Emma DiMaria

Emma DiMaria - ENVS 3000 Nature Interpretation Blog

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

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

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

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Blog #10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

Blog Prompt:

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

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It is hard to believe that our blogs have to come to an end and this interactive opportunity is over. It has been a unique experience to learn while writing blogs and reading other blogs about the same topic. This opportunity helped me to connect my beliefs to my learnings throughout the course. Even though it feels sad to write the last post, we can cherish what we learned and always recall the experience with a smile and hope to teach what we learned to other people and apply it to our lives. 

What beliefs do I bring?

I can tell you a little bit about myself and talk to you about my ethics as a nature’s interpreter. I am a fourth-year biological student, i have always loved environmental science and have tried to take as many environmental science courses as possible to expand my knowledge. I have been a 2 vegan for two yeras and have been a vegetarian for 3 years. The reason why I mention my diet is to explain my ethics.

 I believe that as nature interpreters or environmentalists, we should care for our planet and try to save it. As we read Jacob Rodenburg’s work i agree that there are so many environmental issues out there more than we can address them all, starting from habitat destruction to loss of biodiversity in melting glaciers and so on (Rodenburg, 2019). The truth is to be an environmentalist you do not have to be perfect in every aspect of your work. Being an activist for even one concern is better than nothing at all.

 I have always been in love with nature even as a kid, but my parents never knew how they could help me fulfil that desire so they would help me pick up trash wherever we went outdoors for a picnic. So I guess I started my journey of being an activist and nature interpreter at a very young age. Now that I’m older and know about all the issues out there about the environment, I have chosen to play my share by activity standing up for “Climate Change”. It is true that interpretation has no right or wrong, but I believe there are some things that do not go together. For example, you cannot be a meat eater and be an activist for climate change. This is just as relevant as you cannot be an activist for plastic pollution and not separate your garbage and recycle. 

My journey of vegetation/veganism started blindly just with my love for animals and how we have to respect every creature and not demand from the earth more than it can give. As we learn about “Nature interpretation and history” you should probably recall Edward Hyams’ quote about emphasizing how important history is in nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2019). By learning history we realize that animals have been very important parts of nature throughout history and they have lived in balance and harmony before “Industrial Livestock Farming” changed everything also Creating immense amounts of greenhouse gases (15% of global emissions) and exacerbating global warming (Glibert, 2020). My belief is that by following a plant-based diet I can put a stop to this growing and cruel industry where animals are exploited assaulted and used while they could be respected as equal parts of nature. 

I believe that nature is not just there to be enjoyed, we must listen to the music of nature and interpret what it is asking us to do (Beck et al., 2019). When trash from a casual picnic clogs a river and disturbs the flow of water, you can hear the disrupted rhythm It is up to you how to interpret that as a calling to pick up the garbage and let the river flow as it should. I cannot unsee that by the ongoing release of GHG (Greenhouse gases), temperatures have risen and the water is more acidic compared to previous years, environmentalists have discovered that underwater noises from marine life have increased and continue to rise 7dB by the end of this century (Possenti et al., 2023). Now as a nature interpreter who listens to the music of nature,i consider this difference a call for help from the marine life.

Media Credit: SanctSound

What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

Now, My responsibility and approaches consist of many potential ways I can educate people to learn about these concepts and to stimulate thinking about nature. I consider it my responsibility to stimulate my peers’s minds to interpret nature and to think of nature as a part of themselves, not a system outside to them. Nature is a brilliant builder, it creators livestock, seashells and clouds all on its own; the best thing we can do is to sustain it. I plan to educate children on how to care for nature. I also would like to dedicate an Instagram account to “Children’s plant-based diet” because It is now scientifically proven that we can get all the nutrients we need from plants and I see this as my responsibility to promote this diet to crave the way for the future humans who will look back and say ” Can you believe they farmed animals and ruined the land and oceans?”. 

Media Credit: Inna Dubrovskaya www.fotodomik.by

My approach is to encourage my peers to return to childhood observe nature and contemplate about it. It is good to spend time outdoors like when you are walking your dog and really pay attention to the life around you. My friends know that I always talk about nature so this approach is not very out of character for me to ask them once again to go for long walks on trails and observe and touch the leaves and truly understand how sacred nature is because frankly there is no single best approach to interpreting nature. As we have learned The essence of nature's spiritual concept can be communicated and portrayed through diverse forms of expression (Mallarach, 2012). 

I never imagined that I would feel sad when these blogs end but here we are. There will be no prompt to look at on Monday and think about it throughout the week. I wish you all wellness and luck with the remainder of the semester.

Resources

Rodenburg, J., (2019). Why environmental educators shouldn’t give up hope. CLEARING. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

Glibert, P. M. (2020). From hogs to HABs: impacts of industrial farming in the US on nitrogen and phosphorus and greenhouse gas pollution. Biogeochemistry, 150(2), 139-180.

Beck, Larry, Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (pp.325-343).Sagamore Publishing. 

Possenti, L., Reichart, G.-J., de Nooijer, L., Lam, F.-P., de Jong, C., Colin, M., Binnerts, B., Boot, A., & von der Heydt, A. (2023). Predicting the contribution of climate change on North Atlantic Underwater sound propagation. PeerJ, 11. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.16208 

Mallarach, J.-M. (2012). Spiritual values of protected areas of Europe: Workshop proceedings. Bundesamt für Naturschutz.

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Hey!

As always I loved reading your post, and think you did a great job incorporating what we have learned in the course to formulate your post this week! I think you were very personal within your post and it allowed us to really understand you better as a person. I think we share a lot of similar responsibilities as people within the science field. 

I really wanted to add to the point that you made about meat comsumption and production as it is something I have learned a significant amount about throughout my classes. As you stated, the production creates large amounts of greenhouse gas emissions but it really goes beyond that as well! Something that may be overlooked is the deforestation that goes along with it. Forests essentially need to be cleared in large amounts to create pastures and areas to cultivate food for the livestock. By now we all know what deforestation results in like loss of biodiversity and habitat but it also releases all stored carbon within these forests into the atmosphere. The carbon stored in these forests is significant since forests aee carbon sinks and when released contribute to our ongoing climate crisis. Another factor is increased water usage that is linked to meat production. Livestock farming uses significant amounts of water in order to yield feed and crops for the livestock and with water scarcity already being a global issue this just goes on to exacerbate the problem. The last two topics I want to bring up surrounding meat consumption and production and its influence on the world is the waste created and antibiotic use. Animal farming operations and the waste that is yielded can impact soil quality and promote increased nutrient runoff and soil degradation. With increased run-off, this then causes water pollution of bodies of water nearby and creates a vicious cycle. This is just another example of how interconnected nature is. The use of antibiotics is huge in this kind of production and the fear is that the overuse of this can breed room for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to develop. If this does occur, not only does this pose a threat to livestock health, but has a chain reaction on human health.

