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Privilege in Nature Interpretation : Blog 3

My working definition of privilege is an advantage that is given to a certain group. This definition applies to nature interpretation because privilege often gives a group an upper hand at overcoming barriers. The absence of privilege can make it harder for people to enjoy nature interpretation or create more barriers for those that have no privileges. After some more research I found that privilege can be a combination of five things… It is a special advantage, it is granted not earned, it is an entitlement related to status, it is exercised for its benefit and excludes others, and privilege is a status that the person possessing it is not aware of (Black & Stone, 2005).

Before this unit I never considered the role privilege plays in nature interpretation. However, after reading the course content and reflecting on my past I discovered privilege has a strong impact on nature interpretation. To start off this post I want to reflect on the role privilege has played in my past regarding nature interpretation. My interest in nature has been present since I was a child. I spent my entire life growing up at my cottage, which I recognize is a huge privilege already. Having the opportunity to spend time outdoors with my family in such a beautiful location is not something that everyone gets to experience. I think this is like camping with my family. My parents had to put in their time and effort into taking me on outdoor trips as a kid. They spent their time and money on enforcing time spent in nature on several occasions. I recognize that there is a lot of children that did not get to experience this.

Another privilege I recognize I have is being in university and taking classes that allow me to further my future in nature interpretation. My parents have helped me mentally and financially get to where I am today. University is an expense that I would not be able to afford if my parents didn’t help me prepare for. My savings are all thanks to past summer jobs that I could not have gotten without some help from my parents. For example, in high school I worked at Canadian Tire and my parents had to drive me to and from my shifts. In more recent jobs, my parents have helped me prepare for interviews. I am aware a lot of students don’t have as much help from their parents that I do, and this gives me an advantage. The fact that I am in my final year of university, taking this specific course in nature interpretation is a massive advantage that so many people do not have. I am sure there are several people who want to work in a career in nature interpretation but unfortunately face a disadvantage in the work force because they did not attend university.

Lastly, I think a privilege that relates to nature interpretation is the fact that I am young and healthy. I am completely capable of participating in nature programs if I want to. A reason why some people cannot participate in nature interpretation programs could be that they want to participate, but encounter boundaries like physical impediments, such as people with physical disabilities or even the elderly population (Beck et al., 2018).

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

Black, L. L., & Stone, D. (2005). Expanding the Definition of Privilege: The Concept of Social Privilege. JOURNAL OF MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT, 33(4), 243–255. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1912.2005.tb00020.x

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Hi,

I really enjoyed reading what your the on privilege is. I enjoy reading through everyone's blog posts and seeing how different everyones is, and how different all of our experiences are. I would first like to start off by saying thank you for sharing your experience with nature and what it means to you.

Like you, I grew up surrounded by nature. Many days as a child were spent camping and hiking outdoors. This was something and is still an activity I really do enjoy. Speaking in terms of privilege, I was wondering if you ever noticed this privilege as a child? I found that I did not fully realize what I had until I moved away for university. When did you notice how fortunate your childhood was in terms of nature? Moreover, I think it is great that you made mention about the courses offered here at Guelph. Many students attending other universities do not have the same opportunities as we do. So, I would agree with you that we as students are very fortunate to be attending a school that allows us to work alongside nature and understand its true beauty.

Overall, great post and thank you again for sharing your experience!

Calli

Risk Versus Reward

The working definition of privilege to me means that groups and or individuals are granted a certain entitlement, these privileges usually revolve around race, level education, and financial status. Moreover, I believe that privilege has played a major role in nature interpretation without many people even realizing it.

Nature interpretation and privilege go hand-in-hand with one another, though it is often not looked at. This relationship can be seen throughout reading the blog posts. Many students were privileged to have nature-loving family and friends, where others may not have been. Additionally, many students in the class seemed to have grown up in cities, so their exposure to nature may not seem to be as great as others. I am able to understand the level of privilege I have been granted with in terms of nature. I was born in a place surrounded by nature, additionally, my family and friends were always doing something regarding nature. This has made a huge and long lasting impact on my life, as it allowed me to create a huge connection with nature. As I grow older this privilege I had as a child allows me to realize how much I took it for granted. Coming from Northern Ontario to Guelph, a lot in my life has changed. I find that I do not see as much wildlife, I hike less, and I spend less time in nature. This change has been quite hard for me, but it has made going home during the breaks that much more exciting. Not many people can say they can see a bear on the mountain while looking through their window, and I feel very fortunate that I can.

