Nature Interpretation @dhenvs3000w22 - Tumblr Blog

Final Blog Post

Hi everyone!

This week’s blog prompt definitely had me pondering about this whole semester. I don’t know how everyone else feels, but this semester flew by for me. It is crazy to think that 4 months ago, I didn’t know nearly half the information I know now about nature, and nature interpretation. What I was unsure about when I first read the course outline was weekly blogging but now, I am glad that I chose to take this course. I now have a toolbox of interpretation skills which I can carry with me and use whenever I am surrounded by nature.

This class challenged me to work with others on a project none of us have ever attempted before- podcasts. This process really tested our knowledge on how to be effective nature interpreters based on the age of our audience. I believe that technology is such an amazing tool when it comes to nature. Although some people might say that technology or cellphones take away from the experience of being in nature, I think it can enhance the experience. I’ve used apps on my phone to identify constellations during my camping trips. This allowed me to learn more about what I was experiencing and I know that there are apps out there that identify plants, insects, birds, etc. I read in the textbook of this course that we should not be afraid that technology is a distraction, but rather incorporate it as a tool to teach us more (Beck et al., 2018). On my future nature adventures, I will definitely be looking into technology that I can use to enhance my experience and learning.

My Beliefs:

In the early portion of this course, we learned about invisible backpacks and multiculturalism in terms of nature interpretation. I believe that it is my job to:

Share unbiased stories/knowledge to allow my listeners to form their own ideas

Teach effectively by connecting with my audience on an emotional level

Do my research on accessibility to provide anyone in need with resources such as trails with wheelchair access, or nature guides in various languages.

We never know what other people are facing and what their relationship with nature is like. That why it is important that we are respectful and aim to support them on their own nature journeys rather than force them into something that would dampen their relationship with nature.

My Responsibilities:

While my responsibilities also fall in my list of beliefs, there are a couple other topics that I believe I hold responsibility for. The first is that I hold myself accountable for leaving nature clean or cleaner than I found it. I find that I am constantly reminding people I know to not litter, and now many of those people have gotten out of this habit. Similar to this topic, I try to always compost, and correctly recycle my things (i.e. washing containers before recycling, taking off any non-recyclable components).

Since I have a strong background in animal care, I think it is my responsibility to advocate for animals. As well as to educate others on any animals we may see in nature. It is important that we are aware of how our actions as humans will affect animal populations. We have talked a bit about animals in this course such as the music they provide. Now that it is getting warmer, I do hear more bird sounds outside my window which I now interpret as music in nature.

My Ethics:

Ethics are a guide for us to differentialize right from wrong. One of my main ethics revolves around conservation, preserving wildlife and nature. I hope that my future kids and their kids and so on will be able to experience everything wonderful about nature that we have now. We learned from Beck et al. (2018) that an effective interpreter will instil in their listeners the importance and need for conservation. That is definitely something I will aim towards as an interpreter leaving this course.

-Vee

Reference:

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

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Vee,

Firstly to start off when reading your last blog post, I can relate to being very “iffy” about these weekly blog posts. 1. It was out of my comfort zone, 2. I was not familiar with the tumblr social media platform at all. Although, as we started to get the course moving, I adapted to it very quickly and thoroughly loved this type of format in a class. It is something I've never experienced before. Nextly, stating your thoughts on podcasts, I can relate to very well. I was also very scared to tackle this project, because there were so many questions yet so much free lance to do what we wanted and how we wanted. With all this being said, this course has also pulled me out of my comfort zone so much, but I feel as if it almost reflects the job of a nature interpreter. Exploring new findings, approaches, and tackling new ideas to be able to translate and educate others.

When reading about your beliefs, responsibilities and ethics surrounding a developing nature interpreter, hear what you have taken and learnt from this course is very interesting, and I would say is a little different from what I did. I think it is important as you stated that you want to impact others to keep nature clean of garbage. This is a recurring issue in today's world, but what are some things you could do to start this initiative and impact others to the point of change? I’d love to hear. Thank you for your personal reflection as a developing nature interpreter.

dhenvs3000w22

Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability - Blog 10

I truly feel like this past semester has flown by. Last blog already? I cannot believe it. This class has taught me so much, let alone these new weekly topics and posts surrounding nature interpretation. Truthfully, when I first entered this class I really had little to no idea of what nature interpretation truly meant. Although, now I can truthfully say I, in my own way, am a nature interpreter; especially a developing one. We all are. From interpreting our roles/relationships to our privileges, to art, to dissecting quotes, to music, and TO our own interests, ALL surrounding nature. My knowledge has grown enormously which has now allowed me to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of these topics surrounding what nature has to offer, and reflect my own knowledge to educate others. I am positive there is still an abundance more that is unknown and I have yet to learn.

My personal ethic as a nature interpreter

As a developing nature interpreter, I believe my personal ethic has grown during this process which is gaining and presenting accurate knowledge. Therefore, being professional in my research and being sensitive to cultural misunderstandings is something I have conceded is important in this role. As I present and teach others I want to do it with integrity, and concisely. Beck et al. 2019 stated it is vital to exclusively use well-documented sources, as a well-inform people who will value and appreciate their resources to formulate and exclaim better decisions. Regarding this, the past posts and unit topic materials provided, I have gained a greater understanding of the importance of integrity, reflecting to educate others with pride.

What beliefs do I bring?

It is easy to say that I have an abundance of beliefs towards nature interpretation. I believe the importance of impacting one person at a time. I believe in the importance of inspiring others to understand and reflect my own or others knowledge. I believe in the importance of not just offering one continuous element, but educating many elements in nature; as nature is so diverse. I believe in accuracy and presuming up-to-date knowledge. Ultimately, I believe in impacting others with the importance of nature and biodiversity entirely; how it affects our lives as humans every single day.

What responsibilities do I have?

I hold several responsibilities as a nature interpreter. Here are 3 I ought are the most important ones:

First: I will ensure all learning styles of any individual I may cross is met. Whether visual, audio, reading/writing, or kinesthetics. It is important to convey information in a way suitable and understandable to others to effectively pass on past, present or future information. Regardless of their ethnicity, race or gender. Zero exclusivity tolerance, and inclusivity to all importantly.

Secondly: I will educate with integrity and accuracy. I will not assume information, I will hold truthful facts and knowledge regarding the specifics. As an interpreter, it’s critical to anticipate any misunderstandings that may arise and adapt it so that the original facts are communicated as efficiently as possible. Whether the knowledge is passed from me or from others, accuracy is important to impact.

Thirdly: I will always be enthusiastic and engaging. If individuals are not engaged, the transmitted information will not be cared for, held value, or passed on. For me this is easy to hold considering when I am passionate about any topic, I want to ensure or inform others how fascinating, important or educating it is. If others don’t see the passion in you, others won’t want to hold the same passion.

My suitable approaches

To me, my most suitable approaches for being an interpreter would be incorporating visuals and technology. These are forms in which I am most comfortable and common with using. In many ways I am able to effectively describe or teach certain things, and I feel as if nature could be one of them.

Visuals, nowadays, are very common. Many people like to see pictures and/or videos when someone is teaching them a topic. Therefore, my effectiveness with providing accuracy when seeing a visual for myself is a great way for me to show my interest and want others to be inspired as well. Pictures and videos also tend to grab individuals’ engagement.