Multiple articles and blogs that I have read regarding meat production and consumption largely talk about the health risks which are highlighted just as much as its impact on the environment. A lot of these articles state that we have been essentially ‘brainwashed’ to believe that meat and dairy are essential to our diet. With that said, it has been proven that these foods since they are processed can be associated with health defects like diabetes, cardovascular disease and cancers all coming from the production aspect. One article I looked at states that 99% of meat production is happening from factory farms and ethical and environmental guidelines and policies are essentially being thrown out the window in order to produce higher yields to keep up with the population's demand. When policies are not put in place and followed then this becomes a huge problem for human health and the environment. Meat can pretty much be sold for consumption that is really doing your health more harm than good and as there is no way to tell what kind of cancerous elements are unintentionally being added, and then on the other hand production is forced to excelerate and increases environmental defects I stated above.

To conclude, am I saying that everyone needs to stop eating meat? No, but I do believe that we should start to limit our meat consumption for the better of the environment for sure. There are other plant-based alternatives that yield significantly less emissions when compared to meat production. It is essentially impossible to keep up with population demand as it just keeps rising and this will just continue to keep raising greenhouse gas emissions. It is almost scary to think that we have no idea what is being put into our food either intentionally or unintentionally through factories. I have linked an article I read and mentioned in this post below if you are interested in reading it!

Is eating meat bad for the environment? | FutureLearn

We take a look at how global meat production is bad for the environment. Find out why we eat meat and how it impacts the planet.

Wishing you luck in all your future classes!

Take care,

Emma

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Blog 10: Kickstarting change for the better of the environment

Prompt: Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

Throughout this course we have been encouraged to examine what kind of interpreter we are and what we represent as an interpreter. I have not only learned a lot about the different ways I subconsciously interpret nature but also the way I rely and share this information to others. In short, I definitely feel more connected to myself as someone who interprets nature and specifically what things in nature particularly interest me. I feel like this is especially important being someone who is in Environmental Science and going on to persure a career in this field. 

Being an Environmental Science student, all of my classes have looked deeply into the innerworkings of the environment from how different parts of nature function and why, to how multiple factors function to create what we know as the planet. With that said, I have also learned a lot about why conserving different aspects of the environment is important and this directly lines up with my beliefs as a person and as a nature interpreter. I think that if we as humans feel we are so ‘important’ and put our importance above the natural world to the point where we feel we can alter it however we want, then we automatically make ourselves responsible to protect and sustain it when it is faced with adversity. Sort of like a ‘you break it, you fix it’ scenario. Now, I know you’re all thinking that you’ve heard this a million times, but we are seriously running out of time and that’s something I think a lot of people don’t understand or can’t get a grasp on. I think oftentimes we forget that there are 8 billion people on earth all operating in the same manner and at the same time we are, and that many people have a significant influence on the earth. When we pursue and support conservation efforts, not only does it acknowledge the intrinsic value of other species, but also the intrinsic connection between us and our natural world. We can’t seem to get a grasp on the idea that the world’s resources are finite, so I believe looking towards conservation efforts is a first great step in the start of working with the environment rather than against it. I wanted to brush up on this blog I read regarding social science and its role in conservation that I largely agree with and I think kind of goes hand in hand with the point I’m trying to get across. The blog talks about this book called “Conservation Social Science: Understanding People, Conserving Biodiversity” and how human behaviour is a crucial part of conservation practices and solutions and is mostly ignored. They go on to explain that conservation is about changing the way that we as humans interact with the environment in our everyday lives, therefore we have to also look at aspects such as human’s relationship with the environment. Just because there is scientific evidence that there is a need to protect the earth doesn’t mean everyone understands it or believes it, that just the kind of world we live in. This blog also touches on how significant amounts of money is being put into conservation efforts but sometimes don’t succeed for the simple reason that they do not take into consideration how societies interact and influence the environment. I believe that this is definitely a huge factor but just as much as conservationists need to ultizate social sciences, society needs to be more self aware in terms of their relationships with the environment and why it is so crucial to understand the world around you as there is way more than what meets the eye. I’ve linked the short blog post below if anyone is interested!

Why understanding people is key to protecting nature

Humans have altered the planet so dramatically that scientists say we may have entered a new geologic epoch — the Anthropocene. And yet huma

Although there is always room to expand my environmental science knowledge, I think as someone who understands and studies the environment as well as works within the field, it is my responsibility to be the voice for nature. It is my responsibility to do my best to spread my knowledge to others in hopes to make society more aware and it is also my responsibility to keep learning about the environment as time goes on. Being a voice for nature can show others a recognition of interconnectedness between us and the environment that they may have never understood or have simply overlooked. I feel although reading books or articles about this topic is extremely important, learning through others can make learning these things a lot more fun. I’ve found that when I learn through other people I tend to remember things better and actually engage in the topic of conservation by asking questions and bouncing off knowledge. It is my responsibility to not relay information by talking at people, but talking WITH people. There is a huge difference. When you make learning interesting and are passionate about what you are presenting, it entices people to listen and hopefully continue to strengthen their knowledge.  Not only is it important for me to be an advocate but also ensure that I am also making environmentally conscious choices within my everyday life and working towards a greener way of life. If I’m going to preach that way of life to others then I need to be a prime example myself! Having learned everything I have in my studies thus far, I feel a sense of responsibility to create change and do something memorable. Whether that be discovering new research or designing something that contributes to protecting our planet. 

I think the approaches that are most suitable for me as an individual are getting involved or working with companies that express the same values as me, giving me the opportunity to put my mindset into action. I am striving to pursue a job with large companies working in environmental restoration and protection. I feel this would give me a great opportunity to take what I’ve learned and apply it in a real world scenario, different perspectives and voices are always needed in this kind of field. In my first year of university (approximately 4 years ago) I worked with Trent University students in releasing turtle hatchlings back into a wetland within the city of Guelph and since experiencing that, I knew that was something I wanted to keep on doing. I think in doing this kind of work not only am I putting my beliefs into action but I hope to also enspire others to want to do the same, especially younger generations. I think it is extremely important to expose these generations to scenarios such as this so that they can be consciously aware of their actions and also enspire them to potentially take a science route in their future studies. Scenarios like this can completely change what people think they know about nature and also help the younger generations get a head start on a greener way of life and influence them in an environmentally cautious way. Creating first hand experiences to others can potentially change someone’s route of life like it did mine! It can help people see what they are interested in and work towards pursuing that. There can never be too many scientists in this kind of field, more is potentially one step closer to saving our earth. With all that said, I will leave you all with this short video and remember it is never too late to do the right thing and if you put your mind to it, you are capable of great things.

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Blog post 9

"Interpret (through this blog) the most amazing thing you know about nature – get us excited. This is your blog – you audience isn’t out in the field with you so bring the field to your armchair reader."

The first thing that came to my mind was the adaptability of fishes (specifically freshwater fish such as goldfish, in particular) but I already explained/rambled about that in a previous blog so I will talk about something else I guess. *sigh* 

I don't know about you, but whenever I'm in a bad or low mood, going for a walk outside always seems to help. Something about seeing critters going about their daily lives - like a squirrel curiously scavenging around, or a chubby turtle dove perched on a branch - brings me joy. Sometimes I like to think they're a sign from my loved ones who have passed. What amazes me about nature is the positive effect it has on humans, both physically and chemically in the body and mind. We're actually chemically hardwired to reap benefits from looking at greenery and nature scenes! Many different studies have shown that spending time out in nature (e.g., taking a walk in a forest) has not only positive mental health benefits such as improved mood, but physical benefits such as reduced blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels as well! Nature apparently also has the ability to soothe/distract us from pain and help us concentrate on tasks better! I've attached some of my favourite nature photos from my last camping trip for your own personal stress relief!

