A Berry Tree-Mendous Blog

Alax's Nature Interpretation Blog for ENVS*3000

[agregoenv3000w25]

A Passion for Nature (ft. Buckeyes, Birds, and Blame)

For my final required blog post, I wanted to kick things off by revisiting one of our first topics: my relationship to nature. I look back fondly on my childhood trips to our local park, where little hands would scavenge for buckeyes, stuffing them into pockets until they were full to bursting. This was done so my two brothers and I could have copious ammunition to throw at one another during our trail hikes (in case you weren’t aware, buckeyes are pretty much the perfect projectiles for rowdy children as these nuts are both small enough to not really hurt and heavy enough to allow for a bit of speed when given a proper 'thwiiip!'. Not that I’m condoning that of course, but you know... kids will be kids). I spent much of my childhood walking the creek behind my house and looking for tadpoles and climbing trees. 

I was given copious opportunities to connect with nature; from bike rides through our neighborhood to apple picking, soccer tournaments and camping trips and forts in the woods. In the video presented to us this week, Dr. Suzuki describes how children often aren’t given the chance to contemplate and absorb experiences today. We try to break down our lives into small chunks and cram as much into those chunks as we can (DavidSuzukiFDN, 2012). I’m lucky because I was given that space to just be, to think, to absorb, to come to my own conclusions and make my own discoveries. 

Moving forward as I grow into who I want to be as a nature interpreter, I’d like to think that my beliefs and my responsibilities will be geared towards helping children and other adults feel that same sense of discovery and joy and awe that I often felt as a kid. In the article “Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give Up Hope” it is said that children love the art of discovering things (Clearing Magazine, 2019). I believe that allowing kids the opportunity to find things, to hunt for their own buckeyes, to search for their own tadpoles and to dig their hands in the dirt is imperative to building a strong relationship with nature. 

My belief is that everyone can find something they love about nature. Whether it’s your garden, as was the case for Richard Louv, or the mountain woods as it was for David Suzuki, there’s something for everyone (DavidSuzukiFDN, 2012). I see my responsibility, therefore, as helping people find the thing they love about nature. My responsibility is to spark the joy and the creativity that I feel being in nature, so others can enjoy it as well.  

According to Tilden’s Principles of Interpretation, the point of great interpretation is not just to deliver information to people, but to provide that information in a way that is engaging and uplifting and entertaining (Beck et al., 2018). We want to educate people, but we also want to inspire people! I’ve recently come to know Chris Earley, an interpreter who works at the Arboretum here on campus, and if you have the chance to get to know Chris or hear him speak, and I simply cannot stress this enough, take that opportunity!  

Chris is such a great naturalist, mostly because he loves what he does. His joy for nature is contagious. During my master's program, we all had to attend three workshops led by him. Each one was about seven hours long with an hour lunch break in the middle (a full day, to be sure). The workshops were designed to help us build our ID skills when it came to different kinds of birds (one workshop was aimed at hawks, one at ducks, and one at warblers). Chris wasted absolutely zero time in these workshops, teaching us as many as 35 different bird species in the span of just one workshop. It was A LOT of information, and most of us left exhausted from the bombardment of technical information being thrown at us. And despite these being some of the longest days we had, most of the students in my cohort agree: those workshops were our favorite. Why? Because of Chris.  

Chris’ knowledge is extensive, no one can argue that fact, but the way he teaches and engages people.... it’s another thing entirely. He kept our rapt attention for a total of twenty-one. hours. Talking JUST about birds! Before talking with Chris, I didn’t really have a huge interest in birds. I didn’t dislike them by any means, but I didn’t have any strong love for them. Now I look for them everywhere, I have a bird feeder at my window, I keep a birding log. I find it truly remarkable how one person’s joy can infect others, spreading the disease of ‘caring’ just as easily as influenza might travel through a crowded room. 

My approach to interpreting in the future is to simply let my affection and excitement about nature speak for itself. I love trees, I love birds, I love flowers and squirrels and bears, I love rivers, mountains, sunsets, and gardening! Nature is all around us, but I think sometimes, some people forget that. We like to place the blame for this problem on technology: many of us get so sucked into our screens, scrolling through social media or trapped behind a laptop doing school or work that we stop paying attention to Mother Nature. 

Now, I don't want you to get the wrong idea here, reader. I’m in my 20’s too, so I love video games and TV and TikTok as much as the next person our age. My plans for tonight in fact? Playing some Stardew Valley with my mom before watching the newest episode of Daredevil. Technology is great, and I don’t know that it’s 100% evil or deserves to take on the entire blame for the growing epidemic of environmental apathy. But I think there’s some work that needs to be done to break through that glass wall we hold in our hands. Work that we, as nature interpreters, are taking upon ourselves. It’s our job to be more engaging, interesting, and thought provoking than a magic doohickey that can tell you pretty much anything you want to know. 

So how can we do that? How will I do that? Like I said earlier, I think the answer lies in genuine enthusiasm and passion. I think it’s relatively safe to say that we all took this class because we love nature. Showing that love and allowing others to discover their own love for nature in their own way, in their own time, is how I believe we build deeper connections to the natural world. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

REFERENCES

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture. 

Clearing Magazine. (2019, June 17). Why environmental educators shouldn’t give up hope. CLEARING. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300 

DavidSuzukiFDN. (2012, July 20). David Suzuki and Richard Louv @AGO. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5DI1Ffdl6Y 

[clenvs3000w25]

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

As a nature interpreter, I am continuing to develop my skills and understanding of the field and all that it involves. My personal ethic is shaped and influenced by a combination of commitment to education, deep respect of nature, and a belief in creating deep and meaningful connections between people and the environment. Drawing from the textbook, I have come to learn and realize that interpretation is not just about sharing knowledge, it’s about nurturing curiosity, inspiring action, and promoting environmental stewardship. Last semester, I took a course called Introduction to Environmental Stewardship, and now combining what I learned in that course with the things I have learned in this course, I feel more capable of fulfilling my role as a nature interpreter.

I believe that all life is interconnected, and this is one of the beliefs that I bring to nature interpretation. The textbook reinforces this idea by emphasizing that interpretation is an art form that incorporates several forms of art – any kind of art that aids in revealing relationships and meanings (Knudson et al., 2018). To instill a sense of responsibility in individuals for the environment and natural world, I believe that interpretation needs to be effective and for that to happen it needs to go beyond surface-level knowledge and information to be able to create transformative experiences.

Additionally, I believe that interpretation needs to be inclusive and accessible for everyone. As an interpreter, I must work to make experiences and knowledge available to individuals of all abilities, backgrounds, and cultural perspectives. This is something that resonates deeply with me as I have a wheelchair bound brother and it can be extremely frustrating when my family is unable to do something because accessibility is not provided for individuals like my brother. I would never want anyone else to feel this way or miss out on something that interests them because of this. When interpretation is effective, everyone’s rights and dignity are respected (Knudson et al., 2018). Additionally, I will be able to create a richer and more comprehensive interpretive experience if I integrate multiple perspectives which could include, scientific research, personal narratives, as well as indigenous knowledge. A key component of making interpretation inclusive is having the ability to communicate effectively with a variety of diverse audiences (Canada, 2025).

Furthermore, I believe in the power of storytelling. Statistics and facts are informative, but stories are engaging. This is something I really experienced and learned in our podcast for children. By using storytelling, I believe my group was able to create an engaging podcast for the appropriate age group and create a really great product. Abstract concepts are made relevant and tangible when storytelling is used. Rather than just imparting knowledge, interpretation should seek to catch the audience’s interest and spark their creativity (Knudson et al., 2018). As I develop as an interpreter, I would like to incorporate narratives and storytelling into my interpretation using personal experiences and historical knowledge and information.

Using these beliefs as my foundation for being an interpreter, I recognize that I will carry more responsibility than just simply conveying information. I understand that ethics plays a large role in nature interpretation and requires a commitment to stewardship, truth, and respect. As such, one of my responsibilities would be to inspire my audience to take part in and become environmental stewards. A call to action should be included in interpretation, urging audiences to practice conservation and other environmental conscious practices (Knudson et al., 2018). Therefore, my goal is to create experiences that remove a disconnect between people and the environment and instead encourage people to make a connection between them and the environment. My hope is to instill this sense of responsibility for protecting the natural world in my audiences with interactive learning, engaging narratives, and hands-on experiences. Fostering environmental stewardship via good communication and involvement is one aspect of the interpreter’s job (Canada, 2025).

As I mentioned above, interpretation involves ethical practices including a commitment to the truth. Therefore, it is my responsibility to ensure that I only convey information that is well-researched and supported by credible sources. Conservation efforts can be harmed by misconceptions that are created by misinterpretation and oversimplification. As such, maintaining credibility requires interpreters to make sure their presentations are factually correct and supported by credible sources (Knudson et al., 2018). Additionally, I mentioned the importance of respect in interpretation and so I believe it is important to incorporate traditional knowledge and cultural perspectives. We have learned that local cultures and indigenous communities often have a deep level of knowledge about their environment that has been accumulated over many generations. And this is supported by the textbook by stating that traditional knowledge should be included by interpreters in a way that honours its sources and acknowledges its importance in addition to scientific viewpoints (Knudson et al., 2018). This further emphasizes the importance of honouring the sources which can be done by collaborating with and learning from these sources, giving them credit and ensuring their voices are heard.

The best interpretations encourage the audience to reflect, consider, and investigate their own values (Knudson et al., 2018). Due to this, I view my role more as a facilitator trying to inspire inquiry, rather than just a transmitter of knowledge. Audiences will better be able to develop their own connection with nature when I encourage curiosity and critical thinking, and this in turn will make the learning experience more personal and impactful.

In my development as an interpreter, I realize that interpretation requires more than a belief system and an ethical foundation. It also requires effective strategies that will create higher engagement in audiences. These approaches align with my personal strengths and values. To begin, I believe by creating direct experience, appreciation for nature can be effectively achieved. Through active engagement and practical experiences, visitors are better able to internalize ideas and form closer connections with the content being presented (Knudson et al., 2018). People more easily form personal connection with nature when they experience nature through interactive activities. My podcast group used this approach to inspire children about our topic. We incorporated storytelling, games, and at home crafts that could encourage them to form a better connection with nature. This approach aligns with my belief that people are more likely to protect what they have experienced and what they understand.