Technology, on the other hand, can be similar in many ways but also have its differences. It offers the same aspect of visuals, but also even more. In this generation, technology is overtaking almost everything. Nature can be taught through live streams of species or landscapes, brochures, current living habitats, apps etc. This is also a great way to engage individuals within learning topics considering when individuals can learn from their phone or laptops with present visuals, being intrigued occurs and passion drives.

I have had a blast reading your thoughts and opinions, and also reflecting my own. I truly have learned so much from this course, and I am so very thankful I got the opportunity to take it. I hope you all continue diving deeper into nature as I will be, and I hope that nature can bring you light and positivity into your lives like it does for me.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

kh-genvs3000w22

Hi Dalia,

Your post was very thought-out and a really nice summary of the course. I feel the same as you that there is so much I have discovered about nature, myself, and others through this course. And the learning does not stop here. Unit 10 says whether you introduce children to animals or provide tools to allow them to learn safe decision making on a hike you are offering a spark to be fanned and developed (Hookaas, 2021). It is our responsibility as nature interpreters to fuel that spark to create lasting experiences. It reminds me of the poem in chapter three, page 56 of our textbook that has a line: “You never know when someone may catch a dream from you” (Beck et al. 2018 p 56). I also really liked your point about having many different approaches and focusing on different elements of nature. This is important due to how people’s interest and values change. Interpretation must adapt to the changes in knowledge and audience in order to be meaningful and relevant. I agree that good ethics must involve ensuring that your information, both shared and obtained, is of the highest level of accuracy. An interpreter must be conscientious of everything they say, do, and teach, so they can be a valuable person in the audience’s memories. That is why it is vital to keep lear9ning and researching scientific discoveries. I am curious about what you mean when you say: “I believe the importance of impacting one person at a time.”

References

Beck, L. Cable, T. Knudson, D. (2018) P 56. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-57167-865-2

Hooykaas, A. (2022). Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability. [Unit 10 course reading]. Nature Interpretation Course University of Guelph.

dhenvs3000w22

Hi!

Thank you for reading and engaging with my last blog post. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your reflection upon this span of this course, and providing your own knowledge in relation to mine. To answer your curiosity about what I mean when I stated “I believe the importance of impacting one person at a time”, I mean this as nature interpreters, we may impact one person ONLY our entire lives. Although, as we engage within many others and grow our own knowledge surrounding different topics, the accuracy in our information grows greater and therefore when educating others around it, may take time. Realistically, it's not about how many people you impact, it's how you do it, and how you can translate information on and on. The more accurate your findings and expressions come, you must impact one fully, to impact another. For example, it is better to educate a full 24 hour story in the span of several days, than educating one by a 1 hour brief summary missing important knowledgeable points. This is how accuracy can be disrupted.

dnenvs3000w22

Final blog post #1: My beliefs and tools as a nature interpreter

For the final week of blog posts, I would like to take the chance to deeply reflect on what I have learned and how I can give back to my community, once I have graduated. I believe that as an environmental interpreter, I have the responsibility to teach, to inspire, to learn and to grow. In order to perform all these duties in an effective manner, I need to establish a set of beliefs that I need to follow:

Teach effectively by incorporating many styles of learning, do not settle with just the bare minimum (i.e: only giving out factual information like what a plain textbook already has, a nature interpreter is a person, not an audiobook).

When it comes to inspiring people, effective communication is an absolute necessity. This can only be done if I understand the topic, do my research, and communicate with audiences with a passion.

Always stay humble. Being able to own up to one’s mistakes is the most effective way to learn and mature from one’s faults. Besides teaching, it is very important to keep an open mind and open ears to listen, no matter who my audience is. There is always something they know that I do not.

Planning and design is important before embarking on any journey. However, keep in mind that there isn’t any perfect plan for every situation. Expect the unexpected and be prepared to handle any challenges in the most calm manner as possible.

Working in this field means I need to do my best to encourage participation and collaborative efforts (Knudsen and Seidler, 2013). This translates to giving my audience the opportunity to touch, feel, and smell nature, that way they get to experience nature to the full extent. This directly ties into the naturalistic intelligence that Howard Gardner suggested in 2011 (Beck et al., 2018). Even though it is the latest to be added to the list of learning style intelligences, I personally think it is the most relevant way to connect with nature on a deeper physical and spiritual level.

A useful tool that I can use to effectively communicate with my audience is probably my sense of humor. I have always been afraid of boring everybody whenever I talk, therefore, over time I learned how to level up my linguistic intelligence (Beck et al., 2018). However, it is important to keep in mind that there is an extent to the use of humor. Too much would just make the audience question the seriousness of the issue or the subject that I am trying to interpret, and will likely backfire on me as an interpreter.

Finally, we are living in an era where information and technology is only one click away. I think we should maximize this to their fullest potential. The textbook suggested that as interpreters, we do not need to be afraid of technologies as distractions, but rather, we can turn them into a tool by smoothly incorporating it into the ways we teach (Beck et al., 2018).

For now, that is where I am going to end this blog. I will see you all in the follow-up blog some time this week! Thanks for tuning in!

Duong (Robin) Nguyen.

References

Knudsen, M. A., Seidler, P. H. (2013). Nature interpretation for children and young people in the Nordic countries. Nordic Council of Ministers. DOI: 10.6027/TN2013-534

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

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Robin,

Reading your last blog post and your points towards what duties you believe must be set and followed to impact the lives of others through interpretation was very interesting to read. I can thoroughly relate to effectively using all learning style techniques to incorporate all individuals, inspire others, and stay humble. These points I believe are very important, as I also talked about inspiring others and making sure of inclusivity when portraying information in different learning styles. Without the incorporation of this, I believe it can lack effective knowledge to be crossed and passed onto future generations. I also believe, if the material is not intriguing, many will not engage, listen and translate. But, we as interpreters want our historic knowledge to be passed on, as we are passionate about the topic entirely. As you stated, I believe using humour is a great way to engage others and allow them to not only absorb the information, maybe a little more, but also have fun while learning. Learning can be fun if we make it, and I believe as an interpreter this is a great place to be.

dhenvs3000w22

Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability - Blog 10

I truly feel like this past semester has flown by. Last blog already? I cannot believe it. This class has taught me so much, let alone these new weekly topics and posts surrounding nature interpretation. Truthfully, when I first entered this class I really had little to no idea of what nature interpretation truly meant. Although, now I can truthfully say I, in my own way, am a nature interpreter; especially a developing one. We all are. From interpreting our roles/relationships to our privileges, to art, to dissecting quotes, to music, and TO our own interests, ALL surrounding nature. My knowledge has grown enormously which has now allowed me to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of these topics surrounding what nature has to offer, and reflect my own knowledge to educate others. I am positive there is still an abundance more that is unknown and I have yet to learn.

My personal ethic as a nature interpreter

As a developing nature interpreter, I believe my personal ethic has grown during this process which is gaining and presenting accurate knowledge. Therefore, being professional in my research and being sensitive to cultural misunderstandings is something I have conceded is important in this role. As I present and teach others I want to do it with integrity, and concisely. Beck et al. 2019 stated it is vital to exclusively use well-documented sources, as a well-inform people who will value and appreciate their resources to formulate and exclaim better decisions. Regarding this, the past posts and unit topic materials provided, I have gained a greater understanding of the importance of integrity, reflecting to educate others with pride.

What beliefs do I bring?

It is easy to say that I have an abundance of beliefs towards nature interpretation. I believe the importance of impacting one person at a time. I believe in the importance of inspiring others to understand and reflect my own or others knowledge. I believe in the importance of not just offering one continuous element, but educating many elements in nature; as nature is so diverse. I believe in accuracy and presuming up-to-date knowledge. Ultimately, I believe in impacting others with the importance of nature and biodiversity entirely; how it affects our lives as humans every single day.

