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Unit 10: Where do I stand?

Before I decided to take this class, I had never really heard the term “nature interpreter”, nor would I have ever used such a term to refer to myself. However, throughout my journey in this class, I have learned a lot about what it means to be a nature interpreter and the multitude of different tools one can employ to help educate and spread our shared passion for nature. With each blog prompt, I have been challenged to critically think about my own experiences and how they have influenced my journey in regards to studying the environment. During the various blog posts, I have learned to unpack my “invisible backpack” of unearned opportunities I’ve had that have helped guide my value for nature, and see how different circumstances may have led to a different outcome (McIntosh, 1989). Through analysing my own life and experiences with nature, I can better understand why I have gained a passion for connecting to the nature around me. Keeping that in mind, it further enables me to think of how someone with completely different life experiences may not share the same passion as me, and through this understanding I can better learn how I can educate and spread my passion to people of all walks of life. 

Of the many topics the units of this course have covered, a common theme that has been enforced throughout the units is to understand your audience, how they learn, and what they may best respond to. Whether it’s through a simple engaging conversation, stating fun facts, or using aspects of art such as music or visual art; all these serve as different tools that can help engage an audience and perhaps ignite the same sense of passion for nature that we have as nature interpreters. When I first heard the term nature interpreter, the only thing that came to mind was the stereotypical guide at a conservation park, but after 10 weeks of this course I know there is so much more to it, and that educating others about nature is very crucial when it comes to protecting the environment for future generations.  For me personally, I grew up going camping trips with my family, and doing things such as visiting a provincial park, or going out hiking or canoeing was a crucial part of my life that defined the value that I have for nature at a young age. This helped me define my interest for nature, and helped aid my decision to study Environmental Management here at the University of Guelph. However, hundreds of millions around the world do not have access to nature in the same way that I did, and due to this most of their views when it comes to nature are guided by the media and the plethora of different arguments when it comes to things like climate change or habitat conservation. Due to this, it can create a sense of disconnect to nature for many people, which can lead to the mentality that human civilization is so separate from nature. However, I personally see us as a part of nature, as not only do we rely on it to provide us with necessary resources, it is also a crucial part of the human soul. Due to this view, I believe that it is my role as a nature interpreter to share the values I have to as many people as possible so those who didn’t have the same opportunities as me can truly feel the same sense of connectivity to nature that I was able to discover through my life experiences. 

Thinking about where I stand as a nature interpreter still leaves me with a bit of uncertainty when it comes to what form of nature interpretation suits me best. When I try to think about where my future stands I find it important to think through my past and what brought me to study the environment in the first place. One of the major conclusions that I found throughout high school as I thought about what I wanted to do in university, I knew I was the kind of person who wanted to avoid spending my career sitting in an office chair. I have always been more of a hands-on learner who enjoys actually going out into nature, and experiencing the sights, smells, and sounds so I can better gain inspiration in a way that a computer screen could never provide. So this is why I think I can best educate others on nature in a setting that allows me to guide others through the same physical experiences that ignited my passion from a young age. Through guiding others in hands-on experiences and using some of my knowledge, and storytelling skills to instil a sense of connectivity and passion in nature is currently where I see myself as being the most effective as a nature interpreter. The people who receive your nature interpretation will be able to sense how passionate and genuine you are pretty quickly and this will influence how much they take your message seriously. It is for this reason that it is best as a nature interpreter to be in a role that you are truly passionate about, as passion is one thing that can’t be faked.

My ethics in regards to nature interpretation has changed, and been redefined as I learn more about environmental issues and some of the misconceptions I had before beginning my studies. I have always valued nature, and seen it as something that is worth preserving, however my values in regards to what the current losses in biodiversity means to us as humans, and how we can best go about protecting nature has changed quite a bit through this course. I have learned the importance of educating others not only so they know facts about nature, but so they know more about the spiritual and cultural aspects around nature that make people feel a stronger connection to nature so they will view it as something worth preserving for future generations. In my view, losing nature is much more than just losing pretty landscapes or important resources, it is akin to losing a part of ourselves. It is very important to guide the general population into understanding why we dedicate our lives to protecting nature, and why its importance is much deeper than what's on the surface. This is because it is only through a better-educated populace that we can influence political, and business decisions regarding the environment, as with more people advocating for nature with a passion, decision makers will be more inclined to move towards more sustainable practices. Given the current state of the world, it may seem like a very uphill battle for us as nature interpreters, but through reading everyone’s discussions throughout this term I have gained a lot more confidence in the future by seeing how passionate many others are in this class are for protecting the nature around us so future generations can enjoy the same passion and awe we find in mother nature.    

References

McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12.

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Hi Carson, 

You have brought up many great points in your post. I also had no idea what it meant to be a nature interpreter before starting this course. I have spent a lot of this course being shocked at the various different ways to interpret nature. My favorite ways we discussed were interpretation through music and art. I find it easy to not look or think too deeply into art and music. Sometimes when I listen to a song all I focus on is the beat and the singers voice. Other times I will listen and hear every lyric sang and have a deeper understanding of what the artist is trying to communicate. 

If an interpreter is able to understand their audience and what they are interested in, they are able to communicate important themes. As you said this is a key part of interpretation, interpreters will do everything than can to keep the interest of their group so that their interpretation is meaningful and has an impact. A common theme that all nature interpreters share is their love for nature. In life when a person loves something they often want to share it with others to enjoy as well. This is basically what nature interpretation is, all of us just trying to share our love for nature. 

I know that this course has helped all of us become better interpreters because I find myself enveloped in peoples’ blogs and I have learned so many new facts about nature. Thank you for your post and keep up the great interpretation work. 

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Unit 10

This week brings us to our final blog post of the semester. I have to admit I was not really sure what to expect when I enrolled in this course, but I definitely enjoyed it much more than I originally thought.  Blogging is something that I have never really done much of before, so when I first saw how many marks our blogs were worth I was intimidated. However, it did not take very long to learn how to blog and they kept getting easier every week. I am excited to share my final thoughts about what I have learned about being a nature interpreter. 

I would like to start this blog off by sharing a quote from the textbook that really relates to this week's blog prompt. 

"Interpreters help people to develop an ethical sense of their place and role in the world. Interpreters offer understanding and appreciation of our place and role in the world.  They give people facts and experiences so they care enough to help make the story turn out right” (Beck et al., 2018, p. 54).

This quote is saying that in order for an interpreter to help others develop a sense of place in nature, they first need to develop their own. Throughout this course, I really feel like I have developed as a nature interpreter and I would like to use the remainder of the blog to discuss how this course has helped my development. 

I would like to talk about my beliefs when it comes to being a nature interpreter. I think that my main goals and responsibilities as a nature interpreter would be to engage, educate, and connect with my audience.

Personally, I think that the most important responsibility an interpreter has is to engage their audience with nature. A quote from our course textbook says it best,  “People are out for recreation and need restful,  intellectual visions, and not dull, dry facts, rules, and manuals” (Mills, 1920)". This quote is saying that the reason people come out into nature is for a break from their everyday life activities, so they do not just want boring dry facts, they want to be excited about what they are learning. I am fortunate enough that throughout my life I have gone on many different family vacations. On these vacations, we would often partake in day excursions and this gave me the chance to experience many different interpreters. The best interpreters were always knowledgeable, funny, passionate, and very interactive.  They did not just act like it was a job, they would show true love for what they are doing and this would always make my family and I love it that much too. 

