Nature Interpretion

Eugene Cha's Nature Interpretation Expedition

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Disclaimer

Blog "Unit 10: Finale" was created for ENVS*3000, University of Guelph. 

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

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

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Interpreters Role in Sustainability

As a nature interpreter, it often feels overwhelming being faced with the tasks of educating children about the many complex and pressing issues affecting our planet. From climate change to habitat destruction, ocean pollution to endanger species. The list of environmental concerns can seem endless, and exposing children to the harsh realities is daunting and may cause more harm than good for their developing minds. Additionally, being in the field of environmental interpretation has become increasingly difficult in this ever-changing technological world. With little guidance available to us interpreters on how to educate children, their parents, and the public, correctly and effectively on environmental catastrophes and prevention (Rodenburg and Martin, 2019). 

Considering these challenges, we face. It is still important to consider how we can develop effective and meaningful approaches to teaching children about the environment. A key issue encountered is the limited opportunities that today’s children have to experience nature firsthand. Either growing up in cities, having overprotective parents, or the distraction of today’s technology. Children’s outdoor exposure is minuscule compared to what their grandparents experienced during their childhood (Louv, 2019). Additionally, with liability and safety concerns these days, schools and other organisations are hesitant to take children outdoors due to the risks. They have gone from embracing risk (R+) in the 1960s, to being risk adverse (R-) today (Hahn, 2020). A major reason for this is because of the rare but unfortunate events that have occurred in the past involving the death or injuring of children (Globe and Mail, 1978). Despite this, as us interpreters know, it is essential to provide children with opportunities to connect with the natural world. Not only does this help foster a sense of wonder and appreciation for the environment, but it also helps children understand their place in the world as living beings who share the world with everyone and everything on it.

To be effective interpreters, we must develop appropriate approaches that considers the different ways that child learn and grow. While teenagers are ready to learn about complex and depressing issues like climate change, younger children are best introduced to the natural world though positive storytelling and exploration (Beck et al. 2019 pg.107). By providing children with repeated exposure to the outdoors, we can help them develop a relationship with nature, and cultivate a sense of intimacy with the natural world that will last a lifetime.

An effective approach to teaching younger children about the environment stems from having child build a sense of connection with specific meaningful places (Rodenburg and Martin, 2019). By exploring local ecosystems and learning about the stories of the land and how it came to be, children can start to develop a deep appreciation for the natural world. For example, by introducing children to the nest a bird has built in a tree, we can help them develop a personal connection to the bird and the sense of responsibility for protecting her young. This will also allow the children to value nature and experience the love in the world (showing positivity).

Another effective interpretive strategy for children is to focus on microenvironments. Rather than only showing children the view of a valley, we may encourage them to explore the world of insects and other small creatures that live in the grasses and soils within that valley (Rodenburg and Martin, 2019). By encouraging children to focus on the small and often overlooked aspects of the natural world, we can help them to develop a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Ultimately, our goal as nature interpreters is to help children (and people of all ages!) to develop a deep and abiding love for nature, and to inspire them to take action to protect and restore the planet. By fostering a sense of connection and intimacy with nature, we can help people understand their role in the larger ecosystem and empower them to make a positive difference in the world. Whether through storytelling, exploration, or discovery, there are many ways in which we can engage children with the natural world and inspire them to become passionate and committed stewards of the environment.

As nature interpreters in training, it is important to consider the ethical and philosophical beliefs that make up the foundation of our work. For me, this means recognising that all living beings are interconnected and that all our actions have impact on the larger ecosystem. Just like the squirrel in the trees I am a part of the ecosystem. This also means acknowledging the unique perspectives and experiences of individuals and tailoring my teaching strategies to meet their needs and interests. Despite it being much easier to follow a one size fits all model.

I also feel that following the path to become a nature interpreter, I have a sense of responsibility to help our next generation develop that sense of connection with the natural world. This will involve me not only teaching them about the issues currently facing the planet (which is very uncomfortable to talk to children about), but also inspiring them to take the action required to protect and restore the environment to how it should be. By fostering this sense of wonder, awe, and curiosity in the children, I can help them develop a lifelong love for nature and a commitment to environmental stewardship. 

In conclusion as a developing nature interpreter, I feel personally responsible to teach the next generation about our natural world. Not only are they our future, but they are the ones inheriting the world we are giving them. We need to provide them with the mistakes and lessons we have learned to provide them with the best future possible.

Citations:

Beck, Larry, et al. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing, 2019. 

Hahn, K. “Six Declines of Modern Youth” Outwardbound, 2020                                                                                                       .            https://www.outwardbound.org/blog/kurt-hahn-six-declines-of-modern-youth/

Louv, R. “What Is Nature-Deficit Disorder? - Richard Louv.” Richard Louv Blog Full Posts Atom 10, Richard Louv, 2019 https://richardlouv.com/blog/what-is-nature-deficit-disorder/. 

Rodenburg, J., and Martin, J. “Why Environmental Educators Shouldn't Give up Hope.” CLEARING, 2019 https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300. 

“Parents Pray While Waiting for names 12 boys, teacher drown on canoe trip 18 survivors due out today” The Globe and Mail, June 13, 1978, Canoe Trip Tragedy. https://www.proquest.com/docview/387072296/BB73CABC60F249E6PQ/1?accountid=11233&parentSessionId=NmPV0HvcX%2FJkv8SgvaQNAeShVAIT1WhBxPiuG3CPWuk%3D “

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Hi Andrew,

Your post was super interesting.

Our future depends on the continual support for environmental solutions, and we are in a world where that support has been waning (Watson et al., 2014). As you mentioned, today’s technological world plays a role in disconnecting children from nature (Beck et al., 2019, pg.166). When you mention how we've gone from embracing risks to becoming risk-adverse, I can’t help but think that our technological world, its accessible information, and our media’s focus on bad news have caused this. 

In addition, there is a risk involved in teaching children about the modern environmental concerns . Children must first learn to love nature before learning about the concerns (Beck et al., 2019, pg.150). I think the approaches you have suggested are fantastic and in-line with what we learnt. 

By focusing on the micro environments (like your insect example), it helps satiate their love for discovery, thus creating a fondness for nature (Clearing, 2019). I think this is exemplified by how popular Pokemon is, a game about discovering and capturing cool creatures. As interpreters, we need to understand our audience and find ways to interpret in a way our audience understands and resonates with their interests (Clearing, 2019). 

I agree that recognizing that all living beings are closely interconnected is super important. Every-time I see an ecosystem-level food web, it always blows my mind how complex and interconnected everything is. It really highlights that individuals matter and we should strive for equity, despite our differences.

Thanks for sharing,

Eugene Cha

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Clearing. (2019, June 17). Why environmental educators shouldn't give up hope. Clearing. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300.

Watson, J. E. M., Dudley, N., Segan, D. B., & Hockings, M. (2014). The performance and potential of protected areas. Nature, 515(7525), 67–73. 

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Unit 10

Hi Everyone, 

Welcome to my last blog post!

It has been a great semester getting to know all of you! I don’t know about you all, but I can say this class took me out of my comfort zone many times. I can truly say I did enjoy it and learned a lot about nature and myself throughout this semester. 

Now,

Personal ethics is a very interesting and important topic to discuss. As mentioned in my past blog post I have strong personal beliefs in ensuring individuals' health and well-being. I also strongly believe in ensuring equity in all aspects of life. It is important to understand and acknowledge the hardships that some may face and privileges that some may have. 

The most important ethic that I believe in is accessibility. Beck et al., discuss the importance of accessibility in nature interpretation. The textbook also explains how we can break down these barriers to make nature interpretation more accessible (Beck et al., 2018). I look at accessibility as an equity issue. Equity is the understanding that we do not come from the same place and must acknowledge challenges and barriers in other individuals' lives (Wieland et al., 2022).  This means, not everyone has access to the internet, books, or learning tools. Some people lack comprehensive skills or there is a language barrier (Beck et al., 2018). There are other individuals that have mobility issues that prevent them from receiving access to educational resources or experiences (Beck et al., 2018). Therefore, just providing educational tools and resources to all individuals does not solve the issue of accessibility. Everyone, no matter age, race, gender, socioeconomic status, etc, should be allowed access to effective education (Wieland et al., 2022). Everyone has the right to learn and to know. Knowledge is power and we should be empowering all individuals and not just the people that are most convenient. 

