For What It's Earth

  A Nerd's Thoughts on Nature  

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Introduction - Hello!

Hello and welcome to my nature interpretation blog!  I have created this page as part of the ENVS3000 class at the University Of Guelph.  I thought it would be nice to make a sort of personal introduction before jumping into the first official post.  If you’re a classmate here to reply to a blog and want to learn a little about me read on!

My name is Carson Baker and I am a third year student pursuing a major in biology and a minor in business.  In the future I aspire to teach high school science while working as a musician on the side. On a personal level, I am a very passionate person who loves to hike, play drums, read and spend time with my friends and family.  I am an avid fan of metal music, fantasy books and almost anything Star Wars!  I’m looking forward to interacting with you all this semester!

Disclaimer

This blog was created for ENVS 3000, University of Guelph.

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

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

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Wrapping Up

My Beliefs I Bring to Interpretation

In grade 10 civics and careers I can remember watching “The Cove.” The 2010 documentary had a profound impact on my perspective of the world and myself. In the movie, I specifically recall one person describing that you cannot be an activist if you are not actively doing something about the problem. This idea has stuck with me ever since then and forever changed the way I view environmental issues.

Scene clip from the "Cove" (2010). Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/100308-cove-movie-oscars-dolphin-hunts-japan

At times this outlook has benefitted me, but it has also been a detriment. As I have grown as an environmental scientist and activist, I have learned at times this mantra is not always useful. As pointed out in this unit, the list of environmental issues worldwide is daunting and nearly endless. To feel responsible for being the active change that will solve all these problems is therefore extremely consuming and disheartening. It is important to care for what you love which means taking care of the earth and others. However, as an interpreter, I hope to bring the belief that we each have an integral role within our communities. Rather than trying to solve the myriad of global issues, the most effective thing we can do is focus on what is within reach. If each of us paid greater attention to our surroundings, the cumulative impact would be extensive.

My Responsibilities as an Interpreter

At some point, most of the world’s population I feel has become completely disconnected from the world around us. What I see around me often seems to reflect the conqueror mindset that shaped the colonization of the world by Europeans. “If people lose knowledge, sympathy, and understanding of the natural world, they’re going to mistreat it and will not ask their politicians to care for it” (Attenborough 2009). By no longer experiencing nature a large portion of the population has lost touch with the natural world. As David Attenborough said, “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced” (Attenborough 2009).

Community effort in nature. Source: http://dxchem.com.cn/environmental-care/

The best way for me to explain this is through the video below:

In Ethiopia, almost all old-growth forests have been lost to agricultural development. However, the strong spiritual connection people have to these forests through Churches has allowed some to survive. Humans are not removed from the forest but rather are an integral part of its survival. These Church Forests signify the strength that connection to nature can have in its conservation.

As an interpreter, I feel my role and responsibility is to heal people’s relationships with nature by instilling the ability and desire to sense the beauty around us (Beck et al., 2018). While I may not be able to solve every environmental issue, helping one more person form a connection to nature is a step forward.

Jane Goodall. Source: https://www.biography.com/news/jane-goodall-chimpanzees-college-degree

My Approach as an Interpreter

What I have learned throughout this course is everyone’s journey in their relationship with nature is different. The same methods or messages may not always work as a consequence. This has been obvious in the numerous ways we have learned to interpret outside of science such as through art, music, and technology. Personally, I am a very visual and tactile learner. My love for nature developed as I camped, hiked, and enjoyed the outdoors throughout my childhood. All these experiences I can attach to fond memories with family and friends which extended to how I view nature. This love solidified as I spent countless hours watching nature documentaries. I was inspired by the magnificent scenery and wildlife and prominent figures like David Attenborough and Jane Goodall.

However, I think my strength as an interpreter that would have the greatest impact on others is through speaking. Oral communication and engaging with others through speech are where I excel. While developing the podcast it became clear to me that situations, where I can speak to or with my audience, will be my most effective format of interpretation. Moving forward I intend to implement what I've learned about myself and communication regardless of if it pertains to nature.

Prompt

How do you think you’ll continue to interpret beyond this course?

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing.

Shariatmadari, H. (Director & Producer); Attenborough, D. (Presenter). (2009). Can the Earth cope? - Horizon: How Many People Can Live on Planet Earth? [Video file]. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_zHcX9gGCHc&ab_channel=BBCStudios.

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Hi Rebecca,

Your comments about your outlook sometimes benefitting you and sometimes being detrimental to you reminded me of a concept that I recently read by an author named Dr. Wayne Dyer. He calls this concept “living the mystery” and I have found it to be applicable to a lot of situations in my life.  The concept outlines the fact that we can work towards something we have not achieved yet and still be content with ourselves.  He explains that we must allow things to be the way that they are while we work towards our goals.  This is not to say we should not do everything we can to make progress, it just means that we do not have to feel down about ourselves while we do (Wayne Dyer: Audiobooks, Lectures & Meditations, 2021).   I think this is a beautiful lesson, especially when it comes to working towards mountainous tasks such as the climate crisis.  You do not have to be responsible for being the active change in every single facet of climate change! The fact that you are pursuing it at all means you are being the part of the active change which you need to be!  Keeping “living the mystery” in mind has allowed me to feel good about myself while I work towards many large goals.

Additionally, I very much agree that we have lost our connection with nature as you have stated. I outlined a very similar concept in my blog to the quote that you included by David Attenborough.  I really believe that the key to the next generation being more sustainable is to ensure that they are exposed to nature as much as possible. If they are fully aware what they would be missing out on, it will be much more likley for conservation efforts to be stronger!

Past this course I honestly think I will continue to interpret nature.  I believe I will do so to myself, constantly reminding myself of the intricate beauty around me when I am in nature.  Completing this course has brought my appreciation for nature to the forefront of my mind and I intend to keep it there!  I also see myself interpreting in my hopeful future teaching job.  Additionally, when I have children, I want to be sure they appreciate the natural world.  I will do my best to interpret for them as they grow up.

Cheers,

-         Carson

 References

Wayne Dyer: Audiobooks, Lectures & Meditations (2021, Feb 21). Change your thoughts change your life, living with the wisdom of the Dao Dr Wayne Dyer [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14JxE7i0EPc&ab_channel=WayneDyer%3AAudiobooks%2CLectures%26Meditations

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We are borrowing from our children

Hello and welcome to my follow-up blog of the last week of blogging. In this blog I would like to touch on this week’s content that was covered on Courselink, which is how we can be responsible educators and protectors of children - our hope, our future generations.

A Native American saying that has stuck with me since I was a freshman was “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” (Gilbert, 2015). Unfortunately, not everyone lives by this saying, and often those with the biggest, heftiest invisible backpack of privilege tend to be the ones who “borrow” the most. We often see corporate giants of all sorts of industries in first world countries such as Pepsi, Coca-Cola, H&M and Shell operate without much regard to the environment (Riley, 2017). The plastic waste, the oil spills and the gas emissions found in all habitats from soil, air to ocean is causing irreversible damage to ecosystems on Earth (Young, 2019). This happens because in the end, the ones that are most affected by the horrible consequences of climate change and natural disasters are the vulnerable developing countries. These are newly industrialized countries, where technology has yet to reach a point where it could combat extreme weather events, and people barely have any privileges.

While I can see how much our generation is trying to save the planet, voicing our opinions and protesting against the horrible things that are being done to our only home, those companies don’t seem to hear us, or if they do, they are not making changes fast enough. Therefore, I believe that means we need to expand our duty from fighting for our present, to protecting our future. The foundation lies in how we can educate and inspire young children because they are our hope.