I also believe that educating my audience is one of my biggest responsibilities as a nature interpreter. I personally feel like I have a very strong connection with nature and I have always felt the need to do whatever I can to help protect it. Expressing my feelings about how I feel about nature with my audience would hopefully help to educate them about environmental issues and also inspire them with things they can do to help. I feel like this is especially important if the audience is kids because they may be the generation that has the chance to reestablish a healthy relationship with nature and stop the loss of biodiversity.  I would like to use a personal experience as an example. When my family went to Costa Rica we did a day excursion to go snorkeling. The interpreters were very knowledgeable, but they did not just feed us dull facts. They educated us about the importance of our ocean ecosystems by sharing feelings instead of facts.

Connecting my audience is also an essential responsibility as a nature interpreter. It’s one thing to engage and educate your audience, but if they do not feel connected to the topic are they even going to care? With so many people losing touch with the natural world an interpreter needs to connect people with nature. This is not done through sharing dull facts with the audience, but by allowing them to develop a deep personal connection with nature and making them understand why nature is so important to everyone in the world. 

The final thing I would like to talk about is how a nature interpreter needs to know their audience.  In unit 2 of this course, we learned about the different learning styles an individual may have and how that affects nature interpretation. The three different styles we learned about were, auditory, visual, and tactile learners. Therefore, as an interpreter, I would make sure to include all of these styles so everyone in the audience is able to learn in their own way. We also learned in unit 3 how privilege plays a role in nature interpretation. In this unit, we learned about “invisible backpacks” and how not everyone is equally privileged. Someone who is very privileged is more likely to be connected with nature than someone who is not as privileged because of the opportunities they have. This is why as a nature interpreter I will do my best to be accessible to everyone and to make sure everyone has a similar experience regardless of how privileged they are. 

In conclusion, this class had many different benefits for me. One benefit I did not expect was how educating people about nature has reminded me how much I care about the natural world.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

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Hello, 

Thank you for your great post. I was also intimidated by the blogging and how much of our overall average it was worth. I think that these posts have been my favorite part of the course and I love the connections we are making through our love and respect for nature. In the text, it mentions that when people have a better understanding of nature they are more inclined to protect it (Beck et al., 2018. p. 54). By educating and engaging your audiences you are providing the understanding that is needed. 

As you had mentioned at the beginning of your blog post, you were privileged enough to go on lots of family trips as a child and were able to see the world. I found unit three very interesting in this course because I was unaware of some of the privileges that I have. I am able bodied and possess all of my senses, making me able to enjoy nature to the max. I am also privileged enough to own a car, allowing me to travel to different trails in the area. I, like you think it is our responsibility to ensure that everyone is welcome and has a space in nature. 

I am glad that we were able to connect through this course and I thank you again for your post.  

Reference

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 3: Values to Individuals and Society. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 41-58). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

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My Personal Ethic

This course may be my favorite that I have taken thus far during my university degree. I have had so many “ah ha” moments where things just clicked in my mind. I find myself talking to others about the things I am learning in this course. Everywhere I go now I look for interpretation. Whether it’s on a sign, a plaque or even a picture; interpretation is everywhere. I have always been the individual to stop and read the signs at parks or trails, and enjoy the animal shows at conservation areas. While my siblings only wanted to run around and play, I was enthralled in the information that was surrounding me. I have constantly mentioned throughout my blog that I feel at home in nature. Taking this course, I now know and have a better understanding of why I have this sense of home. I have been able to make connections to so many places I have already seen and new places I plan to go.  

I believe that it is beneficial for every individual to take part in some kind of nature. Not only is it good for their health, it is also good for our environment. It was stated in the text that "interpretive activities contribute to the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of park visitors" (Beck et al., 2018. p. 54). If I as a nature interpreter do my job right, I will give people facts and a non-forgettable experience that will in turn make them care more about the future and how to maintain the outdoors (Beck et al., 2018. p. 54). If everyone starts to see Earth as something more than just ground we walk on and air we breathe they will begin to respect and care for it more. To share information, I have to get to know my groups and figure out what they will be most interested in knowing and making connections with (Beck et al., 2018. p. 54). 

Nature has to be a safe space for everyone. There are many groups who do not feel that they have access to nature. There should be a greater focus on including groups that tend to stay away from nature interpretation. Providing a more inclusive environment should include eliminating economic, cultural, and communicational barriers (Beck et al., 2018. p. 133). If more nature programs are promoted in areas that minorities or people with disabilities, it may help eliminate the lack of knowledge and fear that surrounds nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018. p. 133). It is my responsibility to unpack my invisible knapsack and to realize that I am privileged being a young, white able woman (Gallavan, N. P., 2005). Keeping this in mind I am able to realize that enjoying nature is not as easy for some as others. 

I believe that nature can be dangerous and that there are risks around every corner. As a nature interpreter, I consider it my job to weigh the risks and to keep our groups safe to the best of our abilities. This may require changing plans and cutting trips short like in Amanda Hooykaas’ example in week three’s “risk vs reward” content (2023). When an interpreter does not do their job correctly and does not weigh the risks properly, it can lead to tragedies. A key example of this was the 12 students and 1 teacher who died when their canoe capsized in lake Timiskaming. The teachers leading the trip did not take note of the alarming number of signs hinting at them not to continue on their trip (The Globe and Mail, 1978, p.1). The lake was very cold as was the temperature of the air and it was a windy day with forecasted storms. The group of boys were not experienced in canoeing. (The Globe and Mail, 1978, p.1). Although there are times when a risk is worth the reward this day was not one of them. 

As much as I loved this course and believe that nature interpretation is important, I do not see myself as the interpreter to lead groups on walks or in a presentation. I would not fully be comfortable standing in front of a group of people and holding their attention for a long period of time. I do not like being the center of attention and being a leader in a group setting. An interpreter needs to be energetic, knowledgeable and passionate about what they are interpreting.

I have however enjoyed writing these blogs weekly and sharing my opinion with the class from the comfort of my computer. I am passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable about nature and I have lots of stories and information to share. At the beginning of this course I thought that my blog posts may be lack luster and not very entertaining. Others may think that is the case, but I have been impressed with myself and how creative I have become while expressing my feelings. I believe that using the internet for interpretation has just as strong in making a difference in people’s lives. If I can grab and hold the attention of the people who are already scrolling on the internet, I believe this is great way to spread a message to lots of people (Beck et al., 2018. p. 167). 

References 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 8: Interpreting to the Masses. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 165-184). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audiences. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 127-161). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 3: Values to Individuals and Society. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 41-58). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Hooykaas, A. (2023, March 25). Unit Three: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation. University of Guelph Courselink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/Home

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks”. Multicultural Education, Vol. 13 (1), https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9fe2f151

The Globe and Mail (1978, June). Parents pray while waiting for names 12 boys, teacher drown on canoe trip 18 survivors due out today. The Globe and Mail, p. 1.