The next personal ethic that I believe in is respect. Now, this can sound very broad and that is because it is. It is important to not only respect ourselves but the environment and culture that surrounds us. At the beginning of the course, I talked about humanizing the environment. We should be respecting nature like it is a fellow human being. Science has proven that the environment is slowly dying because of anthropogenic effects (Ferreira et al., 2016). It is important that we respect the environment and what it offers us. This includes taking care of the environment when it is fragile. The environment also comes with a culture and history that needs to be respected. Some individuals are spiritually connected with the environment around them, and it is important that outsiders do not disrespect the culture. During one of my travel adventures to Barbados, I had the pleasure to experience Eco-Adventure Park at Harrison’s Cave. Not only is there a massive cave system but there is a gully where a lot of plant life grows. The adventure guides informed us that locals from the other side of the gully will walk through the plant life to travel into town. For most outsiders just learning about the area this sounds not so conservation-like. However, the guides explained that this was something that locals were doing before the gully and cave was established and protected by the Barbadian Government. The government allowed the locals to continue to use the pathway as it was in the culture for the locals to travel this way. Therefore, it is important to listen and learn about the culture of the environment to learn how to respect it and the people that live in it.  

There are a lot of responsibilities that I have as a student, human, and future healthcare professional. As a university student, I really value my education and would advocate for others to receive an education. I acknowledge that receiving a university of education is a privilege. However, basic education, reading, writing, and arithmetic, provide equitable education (McIntosh., 1989).  As a human, it is my responsibility to take care of the environment. This can look different for everyone. I like to educate myself on environmental issues around me and how to mediate the effects. As a future healthcare professional, I aspire to advocate for the health and well-being of individuals. As I have learned in previous courses and mentioned in a previous blog post, nature has an effect on individuals’ mental health. It is proven that nature improves mental health and well-being. I believe that this is my responsibility to advocate for access to nature to improve mental health and well-being. 

The approach that would be most suitable for me would be continuing to use my voice to advocate for others. I want to empower others that lack the same opportunities and experiences that I do. I have the skills and knowledge to advocate effectively and respectfully. Advocating is not just speaking for others but knowing when not to speak. 

I look forward to reading your posts to learn more about your personal beliefs and ethics. Do we share any similar ethics? 

            Thank you all for a great semester. 

Makayla 

Beck, L, Cable, Ted T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Natural & Cultural Heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing. 2018

  Wieland, J., Jordan, B. L., & Jatoi, A. (2022). Equity. Cancer, 128(12), 2240–2242. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.34179

  Ferreira, V., Koricheva, J., Duarte, S., Niyogi, D. K., & Guérold, F. (2016). Effects of anthropogenic heavy metal contamination on litter decomposition in streams – A meta-analysis. Environmental Pollution (1987), 210, 261–270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2015.12.060

McIntosh, P. (1989, July/August). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12

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Hi Makayala,

That was an amazing post!

Your idea of humanizing nature is interesting. It makes sense, considering the type of worldview you likely have, as a pursuing healthcare professional. It ties into how interpreters can connect the tangible nature to an universal concept (intangible) (Beck et al., 2019, pg.88). This is a good approach, considering your ethic of equity. A universal concept like hope is something that everyone can relate to (Beck et al., 2019, pg.88).

One thing to consider is that there might be dangers to humanizing nature. For example, anthropomorphism (attributing human characteristics to animals) can lead to dangerous inaccuracies about the natural world (Milman, 2016). This can be especially true to children, who are important audience members of interpretation but are also very gullible (Beck et al., 2019, pg.109). 

I wished the textbook talked more about it. I feel like there’s a line where humanizing can work wonders but crossing it can be dangerous. You do a good job saying within the line with this post, though. 

I think we share all the ethics mentioned. I’m glad you pointed out accessibility. I agree, a key step to tearing down these barriers is having equity. A good approach to this is to allow the basic needs of people to be a right and, as an interpreter, help meet these basic needs (Beck et al., 2019, pg.47). This frees the attention of people to allow for the desire for self-actualization (Beck et al., 2019, pg.47).

Thanks for sharing, 

Eugene Cha

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Milman, O. (2016, January 15). Anthropomorphism: How much humans and animals share is still contested. The Guardian. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2016/jan/15/anthropomorphism-danger-humans-animals-science

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Unit 10: Finale

My personal ethics are a mix-bag due to living in multiple different cultures. I lived in Korea until 7. Then, I moved to the UAE and stayed there for 12 years. Now, I’ve been in Canada for the past 4 years. Throughout, some of the things I came to value are fairness, responsibility, and self-improvement. These ethics can translate, in multiple ways, to that of a natural interpreter. 

Casual photos of places I've lived in: Korea (top left), Abu Dhabi (top right), Guelph (bottom).

The fairness ethic of mine developed by experiencing a variety of cultures and peoples in my life. In the UAE, I went to an affluent international highschool, where I met people from all over. However, outside school, the UAE is full of low-wage immigrant workers and it becomes evident that they are underserved in various aspects of life. The UAE essentially has no middle class as you see in Canada - it’s either poor or high-middle class (or higher). In Canada, I experienced the full force of the oftentimes struggling middle class. Many of my friends are white and considered “privileged”, yet they have to work so much just to afford the basics. 

Thus, I feel a responsibility, as a natural interpreter, to bring fairness to all. A core aspect of being a good interpreter is to serve a diverse audience (Beck et al., 2019, pg.132), especially if your goal is to spread the message of an environmental issue. This also ties into the concept of “unpacking” my privilege so as to not bias your interpretation to a certain group of people (Gallavan, n.d.). 

Image credits: Spirit FM

Barriers create the “underserved populations” and by recognizing this, I can expand my reach towards these parts of society (Beck et al., 2019, pg.132). For instance, economics may be a key barrier towards a large part of the population, especially if they do not possess a personal vehicle or are busy with work (Beck et al., 2019, pg.133). Or, there may be cultural barriers where different groups have very different opinions about nature (Beck et al., 2019, pg.133). 

Whatever the barrier, by “unpacking my privilege” and following my fairness ethics, I have the responsibility to reach out to give a fair chance to everyone. For example, if I were to work in a national park, I could make the effort to reduce economic barriers by advocating for cheap transportation (like a bus) to pick up people and at diverse times to allow for busy people to have an opportunity. 

Also, as a “minority” myself, I oppose the idea of treating them differently just because they are a “minority”. I think my experience in Guelph exemplified a good approach that ensures fairness. Here, I have never once been treated differently just because I am Asian. If anything, people treated me like a fellow Canadian, even asking me who I voted for during the 2019 election. As such, I think it is important to recognize it is wrong to generalize a minority group (Beck et al., 2019, pg.133) and when making the special effort to reach out to them, don’t make it seem like a special treatment type of deal (Beck et al., 2019, pg.134). If possible, the best approach would be to treat everyone equally while keeping in mind who your current audience is. This can be done by friendly talking to them, asking why they're here, and even internet surveys (Beck et al., 2019, pg.129). 

When it comes to responsibility and the self-improvement ethic, this is heavily tied to my Korean heritage. In Korean culture, you are always compared to others, and people have very high expectations of you. Almost feels like you are constantly carrying the weight of the world. Thus, if I don’t get perfect on a thing I am invested in (like academia), I become angry at myself. I think this is a toxic trait of mine but the positives can be used as a natural interpreter. 

Image credits: Presentermedia

Having a sense of responsibility allows you to try to perfect your interpretation of nature. While this may be subjective, a good interpretation takes considerable effort, which may be lacklustre without a sense of responsibility for the environment. It is not a walk in the park to make an emotional and intellectual connection with the audience, communicated through nature (Beck et al., 2019, pg.304).