What responsibilities do I have?

I hold several responsibilities as a nature interpreter. Here are 3 I ought are the most important ones:

First: I will ensure all learning styles of any individual I may cross is met. Whether visual, audio, reading/writing, or kinesthetics. It is important to convey information in a way suitable and understandable to others to effectively pass on past, present or future information. Regardless of their ethnicity, race or gender. Zero exclusivity tolerance, and inclusivity to all importantly.

Secondly: I will educate with integrity and accuracy. I will not assume information, I will hold truthful facts and knowledge regarding the specifics. As an interpreter, it’s critical to anticipate any misunderstandings that may arise and adapt it so that the original facts are communicated as efficiently as possible. Whether the knowledge is passed from me or from others, accuracy is important to impact.

Thirdly: I will always be enthusiastic and engaging. If individuals are not engaged, the transmitted information will not be cared for, held value, or passed on. For me this is easy to hold considering when I am passionate about any topic, I want to ensure or inform others how fascinating, important or educating it is. If others don’t see the passion in you, others won’t want to hold the same passion.

My suitable approaches

To me, my most suitable approaches for being an interpreter would be incorporating visuals and technology. These are forms in which I am most comfortable and common with using. In many ways I am able to effectively describe or teach certain things, and I feel as if nature could be one of them.

Visuals, nowadays, are very common. Many people like to see pictures and/or videos when someone is teaching them a topic. Therefore, my effectiveness with providing accuracy when seeing a visual for myself is a great way for me to show my interest and want others to be inspired as well. Pictures and videos also tend to grab individuals’ engagement.

Technology, on the other hand, can be similar in many ways but also have its differences. It offers the same aspect of visuals, but also even more. In this generation, technology is overtaking almost everything. Nature can be taught through live streams of species or landscapes, brochures, current living habitats, apps etc. This is also a great way to engage individuals within learning topics considering when individuals can learn from their phone or laptops with present visuals, being intrigued occurs and passion drives.

I have had a blast reading your thoughts and opinions, and also reflecting my own. I truly have learned so much from this course, and I am so very thankful I got the opportunity to take it. I hope you all continue diving deeper into nature as I will be, and I hope that nature can bring you light and positivity into your lives like it does for me.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

sbenvs3000w22

Hey Dalia,

I thought you did a fantastic job putting the finishing touches on our blog post journey for this course with your last post. I sense you have become a great interpreter, as much of your work focuses on this notion of storytelling and grasping the interest of your readers. You also do a fantastic job recognizing the importance of history and incorporating accurate knowledge; this was shown in many of your blog posts, including blog #6, where you highlighted one of the most crucial moments in history, Remembrance Day.

I genuinely resonate with the topics you highlighted in the beliefs you bring towards nature interpretation section. I, too, believe that impacting visitors on a personal, inspirational level plays such a tremendous role in how they are willing to experience the beauty of interpretive work. I feel that much of my personal experiences with nature interpretation have come from some of the most amazing guides. I fell in love with interpretive work for the very first time when I entered the beautiful National Gallery in London, England, where I got the privileged opportunity to experience guided interpretive work at its best. I believe that this experience influenced how I view interpretive work and has also guided my way through this course, as many of my ethics, beliefs, and responsibilities are shaped from that experience. Have you had any personal experiences with interpretive work (in museums, galleries, nature hikes, trails, historical sites, etc.) that have impacted and shaped some of your current takes on interpretation?

Thank you for sharing some fantastic posts throughout the semester, and I hope that nature interpretation continues to be a part of your life :)

Shelly

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Shelly,

Thank you for taking the time to read my final post and giving me your own personal feedback. I thoroughly enjoyed your honesty with the information I provided, and connecting/reflecting your own personal experiences with it. To answer your question regarding “ Have I had any personal experiences with interpretive work”, and to be honest I have experienced many, whether in a museum or many historical landscapes, but until being enrolled within this class and understanding the importance of many of these individuals' jobs, I have never appreciated it. To me, I never really listened to the point where I was newly educated within something, unless I was genuinely intrigued by it. Therefore, my views on it now are completely different. If I am ever nextly put in a scenario being impacted by any kind of interpreter; which is very likely, I now know their true importance, and I know the importance of what information they are trying to impact us with. As I have stated I have learnt so much from this class, and as you reflected how your own experience in London, England changed your perspective moving forward, my newly changed perspective moving forward begins now.

Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability - Blog 10

I truly feel like this past semester has flown by. Last blog already? I cannot believe it. This class has taught me so much, let alone these new weekly topics and posts surrounding nature interpretation. Truthfully, when I first entered this class I really had little to no idea of what nature interpretation truly meant. Although, now I can truthfully say I, in my own way, am a nature interpreter; especially a developing one. We all are. From interpreting our roles/relationships to our privileges, to art, to dissecting quotes, to music, and TO our own interests, ALL surrounding nature. My knowledge has grown enormously which has now allowed me to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of these topics surrounding what nature has to offer, and reflect my own knowledge to educate others. I am positive there is still an abundance more that is unknown and I have yet to learn.

My personal ethic as a nature interpreter

As a developing nature interpreter, I believe my personal ethic has grown during this process which is gaining and presenting accurate knowledge. Therefore, being professional in my research and being sensitive to cultural misunderstandings is something I have conceded is important in this role. As I present and teach others I want to do it with integrity, and concisely. Beck et al. 2019 stated it is vital to exclusively use well-documented sources, as a well-inform people who will value and appreciate their resources to formulate and exclaim better decisions. Regarding this, the past posts and unit topic materials provided, I have gained a greater understanding of the importance of integrity, reflecting to educate others with pride.

What beliefs do I bring?

It is easy to say that I have an abundance of beliefs towards nature interpretation. I believe the importance of impacting one person at a time. I believe in the importance of inspiring others to understand and reflect my own or others knowledge. I believe in the importance of not just offering one continuous element, but educating many elements in nature; as nature is so diverse. I believe in accuracy and presuming up-to-date knowledge. Ultimately, I believe in impacting others with the importance of nature and biodiversity entirely; how it affects our lives as humans every single day.

What responsibilities do I have?

I hold several responsibilities as a nature interpreter. Here are 3 I ought are the most important ones:

First: I will ensure all learning styles of any individual I may cross is met. Whether visual, audio, reading/writing, or kinesthetics. It is important to convey information in a way suitable and understandable to others to effectively pass on past, present or future information. Regardless of their ethnicity, race or gender. Zero exclusivity tolerance, and inclusivity to all importantly.

Secondly: I will educate with integrity and accuracy. I will not assume information, I will hold truthful facts and knowledge regarding the specifics. As an interpreter, it's critical to anticipate any misunderstandings that may arise and adapt it so that the original facts are communicated as efficiently as possible. Whether the knowledge is passed from me or from others, accuracy is important to impact.

Thirdly: I will always be enthusiastic and engaging. If individuals are not engaged, the transmitted information will not be cared for, held value, or passed on. For me this is easy to hold considering when I am passionate about any topic, I want to ensure or inform others how fascinating, important or educating it is. If others don’t see the passion in you, others won’t want to hold the same passion.

My suitable approaches

To me, my most suitable approaches for being an interpreter would be incorporating visuals and technology. These are forms in which I am most comfortable and common with using. In many ways I am able to effectively describe or teach certain things, and I feel as if nature could be one of them.

