A Good Natured Blog

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My Personal Development as a Nature Interpreter

This course has not only helped me develop my skills and understanding of nature interpretation but also pushed me to really reflect upon this development through its entirety. I think my personal ethic as I develop as a nature interpreter is surrounding inclusive interpretation, specifically concerning our youngest generations. My ethic believes specifically in inclusive nature education for all, as this goes hand in hand with nature interpretation. I believe this is for a large part due to the experiences I have had working with children in an educational and outdoor environment, and the way this course has made me revaluate these experiences and what I should pursue going forward. This course has actually pushed me to really think about these experiences I have had and allowed me to delve even deeper into what I learned from them and what they now allow me to bring to the table.

Photo of Children Participating in Nature Interpretation (source: Barber, 2019)

I have always thought that children are an extremely important part of protecting our environment as they are curious, willing and excited to learn and then also share their new knowledge with their friends, family and more. This idea was further solidified through the readings and units in this course, most well put by Beck et al. “Our most important audiences might be our smallest and youngest ones. These groups are the future stewards of our natural resources and cultural heritage. They are our hope for the future. At this young age is their most impressionable as they form beliefs attitudes and emotional responses to their environments that may last a lifetime. (Beck et al. 2019, p. 144). I’ve seen such stark differences in the youngest population and those that have opportunities to truly be immersed in nature and experience nature interpretation regularly and those who do not. In my final years of high school and up until the summer of 2019, I ran a camp at an indoor trampoline park. Generally, the children that were sent to this camp were relatively privileged and their families were well off; to put this in perspective the camp was easily a couple of hundred dollars more a week than anything else offered in the area. As part of the daily schedule, I took the campers outside almost every single day, whether to the park, for a walk or to play games in a large field; unfortunately no matter what was done it was a constant battle and more often than not the kids would sit on their devices and refuse to participate. If I tried to get them interested in nature through scavenger hunts, or learning activities many of the kids did not want to participate – when issues were brought up to parents it was simply stated that they came to the camp to jump on trampolines – they could go for a hike, to the zoo or to a nature centre with their families or to a camp at one of those places if they wanted to.

Photos I took while working at the Trampoline Camp

In contrast, working at an Outdoor Education Centre with the Toronto District School Board, the students showed up so excited to learn and be outside. The visiting schools were usually from extremely urbanized and relatively low-income families in the city and had usually never experienced anything of the sort before. However, I also noted that many of the children I have had the opportunity to work with are afraid of nature; well put by Beck et al (2018, p. 54) “urban children who grow up terrified of real and imagined things out in the unknown woods could someday destroy those unfamiliar haunts of perceived danger”. Looking at the gaps in opportunities children in today’s society have really saddens me – on one end of the spectrum you have those who take nature for granted and then you have those who are often scared or afraid of it due to never being able to truly experience it. I therefore believe that it is so important for children to have the opportunities to experience nature whenever possible and it is my responsibility to try and foster this in them; as we need to have a younger generation with a true appreciation for nature to truly protect our planet and all it has to offer.

A bunch of photos I took while working at the Outdoor Education Centre

Finally, I believe education and interpretation of nature also go hand in hand and I have a responsibility to play in this. For me the approaches to nature interpretation that I find suit me best is to try and understand the audience that I am speaking to, find ways to engage them specifically and then also integrate my own personal experiences. Furthermore, I think it is very important to target nature interpretation not only to specific groups, but also to individuals within said group. People have all different learning styles; personally, I am more of a hands-on learner, however I know there are so many out there who are visual or auditory learners as well. Therefore, I believe I have a responsibility if I choose to act as a nature interpreter to try and include aspects of all of these as well as many others to accommodate whatever needs of the group of individuals, I have in front of me. In terms of my own experiences in nature I feel that small stories or anecdotes of my own are important to translating my insights and ethics to a larger audience. They make the audience feel like they know a bit more about you, and show more of your personality, they make the experience unique and memorable. This helps me as I find that I speak more naturally and sound more passionate about the subject when I do this. To finish off, I honestly believe this course has allowed me to realize that educating the public and society on nature and the environment is something I am truly passionate about, and even if it is not something I do as a full time job in the future it is definitely something I want to pursue.

References

Barber, G. (2019, September 25). Fun Outdoor Learning Activities for Young Children with Special Educational Needs. Retrieved from https://www.thestablecompany.com/blog/fun-outdoor-learning-activities-for-young-children-with-special-educational-needs

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing. ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-57167-865-2

[hhenvs3000]

Hi Emily!

This was an awesome read and I love how you have been able to connect what you’ve learned in this course to your lived experiences, especially regarding children and nature appreciation. You raise some great points about how our upbringings can affect our relationship with nature as children and eventually adults. This makes me reflect on my own childhood where I was often immersed in nature, whether it would be in the forest behind myself or the outdoor summer camps I frequented every year. Specifically, one fond memory of summer camp that your post reminded me of was a game called Predator & Prey, that we often played. In this game, kids were split up into herbivores, omnivores, and carnivores and we were tasked with collected food/energy clips hidden around the forest while avoiding (or hunting) other predators (or prey) to collect their life chips. This is just a brief overview of the game (as there are many more layers to it) but more information on how it works can be found here. While use kids thought we were just playing a version of tag, what we didn’t realize was how the ecology of food webs were being taught to us through the form of outdoor play. Not only did this educate us about these dynamics but it made us enthusiastic and willing to learn because, in contrast to being lectured, the game play element was more engaging. I think memories like this, that have stuck with me for over a decade after the fact, just goes to show how right you are when you say that children are at an impressionable and important age for molding their concepts of nature, that could end up lasting a lifetime.