For instance, the usage of arts can tremendously benefit the interpretation. I believe even approaches like theatre and reenactments can be useful for natural interpretation. Having a diversity of approaches that targets all the senses help leave an impression (Beck et al., 2019, pg.107). However, these approaches require heavy investment into knowledge, making connections to the character, props, rehearsals and much more (Beck et al., 2019, pg.219). Only someone with a high sense of responsibility for the environment and position can tackle such a challenge. 

With self-improvement, it will help further improve as an interpreter. By taking good feedback and reflecting on your doings (and if it meets your objectives), you can infinitely improve (Beck et al., 2019, pg.419). I think one of the best things you can do to do this is to invite other natural interpreter sites and become a "visitor" for your own sites (Beck et al., 2019, pg.420). Oftentimes, you know more than the audience and thus may leave out key details that the audience may not know. By fixing these issues, it makes the interpretation much more available for all audiences. 

Finally, I want to talk about an approach that is suitable for me and others in my generation. We grew up with the rapid development of technology. Many might think this causes a disconnect between people and nature (Beck et al., 2019, pg.166). However, I believe we can use it to also reconnect. Websites, social media, Youtube, etc. have the presence of billions. As such, I see our technology literacy as a huge opportunity to reach those billions of people to reconnect nature into humans (Beck et al., 2019, pg.168).

A foldable phone - a symbol of today's rapid technological development.

Overall, I have a long way to go to be an interpreter. However, I have still learnt much, especially in ways of scientific communication - a topic important in current science.

I hope people feel the same and good luck on the final stretch!

Eugene Cha

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Gallavan, N. P. (n.d.). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks". Multicultural Education, 13(Pages: 36-36).

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Unit 9: The world's loneliest whale

When I saw the prompt this week, I was somewhat overwhelmed. I was unsure of what I knew about nature that could be amazing, what would excite other people. I thought to talk about something that everyone would understand and feel familiar with but realized the prompt said “this is your blog”. So I decided to speak about something that fascinates me, hoping others would find it fascinating as well.

I have decided to talk about what can be considered the loneliest animal on the planet, the 52-hertz whale. The first time I heard about this whale was through a K-pop song that my sister showed me. At the beginning of the pandemic, my younger sister had gotten interested in BTS, a Korean group known for their very complex lyrics and song themes. The song “Whalien 52” drew a connection between the 52-hertz whale and a person who feels as though they are alone, an outcast, an alien, thus the name “Whalien 52”. Like the person described in the song, the 52-hertz whale is considered the loneliest whale as its call is significantly higher in pitch than other whales (Perkins, 2013).

The whale has never been sighted; it’s only heard through hydrophones and its movements track via its call. Due to this fact, it is unclear what species of whale it belongs to as blue whales have a call pitch between 16-39 Hz and fin whales about 20 Hz. Scientists have been tracking this whale since 1992 and have yet to identify its species, even wondering if it is a hybrid of two different species.

While it sounds quite sad that this is the loneliest whale, it being consistently heard over the years of its tracking has confirmed that, though unusual, its call has no disastrous impact on its life and health.  According to the Bioacoustics Research Program at Cornell University, the whale may not be as lonely as portrayed. Researchers say that it can likely be “understood” and recognized by other whales. They also say that with whales from different regions having different dialects the 52-hertz whale may not even be that unique, to the whales. To us, however, it is still very unique with no other whale being recorded at such high pitch levels, making it quite unique.

I love this topic because it just ties back to what we spoke about last week, about music in nature. Whale calls are one of the most common examples of music in nature and one of the most studied. However, the 52-hertz whale proves that there is still so much about nature that we still don’t know. One of the beauties of nature is that it is a mystery that can never truly be solved. The more we seek to understand nature the more we have to learn and that’s what makes nature interpretation so powerful. It helps us understand nature as much as we can and simply enjoy the beauty in the mysteries we cannot solve.

Perkins, S. (2013), People: The Science Life: Seeking the loneliest whale. Science News, 184: 32-32. https://doi.org/10.1002/scin.5591840626

Andrews, R. (2019, March 11). Whale dialects can be identified using new algorithm. IFLScience. Retrieved from https://www.iflscience.com/whale-dialects-can-be-identified-using-new-algorithm-34281

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Bioacoustics Research Program. (2015). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20150226002906/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/listen-to-project-sounds/blue-whale

Funnell, R. (2021, August 31). IFLScience meets: Director Joshua Zeman on filming the loneliest whale: The Search for 52. IFLScience. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.iflscience.com/iflscience-meets-director-joshua-zeman-on-filming-the-loneliest-whale-the-search-for-52-60747

Beck, L,. Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). The bright future of interpretation. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore Publishing

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Hi Jaaziah,

Your post was very interesting and it shows how mysterious nature can be. I like how you connect what you’re interpreting to an interesting personal story, similar to how our textbook does (Beck et al., 2019, pg.457).

I’m sure many of us had a time, especially during the pandemic, where we felt alone. As an international student, I’ve definitely had those moments. For example, when my housemates and I got COVID during the peak, I saw my housemates get so much help from family members but, of course, my family being across the oceans, couldn’t do much. Even if I knew that it still amplified the feeling of loneliness. 

Speaking of, you do a good job in connecting the tangible 52-hertz whale to the loneliness universal concept (connecting tangible to the intangible) (Beck et al., 2019, pg.88). Not only that, you explain the science behind it and that the whale might not actually be all that lonely. Though, it is still shrouded by mystery which honestly makes it cooler. 

I agree, music in nature, especially with whales, is fascinating. We learnt that even though human and whale lineages haven't crossed for 60 million years, it is scary how close human and whale songs are (Gray et al., 2001). And I can definitely hear the beauty in the video sample. It also sounds mystic and mysterious, almost exemplifying the mystery of the 52-hertz whale in that we still have no idea what species it is (maybe a whole new species?). 

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and this new knowledge about the 52-whale!

Eugene Cha

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link-gale-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8

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The Nature of the Post-Apocalyptic

Disclaimer

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

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

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

The post-apocalyptic genre in media fascinates me. When I play these video games, watch those movies, or read the books, one of the most amazing aspects is how they build the environment. I’m sure many of you have noticed, but a common feature of the genre’s environments is the natural reclamation of past human-made structures. And there is something artistic about that.

Image of the city ruins in a post-apocalyptic game, Nier Automata. (Image credit: Nier Automata)

I feel as if it shows humanity’s current impact on nature and how our presence halts natural life from occurring - to a point where having the blend of human structures and nature seems like a poetic contradiction. Whether the apocalypse is about zombies, nuclear, or pandemics, they are all tied back to humanity’s negative relationship with nature. Perhaps humans will ultimately be the harbingers of the apocalypse for our world too.

On the other hand, this blend of human structures and nature shows the resilience of nature and life’s way of recovering, as if symbolizing hope even in the darkest times. Hence, I like to call this the “Nature of the Post-Apocalyptic” - nature's amazing tendency to recover and reclaim what it has lost if given time. What is cooler is that we can see examples of this today, in human-abandoned areas.

Houtouwan village, an abandoned village in China. (Image Credit: Imaginechina by Alamy)

A subgenre of the post-apocalyptic genre is the cold, grey nuclear winter, where nature is reduced to wastelands with radioactive fallout flurrying like snow from the blackened skies. And of course, with the crackling clicking noises of the Geiger counter. This is how we envision the aftermath of a nuclear disaster that wipes out civilization. But even despite this seemingly lifeless world, nature reclamation plays a key role in establishing the setting, though sometimes as mutated abominations. Chernobyl gives us a real glimpse of our world after a world-ending nuclear disaster. 

Chernobyl underwent the worst nuclear accident ever, on one faithful 26th of April, 1986 (WHO, 2023). Ever since, the place was abandoned due to radioactivity, leaving behind the human remnants of civilization. Post its “apocalypse”, rather than the area being void of life, it became the opposite and is called a "haven for wildlife" (UN, 2020). 

