About
Tim is a mature, part-time candidate PGR @RiversandPeople.bsky.social
Through the lens of cultural ecosystem services and cultural dis-services, and relational and intrinsic values, Tim is investigating our relationship with chalk stream headwaters that are temporary and called winterbournes (in their dry, ponded & flowing phases) & chalk aquifers / groundwater.
Tim enjoys using inductive participatory methods e.g. situated walking interviews and solicited diary, with reflexive thematic analysis in his studies.
Funded by the Environment Agency, and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust on behalf of the Test and Itchen Catchment Partnership.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- -? chalk stream winterbournes / temporary rivers
- -? relational and intrinsic values
- -? participatory methods
- -? cultural ecosystem services / nature's contribution to people frameworks
Current research
The headwaters of chalk streams naturally range in time and space between flowing, ponded and dry phases in response to seasonal fluctuations in groundwater levels, giving rise to their name – winterbournes. To better understand our relationships with winterbournes, Tim is conducting walking interviews with local people, situated alongside or sometimes even in winterbourne streams. With particular regards to cultural ecosystem services and relational and intrinsuic values, he is asking what these ever-changing places mean to people.
Tim has recently kicked-off a new study into our relationship with temporary streams. Foregrounding relational values, and exploring the theoretical concept of Attention Restoration Theory, Tim is using solicited diary method to investigate how and why winterbournes affect our psychological wellbeing over the course of a year.
Publications
External roles and responsibilities
Biography
Away from his research, Tim is passionate about the conservation of our native wildlife, our landscape, and natural processes, for its own intrinsic value, because it makes life worth living and because it makes life possible. Tim has a strong sense of stewardship and cares about his relationship with nature as a recipricol one. An award-winning chalk stream champion working for several Wildlife Trusts and now the Environment Agency, Tim has 38 years of rich experience as an ecologist in nature conservation, protecting, restoring, and enhancing our natural heritage. He strives to make our natural environment more accessible, socially inclusive, and positively contributes towards human wellbeing, so everyone benefits, including nature.