Hope this blog helped you feel more zen, and happy sunday :-) Thanks for reading, have a good week!

Source: https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing#:~:text=Exposure%20to%20nature%20not%20only,health%20researchers%20Stamatakis%20and%20Mitchell.

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Hey Lauren!

I loved the pictures you share in your post, they are stunning to say the least! You definitely have a great eye for capturing nature through photography.

I really liked the concept behind your post about how being in nature has an effect on us as humans both physically and chemically. I have read numerous articles about how nature affects our mind and body chemically and I just wanted to share some of the facts presented to kind of add on to your post! Being in nature has been proven to release endorphins, this is what is known as the “feel-good” hormone in our body and is released by the pituitary gland and hypothalamus within the brain. This is a natural hormone we produce which has the ability to lower stress or make us feel good. As these hormones increase, it lowers cortisol levels which is the hormone associated with increased stress. Another huge factor is an increase in serotonin production which affects your mood which is why sometimes people can experience things like season depression because as we spend less time outdoors when the seasons change and get colder and as the days get shorter resulting in decreased sunlight we can experience a decrease in serotonin. I think the most interesting fact I have learned about nature in relation to its chemical effects on humans is the anti-imflammatory effects. I came across this in a short blog I found on the internet once which I will link below for you. It basically talks about how plants and trees release what is called Phytoncide compounds and simply sitting in nature and inhaling them can reduce levels of inflammation within our body and can not only overall help our physical body but also our mental health. They call this forest bathing and refer to Phytoncides as the “medicine of the forest.”

Here is the link to the blog I found: https://forestbathingcentral.com/phytoncides/#:~:text=Benefits%20of%20Phytoncides&text=Immune%20response%3A%20a%202%2Dhour,and%20lowers%20nervous%20system%20activity

I also wanted to share another article I've read about the benefits of nature on our physical and chemical body. It is quite a long read but definitely worth it! It breaks down all our senses in relation to experiencing nature and what it has to offer. It also goes into detail about things such as cardiovascular health, gut health, noise pollution, and so much more all pertaining to our health.

A Review of the Benefits of Nature Experiences: More Than Meets the Eye

Evidence that experiences of nature can benefit people has accumulated rapidly. Yet perhaps because of the domination of the visual sense in

Great post!

Emma

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Blog Post #9: Let's Talk about Frogs!

Blog Prompt: Interpret (through this blog) the most amazing thing you know about nature – get us excited. This is your blog – your audience isn’t out in the field with you so bring the field to your armchair reader.

Since this week's post encourages us to share and extend our nature and environmental knowledge I wanted to share with you guys all the super Interesting things I’ve learned through my job the past two years! For the past two summers I have had the amazing opportunity to work at a conservation area close to my hometown, Heartland Forest. This protected area works to help conserve some of Ontario’s endangered, threatened and special concern species like the painted turtle, the snapping turtle, little brown bats, monarch butterflies, and grey ratsnake to name only a few. Within this company we work to spread environmental knowledge to visitors but also to children through nature school workshops and camps as younger generations are our future! We encourage and pass on knowledge of all kinds of species within Ontario but also species around the world and through the people I have worked alongside I have learned a lot about different behaviours and innerworkings of different species lifestyles. I feel like the best tool for learning in general is learning from one another and sharing experiences and passed down knowledge. 

With that said, I have had the opportunity to learn and work with tons of different amphibian species from snakes, salamanders, frogs and turtles. Within this conservation area, there are multiple species of frogs that call this place home from something like the Wood Frog to the Western Chorus Frog all contributing different processes in our ecosystems. Specifically during my time I learned a lot about a species of frog that I didn’t know was common in Ontario which is the Spring Peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) and its lifestyle and behaviours. This species is known for their peeping call which is where they get their name from and this call usually signals the coming of spring in woodlands and wetland much like Heartland Forest. This frog is one of the loudest frog species and their mating calls are repeated around 20 times a minute and reach 90 decibels. To put that into perspective for you, they are about as loud as a motorcycle. They also have a distinctive ‘X’ pattern on their back that makes them unique and distinguishable. The Spring Peeper goes through a process which is known as “freeze tolerance” where when the temperatures drop they have what is called a natural antifreeze within their genome allowing them to withstand winter temperatures. During summer little baby Spring Peepers could be seen hopping around our forest trails. They are so tiny that they look like little specks of dirt moving. Below I have provided a picture from google for reference. 

While on the topic of frogs I also learned about the Reticulated Glass Frog through our nature school that we provide for children. Within these ‘lessons’ we teach the children things about predation, conservation, lifestyles, etc, of all kinds of species and through my coworker I specifically learned about the Reticulated Glass Frogs and how they get their name from their translucent appearance. Another thing I learned is that they are especially threatened by habitat loss since they cling to the undersides of leaves and lay eggs there and they choose leaves that usually hang above a source of water. Another thing about their lifestyle is that their natural predators are wasps which I found quite interesting considering even though these frogs are tiny they are still much larger than the wasp. I learned that the eggs of this frog species are what is mostly vulnerable to the wasp as they search for and feed on the not yet developed larvae. What’s interesting though is that the larvae can sense the danger and more developed eggs can break free and fall into the water below to save themselves. Below I have attached a video to physically show the frog and wasp interaction play out and I highly recommend giving it a watch!

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Blog #7 Nature Interpretation through Music

Blog Prompt:

Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music? What song takes you immediately back to a natural landscape? 

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Music is everywhere in nature. The sounds of Crickets, Wildlife calls in the middle of the night, the sounds of rain etc. it’s a never-ending list. As I was studying this week’s content i came across Tilden’s third principle of interpretation, which goes:” Interpretation is an art, which combines many arts…” This quote prompted me to think the idea that it is up to us to interpret whatever is in front of us, and it truly is an art to dive deeply into these interpretations and uncover connections. 

There is no box that can describe music. Music essentially, is a sound that nourishes the soul. when a stream of water meets the edge of a stone, it creates a rhythm with drops falling one after another. The flow of tides is a rhythm that has been blessing earth’s ears since the dawn of time. 

Through my research about this topic i came across a term called “Biomusic”. As you might assume, Biomusic is simply the music that is created by nature. these sounds can be as simple as a waterfall or more complicated like “Plant Waves” a technology that transforms plant biorhythms into music. Below i have attached a link to a video of the Music that mushrooms can make. 

If you have spent a night in the woods camping, you have definitely experienced and know that there is always natural music playing;  Sometimes near dawn sorrows sing along with the crickets and all of a sudden the wind blows and leaves start to rustle and fill the experince with a beautiful background ambient sound. 

if you ask me where is nature in music? I would ask you if you have ever heard the music of indigenous people. According to Ethnomusicology, indigenous people employ music as a way to show their appreciation of wildlife and the environment. Music did not develop overnight and musical instruments are some of the most fascinating things to look at when we are looking for signs from nature. The oldest musical instrument found has been made out of a bird’s skeleton and is about 70,000 years old. Nowadays, we still depend on nature to create instruments such as xylophones and drums. The idea of creating flutes has been influenced by the. sound of birds. As a result, nature is to be found everywhere in music both as an influence and physically.