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Moving Forward with Purpose

Throughout the duration of this course I have been exposed to many valuable lessons involving nature interpretation. It was been very interesting to develop my understanding on all of the different mediums that can be used for interpretation, ranging from written articles to pieces of art. Nature interpretation is such a flexible topic because there are so many different ways in which different groups of people view and interact with their natural environments. Because of the flexibility of interpretation there can be significant differences in the way that 2 different groups of people interpret their environment, based on many factors such as geographic location, cultural heritage, or economic status.

Using the many skills I was able to develop during this course, as well as previous knowledge I have built in environmental sciences throughout the completion of my degree, I believe that my personal ethic as an interpreter revolves around educating others in order to increase their capacity to see nature as more than just their physical surroundings, in order to promote a world more focused on conservation. I believe that using interpretive skills to educate others about nature is an extremely beneficial task for promoting environmental awareness and protection, as well as helping to reduce barriers between the way different groups of people view and interact with the environment.

Variability in the way that different people interact with nature has been one of the most interesting concepts that I have learned in this class. Obviously, we as people are all very unique in our own ways, and our behaviors and beliefs are shaped through our personal experiences and cultures. This is no different when discussing nature interpretation. Socio-cultural factors, such as ethnicity, economic status, geographic location, etc., can all greatly influence the way people think about various topics surrounding the environment (Schilhab, T., et al., 2019). For example, aboriginal and indigenous cultures have a deep-rooted connection with nature and is seen as an essential resource for life, providing them with food and shelter allowing them to survive in the world. If you were to compare this ideology to that of someone who lives in a high-rise apartment building deep in a city, it is no surprise that their views will be very different.

Based on the understanding of how different factors can create separation between people’s views towards nature, I strongly believe that educating is the best way to reduce these gaps and create a more environmentally conscious world. In many previous classes I have been a part in discussions about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Nature interpretation, in my opinion, has several different applications for achieving these goals, specifically Goal 10, reduced inequalities. In developing nations, impacts of climate change are often much more severe than in more developed countries. This is due to a variety of factors, such as close proximities to oceans, or insufficient knowledge and technology to combat climate change issues (Gov. Canada, n.d., www.international.gc.ca). Nature interpretation could be extremely useful as a tool to educate those who are unaware of the challenges developing nations face because of climate change, and increased awareness is the first step towards developing solutions to aid these countries and reduce inequalities seen across the world.

My experience with this course has led me to believe that it is my responsibility to continue to develop and utilize my nature interpretation tools so that I am better able to understand how different groups of people view and interact with nature. Doing so would allow me to be more educated and considerate to different ways of life and the different impacts environmental issues can have around the world.  The things I have learned throughout this course have exposed me to a completely new way of seeing nature, allowing me to understand a deeper meaning of our surrounding environments. Nature interpretation is essentially like art and can take on so many different forms. Because we are all so unique, and products of many different influential factors, I believe it would be completely unfair to tell someone that the way they interpret nature is incorrect. Much like looking at a piece of interpretive art, people will see what is true to them. Just because you may not understand what someone else sees, they are not incorrect for having a different view than you. It would be impossible to be able to fully understand how every person interprets nature the way they do, so I think that the best thing I can do is continue to develop my interpretive skills in order to have the tools to understand others’ views to the best of my ability.

After thinking about my responsibilities as a nature interpreter, I believe my best approach for the future is to continue to fuel my desire to learn about the environment through personal experiences. I think that the best way to continue the development of my interpretive tools is by using them, and the best way to do so would be through exposure to new experiences. Throughout my life so far, exposure to nature in ways such as yearly camping trips or education through school has driven me to live my life with consideration of our surroundings, and the need to preserve and protect them for the future. I learn best from experience, and it would be a dream of mine to be able to travel throughout the world, exposing myself to different cultures and views, helping me strengthen my existing knowledge, and give me more tools to think about the relationships between nature and humans in an in depth manor.

Sources:

Government of Canada. (n.d.). Climate change in developing countries. Retrieved from: https://www.international.gc.ca/world-monde/issues_development-enjeux_developpement/environmental_protection-protection_environnement/climate-climatiques.aspx?lang=eng

Schilhab, T., Esbensen, G.L. (2019). Socio-Cultural Influences on Situated Cognition in Nature. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6509156/

[hhenvs3000]

Hi! Your post was really interesting to read, and I think you raise some excellent points! Specifically, about how nature is in the eye of the beholder and there is no one way/right way to interpret it. Even within this class you can see how this is true! After reading a lot of people’s reflections of their course experiences, I’ve noticed how many different aspects of the content has resonated with students more strongly than other. This is just goes to show how people’s perceptions of nature and the importance they associate it with it is completely dependent on the individuals unique experiences. These perceptions can then transition to become people’s truths about nature, and this is why I agree with you that education can play a major role in shaping nature in a positive light and promoting environmental awareness.

Additionally, you mention that environmental education is important for overcoming barriers that may separate different groups of individuals from accessing nature. I agree that this is extremely important for addressing uneven bias that causes some groups to be excluded from nature more than others. To expand on this, I think environmental education can also be used to address disconnects within nature that apply to a majority of people, such as the rise of technology. As discussed, technology is increasingly consuming our society and because of this people have become less and less interested in the natural world. I think education would be a great tool to solve this, as it can highlight nature’s importance and help to reconnect people to it. The bridging of this growing gap could mean positive things for the conservation and replenishing of the environment, due to increased interest in its wellbeing.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading you post and especially enjoyed your notes on how the way people choose to present or perceive nature should not be a topic of debate, as I personally believe there is room for many perceptions of nature and that the diversity of ideas in this world is how true innovation can occur for the betterment of our planet.

