The role of wetlands in modern society as a financial and environmental resource often bring their uses in to conflict with land use and traditional practices. Under the project Wetland Futures in Contested Environments, Ben and Abbi have explored how people recognise, relate to, and understand different wetland environments.
Focussing on three different peatland locations in the UK, Ilkley Moor, Thorne and Hatfield Moors, and Shapwick Heath, the research employs a mixed methods approach including online questionnaires, interviews, literature review, and existing data (such as newspaper coverage and user-generated reviews on Tripadvisor). The research provides insights into the variety of usages of peatlands, and the different comprehensions of heritage in these locations, with implications for how we think about and manage peatland heritage.