I agree with this week’s content about the fact that we have learnt that music is either entertainment t or educational and this was an opportunity for me to take a look more deeply and combine these two. It depends on our perspective as to what to interpret.

The song “Whale” By Iday takes me back to this scenery where i see a vast ocean in winter, I can imagine myself looking at the ocean from a cabin and hearing all the wildlife calls. It takes me back to winter because despite the fact that the land is hibernating, the life inside the ocean is lively and the whales are singing.

This song does not have any lyrics and is a Biomusic that has used the sound of whales to create a masterpiece that human lyrics could never.

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Hey, I loved reading your post this week! Your post definitely highlights a lot of the material learned this week by describing the intrinsic connection between music and nature! I think you did a great job explaining thay nature itself is simply a wellspring of musical inspiration. I think the quote you used fromTilden’s principle perfectly describes how interpreting the world incorporates many different art forms and it is up to us to interpret what is before us to form deeper connections with nature. In my post I also highlighted the fact that when we interpret nature we do it in different forms without even recognizing it and if we start to pay attention to the world around us in these forms we can definitely start to feel more connected to our natural world. What really caught my attention was the example you provided of the mushroom “Biomusic” that I think most people have limited knowledge about. Personally, I knew about the natural musicial sounds produced by mushrooms but I didn’t know the exact term for it. Now I do! I think this example really shows that there is music within nature without us even noticing it, it’s not like a bird chirping or a water flowing, it’s there yet we can't physically hear it which is SO cool. We also both made connections between music and culture as we both described Indigenous Peoples using ethnomusicology to express the environment around them. I think overall your post encourages readers to listen more deeply and appreciate the different symphonies of nature existing all at once. 

Another great post, keep up the good work!

Emma

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Blog Post #7: Music and Nature: One in the same.

Prompt: Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

As a follow-up (focus on the above two before you takle this one), what song takes you     immediately back to a natural landscape? What is the context? Share it with us - I would imagine many of these ideas may have similar underpinnings of a campfire, roadtrip, backpacking journey, etc!

Music and nature are two things that I think people wouldn’t see as being related to one another. I feel as though nature is always around us, figuratively and literally, without us even realizing until we really pay attention and look at it from different perspectives. Music within nature is present in our everyday lives and we have just become blinded to it. One of the most prominent examples of this is the melodies of all kinds of different bird species from the songbird to the woodpecker. Each bird has a specific and unique call and when they start to overlap one another their melodies are crucial to our landscape. Birds are just one example of the simplicity of music in nature but there are so many more like, the wind blowing through the leaves in the trees, or a crackling of a campfire, or water flowing in a creek or a stream or a waterfall. The flowing of water is such a powerful sound in nature and can be heard echoing through the land but can also provide a calming symphonic sound to sit and listen to. One of my favourite sounds is waves lapping on a beach while the sunsets. These waves carry sounds from deep in the ocean to the shore where they can be heard. Nature’s music in other words. Music in nature reminds us of the interconnectedness of all different processes of nature from the liveliness of species in coexistence in a rainforest to the quiet howling of the wind on the mountain tops. 

When thinking about nature in music, this scenario is sometimes harder to identify. Only recently have I learned that composers like Vivaldi have used music to paint musical landscapes in “The Four Seasons.” This musical creation works to capture the feelings and paint a picture to reflect the changing of seasons from spring to winter. Another example is in tribal music where they use or mimic animal sounds within the music which most times paint a picture of the environment around these artists. I also think that folk music works to capture an earthy acoustic sound which can connect both music and nature. Different songs don't only provoke feelings in someone but can also remind us of different places on earth that we have physically been to or explored. Once the connection between the music and place in nature is made, it is hard to dissociate these two; you will always think of that place when you hear that song. This can be something as simple as a song that played on the radio in the car on the way somewhere, or simply a landscape you associate the melody with. With that said, there are many different songs that I associate with different places in nature. One prominent example I can share is every summer my friends and I roadtrip to my cottage in Northern Ontario and we have a specific playlist we play the entire time we are there. It literally plays on repeat for weeks straight (and somehow we never get tired of it). Some of these songs include Long Hot Summer by Keith Urban, Pontoon and Summer Fever both by Little Big Town, Wagon Wheel by Darius Rucker, Six-Pack Summer by Phil Vassar, Springsteen by Eric Church, Starting Over by Christ Stapleton and SO many more. Those songs aren’t even close to half of the playlist. These songs make me think of sitting by the lake watching the sun go down or spending the day on the boat exploring new spots on the lake. It also makes me think of the roadtrip there itself. It’s 6 hours from where I live and as the hours pass I start to realize how the landscapes change as we get closer and closer to our destination. More trees and less buildings, more wetlands and open fields, more rocky landscapes on the side of the roads, more bodies of water and so much more. I think that if we really take the time we will realize that nature is always around us, yes physically, but also in forms that we sometimes overlook. Below are the landscapes I'm referring to!

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Blog #6:Nature Interpretation through History

Unpack this quote.

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"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 from Edward Hyams is very simple. Although Edaward’s taste in writing has articulated it perfectly. This quote explains to us that just because something is old it does not make it valuable undoubtedly. Value is in something that owns “Integrity”. What does integrity mean? Integrity means the state of being undivided and unified. Integrity is required for different elements to work harmoniously and to function. Now, the elements that create our whole existence are spread out throughout time. In order for us to preserve the integration between present and future, we need to study the past to not only be able to use our knowledge now but also use it for predictions in the future. 

Edward uses a metaphor to make this quote more understandable and help us picture the importance of studying history. If you think that the past is done and should be forgotten; it is like thinking that a railway station was there only when you were there and it’s like perceiving the railway as non-existent just because you are not there anymore. The railway and the station are part of a purposeful history apart from the time you got the privilege to pass through it.

This quote emphasizes the significance of studying history because we can learn from it and use this ancient knowledge to apply it to environmental matters. 

You might think how can we apply our studies from the past to nature? We can use this knowledge in predictions, analyzing long-term environmental data, learning about natural disasters, reevaluating urbanization etc. There is so much more that i can think of and I'm sure you can. Don't forget to reblog your ideas for me to see what are your other examples.

As we saw in this week’s lesson, there was a video of a chief historian who works on national parks and analyzes the impact the Civil War had on the park and where and how some of the battles took place. This historian is another example that shows us that even though the Civil War took place many yeras ago, there's still a benefit in learning about its relation to nature. On the other hand, The war resulted in significant land use which drastically affected the ecosystem. The destruction that was followed by the war led to more appreciation from the people for nature. Peale decided to preserve the green areas and expand them to save the ecosystem. I looked up some of the post-Civil War national parks and “Yellowstone National Park” in the United States is one of the first national parks that was lawfully preserved in appreciation of nature. This is a perfect example where the community learned a lesson from the past and tried to alter their future. National Parks are not man-made but they are parts of nature that are designated to be saved and enjoyed by humans in order to be looked after and taken care of.

In this blog, I have tried to write considerately to not only write what my viewers want to read but also share my wisdom through my words (Beck & Cable, 2018).

