Students on a landmark environmental degree have been granted the opportunity to work with National Trust properties across Cornwall to help them address some of their climate and sustainability needs.
Undergraduates on the BA (Hons) Environmental Humanities degree at the University of Exeter, Cornwall, will partner with heritage sites as varied as St Michael's Mount and Botallack Mine on joint research projects.
It follows an agreement between the National Trust and the University, which is the first of its kind to be signed by the conservation charity.
The students are all enrolled on the BA (Hons) Environmental Humanities degree, which in 2023 became the first - and still only - programme in the country to focus on the importance of arts and humanities in responding to the climate crisis.
"This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to work alongside the National Trust and make a tangible contribution to their operations in Cornwall," said Dr Wendy McMahon, co-lead on the degree, and a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Humanities in the Humanities and Social Sciences (HASS) department on the Penryn campus. "From exploring the impact of coastal erosion to questions around sustainability in historic houses, there will be a wealth of real-world challenges for students and site managers to collaborate on. We are excited to see the impact this partnership can generate."
The second-year students visited numerous Trust properties and sites in May, where they spoke with managers to gain an understanding of the environmental challenges they face. This included the Trust's portfolio of stately homes, wild coastlines and mining heritage sites, such as Lanhydrock and Gunwalloe Cove.
The students will then design a research project to be conducted during their final year, where they will be co-supervised by Trust staff.
"We're delighted to be working with the Environmental Humanities course and are excited to welcome the students to our places and involve them in our work," said Ian Marsh, Assistant Director, South West, National Trust. "The energy and ideas they bring will be valuable in making our places more accessible and we're excited by the diversity of voices and thought the collaboration will result in."
The Environmental Humanities degree is designed to be practical and placement-focused, and this partnership with the National Trust is one of several collaborations that the University has in place with organisations in Cornwall. In their first year, students undertake a field school module at the Penzance-based Hypatia Trust and Gardener's House Museum, which celebrates women's literary, artistic and scientific achievements. In the second year, they complete a residential with the Eden Project.
"Through these partnerships, our students engage with organisations and issues that operate and resonate on local, national and international levels," adds Dr Harry Pitts, Senior Lecturer in Politics and Head of Department for HaSS Penryn. "Our students gain practical experience that will offer them key employability skills; our partners have access to talent and fresh perspectives; and hopefully, the individual sites will benefit from free research that will enable them to better address the challenges they face."