Over 60 rare species (many, endangered by humans) have returned, almost as if to say to humanity, “Ha! Who’s the real winner at the end” (UN, 2020). For instance, the Greater Spotted Eagles, previously locally extinct, have colonized Chernobyl (Dombrovski et al., 2022).

A photo of the Greater Spotted Eagles within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. (Image Credits: Dombrovski et al., 2022)

Plants are returning life to the grey human structures by painting it a lively green (Thompson, 2022). Wildlife populations are booming too (Schenkman, 2020). While the “mutated abominations” aspect seems like fantasy, it is not entirely false. For example, tree frogs in Chernobyl have evolved darker colouration in response to the radiation (Burraco & Orizaola, 2022). 

Photo of the abandoned Chernobyl, with outgrowth of nature. (Image Credits: Getty Images)

This shows the amazing capability for nature to reclaim what was lost, against the odds. Life can recover and flourish, even when it seems impossible. It also highlights how impactful humans are to nature since the current booming wildlife in Chernobyl indicates that the major limiting factor was human presence, more so than the nuclear contamination (Schenkman, 2020). But these ideas together are not so bad: it shows that despite our current alarming loss of biodiversity due to anthropogenic issues, if we can enable nature, life will flourish as nature is resilient, even under “post-apocalyptic” conditions.  

Burraco, P., & Orizaola, G. (2022). Ionizing radiation and melanism in Chornobyl tree frogs. Evolutionary Applications, 15(9), 1469–1479. 

Dombrovski, V. C., Zhurauliou, D. V., & Ashton-Butt, A. (2022). Long-term effects of rewilding on species composition: 22 years of raptor monitoring in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. 

Schenkman, L. (2020, February 13). After a nuclear disaster, then what? A surprising look at the animals of Chernobyl and Fukushima. Ideas TED. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://ideas.ted.com/after-a-nuclear-disaster-then-what-a-surprising-look-at-the-animals-of-chernobyl-and-fukushima/

Thompson, S. (2022, July 1). How plants reclaimed Chernobyl's Poisoned Land. BBC Future. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190701-why-plants-survived-chernobyls-deadly-radiation

UN. (2020, September 16). How Chernobyl has become an unexpected haven for wildlife. UNEP. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/how-chernobyl-has-become-unexpected-haven-wildlife

WHO. (2023). Mitigating health consequences of chernobyl. World Health Organization. Retrieved March 18, 2023, from https://www.who.int/activities/mitigating-health-consequences-of-chernobyl

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Unit 7

I personally find music to be something of a very big part of my life, but not only have I found significance in my memories and life journeys, but I have interpreted it through nature as well. Music can be anything in nature, it can be the sound of the rain, or most recently I was able to interpret it as the sound of hail knocking on my our house roof a few days ago. The sound of the birds chirping in the early mornings, or the birds speaking to each other on my front porch, is a deep connection that can bring an individual to the realization that music in nature is pretty much the existence of nature in play. Some of these nature sounds have been a huge part of people's lives, because they can bring distinct memories to oneself. Birds chirping and owls' "woo" in the early summer mornings are sounds that I personally connect with my childhood. The sound of birds chirping on our cherry and pear trees and the distant sound of an owl approaching can bring back memories of myself in my childhood bedroom, waking up next to my older sister in our shared room. All of this natural music brings me back to my childhood, and brings back a lot of memories. I have included the link that most closely sounds like my childhood nature memory, and I was able to find it from a TikTok.  For other people, like celebrities, the sounds of nature are used as a music tool, and are incorporated in music and famous songs as well. Like the sound of rain and thunder, or the sound of ocean waves has been a tool for a lot of music recorders, and it is treated like music. 

A song that takes me back to a natural landscape is “Levitating” by Dua Lipa. This song immediately brings back the memories I have from the summer of 2020. Every summer we go on a lot of road trips, but my favorite one was to a beach in Godrich, Ontario. I can just remember me and siblings standing on the beach shore, listening to this song. Hearing this song now, immediately takes me back to this beach and all the good memories I had with my mom, dad and siblings. The ride was long, but it was all worth it for the beautiful view we had. 

I'm happy to have all of these memories to offer and to have had the opportunity to actually experience them. Even though they are the tiny, insignificant elements that one might not give much thought to in daily life, when recalled, they can actually be a lovely recollection.

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Hi Fatima, 

The mourning dove example exemplifies what you and the text talks about interpretation, in that it involves a deep connection between people and nature (Beck et al., 2019, pg.21). From age 7 to 18, I grew up in the UAE. Despite it being a hot climate, one common animal that existed were the mourning doves. I still remember walking up to the weird but soothing sounds of them. Hearing it again brought out nostalgia and reminiscence. Though, funnily enough, it also brought out negative emotions, like having to get up at 7AM for school. 

I think such experience that we both share shows that music in nature can be anything and can be heard in the cities too. As is said in the textbook, the best interpretations connect with people's hearts and minds (Beck et al., 2019, pg.216). Considering it only takes a specific bird’s chirping to invoke such connections is saying so much about how important music is in nature. 

Sounds of nature being used in music also helps invoke emotions through an indirect method. Similar to the musical tool as you mentioned. Like the song you mentioned, one example I can think of with this idea is “Summer Paradise” by Simple Plan. Everything about the song, especially the background sounds of waves paints a strong image of being on the beach. Similar to you, it brings back good memories. For me though, it is of my childhood since it was the time in my life where I went to the beach often without a care in the world - almost like a summer paradise. 

Overall, I think we share a lot of ideas about music in nature and nature in music. I hope to hear more!

Thanks for sharing,

Eugene Cha

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

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The Music of Nature and Nature of Music

Disclaimer:

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

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

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

Music is an art form of interpretation. It helps enrich the landscapes and nature in general (Beck et al., 2019, pg.216). As someone who listens to music 24/7, I believe one of the biggest advantages is that of invoking and provoking human emotions but also connecting the tangibles to intangibles (Beck et al., 2019, pg.88).

Often, music takes aspects of nature to invoke emotions, taking something tangible like a flowing river, to connect it to feelings/emotions, like the passage of time or freedom (intangible). That’s how I perceived “where is nature in music”. This method of using nature helps to connect me and others to their hearts and minds (Beck et al., 2019, pg.216). The songs I put on repeat the most are those that, on top of sounding good, makes this connection within (Beck et al., 2019, pg.216). 

Take my favourite song, “Last Dance” by BigBang. The song sounds incredible and makes a connection with me in that we’re becoming adult clogs in the machine and miss the young, innocent times. As someone at that phase in life, it is something that I feel strongly about and invokes a lot of emotions for me. I also feel like the reason why I never like “happy” music is that I feel a lack of deeper connection, perhaps, because the world is more sad than happy and I find it hard to relate to. 

Last Dance with english cc. The music video helps reinforce the emotions.

When asked, “where is music in nature”, I think of the beautiful and exotic sounds of nature, like the chirping of birds. This is a more literal form of nature in music, where sounds of nature are used to enrich and ingrain the landscape in people’s memories (Beck et al., 2019, pg.225). It can paint a picture in the listener’s minds that can be connected to certain emotions (Beck et al., 2019, pg.226). They can also be catchy, allowing them to be memorable (Beck et al., 2019, pg.226). This, in return, can help promote environmentally guided mindsets, like with DJ Mirin as an example (GrrlScientist, 2016). His music, at least to me, painted a picture of the Madagascarian rainforest and invoked feelings of exoticness, preciousness of nature, and how we must protect these remnants.

A song that takes me back to a natural landscape is '봄여름가을겨울 (Still Life)' by BigBang. As someone who grew up in the cities, I don't know a "natural" song. But “Still Life” is themed after the 4 seasons (‘봄여름가을겨울’ literally means spring, summer, fall, winter) and I strongly associate seasons with natural landscapes. Spring paints an image of the green, flowers, and bird chirping returning and summer reminds me of warmth, insects, and the sun. Fall, of course, paints the image of falling orange leaves, with winter reminding me of snow, silence, and peace. 