Here is an old picture from Johnstone Hall in Guelph from 1960 for you to take a fun little moment to compare the building and the ecosystem with what you see today in 2023.

[edenvs3000f23]

Hey! Great post, I feel like you offered some really good insight into understanding the deeper meaning of the quote given for this week’s prompt! The way you interpreted this quote is super similar to how I did as well which I think is awesome (great minds think alike). We both largely emphasized that the idea of putting value on something lies within integrity and in order to savour this integrity we must understand its history and study the past. We also make the same point that by understanding history and bringing past knowledge into the present day we can also make predictions about our future for environmental matters. Both our interpretations of the railway are also crazy similar highlighting that history is purposeful and ongoing beyond our individual experiences.

I loved how you used this week's lessons and were able to relate it to something in the modern day. Not only did I enjoy reading this but I think this really helps understand why history is so important when looking at it from a conservation perspective. You made the point that Yellowstone National Park was the first nation park established due to humans identifying and learning from their environmental mistakes. I feel like there is a huge takeaway here and this is something that needs to be reconginzed more often. We as a society understand our impacts on the environment whether it’s strictly surface level understanding to looking at it through a science lens. With that said, communities and people of power continuously turn a blind eye (out of sight out of mind kind of thing) when we really need to create serious change! Protected areas are a perfect example of small ways we can start to work towards a better future as you said, and if we make a change now it will certainly alter future circumstances for the better. Much like history has an impact on where we are in the present day, our changes now can create this kind of ‘history’ and ultimately work towards a better future that we can look back on and say that this was something that helped the environment rather than competed with it. I feel like there needs to be more of that.

Again I am super excited we have such similar thoughts. Although our insights are so similar you still offered additional information that helped further my understanding AND I learned something new through your post! Can’t wait to read more of your posts in future weeks!

Emma

[edenvs3000f23]

Blog Post #6: Nature's relation to history

Prompt: "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." 

Initially when reading this quote it was honestly a lot to take in and interpret but I think at the core of this quote it works to capture the value of history such as past human lives, ancient things, and memory. It’s quite interesting because it challenges the idea of giving things intrinsic worth and why. It suggests that antiquity or just because things are ‘old’ or ‘from the past’ doesn’t mean that it deserves value. Instead the real value lies within the fragments of knowledge and experiences that something from the past represents that can then be carried on throughout the human experience. The quote basically suggests that maintaining integrity means having knowledge and memory of the past and the interconnectedness of time and human experiences. It brings light to the broader idea that our present cannot be separated from our past, in other words things in the present couldn’t exist without the past. If we are to disregard things from the past in the modern day then we are disregarding integrity from the human experience to put it short. 

I kind of wanted to take a minute to dissect the railway station analogy within the quote because I think it emphasizes an interesting point! To me, the quote is saying that when a train is travelling through the station it is a short moment in time BUT the station itself has been there before the trains arrival and then will continue to exist after the train leaves. This is metaphorical to history or ancient artifacts, they existed long before we did and then will persist past our lifetime. This can also be applied to things that have happened in our lifetime that will then be carried on, for example the covid epidemic. This is an instance where we experienced something happen in real time that we carry first hand knowledge and memory of and will be talked about as a historical point in time past our lifetime! I think it’s kind of interesting to think of it that way because we can learn about history that happened way before our time and not really entirely grasp the significance of it since we did not experience it. This scenario gives us an idea of how important these times or things in history are and how they shape the way the world works or responds at the time!

In a rapidly changing world there is a constant tendency to favour or focus on the present and the future kind of leaving the past behind us. Although in some scenarios, especially social ones, focusing on the past is something that is usually deemed as a bad thing but I think when relating it to things in nature and our environment it is super beneficial. Understanding history on the environment not only allows us to understand the innerworkings of it but it also can allow us to make predictions about the future (and in a world experiencing extreme climate, this is CRUCIAL!!). When looking at it through a nature interpretation lens, this quote can remind us that integrity of nature exists without the coexistence of species, sustainable use of resources or like preservation of the natural world. Our actions upon the natural world whether it be from the past or the present essentially affect and shape the web of life and to keep its integrity we have to keep in mind past knowledge of these ecological systems and environmental challenges. I think the quote provided once looked at in the deeper perspective can relate to different scenarios within our existence. Having something so universal allows for us as humans to see different scenarios from different perspectives and give us insight as to why things like history are so important and not something we should brush off.

[asenvs3000f2023]

Blog Post 5:  How the Transition from Summer to Fall Affects One’s Mood

No prompt this week

Hi everyone! Since there is no prompt this week I’ve decided to write about the often overlooked, but very real phenomenon of weather affecting one’s mood, particularly the shift from summer into fall. Summer is my favorite season not only because of the warm weather, but the busy days spent working outside and late nights out with friends. I personally find the transition from summer into fall quite difficult as it often results in falling into an unintentional hermit mode. 

Summer, with its long, sun-soaked days and vibrant energy, often fills us with a sense of adventure and freedom. The clear skies and the lush greenery inspire me to explore the great outdoors, whether it's hiking in the mountains or lounging on the beach. The cheerful warmth of the sun, the carefree mindset accompanied with school ending for the year, and the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers create a tapestry of positive emotions. I feel alive and vibrant, recharging my spirit. I also feel that my social life blossoms in the summer and simmers down as the school year starts. 

However, as the summer sun begins to mellow, giving way to cooler temperatures and shorter days, our moods can subtly shift. The anticipation of fall evokes a unique sense of nostalgia and reflection. The trees shed their leaves, creating a colorful carpet of reds, oranges, and yellows. It's as if nature itself is painting a masterpiece to mirror the complexities of our emotions. The once-playful atmosphere of summer gradually evolves into a sense of serenity.

I've realized that this serenity allows me to feel all the emotions that I pushed to the side over the span of my busy summer. I find myself subconsciously falling into a hermit mode during the fall season. My hermit period encompasses withdrawing myself from several relationships, people, and hobbies. This period allows me to re-evaluate where I’m at in my life and if each relationship, person, and hobby is serving me and my highest good. I only realize I’ve distanced myself from my relationships once my friends start asking about Halloween plans and appreciate how much I missed their presence. I believe this period that reoccurs every fall season is largely due to the change in weather and the physical and emotional shedding that is associated with fall. I often relate this time of year to a melancholic or gloomy tone, however, I have grown to appreciate the emergence of these emotions that have been suppressed the rest of year. I believe this time of year is the most formative and important to me as I find myself advancing the most in personal growth at this time. 

In conclusion, the changing seasons, particularly the transition from summer to fall, play a significant role in shaping our mood and emotions. While the shift from vibrant, energetic summer to the serene, reflective aura of autumn may initially bring about a sense of melancholy, it ultimately allows us to embrace change, tradition, and the beauty of life's impermanence. As we adjust to the ebb and flow of nature's rhythms, we find solace and growth in the ever-turning wheel of the seasons.