Visuals, nowadays, are very common. Many people like to see pictures and/or videos when someone is teaching them a topic. Therefore, my effectiveness with providing accuracy when seeing a visual for myself is a great way for me to show my interest and want others to be inspired as well. Pictures and videos also tend to grab individuals' engagement.

Technology, on the other hand, can be similar in many ways but also have its differences. It offers the same aspect of visuals, but also even more. In this generation, technology is overtaking almost everything. Nature can be taught through live streams of species or landscapes, brochures, current living habitats, apps etc. This is also a great way to engage individuals within learning topics considering when individuals can learn from their phone or laptops with present visuals, being intrigued occurs and passion drives.

I have had a blast reading your thoughts and opinions, and also reflecting my own. I truly have learned so much from this course, and I am so very thankful I got the opportunity to take it. I hope you all continue diving deeper into nature as I will be, and I hope that nature can bring you light and positivity into your lives like it does for me.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

swenvs30002022

Unit 09: Blog 8: The Sea of Stars

As a kid, I read a lot of books and watched a lot of movies. I was invested in Harry Potter, Narnia, Peterpan and many other stories about magic and wondrous lands that I thought only existed in storybooks. For the longest time, I believed magic to be real, dreamt of getting my Hogwarts letter and staying up way past my bedtime to spot the tooth fairy. Leaving my window open in case peter pan flew in or opened my closet hoping to go on my own adventure. As I grew up I started to grow out of believing in magic and lost my imagination.

I remember seeing the sea of stars in a post on social media and I thought to myself how could this even be real. I mean it seemed like it was magic, something right out of a fairytale. I looked it up and it was in fact very real. As we grow up we lose our imagination but as I grew closer to nature I realized that nature in itself is magical. The wonders this world has to offer aren’t anything less than magic and we are just oblivious to so many natural phenomena.

So now I want to describe to you what the sea of stars is and how this phenomenon works. As mentioned in our textbook interpretation should instill in people the ability to desire, to sense the beauty of their surroundings and to provide a spiritual uplift and encourage resource preservation (Beck et al., 2018). This is exactly how I felt when first learning about the sea of stars and I hope for anyone reading this to share my sentiment.

So how does the sea of stars look like a sea of stars? Phytoplankton, a type of sea microbe, is responsible for this lovely and amazing phenomenon. Dinoflagellates, a type of phytoplankton, are the ones responsible for the glow. After oxygen is supplied to the water, the dinoflagellates light a dazzling blue, and these microorganisms float in the water all day, charging up with electrical impulses. This glow, however, is utilized as a defence mechanism against predators, but it does produce a beautiful sea of glowing blue stars. Vaadhoo Island is the most popular destination, although other locations throughout the Maldives have also captured the sights of this occasion. According to locals, the greatest and most likely time to witness this occurrence is in the months of July and August.

And you will be pleased to know that the Maldives is not the only place where we can see the sea of stars. Although the “Sea Of Stars” phenomenon is more common in the Maldives, it has also been reported at Leucadia, California, Mosquito Bay, Puerto Rico, and the Lakshadweep Islands in India.

It seems surreal to me that such beautiful and magical sights exist in our world. This is why I have always dreamed of travelling so that I can also experience these magical sights for myself. I believe it is extremely important to use interpretation as a tool to educate yourself and others about the historical and natural significance of a location (Beck et al., 2018). This helps us appreciate our natural surroundings more (Beck et al., 2018). This is why I am always trying to educate myself more about any places that I want to visit in the future so that I can fully appreciate the beauty and significance of that location. The sea of stars is just one natural phenomenon, some others that truly amaze me are the northern lights and the waves in Arizona. There are so many more that I could talk about but for now, I will leave you dreaming about the twinkling blue ocean stars.

References:

https://justhooit.com/blog/sea-of-stars-maldives

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018.

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Simrah,

Your post was very interesting to read. I think this is a neat topic and something that is so beautiful about nature by its uniqueness. I have never fully understood where the glow derived from and I am a bio student, which I find fascinating in a sense of learning something new. It does overall make sense that a sea microbe is responsible for this phenomenon. Interestingly enough, something you may not know but an abundance of species which have this phenomenon is used in scientific research for detection such as the green fluorescent protein (GFP).

GFP is used very frequently as it is derived from the jellyfish species and can be used to detect bacteria within research. It is so interesting how much we don’t know, what we discover, and then how it is applied in society.

https://www.nexcelom.com/green-fluorescent-protein-gfp-analysis/

Sense-Making of Nature Interpretation - Blog 9

What is the most amazing thing you know about nature? I think that is a very broad question, but different on a personal level to any individual who may try to answer it.

For me…

The ocean and the beach as I have talked about in my past blogs have brought so much into and have impacted my life immensely. Considering this, I have learnt an abundance of it to grow my perspective of the place I love submerging myself within. Therefore, the ocean has so many interesting qualities that many people do not know fully about, one of them being tidal waves. I can speak for myself, but I am sure many others have experienced as a little child, or even in this day and age, jumping into ocean waves. Ocean waves and the tides are two opposites, with different powers. They hold so much unknown. Right?

BUT, tidal waves, not the regular shallow water waves we jump into are created from the gravitational interactions and pull between the sun, moon and Earth. Tides play a vital role in the natural world, and they can have a significant impact on many ecological activities and systems.

Did you know that tidal waves can turn into tsunamis?

OF COURSE, tidal waves are quite harmful. When strong winds and the force of an earthquake combine, they can cause a huge disturbance on the ocean's surface with leading consequences. The tidal waves grow more deadly as the wind speed and the magnitude of the earthquake increases.

SO, why am I telling you that this is such an amazing thing about nature? Well in reality as the ocean is my safe place, it is also a very dangerous place. Many people travel or visit/lay by the ocean every single day, but to some extent, many individuals do not understand that an ordinary day can turn into a tragedy. Whether it be by the tides or even aquatic animals. Anything can happen. It is full with unknown. You see it all the time on social media or in the news, tragedies of those affected by the ocean.

Ultimately what is interesting is that in a place of such calmness, it can turn into strong power and great disturbance. As it gives me peace, it is also interesting to see the perspective of how much power the ocean does really hold overall; how much nature (such a beautiful thing) can hold so much power overall in so many different ways. I find it quite fascinating. It reminds me at the switch of a button, how something positive can turn negative instantly. I think it is important to know these facts, just as you learn how to behave and act around a certain animal like a bear.

kmsenvs3000w22

Music

The definition of music is the “vocal or instrumental sounds combined in a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion. In other words, they are sounds that sound good. If we just listen. Music is everywhere in nature. From the wind blowing leaves on a tree. Bird songs. The chirping of frogs and cicadas. To the flow of a tiny stream. The cracking of lake ice. Rain. The list can go on. But I feel as we migrate toward more urban areas, we are losing our touch with music in nature. We are then replacing it with what’s coming through our headphones. There’s nothing wrong with that, listen to Spotify! I am doing that right now, but there is something unrecordable about sitting there listening to the summer night. Something that cannot be explained, only experienced.

Music is something that is very human. No matter where you are in the world or the culture, there is music. Music has been a part of us from the very beginning. So has nature. We have been “hanging out” with nature from the beginning as well. So, it is obvious that there are hints of nature in our music. But it is not always directly associated with nature. You know when you listen to something and you’re like “hey this makes me feel like I am in a forest or walking on a beach”. Music has that ability to capture an emotion or a memory, that can make us think about nature. Then there are the direct links to nature where the premise of a song is around nature.