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Discovering Nature Interpretation & Me

As we draw near the end of this semester and I reflect on my experiences over the past months, I find that this course has allowed me to recognize and appreciate the role nature can play in people’s lives and how it has so strongly influenced mine. As an Environmental Science student I have always been aware of nature and its importance in sustaining human life, however I feel as though I have often overlooked the relationship between nature and people at the individual level, and how it can provide so much more than just the means for survival. Of course, I have always recognized that nature has provided me with the opportunities to enjoy the recreational activities that I love, however, by taking the time to reflect on my connection to nature, I begun to look beyond its tangible benefits. A theme that I commonly addressed in my weekly posts was all the unseen values of nature that can’t be monetized within society but support our quality of life, such as the mental and physical benefits, spiritual connections, and much more. It is because of these realizations that I have gained a deeper appreciation for nature, and developed a personal ethic that emphasizes sharing knowledge and inspiring a curiosity for nature, without limiting people’s space to develop their own meaningful and unique connections with our natural world.

As a nature interpreter, this ethic stems from the beliefs I have established around what nature means to me and why it is important to connect with it. I see nature as a place for people to explore, interact with, learn from and connect to, and I feel as though this is important for engaging people in its stewardship. Specifically, I think this is important so that we can sustain the environments health for future generations. By engaging people, especially children, to develop attachments to nature through interpretative programs, it can elevate their view of nature from passive appreciation to an excited understanding of our ecosystems and an urge to protect them (Beck et al., 2018). A quote from the book, Mill on The Floss, by George Eliot reminds me of this notion that engaging with the world from a young age can influence how we value it down the road in life, saying:

“We could never have loved the earth so well if we had had no childhood in it, if it were not the earth where the same flowers come up again every spring that we used to gather with our tiny fingers as we sat lisping to ourselves on the grass, the same hips and haws on the autumn hedgerows, the same redbreasts that we used to call ‘God’s birds’ because they did no harm to the precious crops.”

Photo: Colourbox.com/ Stock Image

To me, this captures the feeling that when we build experiences that provoke emotion and positive feelings, they can stick with us throughout our life. By relating this to interpretation, it emphasizes the importance of fostering connections to hopefully inspire a kinship with nature that leads to the development of personal stewardship ethics within people.

In order to create these connections between people and nature effectively, there are responsibilities that a nature interpreter needs to assume. I think it is my responsibility to create an environment where people can feel safe, included, and informed. Firstly, creating a safe space  is a major responsibility of an interpreter because people have put their trust in you to protect them from any risks involved in your program, and if people do feel scared or threatened they might not be able to focus on my message o have a good experience. Additionally, it is also my role to ensure I have created an inclusive space where people feel safe and accepted, no matter their race, socioeconomic class, mobility or any other identifiers. Applying the invisible backpack concept, whereby unpacking my own privileges, I can identify gaps in a program where others may feel excluded and adapt them, can help to provide equal access to opportunities in nature. Furthermore, people coming to programs are expecting to walk away with new knowledge and it is therefore my responsibility to support an open learning environment and provide information in a way that’s understandable to everyone (Beck et al., 2018). I think an open and judgement-free environment is critical to education, especially among children, so that they can focus on the learning experience and feel encouraged to engage with it, instead of focussing on other social stressors in their setting. Lastly, I believe it’s critical to assume the responsibility of conducting nature interpretation in a way that respects the environment and the species inhabiting it.  

Photo: Colourbox.com/ Stock Vector

As a nature interpreter, my ethics and beliefs strongly emphasize how I value allowing people to experience nature and develop a relationship with it through their own lens. With this purpose in mind, I believe the best approach that I could implement as an interpreter is to incorporate play into people’s experiences, both children and adults. Play is so important for establishing appreciation for the natural environment, as well as promoting physical and health benefits in the individuals who partake. In our world, which has become increasingly disconnected due to technological advances, I can’t stress how important it is that we don’t lose sight of our natural environment.

I also believe that play and interaction should be reinforced by knowledge, as to enrich these experiences and make it more significant in some way. By guiding people to explore and build a fascination with nature, and supplementing this experience with knowledge, it can work to expand their learning experience, provide richer gratification and overall strengthen an individual’s concern with nature (Beck et al., 2018). In turn, by eliciting these deeper connections, it is my hope that people take an intertest in our environment and develop a stronger environmental stewardship ethic that they will carry with them throughout their life.

Overall, throughout this course I have come to learn that nature interpretation is essential for getting people to care about and for our environment, and in my opinion,  this starts by strengthening the human-nature connection, especially in a world that is increasingly becoming disconnected.

References

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

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Protect the Wonders of the Wild Interpretation Centre!

Dear Board of Directors

On behalf of the Wonders of the Wild Interpretation Centre, we ask you to please reconsider your decision to close this beloved nature interpretation center. We believe that environmental education and nature interpretation are extremely important for all individuals involved, especially the countless visitors we welcome each year.

Today, we are constantly reminded about how a modern, technological life can result in people becoming out of touch and disconnected with nature (Mitchell and Ryland, 2017). Nature interpretation can play a critical role to bridge the disconnect between humans and nature, and when done well it can engage, educate, inform and inspire us (Mitchell and Ryland, 2017) Nature interpretation has great significance for the visitor, and can change them from within (Jurow, 2016). It provides an awareness of something beyond themselves and opens them up to others and to new experiences (Jurow, 2016).

One of the most important reasons to continue to ensure nature interpretation for the public is the educational benefit. Many people enjoy learning and the process of acquiring knowledge is an enjoyable and enriching experience (Beck et al. 2018). Not only does the public enjoy education but learning about nature makes it become more meaningful (Beck et al. 2018). Our Interpretation center connects with schools and has benefits to administrators, teachers and students (Beck et al. 2018). It even has many benefits to interpreters by strengthening community support for our programs (Beck et al. 2018).

