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Alaire Davis

@alairedavisphd

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📍Goldy / FIFO
👩🏼‍💻PhD Candidate
🧠Researching nature & mental wellbeing
🌱Working in ecology for carbon credits
💡Sharing info I find along the way

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Let’s get started 🖤 by @alairedavisphd

Some of my favourite spring wildflowers of the outback 🌸

#naturetherapy #australianwildflowers #outback by @alairedavisphd

Spring allowed me to stop and smell the - - well not quite roses…but I’d like to think the sentiment is the same. Any ideas which Australian outback flower this is? by @alairedavisphd

Your connection to nature is intuitive right? Well maybe so..but that still doesn’t mean researchers can’t measure it!

#natureconnection #phd #naturetherapy by @alairedavisphd

The majority of my research requires me to be impartial towards different types of nature. I’m often trying to figure out which natural elements people are drawn to or which landscapes they’re most fond of. I’m careful not to disclose to my survey participants what parts of nature I’m drawn to.

But I can’t help but to have some of my personal favourites…Brigalow (Acacia harpophylla) is one. by @alairedavisphd

A lot of my PhD centres around ‘protected areas’ which can sound a bit vague.

Protected areas can vary a lot based off what what level of protection they have (e.g. National Park versus Conservation Reserve) and where they’re located (e.g. different states of countries).

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) provides a standardised definition that applies globally.

#iucn #protectedareas #conservation by @alairedavisphd

A few weeks ago I finished my final round of surveying for my PhD research!

I surveyed people in Lamington National Park on their wellbeing immediately after a hike.

To do this I first walked a lot of the trails myself to ground-truth them.

Then I set up a survey station at the trailheads (complete with chocolates as a bribe). From here I asked people coming off their hikes if they would fill out a survey on their mood and experiences on the walk. The turnout was really good - over 4 days I was able to get over 150 people to fill out surveys!

I was grateful to have my volunteer @lu.kess by my side for the trip as well.

I’m now back behind the desk combining this data with surveys I did in the NT and NSW.

It’s bittersweet that this chapter of my PhD is over (I loved the excuse to get out and hike) but I’m excited to start analysing the results.

I camped at @oreillysrainforestretreat - the team there along with @qldparks rangers were all so accomodating and willing to help, which made the experience that much better. by @alairedavisphd

Well would you look at that? The second part of my field work for my PhD research at #griffithuni is done!

I went out the Western MacDonnell Ranges in the Northern Territory to survey walkers and hikers on their wellbeing. My trusty volunteer (@_____house) and I camped at 2 spots along the Larapinta Trail. Each morning we hiked a section of the trail or walk to ground-truth it. Then we’d return to the trailhead to survey people coming off the walks.

The days were long (and full of flies) and walking up to people over and over (while they’re trying to rest after a hike!) was a bit draining. All worth it though as I hit my target for number of responses.

I appreciate that I was able to do this in this iconic national park @parksandwildlifent.

I’m so grateful to all the people willing to share their experiences. I met some of the nicest people and got to have some really interesting chats.

I’m especially thankful to the staff at @standleychasm_angkerleatwatye and the Ormiston Gorge Kiosk for allowing me to set up and survey outside their cafes. Without their cooperation I’m not sure I would’ve hit my goal! Not to mention the great chai lattes and scones. by @alairedavisphd

Some snapshots from fieldwork in Kosciuszko National Park! Alongside my amazing volunteer @_____house , I surveyed walkers on iconic trails to learn about their wellbeing. I had the chance to explore many of the trails myself to ground-truth them, meet some really interesting people, and gain insights into the local environment thanks to @_____house. It was an incredible experience overall—can’t wait to see what the results reveal! by @alairedavisphd

It’s the first day of my field work!
I’m surveying people in national parks around Australia and for the first leg I’m in Kosciuszko National Park. It’s a great feeling to finally be on the road and in action. by @alairedavisphd

The start of a new week is always a good chance to check in with yourself and make plans if you need a mental health pick-me-up.

Sometimes we have those weeks where our focus is on work or school and paying attention to mental health feels like it just won’t fit into a hectic schedule. When that happens, I try to pick one of these small things to do over the next weekend and use it as something to look forward to throughout the week.

What are some of the things you do when your mental health needs a little pick-me-up? by @alairedavisphd

Springbrook National Park on #35mmfilm by @alairedavisphd