Going back to the indirect associations with nature. I have this one song in mind that takes me back to a very specific memory I have with me in nature. And every time I listen to this song, it brings me back to that day. In fact, I am going to play that song right now to draw some inspiration for the remainder of this post!

The song is “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men. Side note, this band is awesome! All of you should listen to their stuff 11/10!! This is one song that I can listen to a million times and not get tired of it. To prove this point, it has been on my top 5 tracks on Spotify since I downloaded the app. Anyways back to the memory:

Day trip. Sand Banks Provincial Park.

Sunny. Waves crashing. Dog beach. Family. Smiling. Playing. Warm.

Tiny stream. Let’s go fishing. Tons of sunfish. Fish slime. Spines. Having a blast.

Sunset. Time to go. Wet. Tired. Happy.

Radio playing. Turn it up.

Little Talks.

Have an amazing week everyone!

Kiran

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Kiran,

I couldn't have agreed more with some of the topics you stated throughout your post regarding music and nature. I too believe that music is everywhere you turn when submerged in nature. Whether through animals, weather, species configurations etc. In my post I also talked about how it can be as simple as a bird communicating across an ecosystem with another. Likewise, music nowadays uses a lot of nature to incorporate in their songs when trying to portray emotions, thoughts, or feelings; good or bad.

I did give your chosen song a listen, and I actually had no idea what the name of this song was but I LOVE this song. This song produces nothing but serotonin. I also found it very neat how you incorporated a short poem describing a fond memory of yours.

Thanks for sharing! I enjoyed your post and look forward to reading more.

dhenvs3000w22

Nature Interpretation through Music - Blog 7

Where is music in nature to me…

The diversity of birds communicating across different ecosystems, the background noise of leaves and bushes brushing and swaying in the wind, the sound of water and streams bashing upon rocks and barriers, species interacting with one another.

When you truly think about it, whether you are submerged within any terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem or landscape, any amount of noise you may hear can affiliate with the production of its own uniqueness of instrumental notes forming music to your ears.

Gray et al. (2001) raised a question stating “Is music-making in humans defined by our genes?”. This is quite interesting to read such that I believe certain humans as much as animals may obtain this. But also visualizing at the same time, each and every single person on Earth grasps their own uniqueness to music-making and having a voice through various areas of art.

I think it can be as simple as that.

Where is nature in music to me…

I believe that nature continues to inspire composers and artists, maybe because of its infinite variety; inspiration appears to be sparked invisibly, and all one has to do is open his or her eyes and ears and enjoy the beauty around them before they begin pouring out their emotions. Nature has an enormous way of impacting individuals in a positive way, this is a topic I try to stress in every blog post such that nature offers more than what we can imagine or personally know.

A song that reminds me of nature is…

West coast by OneRepublic

This song allows me to imagine traveling somewhere warm. It talks about where you may be in a point of time surrounded by gray skies, that you can break out of that and go somewhere that makes you happy. It allows me to envision going to a place of positivity, where it's warmer, brighter, no rain or clouds in the sky, being kissed by the sun. My safe space in nature is the beach which I have talked about in other posts, such that this song allows me to feel as if I am there.

Give it a listen if you’d like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBPE2fZsVYU

Gray, P. Krause, B. Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54.

tkpenvs3000w22

Hi Dalia,

Wonderful post this week, I really enjoyed reading it!

Let me just say, wow! You described the sounds of nature beautifully and I can imagine the music that all of those elements create when you listen to them in harmony. The diversity of biotic and abiotic factors and the ever-changing factors in an ecosystem form a unique experience every time you visit. I always forget to think about aquatic environments, but perhaps I think that may be the most musical environment due to the gurgling water, the croaking of frogs, the humming cicadas, etc. I believe it is up to the discretion of the listener whether or not they hear the amalgamation of sounds as music or if they don’t. I am curious what your opinion on this matter is: is it up to the discretion of the listener to decide if they are listening to music or not when hearing sounds in the natural world?

I think when you spoke of the question that Grey et al. (2001) posed, I am torn about whether I agree or disagree. I guess my answer to the question “Is music-making in humans defined by our genes? would be yes and no (Gray et al., 2001). As you said, we all have our unique vision when it comes to interpreting music, but I also strongly believe that it has been instilled into us to make music due to its ability to transfer information in an easily memorizable way (Gray et al., 2001). I believe that it is an oral tradition that has all types of learning patterns associated with it: vertical traditions, oblique traditions, or horizontal traditions (Gray et al., 2001).

Nature is certainly a large inspiration for composers and artists because our lives have been intertwined with the natural world for so long. We often return to nature to find peace, go on a walk and listen to bird songs or sit by a lake and meditate, listening to the lapping of waves on the shore. We may not even be cognizant of why we do this, but most individuals I know say they find peace in nature.

I hadn’t heard this song before, but I really enjoyed West Coast by OneRepublic. They create a strong sense of imagery through lyrics speaking about the landscape and the weather in a very alluring way. Moreover, they evoked strong positive feelings through the imagery, very convincing to visit the West Coast, even for an individual like myself who prefers cooler weather.

I am looking forward to reading about what you post next!

- Taite

Gray, P., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54.

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Taite,

Thank you for reading my post and posing your interest upon my thoughts about music in nature! To answer your question regarding “is it up to the discretion of the listener to decide if they are listening to music or not when hearing sounds in the natural world?”.

I believe yes. One hundred percent. Although I also believe that certain individuals may not even acknowledge that music deriving from nature is occurring, so therefore they may answer this question differently, just as you might. Some may say the sounds are not music, but I personally understand it as music from your surroundings. For example, there are human made songs, and within the background it may have waves brushing up shores or birds chirping, and therefore I believe they are taking the uniqueness of music derived from nature and incorporating it within their own formulated music. Considering it is it’s own music submerged in nature.

Here’s a song that incorporated an owl calling at the beginning!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYxRxWal1EE

Nature Interpretation through Music - Blog 7

Where is music in nature to me…

The diversity of birds communicating across different ecosystems, the background noise of leaves and bushes brushing and swaying in the wind, the sound of water and streams bashing upon rocks and barriers, species interacting with one another.

When you truly think about it, whether you are submerged within any terrestrial or aquatic ecosystem or landscape, any amount of noise you may hear can affiliate with the production of its own uniqueness of instrumental notes forming music to your ears.

Gray et al. (2001) raised a question stating “Is music-making in humans defined by our genes?”. This is quite interesting to read such that I believe certain humans as much as animals may obtain this. But also visualizing at the same time, each and every single person on Earth grasps their own uniqueness to music-making and having a voice through various areas of art.

I think it can be as simple as that.

Where is nature in music to me…

I believe that nature continues to inspire composers and artists, maybe because of its infinite variety; inspiration appears to be sparked invisibly, and all one has to do is open his or her eyes and ears and enjoy the beauty around them before they begin pouring out their emotions. Nature has an enormous way of impacting individuals in a positive way, this is a topic I try to stress in every blog post such that nature offers more than what we can imagine or personally know.

A song that reminds me of nature is…

West coast by OneRepublic

This song allows me to imagine traveling somewhere warm. It talks about where you may be in a point of time surrounded by gray skies, that you can break out of that and go somewhere that makes you happy. It allows me to envision going to a place of positivity, where it's warmer, brighter, no rain or clouds in the sky, being kissed by the sun. My safe space in nature is the beach which I have talked about in other posts, such that this song allows me to feel as if I am there.