As I mentioned earlier, storytelling in interpretation can be effective and as such, I will try to use these narratives to bring life to nature for my audiences. Therefore, I will strive to not just simply state facts but provide a background story to create meaning. By providing context, stories help facts become more meaningful and memorable (Knudson et al., 2018). Additionally, nature and culture are complex and cannot be captured in just one viewpoint. This demonstrates the importance of incorporating multiple perspectives such as, scientific, indigenous, person, and historical, as I mentioned earlier on. This provides a more holistic understanding of nature in addition to enriching the experience. The textbook encourages interpreters to present a narrative that is inclusive and well-rounded by incorporating a variety of voices (Knudson et al., 2018). I also believe that emotion plays an important role in interpretation being effective. I believe that feelings are more likely to inspire action than simply facts alone. The goal of connecting with nature is to develop intimacy and a relationship (Rodenburg, 2019). I would like to inspire “moments of awe” in my interpretations, this could be through breathtaking views or a moving story, and this would encourage deeper emotional connections that would last beyond the experience. Meaningful conservation initiatives can begin with awe and motivation (Knudson et al., 2018).

Continuing my development as a nature interpreter, I will try to serve as a guiding compass, ensuring that I remain respectful, I am taking responsibility, an encourage a passion for connecting people with nature. My goal is to motivate others to take care of and preserve the natural world by promoting stewardship, emphasizing ethical communication, honouring cultural viewpoints, and stimulating curiosity. The ultimate objective of interpretation is to improve the world by comprehension and admiration (Knudson et al., 2018). I’ll end by posing a couple questions: how do you think nature interpreters can effectively balance scientific accuracy with storytelling to create engaging and meaningful experiences? In what ways do you think interpretation can be adapted to better reflect and respect diverse cultural perspectives and traditional knowledge?

References:

Canada, E. a. S. D. (2025, January 28). Nature Interpreter in Canada | Job description – JobBank.https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/marketreport/occupation/24570/ca;jsessionid=E1A542629E28D1CDBE1A4DE957129CD.jobsearch77

Knudson, L.B.T.T.C.D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Publishing LLC.https://sagamore.vitalsource.com/books/9781571678669

Rodenburg, J. (2019, June 17). Why environmental educators shouldn’t give up hope. CLEARING: PNW Journal of Environmental Education in the Pacific Northwest. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

[agregoenv3000w25]

Hi! Great blog post. I really appreciated your section on accessibility and I'm sorry to hear you and your brother have run into hardships trying to do certain things. I very much relate as someone who has a genetic hearing issue. My mom, one of my two brothers, and I all have hearing loss and either having a disability yourself or having a family member with one really opens your eyes to how much the world is not made for people with disabilities. I commend your dedication to making nature interpretation accessible to all and I wonder what we can do at various levels to help further make nature interpretation accessible to people? Do we lobby for legal change? Do we try to make change at a more local level, like at the places we work? I also enjoyed reading your thoughts on storytelling and using narratives in nature interpretation. I think storytelling is one of the most powerful tools we have in our pockets and it should be used more often. But I also wonder how we might incorporate marginalized stories without encroaching into the territory of cultural appropriation...? Like, as a white person, I don't want to be telling Indigenous stories for them, but if we don't have the resources to get an Indigenous person in to tell their own story, is it better to not include the story at all? Or try to tell it ourselves in a sensitive way? I'm not sure what the answer is, and you might not either. But it's something to think on for sure! Great post, thanks for sharing :)

[kdrenvs3000w25]

Blog Post 09: My Personal Growth as an Interpreter

Hi everyone, welcome back to my blog! I can not believe that this is my last post for the semester, but since it is, I better make it a good one! This post will be delving into my development in this course, my background that has led to my beliefs and approaches, and how the term nature interpretation has evolved for me. 

My journey in this course started with very little idea of nature interpretation, or at least so I thought. As I have mentioned a few times throughout this blog, I am in my final semester of a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture. I originally chose this program because I was always drawn to how I could make the world a better place, both aesthetically and environmentally. I also have always been a huge advocate for sustainability and recognizing climate change. This led me to also completing an Environmental Citizenship Certificate. When selecting the courses I would take for my certificate, ENVS3000:Nature Interpretation came up. I remember reading the description for the ‘in person’ version of the course, and reading about planning and delivering an interpretive walk for a community group. To my knowledge at the time, I only associated interpretation with action, such as interpretive walks and dances. Little did I know was the vast way interpretation is embedded in our world, such as “... personal contact with visitors to interpretation through exhibits, signs, self-guiding tours, apps, podcasts, social media, virtual reality, and more” (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 1). 

Funny enough, I only recently delved into the world of understanding ethics this year too, when I completed a course on environmental ethics and perspectives. The combination of these two courses has allowed me to truly understand my beliefs, how they were formed, and what that means for my future as an interpreter. To review, personal ethics are “moral principles that guide an individual’s decisions and actions based on their values, beliefs, and experiences. They shape how one determines right from wrong in daily life” (Taylor, 2024). When going through my ethics course, I came across the ethical perspective of deep ecology. Deep ecology is the belief that humans and nature are not separate entities but act together (Murray, 2017). Deep ecologists believe our relationship with nature must change, and we must recognize that nature has intrinsic value the same way that humans do (McElgunn, 2022). Learning about this belief encapsulated the views I have had since I was a child, that I had never been able to describe with one term. I have always felt like the environment has value just as we do, and it is not just a resource for us to deplete. I have always felt aware and cautious of how my actions now affect future generations. Reading the textbook and course material, I read about this same mindset, such as in Chapter 15 of Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. “Interpreters preserve a legacy for future generations and a foundation upon which citizens can build a better world” (Beck et al., 2018). This allowed me to feel seen and understood, and allowed for advancement in my beliefs. 

As I am ending off this course, my beliefs going into it did not really change. Instead, they evolved so that I had a clearer understanding of what I wanted to do with them. The main thing I learned though, is how I share those beliefs with others, in what way I share them, and the responsibilities I have to my environment. Before I began this course, I never thought of myself as a nature interpreter, or even an interpreter in general. Now, it is something I feel like is a part of me and something I want to continue to develop going forward. Defining myself as an interpreter means having a responsibility to grow, not just as a person, but as an interpreter too. Chapter 21 of Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World provided guidelines of how interpreters can evolve and grow “They make the effort to gain relevant specialized education and training, They provide public service with social responsibility, They participate in accreditation and certification programs, They keep current with a research-based foundation of knowledge, They lay out and follow a program of life-long learning, They accept and practice the discipline of an established code of ethics within their workplace” (Beck et al., 2018). This course also allowed me to understand that my responsibilities go deeper than to myself, but the responsibility I have to others. I have learned my responsibility to preserve history, recognizing privilege and unequal opportunities, understanding and catering to all visitors and learning styles, and much much more. I define my goal as an interpreter as being able to “have abilities to use creative imagination to help others understand and enjoy their cultural and natural environments” (Beck et al., 2018, Preface). 

Finally, I want to touch on what method I have learned allows me to be the best I can be as an interpreter, which is visual interpretation. I have always been a visual learner myself, and through my degree, I have learned how to make beautiful visualizations. These illustrations show how design can allow for humans to connect with their environment in a positive way, and how spaces can be functional without compromising sustainability. Figure 1 shows an example of a piece of work I have done that shows this. 

Figure 1: A 3D Model I made of a site that blends residential living with the existing environment and preserved natural areas. 

As this course (and post) comes to an end, I am reflecting on my growth throughout this semester. While my beliefs have not changed, they have evolved and allowed me to understand a deeper form of communication. I will take this with me as I continue to work towards being the best interpreter I can be. I make a promise to myself, and to the world, that I will never stop teaching others the beauty of our environment. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018) Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture. 

McElgunn, M. (2022, September 22). What is “Deep ecology”? Ecological Landscape Alliance. https://www.ecolandscaping.org/09/developing-healthy-landscapes/sustainability/what-is-deep-ecology/  

Murray, D. (2017, March 6). The global and the local: An environmental ethics casebook. Brill. https://brill.com/display/title/33106?language=en  

Taylor , E. (2024, December 18). Personal ethics: Definition, importance, and examples. The Knowledge Academy - Online certification training courses provider. https://www.theknowledgeacademy.com/blog/personal-ethics/   

[agregoenv3000w25]

Hi Kayla, I loved your take on this post, it's so different from my own but that's what makes it interesting! I loved hearing about your journey throughout this course as someone who didn't see themselves as a nature interpreter (for me, that's what I'm actively working to be, so we're on very different paths. And yet both found our way here to see each others' blogs!). I really liked what you had said about Deep Ecology, and how you feel like the environment is "not just a resource for us to deplete." This reminds me of something Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer said during a talk I attended that she gave. She said she didn't like the term "environmental sustainability". I was a little shocked by this when I first heard her say this because I thought "how can an environmentalist say they don't like environmental sustainability??" But once she explained why, I totally understood. She gave us the definition of environmental sustainability to start her explanation. Southern New Hampshire University defines it as "responsible management of natural resources to fulfill current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs." (Patterson, 2024). The reason Dr. Kimmerer doesn't like this term is because it makes the environment sound like something that we can simply pillage for resources and the only reason we're attempting to save them is for our own gain, not because the nature itself has value. We're saving natural resources to "fulfill current needs", not because it's simply worth saving. All of this makes me wonder... is there a way to combine environmental sustainability (even if we don't like the term) and landscape architecture in a way that highlights nature simply for the sake of nature's beauty and not to preserve it simply so we can keep getting resources from it for years to come? And in this question, I mean on a large scale. Is there a way to have many architects, regardless of if they've taken a nature interpretation course or not, combine these two ideas? It looks like you're already on the path to doing this, your 3D model looks fantastic! But I wonder if it's possible to have other architects follow your lead without forcing them to take a nature interpretation course? Or maybe the answer IS to make all architects take a nature interpretation course.... I'm not sure! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~ REFERENCES Patterson, N. (2024, September 20). What is environmental sustainability? goals with examples . Southern New Hampshire University. https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/stem/what-is-environmental-sustainability

[agregoenv3000w25]

Can Trees Talk?!?