Photos 

'All Persons Trails' For Nature Seekers With Disabilities Grow In Mass.

There's a movement to create accessible trails around the state that give people who are blind or use wheelchairs safe places to connect wit

Accidents - Drowning - Lake Timiskaming

DMARDs for mental health symptoms in RA - Nature Reviews Rheumatology

Mental health symptoms are a common and functionally impairing feature of rheumatoid arthritis, and increasingly seem to represent an integr

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Nature is Everywhere

I had the hardest time writing this week’s post. I keep trying to think of “the most amazing thing I know about nature” and I feel I come up short every time. The most prominent thing that I know about nature is how much I love it. 

Wherever you are, or wherever you travel, there is always nature surrounding you. Even if you are in the middle of a big city, all you have to do is look up and see the wonders of nature in the sky. You may also see clouds or birds in the sky. You may feel drops of rain on your face, or you may have to squint because the sun is so bright. If you think of nature as not just a thing but as a being, there is no reason you ever have to feel alone. Mother Nature is always there with you, encouraging you and guiding you into your next adventure. Why I love nature so much is because there is never a day that goes by where I don’t see the beauty or have some sort of interaction with the outdoors.  

In this week’s chapter, it was discussed that interpretation can be almost everywhere. Parks, wineries and any local spaces (Beck et al., 2018). This statement fits in with my point above about nature. Like the textbook topic, I too believe interpretation is everywhere. Each day, daily adventures allow me to interoperate amazing natural wonders and appreciate the love I have for nature. There is always a story that can be told, or a new species that can be explained. 

This course is all about what kind of interpreter you will become. One of the main themes that I come across each chapter of the text is that you have to interpret things that are meaningful to you and that you have natural enthusiasm for (Beck et al., 2018). To me, this statement is easy due to my excitement for all of nature as a big picture topic. There are so many amazing aspects to nature. Looking at this topic not through a microscope allows me to appreciate all the wonders. The big picture of nature is what amazes me the most. 

I know that not everyone thinks the same, and not everyone is into the same things. I do however truly believe that there is something in nature for everyone. Heck, even if that means sitting in the sun and just getting fresh air. Any interaction with nature is so grounding and rewarding- full of amazement. I think people have little connections with nature every day without noticing. 

Sitting in a car that was recently warmed by the sun. 

Watching snowflakes in the light of a lamppost

Hearing birds chirp outside your window in the morning. 

The smell of rain after it first falls on the pavement. 

Holding your hand out the car window in the summer and feeling the wind push back. 

Seeing goslings in the spring following their mom across a road or a pond. 

Reference 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 21. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 457-476). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 1. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 3-16). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Photos

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Mutualism (or parasitism) between humans and trees

The most amazing thing I know about nature is that we are able to breathe. Organisms from tiny aerobic bacteria to beetles, bats, tigers, and sharks take vastly different sizes, morphologies, and genetic compositions, but they all breathe. This combination of cells, tissues, and bones is somehow able to sustain an unbelievable diversity of organisms on earth. The secret ingredient allowing us to do this, uniting us across these taxa, is the dependency on oxygen and expulsion of carbon dioxide. Hence, space exploration for alien life is largely focused on finding planets with the presence of oxygen.

Phylogenetic tree of incredible diversity of life on Earth

Amazingly, we don’t run out of oxygen because we have plants. Plants use their chloroplasts to perform photosynthesis, which is the autotrophic process whereby plants convert inorganic carbon from carbon dioxide to organic carbon in carbohydrates, using light as the source of energy (Bassham et al, 2022). This life-sustaining chemical reaction can be described by the chemical formula 6CO2 + 6H2O → CH2O + 6O2, where oxygen is formed as a byproduct (Bassham et al, 2022).

Process of photosynthesis

I think there is something beautiful about the dynamics of nature that allow many taxa to inhale oxygen and expel carbon dioxide and that others absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. This complex coevolution allowing for any life on earth to exist, to me, can only be described as the magic of reality. This is such a powerful example of mutualism (taxa benefiting other taxa) on earth.

Today we are losing more than 80 000 acres of tropical rainforest each day and are causing significant degradation to another 80 000 acres each day (Scientific American, 2009). From an economic standpoint this makes total sense: exploit resources to generate profit. From a human perspective, this is incredibly silly: we are literally destroying the very resources that sustain us (and everything else on the planet). The Lorax by Dr. Suess explains this very elegantly. If we keep exploiting the earth (i.e., making thneeds) to generate profit, eventually, all the trees will be gone and there will be nothing left to sell, and more importantly, nowhere suitable left to live. In The Lorax, the fish and birds all need to relocate habitats to survive, and humans buy bottled fresh air. This dystopia is becoming closer and closer to our current reality. Species are already experiencing migration due to changing habitat conditions, and we have already begun to see our first climate refugees. This makes we wonder if this mutualistic relationship is becoming parasitic since humans are over-exploiting forests and other natural resources.

Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest

Fish leaving in the book 'The Lorax' due to unsuitable habitat conditions from pollution and over-exploitation

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas levels, including carbon dioxide, are at an all-time high and have detrimental warming impacts on global climates. There is a natural solution that has been with us along our whole evolution: and that is trees. They absorb this carbon dioxide, and release oxygen. Additionally, they sequester carbon and decrease surface albedo, all reversing warming. Meanwhile, rates of deforestation are astonishing.

Forests decrease surface albedo, causing cooling on the land

In conclusion, I think that our symbiosis with trees is a magical process occurring in nature, and we need to be cautious it doesn't teeter into parasitism territory. I also think that efforts to evaluate our anthropogenic motivations and improve conservation initiatives are vital so that life on earth can continue.

Works cited

Bassham, J. Alan and Lambers, . Hans (2022, December 4). photosynthesis. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis 

Scientific American. (2009, November 19). Measuring the daily destruction of the world's rainforests. Scientific American. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/earth-talks-daily-destruction/

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Hello, 

Thank you for your very well written post. There is a lot of very important information in your post. I think that we as human beings often forget that we rely on trees and plants to survive. I recently read a fact that there are more trees on earth than there are stars in the milky way. This got me thinking about our worlds problem of deforestation and what it is doing to our Earth. I think that people have a hard time seeing the bigger picture of their effects on nature. Sadly, each tree there are a number of species relying on It to survive. As you mentioned in your post this doesn’t mean just for oxygen by also for shelter, food, and habitat. (2022).

As much as I enjoyed your post, I think it may be hard for some people to understand. It was very heavy with science content. I think if you were aiming this post to our class it was great because a lot of us are in this field of study and could follow along easily. If you were to aim it at another group outside your classmates I feel like some people may get confused. People may see it as a dry and technical, which we try to avoid in nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018). I think you have an important point to make and I believe more people need to be thinking like you and be trying to save the trees. I thank you for being our form of the Lorax. 

