Opening Nature and the Outdoors to Black Asian and minority ethnic communities in the UK - Workshops within PLANET4B project

PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project Report on Workshop 3 Intensive case study: Opening Nature and the Outdoors to Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities.i Sunday 30th June at Mercure Lambert Hotel in Oxfordshire UK From CU: Geraldine Brown (GB), Alex Franklin (AF), Barbara Smith (BS) From Dadima’s CIC: Geeta Ludhra (GL), Subash Ludhra (SL), plus 10 participants who have attended Dadima’s walks. Independent filmmaker: Ben Cook (BC) Time Item Lead(s) 9 am Pre-meeting Greet participants from 9.30 am onwards (told to arrive at 9.45) 10.0010.15 Morning session welcome and introduction led by GL - Revisiting consent - Setting the context: Alternative ways of knowing - Situating biodiversity within a more inclusive lens GL 10.15 Revisiting Biodiversity and mapping biodiversity in the cupboard BS 11. 30 Comfort Break 11.45 Making a difference and encouraging biodiversity (Impact) GB 12.30 Lunch AF & SL 13. 15 Participatory filmmaking: Getting out in nature GB, SL & BC 14. 15 Comfort Break 14. 30 Summary of journey, next meetings AF & GB 15.05 Close and thank you. Postcard thoughts/words/images GL & AF Introductions GL greeted the Learning Community, introducing two participants to their first face-to-face workshop. GL began by sharing extracts from publications exploring the environment from the perspective of global majority and indigenous communities. GL also brought along bunches of home-grown lavender to share with members of the Learning Community. PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project The Learning Community comprises eleven participants who have previously participated in walks organised by Dadima's CIC. Geeta and Subash are the walk leaders and occupy a dual role as PLANET4B Learning Community participants and co-facilitators, alongside the CU team. Ten participants attended Workshop 3. GL revisited the issue of informed consent and informed participants about a new process moving forward in which all visual data would be shared with the Learning Community via their WhatsApp to ensure Learning Community members had an additional opportunity to have a say about the visual data collected and used in the project. See below for demographic information for all those who have attended at least one workshop: Non-dependent children: over 16 Dependent children: under 16 or aged 16-18 and in full time education Other multi-person household: flat shares, single parents with non-dependent children only, households containing more than one couple or single parent. **None of the participants identifies as having a disability. The two new participants gave informed consent to participate in the Learning Community and agreed to allow PLANET4B to use any images collected as part of the project. 4 3 3 2 1 30-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 Age group 41 6 1 1 Which faith do you most identify with? 2 9 1 1 ASIAN / ASIAN BRITISH INDIAN AFRICAN MIXED OTHER Ethnicity 36% 64% Highest qualification Degree Postgraduate qualification 3 4 1 2 1 Household composition Single occupancy Married/cohabiting couple with no children / non-dependent children Married/cohabiting couple with dependent (child)ren Single parent family - one parent with dependent child(ren) Other multi-person household PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project Mapping Biodiversity in the Cupboard Following an emerging interest from the Learning Community about how consideration for biodiversity might inform food choices, BS introduced a task for members of the community to choose five items from their food cupboards, photograph them, and share them on the WhatsApp group. Ahead of the workshop BS looked at the ingredient lists of the items chosen, pulling out individual ingredients to research where in the world they are sourced and how they are farmed. The ingredients can be seen in the word cloud to the right. Those words in larger text were those ingredients that appeared more frequently. PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project At Workshop 3, BS invited the community to gather around a world map, where they were given flags representing various ingredients, to place on the countries they thought the item was produced. A single ingredient can come from multiple places, so BS chose the location based on the largest producer of that particular ingredient. People placed the flags where they guessed the biggest producers might be. Discussing the mapping was done collectively, led by BS, with discussion not only around food miles travelled (contributing to increased carbon, contributing to climate change, contributing to biodiversity loss), but also around how that item might be produced (in what kind of environment, with how much land use, and whether the type of farming is intensive or industrial, or could be organic, agroecological). One participant described it this way: I think that’s one of the steps to behaviour change – we’re looking at ingredients and we’re trying to talk about it in a nuanced way, which isn’t just about air miles – and how we make informed decisions about where our food comes from. Having a round-the-table discussion is really nice. China was found to be the biggest producer of a number of the ingredients selected, (chilis, garlic, apples and carrots). There were some surprises among the group, for example, Turkey was one of the largest producers of cumin and Spain was one of the largest producers of paprika. A discussion resided around who owns the means of production, the role of politics and its relevance to biodiversity; whether that is through the food we buy or stemming from public discourse and how biodiversity issues are framed. A common view expressed is a need for a more nuanced understanding, it was identified that it is often easy to overlook a range of factors important when thinking about food production and consumption. China offered a useful example in terms of the size of China’s population suggesting there will be a high internal demand and, while