[edenvs3000f23]

Hey! I loved reading your post, I think everything you said was worded so beautifully and you really captured emotions within your writing. You are a great writer! Your post was especially interesting to me because I feel like I can relate to you in many different ways within what you said. Myself as well as other people around me often bring up the point how transitioning to a different season can bring up different feelings for different people but oftentimes these feelings have a common denominator. I have definitely been guilty of feeling this way when transitioning into the colder seasons. The days get shorter meaning it gets dark at 4pm and I feel like there is no time in the day to do anything (which really isn’t the case). I feel like I move in slow motion in these months just sitting around waiting for it to be summer again. Don’t get me wrong, fall is great, it’s one of my favourite seasons, but I don’t nearly feel as ‘alive’ as I do in the summer season. I’ve always been interested in the science behind this, if it’s unique to certain people, if other people feel it more than others, if it’s a chemical imbalance, I could go on forever. I think it’s really easy for me to push people away when I get into a funk like that, and I feel like others can relate. Although I never mean it, it’s like it’s my default reaction. As soon as my mood is thrown off, everything else just doesn’t seem right. Another thing I noticed which I feel is largely related to why I feel this way is reduced outdoor activity, especially in the winter months. I find myself feeling isolated and somewhat lethargic as I spend more time indoors limiting social interaction and physical activity. On the other hand, I do get excited for pumpkin patches, halloween, skating rinks and christmas but I feel like in a time where everything is supposed to be ‘merry’ I never find myself feeling that way.

[edenvs3000f23]

Blog Post 5: Interpreting British Columbia through art and science!

Since there is no specific prompt for this week but we have recently learned about interpreting nature through art and science, I figured I would write about the current journey I am on in British Columbia and how I am using these lenses to interpret what it has to offer. As someone who has also been interested in the environment and travelling long before my environmental studies at Guelph, I always dreamed of going to places far away where it never gets cold, essentially getting out of Canada and seeing the rest of the world. Although that is something I have done and still want to do, I realized that there is so much that this side of the world has to offer in terms of nature that I definitely overlooked up until recently. Last year during this time I was also in British Columbia because my older cousin (who is my best friend in the whole world) moved out here for her masters program in Ecological Restoration and she begged me over and over to come visit her. Although I had always heard great things about BC I never was super interested in seeing it…until I finally did. This was life changing. My last visit to BC was short lived (5 days to be exact) but in that time I saw this continent in a completely different light. Since my trip last October I have BEEN longing to come back and that leads us to right now; I’m back and it's never felt so good.

The art side of British Columbia

Since I got here I have spent as much time as I can exploring different parts of this province and cramming my days full of sightseeing, and you already know I have taken endless pictures. Photographing landscapes like these go hand in hand with interpreting nature through art just as we talked about last week! Below are just some of the many pictures I have taken!

Photographing these sceneries and landscapes has allowed me to interpret nature through an art lens within Canada completely different from what I am used to in Ontario. I think the change in scenery has not only been exciting to interpret but it gives me a sense of adventure as experiencing things for the first time is the most exciting thing ever in my opinion! Much like I described in my Blog Post 4, taking pictures of landscapes are so important as they capture a moment in time and then down the road and years from now we are able to see how it can change both naturally and anthropogenically. I also wanted to share a piece of physical art I photographed that I feel really incorporates art and the natural world. This piece of art in particular really gave me a sense of how nature and art are so tightly interlinked. When describing nature through art, it can give us a sense of emotion which is exactly what I feel like this piece does!

British Columbia under a science lens

In my past studies, I have learned about surveying and studying species richness and diversity of mussels in situ using rocky intertidal zones. Intertidal zones refer to an area (usually a shoreline) that gets covered and uncovered by water which most of us know as high tide and low tide! With that said, I’ve had the chance to go tide-pooling here in BC! On the west coast there are 4 intertidal zones, 2 low tides and 2 high tides. When I went at low tide I saw the mussel communities stuck to the side of large rocks that would be used to survey and study these species. There were thousands of them on each rock all tightly packed together. I feel as though experiencing this and seeing it first hand after I had only had the opportunity to read about it was definitely eye opening and was cool to be able to relate my studies to something happening in real time! Below I’ve included a picture of what this scenario looked like.

Another thing I noticed while tide-pooling was the amount of starfish that could be seen near the shore in the shallow water. At first I thought there must be so many in this area because it’s so rocky and that is where starfish like to attach to hide and hunt prey. But then, I realized it because this is also where the barnacle population flourished and let me tell you, there were a TON of barnacles. There wasn’t one rock on the shore that didn’t have populations of barnacles growing on it. One of the things starfish are good for is keeping the barnacle population in check which is why it made sense as to why I was fortunate to see so many! In the picture I posted above you can also see that not only are mussels stuck to the rock but barnacles too. Another important factor of starfish through a science lens is that they also maintain the sea urchin population as starfish are their natural predators. This is important in swallow areas like where I was and where people tend to swim and step in the water. Without the starfish population, the sea urchin population would continue to spiral out of control.

So far, this adventure has allowed me to expand my horizons in the science world and see features and creatures that are often talked about within my degree. I am so excited to continue to explore the islands and coasts of BC and continue to learn more about everything I never noticed or knew about in the country I live in.

[aehenvs3000f23]

Blog 4

I can think of many words to describe myself but “artistic” has never been one of them. I think this stems from the fact that my sister was the polar opposite, if anyone asked me one word to describe her it would have always been “artistic”. My sister was (and still is) big into drawing, painting, polymer clay and so on. She was so talented, and I was so un-talented, that it made it very clear to me that art just wasn’t my thing.

As I read through this unit, it mentioned art being as simple as the photos you take on your phone, which made me start to think, maybe I am artistic. Although creating art on a canvas isn’t my strong suit, I am someone who loves to take photos, especially in nature. So who am I to interpret nature through art? I would say that I am a photographer. Photographing nature is my favourite way to interpret it in an artistic manner. I often find myself pausing to snap a picture of the pretty flower I saw on my walk, the beautiful sunset on my way out the door, or the leaves changing colours on my way to school. These are all things that I would have never considered artistic until now.

The principle behind “the gift of beauty” believes that interpretation should allow and encourage people to sense the beauty in their surroundings, with the hopes that they will be more enticed to take part in conservation efforts. As someone who definitely appreciates the beauty in my surroundings, I can say that this level of appreciation is likely part of the reason that I am so inclined to take care of nature. I can see the beauty that nature has to offer, which inspires me to make an effort to keep it that way.

Overall, this unit has made me gain an appreciation for my artistic side and I will definitely remember that the next time I pause to snap a picture of nature. There are so many different forms of art, it just takes time to realize which one is for you

I have attached some of my favourite pictures that I have taken in my time outdoors:)

[edenvs3000f23]

Hey Ashley!

After reading your reply to my blog post for this week and how similar we interpret nature through art I figure I HAD to check out your post for myself! I think it’s so great that we both connect with nature through the form of photography. I feel like most times there is nothing more comforting and exciting than someone that can relate to you and shares the same passion. As a side note the pictures you uploaded at the end of your post here are stunning to say the least, you have a great eye for art and contrary to what you stated at the beginning of your post I think you are a great artist! 