As I mentioned, as a kid I did not really understand the level of privilege I had relating to nature. Now as I reflect and look at where I came from, I can see it quite easily. In high school, an option for a course is “Outdoor Education”. Now this course can be offered in schools within cities, however for us it was easy to access nature. Local hiking trails are right outside the school's door, Lake Superior is just a two minute drive. These experiences make up the privileges I didn’t know I had until I graduated. Moreover, during the summer I participated in the field ecology course, BIOL 4410. Throughout discussions with other class members they mentioned that some had to travel a bit to get to their research site, but for myself it was just a step outside of my door. It was really amazing to be able to share my experiences with everyone, and begin to understand the privilege I had growing up in Northern Ontario.

Overall, I believe that nature interpretation is much determined by one’s privilege. How you grow up, who you grow up with, and your surrounding environment determine much about how you view nature, and these to me are the privileges that make it up.

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Unit 2: Teaching Learners

An interpreter assists others in understanding different concepts. An ideal interpreter is an individual that is considerate of other people’s learning types. Incorporating an auditory, visual, and tactile element can be helpful for the audiences learning styles. An environmental interpreter helps individuals understand nature in a positive way. As mentioned in the textbook, interpreters should act as guides not just people that spit out facts (Beck et al., 2018). Once an understanding is formed individuals’ behaviours and thought processes reflect this. This encourages people to have a sustainable relationship with the environment. Interpretation can entail a variety of activities. Examples includes educating others, walks in nature or developing a recycling program in a community. There are steps that need to be taken in order to effectively interpret (Beck et al., 2018). Identifying the main goal of what you are interpreting is essential (Beck et al., 2018). It provides a direction and structure which allows the audience to follow along (Beck et al., 2018). The audiences can vary in age, education, and culture. Understanding the audience is important to effectively educating others. It allows the interpreter to alter their language and teaching strategy to meet the needs of the people listening. Furthermore, it ensures the interpreter is sharing content and messages that the audience actually cares about (Beck et al., 2018). Additionally, asking for feedback from the audience will allow the interpreter to improve. Understanding what your audience viewed as positive will help prioritize how the interpreter delivers information.

There are many different careers that will allow you to become an environmental interpreter. Becoming a teacher or a professor of environmental science is one way. Additionally, working at a national park or conservation centre will provide the opportunity to help others form a positive relationship with nature. Government jobs that create policy to protect the environment or grant funding to improve the environment. I also believe being a student and learning about environmental science is a type of environmental interpretation. Using this platform to share our ideas and opinions on the environment is a form of learning and teaching each other. There are obviously way more careers that have a form of environmental interpretation. What is your future career plan? Does it involve an aspect of environmental interpretation?

An interpreter needs to have excellent communication skills. Effectively communicating is a big part of educating others. The ability to explain facts in multiple different ways expands the amount of people that can be educated by this interpreter. Also, people learn differently and knowing how to convert information into different teaching strategies will be ideal. Furthermore, interpersonal skills are helpful to understand the audience better, the importance of this is discussed above. Leadership skills is an important skill to have. It is likely that environmental interpreters will work with others and have to lead projects. Understanding how to be an effective leader will ensure the team works smoothly. Finally, creative thinking and problem solving is a excellent skill to have. There will be a time where a solution will be needed, and creative thinking will assist in the process of finding a solution. There are many more skills that an environmental interpreter should possess but these are the ones I find the most important.

I look forward to hearing your ideas and discussing this further.

Makayla

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

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Hi Makayla,

Thank you for your very insightful post, I really enjoyed reading through it.

I really enjoyed how you described what an environmental interpreter is and what type of skills they need to possess. Moreover, I think it is great that you mentioned the steps that are needed to be taken and how it can be done in different ways. Interpreters are all different, but as you mentioned they should always understand their audience and come up with a strategy that works for them on how to deliver their message.