Not only are there educational benefits to our center but there are many recreational and health benefits (Beck et al. 2018). We provide a place for physical exercise, relaxation and inspiration as well as a gathering place for friends and family (Beck et al. 2018). From experience I know that nature interpretation helps to heal both physically and mentally. Just spending a small amount of time in the outdoors renews my energy and allows me to continue pushing through. This effect of nature is not just for the individual but allows for a healthier society as a whole (Beck et al. 2018).

The incredible peace of nature is the perfect reason to continue funding our center

Nature interpretation has long term effects on communities and the environment. Our programs educate the children, youth and adults on processes such as climate change, invasive species and extinction. Interpretation plays an important role in awareness and protection of endangered species and conservation of resources (Beck et al. 2018) Education in the environment around us prepares and guides individuals and communities to take on environmental action (Ardoin et al. 2020). It can result in direct benefits to the environment and securely addresses conservation issues (Ardoin et al. 2020). I know that funding the Wonders of the Wild Interpretation Centre will help conserve our beautiful planet for the next generation.

I ask you to please reconsider closing our Interpretation center. It provides people of all ages with education, inspiration, health and empowerment that they can find no where else.

Thank you

Wonders of the Wild Interpretation Centre

References

Ardoin, N. M., Bowers, A. W., & Gaillard, E. (2020). Environmental education outcomes for conservation: A systematic review. Biological Conservation, 241, 108224. doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108224

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Jurow, K. (2016). Making Meaning Together: The role of interpretation during a short-term nature excursion (Master’s thesis, Antioch University, 2016) (pp. 1-210). New England: Antioch University. doi:https://aura.antioch.edu/etds/289/

Mitchell, J., & Ryland, P., Dr. (2017). Natural interpretation: A brief guide to the interpretation of nature and wildlife. Retrieved from https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/96655055.pdf

[hhenvs3000]

Hi Kaitlyn!

I think your letter does a great job of highlighting the key importance’s of nature interpretation in our lives and makes a great case for why your interpretation centre deserves increased funding. One point that stuck out to me specifically how you mentioned that nature interpretation makes learning about nature more meaningful. I whole heartedly agree with this point as in nature interpretation programs I’ve had the opportunity to attend I find that learning new knowledge about your surroundings elevates the beauty when you understand all the components and process that created some of the most awe-inspiring parts of nature. By understanding these things, it can make you appreciate a view so much more. A personal example from paddling down rivers is that I remember the years and persistence that went into carving out that piece of the landscape, and it makes my perception of its beauty go so much deeper that what meets the eye as I try to imagine the wonders that went into creating it.  

A picture of my sister and I going for a paddle down the Thames River on a very still morning.

You also mentioned education can increase awareness and prepare people to take action, and I think this deeper connection that people develop through knowledge makes them genuinely want to be active environmental stewards. When people develop a deeper understanding of how nature works and what has shaped it, I think they see past its surface level and create a more meaningful connection with it. Stewardship can be inspired from this connection because the newfound awareness and meaning people have of nature may make them more likely to want to preserve it. This fact reinforces the need for outdoor learning through nature interpretation programs, like the ones ran by your interpretation centre!

[hhenvs3000]

A Call for The Wild: A Letter to Protect Environmental Education

Dear Members of the Board,

I am writing on the behalf of Medway Valley Conservation Authority in regard to increasing funding for our environmental education programs, that is currently at risk of being shut down. It is our hope that with sufficient funding, our programs can continue to provide an out-of-school learning landscape for both elementary and high school students to understand and connect with nature. We strongly feel that the continuation of these programs is highly important for both the students and the environment, as there have been several health and environmental benefits (Beck et al.,2018; Merenlender et al., 2016).

Firstly, our programs provide an opportunity for kids to learn in an outdoor setting that promotes personal health, and a connection with nature. In a world that is becoming increasingly technological, I have noticed children have gradually become withdrawn from the natural world, which is an incidence described as the ‘nature deficit disorder’ (Beck et al., 2018). This disconnect is a growing problem that I feel passionate about solving through our programs, due to the positive role nature has personally had on my wellbeing . Research has shown nature has had an enriching effect on community and human health, where programs can decrease crime rates, increase community values and promote healthy practices such as physical exercise and relaxation (Beck et al., 2018). Additionally, the learning components of our programs, regarding nature education and learning social skills, provide mental stimulation and social engagement that have been linked to; better cognitive health, improved personal well-being, longer life spans, and an increased positive outlook on life (Beck et al., 2018).

Furthermore, our programs help to promote environmental health through increasing stewardship efforts in the community. As a child, having the opportunity to learn more about my natural surroundings increased my interest in them and deepened my personal connection to nature. Even today, we’ve seen how these connections that are fostered can elicit a sense of stewardship within students due to an increased appreciation for nature and an associated concern for its wellbeing (Beck et al., 2018). A study by Merenlender et al. (2016), supports this fact since they found that after naturalist program participation, people demonstrated increased understanding and confidence towards ecological knowledge, and increased volunteering efforts. I think that the power of both knowledge and emotional connection is a great tool for encouraging environmental stewardship and this is a value emphasized in our programs.

Overall, here at Medway Valley Conservation Authority we share our nature knowledge with students in order to promote happy and healthy; communities, kids, and environments. Your funding could mean the survival of our programs and their many associated health and environmental stewardship benefits. With your help, we would love to continue providing our environmental education services for young students, as we feel this can only serve to benefit our community, for the reasons outlined. We hope your Board shares our enthusiasm for nature and educational learning, and we look forward to your reply.

Sincerely,

Hannah & Medway Valley Conservation Authority Team

References

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

Merenlender, A. M., Crall, A. W., Drill, S., Prysby, M., & Ballard, H. (2016). Evaluating environmental education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1255-1265.