References 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 3. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 41-58). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Guardian News and Media. (2022, September 2). Prevent tree extinctions or face global ecological catastrophe, scientists warn. The Guardian. Retrieved March 19, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/02/tree-extinctions-species-wildlife-ecosystems-scientists-aoe 

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Nature in Music

Music is an art form that can inspire, energize, and comfort its listeners. I turn to music for comfort often, and choose music that enhances my mood or makes me feel less alone in difficult times. Much like nature, music is a medium that is open to interpretation. A song can mean one thing to one person and hold a completely different meaning for another. Similar to nature, we each find our own preference in music. 

In nature, music is all around. Whether it be the song of a bird, the rustling of autumn leaves, a crashing wave, or a gust of wind. Just as you can find music in nature, we often see representations of nature in music, often to evoke a certain mood. For example, in heavy metal or rock music, lighting bolts are often represented and rain is used to create imagery. In more relaxed and calm music, the sound of water may be used. Two examples that come to mind right away are extremely different from each other, but exemplify the imagery that I am describing. Rock You Like A Hurricane by Scorpions is a song that uses an analogy of a hurricane to create an aggressive vibe. In a song like Malibu by Miley Cyrus, which discusses her pursuit of finding peace in a new place, she uses verbal and auditory imagery of nature and the calm of a beach. 

Personally, the song Vincent by Don Mclean is one that makes me feel very connected to nature. It makes me think of long drives with my dad to our family friend’s cottage. I associate it with some of the most relaxed moments of my life. The lyricism in that song is so artistic and vivid, it is impossible not to visualize what you're hearing. An ode to Vincent Van Gogh, the song Vincent beautifully details the famous works of the artist while making you feel like you were present in the landscapes that Van Gogh famously painted. The soft guitar paired with the words “​​Starry, starry night, Paint your palette blue and gray. Look out on a summer's day, With eyes that know the darkness in my soul. Shadows on the hills, Sketch the trees and the daffodils. Catch the breeze and the winter chills, In colours on the snowy, linen land” take me to a place of calm unique from any other feeling. 

In the current chapter by Beck et al. (2018), they highlighted how in order to navigate the chaos of the world, we must capture the attention of the people. Once that is done, it is important to connect people on a deeper, emotional level. Music is an excellent way to do this. Music connects and speaks to people, and even controversial songs or new sounds can capture the world and provide a common ground. It can spark new conversations and bring a sense of unity into a world where we often feel divided. It works in similar ways as nature does, but also pairs perfectly with nature. Music can also advocate for nature and open the world's eyes to the issues facing nature. An example of this being Michael Jackson's Earth Song.

Nature and Music are both open to interpretation, and work together to unite and bring calm in a world of chaos and trouble.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture

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Hi there, 

Thank you for an awesome post that really had me thinking about the different sounds in all the music I love. When I read this week’s blog prompt I had a hard time coming up with specific examples of sounds of nature in the music I know. Rock you like a hurricane and Malibu are both songs that I know and have listened to on numerous occasions, this being said I had not recognized the sounds of nature in the songs until tonight. 

While reading your post I noticed something that really caught my attention. At the beginning of your post you mentioned that everyone finds a different meaning in nature and in music, while at the end of your post you mention how they also bring a sense of unity into the world. I really liked how this is a good example of Tilden’s sixth principal of interpretation “we are aware that different audiences require different approaches to the subject matter” Beck et al. (2018).

 As an interpreter, it is our job to recognize different groups of people and how we might deliver the information in a way that they will understand and retain. This being said we are delivering the same information to all groups, this creates unity among many people. 

I also grew up with long car rides to my cottage listening to music. We had this one CD (yes, I said CD) that we would play every time. The CD was mainly 90s Country. To this day I wish there was a way to go back in time, and write down every song in order to recreate the playlist. 

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture

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"Colors of the Wind"

“Interpreting to the Masses” was a bit ironic to me. It is all about digital media and if using media for interpretation is a good method or not. Right now, the blog post you are reading is exactly that. I am using social media to practice and perfect my interpretation skills. In today’s day and age more and more people rely on social media for all of their knowledge. This is not something that I necessarily agree with, but it is the truth. As Jeff Skibins noted in the text, “it would be foolish for interpreters to not take advantage of it!” (Beck et al., 2018).

 Why not reach as many people as humanly possible? In previous weeks of this course we spoke about discrimination in nature interpretation. Using social media allows us to be able to open the floor up to more demographics. 

The text mentions that Disney is a successful company when it comes to building a website. This is due to their ability to focus on the “why” first instead of the “what” (Beck et al., 2018).

 The text is referring to the principal of story (third principal of interpretation) (Beck et al., 2018). There is no secret that Disney excels at interpretation and the ability to enlighten an audience on tough subjects like discrimination. I looked up Disney’s mission statement and this is copied directly from their website; “The mission of The Walt Disney Company is to entertain, inform and inspire people around the globe through the power of unparalleled storytelling” (2020).

In the spirit of Disney, Colors of the Wind from Pocahontas brings me back to my family’s trip to Algonquin National Park. Every lyric of this song reminds me of Algonquin and the beauty of nature. The song melody and lyrics are very inspiring and that is the same feeling I get while camping and being surrounded by the great outdoors. 

Enjoying nature relies on many senses, hearing being an important one. It is no secret that being in nature can be very relaxing for most people, myself being one of them. The sounds of birds chirping, water flowing and wind blowing makes me feel so at peace that I often listen to these sounds while trying to fall asleep. 

I may have a different approach on how nature is used in music than most. As I have mentioned before I am a black and white thinker and usually focus on the technical side of concepts. In the past nature was used as a key element in creating music through instruments. Animal hides were used to make drums, ivory was used for piano keys and wood was used to make guitars. We may have evolved over the years but the concept has remained the same. 

References

The Walt Disney Company. (2020, March 16). Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/ 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 8. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 165-184). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Photos 

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The Importance of Interpreting History

There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it. (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

This quote is about the importance of history and that it cannot be neglected, but also states that there is no merit in ancient things which is kind of confusing, lets's unpack it. 

In the first part of the quote Hyams says there is no merit in ancient things, this I do not agree with, I believe there is great importance on ancient objects not just events, people, or knowledge. Objects help us visually see history and connect with it. They are also very important for interpretation and give interpreters the opportunity to create stories and engage with audiences. Beck et al. state living history is “an attempt to accurately replicate the past through the use of a  physical  environment  and  the  sights,  sounds,  and  smells  of  the  period  being  represented” (2018). This shows the importance of historical objects and how interpretation through exploration and storytelling is one of the best ways to engage audiences in history. Living history is, for both the interpreters and viewers, an immersive, educational, fun, enriching, and imaginative way to learn about history, and is a great way for interpreters to engage with audiences. There are two main ways that interpreters can deliver living history, through first-person and third-person interpretation (Beck et al., 2018). First-person is when the interpreter is portraying a specific person and third-person is when the interpreter is explaining the scene or life of someone as an outsider (Beck et al., 2018). Living history relies on “ancient things” such as objects, clothes, ancient sites, and more, to help interpreters tell an enriching story. 

