Hygiene and our relationship with nature – achieving a better balance? (360G-Wellcome-213267_Z_18_Z)

£12,149

Physical contact with dirt in the natural world poses a risk of infection. But does our concern to be hygienic limit our familiarity with, and therefore our respect for, the outdoor environment? Do we as a result persist with practices that threaten both our health and that of the planet? Working with Warwickshire Wildlife Trust (WkWT), based at their Brandon Nature Reserve, I will investigate how concerns about hygiene affect interaction between humans and the natural world. I will evaluate practices in this regard at Brandon, to establish how far this location can be held up as a model in terms of the ways institutions safeguard members of the public whilst having minimal impact on the environment. I will interview WkWT’s partner organizations such as schools, and report on how they minimize risks whilst promoting respect for nature. I will talk to staff and visitors at WkWT about balancing hygiene with a love of nature. Building on these conversations, I will formulate a questionnaire with which to approach the wider public. Working with WkWT’s schools team, I will devise a range of curriculum- linked workshops exploring how animals keep clean in the wild in comparison with human practice.

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Grant Details

Amount Awarded 12149
Applicant Surname Greenway
Approval Committee Internal Decision Panel for C&S
Award Date 2018-06-18T00:00:00+00:00
Financial Year 2017/18
Grant Programme: Title WT/POST Fellowship
Internal ID 213267/Z/18/Z
Lead Applicant Mrs Sophie Greenway
Partnership Value 12149
Planned Dates: End Date 2019-10-01T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Start Date 2018-10-01T00:00:00+00:00
Recipient Org: Country United Kingdom
Region West Midlands