[mrhenvs3000-20]

A moment to make sense of nature interpretation

As an interpreter, I know for certain that nature interpretation makes a better world. I know that it is needed to build a better relationship with nature. We have learned when looking at history that humans before us had a better relationship with nature than we do currently. We saw the Group of Seven and how they traveled Canada to paint its environment. They felt at peace painting and traveling throughout the land. They showed people what’s out there and encouraged them to travel and explore nature. When we build a relationship with nature, we will care more about preserving it and not destroying it for a better future. Therefore, nature interpretation is certainly needed for a better future.

One idea that was discussed in this week’s lecture that I found very interesting and goes along with what I know for certain, is that nature interpretation involves many other disciplines, such as science, history and art. It’s the glue that brings everything together. It could use science to interpret nature, for example, how bees pollinate and help nature thrive. It can use art with paintings of natural scenery. It could use technology to bring us close to dangerous animals and how they live. Nature interpretation is very important in this respect.  

I still, however, wonder if technology is helpful in nature interpretation. We learned about technology and its impact on nature interpretation. After all the readings and research that I came across, I still think it can go both ways. It all depends on us, humans, and how we use technology towards nature. Technology could keep us inside our homes and take us away from going out to nature and enjoying it or it could inspire us to go out and travel and experience nature by seeing pictures or videos on our phones or TVs.

A nice illustration of how nature and technology could be hand in hand and work together. An interesting read if you are interested. Retrieved from: https://givingcompass.org/article/how-technology-and-nature-can-to-work-together-to-feed-a-growing-population/

I find inspiration being out in nature. Whenever I go camping with friends and family, I like to take walks in the forest and enjoy the peaceful sounds of nature. If we are close to water, I like to sit and admire the big bodies of water and what could be living within them. I’m not thinking of myself as separate from nature. I’m lost in it as part of the environment around me. I see the animals living in harmony and think of myself as if I was one of them. I’m happy and at peace during these moments. I think that nature improves our mental and emotional health. Whenever I feel down or stressed, I take a walk through a trail or I make a trip to nearby natural areas to relieve the stress.

A picture of the sunset that I took on one of my nature walks. So peaceful. Nature truly brings me happiness and joy whenever I’m feeling down. 

Watching people enjoy nature ignites me. I always take it upon myself to find beautiful natural environments to take family and friends to. Finding the perfect camping spot or viewpoint and showing it to important people in my life gives me great joy. I feel like nature should be enjoyed by everyone and spreading my knowledge ignites me the most as an interpreter.

[kwenvs3000]

Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your passion for nature interpretation and how you are currently growing in your love for it. I completely agree that nature interpretation makes the world a better place and that one of the things about nature interpretation that does that is the involvement of all other disciplines. As you mentioned and the textbook further explains, nature interpretation can incorporate arts, history, written word and technology (Beck et al., 2018). These are only a few ways that nature interpretation connects people and ideas from all backgrounds.

I think that it is interesting to consider the way technology is used in nature interpretation, something I still wonder for myself. There are so many ways that nature and technology can work together to improve life and get people inspired to help conserve and explore the outdoor world. Personally I know that as a child, watching movies about animals on the other side of the world and learning about things not available in my back yard is one of the ways that I became interested in nature conservation. Although this is true, I can also understand your opinion on how technology may be harmful as well, taking people out of the natural environment. In my opinion, I think that if used in the right way, technology has the potential to benefit than harm in nature conservation and nature interpretation. It will be interesting to see how technology effects nature interpretation and conservation in the future. 

Here is a really interesting article on some of the ways that technology is aiding in nature conservation today : https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/08/here-s-how-technology-can-help-us-save-the-planet/

A cool photo demonstrating the influence of technology in nature (Depositphotos, n.d.)

References

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Depositphotos. (n.d.). How will robots be used in 2020? 7 ways. Retrieved from: https://bdtechtalks.com/2020/01/22/robotics-automation-in-2020/

[hhenvs3000]

Hi there! I really enjoyed your reflection on how you view nature interpretation and I think you raise an interesting point with how technology may just further the disconnect between humans and nature. I agree with this concern, as well as Kaitlyn’s response that it can be effective for educating people that don’t have certain ecosystems readily available to explore in their city or country. In this way I see how technology can be beneficial, and I personally think that it’s most effective as an aid to interpretation and not of a replacement to outdoor programs. The replacement of tangible experiences with technology is something to be conscious of since the experience of actually being immersed in nature and enjoying it in real-time is often discussed as why people feel such a connection to it. Like you mentioned in your blog post and what I’ve seen from most of our peers’ posts, our lived experiences with the natural world is why we feel so passionate and inspired to be involved with the environment, not some video we watched for 15 minutes. This is not to knock technology, as it can be great for disseminating information on a large scale and enhancing experiences, but I personally think it shouldn’t be used as a substitute for our daily doses of Vitamin N. Vitamin N is a concept introduced by Richard Louv in his book Vitamin N: The Essential Guide to a Nature-Rich Life and it is a reference to the increasing number of prescriptions giving to kids in modern society and how one of these should include more time in nature, hence prescribing Vitamin N. Here is an article that goes more into depth about the benefits of nature that Louv emphasizes as important for our wellbeing. It is because of benefits like this that I am more inclined to limit technology to being used programs aids in the field of nature interpretation.