Give it a listen if you’d like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBPE2fZsVYU

Gray, P. Krause, B. Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54.

kjenvs3000w22

Blog Post 6- Edward Hyams

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

After reading and analyzing the quote that Edward Hyams has written i think he is trying to explain to his readers that something in the past has no value unless we give value to it. In his quote he explains that ancient things have no value to it but there is merit in integrity. In other word ancient things or stories have no value to it but as we talk about it more it gives value to it and we pass it onto generations. As humans we have the power to give and provide integrity that is the process of truth. It is crucial that we understand that history holds a-lot of power as it powers us and enriches to learn more. I believe that learning about the past is important as we get to learn about our development as humans and how far we have come along. Reading and viewing the challenges that people had in the history makes us realize about the transformation that humans have made and feel accomplished.

The youtube video that was shared ‘National Park Service Chief Historian Robert Sutton on Historical Interpretation in Parks’ the spokes person, Robert Sutton who is a Chief Historian speaks about national parks. He talks about the various national parks across the country are created as historical sites. The parks do not have any purpose but they help citizens learn about the history and provide the opportunity to create stories. In the video civil war has been a popular topic but other events can shadow the war. Edward explains through his quotes and stories that looking back at history helps create stories and better our future. We are able to reflect on the mistakes that were made in the history and see how they can be fixed in our present and future.

During the summer my cousins and I visited a local museum in Montreal named McCord Museum. The museum is a historical place for local ancient stories, paintings, aboriginal objects and prints. Many of the stories were written under objects that held great amount of information and details about the history connected to the object. Something interesting that i remember from the visit was an interesting painting from the 1950s that was painted by a local artist that showed the depth of that time. It was a painting of the street view and showed the people doing their daily actives. I remember reading about the artist and how it was challenging for him to create income from selling paintings that led him to die at an earlier age. This memory connects to Edward Hyams quote about ancient things don’t hold value unless we give it. And this painting held value as it was displayed in the museum and was given value.

I’m looking forward to readings everyones blog post and reading their opinion about Edward Hyams quote. I was if an individuals experiences can affect their perspective about the quote and analyzation. Do you think the quote has a different meaning? And how has ancient history impacted your life?

dhenvs3000w22

Hi,

You analyzed the quote very similar to how I interpreted it. I completely agree with you that the past has no value unless we give it value, and pass on the historic importance of it as we translate it into the future. I read another post emphasizing the importance of the truth, and I believe as much as the truth should be prominent to know about past history, as we communicate past significant events, landscapes or buildings I don’t believe the truth is there from the beginning. This is why I believe interpreters can impact the truth upon others. For example, we might not know every single detail when learning about the war, but we as individuals, when we know a piece of either the truth or not, we translate our knowledge to others, as this is how information passes from individual to individual. I think it is important that we must learn more about how it has impacted us today.

Your example about a painting in the Montreal McCord Museum was quite interesting to hear your outlook on. Exactly what you said, it would never hold value unless we gave it, because otherwise yes it did occur and the painter held a story, but if we were not entailed we might not understand the importance behind it. Just like the train tracks.

From this quote, one thing I believe was said is true, is that regardless of the occurrence of the event, it happened, we may not know every detail but it is important to further understand it impacted our society today in some form.

kdenvs3000w22

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)

This quote unpacks heavy content, in the sense of exploring a lot of bases of history, within a couple of sentences. As humans, each one of us have been passed down information, from either a parental figure, sibling, teacher, or any books/literature we have had the privilege to indulge in. Although each teaching may be similar; for example, the process of photosynthesis will always be the same, regardless of who is explaining it. Everyone absorbs knowledge differently, with their own point of view already subjected into the topic. From this, I think the message in this quote is, as an interpreter we have the obligation to present our knowledge onto the listener or reader with full honesty and accuracy.

I find myself picturing the game I used to play as a child called “telephone”, where an individual would start the game by making up a phrase, and then passing it on to the next person beside them. The idea of the game was to see if the phrase could go around the whole circle of individuals, without being changed or forgotten. At the end, the person who created the phrase, would shout aloud what had come back to them. Oddly enough, I always remember that the phrase would be changed. Most kids changing it for fun, or to get laughs out of their peers. But in hindsight, I feel as if this was foreshadowing reality. As once we got older, it was up to us to determine if the information we gathered was the full truth. As an interpreter, we must ensure we are informing the reader or listener with a deeper insight and truth on the matter. This allows them to create their own understanding on the subject from their own individual experiences.

The Telephone Game : https://icebreakerideas.com/telephone-game/

Furthermore, the part of the quote that stated, “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.”, reminds me of how a lot of us, create our own conformational biases. Once we are given information, we stick with what we know on it. Sometimes finding it hard to release the ego, that causes us to stop exploring the other side of the “story”. But as interpreters, we need to avoid biases. As for the past to live on, we must explore the hardships and the good time’s that come with every act in history.

dhenvs3000w22

Hi,

The example you used regarding the game of telephone was very intriguing. I feel as if you referenced it very well in relation to history passing itself along lineage. It is quite true that as we age as individuals the historical knowledge behind various stories individuals own, may be different from what the individual knows beside them. But I also do believe that this quote does not necessarily imply specific knowledge behind the unknown, thus the occurrence of the event happened regardless of what we know. It should then always be valued for whether impacted or not and regardless of how much we know. This is where I believe as interpreters, they are then able to educate and inform individuals the importance of these past historic events, and hope to impact abundance to then pass the truth of the event. My question to you is, whether we know the full honesty and accuracy of the event as you stated, should we or shouldn't we still communicate what we know or don’t? Entirely, I believe how this keeps relevance today, the education may not fully be there but the occurrence and impact of the event is how we are able to communicate and translate it to others to keep it relevant today.

Nature Interpretation Through History - Blog 6

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

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

Let’s unpack the quote…

I’m sure at first any individual reading this quote tried to grasp their own interpretation behind what Edward Hyams was conveying. Realistically in today’s society we have to interpret many sentences, quotes or even blogs when being conveyed from an individual's perspective. We do this naturally when it comes to reading social media or the news. I personally think that anything being read may resonate with a sparse amount of individuals in many different ways.

Nature interpretation through history allows the examination of the role of history, as well as how such stories, conversations or statements might be effectively presented through writing. Not always so clear, in which we must interpret for our own.

For me,

This quote, in my opinion, tries to impact readers to understand the value of history infinitely. It encourages readers to consider the possibility that historical events occurred independently of our recall or comprehension of them, although understanding they have still taken place regardless of presence. However, the relevance, value and passage of historical knowledge allows the importance of these events to remain valued as life progresses on. The world we live in and as our lives continue each day, can be known in some form to have been shaped by the abundance of all past historic events. This, I believe, gives history an immense amount of relevance and emphasizes the importance of learning and remembering our history. In reality, just because we may not know every entailed detail or further understand the interconnectedness of the event, does not imply nothing occurred or is any less significant than any other event.

Integrity in this case, I believe represents the historical event. If the parts of the historical event are scattered and some remain unknown or forgotten, that does not mean it did not occur. As time progresses we must know that in reality the importance of it remains historical because it impacted our society in small or large ways.

The train tracks arise a beaming thought in my head.

Remembrance day

As soldiers once fought for peace and independence for our country in the past, does not mean it is not relevant to today. We may not understand everything that occurred or the full puzzle, but we live today and reflect with poppies, a historical flower because of that past event. Nature interpreters can surely impact us with the importance of the knowledge and reflection behind the poppy flower, as for any historic landscape, species or landmass as the relevance should never fade. We celebrate and honour the soldiers that fought for us on Remembrance day with little knowledge of “ancient memory” or singular puzzle pieces for the sake of how we live on today. Just because we did not see it happen, does not mean it did not occur.