Beck et al. outlined certain tips that would definitely come in handy when we need to effectively communicate with children. The most important one to me, is to focus on the process (Beck et al., 2018). The end result is just a bonus, it is extremely vital that us educators help children fall in love with the process of nature interpretation instead of trying to make them do whatever it takes to achieve the end result. Like Rachel Carson had said, “It is more important to pave the way for the child to want to know than to put him on a diet of facts he is not ready to assimilate”. The next important tip is to get down to a child’s level and interact with them personally whenever possible. Getting down to their level can both mean to bow down so you’re on their eye level, giving way for effective communication, but it can also mean you’re speaking to them in a language that appeal to them and that they can understand (Beck et al., 2018). Just like what we did in the first podcast assignment, this can be challenging at times, but in the end, the effort is all worth it because we are doing this for the sake of our planet’s future.

There are many other tips that are helpful for communicating with children, which one do you find most helpful? Do you also think like me, that we all have the responsibility to preserve current resources for the future, or it does not really matter in the end?

References

Gilbert, P. (2015). Inherit the Earth, or Borrow it from our children? National Recreation and Park Association. https://www.nrpa.org/blog/inherit-the-earth-or-borrow-it-from-our-children/

Young, A. (2019). Coca-Cola, Pepsi highlight the 20 corporations producing the most ocean pollution. 24/7 Wall Street. https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/06/17/20-corporations-behind-the-most-ocean-pollution/39552009/

Riley, T. (2017). Just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions, study says. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2017/jul/10/100-fossil-fuel-companies-investors-responsible-71-global-emissions-cdp-study-climate-change

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

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Hello,

The title of this blog really caught my attention and convinced me to read it! I really like this idea. If we can’t make these changes for ourselves, can we at least make them, so our children have a future on our planet? The concept reminds me of a song called Global Warming by one of my favorite bands named Gojira. I had mentioned them in my post this week and reading yours actually inspired me to go back and add this video into mine.

This song ends with the repetition of the mantra We will see our children growing. The first time I watched this video I am not afraid to admit that I was moved to tears. This repetition begins around five minutes into the video. Take a listen to how it begins as an almost calm self-reassuring statement but becomes angrier and more desperate around six minutes. This song perfectly captures the feelings of hopeful desperation that I feel about this topic. Perhaps this statement is too personal, but I’ll share anyway: there are times when I consider not having children because I do not want to dump a ruined world on them. At the end of the day though, I feel the hope that as our generation gets older, we will not just call out for change, but demand it.

When it comes to teaching our children, so that there is hope for a better world of tomorrow, I think the best way for them to appreciate nature is to simply be exposed to it. Humans are so far removed from nature as a society. This is a though that I first had when I learned about evolution and realized how we are just like other organisms, but we are not affected by the same forces they are, such as natural selection. We focus more on technology than on the world around us and lose our appreciation for the latter as a result of this. If children spend time in nature as they grow up, they may be able to see themselves as part of the natural world. As older people who are educated in science and interpretation, we can guide them towards the deep appreciation they need. If we do this, perhaps we can create a cycle where the next generation always has a world to enjoy.

-Carson

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Final Blog Post - Interpretation and Ethics

My personal code of ethics can be summed up in two statements. 1. Do what makes you happy as long as it does not hurt anyone else. 2. If you have the physical and mental strength to help others, do so.  For this discussion, the second statement is the most relevant.  As a biology student, I have the knowledge that is necessary to understand and appreciate the environment’s interconnectedness.  After taking this class, I have started to develop the skills needed to pass this appreciation onto others.  This means that if I think someone could benefit from appreciating nature, or someone is asking questions about it I can answer, according to my ethics, I will help.  I believe that nature can help many people in many situations, whether they know it or not.  An example of this is demonstrated in the video David Suzuki and Richard Louv @AGO.  

Louv speaks of a young man who was given the choice of joining the eco club or being expelled from school.  After taking the obvious choice to stay enrolled in the school, the course of the boy’s life seems to have been changed.  Louv talks about how the boy found a passion for nature and is still highly involved in a park near him.  Suzuki shares a somewhat similar story in which he was able to find comfort in the nature around him when he was unable to speak the language the rest of his community spoke.  I believe these are two great examples of nature providing a sanctuary and helping people to be better versions of themselves.  In my own personal life, this becomes very relevant because of the mental health crisis young people, and the entire world, are facing.  Now, I am not here to claim that anyone with mental health struggles simply needs to connect with nature and all their problems will be solved.  I am also not aiming to make any generalizations about mental health.  I am, however, saying that I think some people may benefit from connecting with nature.  When we connect with nature, we can disconnect from the technology that dominates the modern world.  In doing this, we also disconnect from the chaotic and progress obsessed mindsets that plague our society.  Once again, I am not claiming to be able to fix mental health or suggesting this will help everyone.  However, I do think that many feelings of anxiety and depression can stem from the inherently overwhelming qualities of life in today’s world.  Not only can a connection with nature provide a momentary relief, but it can help us learn to control our minds such that we can quiet them when things become over stimulating again.  Beck et. al. list the individual needs that can be met by nature as follows: self-actualization, aesthetic, understanding, knowledge, esteem, love and belonging, saftey and psychological needs.  I feel a sense of responsibility to attempt to pass on this view of nature to others.  I believe the best way for me too do this is through interpretation.  If I can interpret nature to others so they see it the same way that I do, perhaps they can also benefit like I do. To tie this back into my personal ethics, I have the potential to help people, so if they are willing to try my suggestions, I should do so.

A similar principle can also be applied on a larger scale, zooming out from my personal life to the overall state of the world. As outlined in Chapter 3 of Interpreting Cultural and Nautral Heritage, interpreting nature also adds value to society as a whole. I believe interpretation is part of the key to approaching the climate crisis that we currently face.  Through interpretation, appreciation is gained which increases efforts towards conservation.  In other words, if the general public does not understand the importance of nature to themselves and to the world on a biological as well as a spiritual level, they can not understand the importance of protecting it. Personal lifestyle decisions are certainly important when it comes to the fight against climate change, however, in order to properly solve the problem, the contribution of governments and organizations is key.  This can occur through the individual appreciation described above, especially when it comes to organizations.  Organizations follow a principal called corporate social responsibility.  This concept basically states that organizations must give their stakeholders, which is everyone impacted by their operations, what they demand (Chandler, 2020).  The general public is certainly impacted by the operations of organizations in the area. Therefore, if mindsets of conservation have been provoked through interpretation of nature, corporations will be called to meet the demands this entails.  In the long run, it will be profitable to them to give the consumers what they desire, as it will earn them loyal support that will translate to profit (Chandler, 2020). Therefore, the interpretation of nature can be the spark that triggers a more sustainable way of life.  This being said, it is a matter of ethics and responsibility for those of us who have a chance to start to make a difference to put forth our best effort to do so.

I will have two personal approaches to interpretation which I have mentioned in previous blogs. Firstly, I will be able to interpret nature through music.  Just like I mentioned, the band Gojira gives a voice to the anger of nature as it is mistreated, I wish to replicate this in some way.  I included an example below, just for fun so take a listen and let me know what you think.  I believe that music is one way to deeply touch someone’s soul and inspire them too action.  The second method is going to be through teaching.  I argued against the idea that teaching isnt interpreting in one of my earlier blogs so check that one for a detailed defense on this point.  I am pursuing teaching as my career, and I believe that I can give the gift of a spark through understanding the world. Of course, I will go out of my way to involve the multiple intelligences and increase my chances of inspiring the most people.

Overall, I have immensely benefited from working through this course.  I believe that I have increased my own appreciation of nature and learned how I might be able to do the same thing for others.  I hope that any readers have enjoyed this blog! Cheers!

-Carson

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venturewx

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Blog 8: Spring is here!

When brainstorming the most amazing things I know about nature, so many specific details came to mind, but I wanted to make it something exciting. Instead, I decided to pick something that’s really been exciting me lately and is a much broader topic, and that is spring! The signs of spring after a long cold winter brings me so much joy, so i’m going to share some of the common ones in Canada.