I never thought of a student as being an environmental interpreter, but now that you say it, it makes total sense. I often find the younger generation are the ones that are doing what they can to preserve what we have left, and are enjoying nature as we see it. To answer your question, I am hoping to be an occupational therapist in the future, however I have always wished to further help protect the environment in some way. Whether that be through informational sessions as I mentioned in my blog, or starting community programs to challenge residents to do their part and save the environment. I would now like to throw the question back at you, does your future career plan involve any aspects of environmental interpretation?

Overall I really enjoyed reading your post, it was very insightful. I am looking forward to reading more from you!

Calli

Unit 02: Teaching Learners

When I first read the blog post question, I was not too sure exactly what was meant by an environment interpreter. The purpose of an environmental interpreter is to create critical interpretations of reality that are observed in natural and social areas. Interpreters must cater to each and every learner, and be able to quickly adapt to the audiences needs. Passion and drive is what makes an excellent interpreter, as well as their ability to make the audience care.

As an environmental interpreter, my ideal role would be to promote the education behind global warming. Through my years of school, there have been very few teachers that have touched on these subjects, unless it was those who were passionate about this subject. Additionally, there has been a small number of guest speakers and presentations that have touched on this important topic. Stating that, as an environmental interpreter, it would be a dream to go and educate young learners about global warming, and what we can do as people to help save what we have left of nature. This will allow people to understand what is truly going on in our world.

Educational speaking would entail a group of individuals, including myself, who are passionate about saving the world and want to pass their passion onto their audience. This professional speaking would start out in schools, educating the young, eventually making way to adult presentations held within the community. It could be interactive presentations, such as games, or it could be informational sessions with pamphlets to hand out. That being said, this begins to become a problem due to the fact that many do not believe in global warming. So this now becomes a very opinionated topic, and a topic parents may not want their children to hear about. Stating that, this might entail consent forms for parents to sign that will state if they wish for their child to take part in this presentation. Additionally, presenters must be understanding if people do not wish to attend. Overall, to be a speaker presenting such a topic, you must have passion and hope that we can fix the issues we as people have created. Moreover, you must be confident and proud about what you are doing, and how it can save the world and the human generations to come.

As a passionate person who wants to see nature thrive, I believe that education is the first step to protecting the environment. Far too many people do not know enough about this topic, or do not know anything at all. Although this is such a difficult and opinionated topic to present, I believe with the right group of people, this can happen. Lastly, I do believe that informational speaking allows people to better understand what is happening in our world.

dralh

Disclaimer

This blog was created for __________, 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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My Relationship with Nature

My relationship with nature has never been very clear to me. I was brought up in a family that normally gathered indoors, took vacations to major metropolitan cities, and never owned a cottage. As a child, any exposure to nature was acquired through school field trips or the occasional beach vacation. Being from Toronto, I grew up under the impression that in order to experience nature one must leave the city. However, through the pandemic I learned that there is more around me in my home than I ever realized. In the past few years not only have I gained a new appreciation for nature, but I have discovered that if I look for a place of peace I can find it in nature even when I am in the centre of the city.

As I stated, growing up my family was not very “outdoorsy”. However, it had been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember to visit Hawai’i. After enough begging, when I was ten years old my parents took my sister and I to Maui. While my mother and sister explored the towns around the island, my dad and I hiked to the Seven Sacred Pools, explored bamboo forests and snorkelled in a stunning crater off the island. With this trip being my first real exposure to nature, I discovered a love for it that I never had tapped into before. Since that trip, I have been lucky to go back to Hawai’i two more times. Not only did I immerse myself in the natural beauty of the state, I learned about the meaning of the landscape to the locals, which shifted my perspective yet again. After this series of trips, I began to view the person-nature interaction very differently. I understood the meaning of the land to those indigenous to it. I learned about native practices and land worships that carry throughout Hawaiian history. On a personal note, I discovered a new thing that brought my dad and I even closer.

When I think of my sense of peace, my initial thoughts go to my entire family spending time together at my grandparents home. This will always be my comfort place and the setting that brings me happiness and peace. But experiencing nature with my dad and learning about the meaning of the land to the native Hawaiian people, my heart also goes back there and I will always remember those trips as transformative and peaceful. Attached below is photo my dad took in Iao Valley, Maui.