One of the most amazing things about nature, to me, is something that almost seems straight out of a sci-fi movie. Look no further than James Cameron’s Avatar for proof that this concept has inspired movie makers and story tellers. In the movie, the Na’vi people tell the human protagonist that the trees on this fictional planet of Pandora are all connected: one living being instead of multiple disconnected individuals. We see many examples of this throughout the movie, with the viewer even being offered scenes containing glowing tree roots underground connecting other trees to the main Tree of Life, like in the photo below (Fandom, n.d.). 

Caption: A scene from James Cameron’s Avatar showing glowing tree roots underground connecting other trees to the main Tree of Life. 

One of the main scientists in the movie, Dr. Grace Augustine, says, “What we think we know - is that there's some kind of electrochemical communication between the roots of the trees. Like the synapses between neurons. Each tree has ten to the fourth connections to the trees around it...” (IMDb, n.d.).  

But what if I told you Dr. Augustine was on to something... The link we understand about trees today isn’t 100% electric in nature, as Dr. Augustine suggested, but more fungal. Known as the mycorrhizal (pronounced like MY-koe-RYE-zull) network, tree roots (and indeed, almost all plant roots living in the Earth’s soil) are connected to each other through fungal mycelia.

“What are fungal mycelia?” you might be asking at this point. Which is a great question since even I, as someone who is talking to you about this, had to Google it to remind myself of the definition. 

Fungal mycelia are defined as “the mass of branched, tubular hyphae of fungi” (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2025). Which.... I have to just say thank you SO MUCH, Britannica, for that definition, that’s not confusing at all.  

So, without all the fancy scientist words, what does this mean? Essentially, mushrooms and fungi have networks of very thin, tube-like filaments that run throughout the fruiting body (or the part of the mushroom you see) and then into the ground around the network. In this way, Dr. Augustine had it right, because mycelia are very similar to our own neural networks.  

Tree roots and fungi have a symbiotic relationship in which the fungi will attach to the tree roots to gain food made by the tree, and then the tree roots get both the fungally-foraged nutrients from the soil and a network that connects their roots to other tree roots around them (Gorzelak et al., 2015). Through these networks, trees can really talk to one another. They can warn each other about certain stressors like insect attacks or droughts or fires (Grant, 2018).  

It’s even been speculated whether these fungal networks contribute to tree masting, a phenomenon that is not yet completely understood by scientists. Masting is when trees produce an abundance of seeds (or nuts, if you prefer). But it’s not just that one tree produces more, it’s every tree in every forest in an area (Shechet, 2023). How do oak trees in one area communicate to trees in another area to throw their all into acorn production that year? It’s still a bit of a mystery but I believe it’s because they talk to each other. 

Another reason I like this topic of mycorrhizal networks and trees talking is because it’s symbolic, to me. Like our textbook says:

“People who understand the interconnectedness of things can foresee consequences and long-term impacts of their actions on this and future generations” (Beck et al., 2018).

Trees understand the big picture and can foresee long-term impacts to their actions. Masting years often come when small mammal populations are down. The abundance of food leads to a boom in squirrel, chipmunk, mice, raccoon and many other nut-eating animal populations. This, in turn, feeds predators like foxes, raptors, weasels, coyotes, etc.  

Our textbook stresses that making connections is crucial to good interpreting. Trees make connections to other trees around them, other plants, the fungus itself, and the nutrients in the ground. If we turn that concept into an analogy for humans, I think it would mean that we need to be more connected to other animal species, other plants, each other (especially), and even the basic building blocks of our lives like the food we eat, the water we drink, and the soil that sustain us as well as the trees. Try to think about this connectedness the next time you step over a tree root on your nature walk or dig up a weed in your garden. How are you connected to other living and non-living things around you, like the mycorrhizal network of roots? 

----------------------------------------- 

REFERENCES: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture. 

Discuss everything about avatar wiki. Fandom. (n.d.). https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/f 

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2025, February 17). Mycelium. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/mycelium 

Gorzelak, M. A., Asay, A. K., Pickles, B. J., & Simard, S. W. (2015). Inter-plant communication through mycorrhizal networks mediates complex adaptive behaviour in plant communities. AoB Plants, 7. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plv050 

Grant, R. (2018, March). Do trees talk to each other? | Smithsonian. Ask Smithsonian. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/ 

IMDb.com. (n.d.). Avatar. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/quotes/ 

Shechet, E. (2023, November 27). The lingering mysteries of the Mast Year. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. https://www.bbg.org/article/the_mysteries_of_masting_in_trees#:~:text=Masting%20is%2C%20in%20short%2C%20the,roughly%20every%202%E2%80%935%20years. 

[hakenvs3000w25]

Hi Alexandra!

Your post on tree communication is really engaging and packed with fascinating details! I loved how you connected the concept of mycorrhizal networks to the visuals from Avatar, that was both creative and informative. Your explanation of how trees use these fungal connections to share nutrients and warn each other about threats clearly shows how these networks play a vital role in forest health.

What struck me most was how you tied these scientific insights to real-world impacts. Understanding these natural connections isn’t just cool, it can inform conservation efforts by highlighting the importance of preserving the underground networks that sustain entire ecosystems. Your discussion of tree masting offers a compelling glimpse into how these interactions might help regulate wildlife food supply, which in turn supports ecological balance.

I also appreciated your reflection on how these connections parallel our daily lives, reminding us that, just like trees, our actions are interconnected and can have long-lasting effects on our communities and the environment. Your post truly makes us think about the deep, unseen links that sustain nature and our own lives.

I wonder, what inspired you to dive so deeply into the science behind tree communication?

[agregoenv3000w25]

Hi Hayrunnisa, Thanks for the lovely things you said about my writing, it really touched me to hear those compliments!

To answer your question, one of the first things that got me interested in tree communication was Dr. Robin Wall Kimmerer's book "Braiding Sweetgrass". If you haven't read it I *HIGHLY* recommend it, it's beautifully written and is packed with tons of very accessible science knowledge (the audiobook is also pretty stellar, if those are more your speed. Dr. Kimmerer reads it herself and she has such a soothing voice plus you get all her pronunciations of the Indigenous words she includes, which is very nice). In her book, Dr. Kimmerer talks about the interconnectedness of plants and their roots. She talks about how she took a group of students out into the forest once and they dug up plant roots, following them along their path, often overlapping and crisscrossing and tangling with other roots from other plants.

Her discussion of this topic got me started, but it was furthered by some volunteering I did at a local sustainable farm back home. They discussed mycorrhizal networks and taught me how the soybeans we often plant between corn crops are actually a way of trying to keep the soil somewhat healthy (although it can be argued that modern monoculture agricultural methods will never be healthy for the soil but.... you know, that's a different topic altogether). Soybeans, being a legume, actually have symbiotic relationships in their roots with nitrogen fixing bacteria. This means that by planting soybeans you're actually working to put nitrogen, a key plant nutrient, back into the soil. This got me thinking about other symbiotic relationships under our feet, which led me to tree roots!

There's so much going on all around us in nature, even under our feet, it's just amazing to me! I hope reading my blog post helped spark an appreciation or even a joy for trees <3 

[pgenvs3000w25]

Plank Alkaloids

This semester, I am taking a botany course about plant metabolism. Recently, we learned about plant alkaloids and how plants, animals, and humans use these alkaloids for survival. Alkaloids are naturally occurring chemical compounds containing nitrogen that play a role in plant survival, as well as aiding other species around them, including us! When interpreting an interesting compound like alkaloids, it is important to recognise they are not just defensive tools, but also have significant ecological, medicinal and cultural importance. They can be toxic to some and beneficial to others, exploring the idea that nature is highly adaptive. 

Plants face many natural enemies such as herbivores, insects, and environmental stressors. To survive, plants have developed chemical defenses such as alkaloids. They have a very bitter taste, making the plant undesirable for herbivores, some being toxic to animals. An interesting example we discussed in class was Jeruit bark that contains quinine, an alkaloid that not only serves as a deterrent to herbavors but also has been beneficial for human medicine. Quinine is used for the treatment of malaria! It is also the key compound in tonic water, and fun fact: Tonic water will glow under black light due to the fluorescence of quinine! Quinine’s bitter taste discourages herbivores, while for humans, it became a life-saving treatment against malaria. This dual-purpose role of alkaloids, acting as both a plant defense mechanism and a valuable resource for humans, underscores the intricate connections within ecosystems.

Similarly, Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus) is a plant that produces alkaloids that are anti-cancerous. The alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine, extracted from this plant, are used in chemotherapy to halt the growth of cancerous cells.   In this case, the plant's natural defense mechanisms also have life-saving benefits for humans, highlighting the broader implications of plant chemistry in the medical world.

Alkaloids also play a key role in the animal kingdom. An intriguing example is the Ithomiine butterflies, which have evolved to feed on plants that produce alkaloids, particularly from the nightshade family. These butterflies can store alkaloids in their bodies, making them distasteful and toxic to predators. This fascinating adaptation demonstrates a mutualistic relationship, where an animal benefits directly from the plant's chemical defense system. The butterflies' ability to exploit these plant chemicals for their own protection showcases the intricate connection of interactions between plant chemistry and animal behavior.

Plant alkaloids represent one of nature's most brilliant evolutionary tools. These compounds are not just defensive, they shape entire ecosystems and human societies. Whether serving as a deterrent to herbivores, a tool in human medicine, or a protective mechanism for insects and animals, alkaloids demonstrate the remarkable versatility of plant life. They are an amazing example of the way plants adapt and interact with their environment. From life-saving drugs like quinine and vinblastine to the surprising ways animals exploit plant chemistry, the world of plant alkaloids reveals the extraordinary ways nature works to protect and sustain life on Earth!

[agregoenv3000w25]

Paige, What an interesting topic! I tutored organic chemistry during my time as an undergraduate student and fell in love with the complexities of chemical compounds and the many different facets to them. I had no idea that vincristine and vinblastine made by Madagascar Periwinkles are anti-cancerous! What an amazing find by scientists (modern medicine and science continue to blow my mind every day).

Your post made me think of tree phenols and how they use them to protect themselves. Where alkaloids have Nitrogen, phenols have a hydroxy group (-OH) attached to a benzyne ring. Trees use phenols to inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi in their bark. Humans have started to use these compounds to help with food storage, using various phenols to inhibit the growth of bacteria on the food we eat (Takó et al., 2020). Isn't it so cool how naturally occurring substances like alkaloids and phenols have such a wide range of uses?