Photopgraphing nature as a form of nature interpretation can be so crucial and we don’t even realize it. To us, it may be something as simple as taking 10 seconds to take a picture of a landscape but when we look at the deeper meaning it serves as a visual record of changing landscapes. Actions like this can assist in the process of documenting impacts of things like climate change or land alterations to our natural world. I also think that taking photographs of nature allows people to have a greater appreciation for nature. When someone sees a photo taken that really captures the beauty of nature it can cause people to feel some sort of emotions towards it which can motivate people to have the ambition to protect and preserve it. Nature photography is a vital tool that does a great job promoting environmental consciousness and stewardship.

Great post! Looking forward to reading more from you in the future and I hope you will share more of your photography with us!

[edenvs3000f23]

Blog Post 4

Prompt: Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”?

The relationship that exists between humans and nature has always been subject to art, historically and in modern times. People from all over have been able to perfectly capture the beauty nature has to offer through so many different art forms. This can be through art forms likelandscape paintings, nature journaling/books, wildlife photography done by professional artists but sometimes we take part in interpreting nature through art without even noticing. Personally, I am a big fan of the sunset, and at the end of the day all I ever want to do is watch the sunset like it’s the last thing I’ll ever see. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t take a picture of the sunset whenever I see it. I have always had a simple appreciation for art and I feel like a lot of people in this course can relate! When you’re out and you see a pretty scenery what do you do? Take a picture right? I mean at least that’s what I do, even though most times the picture doesn’t do it justice I think it’s so cool that you can freeze a moment in time and have it forever. Over the years I have appreciated nature through art so much that I thought that’s what I would pursue as a degree. That was until I realized that understanding nature and the environment is an art in itself. Knowing and understanding the intricate connectedness pertaining to how the world functions can be so neat when understanding it on a deeper level. 

Different artists have always played a unique role in how I interpret nature and the way the world existed before I existed. Through their art, I have been offered new perspectives, emotions and insights on the natural world. For example, two artists that specalize in nature paintings that I really enjoy are Thomas Cole (1801-1848) and Martin Johnson Heade (1819-1904) because their art pieces are super realistic, some to the point where you can believe it’s a painting and not a picture. With that said, I also like how these painters offer a different perspective of nature. Since they are dated back to the 1800’s and early 1900’s, the landscapes they have captured are an important part of history, as it shows us what certain landscapes looked like at that time and can be compared to now and how they’ve changed. Another form of nature through art that I love is photography. Specifically, in the last two years I have taken an interest on social media this artist called ‘isacctakespics’ where he focuses on wildlife photography and videos. His pictures allow for insight on different species lifestyles which is important when interpreting nature even on a surface level. 

What interpreting the “gift of beauty” for me is something that involves engaging senses and emotions with an open mind. It means seeing things beyond the surface level and perceiving specific details within nature all while admiring its beauty and what it has to offer. I feel as though there is beauty in everything, and it often exists in simplicity like the sound of birds early in the morning, sunrise, an intense thunderstorm or stopping to look at a field of flowers. The gift of beauty is always around us, and it’s important we dont lose this insightfulness.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 03: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation

What role does “privilege” play in nature interpretation? Please include your working definition of privilege.

The discussion of privilege can be a tricky one as it refers to sensitive matters such as level of education, income, socioeconomic status, and race. There has always been a sort of divide between people who have that privilege and who does not. This can affect the ways people perceive the world due to the way they feel they are treated in society. In the case of nature interpretation, this can have a great impact on how people of privilege see nature compared to the ones who are not. There is the idea that people who live in more urbanised areas will be less likely to experience nature, whereas people who reside closer to national parks will have a greater advantage in perceiving nature firsthand. There are alternate ways of interpreting nature without having to frequently visit the places, however, there is little doubt that it is the ‘privileged’ ones who will understand nature and the wild more.

There is also the matter of income. Some people may not be able to afford fancy holidays to the other side of the world where nature is very different to home. This could influence people’s interpretation of nature because it could mean that they have not experienced the potential excitement of travelling and experiencing the world in the same way as someone who is an avid traveller. Therefore, they would not feel the need to teach or learn about this subject. Similarly, this can be applied to the level of education someone has received. If they have not been taught certain aspects of the world, they are less likely to pay attention to such matters.

You could argue though, that for someone who is not used to experiencing and interpreting nature in their lives, this new experience that eventually occurs, can be very thrilling. Meanwhile, people who see it as the norm, they will interpret nature in quite a contrasting way. For example, as an exchange student from London, I could be a lot more excited to experience Toronto and the surrounding national parks, while a typical Canadian may not as it is the norm for them. This shows that a lack of privilege can have a significant impact on someone’s nature interpretation in a positive way.

[edenvs3000f23]

Hey! I really enjoyed reading your post! I think you have a great grasp on what privilege means in general terms and in terms of nature interpretation. A lot of the points that you made in your original post overlap with what I have also stated in my original post and I think that’s great because if more people have a good understanding of privilege in terms of science we can then strive for change to be made!

I was especially interested in the point you made in your last paragraph that individuals that may not interpret or experience nature often may find new experiences very interesting. The example you give about you being an exchange student from London experiencing something like Toronto for the first time would be drastically different from someone like me who has lived in Ontario my whole life was definitely eye opening as I had never really seen it from that perspective before! I think it’s interesting how when you get so used to being in an environment you kind of forget all the great things it has to offer. I feel like that’s maybe why everyone is always craving a change in scenery or dying for a vacation, you become blind to what’s readily available to you which goes hand in hand with being privileged. As someone who has grown up in Southern Ontario for the majority of my life, I live close to a lot of tourist towns like Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake. With that said, sometimes when I am in these towns I often wonder what’s so great about them and why people from other places would want to go out of their way to plan to see them. From reading your post, I can now understand that I have just gotten used to the environments around me and others seeing them for the first time is not considered their ‘norm’ and it’s not a part of the environments they are used to. I now can understand that this can have a HUGE impact on how everyone experiences nature interpretation uniquely. 

Again, great post! I look forward to reading more of your posts in the future!

Emma

[edenvs3000f23]

Blog Post #3

Prompt: What role does “privilege” play in nature interpretation? Please include your working definition of privilege.

Privilege is a topic that has been and still is thoroughly debated when it comes to scenarios like race, gender, social class, and education but is often overlooked or not recognized in topics like science or nature interpretation. Personally, I have a hard time understanding why privilege is a topic that is still debated and brings intense controversy when it so blantly exists in so many different ways. When talking about privilege in a social context, my definition would be any unearned benefits, advantages or opportunities that a certain individual or group has received solely based on a specific culture, social or economic category they fall into. I feel as though people that do possess privilege are often ignorant to the advantages they are receiving, for example, things like access to a better education or employment opportunities or simply people that do not face discriminatory or systemic barriers. The word privilege to me, is a concept that shines a light on discrimination and inequality in society in hopes to promote not only awareness but serious change. 

