“I recently attended the Future Countryside event at Raby Castle, Co. Durham, and a Moorland Matters event in Arkengarthdale, North Yorkshire. The idea of both was to bring the different interests in the countryside together to explore opportunities for working collaboratively. One of the main conclusions I reached was the importance of language.”
At the simplest level, this comes down to ensuring a broad understanding of terms used. Too often we sit in our various roles, comfortable in the knowledge we have and the language we use, without considering how others might perceive what we are saying or even understand. For example, we often use the term ‘recruitment’ in the context of wildlife populations. Recruitment is used by scientists for adding new individuals to a population, but it is not one that is perhaps widely understood. Referring to ‘breeding success’ or the number of young each adult pair raises could achieve the message better.
Context is therefore an important determinant of ensuring that the message is received by the widest possible audience. Misunderstandings are what underpins the principle concern I have about language – and that is its ability to reinforce conflict. The term peatland burning to describe controlled/prescribed burning on grouse moors comes to mind here. It is factually incorrect as the peat is not burnt during a controlled/prescribed burn, but it reinforces the message that those opposed to grouse moor management want to get across – that it has negative effects on peatlands.