OUGD504 - Guidebook Research - Mindmap of Initial Ideas

Guidebook Initial Ideas

The brief is to gather primary and secondary research about an area of personal interest that will be used for a guidebook into the subject. Further research into the target audience should inform the design and production of the publication.

Initial Ideas 

It was quickly found that many of the subjects initially thought of, although particularly interesting would have been difficult to gather primary images for the book. 

Other subjects such as elongated pennies had little information, while others such as board games and stamps would mean collecting / buying the different objects to take pictures of. These were also quite broad subjects making it hard to fully represent them and also suggested that the final theme would need to be more specific to make it easier to research.  

A key theme within my initial ideas was nature so this was found to be the most likely subject to work with as it would allow more easier observation. 

Research into three initial subjects

 

Clouds 

- The classification of clouds comes from The Modifications of Clouds written in 1803  by Luke Howard, an amateur meteorologist
- These classifications were then extended further by The World Meteorological Organisation to include ten groups (genera) of clouds
- There are subdivisions of the genera into species of each cloud due to the variations of different cloud formations seen
- Clouds are divided into three levels which range between from below 6500ft to 20000ft
- High Clouds have a base usually over 20000 ft and above - examples include Cirrus,Cirrocumulus, Cirrostratus
- Medium Clouds have a base between 6500 and 20000ft - examples include Altocumulus, Altostratus and Nimbostratus
- Low Clouds are usually below 6500ft - examples include Stratocumulus, Stratus, Cumulus, Cumulonimbus

Most of the names are derived from Latin. By combining prefixes and Suffixes the clouds character can be understood.
- Stratus /Strato are flat or layered and smooth clouds
- Cumulus /cumulo are heaped up or puffy clouds
- Cirrus /cirro are high up or wispy clouds
- Alto are medium level clouds
- Nimbus / Nimbo are rain bearing clouds

http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/clouds/cloud-names-classifications
http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/binaries/content/assets/mohippo/pdf/r/i/cloud_types_for_observers.pdf
https://scied.ucar.edu/webweather/clouds/cloud-types

During summer it was particularly easy to take images of various different cloud formations due to the variety of different weather we had. However identifying the difference between certain clouds was quite difficult especially when it came to the subdivisions of each type. It was also found that aside from basic identification of the clouds much of the information on clouds was about how they develop and what they can tell us in terms of weather forecasting. This information was very heavy on technical terms making it extremely difficult for a novice to understand and therefore it was found to be an unlikely subject for the guidebook.

Native British Trees

This would be a guidebook of information on British Native Trees to enable identification.

- Native is defined as a species that was naturally introduced to the UK.

- For trees these are species that recolonised the land after the last ice age and before we were separated from mainland Europe 

- After the iceage water levels rose to cut the UK off from the continent meaning that no new species could enter naturally

- Non Native trees are trees that have been brought to the UK intentionally or unintentionally throughout history 

Trees are identified by their:

- Shape 

- Apperance 

- Bark

- Needles

- Flowers

- Fruit 

- Leaf Buds and Twigs during the winder

Native Trees include: Alder, Alder Buckthorn, Ash, Aspen, Purging Buckthorn, Common Beech, Downy Birch, Silver Birch, Blackthorn, Common Box, Bird Cherry, Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Dog wood, Elder, Wych Elm, Guelder Rose, Common Hawthorn, Midland Hawthorn, Hazel, Holly, Hornbeam, Juniper, Common Lime, Large Leaved Lime, Small Leaved Lime, Field Maple, English Oak, Sessile Oak, Plymouth Pear, Scots Pine, Black Poplar, Rowan, Wild Service Tree, Spindle, Whitebeam, Bay Willow, Crack Willow, Goat Willow, Grey Willow, Osier Willow, White Willow, Yew  

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/native-trees/

After doing some initial research into Native British trees it was found that there were over forty different species in the country. Some of these are more common than others which would mean they would not be all seen within one arboretum or garden. Also it was found that many places did not have plant lists of specimens they had within their gardens making it difficult to locate where images could be taken of all the different trees. With this in mind it was decided that native trees would be possibly to widespread to gather all the relevant imagery. 

How to encourage Wildlife to Gardens

 

This would be a how to guide on things you can build, plant and provide within your garden to encourage, increase and help save a variety of wildlife within your garden. It was found that small changes within gardens of any size could make a big difference to the wildlife within the area.

Ways of encouraging wildlife
- Provide pollen and nectar rich flowers for bees, butterflies and insects which inturn enables seed and fruit production.
- Grow both trees and shrubs as these enable a range of food, shelter and nesting opportunities for many animals
- Make a pond or add a container of water with a sloping side allowing wildlife to get in and out
- Leave a log pile to provide habitats for bugs and fungi
- Create a compost heap which provides shelter and healthy soil
- Provide a mixture of food and some water for birds. These should be inaccessible for cats.
- Let a patch of grass grow long for caterpillars and mice etc.
- Create a wildflower meadow which are good for insects
- Make a rock garden for bees
- Create a gap under your fences to allow hedgehogs to travel between gardens
- Put up bird boxes for nesting birds
- Create a hedgehog home
- Put up bat boxes

https://www.rhs.org.uk/science/conservation-biodiversity/wildlife/encourage-wildlife-to-your-garden
https://www.thompson-morgan.com/encouraging-wildlife-in-my-garden
https://ww2.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-and-wildlife-guides/gardening-for-wildlife/creating-a-wildlife-friendly-garden

It was decided that a guidebook on how to encourage wildlife to gardens would be the most easily observable subject and would allow more freedom as to how to represent the information within the book. The subject is also very important in modern living as green spaces continue to reduce and garden space is more limited, which breaks up habitats leading to the decline of animal species. Many of the nature helping suggestions are used within my own garden which will enable better understanding and ability to gather imagery.