Now to unpack the second part of the quote, which I agree with, “To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” Some people are less interested in the social, political, and storytelling of history, but these are important, even more so than the physical artifacts because they were the result of human decisions and actions, which can be repeated. There are many good and bad things that have happened throughout history, either with or without malicious intent. Let's look at a current political and social issue, woman's bodily autonomy, specifically abortion, and Roe v. Wade. In the recent past, in 1900s-70s, it was illegal for women to have abortions. And because of this women in the thousands would seek unsafe abortions, and unfortunately, this led to many women having irreparable damage done to their reproductive organs, causing them to be severely ill, and many women died. This was the norm at that time even though it was wrong and we now know the negative effects it had on women. So, women fought, they fought for years for their rights and “won.” And yet the United States has now regressed and is now allowing state governments to deny women the right to bodily autonomy, and indirectly giving men (majority of the people in government) the right to control their bodies. That was a bit of a side tangent, BUT I want to explain how this pertains to interpretation. This is a case where interpretation has “failed” to show audiences and society the wrongful ways of the past and how these actions should not be repeated. And so unfortunately history has repeated itself, and people are now again suffering. Interpretation can and should be more heavily used to describe and immerse people in the past so they can learn, and make better decisions about the future. 

This week I did not use any specific nature examples but the principles are the same and can be applied when interpreting nature in the past. Some examples are looking at colonization and today and examining issues such as deforestation, overfishing, and abuse of the land.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

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Hello,

Thank you for your post. You touched on some tough subjects which I think is important to do. I appreciate your view on Hyams’ quote, although I think I understood it differently. The first half of the quote is: “there is no merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together if the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered through time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things…” (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation). To me he means that one artifact is not what makes history. What makes history is what the artifact represents. Yes, I agree that artifacts will help people draw connections to specific events. I do not agree that they are the main attraction. They are one piece of a massive puzzle. As interpreters it is our job to help people make the connection between history and their own life (Beck et al., 2018). This is not something we can do with just one object, we need the why. Why is that object in a museum? Who was using it? How was it used? How has it changed over time? I think that living history is different than what Hyam is talking about. To me living history is actually using art interpretation as well as historic interpretation. They are “acting out” what life would have been like in the time they are representing, again the clothes and objects are not the main event they are merely props.

Thank you again for your post, I really enjoyed reading about how you interpreted the quote. I think it is a good thing that we do not agree, it gives the “readers” different perspectives that they can connect to.

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 127–161). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

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Nature Interpretation through History

When I took this course, I was not fully expecting it to be based so much on writing, specifically creative writing. Creativity has never been my strong suit; I was always a black or white kind of girl. So far, the most important thing I have learnt in this course is how important the delivery of information is for interpretation. While facts are important; if they are not delivered in an interesting or relatable way, they will not be remembered. As stated in this week’s content “Whatever is written without enthusiasm, will be read without interest.” (Tilden), it turns out the same is true about interpretive writing.

While reading chapter 14 of the text, I picked up a few things that I can do to improve my interpretive writing. One major step in interpretive writing is acknowledging your audience before you start (Beck et al., 2018). If I am writing too factually or too vaguely, I may miss the mark completely. Another important step that I can’t skip over is the revising and polishing of a piece of writing. Spelling or grammatical errors may deter the reader and make it so they do not take any of the content of my piece seriously (Beck et al., 2018). Lastly, it is more efficient to keep sentences short (Beck et al., 2018). How did I do?

When I was in grade three my class went on a trip to a place called Westfield Heritage Village. While there, we were able to take a glimpse at the 19th century rural life in Upper Canada. There was nothing special about the log cabin or clothes the guides were wearing (costumed interpretation), it was what they represented that was special. We were able to see how they lived off the land and built their log cabins. I remember this trip so clearly because I was shocked at how differently we lived compared to the pioneers. The pioneers cut down trees to build their homes, churches and schools; we now additionally cut down trees for development, packaging and paper mills. They made their own clothes, and we get our clothing from large cooperations. They ate what the land provided for them, while we eat genetically modified foods. I think along the way we have forgotten how to live simply. I am not saying we must revert back in time completely, but  we may be able to take a few steps back.

Edward Hyams quote is explaining that our history is not something we are supposed to look at and think is cool. It is supposed to encourage us to think of our past and all of the little pieces of time that has lead us to this point. It is important to make a connection to the past, present, and the future. “If interpretation is to be a source of social good, then it must recognize the continuity of history and alert us to the future through the past.” (David Uzzell).

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 127–161). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Hookyaas, A. (2023). Unit 06: Nature Interpretation through History. Courselink.

https://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g154990-d2642580-i109295303-Westfield_Heritage_Village-Hamilton_Ontario.html

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Disclaimer

This blog was created for ENVS3000, University of Guelph. 

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the University of Guelph. 

The University of Guelph is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this blog.

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Scientific Communication and How Interpretation Can be a Bridge

After reading the contents for this week, I started to think about scientific communication. There are endless environmental crises that our generation and the world faces today. When mentioning this, most would likely think of things like climate change, biodiversity loss, and habitat loss. However, perhaps a bit lesser known crisis that we face is with scientific communication. According to Watson et al. (2014), we are seeing waning support for conservation along with decreasing governmental resources and policy failures. A major part of this issue, I believe, stems from an issue with scientific communications in which the public and governments are not well-informed (Hunter, 2016). 

The readings gave me an idea: natural interpretation could be a bridge to connect environmental scientific knowledge to the public. Throughout the course, I learnt how effective natural interpretation can provoke, enrich, and inspire all kinds of people in respect to nature. As a result, it can help people truly understand the beauty of nature and inspire many to help with the conservation/environment efforts from the challenges we face today (Beck et al., 2019). 

Just dry facts are typically not enough to interest a significant portion of the public on nature and all crises it is facing (Beck et al., 2019). In fact, this is told as something to avoid as interpreters because it can cause the audience to lose interest, since they are there for recreation, not a lecture Beck et al., 2019. Lecturing is also another thing to avoid. Rather, an ideal interpreter should help the audience absorb knowledge and enrich their natural perspectives (Beck et al., 2019). 

This is something that the area of environmental education has recently shifted to, where it went from dry facts and awareness to something that enables the public to create their own abilities to perceive environmental situations and make their own informed decisions and commitments (Wals et al., 2014). That sounds awfully a lot like interpretation. 

I think Wachira (2017), from his Ted Talk on birds, does a fantastic job showing the ability to bridge scientific knowledge to the public through interpretation. Without using fancy scientific words and encompassing all sorts of approaches (like using visual showings along with story-telling), he was able to tell the audience a story about birds in a very engaging, inspiring, and factual way. His story about nurturing a bird back to strength and the wonders birds provide to the ecosystem like with the vultures bring fascination to those that might not even be interested in birds (Wachira, 2017). He also connects the tangible birds to human intangibles, such as the feelings of freedom (Wachira, 2017). Judging from the reaction of the audience, many were deeply moved by his talk on birds. This includes me as well. 

Picture of a Magpie, my favourite bird. The unique behaviors and sounds of the magpie could make for an amazing interpretation.

In conclusion, I believe natural interpretation can be the bridge that links scientific knowledge to the public. By approaching environmental issue topics in a way that allows the public to be enriched by nature in order to come up with their own perspectives, it would allow the public to be better informed and thus increase support for tackling those environmental issues. Wachira (2017) showcases how effective this can be.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Hunter, P. (2016). The communications gap between scientists and public. EMBO Reports, 17(11), 1513–1515.