“Still Life” does such a fantastic job in connecting the seasons (tangibles) to emotions (intangibles) related to growing up (once again). The first verse first paints the seasonal images: 

“At sunset next year, a blooming spring 

A midsummer night’s dream 

Feeling fall, then winter’s snow 

Four times a year, spring comes again”.

Which then is connected to aspects of growing up:

“The seasons pass hopelessly as days go by 

Going through our hearts by staining red and bruising blue”.

While this song isn’t directly related to nature, it paints images of nature and is connected to strong emotions that I have of growing old.

In conclusion, music is a form of artistic interpretation that can make use of nature, either indirectly or directly to enrich the listeners and invoke powerful emotions, such that of maturing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

GrrlScientist, G. S. (2016, September 22). Music as a gateway to nature. Forbes. Retrieved February 27, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2016/09/21/music-as-a-gateway-to-nature/?sh=67a0975549e7

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Lessons In Our 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)

First, I think that it is important to acknowledge that not everyone is going to interpret this quote in the same was as we all have different pasts, privileges (invisible backpacks), and knowledge bases that are our toolkits of how we all will interpret this quote. Interpreters also will perhaps use this quote to get people thinking and talking about what this means to their audience and might reveal a theme message for the audience.

Starting with the first sentence, merit means to have the quality of being good or worthy. There is good/worth in integrity (keeping together parts of any whole)-telling the whole story without leaving parts out. I feel that a lot of people take parts of history, little snippets, and use them to achieve a goal. It is important for interpreters to not do this but to share the whole story.

This reminds me of a photo I’ve seen before where from up close you think you know what is happening but then it zooms out and something else is happening. Therefore, looking at the whole picture can teach us a lot more about the past than a snippet does.

Photo Found at: https://thecircular.org/media-depiction-of-major-events-in-society/

I feel as though the media writes stories that viewers want to see, but also snips findings into pieces that often skew the story in an untrue direction. For example, the headline “scientists remain puzzled by mass of dead birds along West Coast”, they imply that humans are doing something wrong while, in reality, scientists concluded that natural overpopulation was the most probable explanation which is a natural response (Hays, 2015). Conservation can be difficult with inexact media twisting science so one way that interpreters can help is by sharing the whole story!

The analogy to think, feel, or act as though the past is done with to the train in the train station tells us that we should not ignore the past but instead be influenced by and learn from the past. There are so many lessons in history, from discrimination, atrocities, and ethnic conflicts (326). These lessons we can learn from the past can promote better understanding of present challenges that can help people navigate these challenges (343), and help people learn and comprehend the factors that make an atrocity possible so people can prevent it from being repeated in the future, and to cultivate peace (327). Interpreters can help people see how history relates to their own lives by teaching them in exciting educational stories (326).

How does history relate to nature interpretation. This is a question I wondered as well… The textbook said that nature often occurs in nature and vice versa. One can have learning about history draw them to nature or have nature draw them to learn about the surrounding history through interpreters. It also was suggested taking about nature through history to see that changes we have made. Conservation efforts and interpreters with a conservation goal /theme could reveal how much humans have changed the landscape and contrast the past and present as we see declines in biodiversity. This could be due to some species’ inability to move at these high rates of change and thus may gradually die out as climatic conditions become increasingly unsuitable (Malcom & Pitelka, 2001).

References:

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

Hays, B. (2015). Scientists remain puzzled by mass of dead birds along West Coast. UPI. https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2015/01/07/Scientists-remain-puzzled-by-mass-of-dead-birds-along-West-Coast/6531420656581/

Malcolm, J.R., & Pitelka, L.F. (2001). Ecosystems and global change. Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. https://www.c2es.org/document/ecosystems-and-global-climate-change/

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Hi Dana,

That was a fantastic interpretation of the quote. I agree, the quote is dedicated to the importance of telling the whole story without leaving bits out - the “merit in integrity”. This is something I should have emphasised more in my blog post but as you mentioned, we likely interpreted the quote a bit differently, or at least, focused on different aspects due to our biases and differences. I personally focused more on the last part of the quote due to my biases and background as a Korean.

I agree when you mention that we shouldn't ignore the past and that it can be taken as lessons to learn from the horrors. Germany has made progress to reconcile with the past and learn from the atrocities (Rienzi, 2015). When it comes to Japan, they have done much less so and this is made evident from hostilities between Japan and many Asian countries (Rienzi, 2015). Something that could have been used to reconcile and learn is being ignored (Beck et al., 2019).

I liked the photo you used here, it highlights how if we leave the whole picture out and pick bits, it will cause bias. This is something we often see in the media, as you pointed out. Many people, myself included, tend to read titles and don’t even bother with the content of articles. This can cause extreme bias, since the title is only a small bit of the whole story and it can itself be biased. 

Thank you for sharing,

Eugene Cha

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing

Rienzi, G. (2015, June 4). Other nations could learn from Germany's efforts to reconcile after WWII. The Hub. Retrieved February 17, 2023, from https://hub.jhu.edu/magazine/2015/summer/germany-japan-reconciliation/

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Integrity and Acknowledgement of History

When I first read the prompt quote, I instantly thought about the importance of history. Of course, everyone knows the saying on how understanding history is important to not repeating the mistakes of the past. In addition, history is important in uniting people and promoting human rights, peace, and inspiration (Beck et al., 2019). Though, the quote is a lot deeper than that. 

Historical things do not have any of the aspects I just mentioned by themselves. This is what I thought of when the quote mentions “there is no peculiar merit in ancient things”. Based on the readings, I believe Interpretation plays a crucial role in unpacking (integrity) the aspects of historical things that give it value to us. History is fluid throughout time and much will inevitably be lost, especially when not stored. Hence, interpretation is key for the “maintenance of integrity” as they entail the knowledge and memory of “ancient things”. 

The interpretation of history of an “ancient thing” is necessary to bring out the inspiration and the other benefits of understanding history. By interpreting the stories of our past, whether they be happy or tragic, it can bring values to the present and future, helping cultivate peace through civil discourse (Beck et al., 2019).

There exists a few approaches to good historical interpretation, which perhaps helps us understand the quote. One is living history, where all senses are targeted, allowing for a wide audience and active engagement in a fun but educative way (Beck et al., 2019). This approach allows the audience to be enriched by history and create relevant values. When good accuracy, authenticity, passion, and understanding is combined, it is a powerful tool for historic interpretation to connect people to the past and maintain historic integrity (Beck et al., 2019).  

The quote doesn’t just end with mentioning the importance of historic interpretation. I interpreted the last part of the quote as history, without the integrity view and acting as if it is something that is to be “done with”, is the wrong approach to take. 

I can personally relate to this. Korea and Japan have a long history together, oftentimes negative. For example, Japan colonized Korea from 1910 to 1945 and committed atrocities, like the Comfort Women. This applies to most of Asia and a lot of the Japanese war crimes from the 20th century have gone unpunished. Certain war criminals went on to live successful lives (see the 56th prime minister). 

Unfortunately, these atrocities are not widely discussed in Japan and are often denied (Pacific War Historical Society, n.d.). Thus, both countries are divided and have negative opinions of each other. Our past conflicts could have been used to connect the two nations by acknowledgement and using it as inspiration (perhaps interpreting it from a survivor’s point of view) for a better future. It could have been used to promote human rights and work towards peace. However, all we’ve boiled down to is accusing each other of negative things due to the failure of acknowledgement and treating this part of history as something that is “done with”. 

The "Rising Sun" flag is something deeply popularized in Japan and the west. To many in Asia, this flag represents a time of imperialism and war crimes, similar to how a Nazi flag is perceived in the west. (Shimbun, 2018).

