TrailSense · Sensory Emplacement on Trails: An Anthropological Study of Environmental Engagement in Outdoor Endurance Sports

As the climate crisis continues to escalate, engaging the public in meaningful conversations about climate change is more important than ever. To better understand how interactions with natural surroundings inform public participation and environmental engagement, TrailSense examines how participants in outdoor endurance sports—such as trail runners, hikers, and off-road cyclists—interact with their environments. Focused on emplacement and sensory experiences within outdoor endurance sports, TrailSense contributes to climate change discourses by examining and encouraging sustainable relationships with our natural environments. The project is designed to develop my methodological and leadership skills, employing sensory ethnography to examine the multisensory experiences of outdoor endurance participants within the Peak District National Park in the United Kingdom. Utilizing a combination of participant observation and sensation, go-along interviews, in-depth sit-down interviews, and visual anthropology using GoPro recordings and soundscapes, this project will provide rich, qualitative data on how individuals perceive and engage with their surroundings. TrailSense advances the concept of emplacement, emphasizing the importance of emplaced knowledges in promoting environmental sustainability, particularly in relation to trails. By examining the lived experiences of outdoor enthusiasts, the project will reveal the deeper connections people have with natural landscapes. In addition to its research focus, TrailSense embraces science communication and outreach by creating a multisensory installation in collaboration with the Peak District National Park and Trash Free Trails to effectively communicate the research process and its findings to the general public. In enhancing the dissemination of these emplaced knowledges, TrailSense foregrounds and fosters a deeper connection between people and environments, and promotes sustainable outdoor practices.