Adders are Amazing project evaluation of attitudes and connectedness to nature

Adder (Vipera berus) populations are experiencing declines in many
countries, including the UK. Perceptions of adders and other venomous
snakes are generally negative, making conservation of these species a
challenge, and persecution remains within the top five perceived causes
for adder declines in the UK. Improved understanding and attitudes are
needed to support current conservation efforts. However, ensuring these
positive attitudes continue into the future relies on addressing
children’s loss of connection to nature, and intervention at this early
attitude-formation stage can be crucial for traditionally ‘unpopular’
species, such as snakes. An adder-focussed public-engagement project,
Adders are Amazing!, was carried out in Pembrokeshire, UK, in 2018–19 to
improve understanding and attitudes towards adders using a blended
science-creative arts approach. The project included half-day primary
school-based workshops to inform 111 pupils aged 8 to 11 about adder
ecology, alongside creative art experiences. Questionnaires were used to
measure the children’s attitudes towards adders and their nature
connectedness both before and after the workshops and these were compared
with equivalent questionnaires carried out at a control school (57 pupils)
where no workshops were conducted.  The project demonstrated that
engagement that blends both art and science can significantly change
attitudes towards adders without any direct contact with the animals
themselves; specifically, participants’ scores for ‘Wonder’, ‘Learning
Interest’ and ‘Conservation Concern’ increased. The workshops also
significantly increased measures of the children’s general connectedness
to nature (specifically, ‘Enjoyment of Nature’ and ‘Responsibility for
Nature’). We recommend conservation bodies focus on, and not shy away
from, so-called ‘unpopular’ species, to promote understanding and
acceptance of these species and support their conservation. Blended
arts-science initiatives, which can be easily adapted to suit a wide range
of species and the artistic practices of local communities, are an
effective way to achieve this.