Besides the obvious milder weather and rain, it’s the signs from the plants, animals and insects that fascinate me, the way nature regrows and regenerates in unison.

Plants blooming:

On wednesday March 16th I saw my first flowers of spring. In the photo here is Winter aconite which was found downtown guelph. This flower is part of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae is is commonly one of the first flowers to open up. 

Another sign I’ve noticed is tree buds getting much larger. This was taken in the arboretum of a red maple. While it may take another month and a half for them to open up. Buds signify the end of dormancy and the start of new growth.

Species Arriving:

Robins are a popular bird that symbolize the return of spring in mid-march. I saw my first one last weekend, and already they seem to be everywhere. Robins migrate south in the winter since the ground freezes which prevents them from getting worms. The arrival of these red-breasted birds indicate that temperatures are raising and they can now forage and begin to mate here.

Mallard ducks are another sign of spring. I took this photo a week ago of this very cute couple. While some can be seen here all year round in unfrozen waters, many migrate to the southern states where the lakes don’t freeze over and food is more abundant.

Insects:

While most people don’t get excited about seeing flies, they are another sign of spring in most areas. Flies actually hibernate in the winter by building up fat and produces a natural antifreeze in their body.

Bumble bees are another insect that come out fairly early in spring. I learned in another class they are able to come out early and forage before other bees by revving their internal wing muscles to increase their temperature. This allows them to come out in cooler weather.

While each season has a beauty of its own, seeing colour return and the replacement of brown to green is something that always excites me. Spring is a time of regrowth, and seeing all these different kinds of species doing so at the same time but individually is amazing to see.

Feel free to expand on this with any other signs you have noticed!

-Reilly

Photos from:

Robin: Alex Eberts. 2020. Ohio. Macaulay Library. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id

Fly: Isabelle Gallant. 2020. PEI. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-houseflies-winter-hibernation-1.5834157

Bumblebee: Chris Helzer. 2014. Nebraska. The Nature Conservancy. https://blog.nature.org/science/2014/03/19/plight-of-bumble-bee-native-pollinators-ecosystem-services/

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Hi Reilly,

I can tell you one sign that I have noticed for sure and that is the pain of allergies and sinus issues! I’m sure there are others that can relate to this downside of spring!  I love every season; I just love spring a little bit less because of this.  However, I can not deny how amazing it is to watch nature return each year.  I really enjoyed the photos you included along the way in your blog.  Your ideas about migration actually tied in nicely to what I discussed in my own post, evolution. As you mentioned, when you see certain species like Mallard ducks or robins, you know spring is here!  The fact that the species evolved this behaviour is incredible.  I think Fryxell & Holt expressed my amazement with this process better than I could have. In their paper Environmental change and the evolution of migration they said: “we can only observe the resulting pattern, causes for the underlying process that produced that pattern will always prove elusive.”  Think about the fact that somehow the vast majority of a species simply know that they must move to a new location!  To expand on this, I thought it may be interesting, even if a little bit sad, to bring up the fact that climate change is beginning to impact migration.  As the weather patterns change, animals’ current migratory habitats will no longer line up to provide the benefits they do now. How do you think this might this impact ecosystems as a whole?

Your wording “I decided to pick something that’s really been exciting me lately” reminded me of the chapter The Bright Future of Interpretation in the text (Beck & Cable, 2018).  In this chapter, the authors discuss the idea that interpretation can, and should, happen everywhere.  I believe that if people interpret things they are excited about, we will see interpretation everywhere.  Each person is unique in their own way so different things excite them.  If each person interprets what excites them most, everyone else has the opprotunity gain a new appreciation for it!  What a beautiful concept!

-         Carson

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

Fryxell, J.M., Holt, R.D. (2013). Environmental change and the evolution of migration.  Ecology, 94, 1274-1279. Retrieved from: https://esajournals-onlinelibrary-wiley-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/doi/full/10.1890/12-0668.1?sid=vendor%3Adatabase

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Blog #8 - The Most Amazing Thing About Nature

The most amazing thing that I know about nature is how life is formed and fitted specifically to its environment. I gained most of my appreciation for this in the Fall of 2020 when I took the evolution class at the University of Guelph. It is completely mind blowing to me that lifeforms as complex as us humans came from the first microscopic organisms.

I love understanding the forces that are at play when it comes to optimizing an organism for its environment. I think of the evolution of a new trait or a new species like a story. I am sure that many readers have heard of these concepts on some level, however, follow along with me anyway and see if you can gain a new appreciation for them.

All new traits begin as random mutations. Natural selection is the general concept that selects for traits which are beneficial to an organism’s environment at the current time (Gregory, 2020). Now before I go any further let’s clear up some language issues. When it is said that natural selection ‘selects’ for something, it must be understood that it is not some concious decision maker who is choosing the best trait. In reality, organisms that possess advantageous traits survive longer and are more likley to have reproductive success (Gregory, 2020). As a result, these organisms will have more offspring who, assuming the trait is heritable, are likley to possess the advantageous trait (Gregory, 2020). This increases the amount of that trait in the gene pool. Even now, there is no guarantee that the new mutant trait will become fixed. In other words, it is not certain that the new trait will become the most common (Gregory, 2020). The probability of this occuring can be demonstrated by the following figure. Only the lines that reach the top of the graph represent traits that are fixed.

Retrieved from Hajibabaei, M. (Winter 2022). BIOL*3040 Methods in Evolutionary Biology. University of Guelph.

This “story” really emphasizes the randomness that is involved in the development of new traits. There is chance involved in the initial random mutation and with the fixation of the allele. The right mutation must occur that gives the organism an advantage over others in the population, this trait must be heritable and then it must become fixed! That is a lot of chance. This all gets even more astonishing when you think of the number of mutations that would have had to occur and be fixed to end up with humans from microscopic organisms!

Next time you go for a hike or are outside, take a look around at the diversity of life. Think about how each of these species was formed and once shared a common ancestor. It is amazing to think about the fact that each of them is specialized for their environment! Additionally, each species influences the way others fit into the enviornment. If one species is already feeding on another, the evolution of a third species can be influenced such that they do not feed on the same source. In this way, all of thespecies fall into place like a puzzle. Thinking about this can allow us to appreciate the interconnectedness of the natural world.

P.S I also love the idea that certain features, such as those seen in crabs, are useful in many common environments. As a result, crabs have evolved many times throughout history. Even meme culture has caught on to this phenomenon!

Retrieved from: https://knowyourmeme.com/photos/2048746-carcinization

References

Gregory, R. (Fall 2020). BIOL*2400 Evolution Course Notes. University of Guelph.

Hajibabaei, M. (Winter 2022). BIOL*3040 Methods in Evolutionary Biology. University of Guelph.

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Unit 07 Blog - Music in Nature

Music in nature is everywhere. From songbirds chirping away on a nice morning, to whales letting out low frequency hums that mimic the tempo and lengths of human songs (Gray et al, 2001), nature is filled with great tunes. My personal favourite one to hear on a calm spring morning is the drumming of a ruffed grouse 

It may sound quiet from the video, but the low frequency can really carry it far, and when you learn to listen for the pattern of starting slow and speeding up towards the end, it is unmistakable. The reason the grouse drums is to attract a mate, but this is not always the case for all music in the animal kingdom. Amazingly, it has been suggested that whales use repeating refrains similar to human rhymes for the purpose of helping them remember complex ideas (Gray et al, 2001). Or maybe simpler, it is possible that sometimes animals like birds just sing for the sake of it (Mayntz, 2020). 