Wals, A. J., Brody, M., Dillon, J., Stevenson, R.B. (2014). Convergence between science and environmental education. Science, 344(Pages: 583-584).

Watson, J. E. M., Dudley, N., Segan, D. B., & Hockings, M. (2014). The performance and potential of protected areas. Nature, 515(7525), 67–73.

Wachira, W. (2017). For the love of birds [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/washington_wachira_for_the_love_of_birds.

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I found your blog post this week very interesting and well written. I think for a lot of people “science” seems too difficult to understand, and without the knowledge of scientific communication it may be hard to understand environmental crisis. Nature interpretation can for sure aid in bridging this gap. If I think back to any nature walk or shows I have been to, both as an adult and a child. The nature interpreter was always teaching while entertaining. It was so subtle that It was hard to recognize you were even learning while you were listening. This is exactly what nature interpretation is supposed to be. As Enos Mills described, appealing to one’s imagination and thoughts is the best way for understanding (Beck et al., 2018). I know I personally have a hard time retaining knowledge I am uninterested in. What’s Mills describes makes sense; if you are able to directly impact someone’s thoughts, they will have a more clear and direct understanding of what’s being taught. Mills also described when teaching to describe principles compared to teaching a single direct idea (Beck et al., 2018). This to me also rings true as my understanding goes much deeper when I can make connections myself on learning. It is important to gain a grasp of the bigger picture before diving into smaller singular issues. Science and its concepts can seem intimidating. It is important to follow Mills advice and think of the bigger picture through your imagination and own ideas. 

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 127–161). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

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Nature Canada

While doing this week’s readings I found the article “Evaluating environmental education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs” particularly interesting. In the introduction, it mentioned how there are a lot of people who find one species and study them until they are basically experts (Merenlender et al., 2016). This fact gave me a bit of a full circle moment, because I had mentioned Eleanor Fletcher earlier in my blogs who did exactly this. That is not what this article was necessarily about, but I enjoyed reading it. 

As stated in the title of the article, the main focus was evaluating and comparing citizen science, environmental education and stewardship throughout different naturalist programs (Merenlender et al., 2016). Their main findings concluded that people who were taking naturalist programs were doing it gain knowledge of natural systems. They in turn would gain a better understanding of nature from engagement in the citizen science programs stemmed from a genuinely positive attitude towards the environment (Merenlender et al., 2016). Unfortunately, the lack of diversity is still very present and a major issue in these programs. 

This article mentioned that Canada has a program called Nature Canada which oversee the “NatureNetwork”. A group of Canadian organizations that have over 350 clubs within Canada (Merenlender et al., 2016). I had never heard of Nature Canada before, so I decided to look on their website and see what they had in regard to diversity. Immediately I noticed that there was a lot about donation and what projects they were going to. There is also plenty of accessible information about a variety of nature related issues and facts. I think this is good for people who have money, but may not have time to manually help with environmental issues. In regard to diversity, I was pleasantly surprised. They have a program that helps racialized youth find jobs that promote and protect nature called Work to Grow (2023). “Tell Your MP to Take Action on Environmental Racism” is a current campaign that they are running where they provide you with a letter that you can mail to the MP to fight against environmental racism. They are aiming to pass Bill C-266, information directly from Nature Canada below, as soon as possible (2023). 

“Bill C-226 will require the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change to: 

Examine the link between race, socio-economic status and environmental risk  

Collect information on environmental hazards and their negative health impacts 

Assess environmental laws in each province 

Improve federal policy to better protect affected communities” 

Even though we can see that Nature Canada is aiming to make a difference regarding lack of diversity and environmental racism, there is still way more that must be done. I had never heard of Nature Canada before and never would have known about this campaign or Bill C-266 without taking this course. Social media is such a massive part of society and I think if they had a larger online presence it would make a bigger impact. 

References:

Merenlender, A. M., Crall, A. W., Drill, S., Prissy, M., & Ballard, H. (2016). Evaluating environmental education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1255–1265. 

Opportunities for BIPOC youth - work to grow. Nature Canada. (2023, January 9). Retrieved February 12, 2023, from https://naturecanada.ca/work-to-grow/ 

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Interpreting through nature

Art is one of the greatest lenses of interpretation. It provides an audience with the artist’s perspective of a moment, experience or even location but the beauty of sharing art is having your audience make their own connections to the piece. It is a way of communicating through a timeless piece while reaching various groups of all ages. I am in no way a painter or the most creative but I experience interpretation through art by taking photos on my phone or film camera. Most people have a phone nowadays and it is the quickest way to capture a moment and share the experience with others in hopes of provoking the same serene feeling as the artist at the time (Hooykaas, 2023).

For example, this is one of my favourite pictures of the sunrise I took. The best part of art is being able to remember the exact moment and why you decided to take the picture to begin with. I share this picture with the intention of sharing the gift of beauty that I felt in this moment. The gift of beauty provides the audience with the ability to acknowledge the sense of beauty in their surroundings and provide a spiritual uplift (Beck et al. 2018).  The context of this picture for me was that it was my last morning in Mexico which was my first trip since being locked down during the pandemic. I had not been to an ocean beach in years and the entire sunrise was an experience of gratitude, appreciating the ability of being there and taking in the stillness of the morning. For my audience, I would want them to take away the same stillness and calmness of the sunrise and appreciate that sense of beauty, providing my audience with a sense of escapism with me. 

Similarly, I want to carry on the concept of TORE, specifically the T which represents thematic which is the most difficult for interpreters because the image should provoke thought. This image without context may not evoke a great sense of thinking for some of my audience because the background of the image is so personal to me (Beck et al. 2018).  But, I believe that the moral of the story can be received by the audience which is appreciating the beauty and feeling a sense of calmness, while also inspiring others to seek their own experiences and possibly share as well (Beck et al. 2018). This picture for me was a moment of self-actualization, connecting my passion for traveling and experiencing different cultures with nature and mindfulness. It was a moment shared with people I love and was of “highest happiness” (Beck et al. 2018).  The key point that I am conveying is that the audience may not be able to share the exact theme that I associate with the picture but they will be able to take away the main idea from the image and have a provoked sense of appreciation of the beauty.

Here is another picture that I love but at an Ontario beach but it provides the same feeling of calmness. 

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Hooykaas, A. (2023). Unit 4: Nature Interpretation through Art and Planning for “All” Scenarios [Courselink Content]. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306929/View.

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Hello Jadi, 

Thank you so much for your post and the beautiful beach pictures. Ever since I was a kid the water has held a special place in my heart. I love to swim, but something I love more than swimming is floating. I could float in a lake for hours if it was acceptable to do so. Laying back with my ears submerged in the water brings me such a sense of calm that it is addicting. Every year I count down the days until I am back in the water again. What I am trying to say is, these pictures did bring me a sense of calm and appreciation for the beauty of the beach at sunrise.  I think that the best part of using photography for interpretation is that each and every viewer will have a different feeling or connection to that photo. Some people may be like us, they may find the water calming and peaceful, others may be afraid of the water and find it alarming. Creating a strong feeling toward a picture is what takes talent, and I think that is where the interpretation comes into play. 

