Final Post
Hey everyone, can't believe we're already at the end of the road, it feels like I just posted my first post yesterday!
This post is supposed to be all about us, and everything we've learned over the course. It's about how we ourselves would conduct ourselves as nature interpreters.
As a nature interpreter, my personal ethic would be deeply rooted in respect for the environment, and at my core, I wish to promote that I have an unwavering dedication to accuracy and honesty in interpretation, in connection to science.
The role of a nature interpreter means that we have a responsibility to be accurate to the most recent information, while also maintaining the integrity of the natural environmental narrative, which is extremely important when describing and presenting natural history (Beck et al., 2018). There are a lot of responsibilities involved in making sure the interpretation is both accurate and engaging. Therefore, as a nature interpreter, my primary responsibility is to convey accurate information about the natural world in an engaging and accessible manner, helping others develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for biodiversity and ecological processes.
When trying to keep interpretation accurate, in my thoughts, that requires an understanding of, and a connection to science. However, science and interpretation have a tumultuous relationship (Wals et al., 2014). What this means, is that as both a scientist and a nature interpreter, my responsibilities are going to build up between the two, in order to provide the best experience to those Iâm teaching. In my eyes, I think my role should be to not only providing information but also to encourage individuals to take meaningful action for conservation. This might involve promoting sustainable behaviors, supporting conservation initiatives, or advocating for environmental policies that protect natural resources. It can also mean encouraging individuals to participate in citizen science projects, support local conservation initiatives, in order to promote support for the environment.
Me personally as an individual, I think the best approach for myself would be a combination of science and nature interpretation. I think an approach that involves collection, sampling, and dissection, all while explaining the importance of what weâre collecting. I also think that something like learning about tracking animals is the perfect way to combine ecological science and nature interpretation.
Tracks from the class trip we took. Left is a photo of squirrel tracks, right is a possible coyote track!
Observing animal tracks is a long studied tradition, that has remained a consistent practice for a very long time. It requires a deep familiarity with the land around you, and a understanding of the species that live alongside you. I recently had the chance to learn about it a little bit in one of my classes, and one of the biggest lessons I learned was that I needed to get way more familiar with my surroundings, because you can find so many things if you just look hard enough.
In conclusion, my approach to nature interpretation would be to integrate it with science, because thatâs what I know best.
References:
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritageâŻ:for a better world. Sagamore Venture.
Wals, A. E. J., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Stevenson, R. B. (2014). Science education. Convergence between science and environmental education. Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), 344(6184), 583â584. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250515
Hey,
I appreciate your science-based approach to interpretation! The hands on nature of actually learning what is around you without the act of actually seeing specific animals is a great skill to have. I also think your approach on sampling and learning through first hand exploration is a take that I have not seen often in other peoples blogs. This truly is the most direct way to interpret nature from its truest form, especially in a dissection setting. Through doing this, you can share fascinating information with others that do not want to take this approach themselves, granting others with very unique information. Your focus on nature conservation and presenting others with transferable skills to better sustainable practices is a great way to use your knowledge to help our world. I also respected how you mentioned delivering information in an accessible way, and through executing the hands-on part on your own time and relaying your findings to others you achieve this! I connected to your scientific approach, as I feel this is similar to the way I formulate my interpretations as well. I am very interested on your focus on animal tracks and details in the environment, I certainly would enjoy listening to you nature interpretation!
Thank you for sharing,
Alleeya





