It makes me think on what other chemical substances are out there, just waiting for us to discover them. Is the cure for cancer in a flower? Can we engineer the strongest building materials from trees? What other secrets are waiting for scientists, in plain sight but just out of reach?

Thanks for bringing such cool phenomena to my attention! Great post :) REFERENCE:

Takó, M., Kerekes, E. B., Zambrano, C., Kotogán, A., Papp, T., Krisch, J., & Vágvölgyi, C. (2020). Plant Phenolics and Phenolic-Enriched Extracts as Antimicrobial Agents against Food-Contaminating Microorganisms. Antioxidants (Basel, Switzerland), 9(2), 165. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox9020165

[ruenvs3000w25]

Unit 9 Blog: An Amazing Thing about Nature - THE SUPERORGANISM

The prompt this week is a very exciting one: “Interpret the most amazing thing you know about nature” The first thing that came to mind was the concept of the “SUPERORGANISM”.

The term superorganism describes a social unit of eusocial animals that exhibit advanced levels of social organization. These animals are so deeply interconnected that they cannot survive on their own for extended periods. Instead, they function as a single entity, each member contributing to the whole in a way that allows the group to act as one living organism.

The most well-known examples of superorganisms are insects, particularly honey bees, certain wasps, ants, and termites. These species display remarkable coordination, where individual members specialize in different roles that serve the colony. I find honey bees especially fascinating when it comes to eusocial behavior.

A honey bee colony consists of three types of bees, each with a highly specialized role. The Queen Bee, the only fertile female in the hive, is responsible for laying eggs and controlling the colony through chemical signals known as pheromones. Worker bees, also female, perform all the hive's labor, including foraging for nectar and pollen, nursing larvae, defending the hive, and maintaining its structure. The drone bees, the male honeybees, have a singular purpose: to mate with the queen and pass on the colony’s genetic material.

This highly structured society allows honey bee colonies to function as a single, cohesive entity. The most amazing part? No single bee has complete control over the colony. Instead, their collective behavior emerges through communication and instinct. For example, when worker bees find a rich nectar source, they communicate its location to others through the famous "waggle dance." This dance conveys precise information about the direction and distance of the food source relative to the sun. Such sophisticated communication is a testament to how nature has evolved cooperation over millions of years.

Beyond bees, superorganism behavior is seen in other insects as well. Ants, for instance, form complex societies with specialized workers, soldiers, and reproductive individuals. Some species of army ants can even create bridges with their own bodies to allow safe passage for others. Termites build towering mounds that regulate temperature and humidity to create an ideal environment for their colony. Like honey bees, they communicate through pheromones.

But why is this concept of the superorganism so amazing? It challenges the way we view individualism in the natural world. Unlike solitary animals, where survival depends on the strength and ability of one individual, superorganisms thrive through collaboration. Every member is crucial, yet no single individual can function independently. This demonstrates the immense power of cooperation in nature, something humans could learn from as well.

Superorganisms highlight how evolution can create highly efficient and resilient systems through teamwork. They show that strength isn’t always about physical power but about unity and shared purpose. Observing bees, ants, and termites, we see how nature itself values community, and in doing so, creates some of the most extraordinary and complex societies on Earth.

Nature never ceases to amaze, and the superorganism is just one of its most brilliant masterpieces.

Cronin, A. L. (2022) Superorganism. Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior, 6785-6787. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-55065-7_383 Mid-Atlantic Apiculture Research and Extension Consortium. (n.d.). The colony and its  organization. Accessed March 13, 2025 from https://canr.udel.edu/maarec/honey-bee-biology/the-colony-and-its-organization/ Plowes, N. (2010) An Introduction to Eusociality. Nature Education Knowledge 3(10):7

[agregoenv3000w25]

Rachel,

I loved your post this week about superorganisms. Specifically, when you mentioned that no single organism has control over the colony, that really resonated with me on a philosophical level. Even the queen isn't all-powerful. If the drones and worker bees decide the queen isn't serving them well they can "boycott" her so to speak and can reject her and choose a new queen. I think this is an important lesson for us to keep in mind in our own social order. No one person can completely control everything, yet we are all responsible for our Earth and the resources in it. Without getting too political, as an American I think I needed the reminder that one being doesn't have total control over things and that we're stronger together as a unit than separated on our own. Thanks for the (potentially unintentional) heartwarming reminder! <3

Your bit about the ant bridge sparked the scientific part of my brain, though. These mighty little insects reminded me of some of my favorite flowers: morning glory. These viny beauties often support themselves to reach higher structures they can grab onto to continue growing. The way that they intertwine to create a bridge-like structure is very reminiscent of the way the ants also build a bridge. This picture I snapped back at my home almost reminds me of braided bridge cables, the way they braid together.

It makes me wonder how future engineering endeavors might be influenced by nature? I know there has been some research into the amazing tensile strength of spider silk or the adhesive qualities of gecko toe pads. I wonder if someday we'll be able to unlock the secrets of things like superorganisms or just other things throughout nature...?

[agregoenv3000w25]

Can Trees Talk?!?

One of the most amazing things about nature, to me, is something that almost seems straight out of a sci-fi movie. Look no further than James Cameron’s Avatar for proof that this concept has inspired movie makers and story tellers. In the movie, the Na’vi people tell the human protagonist that the trees on this fictional planet of Pandora are all connected: one living being instead of multiple disconnected individuals. We see many examples of this throughout the movie, with the viewer even being offered scenes containing glowing tree roots underground connecting other trees to the main Tree of Life, like in the photo below (Fandom, n.d.). 

Caption: A scene from James Cameron’s Avatar showing glowing tree roots underground connecting other trees to the main Tree of Life. 

One of the main scientists in the movie, Dr. Grace Augustine, says, “What we think we know - is that there's some kind of electrochemical communication between the roots of the trees. Like the synapses between neurons. Each tree has ten to the fourth connections to the trees around it...” (IMDb, n.d.).  

But what if I told you Dr. Augustine was on to something... The link we understand about trees today isn’t 100% electric in nature, as Dr. Augustine suggested, but more fungal. Known as the mycorrhizal (pronounced like MY-koe-RYE-zull) network, tree roots (and indeed, almost all plant roots living in the Earth’s soil) are connected to each other through fungal mycelia.

“What are fungal mycelia?” you might be asking at this point. Which is a great question since even I, as someone who is talking to you about this, had to Google it to remind myself of the formal definition. 

Fungal mycelia are defined as “the mass of branched, tubular hyphae of fungi” (Encyclopædia Britannica, 2025). Which.... I have to just say thank you SO MUCH, Britannica, for that definition, that’s not confusing at all.  

So, without all the fancy scientist words, what does this mean? Essentially, mushrooms and fungi have networks of very thin, tube-like filaments that run throughout the fruiting body (or the part of the mushroom you see) and then into the ground around the network. In this way, Dr. Augustine had it right, because mycelia are very similar to our own neural networks.  

Tree roots and fungi have a symbiotic relationship in which the fungi will attach to the tree roots to gain food made by the tree, and then the tree roots get both the fungally-foraged nutrients from the soil and a network that connects their roots to other tree roots around them (Gorzelak et al., 2015). Through these networks, trees can really talk to one another. They can warn each other about certain stressors like insect attacks or droughts or fires (Grant, 2018).  

It’s even been speculated whether these fungal networks contribute to tree masting, a phenomenon that is not yet completely understood by scientists. Masting is when trees produce an abundance of seeds (or nuts, if you prefer). But it’s not just that one tree produces more, it’s every tree in every forest in an area (Shechet, 2023). How do oak trees in one area communicate to trees in another area to throw their all into acorn production that year? It’s still a bit of a mystery but I believe it’s because they talk to each other. 

Another reason I like this topic of mycorrhizal networks and trees talking is because it’s symbolic, to me. Like our textbook says:

“People who understand the interconnectedness of things can foresee consequences and long-term impacts of their actions on this and future generations” (Beck et al., 2018).

Trees understand the big picture and can foresee long-term impacts to their actions. Masting years often come when small mammal populations are down. The abundance of food leads to a boom in squirrel, chipmunk, mice, raccoon and many other nut-eating animal populations. This, in turn, feeds predators like foxes, raptors, weasels, coyotes, etc.  

Our textbook stresses that making connections is crucial to good interpreting. Trees make connections to other trees around them, other plants, the fungus itself, and the nutrients in the ground. If we turn that concept into an analogy for humans, I think it would mean that we need to be more connected to other animal species, other plants, each other (especially), and even the basic building blocks of our lives like the food we eat, the water we drink, and the soil that sustain us as well as the trees. Try to think about this connectedness the next time you step over a tree root on your nature walk or dig up a weed in your garden. How are you connected to other living and non-living things around you, like the mycorrhizal network of roots? 

----------------------------------------- 

REFERENCES: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture. 

Discuss everything about avatar wiki. Fandom. (n.d.). https://james-camerons-avatar.fandom.com/f 

Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (2025, February 17). Mycelium. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/science/mycelium 

Gorzelak, M. A., Asay, A. K., Pickles, B. J., & Simard, S. W. (2015). Inter-plant communication through mycorrhizal networks mediates complex adaptive behaviour in plant communities. AoB Plants, 7. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plv050 

Grant, R. (2018, March). Do trees talk to each other? | Smithsonian. Ask Smithsonian. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/the-whispering-trees-180968084/ 

IMDb.com. (n.d.). Avatar. IMDb. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499549/quotes/ 

Shechet, E. (2023, November 27). The lingering mysteries of the Mast Year. Brooklyn Botanic Garden. https://www.bbg.org/article/the_mysteries_of_masting_in_trees#:~:text=Masting%20is%2C%20in%20short%2C%20the,roughly%20every%202%E2%80%935%20years. 

[agregoenv3000w25]

KERSPLAT! Birds and Windows

Okay, listen, it's not an overly happy topic but I feel like we have to have it, blog readers. Birds and windows.

According to the Fatal Light Awareness Program (FLAP), over 99,000 birds have died due to window collisions in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) since 1993 (FLAP 2022). For reference, that's just shy of 20 times more animals than the Toronto Zoo has in their care (City of Toronto 2017). So, you can go to the Toronto Zoo more than 15 times and still not see the same number of animals in the zoo as the number of birds that have died solely due to glass collisions in the GTA. Isn't that sad? Hopefully this triggers the thought in your mind of "What can we do to stop this??" Well, the good news is FLAP has done extensive research on how you can protect birds from going KERSPLAT! right into your shiny, glass windows.