In conclusion, I believe the quote is stating that historical things are to be interpreted, or else they may get forgotten and lose integrity. If important bits and pieces are missing, it can make history full of holes and lose integrity. Further, I believe it states the importance of acknowledging history, as otherwise, it could cause society to break down, as we can see with the toxic relationship between Korea and Japan.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Pacific War Historical Society. (n.d.). Japan's Refusal To Acknowledge its War Guilt and Atrocities. The Pacific War. Retrieved February 13, 2023, from https://www.pacificwar.org.au/JapWarCrimes/Denying_truth.html

Shimbun, S. (2018, October 4). Japan to hoist 'rising sun flag' in International Fleet Review despite South Korea's protests. JAPAN Forward. Retrieved February 15, 2023, from https://japan-forward.com/japan-to-hoist-rising-sun-flag-in-international-fleet-review-despite-south-koreas-protests/

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Moving Forward in my Field

This blog post being a blank canvas is daunting - but I knew immediately I wanted to write about the thing on my mind the most these days, which is what my plans are for the future.

Throughout my time in my program I have often thought about what I will be doing after I complete my bachelor's degree. I'm in a bachelor of science in environmental science, with my major being in ecology. It is hard to think about my path following my degree as my parents are quite adamant they would like me to pursue a masters degree. While a masters degree is a great path to take - it is quite the undertaking, and even though I am already in my fourth year, I am still unsure its for me.

I've been looking for work/volunteer opportunities in my field very often since the end of my first year, and very little of it has worked out, unfortunately. I am only now working towards my full drivers license, which has limited my job opportunities significantly when searching on Experience Guelph in the past. I did work one co-op work term at the beginning of my third year however, and it was a great experience. My parents were kind enough to assist me with travelling when necessary, although I was mainly remote. Since then I have continued my search hoping for more experience as I know it would be very beneficial.

I do think a masters degree is a great option, and might be the most comfortable since I would still be a student, which is all I have known for as long as I can remember - job searching and ending school seems much scarier at this point in my life. I have made friends at my current job and through school, so this change would alter much more than just my status as a student.

I am optimistic for the future, I believe no matter which path I choose I will figure out how to enjoy and better myself. I suppose I just need to accept these upcoming changes and keep my head up as I search for my next opportunity.

On a less serious note, look how cool this picture I took in my botany lab is;

We were looking at the different tissues in plants and we did a cross section of celery. This is a close-up of a vascular bundle, the round dark circle is the xylem, and the light purple around it is the phloem. I think it's cool because it looks like a cartoon spaceship.

Anyways thanks to anyone who read through this post, It was mainly for me to unload a little stress, and I think it helped a little. I am looking forward to the future, and classes like this make me excited about school and the environmental sciences as a whole.

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Hi Thomas,

I really like your post, it honestly reminds me of myself a lot. Like you, I do not possess a full driver's licence yet and found it super limiting when job searching for Co-op. For all the Co-op work I’ve done so far, it was mostly just lab work that was easily accessible via public transport. All the fieldwork based jobs were lost opportunities, unfortunately. I am glad you are working towards a licence, it does definitely seem almost necessary in our field of work.

I also completely agree, I am also in the conundrum of whether I should do a master's degree or not. Staying a student for a few more years does definitely sound more comfortable. But as you and I both know, it’s something that won't last, so it might even be worth it to take the risk to find employment right after graduating undergrad. It is definitely a tough decision to make.

I am glad that you are optimistic for the future. I was wondering if natural interpretation is something you are interested in for the future? Our content material so far has given a decently clear idea of what one entails, so I was interested if that’s something you’d want to pursue. Seems like you have quite a bit of passion in Ecology, judging by how cool you found the celery cross-section (it is definitely super cool!).

Thanks for sharing,

Eugene Cha

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Scientific Communication and How Interpretation Can be a Bridge

After reading the contents for this week, I started to think about scientific communication. There are endless environmental crises that our generation and the world faces today. When mentioning this, most would likely think of things like climate change, biodiversity loss, and habitat loss. However, perhaps a bit lesser known crisis that we face is with scientific communication. According to Watson et al. (2014), we are seeing waning support for conservation along with decreasing governmental resources and policy failures. A major part of this issue, I believe, stems from an issue with scientific communications in which the public and governments are not well-informed (Hunter, 2016). 

The readings gave me an idea: natural interpretation could be a bridge to connect environmental scientific knowledge to the public. Throughout the course, I learnt how effective natural interpretation can provoke, enrich, and inspire all kinds of people in respect to nature. As a result, it can help people truly understand the beauty of nature and inspire many to help with the conservation/environment efforts from the challenges we face today (Beck et al., 2019). 

Just dry facts are typically not enough to interest a significant portion of the public on nature and all crises it is facing (Beck et al., 2019). In fact, this is told as something to avoid as interpreters because it can cause the audience to lose interest, since they are there for recreation, not a lecture Beck et al., 2019. Lecturing is also another thing to avoid. Rather, an ideal interpreter should help the audience absorb knowledge and enrich their natural perspectives (Beck et al., 2019). 

This is something that the area of environmental education has recently shifted to, where it went from dry facts and awareness to something that enables the public to create their own abilities to perceive environmental situations and make their own informed decisions and commitments (Wals et al., 2014). That sounds awfully a lot like interpretation. 

I think Wachira (2017), from his Ted Talk on birds, does a fantastic job showing the ability to bridge scientific knowledge to the public through interpretation. Without using fancy scientific words and encompassing all sorts of approaches (like using visual showings along with story-telling), he was able to tell the audience a story about birds in a very engaging, inspiring, and factual way. His story about nurturing a bird back to strength and the wonders birds provide to the ecosystem like with the vultures bring fascination to those that might not even be interested in birds (Wachira, 2017). He also connects the tangible birds to human intangibles, such as the feelings of freedom (Wachira, 2017). Judging from the reaction of the audience, many were deeply moved by his talk on birds. This includes me as well. 

Picture of a Magpie, my favourite bird. The unique behaviors and sounds of the magpie could make for an amazing interpretation.

In conclusion, I believe natural interpretation can be the bridge that links scientific knowledge to the public. By approaching environmental issue topics in a way that allows the public to be enriched by nature in order to come up with their own perspectives, it would allow the public to be better informed and thus increase support for tackling those environmental issues. Wachira (2017) showcases how effective this can be.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Hunter, P. (2016). The communications gap between scientists and public. EMBO Reports, 17(11), 1513–1515.

Wals, A. J., Brody, M., Dillon, J., Stevenson, R.B. (2014). Convergence between science and environmental education. Science, 344(Pages: 583-584).

Watson, J. E. M., Dudley, N., Segan, D. B., & Hockings, M. (2014). The performance and potential of protected areas. Nature, 515(7525), 67–73.

Wachira, W. (2017). For the love of birds [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/washington_wachira_for_the_love_of_birds.

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The "Art" of Interpretation

Using art to interpret nature is a powerful tool to increase engagement and enjoyment for guests (Beck et al. 2019). Art has the ability to take the beauty, wonder and awe of the natural world, and translate it into something that resonates with people at a deep level. By doing so, interpreters can bridge the gap between the natural world and the daily human experience.

The beauty of art is usually recognized by centuries of artists creating masterpieces, such as seen in Europe with its historical beauty. While Europe has a rich sense of culture and history, we Canadians have the beauty of nature as a source of inspiration and wonder (Nash, 1982). This beauty, although natural, evokes the same emotions of awe and wonder and grasps the visitor’s attention allowing for more effective learning and engagement.

Our main goal as interpreters is to make connections with our audience (Rita Cantu). We strive to be the catalyst that sparks connections between something outside of us and something within us. This is achieved through the use of visual representation, and the creation of concepts and connections that are easy to understand and relate to. Whether through music, visual art, or performance, we aim to engage our audience and evoke emotions that help to create a deeper connection between the subject and the audience.

Music is a particularly powerful tool for interpretation as it helps people remember information and increases audience engagement (Beck et al. 2019). Songs work by getting words and facts to stick in our brains, painting a picture in our imagination, and reaching our emotions. This allows the audience to make a deeper connection with the subject, whether it is nature or something else.