China is the biggest producer of e.g. apples or chilis, it may produce only certain varieties. The majority of apples available in the UK are produced in the UK. One ingredient that travels a distance is akee, but this is a product of agroforestry – it doesn’t grow in monocultures – and is pollinated by bees so its production is relatively biodiversity friendly. Coconut is typically grown by smallholders and produced in areas of biodiversity vulnerability. Although it can be grown sustainably, it can also be grown in a way that negatively impacts biodiversity. Agave is pollinated by bats, so its production supports biodiversity, however, when the plant flowers, it dies, so in some cases growers prevent it from flowering by taking a cutting, causing bat populations in the areas where there is agave cultivation to suffer. There was consideration also of individual biases: some people may choose to avoid buying from Israel, Russia, China, the USA etc. While our choices matter to ensure the food we buy considers biodiversity via food miles, or the way it’s grown as well as geopolitics, it was recognised that not everyone has the privilege of ‘choice’ which may be contingent on a range of factors (cost, location, religion and culture). PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project BS asked for ideas about how we might change the farming system to make it more sustainable and who we might approach to do this. SL and GL have been talking to their local farmer who is switching to biodiverse farming and has led one of their community walks. One of the Learning Community highlighted the challenges to smallscale farmers who want to access government grants to convert to more sustainable methods, but don’t have the resources to apply for them. Seasonal eating was discussed as well as waste, and foraging. Awareness was cited as key, and the important role here for social influencers, be they chefs, celebrity farmers etc. to take greater responsibility as part of their marketing. GL posed the challenge as to what we are willing to compromise in terms of our cultural taste preferences and cuisine dishes, and what we grew up eating when considering biodiversity in our food choices. BS proposes to drill down into this data, to include population sizes as well as import/export information, that can be shared with the Learning Community at a later date. Capturing Behavioural Change To explore the impact of the PLANET4B project, the Learning Community was invited to participate in a World Café activity. In preparation, members of the Learning Community were asked to bring an object, thought, or concept that has made them think differently about biodiversity or has impacted their behaviour since engaging in the Learning Community. During the activity, the Learning Community was organised into three small groups. Each group was given approximately fifteen minutes to spend time at three different tables, where they shared their reflections on the following questions: 1. What change does your object (or thought) represent? 2. What changes you have made since being part of the Learning Community? 3. Things you want to change Each table had a designated facilitator to discuss and document topics from the conversation. The following are key points from each table. Table 1 What change does your object (or thought) represent? Object/thought Change it represents Green sauce Being part of this PLANET4B conversation has made me more aware and encouraged me to use critical thinking skills about the things I buy. PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project What change does your object (or thought) represent? I would resort to things like this supermarket marinade all the time. The third ingredient down is spinach – now I know when I have fresh spinach it starts to deteriorate after a few days, whereas in this bottle it lasts for ages – because of all the other chemicals. Instead, I could buy spinach from locally sourced farms and puree it and make my own marinades that are just as tasty and probably a lot better for my health, and freeze if not using all at once. Since becoming a father I’m trying to make healthier decisions, those that are better for the environment and feeling less guilty about them. Hand-rolled Frangipani incense sticks One of the changes we’ve been discussing is around buying and supporting ‘local’ but also acknowledging some of the scents we collect from around the world aren’t necessarily from that country. In Bali recently we only bought essential oils and scents that were grown and distilled in Bali. It’s made me conscious that when I travel, I will only buy local things. Child’s gardening set Although it was bought for our granddaughter by someone who is not an outdoors person, it has become an important and exciting part of our granddaughter’s kit when she comes to the house. If it wasn’t for PLANET4B and it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be growing some of our own lettuce and carrots this year. When we were raising our kids, we didn’t have a lot of time – we were always busy surviving, it’s really nice to slow down with a granddaughter and spend more time in the garden. Walking boots I was inspired by Dadima’s to invest in (the walking boots). I used to wear my trainers which would just get wet and made me disinclined to take on walking in nature. These boots represent my choice to get into nature, be in the elements more, rain or mud – essentially Mother Earth. Experiencing and being immersed in it. Jam jar of soil from my garden I’d never really appreciated soil health before, and I’ve thought about it, and it probably is vital for everything we’re doing. The change it’s made me think is smaller, granular – what can I do as an individual? I’d love to do the big stuff, but I think it’s about starting small and developing it from there. Film of my garden shared via WhatsApp I’ve been documenting my garden every four weeks. Because I moved onto a new development, the first thing I noticed was no bird sound. I planted it up. I put bark down mainly to control weeds, but what I’m fascinated about is all the little creatures that