Writing these response blogs are becoming so interesting and fun to do. I am loving seeing nature through everyone’s eyes, and being able to sit back and read peoples life stories. Week after week I read a post and both feel a strong connection to what is being said and also walk away from the post learning something new. Our class is a third of the way through our semester and already there are so many great nature interpreters that I am able to learn from. 

My happy place.

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The Gift of Beauty

I can honestly say that I do not have a wide spread knowledge of art. I never took art classes, drama, or music; not because I don’t enjoy art, I just focused on other classes instead. In the last little while, I have found a new joy for art. Whether that means going to an exhibit or experiencing a play- I have been trying to see more. One exhibit that stood out to me was the Beyond van Gough Exhibit that I went to in Hamilton. It was fascinating learning all about Vincent van Gough’s life and his work. The exhibit began with a hall all about his life and who he was as a person. It then moved on to the photo room of his work. The exhibit also brought all of the photos to life in a 3-D experience. Most of them depicting nature scenes and farmers’ fields. From the knowledge that I gained through the walk through his life, I realized he was painting what he knew and what made him happy. This gave me a sense of knowing him and an understanding of what he was feeling while he was painting (Beck et al., 2018).  Looking at: “Field with Irises near Arles”, I can feel the warm sun on my face and smell the fresh air that is blowing off the field. It gives me a sense of belonging because we have fields like that where I live; instantly feel right at home. 

“Field with Irises near Arles” by Vincent van Gough

I think that parenting may be a form of nature interpretation. We lead our children out into the wilderness to teach them about history and teach them what we love. As my daughter grows up I want her to know all about nature, art, musical theater and photography. Her knowledge will begin with me teaching her about what I know and love. Over time it will leave room for her to connect her own dots and do what she would like with that knowledge. I hope that she cherishes nature and understands how important it is for us to protect it. 

As Hookyaas (2023) mentioned, we take photos because there is “some element of beauty contained within that moment.” We want to capture the moment and have that feeling forever, and then share it with the world. When people see the photos I take and share on my social media, I hope they are able to sense the beauty in our surroundings and it puts a smile on their face (Beck et al., 2018).  This is how I interpret the “Gift of Beauty”, by sharing moments that I have experienced in nature that made me say “wow”. 

All this being said, I do not think I am equipped to interpret nature through art just yet. I still have a lot of understanding that I need to do myself. I hope to one day be able to understand it all, but maybe I never will. Maybe that is the point. 

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 127–161). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Hookyaas, A. (2023). Unit 03: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation. Courselink.

Photos:  https://artsandculture.google.com/asset/field-with-flowers-near-arles/lQFzzpeEHU-XxA?hl=en&ms=%7B%22x%22%3A0.5%2C%22y%22%3A0.5%2C%22z%22%3A9.253820327713509%2C%22size%22%3A%7B%22width%22%3A1.8689653874385934%2C%22height%22%3A1.2374999999999992%7D%7D

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Privilege & Nature Interpretation

Privilege plays a major role in determining the audience who gets to participate in nature interpretation opportunities, as well as opportunities to experience various aspects of nature in general. My working definition of “privilege” would be somewhere along the lines of having particular advantages that were inherited, not earned, due to various social constructs including race, gender, wealth, religion, culture and physical ability. 

Some general examples of the role privilege plays in accessing nature include the costs associated with proper gear to make experiences comfortable: hiking boots, rain jackets, winter jackets, camping gear etc. Being able to access nature trails is a privilege in itself; you typically need your own form of motorized transportation to get there, if there’s a trail system in your suburb, it’s usually a middle to upper class neighborhood. More specific to nature interpretation, the experience usually comes at a fee to those attending, and the areas themselves are typically not accessible for all mobilities. 

Throughout my early experiences working in the field of either outdoor education or environmental education, I witnessed countless examples of privilege being responsible for shaping the audience of learners that I worked with. The job where this was most prominent was while working at an outdoor education centre in Squamish, British Columbia. My role as an instructor was due to privilege. I gained an education, was encouraged to go by my parents, and was able to save money by living at home cost free to get myself there. The school group’s attending fall programming would come for 3 days/2 nights for a remote, cabin living, outdoor experience. While working my seasonal contract, only private school student’s came to the centre. They would have opportunities to participate in high ropes, rock climbing, mountain biking, orienteering, camping etc. Student’s would arrive with brand new outdoor gear from high end brands, their packs stocked with whatever they needed for the few days to make their stay comfortable. Our permission forms that were sent home prior to their trip actually included the list of gear recommended (but really required to be comfortable/safe in the constant switch from downpouring rain to snow). Although these students came from diverse cultures and backgrounds, and I loved getting to work with them and watch them gain confidence and self determination throughout their stay, the experience itself was exclusionary to those with class privilege. 

I believe that this nature by privilege example intersects well with Peggy McIntosh’s (1989) description of privilege mentioned by Gallavan (2005) in which she says that “the construct of privilege entails a set of beliefs and practices that are assumed or taken for granted by everyone throughout society and have been institutionalized into schools” (para. 9). Although she was applying this point towards the invisible backpack in the setting of schools, the choice and ability to attend an outdoor education trip such as where I was working plays into the re-enforced privilege structure. I’m not sure if at the time certain student’s who maybe couldn’t afford the cost of the trip including gear chose not to come, as well as those who may have been unable to due to physical barriers, but regardless, the barriers were very much there. 

I have since worked in roles where the students I worked with were from inner-city schools identified as being in low-income neighbourhoods, where the multi-day centre experience was exclusively funded through ngo’s and municipal funding. Although many barriers were surely at play due to the perceived physicality of the outdoors, it was nice to see that positive strides in the right direction do exist when it comes to the audience that gets to experience nature interpretation opportunities. 

As I continue to reflect on my role as nature interpreter, I will continue to consider a suggestion made by Beck et. al (2018):  "To attract a wider audience, interpreters should strive to know why people do not come to programs and facilities" (p.129). 

Citations:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks". Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36.

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Hello, 

Thank you for your post. I had a similar idea about how outdoor gear can affect someone’s ability to enjoy nature. My knowledge is based on the gear I buy myself or my husband. We have what I would call the bare minimum and still we have to make sure we set aside enough money in the spring for new hikers, bug spray and whatever new camping gear we need to add to our collection. I never thought about how students attending outdoor camps would need the same expensive gear. 

I know there are not nearly enough organizations who help underprivileged children enjoy these nature experiences but it makes me happy to know there are some. In my opinion experiencing nature is an important part of growing up. In the first year of my daughter’s life I took a new moms class and one of the things they said was good for the baby is out door walks. It allows them to see the sky and trees, get fresh air and be in the sun for small amounts of time. I struggled a lot in her first year being home with her and stuck in the house. She was born in the middle of Covid and in the winter to make things worse. I started looking forward to our daily walks and would find myself counting down the minutes until I could get out on them. She enjoyed the walks as much as I did and to this day loves to be outside. 