(“Puzzle-Pieces-Fitting-Together”, 2018)

“Puzzle-Pieces-Fitting-Together”. (2018). Crypto Hustle.

https://cryptohustle.com/blockchain-interoperability/puzzle-pieces-fitting-together/

swenvs30002022

Blog #5: Oh, the places you will go

Over the past 2 years, many of us haven’t been able to travel anywhere to see family or even just for the sake of travelling. Travelling is something that has always been on my bucket list. Travelling and seeing the world also helps us broaden our understanding of nature. Although a relationship with nature can be formed anywhere in the world, even in your own backyard, travelling allows us to experience different parts of the world and allows us to observe various species of plants, animals and other natural wonders. Obviously, travelling requires money and time which is not something I have right now. Once the Covid restrictions end and I have enough money saved up, after graduating here are some of the places that I would like to visit.

There are so many beautiful places in our very own Canada that I have yet to explore:

Aurora borealis, Canada:

The Aurora borealis is one of the seven wonders of the world. When electrically charged particles from the sun collide with gasses as they enter our atmosphere, the aurora borealis AKA the northern lights are produced. This phenomenon occurs all year round, but they can only be seen in the winter as it is too bright at other times of the year for them to be visible. The sky’s the darkest from November to March so that would be the most ideal time to visit. From my research Whitehorse, Yukon is the best place to view the northern lights in Canada. There are so many fun activities that I would want to do here some of which are dogsledding, snowmobiling and visiting the Yukon Wildlife preserve.

Yukon Wildlife preserve

Banff, Alberta:

Banff and Lake Louise is a major tourist hotspot in Alberta and is known for some of the most breathtaking mountain locations on the planet. Banff and Lake Louise offer countless activities and have easy access to pristine nature, numerous outdoor excursions, jaw-dropping landscapes, and a rich history and culture. I love to hike and it has always been a dream of mine to hike in such a beautiful place. When I go to Banff, the hike that I would go on would be one that leads to a lake or waterfall, for example the Rockbound lake hike which leads to the high alpine lake surrounded by a cliff and a breathtaking view. After doing some research I found that this hike is 16.8 km long. While it is on the longer side undertaking this hike would be a challenging and memorable experience for me.

Some places outside of Canada that I have been dreaming to visit are:

Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan:

Hunza Valley

Five of the “eight-thousanders” (mountains higher than 8000 meters above sea level) and more than fifty peaks higher than 7,000 meters can be found in Gilgit-Baltistan. The three primary centers for expeditions to the mountains are Gilgit, Astore, and Skardu. Some of the world’s highest mountain ranges can be found in this region. Hunza Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan and has many tourist hotspots and this is where I would want to spend most of my time. My mom told me about how she visited this place with my Grandfather when she was my age and I hope to be able to go there one day too as she describes it as being the most breathtaking sight she has ever seen.

Grand Canyon, Arizona:

Like the Northern Lights the Grand Canyon is also one of the seven wonders of the world and is one of the most visited natural attractions and for good reasons too. This natural wonder is 277 miles long and 18 miles wide. The entry points are the North, South and West rims of the canyon. The South and West rim are the most popular spots for exploring this natural wonder. Both of these rims have hiking trails leading to the grandeur of the canyon. I would like to hike at the West rim because it also features a river and is suitable for people of all skill levels unlike the South rim. Although I love hiking I would not say that I am someone who is highly skilled and I am somewhat out of practice.

These are just some of the places that I would like to visit in my lifetime. I could write about so many more, but for now I will leave you guys with this. Thank you so much for reading my blog, I hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear about some of the places you want to visit or have already visited. I hope we all get a chance to experience memorable adventures and fuel our wanderlust

Links for more information:

https://grandcanyonwest.com/story/how-do-you-choose-grand-canyon-west-rim-vs-south-rim/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5iQBhCsARIsAPcwROPaspjiEtdO_t1r3ZOqOJ_Tmkoc0fTak6rsLyRtSlLSoX32UE8q1AEaAj2iEALw_wcB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Gilgit-Baltistan

https://www.banfflakelouise.com/hiking?https://www.banfflakelouise.com/hiking?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=TA_DMO_search_program&utm_term=Hiking&utm_content=owned&gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5iQBhCsARIsAPcwROOSZkSxr-W5JrxLLJ9Vx0_BoJ9tmVqXgfwGKJpSDqDBnB-Y6ZVEV_oaAgYdEALw_wcB

https://www.canadianaffair.com/blog/northern-lights-in-canada/

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Simrah,

I thoroughly enjoyed your post. It relates to some concepts such as traveling, which I have talked about in my own blog posts, which I resonate with. The places you have shown that you want to explore are nothing less than amazing. One thing I can say to you, in which I have already experienced Banff and Lake Louise, is that it is definitely breathtaking. I went during the winter time because my family were going on a ski trip, but we took a day to actually skate on Lake Louise. It is definitely a memorable scene and experience by far. I never imagined Canada would have such a jaw dropping spot of pure amazing nature, where you need someone to pinch you and tell you it's real.

Some places I have never traveled to yet but I hope to someday is:

Mykonos, Greece

Sydney, Australia

Paris, France

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

You said it well the first time, my list could go on and on, but I was very intrigued to read about what interested you into travelling and where you want to go to next.

dhenvs3000w22

The Beach - Blog 5

Everyone has a place that they feel most at home, whether it be just at their house, a cottage, outside, a sports field, or even an individual. For me, it’s the beach, specifically with my family. With COVID-19 it has forbidden my access to travel, especially to a destination residing on a beach. It has forbidden many things for all. Although now things are slowly opening back up and restrictions are beginning to get lifted, my family and I have been hesitant for a while to travel for many reasons. Now I don’t wanna make this whole post about COVID-19 because I’m sure many individuals have had enough of it, just like myself, but it has restricted me from being in a place that resolves all negatives in my life.

I love the beach because…

The scenic bright blue waves crashing in the background noise. The ocean breeze’s earthy and salty odours. The soothing sounds of the ocean and the gulls. The vitamin D absorbing in my skin, the feeling of sand on my feet, the warm wind that brushes a tan, it makes me feel at peace, calmness. The relaxation, the scenery, the warmth, the water, and the sun the beach has to offer, quite frankly I believe can make anyone’s frown turn upside down, or their mood skyrocket with dopamine.

Every trip I have gone on and every country I have traveled to, my family always goes to the beach. For them too, and their own love for the ocean and the beach, has grown my love for it. When I am at the beach without them, it offers the exact same feeling as if they aren’t there with me.

I miss it incredibly. I am thankful enough that this summer I will finally be able to travel again without any hesitations, and go on a trip down south with my family which we have planned for in August.

This aspect of nature has impacted my love for it, and my life entirely. The beach has offered many outlets in my life, and has made me more appreciative for the Earth, mother nature and it’s offering. As beaches surround us in many different parts of the world, I still cannot bear the thought of not being consistently brought up around it, because since I was a little girl, it has offered a positive impact on my future life and self, something I would have never imagined. It is a place that I can go to, and nothing else matters than offering myself mental and physical self-care.

