Basic Info

Guided tour

Even if we know well the environments in which we lead our daily lives, we often know them from our own perspective. Meanwhile, participatory processes are about broadening the scope of considerations. The purpose of this activity is to support participants in observing different aspects of everyday environments and reflecting on connections between pollinators, their habitats, the built environment and human lives. Direct experience allows for engaging all senses and emotions, while the guides and different ‘hosts’ met on the way present different layers of the place through diverse expertise and points of view. In addition, the guided tour can serve as a team-building exercise and an energiser for participants. The outcome of this exercise includes impressions, reflections, conversations and observations, offering new perspectives on familiar places. 

Stage: Noticing

Format: In person

Work Modality: Large groups, Plenary

Location: Outdoor

Duration: 120mins

Topic(s): Pollinators

Preparations

The route needs to be identified beforehand. This can be a participatory process, where either the guide(s) and/or the participants explore parts of the route and interesting stops together. Do not focus on finding spectacular places - this is about understanding coexistence in everyday environments. If well guided, even a walk through the neighbourhood can be transformative! Such preparations can also be an important moment for knowledge exchange and trust-building among those involved – e.g., farmers and entomologists. The tour groups should be small enough to allow for conversation, so if there are too many participants, have a strategy in place to divide them. For example, randomly distribute to participants coloured cards. On one side of the card provide activity instructions, on the other side, e.g. the phone number for sending photos. Consider the feasibility of the route for all participants, including those with particular accessibility or transportation needs. Send participants detailed information on what they will need: right clothes, water, sunscreen, hats, etc. - and bring extra yourself as some might come unprepared. 

Tools

Tools: Notepads, Camera

Team

Team: Facilitator / moderator, Assistant, Scientific expert (e.g., entomologist)

Comments on Team

An entomologist as a guide is a must but having at least one more guide with a different background can enhance the experience. In rural areas consider including a farmer to discuss agricultural practices and the meanings the different locations have for locals; in a city invite an urban planner to introduce the built environment or a municipality representative to speak about regulations.During the walk you can expect a lot of conversations and questions, hence it might be helpful to have a moderator supporting these exchanges.

Process

Setting out, invite participants to pay attention to the details of the surroundings - the changing landscape, objects, animals, plants and places encountered will spark new impressions. Invite participants to pay particular attention to sounds, smell and touch, as these might bring new perspectives on familiar environments and broaden the scope of impressions. In selected places make a stop and introduce the points of interest. Apart from the guides, you can meet there ‘hosts’ who are connected to this location (e.g., owners, caretakers) and can speak about it in a more personal manner. Reserve ample time for asking questions and discussions.   Some words of caution. It's not always sunny out in the wild and with wind, humidity or changing weather pollinators might not be out and about. Don't worry - the habitats are still there and if you bring illustrations this can still work well.

Compatibility

After the walk, provide a break with refreshments, as participants may be excited but physically tired and will need time to transition from outdoor experiences to analytical work in sense-making stage. This can mean taking a lunch break in the form of a picnic.A guided tour involving participants taking photos of pollinators can be followed by a species identification session, during which all species are identified on the spot by an expert. The photos can also be utilised for an exhibition, which can be the starting point for using the Entanglement tool.  Participants’ experiences and reflections throughout the walk can form the basis for later discussions in sense-making and co-design activities. To be able to do that you should identify the right tools and strategies to collect them - like taking photos, notes, drawings, or recording sounds to capture impressions, ideas and moments of wonder - depending on which activities you will do later. Indeed, if you have a map of the area, you can start the sense making by inviting participants to add photos and notes to the map, to get an overview.

Resources