(A few photos of my daughter on her walks)

In the future, I hope to be able to help these types of organizations, even if it is something as simple as a donation to Tims Camps. 

Thank you again for your post. 

[aebenvs3000w23-blog]

The Role of Privilege in Nature

Interpretation

I am privileged to be a young Canadian citizen with only a short walk to the nearest nature trail and a short drive to the nearest clean lake. I am privileged to have experienced nature first hand growing up and to have a knowledge of it. I am privileged to go to a provincial or national park and be able to read all of the signage and pamphlets. 

I think that privilege plays a massive role in nature interpretation. I think one major privilege that Canadians have is the ability to view nature as a beautiful and providing thing. Not every country can do that. We have plenty of fresh water, land for farming and forests to provide us with fresh clean air. There are many countries where the environment around them does not provide enough. In turn, this may lead them to not enjoy nature. 

As discussed in this week’s chapter of the text there are a lot of barriers that may stop certain groups of people from being able to enjoy nature or nature interpretations. Some of these barriers include; economic, communication and cultural barriers (Beck et al., 2018). 

Examples of economic barriers include, not having a parent that can take a weekend off work to bring you to such events. Another economic barrier is not being able to afford transportation to such parks or nature areas (Beck et al., 2018). Lastly an economic barrier may be not having proper attire for the nature interpretation.

Communication barriers relate to groups of people who speak a different langue and who cannot read or understand certain signage (Beck et al., 2018). It may also include people who cannot hear or see. There is not often that a nature interpreter knows sign language and is equipped to speak with an individual who is deaf. I am also not sure if there are many options for people who are blind to enjoy nature. Nature is a lot more than what can be seen. Some of my favorite parts of nature are those that can be smelt, heard or felt. 

As I was reading about the cultural barriers I had a hard time understanding the content. I am not sure if I am just blind to the cultural barriers that occur in Canada or if it is not as big as an issue. Any time I am at a nature reserve or any outdoor space when I look around I see many different cultures. Sure, I may see one more than others but I know I see a vast selection. I know that I see this because I always like to look and see how the different cultures are enjoying the space. As mentioned in the text some cultures like to visit the parks in large groups (Beck et al., 2018). When I see large families it always makes me happy to see them enjoying nature together and it reminds me of my big family. 

(This is a photo I found on the Parks Canada website, it was advertising free admissions for newcomers to Canada and new Canadian citizens.)

As I start to think about my privileges with nature and life it makes me realize that I have to cherish and share it with the world. There is so much out there to see and enjoy. 

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 127–161). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Photos:

Free admission for newcomers to Canada and new Canadian citizens

The Canoo mobile app provides new Canadian citizens with complimentary admission to almost one thousand cultural and heritage attractions du

Premiers should rally behind struggling rural Canada

Opportunity Zones are a US model that Canadian First Ministers consider, as a way to address the growing urban-rural economic divide.

16 Top-Rated Small Towns in Canada

6 Water-purifying Devices for Clean Drinking Water in the Developing World

With 3.575 million people dying each year from water-related disease, our current water crisis is one of epic proportions. Read on for six w

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Unit 2: My Role as An Interpreter

Environmental interpreters are essential to help individuals understand the environment in which they live. By doing so, interpreters can enhance an individual's experience and attitude toward the environment, allowing them to develop positive personal relationships with it (Ham, 1992 & Beck et al., 2018). By creating this positive relationship, individuals will feel empowered to act sustainably (Beck et al., 2018).

The ideal environmental interpreter uses their knowledge to allow people to develop this relationship with the environment. To facilitate this, an interpreter must consider the different learning styles of their audience, present information in a positive way, and allow individuals to interpret on their own (Beck et al., 2018). By doing so, the interpreter enables people to perceive the environment accurately (Beck et al., 2018). 

As an ideal environmental interpreter, I would focus on teaching individuals about the world's beauty and the impact of global warming. As Eliot Porter said, people typically notice flowers or the bright colours of leaves in the fall since these things grab their attention. Due to this, so much of the earth’s beauty is missed (Bett et al., 2018). As I noted in my introductory post, I enjoy appreciating the beauty of the portions of the earth that go unnoticed. Thus, as an interpreter, I want to introduce my audience to the beauty of the environment they have yet to see. By doing this, I would get my audience's attention by giving them a feeling of excitement and a new love for the environment (Bett et al., 2018). The audience finding a love for the earth will actively encourage them to act sustainably (Tilden, 1957). 

A great place to show my audience would be Yellowstone National Park. Although I have never been, I find images of this park intriguing and believe it is a good representation of the beauty the world has to offer. Unfortunately, due to climate change and warming winters, the increase in bark beetles has substantially reduced the presence of whitebark pine trees (Bett et al., 2018). Consequently, Yellowstone National Park is a good representation of the effects of global warming on the environment.

This park would show the audience the beauty of the environment while also introducing the impacts of global warming. As you can see in the photos below, this beautiful park is bound to grab the attention of many.

As an interpreter, I would discuss the park's history and highlight some beautiful features my audience may not notice. After this brief overview, I would allow my audience to explore the area independently to develop a personal experience with it (Beck et al., 2018). This personal experience is essential for individuals to value the park (Beck et al., 2018). After the audience understands the importance and beauty of this area, I would discuss the loss of whitebark pine trees due to a warming climate. By addressing the impacts climate change has had on the park, the group will understand climate change through first-hand experience, making it more valuable and authentic. 

After addressing the challenges of climate change, I would give the audience hope and optimism by providing solutions to this problem (Bech et al., 2018). By giving this experience a positive outlook, people will be more inclined to try to help solve the problem of global warming and want to learn more (Beck et al., 2018).

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 5. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (1st ed., pp. 81–101). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Ham, S. (1992). Environmental interpretation. Golden, CO: Fulcrum Publishing.

"Tilden, F.  (1957, 1967, 1977). Interpreting our heritage. Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press."

Photos:

https://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-yellowstone-national-park

https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/connect/yellowstone-hot-spot/10-insider-tips-for-visiting-yellowstone/

[aebenvs3000w23-blog]

Hello Aaliyah,

First off, I would like to thank you for such a great post. Your post had a lot of key information from this weeks readings and I think you explained it in a very understanding way.

Yellowstone National Park is a place I have wanted to visit since I took a natural disasters course in second year. Yellowstone Caldera was brought up in our volcano unit and I was very interested in seeing it in person. I would also love to see the various wildlife that exists in the area. Seeing a bison in real life would be a pretty cool experience.

I think the way you described how you would share your interpretation to a group will be very effective. In our text it was said that people have started to understand global warming more as they are able to see the change (Beck et al., 2018). Creating unity and empowerment while discussing climate change is one of the biggest issues while interpreting (Beck et al., 2018). Although you mentioned that you will leave the group with hope and optimism by suggesting a solution, this may not always be an option. Climate change can not be solved by just one thing. This may make it hard for groups to see the bigger picture and may leave them disheartened.

A study run by The National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation came up with a strategy for increasing understanding and impacting behaviour (Beck et al., 2018). They formed five specific elements that direct the dialog toward solutions and away from blame (Beck et al., 2018). These five elements could be the basis for climate change understanding.