Here’s a small look into some of the photos I have or my family has captured from the many beaches I have experienced in my lifetime:

kpmbenvs3000w22

Hey there! I loved reading your post, it really took me back to the trips I had at the beach in Florida with my family and how at home I used to feel in the ocean as well. I think it was cool to see someone talking about parts of nature other than just the forest or hiking, as that is something I also talked about this week in my post! I would love to learn about how all the beaches you have visited have been different, because I think it’s so interesting that a place with the same name no matter where you are in the world can have such different characteristics. Knowing how much biodiversity and nature occurs within a single beach as well, I would love to hear about your experiences with different marine and land life you’ve encountered. Now, I end this with some questions; what do you think is your favourite thing you have learned while at the beach? Have you ever encountered an interpreter who has been able to give you more information while at the beach that interests you?

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Katherine,

Thank you for reading my post and reflecting your thoughts upon it! To answer your questions, firstly I believe as much as a beach offers all the same things, everyone I have visited has been different in many ways. Whether it's the texture of the sand, the temperature of the water, or the atmosphere around. I have experienced some very small, quiet beaches, or ones that fall long in distance with kilometers of distance that flow of tourists or families across the world. Some may offer more peace, or some offer more happiness and excitement. I thoroughly enjoy the ocean and marine life, I have also experienced many excursions which I have discovered and seen many aquatic ecosystems and species while being by the beach. It is a place that offers so much more than just swimming and tanning.

I believe my favourite thing I have learned while at the beach is change. I mean this in a sense is that when you look at the water, you realize how transitory life is. There might be tremendous waves one minute and then be very calm and motionless the next. It can be fluid and surprising at times, just like life. You must ride out the ups and downs with the knowledge that change is the one constant in life.

Lastly, I have unfortunately never been encountered by an interpreter to impact my love for the beach, I hope one day that I do so that I can grow my perspective of it.

The Beach - Blog 5

Everyone has a place that they feel most at home, whether it be just at their house, a cottage, outside, a sports field, or even an individual. For me, it's the beach, specifically with my family. With COVID-19 it has forbidden my access to travel, especially to a destination residing on a beach. It has forbidden many things for all. Although now things are slowly opening back up and restrictions are beginning to get lifted, my family and I have been hesitant for a while to travel for many reasons. Now I don’t wanna make this whole post about COVID-19 because I’m sure many individuals have had enough of it, just like myself, but it has restricted me from being in a place that resolves all negatives in my life.

I love the beach because…

The scenic bright blue waves crashing in the background noise. The ocean breeze's earthy and salty odours. The soothing sounds of the ocean and the gulls. The vitamin D absorbing in my skin, the feeling of sand on my feet, the warm wind that brushes a tan, it makes me feel at peace, calmness. The relaxation, the scenery, the warmth, the water, and the sun the beach has to offer, quite frankly I believe can make anyone's frown turn upside down, or their mood skyrocket with dopamine.

Every trip I have gone on and every country I have traveled to, my family always goes to the beach. For them too, and their own love for the ocean and the beach, has grown my love for it. When I am at the beach without them, it offers the exact same feeling as if they aren’t there with me.

I miss it incredibly. I am thankful enough that this summer I will finally be able to travel again without any hesitations, and go on a trip down south with my family which we have planned for in August.

This aspect of nature has impacted my love for it, and my life entirely. The beach has offered many outlets in my life, and has made me more appreciative for the Earth, mother nature and it’s offering. As beaches surround us in many different parts of the world, I still cannot bear the thought of not being consistently brought up around it, because since I was a little girl, it has offered a positive impact on my future life and self, something I would have never imagined. It is a place that I can go to, and nothing else matters than offering myself mental and physical self-care.

Here's a small look into some of the photos I have or my family has captured from the many beaches I have experienced in my lifetime:

haenvs3000w22

Interpreting Nature through Art

Who am I to interpret nature through art?

When I first thought about this question, I started thinking about what credentials I have to critique art, and I am not artistically inclined at all, so it made me really think about “who am I to interpret nature through art? I know nothing about art.” The more I thought about it, the more I realized that being human allows me to connect with nature through different art forms. I do not have to be the best artist or know the most about that specific biological interaction to connect with nature through various art mediums.

A passage that really stuck out to me in the textbook was “taking a picture is capturing a snapshot in time” (Beck et al., 2018). As someone who cannot express themselves through painting or sculpting, I can express my love and connection to nature through photography. This statement really stuck out to me because it looks different as someone who travels out to Banff, Alberta, almost every summer to visit family every year. Some years when we go, the air is nice and clear, and views are excellent, but in other years like this past summer, due to forest fires, you can barely see the tips of the mountains when you are in town. In the years when the air quality is low, I find being awestruck by nature in a different way, I find myself focussing more on the actual trails we are walking and less on the mountains and the views, and it allows me to appreciate the area through a whole new lens. When taking photos every summer, I travel there; it allows me to collect these snapshots of the places we visit every year and see how it has changed and stayed the same year after year. Photography is a beautiful medium as it can capture the diversity and beauty of an exact moment and very accurately represent it.

As someone who can not paint or create in the same ways that others can, when people I care about share these talents with me, I can experience nature in a whole other way. As nature photography is not a super interpretive medium where personal emotion shines through, I can see people’s emotional connections to specific areas through their paintings. For example, my boyfriend is a fantastic painter and can capture the sites we have been together differently than I do when taking a photo of the same area. His medium allows the artist to adjust and focus on shadings and colouring to depict particular emotions. Experiencing the same memories through different mediums allows me to connect differently when looking at the pictures I have taken; I see the diversity and am entranced with the beauty and power held by the environment. When I look at his paintings, I still see the beauty of the environment, but I can also feel connected to how he was feeling in the moment. Sharing this way allows multiple levels of connection to nature that I would have not experienced with just my photography.

Sunwapta falls, Albeta (2021)

Sunwapta Falls, Alberta (2020)

How do I interpret the gift of beauty?

The gift of beauty is subjective and is found in everyone and everything. Beauty has a different meaning to everyone and can also hold many other purposes. You can find beauty in the smallest, daintiest flower while describing the world’s largest, most powerful waterfalls as beautiful as well. Beauty is a truly subjective concept, and in my opinion, everything has beauty in one form or another. I think nature is the perfect example of how diverse people view beauty. Some find the most beauty in forests, others in the water, and some people find animals and their surroundings to be the most beautiful things on the planet. These environmental characteristics have immense beauty, but our own specific lens is that we declare to be the most beautiful. The same principles can be applied to everything in life; while what we appreciate in beauty may not be present in everything that we see, that does not mean what we are witnessing lacks beauty.

Work Cited:

Reference: Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018.

Hannah

dhenvs3000w22

Hi Hannah,

Your personal thoughts and experiences behind this topic was very interesting to read about. I think what stuck with me from your post is how capturing pictures is a form of art. Nowadays, social media is everything, and if your artistic capabilities are not in favour, you are still able to express the beauty of nature through photography. One picture captured may not be easily interpreted in many different ways, but it can raise different emotions for anyone coming across it, as much as it may be directly represented. As I believe I am a creative person, presently my first instinct wouldn't be to grab a paint brush and paint, it would be to grab my phone and capture a moment. As you stated, individuals can form connections with nature in this specifically different way, which can be a form of interpretation.

Your perspective on the “gift of beauty” allowed me to gain a bigger view upon it. You perfectly explained how beauty can be found in the smallest and yet at the same time in the biggest things in nature. As nature is so diverse itself, our own lenses can distinctly be in awe of the most simplest things it has to offer. Nature has its own definition of beauty and I believe that's a gift we may under look.

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