Just like how music is ubiquitous with nature, themes of nature are found all throughout music. This theme can be found in both modern music and in traditional, folk, or aborigional music. An example of this is the oral storytelling performed in folk music in Finland (Mallarach, 2012). These poems expressed in the form of songs mix nature with mystery, telling stories of the earth’s origin from an egg, or of a massive oak tree that blocked out the sun. They also vividly describe the natural landscapes surrounding the region, and the animals they house (Mallarach, 2012). Folky music like this is not all traditional however and is still being made today. Owen Riegling from Mildmay for example released the song Old Dirt Roads where he sings about finding him “down where the tree line ends and the cattails grow”.

If you want to hear about nature from your more modern music, you don’t have to look much further than country radio. All kinds of modern songs appeal to nature or bring up elements of it in an attempt to invoke the same feeling that yu get from actually being there. Lines like “Somewhere where the road ends out there where the creek bends” by Rodney Atkins are pretty blatant examples of this. 

Sometimes the songs that are the most effective at taking you back to a natural place in your head are not intended to do that at all. Hearing a specific song or line while having a natural experience can make a link between that song and place forever. For me, hearing “22” by Taylor Swift takes me back to driving around aimlessly with my dad as a kid in the fall looking for fields with geese to ask permission to hunt on. 

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

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

Mallarach, J.M. (2012). Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe: Workshop Proceedings. German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. https://ares.lib.uoguelph.ca/ares/ares.dll?action=10&form=50&value=289844 

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Hello!

I really enjoyed reading your post. I think I may have heard the Ruffed Grouse drumming before but I never knew here it was coming from. That is a very unique sound. Here's me, do you think I should challenge that bird to a drum off?

Have you heard of the device called Plant Wave? It uncovers some of the less obvious sounds in nature by converting electrical signals, among other biological information from a plant, into sound using instrumentation. For example, this video shows the “music” of various mushrooms!

It is very cool to see how the scientific processes of nature can be manifested as music.

I took a listen the song Old Dirt Roads and I certainly see how it is connected to nature for you. I think a lot of folky music seems to be inherently connected to nature due to the type of sound and instrumentation. Perhaps this is just an association in my mind, but it seems that this type of music has a special connection to nature. One thing from the song that caught my ear was the mention of rain drumming on a tin roof. I have always loved the sounds of rain on tin roofs or tents that are under trees after it has been raining. I think it’s beautiful to listen to the rhythms created. When a branch becomes too heavy, and water starts to drip off. It can create a consistent beat. Sometimes, I can hear in this sixteenth notes or triplets or other kinds of rhythmic subdivision. I also very much enjoy when multiple sources of drops land on the same surface creating nature’s own bizarre polyrhythmic sounds!

- Carson

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Blog #7 - Nature Interpretation Through Music

Wow! Okay, where to start? If you know me, you know music is my favorite thing on the planet. You also are surely tired of my ramblings about how great my favorite bands are (sorry). The blog this week comes at a perfect time for me. Just two days ago, after 842 days away, I finally saw a concert again. Progressive metal gods, Dream Theater are a band that are incredibly close to my heart and who got me through the difficulties of the last two years and counting.

Check out my view! I am very grateful for this experience!

Anyways, you may be saying how does this relate to nature and nature interpretation? During the show there were honestly multiple instances where this class and its concepts crossed my mind! I’ll give two examples of nature in music that I experienced at this show.

The first being a lyric example which occurs during the song Bridges in The Sky from the 2011 album A Dramatic Turn Of Events:

“Sun

Come shine my way

May healing waters bury all my pain

Wind

Carry me home

The fabric of reality is tearing apart

The piece of me that died

Will return

To live again”

The song literally tells the story of healing from pain through many aspects of nature such as the sun, water, or the wind (fire is also mentioned later). While I sung along to this beautiful chorus, I thought about how nature and hiking has been an important part of my continual progress learning to control the anxious thoughts in my mind. These images in my mind make the lyrics of the song hit even harder and certainly increase my appreciation for nature. Therefore, Dream Theater are nature interpreters, and effective ones at that! Please check out that song here (but if you'll listen to one I reccomend the second song I'll mention moreso than this one):

The second example is a description of what is probably one of the best moments of my life. The final song of the night was the nearly 20-minute epic masterpiece, The Count of Tuscany from the 2009 album Black Clouds & Silver Linings. It can be found here:

Between the eleven- and fourteen-minute marks of this song, the keyboards and the guitar create a beautiful, ambient, audio landscape. In this section, the guitars begin to introduce the vocal melody which is sung later in the finale of the song, it truly is one of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. Please, while you take a break to cook tonight or even while you do some of your easier work, listen to this song and let me know what you think, I promise twenty minutes flies by! During this section in the live show, the screen behind the musicians showed images of rolling fields and forests. This was truly one of the moments in my life where I have felt most present. I breathed deeply and focused on the sounds, the musical motifs, and their importance. As tears streamed down my face (no, I am not afraid to admit this) I realized that the images of natural settings in the background were a large part of the immersion I was feeling! Now obviously, I did not pull out my phone at this moment, but another member of the fan community provided a video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMWGkNQtb_Yfrom which I captured the following image so you can see what I saw.

At this point, while I exercised the skills of living in the moment which I learned from spending in time in nature, the images of trees were beautifully poetic. This song has certainly become one that will remind me of a nautral landscape.

Now sadly, I have already exceeded the word count with my passionate ranting here, but I will give a short nod to the other idea of the prompt. I think music is everywhere in nature, for example the rhythm of a woodpecker, or the patter of rain. It is truly wonderful, and I can’t wait to read other blogs that explore it more.

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It would mean the world too me if one of you who will read this took a listen to a few minutes (or all if you’re brave) of one of the songs I mentioned and told me what you think.

- Carson

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The Past is our Future

I’ll admit, it took me a few rereads of this quote to even digest it. However, after finishing this week's reading, not only did the quote make more sense to me, but I also gained a better appreciation of how important it is to accurately and respectfully present history. Indeed, as the quote implies, a historical representation can only maintain its integrity if every aspect of the story is told. It is vital that in relaying history, that its telling remain neutral and accurate by combining as many perspectives and thoughts as possible. Prejudice and bias can be found in many fields of academia, including science and the humanities, and nature interpretation is a combination of these two disciplines, thus, bias must be carefully assessed and considered before accepting any interpreted material.

Bias in Science | https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/symbiartic/confirmation-bias/

If at all feasible, history can and should be communicated in a respectful, informative, and relevant manner by including the varied opinions and narratives of each group involved. In the framework of nature interpretation, the perspectives of everyone involved, present and past, in the evolving landscape of a place, must be taken into account so that natural areas can be better understood and conserved. Scientific, historical, and indigenous groups' historical information must be thoroughly studied AND integrated so that no person, place, or object is overlooked in management planning and decision-making. It is critical to continue to communicate and bring awareness to diverse historical accounts.

Canada’s National Parks are Colonial Crime Scenes | https://thewalrus.ca/canadas-national-parks-are-colonial-crime-scenes/

As well, this week’s readings examined the concept of "memory locations," arguing that "the nonmaterial component is significantly more important than the material component" (Beck et al., 2019).To be relevant both historically and today, intellectual and emotional connections must be established and maintained between historical material, whether it be an item, a person, or a location. Historical artifacts have the ability to elicit emotions such as pride and respect, as well as hold cultural value. Historical artifacts represent something; they have meaning; nevertheless, without interpretation or consideration for their historical relevance, they are fundamentally worthless.

The Oldest Artifacts in History | https://www.ba-bamail.com/content.aspx?emailid=14141

“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”. To me, this means that the past is always significant as it has, ultimately, influenced the future. Without the information and experiences learnt humankind has learnt over time, we would not be where we are today. History provides a reference point as we continue to adapt to our ever-changing planet, ensuring that we learn from our mistakes and do not repeat them. History has influenced everyone; events happened and things exist, regardless if we have had a personal experience with them. Through developing cultural values, memories, traditions, and lifestyles, history has had an impact in every sense of the way.

