Wetlands

Water is not just what we think water is. Afforded by the possibilities of an in-depth case study, this chapter explores what happens when we take our methods into the swirling currents of everyday life. Specifically, this details a co-production process as part of nascent health initiatives within a saltmarsh restoration project on the coast of Somerset, in south-west England. This case attempts to explore wetlands and health, supported by humanities scholarship that challenges us to consider the implications of a world that is alive and kicking. In attempting to meet such provocations, rather than provide concrete conclusions, this specific case explores taken-for-granted or ignored aspects that may be fruitful openings for doing things quite differently. To do so also means to not shy away from the stubborn and harmful systems that we meet in practice. Paradoxically, this piece provides a seemingly simple invitation: to start where we are.