Since then, I have been able to find places of peace in nature in my own home. Covid allowed me the time to explore my own neighbourhood and discover beautiful walking trails and ravines that I had no idea existed prior. My relationship with nature evolves and changes each time I discover a new place, learn about its history, and make new memories there. As life goes on and things change, so do places of peace. We no longer gather as a family in my grandparents home as family members pass on and individuals relocate. Homes change and people come and go, so developing my relationship with nature has been extremely grounding and peaceful.

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Hi there,

It truly is amazing that you were able to enjoy the nature surrounding you, considering for so long you were told you had to venture elsewhere. I believe that it is important for us to learn more about our surroundings and enjoy them on a deeper level. We grew up in very different ways. Coming from northern Ontario, I have been exposed to nature since the day I was born. It was easy for me to explore, as we live in the middle of a forest.

Stating that, I am really glad to hear that you got to go travel to a place as cool as Maui! I have always wanted to go! It sounds like you gained a lot of exposure to nature on that trip, and it allowed you to further connect with nature. Since then, have you gone on any other trips that have allowed you to deepen this connection? If so, was there a particular trip that really stood out to you?

As I grew older, I found it became harder to connect with nature, and enjoy everything that it has to offer. Did you experience this as well? If you did, what did you try to do to keep that connection? I also found that coming from the middle of the forest, I find it hard to enjoy the nature the city has to offer, mainly because it does not compare to what I see at home.

Great post! I am looking forward to reading more of your blogs in the future.

Calli

Unit 01 Blog: Nature- A place of peace and appreciation

I like to think of nature as an escape. As escape from reality and from all of the ups and downs today’s society has to offer. Growing up in a small town in northern Ontario, it became quite easy to grow a love for nature. My hometown is about two hours east of Thunder Bay. The conifers take over the forest, and create a thick, dense sheet. The birds are often chirping, and larger animals are always watching to ensure their safety is not in jeopardy. As a child I was outside from morning until the street lights came on. My friends and I would explore the nearby forest and all of the animals thriving within it. Now however, it has become more difficult to enjoy what nature has to offer, as jobs and school work often consume a majority of my time. Before entering university, I knew I wanted to study more about the world, and learn as much as I could about it. After taking a few environmental courses as electives, it became more clear that I wish I could still experience nature as I did as a child. Instead of pointing out a colourful flower, or all of the buzzing bees, I point out that these species are more scarce as time goes on. More time is spent worrying about “what might be” in the time to come. That being said, I now begin to slowly take in nature's amazing features. Slowly walking through the forest and noticing all I can. Taking in the smells and sounds has allowed me to connect not only my mind to nature, but as well as my body. Many of my adventures take place back at home. A few of my favourites are hiking on local trails with my friends and my dog, feeding chickadees off of my hand, observing and learning bird calls, and a recent favourite, having a lynx follow us as we walk through a trail. The last one, although it sounds terrifying, it was one of the greatest nature related experiences I have had. As it was following us we noticed its movement and its large features such as their snowshoe paws and large ears. When we first noticed the lynx it was far across the lake, but as soon as we got up to leave, we noticed it came to follow us. We were unsure if it was stalking us or the dogs we had with us, regardless, it was threatened by us in its territory. Ultimately, during this time I felt connected to nature in a way I never felt before. The only thing going through my head was this lynx, how it leaves no traces, how it followed us for so long without us even knowing, and what it wanted from us. The lynx gave us no issues, just followed along, and observed what we were doing. Below I have attached the video my friend took of the lynx. I hope you enjoy this magnificent creature as much as I did.

As mentioned, ever since I was a child I loved to be outside with my friends exploring nature. I would say my best friend gave me a sense of place in nature. Together we explore the forest, hike local trails, and visit the beaches to watch the waves crash along the shore of Lake Superior. We feed off of one anothers appreciation for nature and still do to this day. I am always excited for winter and summer breaks so we can explore more of the world, and travel to new places together. Along with the video, I have attached a few of my favourite views from back home.

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