Swastikas and other symbols of hate displayed at Ottawa protest aren’t just offensive—they’re dangerous, says Andrea Freedman, CEO of Ottawa’s Jewish Federation | https://thecjn.ca/perspectives/swastikas-and-other-symbols-of-hate-displayed-at-ottawa-protest-arent-just-offensive-but-dangerous-says-andrea-freedman-ceo-of-ottawas-jewish-federation/

This quote reminds me of this excerpt from the reading; “Interpretation breathes life in and meaning into past events, architecture, and artifacts.” (Beck et al., 2019). Providing opportunities for the public to interact with historical artifacts in conjunction with an accurate story, can help to foster compassion, understanding, and a sense of belonging, all of which are key components of nature interpretation. This week’s blog prompt has inspired me to reflect on the times I have personally interacted with historical components, both natural and man-made. Without considering every piece of the story, as stated above, it’s difficult to completely appreciate the significance of a time and place. It also makes me question what viewpoints were left out in my experiences with nature interpretation or even in my lessons at school. We can learn a lot by reconnecting with the past, and we must remember the lessons of history as we strive to "cultivat(e) a culture of peace" (Beck et al., 2019).

Me at the British Museum with the Elgin Marbles

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Redshelf eBook. Sagamore Publishing. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://platform.virdocs.com/r/s/0/doc/1948104/sp/245407251/mi/718086528?cfi=%2F4%2F4&menu=index.

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I really enjoyed reading your post! I liked the cartoon and the other photos you included.  Your comments about the different perspectives reminded me of something one of my friends loves to say: “there are three sides to every story”.  You also mentioned wondering what may have been left out from your lessons in school. This reminded me of my education regarding indigenous people.  I remember hearing how the indigenous people taught the settlers their ways peacefully in elementary school.  This was of course followed by the shock of the truth when I was prompted to look into by Gord Downie, front man of The Tragically Hip, and when it was part of the curriculum in high school.  When I did find out the truth, it inspired me to use my only slightly above average musical talent to raise money for the Downie-Wenjack foundation.  I was able to successfully raise $400 for the foundation.  I don’t tell this story to make myself look good and I know that in the end that amount of money is insignificant in solving the intergenerational trauma.  However, I do tell this story because I believe it demonstrates that when people are given “The Gift of Wholeness” through interpretation, they are more likley to be inspired to make real change in the world.

Here I am playing some acoustic Tragically Hip songs at the fundraising concert!

Additionally, I appreciated your comment that, without interpretation, historical objects are fundamentally worthless.  I think this idea really drives home the purpose of interpretation, to unlock a deeper appreciation for something (Beck et. al., 2018).  A similar school of thought could be applied to nature, something that is just a tree could be much more when a story behind it or the biological significance is explained.

-Carson

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

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Blog 6 - Nature Interpretation Through History

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

(Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

Integrity is certainly a very important part of nature interpretation through history.  As mentioned in the quote by Hyams, in order to maintain integrity all the parts of the whole must be kept together.  This reminds me of the gift of wholeness as described by Beck et. al. which states that “interpretation should present a complete theme or thesis and address the whole person.”  If you maintain integrity as suggested by Hyams, you will give the gift of wholeness as an interpreter.  This means that an awarness of the history related to a certain place or concept will allow an interpreter to better convey the reason why a place is special. In order for this concept to apply effectivley, the historical concepts applied must be authentic.  According to Beck et. al. there are many kinds of authenticity dependent on what is being offered.  To summarize, people tend to appreciate naturality in commodities, originality in goods, individuality in services and relatability in experiences (Beck et. al., 2018).  Other than individuality in service, I believe all of these authenticities can come from integrity in historical interpretation. I believe that individuality through interpretation can only come from the personality of the individual. If one can act excited and add their own personal flair to their interpretation, this is what will provide that genre of authenticity.  As far as the other genres, naturality in commodities can come from interpreting historical sites and explaining, for example, an old building.  Originality in goods may be hard to provide at a decent price if they are being sold but a museum could house many unique historical items for interpretation.  Relatability in experiences can come from the idea of telling a story through interpretation. If an interpreter is able to show others around a site and tell the story of a person’s life from the past, it becomes much easier to connect to the history and the nature.  In conclusion, I believe that the different genres of authenticity come from integrity of historical nature interpretation.

Additionally, I wanted to touch on the part of Hyam’s quote related to the train leaving the station. As it applies to nature interpretation this is a wonderful analogy that can remind us of the importance of the past in shaping the world around us.  However, I think it also has wider implications.  Recently I have been striving for a balance in my mindset between living in the moment, learning from the past and preparing for the future. The cancellations and postponements of the last two years have really caused me to rethink my outlook on life which used to be based entirely on looking forward to things while worrying about the past.  Applying this to the train analogy, we must enjoy where our train currently is but also appreciate where it has been!

-Carson

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Week 5!

This week, I wanted to start a discussion on the communication of information and how it is interpreted.

In Washington’s “For the love of birds podcast”, he explained the uniqueness and power of birds through their evolutionary paths as well as their ecosystem services and anthropogenic benefit. Yet he tailored this to his audience and explained the topic without a load of scientific jargon; this can help the public understand scientific information in a way that makes sense. And that is the ultimate reward right there: to convey important information from the scientific world, translate it and communicate it so everyone can understand, and so ultimately everyone can make a difference!

A risk of this however is misinformation.

At one point in the TedTalk, Washington said that certain countries in Africa hosted the highest numbers of species diversity. While this can be true, diversity is such a vague term that is tossed around in our society, and people really don’t know what that means. In conservation biology (and a class I am taking right now), we are learning that there are so many meticulous definitions of diversity: alpha, beta, gamma, structural, functional and so on. Numbers of species refer to alpha diversity, but people don’t know this and therefore they can interpret the information they receive very differently! So what is the balance? Should we bother with the picky terminology with our audience or not? As important as it is to know the differences between all these forms of diversity, I think what is more important is the message and getting your audience to care. 

Scientists conducting research and publishing articles of their important findings are great; but the accessibility, both of the paper and the writing itself, are scarce. It is sad that the scientific language is closed off to the rest of society;  but a lot of papers are only accessible through whatever institution your associated with, and even so once you try to read these papers, they’re near impossible to understand unless you have years of education trying to understand them (what I have been doing the past 3 years). And that closes a lot of doors to people, and these important things will ultimately be lost, and what’s the point of that then? 

We know that change lies in the hands of policy, but politicians are far from being scientists. So if not policy makers, it’s up to civilian action and the good old case of supply and demand. If people want something and believe in it and make choices to buy something for a cause, that will increase demand, and therein lies the change. But if we don’t communicate, and the scientists of the world keep to themselves in their science bubble, nothing really is going to change. 

What are solutions to this issue?

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Great post! I agree that scientific papers are increasingly separated from the general public, often resulting in scientists to preach to the choir. This is very dangerous, as can be seen in recent weeks with Covid misinformation, the Ottawa truck convoy, and even politicians taking advantage of cherry-picked information. These dangers come from people reading articles that they can understand, that most often are not well-sourced or peer-reviewed and do not come from a government site. Instead they come from a fellow citizen that heard it from somewhere else with unclear agendas. When information is the most accessible both to create and read, people who want to learn about something are often having to skim through hours of articles to find one that half confuses them and half answers their question. That is, if they have the time and attention to give. In our textbook I found a quote that I loved, and it will stick with me for years “think like a wise [scholar] but communicate in the language of the people” (Beck et al, 2018 p. 130). I really liked the questions you raised: “Should we bother with the picky terminology with our audience or not?” and “So, what is the balance?”  My answer is yes–it is worth it to show the audience that there are many different terms and meanings that can be jargon but the balance is to just clarify the ideas so they understand the main point you want them to remember.  