Your first thought might be to go for those bird of prey decals that you sometimes see on people's windows, like the ones shown below.

Image Caption: Bird of Prey decals on a window.

Birds of prey widow stickers, keeps birds from hitting windows. CoolWalls.ca. (n.d.). https://coolwalls.ca/products/birds-of-prey-widow-stickers-keeps-birds-from-hitting-windows

The thing is, I'm terribly sorry to say, these don't do anything. Unless, of course, you were to put them over practically every square centimeter of your window. But why don't these work?

Through research, FLAP has found that there are certain criteria that must be met for window decals to be effective against bird strikes (FLAP 2021). These criteria are:

Decals must be placed in a way that leaves no space larger than a 5cm x 5cm gap.

Decals must be placed on the outside of the window's surface, never the inside.

Decals must be in high contrast to the window (meaning if the window is normally under heavy shade and is therefore dark, the decals should be light to contrast the dark window. Two tones of markings is the most effective so there is always high contrast).

Decals can't be less than 6mm in diameter.

Decals must cover the entire surface of the window.

Below is an example of a decal that would fit all the criteria to keep birds from hitting windows. Notice the lack of blank space, the full window coverage, and the high contrast against the window.

Image Caption: Example of bird safe window decals at the University of British Columbia.

Bird friendly art saves feathered lives. sustain.ubc.ca. (2019, April 29). https://sustain.ubc.ca/stories/bird-friendly-art-saves-feathered-lives

Another way to reduce (but not completely deter) bird collisions with windows is to move your bird feeder as close to the window as you can (FLAP 2021). This sounds counterintuitive at first (at least it did to me when I first heard it). I thought to myself, "Wouldn't you want to move it away from the window so you don't attract the birds to the window?"

The fact is, birds slow down to land on bird feeders. If they're coming at a bird feeder on or near a window, they're less likely to fly at the window at top speed. Therefore, if the bird does still happen to collide with the window, it's less likely to be fatal to the poor bird.

I'm a big fan of bird feeders that suction directly onto the window. Not only do they help save birds from window collisions, but they're fun! It's neat to see the birds come right up to your window. And you can get some really fun photos out of it, too!

Image Caption: Black-capped chickadee eating seeds at my window bird feeder.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Chickadee Chow Time", 2025.

Image Caption: Black-capped chickadee at my window bird feeder.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Chickadee at bird feeder", 2025.

Image Caption: A bonus funny picture, a little bird bum.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Chickadee Bum", 2025.

Maybe bird collisions with windows is not something you've ever thought about before or maybe it's an issue you're already familiar with. Either way, I hope this post was helpful in getting you to think about your own windows and how you might be able to make some changes to help out our feathery friends!

Citations: Flap Canada data – Flap Canada. (2017). https://flap.org/data/

Stop birds from hitting Windows – Flap Canada. (2021). https://flap.org/stop-birds-from-hitting-windows/

Birds of prey widow stickers, keeps birds from hitting windows. CoolWalls.ca. (n.d.). https://coolwalls.ca/products/birds-of-prey-widow-stickers-keeps-birds-from-hitting-windows

Bird friendly art saves feathered lives. sustain.ubc.ca. (2019, April 29). https://sustain.ubc.ca/stories/bird-friendly-art-saves-feathered-lives

Gregory, Alexandra. "Chickadee Chow Time", 2025.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Chickadee at bird feeder", 2025.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Chickadee Bum", 2025.

[wildlifechayse]

Unit 7 Blog Post

“Where is music in nature” is both an extremely easy and difficult question to answer at the same time, upon reading this I immediately think, music is everywhere in nature! However, trying to name the specific places music occurs in nature is more difficult, as there are so many different sources to think of it almost feels infinite. The reading from Gray et al., 2001, suggested that songs could be defined as “any rhythmic repeated utterance, whether by a frog, an insect, a whale or a human being”, which agrees that nature is filled with music, in a seemingly infinite way. It would likely be uninteresting to everyone reading if I simply sat here and listed all of the different places in nature that I can think of music originating from, therefore that is not something I intend to do. Rather, I would like to think of nature’s music in a more conceptual way… How does the music of nature compare to human music, and where do we draw the line between the two?

When I try to conceptualize the music of nature in a human way, my mind immediately goes to a symphony, a complex band of many different instruments all doing their own thing, coming together to create a beautiful sound that would not sound right if even one piece was missing. This is the essence of an ecosystem and the music that each one produces. This is a concept that was also discussed by Gray et al., 2001, stating that “each creature has its own frequency, amplitude, timbre, and duration, and occupies a unique niche among the other musicians”. This is coupled with the differences in complexities between the sounds of different creatures, some animals like birds have highly complex and melodic songs, meanwhile a bullfrog is repeating the same deep croak over and over again. This is comparable to the musical composition of an actual orchestra- the sheet music for the violins is much more melodic than the sheet music for a tuba which is there to provide bass to the song.

               Now, where is nature in music? This is another equally simple and complex answer- its everywhere! Music is an art form; therefore it is filled with symbols and metaphors that reflect the natural world. This is a pretty obvious explanation of where nature is in music, however there are ways that nature is incorporated into music besides simply using nature imagery for symbols and metaphors. The reading by Sahi, 2012 discusses how central nature is to Finnish folk music. Sahi states that folk music is developed in contact with local nature, thus reflecting the nature of the area. These songs, much like many traditional cultural songs, are reflective of the world views of the people of that culture and time. This is not unique to cultural folk music, different genres in different areas can reflect the views of their people and the nature that is present around them and can be found in some of our more modern music.

               I think a good example of this in more modern music is The Tragically Hip. When I first read that the topic of this week’s unit is music and nature I instantly knew I wanted to discuss The Tragically Hip somewhere in my blog post, as I think The Tragically Hip is a great example of nature in music, and interpreting Canadian culture. One song that specifically stands out to me is ‘Wheat Kings’, this song begins with an iconic recording of a loon call and moves on to tell the story of a saskatoon nurse who was murdered in 1969, and the 17-year-old man who was wrongly convicted to life in prison. Throughout this laid-back song there are several lines that evoke imagery of the nature of the area, like “Paris of the prairies” or “all you hear are the rusty breezes pushing around the weathervane Jesus”. This is one song that will always bring me a strong nostalgic feeling for several reasons, it brings me back to sitting by the lake with friends and family, but it also brings be back to my childhood living in the prairies. The beauty of including strong natural imagery in music is that it can evoke strong feelings for a multitude of reasons in many different people.

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.10.1126/SCIENCE.1056960

Sahi, V. (2012). Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe [Workshop Proceedings #322]. 322. Ares.

[agregoenv3000w25]

Chayse, After listening to the song you recommended, I think there's potentially even more natural influences in the song than just the words and the loon call in the beginning. The steady drum beat that kicks in around 25 seconds into the song sort of reminds me a woodpecker. And sometimes the guitar almost sounds like bird calls to me too (especially near the end, after the last line of the song). Making those comparisons though, it made me wonder: just how similar are the sound waves that birds produce compared to that of musical instruments? And HOLY CANOLI!! You'll never guess what I found. Look at this sonogram (in case you're not familiar, a sonogram is a representation of sound waves based off of their energy, usually represented in kilohertz. So it's just a visual way of showing sound, essentially) I found of a white-crowned sparrow:

Ummmmm.... hello??? Those second and third shapes are eighth notes! And if you never learned to read sheet music and don't know what an eighth note is, here's the comparison:

I just found that so unbelievably interesting. I located the bird song sonogram here, in an article about bird songs and their syntax. Now that I've seen that, I'm wondering how we decided on the shape of our music notes (for all I know, the shape of that eight note is just a fancy squiggle shape someone made up)? But isn't it so weird that our choice of symbol for a musical note can show up almost exactly in a sonogram of a bird call? Is that coincidence? Luck? Nothing at all? I'm not sure, but it is really cool, if you ask me.

[bbenvs3000w25-deactivated202505]

Blog Prompt 7: Echoes of Nature: How Music Connects Us to the Landscape

Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

The relationship between music and nature is profound and multifaceted, offering an opportunity for reflection and a deeper connection to the world around us. In the realm of environmental interpretation, music serves as more than just a backdrop or a form of entertainment. It is a tool for engaging the senses, evoking emotions, and creating experiences that help foster a connection between individuals and the environment.

Nature itself is an orchestra of sounds rain pattering on leaves, wind whistling through trees, or birds calling to one another. These sounds, often unnoticed in our daily lives, are a form of music that can influence our emotions, mindset, and well-being. In a way, music is everywhere in nature, even though we may not always recognize it as such.

For example, rain is one of nature's most soothing sounds. I have always been drawn to the sound of rain, particularly when preparing for sleep. The soft, rhythmic tapping of rain against windows or rooftops creates a tranquil atmosphere that connects me to the natural world in a way that feels both comforting and grounding. The gentle patter of rain has a unique power to calm the mind, providing a moment of peace before rest. It’s not merely background noise; it's an auditory experience that connects me to the larger world, even in the midst of urban life. This experience isn’t tied to a specific song, but rather to the pure essence of the natural environment rain as a form of natural music.

In contrast, Spring Waltz (Mariage d’Amour) by Chopin, though often associated with nature, evokes a different connection for me. Whenever it snows in winter, I listen to this piece, and it takes me back to the serene, quiet landscapes that accompany snowy days. There’s something about the waltz's flowing melody that mirrors the gentle descent of snowflakes, creating a sense of harmony with the natural world, even if it is a human-made composition. The connection between this music and winter is an emotional response to nature, where the melody of the waltz becomes a musical representation of a peaceful, snow-covered landscape.

Spring Waltz (Mariage d'Amour) - song and lyrics by Toms Mucenieks | Spotify

These two experiences of listening to rain before sleep and listening to Spring Waltz during winter demonstrate how music and nature intersect in deeply personal ways. The rain’s sound is a pure form of nature’s music, while Chopin’s composition is a translation of natural beauty through human creativity. Both forms serve as emotional gateways to the natural world, helping to build connections with landscapes and seasons that might otherwise go unnoticed.