Another tool that can be used to help interpret nature, is improvisational games. Incorporating games into interpretation helps to give children (and adults) a sense of enjoyment, making it easier for them to engage with the subject matter (Macklin et al. 2010). This approach can be especially useful in engaging younger audiences and helping them to make connections with the natural world. While working as a Naturalist for Rondeau Provincial Park, I utilized this strategy regularly when creating children’s programs as I found it to have the most success. Kids by their nature are curious and playful, and by making learning fun, I was able to get almost all the kids (and their parents) to join in.

Interpreting nature through art is a powerful tool for making connections with the world around us. By using music, improvisational games, and visual representation, interpreters are able to engage their audience, evoking emotions and creating a deeper connection with the natural world.

A photo from a snake program I organized, using visual aids of the beauty of nature to captivate the audience.

Citations:

Beck, Larry, et al. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing, 2019. 

Macklin, E., Hvenegaard, G., & Johnson, P. (2010). Improvisational theater games for children in the park interpretation. Journal of Interpretation Research, 15(1), 7-13.

Nash, R. (1982). Wilderness and the American mind (3rd ed.). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Rita Cantu, The Arts Provide Another Dimension to Interpretation

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Hi Andrew,

I really enjoyed your post and agree with what you said. I agree, art is a very powerful tool in the hands of an interpreter. One of the most important things an interpreter can do is enrich their audiences in an engaging manner, recognizing that it is recreation and not a lecture. And as you said, this is essential to translate the beauty, wonder, and awe of the natural world into something that resonates with people. What better way is there to create awareness and positivity for the importance of nature/conservation (and the other goals as a natural interpreter) by moving and connecting people in such a manner? 

In addition, when you talk about your experience working as a Naturalist it really highlights how art can be crucial in interpretation, especially to children. It is important to enrich childrens’ view of nature as we are increasingly becoming technologically-driven and that people are the most curious as a child (Beck et al., 2019). The text also mentions that targeting children helps to get interpretation to their parents (Beck et al., 2019), which I think you achieved with your program. 

When you talk about how Canada lacks in human cultural identity but making up for it in terms of nature, I agree. As you know, I am from Korea and we have a very deep and long human cultural identity, resulting from over a thousand years as a group of people. I also think Korea has an amazingly unique and cool natural side too but definitely not as large as Canada’s. Despite these differences, I agree that they invoke a similar emotion and the sense of home and attachment, no matter where I am.

Thanks for sharing,

Eugene Cha

Korea's rich human culture that invoke emotions of belonging.

Canada's rich and awe-inspiring nature, invoking similar feelings as to Korea

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

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The Art of Interpretation

Art is something that I am unfamiliar with. When you are a science major, the most “art” one does is usually poster creation. However, I have come to realize I do have the urge to create “art”, mainly for entertainment purposes (although I possess zero arts skills). Recently, for example, I have drawn a combination of a meme and a character from a video game I play for fun and to make others in the community laugh. 

My poorly drawn interpretation of if Hilde (from Counterside) was the salad cat meme.

From such experiences and the readings, as a person that has passion from nature, art can be a great means to spread such passion and experience, especially to those that may not be as passionate. Think of it this way, for a person that is living in a grey urban world, a painting of the untouched nature may captivate and invoke many inspirations and themes. 

The overall goal of interpretation is to reach out to people and enrich their experiences while inspiring and captivating them (Beck et al., 2019). Art can do very well. It helps the person to absorb a thing rather than to learn and people absorb what they enjoy (Beck et al., 2019). In essence, as a natural interpreter, art is an important tool to achieve the goals of interpretation. 

Humanity has used the arts as a way to store culture and identity, ultimately connecting groups of people (Beck et al., 2019). As the textbook mentions, there is a Native American saying that if the “songs are not sung” and the “stories are not told”, you will end up with a dead land (Beck et al., 2019). Thus, art is a fairly universal concept and so I believe everyone has the right to interpret anything through art. 

When it comes to art, there is theatre, paintings, photos, music, story-telling, and much more. All of this can be related back to nature interpretation. For example, I thought it was genius and kind of sad in a way how the Glacier National Park, where climate change is so evident with the glaciers, used poetry. They used poetry to connect the tangibles affected by climate change (like the glaciers) to themes (intangibles) like change, loss, hope, and time which I thought was very powerful (Beck et al., 2019). 

My photo of the New Years fireworks. This photo invokes (at least for me) emotions and themes of change, coming of age, time, and family.

As interpreters, one must be able to target all sensories of the human being in order to target a diverse audience (Beck et al., 2019). The arts allows this and targeting a diverse set of audience is only a good thing, especially for conservation as it draws attention to the environmental issues of today to many people (Beck et al., 2019). 

This all ties into the idea of “the gift of beauty”, in that interpretation should leave someone with the ability and desire to experience and sense the beauty in their surroundings (Beck et al., 2019). Art helps invoke many emotions and through all senses, in a fun, intellectual, and meaningful way. Art can help people see the beauty and the values of their surroundings in a way that is uncaptured by language and eventually leading to finding fulfillment and inspiration from their surroundings (van Boeckel, 2015) (Beck et al., 2019).   

In conclusion, as a human and a student of “Natural Interpretation”, I must make use of art, respectfully, to help people better connect with nature and their surroundings (“gift of beauty”), in ways that cannot be described by words. By invoking emotions through all senses, it can bring awareness to key environmental issues to a diverse audience.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

van Boeckel, J. (2015). At the heart of art and earth: an exploration of practices in arts-based environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 21(5), 801–802. 

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Unit 3 Blog Post: The Role of Privilege in Nature Interpretation

It is difficult to define “privilege” in a handful of sentences as I think this definition is adaptive for each individual as they progress in their understanding and numerous definitions exist but, I recently adopted a definition inspired by Black & Stone (2005). They suggest that privilege is a non-universal advantage, right, or entitlement awarded to an individual without having to be earned, based on some feature that was not of their own design (2005). Privilege is something that can be used to benefit the recipient at the expense of those who do not possess it, often unknowingly (2005).

It may seem that the field of nature interpretation would be the last place privilege would influence, after all, Beck et al. (2018) describe this discipline as a morally good one which inspires hope in individuals and builds relationships in communities between people and their environment. Yet upon reevaluation, evidence of the influence privilege begins to emerge. Beck et al. (2018) asks us to consider individuals with disabilities in hearing, seeing, learning, communicating, moving, or otherwise; people living with these conditions may not have the privilege of readily engaging with media as normally presented at interpretive programming, they may struggle to walk hiking trails, they may feel ashamed if programs include competitive activities at which they are disadvantaged. Privilege may also refer to socioeconomic factors in nature interpretation (2018). Not all people can afford to participate in interpretive programs or to even attend sites, and this is disproportionately true with minorities, immigrants, and other groups that are subject to lower incomes on account of privilege dynamics in society (2018). Gender identity and religion also warrant consideration. If interpretive programs are taking place in an overnight setting, are their lodging and restroom options for all genders? Do programs allow for participants to engage in their scheduled daily prayers or eat religion-appropriate foods? 

The list of ways privilege can play a role in nature interpretation continues seemingly endlessly however, it is not exclusive to how we DESIGN interpretive programs, it also extends to opportunities in the field of nature interpretation. Gender disparities in pay and opportunity, as well as the racial demographics of nature interpreters all suggest deep inequalities in the field (Beck et al., 2018; Ivanchenko, 2017). Moreover, there is the issue of white interpreters working in countries and ecosystems that are not their own. Is it just to take these jobs in place of local citizens who may have a greater personal connection to the landscape and could provide compelling interpretive programs?

This is not a comprehensive list but, my hope is that the message is clear: nature interpretation has historically been plagued with issues of privilege, discrimination, and bias. Not only is it our duty as interpreters to address these issues for moral and social justice purposes but, as we begin to see a dramatic shift in the demographic make-up of our population, it is becoming increasingly evident that interpretive programs must reach more diverse audiences to ensure resource protection messages are reaching a broader range of future voters and decision-makers (Beck et al., 2018).

