Spaces and Places

Invitation

You are being invited to consider taking part in the research study of ‘The Geographies of Climate and Ecological Emergencies – Sustainable communities and youth for nature’s recovery in Staffordshire’. This project is being undertaken by Alana Wheat and supervised by Dr Deirdre McKay.

Before you decide whether you wish to take part, it is important for you to understand why this research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read this information carefully and discuss it with friends and relatives if you wish. Do feel free to ask the researcher if there is anything that is unclear or if you would like more information. Please take time to consider whether you wish to participate.

How can I share your work with others?

Please share the website link (www.AlanaWheat.com) with others, it will be fantastic to get as many people engaged with the project as possible.

What are the risks of taking part?

Potential risks to participation could be that someone posts yours or someone else’s private garden or space stating that it is a public park. The researcher will check every single submission against other maps available online as well as visit the location if necessary, to minimise any chance of this happening. Submissions will be screened (by checking each and every address on Google, social media websites (in particular, seeing if the location has a Facebook page) and other maps (e.g. Google Maps), and will be manually put on the map by the researcher if they are appropriate. Addresses of private residences will not be put on the map.

Due to the simplistic and small-scale nature of the project, it should not cause unrest for the users of the space. If the researcher identifies an issue with the location submitted, the researcher holds the right not to publish the space or initiative on the map if it goes against what was agreed to on the consent form.

However, if any problems were to arise during the research activity or if you find any problems on the website, please contact the researcher via w8h07@students.keele.ac.uk.

I want to see the final results, what do I do?

If you would like to see the final results, please keep an eye on the website.

Who will have access to the information?

The dissertation supervisor and the researcher will have access to the information received from you. The location will be included on the map that will be included on the website.

To ensure personal information is not collected unnecessarily, the questionnaires put trust and faith in the participants that the data they submit is genuine, however, if someone says that there is a problem the data can be removed accordingly. This is to avoid needing to ask for proof of identity and personal documents to ID people.

What will happen if I take part?

The purpose of the basic map is to be able to see the geographical spread of green spaces and initiatives which will be used in the research. The submission form will ask for the name of the place, a short description if suitable and the coordinates or address.

The information submitted for the Mapping of Green Spaces and Initiatives will appear on a map which will be displayed on the website, once looked at by the researcher to make sure it is publicly accessible and a real location or initiative. The researcher may visit the location to check if it is genuine. The part of the research will not be used as in-depth for results analysis but will help to display green spaces and initiatives across Staffordshire.

If you do submit an entry for a space and/or initiative, once it is mapped by the researcher, others will be able to see it on the map.

Lockdown Measures

Please ensure that all lockdown measures and government guidelines are always followed during the COVID-19 pandemic. For current government updates; https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

You do not need to leave the comfort of your own home to participate.

The map will not be publicised on the website or through any other means until lockdown eases to allow outdoor exercise beyond your local village / town / area.

What if I want to withdraw?

Where will the information be stored and how long will it be kept for?

All the materials will remain digital and stored on a password protected computer.

The final research project will be completed by the 1st September 2021 and submitted as a dissertation to the School of Geography, Geology and the Environment at Keele University.

What happens next?

All you need to do now, if you have a location in mind that you would like to share, is supply what information you can in the questionnaire. For example, the postcode, address, or coordinates. The researcher will check every submission carefully before including the submission on the map, if it does not meet the guidelines or match to a real location or initiative it will not be included. If it is a community initiative, you may also want to supply a description and how the public can get in contact with you.

What are the benefits of taking part?

The map is a place to help to promote green spaces and community initiatives to individuals who may come across it. With the idea that the environmental movement is mobilised and taking action, but many do not know where to go to carry out that action or to take part in a larger environmental community that is in person and not just virtually.

Benefits are not guaranteed but you may use the map to find green spaces and initiatives local to you or in a way of forming partnerships and working on projects. For example, if there was to be a tree planting initiative, the surrounding local groups could be contacted to help with ease.

Today it is easy to get into an echo chamber of information and activities but there may be something of interest just around the corner!

It is unlikely that there will be any other benefit to the map in terms of policy or planning, this map is for recreational use and for the research project.

The map aims to expand upon the green spaces map; https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/greenspaces/

Other similar successful projects can be seen with ‘Earth Speakr’ (https://earthspeakr.art/en/) and ‘Sound of the Forest’ (https://timberfestival.org.uk/soundsoftheforest-soundmap/ ); Slow Ways (https://slowways.uk/ ) and more locally at SCVYS (https://staffscvys.org.uk/activities/ ) .

How will my information be used?

The location data collected will be placed onto an online map for all to access. The map will also be used in the research project to show the geographical variation in the green spaces and community initiatives.

The location provided will be checked by the researcher against websites such as https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/environment/RightsofWay/Footpaths-bridleways.aspx ; https://getoutside.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/greenspaces/  and other mapping online software such as Google Maps to ensure that it is a legitimate public location before being uploaded onto the map.

The published data in the dissertation may potentially be used for further academic research writings to do with the project. Please be aware that published data on the website will remain publicly available due to the nature of the internet.

Who is funding and organising the research?

The research is self-funded by the researcher.

What if there is a problem?

If you have a concern about any aspect of this study, you may wish to speak to the researcher, Alana Wheat - w8h07@students.keele.ac.uk, who will do their best to answer your questions. Alternatively, if you do not wish to contact the researcher you may contact Dr Deirdre McKay - https://www.keele.ac.uk/gge/ourpeople/deirdremckay/.

If you remain unhappy about the research and/or wish to raise a complaint about any aspect of the way that you have been approached or treated during the course of the study please write to the University’s contact for complaints regarding research at the following address: Research Integrity Team Directorate of Research, Innovation and Engagement IC2 Building, Keele University ST5 5NE. E-mail: research.governance@keele.ac.uk