This concept of blending nature with music also ties into the work of contemporary artists like Ben Mirin, who mixes wildlife sounds into beatboxing performances. Mirin’s approach to music is an excellent example of how we can use natural sounds to engage audiences with environmental issues. His work demonstrates that nature's music whether it’s a bird call, a whale song, or the sounds of a forest can be incorporated into modern musical forms to capture attention, evoke emotions, and inspire action toward conservation.

In environmental interpretation, music serves as a tool for connection. It allows interpreters to merge the emotional impact of nature’s sounds with the power of human expression. This blending of the arts with scientific information, as Tilden’s third principle suggests, makes interpretive programs more engaging, emotional, and memorable. For instance, if an interpreter were to incorporate the sound of rain or birdsong into their presentation, it could create a sensory-rich environment that enhances the storytelling experience and draws listeners into a deeper connection with the subject matter.

As we reflect on the role of music in nature, it's essential to recognize that music is not only an emotional experience but also a tool for understanding the world around us. The music of nature whether it's the rustling leaves, the crashing waves, or the calls of distant animals provides a sense of belonging within the larger ecosystem. Similarly, music created by humans, when inspired by nature, acts as a bridge between the human experience and the natural world, helping us interpret and understand the world’s beauty, fragility, and complexity.

Ultimately, music in nature is both an art and a science. It is a language that transcends words, evoking feelings and responses that connect us to the land, the creatures, and the cycles of life. Whether we listen to the natural symphony of rain, the haunting melodies of birds, or a carefully composed piece that evokes a winter scene, music and nature share a profound relationship that can deepen our understanding of the world and our place within it.

Spring Waltz (Mariage d’Amour). (2021, November 24). Spotify. https://open.spotify.com/track/1mnHdt7Bb2UoVyNBfzJo5q

[agregoenv3000w25]

Hi Bayan! I'm listening to Spring Waltz as I write this reply. It's a beautiful piece, thank you for sharing it. I agree with you that nature sounds are a pure form of music, which makes me want to ask the question - do you think that simply listening to nature sounds can evoke the same emotions as listening to your favorite song? Or perhaps emotions that are even stronger? I think one of the reasons I ask this question this week is because our textbook talked about media in interpretation this week and that had my brain thinking back on this podcast that I love and have listened to a couple of times because it's just. that. good. It's called Forest 404 and you can listen to it on Spotify here. It's not terribly long but it has a really poignant message about nature. The premise of the podcast is that the main character, Pan, lives faaaaaaar in the future. Pan's job is to comb through data from "the slow times" (in other words, our data!) when all of a sudden she comes across the sound of a rain forest. She's so intrigued by these sounds and they set off such a deep emotional response for her that this triggers a whole slew of events that completely change her life (that's as much as I can say without spoiling anything!). I think on how this audio clip of bird songs and frog calls and bugs chirping, really the sound of one big living organism (the forest itself), impacts Pan so much and I wonder if we can also experience the same feelings from nature sounds. Not everyone will find that connection with a rainforest; for you, Bayan, it's rain. For someone else maybe it's a stream flowing or maybe it's the creaking of the boughs of old trees or the buzz of bees through a field of wildflowers. Whatever it is, I do hope that we can all find our rainforest sound - whatever that may be - and feel an immeasurable amount of joy from it.

[agregoenv3000w25]

Goose Music; The Wild, Wild West; and Atascadero, California

The queen herself, Julie Andrews, said it best: “The hills are alive with the sound of music!”  

For me, nature is music and music is nature. As discussed in the article titled “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music”, our music mimics that of whale songs and bird calls. I know I’ve personally stopped many times during a nature hike to appreciate a particularly complex or stunning bit of birdsong, my heart lifted by the magnificence being projected through the swaying branches of the trees.  

I think the idea that we, as humans, take cues from nature when making music is further demonstrated by indigenous folk music. In their article, Virpi Sahi describes how folk music is a tool that helps us understand how society and culture have been shaped by nature throughout history. 

This couldn’t be more perfectly represented by this beautiful exchange between a young Inuk woman named Shina and her mom. Together, they make a song that replicates goose music. I find the Inuit tradition of throat singing extremely interesting and beautiful. They’re able to mimic many natural noises like those of various animals or a saw cutting through a tree.  

Shina’s video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGBqrENJZfo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== 

Whether you’re talking about Inuit throat singing or an orchestral symphony, it’s clear that nature can inspire people to make art, including music. I believe this is because we have heard musical influences in nature since time immemorial, as is outlined in the previously mentioned papers. 

For an example of how people can be inspired by nature to create music, just look at the famous composer, Aaron Copland. Inspired by America’s wild west landscape, one of Copland’s most famous pieces, Hoe-Down from his ballet Rodeo, captures the feeling of galloping through the ol’ west on horseback. This music has the potential to conjure images of cacti, a warm sun, or a wagon plodding along a dusty trail in the listener’s mind. You might recognize the piece because Hoe-Down has been featured in many beloved pop culture pieces from the movie Titanic to the TV show The Simpsons.  

For those who are interested in hearing the piece yourself and also seeing the examples I listed in action, I've linked all the videos below. 

Original Hoe-Down: https://youtu.be/dYdDYSTEuWo?si=PPi5xNOm9fzAjG2o  Titanic’s version of Hoe-Down: https://youtu.be/bVIJzYN2YOI?si=7bwV7U8VCN_KK6Kb  Simpson’s Hoe-Down scene: https://youtu.be/l87jPSA3ucg?si=BDT6RyCqSaD130vy&t=146  

I think film and TV provide a perfect example of how interpretation can be used to relate nature to music. The combination of beautiful images with emotionally compelling musical arrangements can really create a stirring picture in someone’s mind. When asked what songs conjure an image of nature, my mind immediately went to various movie scenes and songs that pair up with those scenes. Of course there are other songs too, both orchestral and more contemporary music. But I find the strongest connections are ones from movies and TV shows for me, because I can relive those experiences over and over again any time I rewatch a specific scene. 

One example that I personally really love (that I suggest you watch and listen to, so you have a better idea of what I’m talking about) is this: 

Atascadero (Denouement) by Carlos Rafael Rivera from the Netflix series Godless.  

I’ve never taken a music theory class and I’m in no way a professional, but music as a storytelling device in TV/movies is a special interest of mine, so I’ll do my best to walk you through this song as I understand it. 

In the moments during the beginning of this scene, when we move in close with the main character, Roy, the music is fairly staccato (or choppy and short. You can hear this especially in the piano notes in the beginning). These short notes are used to build tension and suspense.

As we move through the forest with Roy, you can hear a lilting cello theme start to build. There’s anticipation as we move through the trees, wondering what we’re leading up to once we exit the forest. This is furthered by the notes continuing to climb higher throughout this part of the scene without a real resolution. 

However, as we break over the hill, the music opens up a bit more. We get a sense of a resolution to the cello’s theme, but we’re still not at a peak. The theme continues on this trend of rising and falling with no real resolution as we flip back and forth between Roy and Alice (the woman in the scene).  

We get a long drawn out note as we watch Roy and his horse head towards the top of a hill. This note drags us along with it, maybe making you think "GET ON WITH IT ALREADY!"

Then, as Alice finds the money and Roy’s “thank you” note we move towards the conclusion. Up until this point we’ve had basically almost 2 entire minutes of push and pull lead-up with no real conclusion. We’re at the tipping point of what we can handle, we’re dying for that resolution. 

And finally (finally!) as Roy pauses on top of the hill to admire his destination of Atascadero, California, we get the conclusion that we’ve been hoping for. We see the vast sky, the expansive ocean, the rolling hills, we get the big crescendo and climax of the piece. We get the big feeling of accomplishment, of awe, of happiness and resolution.  

It’s one of my favorite musical pieces and moments in cinema.  

Literature References:

Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe [Workshop Proceedings #322], Sahi, V., 2012, pp 129 - 132.

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science, 291(5501), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.10.1126/science.1056960

Video References:

Instagram. (2025). https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGBqrENJZfo/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

NYO-USA / NYO2 / NYO Jazz. (2018, October 30). NYO-USA Performs Copland’s “Hoe-Down” from Rodeo [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYdDYSTEuWo

dianoukaa. (2012, March 30). Titanic Irish Dance [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVIJzYN2YOI

Homer Cool. (2019, January 16). The Simpson- Take a picture with Mr. Burns! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l87jPSA3ucg

Ahmed A. (2020, October 2). Godless 2017 | Ending scene music by Carlos Rafael Rivera [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8vjbUKaeEM

[sdenvs3000w25]

Unit 6 Blog Post: Unpacking Edward Hyams Quote

Hey everyone! This week we had the task to unpack the following quote by Edward Hyams:

"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 by Edward Hyams challenges us to rethink how we perceive history’s role in shaping our present and future. It reminds us that the past is never truly behind us. My mom always says we need to understand what happened in our past to move on in the future. This relates to “the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things.” Just as understanding the past helps us move forward, maintaining historical integrity requires remembering and connecting past events to shape a coherent future. In interpreting cultural and natural heritage, we encounter the challenge of maintaining integrity in understanding history.

Why Does the Past Matter?

Integrity in historical interpretation is fundamentally about understanding how the past, present, and future are intertwined. The need for interpretation in bridging these time gaps is emphasized in the textbook, especially in Chapters 14 and 15. Interpretation is the process of creating stories that preserve historical context and reality, not only presenting facts. This relates to the part,  “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.” For example, in many Canadian Indigenous cultures, there are oral traditions, and stories passed down through generations to preserve cultural identity and historical integrity, ensuring that knowledge of the past continues to inform the present and future. As a Canadian on Indigenous lands, I think it is so important to hear and listen to these Indigenous stories. We run the danger of splintering the narrative if we are unaware of the traditions from the past that we are living on. We preserve this purity via historical interpretation, whether it is through written documents or oral history. This supports the notion that a thorough comprehension of the present requires recollection of the past. 

It is a dangerous misconception to believe that history loses its significance once it has passed. In today’s fast-paced society, we are often so focused on the present that we neglect the lessons of the past. With our constant attachment to technology and the rapid cycle of trends, it becomes all too easy to overlook history and move forward without reflection. This relates to the quote’s statement: “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.” Our lecture this week emphasizes how history shapes identity and communal cohesiveness while also  inspiring people. This idea is especially pertinent to environmental interpretation, as judgments are made based on knowledge of past ecosystems, landscapes, and conservation initiatives. 