Nature interpretation is, at its core, a good cause. By critically examining the way we structure our programs, the accommodations we put in place, and the opportunities we take, we can continue this inherent goodness to progress social and environmental movements in tandem.

Though it would exceed the word limit of this post for me to discuss the ways in which my privilege has influenced my career in environmental science, I hope to share this perspective with you all in further posts to help dismantle the system of oppression surrounding our field. I ask you to do the same - how has privilege influenced your journey to get where you are today?

Literature Cited

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

Ivanchenko, A. (2017). Interpreting - a male or female profession. The Open Mic. Retrieved on January 23rd, 2023 from URL: https://theopenmic.co/conference-interpreting-male-female-profession/.

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Hi Trennon,

This post was fantastic and highlights the fact that even in something we consider morally “good”, there are aspects that could get corrupted by “unpacked” privilege. 

You mention how people with disabilities along with religion, gender, and economic aspects  all lead different lives and failure to recognize this may make these people feel shame when disadvantaged. I completely agree and also made me think of something I perhaps didn’t “unpack” enough: as someone who lived in the United Arab Emirates for 12 years, many people need to dedicate times for prayers and I also believe it is crucial to recognize this. If a program is time-sensitive and fast-paced, it fails to recognize these people’s values. Perhaps every program should at least have some time flexibility and even recognize their audience to create opportunities for prayer during the program, when necessary. 

I also really like how you bring up how privilege can play a big role in the opportunity of the natural interpretation field itself. For example, even in developed and progressive countries like Canada, women have a harder time with job opportunities and wages (OECD, 2018). We must recognize these underserved groups exist to remove such barriers. 

To briefly answer your question, privilege has definitely played a big role in my comfortable life and my access to education, including top highschools, cram schools, and being able to move abroad for University. My still healthy grandparents have lived through a war and my parents grew up in a relatively poor period. Despite this, they were able to be extremely successful and thus am reaping off their success.

OECD. (2018). How’s Life in Canada? OECD iLibrary. Retrieved January 24, 2023, from https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites/aa60ebdc-en/index.html?itemId=%2Fcontent%2Fcomponent%2Faa60ebdc-en

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The Privilege Concept

My working definition of “privilege” is something that gives an advantage in life that is both unearned and taken for granted. My parents and grandparents grew up during a time when Korea was pretty poor. My grandparents are now very successful and rich. My mom and dad worked like crazy to work for Korean air. Today, my dad is a pilot for Etihad, a renowned and respected airline. I firmly believe that they deserve all the comforts of a high middle-class lifestyle. 

Me, on the other hand, am benefiting much from their hard work. My livelihood in Canada and tuition are all paid by my family (which is an aspect of Korean culture). I’ve always lived a comfortable life and when my grandparents told me the hardship stories of my parents growing up, I was in shock. It was so different from how I grew up. I believe that is when I understood that my life right now is “privileged”. 

Dinner at a first-class seat, all owed to my dad being an Etihad staff - an example of my privilege.

Privilege is crucial in natural interpretation because interpreters are essentially the “story-tellers'' of a place, with the goal to connect the people to nature. That means that they must “unpack” their own privileges (Gallavan, n.d.) in order to communicate a “story” that is universally understood. For example, if an interpreter interprets something to parental love, it leaves out those who may have not had such experiences growing up. Essentially, the interpreter here had the “privilege” of growing up with caring parents and did not “unpack” the fact that not everyone has those experiences.

Privileges act as barriers that cause certain people to avoid interpretation, especially those that are underserved (Beck et al., 2019). There may be economic barriers. It would be privileged to think that everyone can drive to the location (Beck et al., 2019). There may be communication barriers, like languages being underrepresented, acting as barriers to people that cannot speak that language (Beck et al., 2019). Cultural barriers exist as well, where wildlife and activities like camping are valued differently for different groups (Beck et al., 2019). In addition, not having great accessibility options creates barriers for people that have disabilities (Beck et al., 2019). 

To combat such issues, interpreters can know their audience and find ways to break such mentioned barriers. By knowing the audience, it helps target the interpretation towards them and avoiding any issues with privilege (Beck et al., 2019). In essence, it removes the mentioned barriers. For instance, by providing brochures, pamphlets, and more with multiple language options, it allows the interpreter to share a similar experience to all. By having accessibility that allows people that are disabled to experience the same thing, it removes another form of barrier. An interpreter must also understand that disability is a matter of continuum rather than a separate category of people because most will be impaired some point in their lives (Beck et al., 2019). In addition, by providing transportation at a convenient time for visitors, the interpreter can avoid certain economic barriers and to target a more diverse audience. 

If natural interpreters do not unpack the privileges and don’t work around them, it will cause a bias in the types of audiences that are attracted and ultimately fail to connect the people, community and the world to nature. This applies to me and my set of privileges as well. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Gallavan, N. P. (n.d.). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks". Multicultural Education, 13(Pages: 36-36).

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Translating the Natural World: Environmental Interpretation

An ideal role of an environmental interpreter would involve educating and engaging the public about the natural world and the importance of conservation. They could lead guided hikes and nature walks, give presentations and talks, and develop educational materials such as brochures and interpretive signs. The role would also involve creating and implementing environmental education programs for schools and other groups of visitors.

The ideal environmental interpreter would be in outdoor settings, such as national parks, nature centres, and other protected areas. These settings would provide opportunities to teach visitors about the unique ecosystems and wildlife found in these areas and the importance of preserving and protecting these resources.

The skills needed for this role would include a deep understanding of the natural world, strong communication and presentation skills, and the ability to connect with people from diverse backgrounds. An environmental interpreter must have a broad understanding of ecology, geology, and other natural sciences to convey this information effectively to visitors. Complex scientific concepts must be communicated in a way that can be easily understood by a general audience. Additionally, a strong background in environmental education and experience working with children and adults would be beneficial. They should also be comfortable speaking in front of groups, leading guided hikes and nature walks, and creating educational materials.

The ideal environmental interpreter should also have a passion for conservation and a desire to inspire others to take action to protect the environment. They could work with local organizations to promote conservation efforts and encourage visitors to reduce their environmental impact. In addition, they should be comfortable working independently and as part of a team, able to work in various weather conditions, have a basic understanding of wilderness first aid, and be comfortable working with and around wildlife.

Overall, the ideal role of an environmental interpreter would be dynamic and rewarding, combining a passion for the natural world with the ability to educate and inspire others to take action to protect the environment. It would be an exciting opportunity to work in some of the most beautiful and unique places across the world while sharing that beauty with others and fostering a love and appreciation for nature.

If I could choose, I would be an environmental interpreter in the city. I know it sounds strange, but this is because I believe many individuals who live in urban areas are disconnected from nature and the world around them. While the primary focus of the job may be different than interpreting in more rural or wilderness areas, the core principles of educating and engaging the public about the natural world and the importance of conservation still apply. In an urban setting, I could focus on educating visitors about the unique ecosystems found in urban environments, such as parks and green spaces, and the importance of preserving and protecting these resources.

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Hi Anisa Mazraeh,

I agree with everything you mentioned. You’ve summarized the essential points of what makes an ideal interpreter from the texts in a very clean and concise manner. You also added additional pieces of knowledge you have about the field that can enhance being an interpreter very well too. 

When you mentioned wanting to be an environmental interpreter in the city, it also got me thinking of the same thing. I am a person raised in the cities from the core and so I completely agree that people are getting more disconnected from nature. At least when I was younger, I didn’t have access to all the technology distractions of today. I actually enjoyed going outside to experience nature and capture insects, for example. Nowadays, I do worry that people will much rather be immersed in technology than nature, which I’ve also succumbed to. This is a worry since the text highlights the importance of experiencing nature, especially for children. I also think if more and more people experience less nature, it will make it harder for conservation and climate change efforts to pass in legislation, as the public interest won’t care about them. Hence, by sparking curiosity of nature right at the homes of city people, I believe it can help greatly in reimmersing people to nature and giving them a dose of "Vitamin N", hopefully. 

Thanks for sharing your unique perspective,

Eugene Cha