[hhenvs3000]

Unpacking Nature Interpretation & Me

“Finding beauty in a broken world … is the work of daring contemplation that inspires action.” – Terry Tempest Williams

Being new to the world of nature interpretation, I have gained knowledge, developed questions and found inspiration while studying this field over this semester. One thing I know for certain about nature interpretation is that it’s a powerful tool for helping people understand nature through personal experiences that allow for meaningful and emotional connections. I also have come to learn that these connections can promote environmental stewardship, since it can inspire people to consider the impacts of their choices on nature (Beck et al., 2018). An example of this is how the Monterey Bay Aquarium inspired people to make more sustainable seafood purchasing choices through an exhibit that focused on ocean conservation and seafood sustainability, that has resulted in over 1000 North American businesses referencing the aquarium Seafood Watch program for purchasing choices (Beck et al., 2018). This goes to show that nature interpretation can deliver scientific information in a way that resonates with people to make change for the better.

Throughout the course we’ve learnt ways to deliver these programs, however, I still wonder how to create balanced programs that maximize their effectiveness. There are many do’s and don’ts that we’ve covered, as well as techniques, but I still question how to judge if I’ve combined knowledge and interactive experiences in a way that works. As content and audience of programs can differ greatly, knowing how to evaluate if; informational content is too heavy, the focus on emotional response is too cheesy, or if it’s inclusive to diverse audiences, can be difficult. I wonder about this because if the program isn’t structured in an effective way for learning, the message of the program may not be conveyed to visitors.

When thinking about where my inspiration for interpreting nature comes from, I mainly draw from my own experiences as a visitor and reflect on what I found most effective and engaging from my memories. When I don’t have a memory to reflect on I find myself asking friends and family what they have experienced and what has stood out to them, as I think drawing from first-hand experiences is a great source of inspiration, as they represent the people that are most likely be attending interpretation programs.

I have always had an affinity for learning and surrounding myself with nature but the concept of sharing what I know and my experiences with audiences is something I didn’t give much thought before this course. However, through sharing my interpretations in blog posts and podcasts I feel strongly about the importance of sharing knowledge. The way I get ignited is by surrounding myself with nature’s beauty and reflecting on the awe I have of it, the respect I have for it, and the lessons I’ve learnt from it.  This connection with nature makes me passionate about protecting it and I find that sharing its beauty with others and teaching about its wonders is one way I can contribute to promoting stewardship.

Enjoying the sunset is a moment in my day that never fails to make me sit back and reflect on how awe-inspiring nature can be.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing. ISBN/ISSN: 978-1-57167-865-2

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Salty Situations: A Debriefing

As someone who has weathered 20 Canadian winters, I have had my fair share of slips and falls on icy sidewalks. Most of the time these falls result in a couple bruises and a few laughs, but they could lead to more serious injuries from awkward falls, or in the case of road ice, the sliding and crashing of cars. The podcast I will be reviewing this week, titled ‘Salty Situations’, dives into the topic of road salt as a counteractive measure to winter ice, the negative environmental impacts associated with it.

Photo: Colourbox.com / Oleksii Arseniuk 

The first thirty seconds of the podcast included a groovy introduction of the title with background music, and the speakers greeting the listeners and outlining the topic of salt. They do this with enthusiasm and humour, which set the tone for the podcast and gave me the impression that the speakers were excited about the topic of choice, making me eager to listen further.

Throughout the podcast, the narrators teach many lessons, including the negative impacts of road salt on aquatic animals’ food. The interviewee did this by giving a storytime through a freshwater fish’s perspective on the impacts of salt in lake habitats and how it sinks fish food to the lake bottom. This was effective for giving kids wildlife perspective and eliciting empathy for fish being affected, which overall helps to develop a connection between kids and nature (Beck et al., 2018).

Another lesson presented was how sand is an environmentally friendly substitute for road salt. This was taught by a conversation between two narrators, where one was unaware of this application and the other was quite knowledgeable. I think this was awesome because it felt as if the listener was learning along with the unknowing speaker and the questions being asked and answered were an stimulating way to deliver information, rather than a large blurb about sand.

The last lesson I took away from the podcast was the actions people can take to reduce road salt usage. The speakers suggest kids can tell parents about its harmful impacts and encourage them to stop using road salt. They did this by emphasizing the problem of road salt throughout the podcast and then task kids to tell one person at home what they’ve learned about its impacts. This activity was effective because it promotes parental environmental stewardship, since kids can influence the sustainability of parents purchasing (Beck et al., 2018). One suggestion I’d make is to reduce the emphasis on the ‘doom and gloom’ of road salt, so kids from this age group don’t feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of social action (Beck et al. 2018).

Overall, I found this podcast to have many engaging aspects that made it informational and intriguing to listen to. One aspect that especially stuck out to me was the effortless conversational flow between the narrators. I hope to incorporate that in my next podcast because it was a more natural way to deliver information that made it more exciting to learn about, rather than lecturing the content. My experience through the perspective of a participant was that the narrators dialogue and information presented made the podcast captivating all throughout and kept me wanting to learn more than the 15 minutes they recorded.

References:

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

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Hello,

Great debrief. I haven’t listened to this podcast myself, but your debrief had me interested in giving it a lesson. In addition to a few lessons you mentioned, I’ve found that road salt accelerates vehicle breakdown substantially. In particular, it causes premature rust, which is a lesson I unfortunately learned the hard way. My previous car was destroyed by rust. For my new car, I make sure to always take care of it in the winter months so it doesn’t share a similar fate in a few years.

Despite the negative impacts of road salt that you mentioned, road salt obviously has its uses to protect ourselves from harsh winters. You might agree with me because you mentioned that there should be less emphasis on the “doom and gloom” of road salt, albeit for a different reason.

Therefore, I was wondering if you or the podcast you listened to had any alternative suggestions to road salt. Is there something different we can use or do?

Mo

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Hi Mo!

Sorry you had to learn the hard and expensive way about the harmful nature of road salt, I didn’t know that it caused vehicle breakdown either and is something I’ll definitely have to keep in mind for the upcoming winter. To answer your question, the podcast did offer two alternatives to road salt, which were sand and interestingly enough..beet juice! They outline that both of these options are more environmentally friendly and have started to be used in areas across Canada. 