The textbook's Chapter 14 highlights the importance of written interpretation as a means of preserving and communicating history, whether it be through books, blogs, signage, or brochures. Writing makes historical narratives more accessible to a wider range of readers. Written reports are used in environmental interpretation to record shifting landscapes and set the scene for conservation initiatives. Furthermore, writing itself may be a means of maintaining historical accuracy. Interpreters help create a more accurate and comprehensive portrayal of the past when they carefully select their words, taking into account which viewpoints to include and how to interact with their audience. This illustrates the quote's larger point, which is that to preserve the integrity of the human experience, the past must be remembered. For example, I have found many historical landmarks now use digital storytelling and QR codes on plaques to share detailed histories with visitors, ensuring that stories of the past remain accessible in an age of rapid technological change. This relates to the quote’s statement: “If these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things.” By preserving history through written and digital interpretation, we ensure that even in a fast-moving world, the past is not forgotten but remains an integral part of our collective understanding. 

Overall, I believe this quote is an important one when unpacked, as ignoring the pillars on which our present and future are based would be to see history as a passing moment rather than an ongoing thread. Maintaining the fragments of history together while recognizing their importance over time is a requirement of integrity and can help us discover things about nature and relationships!

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture. Edwards, Y. (1979). The land speaks. Toronto, ON: The National and Provincial Parks Association of Canada.

[orenvs3000w25]

Unit 6

"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)

I think that this thought-provoking quote really challenges us to reconsider the role of history in our understanding of nature. It challenges the modern idea to perceive history as something separate from the present, a relic rather than something that continues to shape the world around us. Through my own studies and experiences, I have come to see that environmental integrity is not merely about conserving nature as it exists today, but about understanding its past.

One of the most compelling aspects of Hyams' argument is the idea that integrity is dependent on the cohesion of all parts of a whole, even when those parts are spread across time. Seeing a forest as not just a collection of trees, but a living map of geological shifts, species migrations and human interactions. To truly interpret nature, we have to see past the immediate scene in front of us and recognize the historical events that have sculpted it. Without this awareness, we can only see pieces of the puzzle, rather than the intricate web of time that give an ecosystem its full meaning.

I think that this historical perspective can be particularly crucial in the topic of conservation. How are we to help the earth and make advancements if we don't know everything that happened to it in the past? For example, restoration ecology relies on historical records to guide the recovery of ecosystems that have been disrupted by human activity. The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone National Park serves as a relevant case study. By acknowledging the historical role of apex predators, scientists were able to restore ecological balance (Ripple, 2012). This demonstrates that conservation is as much about remembering as it is about protecting. You can't have one without the other.

Beyond ecology, I can see Hyams' message reflected in broader cultural and ethical fields of environmental stewardship. Indigenous knowledge systems are a great example of how history informs sustainable environmental practices. Many Indigenous communities view land stewardship as a responsibility passed down through generations, integrating historical knowledge into every-day decision making. This is greatly contrasted with the perspective often found in Western conservation, where nature is often seen as separate from human history. The loss of these important historical perspectives not only diminishes our understanding of nature, but also denies valuable environmental wisdom that has been used for centuries.

I thought that Hyams' analogy of the railway station was interesting, as it highlights another critical issue. Climate change, biodiversity loss and deforestation are often looked at as modern crises, but they are the consequences of long-standing patterns that have existed for decades. If we view these problems as "now problems", we will overlook the systemic roots of them. If we ignore the past, we are at much greater risk of repeating the same mistakes.

Overall, I believe that history should always be taken into consideration. We must understand how nature has evolved, as it is embedded in the land and ecological processes that exist to this day.

References

Cronon, W. (1996). Uncommon ground: Rethinking the human place in nature. W. W. Norton & Company.

Ripple, W. J., & Beschta, R. L. (2012). Trophic cascades in Yellowstone: The first 15 years after wolf reintroduction. Biological Conservation, 145(1), 205-213. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2011.11.005

[agregoenv3000w25]

Hi Olivia! I really enjoyed your discussion this week, especially the part where you talked about nature conservation in relation to history. Like you said, it's super important for us to know our natural history before we try to restore an environment to what it once was. After all, if you don't know what soil, animals, plants, or habitats used to be in the area, how are you going to restore the area to what it once was? While reading your post, I was reminded of something I learned about my home state of Indiana, back in the U.S. Back before colonists came to the U.S., the land that now makes up the state of Indiana was once around 25% wetland. Today, that area is down to less than 4%. That is a DRASTIC decrease in area. So drastic, in fact, that most people who live there now don't know that the state used to contain much more wetland than it does today. Many people back home assume that it's just always been farm lands and forests and the like. As Hyam would say, the train has left the train station and all the people back home now just believe the train station no longer exists. It makes me extremely sad to know we've destroyed so much of what was once a thriving, biodiverse ecosystem. But I also think that knowing the history of a place can give all of us a good leg up because it can lead to some pretty interesting facts you can tell people. Chris Earley, a naturalist who works for the Arboretum doing interpretation work (and also just one of the coolest guys I've ever met, if you've never talked with Chris, find a way to do so - you won't regret it!) recently gave me the perfect example of this, so I'll go ahead and pass it along to you now:

One interesting tree that, while uncommon in Ontario, is native to North America is the Honey Locust. What makes this tree so interesting? Oh, just the fact that it is absolutely COVERED in long, sharp spikes! Everywhere! The trunk of the tree and the branches are all covered in spines. But…. why? If you said "protection", you'd be right! But the even more interesting question is, "protection from what?" Chris posed this question to my class and we all had some great ideas. Chipmunks? "No, it's something bigger than a chipmunk" Chris told us. Woodpeckers? Bigger than a woodpecker. Beavers? Bigger! Deer? Even bigger! Moose? You guessed it, try BIGGER! At this point, we were all stumped. Something bigger than a moose? And the tree is native to North America??? So that's when he told us: Elephants. See, honey locust trees have been around a while. As in, since mammoths roamed North America. So they developed these thick, sharp spines to protect themselves from the mammoths. Pretty neat, eh? History gives us some really interesting topics we can pass on to other people, along with important information that might aid in conservation.

[agregoenv3000w25]

Do you have integrity?

I’d like to preface this post by saying that the opinions in this blog are entirely my own, and do not reflect on the University of Guelph or anyone else. That being said, there are some emotionally charged and/or heavy topics included in this post so please keep that in mind while reading. 

Do you have integrity? I think most of us would like to think we do. I know I would like to believe that I have “the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles.” I like to think that I know the difference between what is right and what is wrong. But what about in the broader context of history instead of the individual level?  

The quote we’ve been asked to unpack this week essentially says that we must keep the past whole if we want to understand it in an honest, genuine way. To me, this quote is saying that you can’t omit a part of history and still call yourself honest. Which begs the question, in my mind, “do we, as a society, have integrity in the history we tell?” 

Our textbook says that one reason we interpret history is to remember. It also says that “without interpretation, artifacts are merely old things, historic buildings are just old buildings, and ceremonies and festivals are merely entertainment.” So, what happens when we don’t remember? What happens when atrocities are forgotten? What happens when old things are merely old things and historic buildings are merely old buildings?  

I grew up in the U.S. and only recently moved to Canada, so I have much more knowledge of American history than Canadian history. And what I’m seeing happen today in the U.S. is pretty concrete proof that we've forgotten, that we’ve let historic lessons become idle chatter.  

In school, I never learned about the Mexican Repatriation that occurred during the Great Depression. During the 1930’s it is estimated that as many as 1.8 million people were forcibly removed from the U.S. and sent to Mexico. Even more appalling, it’s estimated that about 60% of the people deported were American citizens.  

Can you even imagine going through what Mr. José Lopez went through - being taken from the only home you’ve ever known at the age of 5? Forced to move from his home, he contracted whooping cough, a disease that killed thousands of people throughout the 1930’s and 1940’s. Sick and most likely scared, José then proceeded to lose both his mom and one of his brothers (read more about the Mexican Repatriation and Mr. Lopez’s story here). 

They say history is doomed to repeat itself and I guess that’s true. I didn’t learn about the Mexican Repatriation that occurred in the 1930’s until after I was out of high school, and I learned it on my own, not from any school or teacher. But since I have learned about it, I now see the similarities between what happened then and what’s happening now.  

Since taking office, the Trump Administration has authorized raids, carried out by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, that has resulted in the deportation of more than 8,000 people in about a month (read more about the current ICE raids here). 

How can we possibly call ourselves honest when we erase parts of our history from our history books? How can we say we have integrity when we carry out the same atrocities today that we carried out 100 years ago? We’ve let old things become simply old things and look where it’s brought us – tearing families apart and ruining lives once again. 

Our textbook talks about how we need to be careful when we interpret history, to not tell inaccurate or false information. It says that we should “strive for the truth through thorough and unbiased research.” I think this is especially hard because our society has been built on a foundation of biases. It is natural for us to want to tell history through a white-washed lens because that’s what we’ve been taught to do for many years.  

I appreciate what our textbook says about interpreting history, I just worry that it’s already too late to have integrity when it comes to telling historical stories. I fear that we’re doomed to let our own history happen again and again. I fear we’ve already forgotten. 

But hopefully, through good interpretation, we can change the narrative that has been forced upon us for so many years: that there is only one right way and that is the white, man’s way. I think as we move forward in our interpreting, despite being nature interpreters and not historical interpreters, we need to carefully consider our history and try to incorporate it wherever and whenever we can.

Citations: A&E Television Networks. (n.d.). The deportation campaigns of the Great Depression. History.com. https://www.history.com/news/great-depression-repatriation-drives-mexico-deportation

NBC Universal News Group. (2025, February 7). Some people caught in trump immigration crackdown released in U.S. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/people-caught-trump-immigration-crackdown-released-us-rcna186360

[vmfenvs3000w25]

BLOG 5: Hillside Festival 🎶

Something nature related that has been on my mind recently is the Hillside music festival hosted right here in Guelph! Hillside is a 3-day annual outdoor music festival hosted at Guelph Lake, that focuses on diversity and sustainability. Almost all the day-to-day workings of the festival is done by volunteers! Volunteers get to camp on the site and receive plant-based meals each day. What stands out most about Hillside is the sense of community. Everyone is so kind and welcoming and many visitors have been going there for years. I would say it is one of the culture hubs of Guelph.