                                                   Reference

Beck, L. Cable, T.  Knudson, D. (2018). p 130 Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-57167-865-2

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Hello!

This was a really great post; it inspired a lot of thought for me.  I am also in the conservation biology class you mentioned so I know exactly what you mean about the abundance of definitions.  They even had a group of third- and fourth-year biology students scratching our heads for a second to get everything straight.  So, as you said, imagine someone who has not been learning years of science trying to sort them out to understand something like the risk a species is in.  Another topic that I think causes quite a lot of misconceptions in the general public is evolution.  There are so many confusing terms that imply something other than the true scientific fact when it comes to this subject.  For example, when we say that natural selection “chooses” a trait it seems to imply that this is some concious force that is making decisions.  Of course, as science students we know this isnt true and that natural selection is just our name for the concept that organisms possessing a trait which gives them an advantage are likley to be more reproductively successful and therefore, the frequency of the trait will increase in the gene pool. I find it interesting how long the list of common misconceptions truly is.  I found an extensive list with corrections here: https://evolution.berkeley.edu/teach-evolution/misconceptions-about-evolution/#b3.

I believe that as science students and interpreters of nature (and other sciences) it is our job to clear these misconceptions one at a time! As you mention, scientific articles are often very difficult to understand, or the main message is lost on anyone except an expert.  One idea that I have had for a blog in the future would be to “translate” the most relevant scientific articles using understandable language for the general public. For example, scientific papers that explain the saftey of mRNA vaccines.  In these blogs I could also spend time explaining key terms so that people learn them for the future.  In this way, I could get across the main message in an understandable way while also not completely ignoring the “picky terminology”.

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Blog #5 - Nature Interpretation Through Science

As I touched on in a previous post, science is almost like a religion to me. I find through understanding the world around me, specifically nature, I unlock a deeper appreciation for life. I believe that my earliest instance of this feeling would have come in kindergarten when I learned about the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. I remember being shocked and amazed that somehow in the natural world a transformation like this could occur. This feeling has continued all through high school and university as I have learned more about evolution and ecology. This is why I believe that science is a crucial part of nature interpretation: in order to deeply appreciate something, you must deeply understand it. Science is the key to understanding nature. In other words, it is the key to the gifts of revelation and wholeness. The gift of revelation is “reveal[ing] deeper meaning and truth” (Beck et. al., 2018). The gift of wholeness is the presentation of “a complete theme or thesis” (Beck et. al., 2018). These two gifts of interpretation work together to create the previously mentioned deeper appreciation.

There are many specific things in nature that I believe follow this idea. For example, the appearance of patterns and cycles in nature. When we observe a pattern in nature such as the alternating colors of a reptile’s skin or the hexagons of an insect’s eyes, we can appreciate it more by thinking about the fact that this had to be created somehow. Rather than just observing it, thinking about the how and the why can unlock the gifts of revelation and wholeness. It is our job as nature interpreters to guide others towards this. For example, when it comes to an insect’s hexagonal pattern eyes: in some way they provide the insect with an advantage. This trait began as a heritable mutation, which creates variation. The organisms who possessed these traits were more successful at reproducing offspring as a result of some advantage it created. This means the frequency of the trait continues to increase in the gene pool until we observe most insects having hexagonal eyes. Hopefully from this example you can see what I mean. Thinking about simple hexagons has led to appreciating the initial random chance followed by generations of evolution that lead to this observation!

(Fessenden, 2016) Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-natures-patterns-180959033/

This line of thinking is how science became like a religion for me. I can’t help but feel so lucky to exist in the form that I do with all this beautiful nature around me when I pause to think about how it got here and how I got here. Not only did humans evolve from small single cell organisms to be as complex as we are, but we are also lucky enough to have the mental capacity to be able to try to understand it all. I think this is a beautiful gift! Additionally, not only are the patterns beautiful to observe with one example like the chameleon’s tail shown below­ but it is mind blowing to see that they repeat. This independent repetition shows the effectivness of evolution at moving organisms towards being more fit to their current enviornment.

(Fessenden, 2016) Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-natures-patterns-180959033/

In conclusion, we can observe things in nature, but a deeper appreciation comes from understanding the science that explains it.

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

Fessenden, M. (2016, May 10). The science behind nature’s patterns. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-natures-patterns-180959033/

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I really enjoy exploring the relationship between art and nature. Historically art has always had connection with nature. To create art, we draw upon the things around us and things that we feel emotional connections to, and nature is something that undoubtably people feel connected to. I think of how different aspects of nature illicit distinct feelings, where an image of snow may draw one’s mind to still loneliness, an illustration of flowers in spring tends to arise ideas of rebirth and hope. This is likely related to the fact that for as long as there have been humans we have been surrounded by nature; thus, we tend to personify aspects of the natural world. This makes depicting nature in art, in order to make a statement or elicit emotions, inevitable because it is something that is universally understood. Themes of nature are built into all types of art, painting, sculpting, music, writing, even fiber and textile arts. 

There is also an interesting intersection between science and art, any environmental science textbook, species ID book or nature documentary relies on people to create art that depicts the natural world. This makes the lines between the arts and sciences more blurry than some people choose to consider. Merging the arts with science is so essential for nature communication because having visual illustrations displaying scientific ideas is necessary for learning. Another important aspect of having art that represents science is that it humanizes and adds emotional tethers to complex subjects to human feelings and gives people the opportunity to connect more with scientific and environmental fields. 

 More recently (within the last century) people have used art to make political statements regarding issues such as climate change. Art has always been political, so using it to spread awareness about the climate movement is logical occurrence. Due to the fact that art is so political and emotional in nature, I think using art for nature interpretation is essential. Especially because a lot of art does not require immense wealth and thus creating art to contribute one’s opinion to societal issues is relatively accessible for people who normally would not have a significant platform to project their opinions.

 I interpret “the gift of beauty” is how we gain inspiration, value, and connection to the world around us. We all find personal significance in different aspects of the natural world because we individually hold separate facets of nature to higher personal regard. Art is a very intimate experience we all draw different opinions, feelings and interpretations but what is important is that art is an emotionally experience and thus using it for nature interpretation is super significant. 

Personally, I enjoy making my own clothing, whether that be through crochet, knitting or sewing. I have shifted, particularly in my sewing projects, to using primarily second-hand materials. This has been a larger shift within the textile art community and I think this can be considered an aspect of “nature interpretation” because people are actively choosing to make more sustainable choices in their art. 

 —Naomi

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Hi Naomi,

Your post was very interesting for me to read!  Your ideas about art in textbook and species ID books really reminded of the dinosaur books I used to read as a kid.  When I was younger, I used to be obsessed with figuring out everything there was to know about dinosaurs.  As such, I would take out dinosaur books from the libraries non-fiction section and read them front to back.  I was always fascinated by the combination of science and art that you mentioned.  The scientists found the information about the dinosaurs and the artists brought it to life.  This allowed me to image what the natural world looked like millions of years ago.  As you said, it allowed me to form a sort of emotional connection with the scientific field. For this reason, I very much agree that art is a key part of enhancing appreciation for nature.  Therfore, it is very important in the interpretation of nature.

Your discussions of emotional connection ties in very well with the ideas about perception in my blog. Basically, the way people perceive things is impacted by their emotions, needs and experiences (Johns & Saks, 2019). This is why I agree with you that art can be a useful tool.  If it can be used to establish an emotional connection between people and nature, it will be easy to have them perceive climate change as a problem.  This can allow more people to work together moving towards a solution.

Note: When marking this blog post please excuse the lateness if possible.  I have been stuck in bed with a fever and other symptoms as a result of COVID all weekend and most of the previous week.