When looking at privilege that exists within science, like said, it is something that people wouldn’t think about or wouldn’t know is an active problem when interpreting nature or scientific facts/research. Personally, I was unaware of privilege existing in the science realm until my first year at Guelph when I took ENVS 1030 Introduction to Environmental Science where my professor taught an entire unit on it! Learning this was super eye opening for me and it is something I will carry with me for the rest of my degree and future careers. When closely examining scientific information, privilege can significantly influence the way one perceives and interprets the science of our natural world. Privilege, whether it be related to race, gender, education, or social class, can shape perspectives of the environment, access to information or opportunities to further scientific knowledge. Societal privlege can determine who has access to knowledge and resources, for example, when we look historically, people belonging to marganlized communities (low social class, underrepresented racial and ethnic backgrounds) have faced barriers that can significantly limit access to quality scientific education. This underrepresentation in scientific fields limits diverse perspectives that can be significant to scientific research. When looking at how this can affect nature interpretation, this can cause skewed perception of our world. As an example, individuals existing in a privileged urbanized background may interpret nature as’ untouched’ but fail to recognize indigenous histories and cultural connections that exist in the landscape they now inhabit. Also, when looking at representation in science and scientific research, the majority of the most well known scientists are white and male and there are few that represent other genders and races. This may cause people to feel unrepresented or excluded when it comes to engaging with nature or sparking interest in taking on a science career/field. 

Now when looking at privilege and environmental issues, I have learned through past courses, this is an increasing problem in terms of environmental justice. I have learned that low-income and communities of colour often face harsh environmental degradtion and pollution while the privileged communities have easy and readily access to clean air, water, or spaces. This not only now affects the health of people but how people can perceive nature. If you constantly face scenarios like pollution or environmental degradation on a daily basis, the way you interpret nature would be drastically different than someone who has access to clean environments and ecosystems. I feel that addressing and combating privilege in science and nature interpretation is crucial in creating an equal and inclusive society.

[khalilgskrsgenvs3000blog-deacti]

Blog Post #2: Port Royal, Kingston, JA.

Blog Prompt:

Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need?

Hi everyone, I know this is a late submission so please accept my apologies. When I read this prompt, my ideal role of an environmental interpreter that comes to mind is a storyteller--one that draws my audience in with the beauty and history of the environment. I'd want to bring this place to life. I hope the audience will be able to feel as though they are there--at that particular place, at whatever time I may be describing to them.

One of the places that comes to mind is an area in the capital of my home country (Kingston, Jamaica) known as Port Royal. It is a small town in Kingston that is located near the beach. Port Royal has a rich history on its own. During the era of British colonization in the 1600s, it was known as the "most wicked and sinful place on Earth". This was mostly due to Port Royal being operated by British pirates. They would often go and attack other ships in an attempt to amass more wealth and protect this region of Jamaica. However, on one fatal day, there was a massive earthquake, followed by a tsunami that wiped out a large portion of that area. This was deemed to be "God's punishment" for all the evil things that occurred there. Due to this earthquake, there are buildings such as the Giddy House that remain slant and partially sunken into the ground. Tourists come by each year to visit the Port Royal Museum which houses artifacts and buildings from that time.

In order to do this, I believe the most important skill would be the knowledge of the area. Despite growing up in Jamaica, I still had to brush up on some of the facts to get a general sense of the events of this time. In order to tell the story of this land, I have to know the story of the land. Another skill would be to immerse myself in the history and connect with the locals. The history of Port Royal is one thing but the present is also just as important. I need to know how the people of Port Royal live their day-to-day lives so that I can communicate this to my audience. One of the things I know is that Port Royal was a great place to visit but not to live due to the fear of intense flooding due to hurricanes during Hurricane season. Lastly, another skill would be finding a way to make this story mean something to my audience. I want to help them see this place as an area rich in history and how their lives, as well as their present, are rich in value and worth.

Thanks for reading everyone!

[edenvs3000f23]

Hey! I really enjoyed reading your post and I think your ideal role as an interpreter teaching environmental history is interesting! The story you told about Port Royal: how it came to be and what it is now, in terms of earthquake and tsunami events altering the land, are significant historical occurrences that are unique to Port Royal. The story you told about the British pirates would also be entertaining when looking at it in a tourism aspect! With that said, I think learning and understanding environmental history is crucial when examining intricate relationships between humans and the natural world. It shows how human activities have shaped the environment overtime and in what ways. Understanding environmental history can offer a sense of insight on similar challenges that we experience in the present day. 

When we use environmental history to our advantage it allows us to see how humans in the past have adapted or exploited the environment around them. Histroially seeing how different human to environment interactions have played out shows us what potential consequences can occur in different parts of the world. This can also give us context for understanding current environmental crises like climate change, pollution, deforestation, etc, allowing us to make note of how industrial developments have taken a toll on the environment. Understanding the long-term consequences of these developments can allow for action to be taken and alert a sense of urgency. This can also help shape policy making and decision making by looking at past successes and failures to shape current, effective strategies for addressing modern challenges. I think sometimes we as scientists or people interested in the environment forget how crucial history is and how it can help us understand environmental challenges deeper! I think it’s interesting to learn how land masses were created or morphed or what kinds of species existed prior compared to what exists now.

[edenvs3000f23]

Blog Post 2

Prompt: Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need?

In a world that continuously faces unpredicted environmental changes and challenges, my ideal role as an environmental interpreter would be to study, observe and educate scenarios surrounding climate change in hopes of a better understanding of our environment to kickstart change. Ideally, I would love to travel all over and study different species/areas to better understand how these species react to changes in their environment and why. Having a deeper understanding of this as an environmental interpreter would allow me to spread environmental awareness worldwide. This would help others understand how our actions impact the environment and in what specific ways as well as how we can prevent and start to eliminate climate change. I feel as though reiterating scientific information to the general public in a way that can be easily understood by many is incredibly important when striving for environmental change. Scientific communication can often discourage people from extending their scenitifc and environmental knowledge simply because the language or concepts can be difficult to understand. Not only is simplifying concepts and language to terms that are generally understood important but relating it to the lives of others and how climate change has a snowball effect on us as humans gives individuals incentive to become more environmentally aware.  There are multiple different steps and skills needed to make this possible, one major one would be finding a research team or company to be a part of. Since climate change reseach involves various fields like climatology, economics, ecology and other sorts of social science it is crucial to have people from different expertise working together to ensure all aspects of climate change are evaluated. Personally, I would ideally like to take on more of the ecology side of climate change like studying different species and how increasing climate alters behaviorism and what that can mean for the species in the future. I would also love to design my own research and collect and analyze data. This would outline how our data would be collected, interpreted and what questions we are looking to find an answer to for said experiment/observation. From the research I would conduct I would then collaborate with policymakers on adaptation and mitigation strategies based on the research findings. When thinking about where I would like to carry out my ideal role as an environmental interpreter, there are many places in the world that come to mind. One part of me feels like I would enjoy carrying out this task in places that experience the largest hit in terms of climate change such as, The Great Barrier Reef, Fiji, Venice, Chad, etc, but another part of me would love to do work on the coast of something like Nova Scotia or British Columbia. As I said before I would like to work with the ecology side of things, but when being specific I am still unsure if my focus would be on marine species or terrestrial species but, I have always been fascinated by marine species and would love to conduct water study experiments. When thinking of some of the skills that would be needed to make this successful I would need to do things such as use my knowledge to define research objectives and questions as well as funding. Another important factor would be to access data and resources as climate change research heavily relies on existing datasets and climate models as well as the use of advanced technology like supercomputers or silmulation. Another important factor would be long-term monitoring plans as climate change is a lone-term phenomenon and ongoing research spanning for long periods of time is essential.