Last year was my first Hillside, where I volunteered as a childcare worker. Parents could drop their little ones off and we could watch them for up to 2 consecutive hours while the adults got to go listen to sets, participate in workshops, or enjoy the food vendors. The festival also has an artisan market with booths selling all kinds of handmade goods. With the kids we played with toys, read books, and most importantly did lots of face painting. Over the three days I had to complete a total of 12 hours of volunteering and the rest of the time I explored the festival myself.

My best friend and I experienced this Hillside together, volunteering in the same area and camping together in the volunteer tent area. We made so many connections with the other volunteers and stayed up late into the night dancing around a large fire and listening to drum circles. I basically lived in my bathing suit and swam in the lake multiple times a day. I loved being able to hear the music from the main stage while I was underwater.

One of my favourite parts of the experience had to have been the non-music events scheduled throughout the festival. In particular, I made sure to attend a yoga class. I have been doing yoga for a while but doing yoga out in the sun, by the lake, with live music in the distance was a whole new surreal experience.

As I previously mentioned, Hillside focuses on sustainability initiatives to keep the festival as low waste as possible. One way this is implemented is by only providing reusable dishware. All food is served on or in colourful reuseable dishware and one of the volunteer positions is a dishwasher (it looks way more fun than it sounds). Stationed all around the festival are waste return stations which are separated into garbage, recycling, compost, and dishes. This makes sure all waste is organized, and dishes are returned efficiently.

Reminiscing about Hillside has been on my mind as application for this summer’s festival opened this week! I will include the link to their website, and I really hope some of you get to experience you first ever Hillside in 2025! Let me know if you have been before and what you experience was like whether you were an attendee or a volunteer.

Hillside Festival

The Hillside Summer Festival and Hillside Inside are three-day, multi-stage events with a broad artistic vision that emphasizes diversity.

Some of my photos from Hillside 2024

[agregoenv3000w25]

As someone who isn't from Guelph, I really appreciated this blog post about the Hillside Festival (I'd never heard of it). It looks so fun and if I'm around when it happens in 2025 I'd love to go :)

[wildlifechayse]

Week 5 Blog Post

The content of this week’s unit really resonated with me, especially since it was closely related to a long conversation that I was having yesterday before going through the readings. Yesterday I went to get a tattoo, over the several hours that I was sitting, I chatted with the artist about many things, but the conversation kept coming back to various environmental/conservation topics. One topic that we discussed was the importance of accessible scientific information.

               As someone that has been trained in science for many years, it is easy to overlook the importance of effective scientific communication with the general public. For myself, I feel that this is something I overlooked, especially at the beginning of my education. I never really thought about what other people think of science, and when people seemed like they didn’t care, I never spent much energy trying to get them to care. While “getting someone to care” isn’t the ultimate goal of interpretation, it is important to be able to reframe your point so that it is meaningful to the person you are interpreting to.

               Conversations like this are easy and smooth when the person you are interpreting to has a similar world view to you. For example, my tattoo artist and I both have a pretty similar world view, therefore both of us tended to agree with what the other was saying which propelled the conversation forward. At one point she had mentioned that she has a family member that was radicalized towards believing many anti-science conspiracy theories, where we then began discussing the importance of still having respectful conversation with those that disagree with you.

               It can be disheartening trying to share your worldview with someone that disagrees with it, however there is always some benefit to trying. If one is always respectful in conversations like this, and provide evidence-based conversation points, there is always the possibility that you have opened somebody’s eyes to a new worldview. While I used a rather extreme example, there is always going to be people that don’t agree with a certain part of your world view, even if they agree with you mostly. This shows the importance of being respectful and understanding in each interpretive context, because it is the only way to open the door to someone possibly seeing something from your point of view- if someone feels looked down upon by you, they are more likely to be apprehensive to exploring your world view.

               Another way to make science more accessible to the general public is to involve them through citizen science programs like the ones mentioned in this week’s readings! The Adina et al. paper from 2016 was a great reflection of this idea, they found that people who had participated in naturalist programs felt more confident about their contributions to conservation and continued to participate in citizen science. It is not just the environmental scientists and biologists that care about saving the environment, so many ‘average joes’ want to help too- we, as scientists and interpreters, just need to provide the tools people need to contribute.

[agregoenv3000w25]

Missing Home - A dive into the differences between Guelph, ON and Indianapolis, IN wildlife.

I’m feeling a bit homesick at the moment and since we’ve been given the equivalent of a bingo free space this week for our blog posts, I thought I’d take the time to discuss some interesting differences between the wildlife where I grew up and the wildlife here, in Guelph. 

I am from Indianapolis, the capital of the state of Indiana in the United States. Indy is essentially right in the center of Indiana. It’s about 650 kilometers (or roughly 400 miles, for those of us who grew up in the US) as the crow flies from Guelph to Indianapolis and takes me about 8 hours to drive from there to here. 

Image Caption: A map showing Indianapolis and Guelph.

First Research State and Province Profiles. First Research. (n.d.). https://www.firstresearch.com/state-province-profiles.aspx

Because of its proximity, the wildlife in Indiana doesn’t differ too drastically from what is found here in Guelph. But Indiana is a bit further south, so there are some contrasts.

When I first arrived in Guelph, having never stepped foot into Canada before, I immediately clocked the black morph of a Grey Squirrel scampering up a tree and thought, “well that’s new...”. Never, in my entire life, had I seen a black squirrel (truly, I didn’t even know they existed until about six months ago). 

Now, we do have Grey Squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Indiana. But the black morph is virtually non-existent. I found this interesting map from a paper by Richard Lehtinen et al. that shows the distribution of the black morphs, take a look: 

Image Caption: Map showing the distribution of black morphs of gray squirrels in Ontario. The black bits are where the black squirrels are found.

Lehtinen, R. M., Carlson, B. M., Hamm, A. R., Riley, A. G., Mullin, M. M., & Gray, W. J. (2020). Dispatches from the Neighborhood Watch: Using Citizen Science and field survey data to document color morph frequency in space and time. Ecology and Evolution, 10(3), 1526–1538. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6006 

What we do have a lot of, that is not present here in Ontario, are Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger).

Can I trust you with a quick secret, reader? I’m going to go ahead and assume you're great at keeping secrets and tell you: I didn’t know Fox Squirrels were a thing until I started doing research for this blog post. I’ve always just assumed all the squirrels I was seeing in my backyard were Eastern Grey Squirrels and I left it at that. But apparently not!

What are the differences between grey squirrels and fox squirrels, you might ask? Great question.  

Fox squirrels are generally chunkier than grey squirrels by a pound or two and are a little longer as well. Fox squirrels also tend to be more orange/brown in color. Grey squirrels have white bellies and the tips of the hairs on their tails tend to be white, whereas the fox squirrel tends to have yellow, orange, or brown coloring on its belly and tail.  

Now it’s everyone’s favorite part of learning: test time! Knowing what you know, try to distinguish which squirrel is which in the pictures below. 

Image Caption: A Fox Squirrel.

A foxy squirrel indeed. (2022, March 29). https://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/2022/03/delmarva-fox-squirrel-foxy-squirrel.html 

Photo Credit: Jim McCormac

Image Caption: A Grey Squirrel

Eastern gray squirrel. Animals. (n.d.). https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/eastern-gray-squirrel 

ANSWER: The first photo shows a Fox Squirrel and the second shows a Grey Squirrel. 

If you’d like to read more about the differences between Fox and Grey Squirrels, check out the citations at the bottom of this post to see where I pulled my info from. 

Indiana is also home to a type of turtle that is very close to my heart that is not found here in Guelph: The Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina). I have moved many of these lil’ guys off the road back home. 

Image Caption: A box turtle.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Box Turtle", 2022.

A more terrestrial variety of turtle compared to turtles found here in Guelph (like the painted turtle or snapping turtle), they’re commonly found in deciduous or mixed forests, like this one I spotted just chillin’ on a trail in a park back home. 

Image Caption: A box turtle.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Box Turtle", 2024.

Interestingly, the Eastern Box Turtle is known to be the largest freeze-resistant animal in the world.

During winter, these turtles will brumate, which is the reptile version of hibernation. During brumation, box turtles will dig a hole in the ground using their legs and their largely domed carapace (or shell) and remain there until spring. Many turtles will not eat or drink or really move much at all during brumation. 

Once again, if you’re interested in reading more about box turtles, the citations at the bottom of this post will give you resources to check out. 

Of course there are a lot more things I could talk about, but to save this blog post from getting too much away from me we’ll leave it at just discussing the two species. In the future, if you’ve moved to come to the University of Guelph and you aren’t from here, I hope you keep in mind the differences between where you’re from and where you are now. Noticing these differences can lead you to some very interesting discoveries and can potentially make good fodder for interpretive talks. 

Citations

Eastern box turtle. ontario.ca. (2016, June 15). https://www.ontario.ca/page/eastern-box-turtle#:~:text=Eastern%20Box%20Turtles%20are%20terrestrial,as%20meadows%2C%20wetlands%20and%20shorelines. 

Gray and Fox Squirrels - Oklahoma State University. Gray and Fox Squirrels | Oklahoma State University. (2017, April 1). https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/gray-and-fox-squirrels.html 

Navarrette, A. (2024, September 13). Brumation in turtles and tortoises: Taking caring of reptiles. TVMF. https://www.tvmf.org/articles/brumation-in-turtles-and-tortoises/ 

Image Citations:

First Map: First Research State and Province Profiles. First Research. (n.d.). https://www.firstresearch.com/state-province-profiles.aspx

Second Map: Lehtinen, R. M., Carlson, B. M., Hamm, A. R., Riley, A. G., Mullin, M. M., & Gray, W. J. (2020). Dispatches from the Neighborhood Watch: Using Citizen Science and field survey data to document color morph frequency in space and time. Ecology and Evolution, 10(3), 1526–1538. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.6006 

Fox Squirrel: A foxy squirrel indeed. (2022, March 29). https://jimmccormac.blogspot.com/2022/03/delmarva-fox-squirrel-foxy-squirrel.html 

Grey Squirrel: Eastern gray squirrel. Animals. (n.d.). https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/eastern-gray-squirrel 

Gregory, Alexandra. "Box Turtle", 2022.

Gregory, Alexandra. "Box Turtle", 2024.