 References

Johns, G. Saks, A.M. (2019). Organizational Behavior (11th). Toronto Ontario: Pearson Education Canada

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Interpreting Nature Through Art

In my opinion interpreting nature through art is something that is very personal. The artist meant to show something that is tied to their personality.  The interpreter will interpret it in some way that is tied to their personality and similarly, their audience may further perceive it differently. I think that this has a lot to do with the idea that perception is subjective (Johns & Saks, 2019).  Each person’s perception is based on their experience, their needs, and their emotions (Johns & Saks, 2019).  To break this down, the past experience of someone will influence if they see a new thing in a positive or negative way. For example, if someone were to have fallen through ice intro freezing water, this would likley impact how they interpret an art piece depicting a frozen lake.  Their needs will also influence how they perceive things because people tend to perceive things as they want them to be (Johns & Saks, 2019).  For example, if someone needs a peaceful scene, they may be more likley to perceive artwork as being such.  Finally, perception is altered by someone’s emotions.  This is probably the easiest to understand, we have all experienced how strong emotions can alter the way we view things.  For example, someone who is deeply angered may perceive a piece of artwork depicting nature as being chaotic or some other negative description.  On the other hand, someone who is very happy may only perceive the beauty in the image.

Can you think of a time when you and another person perceived the same event or image differently?  Was this difference a result of one or both of your experience, needs or emotions?

As I mentioned before, the person who is interpreting the artwork for others will have a perception bias that will come into their interpretation.  This is when the question “who am to interpret this peice?” becomes important.  Perhaps the best thing to do is to disclose the potential bias to your audience?

To give an example, I will show a great piece of artwork that has deep meaning to me due to past experiences.

When I interpret this wonderful piece of artwork by Alan Lee a large portion of my appreciation comes from the fact that it is a depiction of The Shire from The Lord of The Rings.  I love this story and therefore, when I see the photo, I am reminded of the cozy atmosphere created by Tolkien’s words in the book.  I also hear the wonderful score of Howard Shore from the film adaption of the book.  I think of reading the books and relaxing or watching the movies with friends.  All of these experiences I have with enjoying the franchise influence how I interpret the image.  Another person may simply see some rolling hills and a few trees!

According to Beck et. al. the gift of beauty is interpretation’s ability to “instill in people the ability and the desire to sense the beauty in their surroundings”. I believe that the fact that each person interprets things uniquely as I described above is very important to this gift of beauty.  If each person interprets the same art slightly differently then each person has the opprotunity to help others to see this view.  In other words, each person has their own unique gift of beauty to give with each piece of art.

Note: When marking this blog post please excuse the lateness if possible.  I have been stuck in bed with a fever and other symptoms as a result of COVID all weekend and most of the previous week.

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

Johns, G. Saks, A.M. (2019). Organizational Behavior (11th). Toronto Ontario: Pearson Education Canada

Photo retrieved from: https://imgur.com/a/0ZmNG

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Blog #2 - My Ideal Role of Environmental Interpreter

My ideal role as a nature interpreter would be teaching science classes. Beck et. al claims interpreters are unlike traditional teachers because they “integrate a spirit of recreation and [offer] numerous first-hand experience”. This statement is, in some way, inspirational to me. It provokes questions about the current education system. Why can’t all learning be associated with fun and experience? In this way it is a goal of mine to be a better teacher by learning from interpreters and attempting to blur the line between the two professions. This might entail incorporating the principles outlined by Beck et. al. in my teaching style while continuing to be aware of the different learning styles. For example, I would like to focus on including my personality and experience in my teaching. I would also like to inspire revelations based on information by including the entire concepts rather than just a part. These goals all follow Tilden’s principles as outlined by Beck et. al. I can bring personality by ensuring that I do not simply present information but that I show my own love of science through enthusiasm in lessons. Similarly, I can work to organize information so that the entire concept is visible. One specific example is telling the entire story of carbon atoms as they follow the metabolism of multiple organisms. I recall being in high school and learning about metabolic processes in plants and animals when I had a revelation and connected them all to each other. When I saw everything in detail, I was able to see how the plants can harness the sunlight and create nutrients through photosynthesis. The plants could then be eaten by animals where further metabolic processes would break them back down for energy. I believe, that explicitly showing students this entire picture is one way of blurring the line between teaching and interpretation. I also believe that a further personal touch will be necessary to really ensure that I am interpreting in a teaching role. I know that I will need to enhance students’ appreciation of the environment around them in order to fill this role. I believe I can do this by taking time after explaining the information to talk about why these things are special or important. For example, if I were to explain the delicacy of food webs and organism interactions, I would also need to take time to talk about how this delicate balance is all part of the beauty that we see around us when we are in nature. I can also use communication theory as suggested by Beck et. al., being mindful of my tone of voice and attitude to keep students engaged in my attempt to help them find their own unique appreciation of the world around them. I can also do my best to account for the location of teaching by taking it outside whenever possible. I believe that I can achieve this goal because my attitudes and personality realted to the subject will be genuine. The more I learn about the science of the environment, the more this knowledge becomes similar to a religion for me. As I understand the complexity of the world around me through ecology or the many processes that lead to the human race through evolution, I find a deeper appreciation for my life and the world in which I live it. In summary, I believe that my ideal role as an environmental interpreter is as a teacher, where I will attempt to elevate my work above traditional methods to guide students to a greater appreciation of the world through an understanding of the science behind it.

PS. Here I am practicing some interpretation for Luna the dog last weekend!

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

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Hi Carson!

I absolutely love the thought you put into your chosen role as an environmental interpreter. I can remember some teachers who have made a big impact on my life and who have led me to the path I am on now. From your blog post, it certainly sounds like you would make a great positive impact on your students. Being a science teacher is an awesome way of environmental interpretation. It is a role that I did not think of when I was reading our blog prompt but now that I’ve read your post, I think it’s an amazing role! I like that you would make the extra effort to try different learning styles to benefit your students. In high school I had a teacher that took us on a trip to a nearby trail to learn about ecosystems. We split off into groups to complete scavenger hunts of various insects and plants in the area. After that we walked back to class and discussed everything we found and how it was all related to each other. I still remember this as it was so different to what I was used to (I was used to boring class lectures and taking notes!).

Your appreciation for the science behind the environment/nature will surely draw the attention of your students. I think they would feed off your energy and love for science and they would enjoy/look forward to your engaging classes. I tend to pay more attention in classes where my professors have fun, make jokes, and try new things!

PS. Luna looks so curious of whatever it is you’re showing her!

[cbenvs3000w22]

Hello!

Thank you so much for your reply!  The scavenger hunt is a great idea and an important example of the experiential learning which many sources consider to be a seperating factor between interpretation and traditional education (Beck et. al., 2018).  It is certainly a great idea, so I’ll keep it in my back pocket for later!  It makes me happy that you believe I can engage students with my energy and love of science as this is somewhat of a life goal for me. I’ll do my best to let my comedic side out whenever I can!

I was showing Luna some squirrels so you can be sure she was very attentive!

(PS. I know we are in week 3 now so this reply is less for class purposes and more because I wanted to thank you for supporting my vision!)

Thanks again,

Carson

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

[maenvs3000w22]

Privilege

This word is one that is somewhat 'problematic' for me. Now you may ask why, let me explain. The definition of privilege, as per Oxford states that privilege is "a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group". Now Surely we have all been privileged at some point in our lives, no matter the weight of said privilege we have all had a taste, some more than others, and some very rarely. I was privileged of being born to a stable family, have 2 parents, good health, culturally accepted intellect, an education, experienced travel, no issues with food, toys, and a massive list that I can humbly say is unfair in comparison with others around me (during my time overseas back home in the UAE). Fast forward 10 years or so I find myself still privileged with some of those aspects, parents are still around, good health, education, and so on. But there are a few things that I lost on the way. A battle that my parents called mixing water with oil, an issue of being Arabic in a city built on land, not theirs, and out-casted for my heugh. That sounded pretty good eh? Super intense and deep. Pretty proud of that to be honest, but let's clear it up because that a lot more excessive than the truth. I lived in Mississauga for the first year in Canada, with 2 parents out of a job spending their life savings to bring me into a country with no plan but to survive, it was hard. But we had family, friends, and people native to my home across the ocean waiting with open arms. This came to an end when coming to Burlington, surrounded by white people. Now I have no hate, no anger, nothing, but the treatment given to my family and me for not being the same was insane. From class to playgrounds, to teams, and friendships, it was all dictated by where I was from and who I was. This privilege that my parents gave my sister and me, to go out west and build a life away from the political and religious conflicts of the east were met with the oppressive behavior of uneducated adults and their spawn. So basically what I'm trying to say is; I had a taste of privilege, I know what it's like, and I know the opposite.