As a side note, what I was trying to convey when I mentioned less emphasis on ‘doom and gloom’ is the material of the course textbook where it mentions that for kids between the ages 7-11 its important to build a connection/empathy between them and nature and that including social action or emphasizing the negative state of the environment can be overwhelming (Beck et al., 2018). However, I think the creators of the podcast did a very good job of keeping it upbeat and added humour as a way to address the problems of road salt. I probably should’ve expanded on this more, so my apologies for the confusion but I do agree with you that if alternatives aren’t readily available then road salt should be used to ensure road and sidewalk safety!

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

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Learning About “Salty Situations”

I had fun learning about how salt affects the environment in the podcast “Salty Situations.” The intro music was upbeat, and the hosts of the podcasts seemed enthusiastic about their topic which was very engaging. After the intro I started to learn more about the “Salty Situations” topic. Something I learned in this podcast was that road salt used to help people from slipping on ice harms both wildlife and plants. I was taught that you can use beet juice or sand as an environmentally harmless alternative to road salt to keep people from slipping on ice. I learned that the trees in the Arboretum are being harmed by road salt as salt is taking away the vitamins these trees need to grow.

A picture of the road salt that can be harmful to our environment. Retrieved from https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/salt_runoff_can_impair_lakes

These lessons are very effective for children. I love that the expert that was interviewed asked the children to use their imaginations to step into the shoes of the freshwater fish being harmed by salt. This helps to get children invested in the rock salt problem and allows them to empathize with the freshwater fish being harmed. It’s also great how the hosts encouraged children to take action to help with the problem of salt use by telling them to educate others and talk with their parents about using beet juice or sand instead of salt on ice. I think telling the children about how salt is affecting the Arboretum is a great way to teach kids that plants are being harmed all around them even if they don’t realize it. I also appreciated how the hosts explained complex terms when they were used in the podcast for the listener. For example, they explained that the term “ambassador” means a person that has information about a topic and makes it their responsibility to educated people around them about the topic

The evaluation I’m currently completing for this podcast is known as a summative evaluation, which is an evaluation done after an interpretive program to assess how well a program was done and how to better improve it for the next time (Beck at al, 2018). Next time I do a podcast I’m going to try to include more sound effects within my content to make it better because I’ve discovered from listening to this podcast that sound effects add to the educational value of a podcast by making the content seem more appealing to listeners. This podcast could be improved by making it about five minutes longer. The content is very fascinating, and a longer podcast would provide the listeners with more information about road salt. The best way to make the podcast longer would be to make the interview with the expert about 5 minutes longer to get more information from them. Overall, this podcast was interesting, and children would likely learn lots from listening to it.

What did you learn from the “Salty Situations” podcast?

References

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Erick Elgin, M. (2018, November 19). Salt runoff can impair lakes. Retrieved November 07, 2020, from https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/salt_runoff_can_impair_lakes

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Hi Madison!

I also listened to ‘Salty Situations’ for this week’s debriefing and found it to be very informative and engaging to listen to! Similar to you, I learned that environmentally speaking, sand is a much better alternative to the use of road salt on city pavements. I found that the narrators of the podcast did a good job of explaining the science behind how sand de-ices and used the conversation between them to explain it in an interesting way, rather than just giving a spiel on how it works. This combination of the science behind how sand de-ices pavements in combination with environmental education provides a knowledge that can inspire people to take more environmental stewardship actions (Merenlender et al., 2016). I especially thought this podcast does a great job at enticing people to be environmental stewards because the narrators outline specific ways that people can promote sand usage and help to reduce the negative impacts road salt. One way that really stood out to me as a way to make big change was for kids to reach out to public officials, like the Mayor, and share the knowledge the learnt about sustainable de-icing options, like sand compared to salt. Not only was this a neat interactive activity to incorporate into the podcast but it is something that could lead to public change. This public change to sand could be significant since municipalities are large contributors of road salt. They are responsible for road, sidewalk and pathway application, so therefore if they switched to sand this could lessen salts environmental impact greatly. Overall, I think this podcast did a great job of providing information and resources in a way that promotes sustainable environmental practices among kids that could lead to greater change.

References

Merenlender, A. M., Crall, A. W., Drill, S., Prysby, M., & Ballard, H. (2016). Evaluating environmental education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1255-1265.

[hhenvs3000]

Salty Situations: A Debriefing

As someone who has weathered 20 Canadian winters, I have had my fair share of slips and falls on icy sidewalks. Most of the time these falls result in a couple bruises and a few laughs, but they could lead to more serious injuries from awkward falls, or in the case of road ice, the sliding and crashing of cars. The podcast I will be reviewing this week, titled ‘Salty Situations’, dives into the topic of road salt as a counteractive measure to winter ice, the negative environmental impacts associated with it.

Photo: Colourbox.com / Oleksii Arseniuk 

The first thirty seconds of the podcast included a groovy introduction of the title with background music, and the speakers greeting the listeners and outlining the topic of salt. They do this with enthusiasm and humour, which set the tone for the podcast and gave me the impression that the speakers were excited about the topic of choice, making me eager to listen further.

Throughout the podcast, the narrators teach many lessons, including the negative impacts of road salt on aquatic animals’ food. The interviewee did this by giving a storytime through a freshwater fish’s perspective on the impacts of salt in lake habitats and how it sinks fish food to the lake bottom. This was effective for giving kids wildlife perspective and eliciting empathy for fish being affected, which overall helps to develop a connection between kids and nature (Beck et al., 2018).

Another lesson presented was how sand is an environmentally friendly substitute for road salt. This was taught by a conversation between two narrators, where one was unaware of this application and the other was quite knowledgeable. I think this was awesome because it felt as if the listener was learning along with the unknowing speaker and the questions being asked and answered were an stimulating way to deliver information, rather than a large blurb about sand.

