30 Ideas: Communicating a wetland’s cultural history
In 2021 we are marking 30 years of WLI cooperation by sourcing 30 neat ideas from WLI members. Today we hear from Alastair Brown of Randsfjordmuseet in Dokka, Norway.
Title: Communicating a wetland’s cultural history
Description: the Dokka delta in the lake Randsfjorden, Norway, is a Ramsar site with special protection as a nature reserve. Each year I take school children out in a boat and explain that what they are in fact seeing is a cultural landscape. We look at how activities such as logging, farming and hydroelectric have, and continue to affect life in the delta. Together cultural and natural history tell us why we should protect wetlands and what we should do and not do: nature conservation is interdisciplinary.
Learning and conservation outcomes: an awareness that species in wetlands do not live isolated from human activities. This is important for understanding eco-systems.
Audience: school children of all ages.
Cost: a stable boat that can take a small group.
Key themes: wetlands through the centuries, the interplay of humans and nature.
Equipment/resources: boat, good local cultural and natural history knowledge.