My parents always taught me that privilege is split into two separate categories; the one you inherit, and the one you gain. Born into a well-off family or great athletic abilities is inherited, no blood-sweat or tears. Whilst grinding throughout high school, getting a scholarship, doing well in postgrad, saving money, and buying your dream car, now that is gained.

The issue with privilege is somewhat of a curtain of sorts. It blinds those who possess it, most notably those who didn't have to fight for it. Not realizing the 'power' they have been granted through a lucky hand. It happens to me all the time, not realizing how lucky I am not to have to pay for school or help financially during high school. Though I still had to work for the things I wanted and cared about. Most kids throughout primary and secondary school were given everything, games, consoles, sporting equipment, and even cars. I spent weekends mowing lawns and shoveling driveways to save up for a pair of cleats or used skates, not that my parents couldn't afford to buy me them, rather gift me the sense of money and appreciate the fruit of hard work.

Now you might be thinking jeez this guy keeps rambling, you'd be right, but with this, you might see where I'm coming from when connecting it all with nature. See I was privileged by my father to have experienced the outdoors in two completely different areas of the world, ranging from jungles to deserts I've been lucky to see more than the average. The amazing artwork of mother nature is something that everyone should have. Though life can be brutally unfair, as a nature interpreter I (we) should stand and make it a priority to grant access and knowledge to everyone on the amazing life beyond our bubbles. We are all born on this earth, and we all should equally have the same level of access to admire and be a part of it. There are many things we can execute to enhance the movement of our goal;

- increasing accessibility, specifically for those who may not be able-bodied

- Increasing language options on signs, brochures, websites, etc

- decreasing the costs, or even granting free rentals of equipment to tourists/visitors to specific parks and wildlife reserves.

- increase accessibility to those searching for it, such as free subscriptions to mail regarding the local environment

These aspects touch on many real-life situations that many people face. Issues revolving around, knowledge, physical access, language barriers, and financial issues are just the tip of the iceberg.

[cbenvs3000w22]

Hello!

I really enjoyed reading your post as I found it to be very thought provoking and insightful.  The fact that you have experienced both sides of privledge give you a unique and valuable perspective on the topic.  Additionally, I appreciated your discussion regarding earned privledge versus privledge that is simply handed to you.  In my life, I am very privledged.  My family has never been in a situation where we were discriminated against or under significant financial strain.  As such I do not know what it is like to genuinely be on the other side of privledge. However, similar to yours, my parents also taught me to work for things.  All through my childhood (and even now) I was never given something I hadn’t earned.  I do not think this is comparable to actually having to work oneself up from an underprivledged scenario.  However, I do think it helped me gain the perspective to appreciate my privledge, or my head start in life.  This continues to help me to work towards avoiding the blindness you mentioned.  I believe acknowledging my privledge is simply a first step before I can use it to try to help others pass through the barriers.  This could mean working towards any one of the goals you listed.

Thanks,

Carson  

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Blog #3

To me, privledge is like a head start.  It is also largely based on one’s access to resources and how this impacts their view of the world. I believe this is realted to Maslow’s heirarchy of needs which follows the order: physiological, saftey, belongingness, self-esteem, self-actualization (Johns & Saks, 2019).  This theory also suggests that the lowest level of the heirarchy which one does not posses is what they will be motivated to focus on (Johns & Saks, 2019).  This is applicable to privledge in nature interpretation because if someone is born without their physiological or saftey needs met, they will be focused on finding their next meal or somewhere to live.  This does not leave room to search for a greater appreciation of nature, which might fall under belonginess or even higher, in self-actualization.

I have been very privledged in my life which has allowed me to enjoy everything that nature has to offer. For example, I have been able to camp from a very young age.  As outlined by Beck et. al. not everyone is able to experience these things for a variety of reasons such as: economic, cultural and communications barriers as well as a lack of knowledge and fear.  Growing up I had many opprotunities to explore and travel different places in the world which exposed me to plenty of nature.  As I mentioned in previous blogs, this allowed me to find a special appreciation of nature.  My goal as a nature interpreter is to do my best to help others pass through these barriers.  My privledge has made me lucky enough that I have not experienced them and therefore, I could use this for the greater good of the world to help others.  The lack of economic barriers came as a result of my parent’s hard work to find financial success.  This allowed me to experience multiple countries as well as be immersed in nature through something like a hike at any time.  I did not experience cultural barriers because as I mentioned my parents were large influences in taking me camping.  Similarly, I have never been deterred from nature due to a lack of knowledge or fear because I have been exposed to it from a young age. I have never experienced communication barriers because I am lucky enough to have learned English as a first language.  Given that it is one of the hardest languages to learn and one of the most commonly spoken this has never been a problem for me.  I believe an awarness of this is important because it allows me to think about how I might need to change my interpretations of nature in order to best reach others depending on who they are.  I also believe that it is important for me to be grateful for the experiences that my privledge has granted me.

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

Johns, G. Saks, A.M. (2019). Organizational Behavior (11th). Toronto Ontario: Pearson Education Canada

[mpenvs3000w22]

Hi there!

I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I feel like many people often feel awkward or uncomfortable talking about their privilege, almost as if it would constitute as a form of “bragging”. There is not anything inherently wrong with having privilege, however, it’s when people choose to remain silent or pretend like their privilege doesn’t exist that harm is brought to those with less privilege. This creates almost a sort of “taboo” when discussing privilege, and I often end up asking myself “well then what am I supposed to do?”. There’s only so much good that acknowledging privilege can do for those who are disadvantaged.

That is why your post stuck out so much when I read it, it was your mention of using this privilege as a tool for helping make the world a more fair place. This has already proven to be extremely valuable in many other real-world settings such as white people using their “built-in safety” to physically protect POC during protests, but I have yet to really reflect on how this could be used in nature interpretation. Perhaps by using our financial privilege we can help fund programs that make nature more accessible to disadvantaged people? I always find it a fine line to navigate between using my privilege to advocate for POC and accidentally taking up too much of their space as a “white saviour”. I’d love to hear your thoughts on other ways we can use our privilege to help others.

[cbenvs3000w22]

Hello!

Thank you very much for your reply.  I too feel very awkward discussing this topic.  Honestly, I spent hours in thought about how to word my original post as a result of the concerns you mentioned.  I did not want to sound like I was bragging or putting myself above others.  At the end of the day this line of thought is what brought me to deciding that I am who I am and all I can do is try to use that to make the world a better place!  My vision for using my privledge to help was similar to what you outlined.  I think funding is a great way to help as the economic barrier to nature is a problem that prevents many people from accessing it (Beck et. al. 2018).  Funding accessibility is a great idea, I was also thinking that it could be smart to use funds to hire interpreters who speak a variety of languages.  This would help to overcome the language barriers that some people experience (Beck et. al, 2018).  I want to genuinely thank you for your kind reply since, as I mentioned, I was feeling awkward about my post.  It means a lot to me that you really understood what I was trying to say.  I have this privledge and though it is important that I continue acknowledge and appreciate it, talking about it can only do so much.  I believe, the best thing I can do is try to use it for good!

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture