upon which the “natural landscape” sits is equally important. Still, the natural environment sees much greater recognition when compared to its historic counterpart. To date, approaches to facilitate improved engagement have relied on questionnaire surveys typically responded to by visitors and older demographics. This thesis assesses the role that the social media platform Instagram can play in improving the understanding of young people’s perceptions of the historic environment of one National Park, namely the New Forest. Additionally, the research proceeded to develop bespoke citizen science projects that utilised the interpretation of social media posts, as well as the media platform itself, to deliver projects that saw improved participation when compared to more traditional approaches. The thesis concludes with an assessment of the benefits of the methodologies delivered within this research and how they might influence local and national approaches to communication, engagement and understanding for young people