actually live in the bark and the way that the birds go in and out of the bark. And the bird app has made me so aware and in the video although I’m telling you about my plants you can hear the birds in the background. I’m so delighted that I now know more about birds! I never would have thought about birds but now I make a conscious choice of plants that will attract them. PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project What change does your object (or thought) represent? Picture of wild area in my garden It’s there to hide the shed and I have to make less effort to clear up that patch, but it’s fascinating to see the insects and lifeforms that come, like bees, and blackberries are growing. I’ve picked berries with my grandson since he was two in Brecon Beaches but now promoting an area in my garden. I downloaded Merlin (bird app) and I’m becoming a little more aware of the birds that are around. The beauty of this app is it gives you common names (I didn’t want to learn the Latin). I’m enjoying that at the moment. Lifestyle changes I’ve just been diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in both lungs, so it’s about changing my whole lifestyle and attitude – not rushing to the supermarket and buying convenience food but reflecting on the food I do actually eat and how it’s affecting me. Not rushing around but doing more things in nature, that I actually want to do. Maybe leading community walks in nature for people with mental health issues. My life was like being a hamster on a wheel – fast, doing things for other people mostly, working – now I’m thinking about what I can contribute to the community and how I can support biodiversity in my own area. Photograph of my kitchen windowsill For me it’s easy to grow stuff – I have a ginger sprouting already, rosemary, lavender, mint. I bought romaine lettuce seedlings and I harvest the top leaves and leave the rest in so I won’t need to buy anymore lettuce this year. I hate washing dishes but when I’m standing at that windowsill looking out at the garden it just brings me so much peace and joy. A book: ‘Braiding Sweetgrass’ I’d never been exposed to agroforestry before. It talks about the three sisters: corn peas and squash growing together. I’ve got an allotment plot and since starting at Natural England, I’ve learnt about monocultures and how when we cut down trees for paper it can really damage the soil. I look at the same landscape through completely different eyes. I’m passionate about language and want to make it inclusive for people because I think nature conservation terminology can be prohibitive in the terms that are used. Reusing plastic bags A big change we’ve seen in the UK is people’s attitudes to plastic bags. I have a lot of reusable bags, but I don’t often have them with me when I pop to the shop. I’ve been challenged about being more conscious of carrying this around with me. Small changes do make a big difference. Smart phone This allows me to download apps including iNaturalist and Merlin to identify species. We also have access to the internet – it’s instant knowledge when you’re out in nature, foraging for mushrooms or wild garlic. The power of this is unbelievable if we use it in the right way. I use ordinance survey to plan walks. It’s something we never had 20 years ago. PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project Table 2 3 changes you have made since being part of the Learning Community Biodiversity in the cupboard has made people reflect a lot more. When you’re looking at buying food, you’re not just looking at e.g. how much sugar or salt has it got in it but thinking about the origin and the contents. Increased awareness to make critical and informed decisions The importance of handholding, supporting others in what you’re doing The usefulness of having little tasks to help prepare your mind for conversations – like bringing an object, helps get you ready to have a dialogue about it PLANET4B receives funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101082212. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. This project is funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee. understanding Plural values, intersectionality, Leverage points, Attitudes, Norms, behavior and social IEarning in Transformation for Biodiversity decision making PLANET4B Project 3 changes you have made since being part of the Learning Community Using the iNaturalist app – sometimes that’s challenging because it requires a lot of personal data. Using the bird app (Merlin) – to create awareness of birds, what do you feed your birds? The question of ‘what is biodiversity?’ and how do you explore that more, either through conversations or using filmmaking – becoming more aware Whether travelling to the other side of the world or being in your local street – now viewing it through a biodiversity lens Dadima’s meadows walk – how do you take that back into your own gardens, your own space? Chain effects – e.g. being prompted to grow more food, and doing that has prompted the person to think about the shelf life of food, and that’s made him consider what they put into food from the shop to make it last so long Eating more seasonally The importance of handholding and supporting people and having easy tasks – like bringing an object – helps prepare the mind for having a conversation Growing salad, fruit and vegetables Thinking about our biases when buying food – are we anti-China, or Russia or America? Do we need to think more critically about things we haven’t had time to do in our daily lives? The importance of the knowledge of elders – and how to pass that down The value of a diversity of experiences in the room Table 3 3 things you want to change Attitude to food – have we become a cash-rich society, but time-poor mentality – the packaging, frozen food, everything quick and easy Composting food waste – including glut of e.g. apples from tree that rot before they can be eaten Giving away surplus food rather than seeing it go to waste - some people leave baskets outside their houses for people to take food away. Food prep days - Let's go back to those old ways of preparing food.