Unit 10 - Environmental Sustainability and My Personal Ethic as a Nature Interpreter
For the final blog post of the semester, and of my entire undergraduate journey, I find myself incredibly grateful for this thought-provoking and deeply important prompt. It has provided me with an opportunity to reflect not just on this course, but on my entire four-year experience in Wildlife Biology & Conservation, and on the path ahead in my future career.
The video featuring David Suzuki and Richard Louv at the Art Gallery of Ontario, discussing how to reconnect with nature, was especially impactful. It deepened my understanding of my own relationship with the natural world and provided valuable insights that helped me address the prompts for this blog.
My Personal Ethic as I Develop as a Nature Interpreter
In their discussion, David Suzuki and Richard Louv spoke extensively about the relationship between children and nature, emphasizing how it has changed over the years. Suzuki shared memories of finding solace and inspiration in what he described as a "magical" swamp near his childhood home in London, Ontario. That special place has since been replaced by a shopping mall. He posed a powerful question: “I just wonder about our children and where they find the kind of inspiration that I did when I was a boy.”
Louv, referencing his book The Nature Principle, stated, “The more high-tech our lives become, the more nature we need.” This resonates deeply in an era where parents are frequently criticized for allowing children too much screen time. But Louv challenges this criticism by asking, “Then they would do what?” Modern neighborhoods often lack natural spaces where children can safely explore, and an overblown fear of strangers, fueled by over-dramatized media coverage, has led to parents sheltering their kids more than ever. As a result, many children today are missing out on the unstructured outdoor experiences that previous generations took for granted.
This issue is personal for me. My parents often reminisce about spending entire days outdoors, playing and exploring freely with their friends, only returning home when the streetlights came on. In contrast, my own childhood was far more restricted. I was rarely allowed to venture down the street alone, even with a phone for safety.
Louv emphasizes that environmentalists must remain focused on their responsibility to future generations. Children are the future policymakers, leaders, and stewards of our planet. If they grow up disconnected from nature, we risk further diminishing the priority given to environmental conservation.
Should it be access to a backyard garden, a walk, a trip to the beach, we need to make more of an effort to get kids out of the house, out from behind their screens, and outside, where they can connect with nature. It's not only important for their own health, but also for the future of society.
This realization defines my personal ethic as a nature interpreter. I see it as my responsibility to bridge the growing gap between children and the natural world. My role will involve creating meaningful experiences that foster a deep appreciation for nature in young minds. Beyond that, I hope to inspire parents to reconnect with the environment as well. To remind them of their own childhood adventures in nature and encourage them to pass those experiences on to their children.
Once you have the privilege of truly experiencing nature, developing a passion for it comes naturally. Today, the real challenge come in carving out time in our busy lives to venture out and immerse ourselves in the beauty of the natural world. And I think that's where we, as nature interpreters, come in to help.
The Beliefs I Bring
At my core, my beliefs have always been deeply rooted in nature. As human beings, we are biological creatures, yet we have become largely disconnected from the natural world that once defined our existence. Our planet is facing an environmental crisis, with countless species at risk, and I firmly believe that conservation should be one of our highest priorities.
In today’s scary political state, where environmental concerns often take a back seat to economic and political agendas, it is more important than ever to remain firm in our commitment to conservation. As environmentalists, we must continue to advocate for the protection of our natural world and inspire others to do the same.
What Can I Do?
This summer, I am happy to say that I will be working as a Nature Interpreter at African Lion Safari. I will be working with the parrot department, not only caring for the birds, but also informing guests about some of the most endangered groups of birds.
The path forward requires education, engagement, and action. Through my work as a nature interpreter, I hope to instill a sense of wonder and responsibility in the next generation. By helping people form personal connections with nature, we can form a society that values and prioritizes environmental stewardship.
Looking back on my undergraduate journey, I feel an immense sense of purpose. The lessons I have learned, the experiences I have gained, and the values I hold close will guide me as I step into my future career. I am eager to contribute to conservation efforts, to educate and inspire, and to help shape a world where nature is not just an afterthought but a fundamental part of our lives.
As I conclude this final blog post, I carry with me the knowledge that reconnecting with nature is not just a personal journey but a collective responsibility. It is a responsibility I am ready to embrace, and one that I hope to share with others for years to come.
A big thank you to the professor of this course, Amanda Hooykaas. This course has allowed for so much reflection, realization, and lessons about how to connect others with nature, that I will surely take with me throughout my career.
I hope that reading these blog posts allowed for as much personal reflection as they did for me writing them.
I am eager to hear from my classmates: What was the biggest takeaway from this course?
References
African Lion Safari. (n.d.). Parrots. Retrieved on March 19, 2025 from https://lionsafari.com/programmes/parrots/
Suzuki, D., & Louv, R. (2012, July 20). David Suzuki and Richard Louv at AGO [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5DI1Ffdl6Y
Hello Rachel!
I am also in my last year of school and found this prompt very eye-opening. It allowed me to explore where I stand after five years of my environmental science degree and see how far I've come! I enjoy how you used the video of Louve to frame your personal ethics, I agree children can be very disconnected from nature especially if they don't have the privilege of growing up surrounded by it. It is important to keep inspiring and engaging children in the fundamentals of nature so they can see the intrinsic value that nature holds. As you mentioned parents also play a large role in this, they also have to be willing to get their children involved and see the values of nature themselves. This brings in the importance of effectively educating!
I am also worried about the current state of our environment and I would say that I share the belief that there needs to be more being done in terms of conservation. many people don't realize that there are so many ecosystem services that the environment provides and how essential they are to everyday life, if we destroy nature then we we also have nothing to gain. Ecosystem services are not the only reason we should be preserving nature, nature has value within itself giving all the more reason to keep preserving it!
Wow! Getting to put your nature interpretation skills to use is going to be awesome and hopefully help fulfill your responsibilities of educating and inspiring people to care for nature. Hopefully, this will nurture the collective responsibility that we all share.
To answer your question, the biggest takeaway for me would be that now that I have this knowledge after completing my degree, sharing it effectively and accurately is also very important. I want to continue to share what I know about nature with people and inspire them to take on the same kind of enthusiasm to help protect nature!
Thanks for the insight Rachel, good luck this summer, and congrats on graduating!
