The last lesson I took away from the podcast was the actions people can take to reduce road salt usage. The speakers suggest kids can tell parents about its harmful impacts and encourage them to stop using road salt. They did this by emphasizing the problem of road salt throughout the podcast and then task kids to tell one person at home what they’ve learned about its impacts. This activity was effective because it promotes parental environmental stewardship, since kids can influence the sustainability of parents purchasing (Beck et al., 2018). One suggestion I’d make is to reduce the emphasis on the ‘doom and gloom’ of road salt, so kids from this age group don’t feel overwhelmed with the responsibility of social action (Beck et al. 2018).

Overall, I found this podcast to have many engaging aspects that made it informational and intriguing to listen to. One aspect that especially stuck out to me was the effortless conversational flow between the narrators. I hope to incorporate that in my next podcast because it was a more natural way to deliver information that made it more exciting to learn about, rather than lecturing the content. My experience through the perspective of a participant was that the narrators dialogue and information presented made the podcast captivating all throughout and kept me wanting to learn more than the 15 minutes they recorded.

References:

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

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Changing of the Seasons

Currently as I write this I am sitting in my living room of the house that I rent with my friends in Guelph. I’m looking out the big window at the front of our house looking at beautifully bright yellow leaves. This is not an uncommon sight in the fall, as the landscape turns to a beautiful scene of warm toned leaves and the air gets cold. In my opinion the changing of the seasons is one of the most amazing things about nature. 

Here in Ontario we experience the seasons to such incredible extremes. In the summer months it gets hot, humid and extremely sunny making great weather for beaches and cottaging. On the other end of the spectrum we have crazy winter months where the temperature drops to bone chilling levels and we experience the beauty of snowflakes and ice. My favourite times of the year are when we get to experience the changes from season to season. Nothing stands out in my mind as one of my favourite feelings quite like walking outside around March and feeling the sun shining through the clouds warmer than it has in months. Putting your winter coat back in the closet and switching to your favourite sneakers instead of winter boots is a feeling of freedom that I think most people can relate to experiencing! 

To me, each season reminds me of certain feelings. When the winter months roll around I feel much more cozy and comfortable being at home. However, when it’s summer all I want to do is be outside in the sun and at the beach. There is definitely changes to life style for people as the seasons change. True outdoorsy people don’t let the cold and snow stop them from going outdoors and exploring, but for many (like myself) that is not the case. As the weather turns cold, like right now, I enjoy experiencing it in very small doses, like  5 minutes at a time. I like to be able to retreat back inside where I can be warm and cozy while I admire the snow and ice out of a window. Like I said before, for me, being outside in the warmer seasons is something that is very important to me. In the fall I love the balance between the sun that’s still warm to the air that’s beginning to get crisp and cool. 

This is a bonfire that my dad, sister and I had when we went on a camping trip in Algonquin Park. I love this photo because the fire is so vibrant and in the distance you can see the end of the sunset between the warm outlines of the trees.

One of my favourite things to do when the weather is warm and the nights are cool is having bonfires. When I’m back in my home town, I love getting together with my boyfriend and our friends in cozy clothes and having a campfire to just hangout outside. This is something that we did basically every night this summer which created some really nice, fun memories all together. 

Overall, there are aspects of every season that I really love, which allows us to have different activities during each one! I’d love to hear what seasons everyone else feels is their favourite because I’m always personally torn between fall and spring/summer. What activities do you love in your favourite season?

Have a great weekend!

Caitlyn

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Hi Caitlyn,

I enjoyed reading your post and really resonated with your point on how the individual seasons in Canada have different associated feelings with them. I agree that these feelings we associate play a role in our preferences for certain seasons over others. Personally, my favourite season is spring since I associate the warmth of the sun, freshness of the flowers and crispness in the air with feeling cheerful, energetic and content. To answer your question regarding the activities I love most in spring, I enjoy walking and bike riding in the warmer weather, as well as sitting around campfires at night.

To expand on how amazing seasons are and how they can influence our lives, I think they are also fascinating because of the role they play in Canadian culture. I feel that a part of Canadian culture is the pride we have in our natural landscapes and the beauty they hold throughout all of the seasons. The difference in seasons is quite substantial in Canada which can influence common cultural aspects like the activities that you mentioned. This can include attending the famous winterCarnaval de Quebec or camping/cottaging in the summer. Beyond the culture of the activities that you mentioned, seasonality can also affect our clothing, foods, traditions, vacations, transportation and more. For example, we predominantly eat and drinks foods like pumpkin pie with fall, lemonade with summer or hot chocolate with winter. Our clothing is also representative of seasons, where we bundle up during frigid winters and rock shorts and sandals in the summers. The list goes on but overall, I agree that the seasons and their variability are so fascinating because of the our way of lives are strongly connected with them, especially in Canada.

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Aurora Borealis: The North’s Natural Wonder

It’s an autumn night in northern Ontario, people are sitting by the lakefront with their heads leaned back towards the stars, as they are captivated by the vivid array of colours dancing across the sky. Colours of green, yellow, red, blue and purple shift between many forms and provide a stark contrast of light to their inky backdrop of the northern night sky.

Photo: Colourbox.com/ Stock Image

These lights are known as Aurora borealis, or more commonly the northern lights. Although I have never had the opportunity to experience the northern lights, I hope to witness its painted colours at least once in my lifetime. Personally, the lights not only serve as a reminder of the vast beauty within Canada but the astonishing capabilities of mother nature. This display is a natural phenomenon that results in the magnetic field surrounding the north pole, which is why they can best be spotted in places of higher latitude, such as Canada and Alaska. To get more technical, the northern lights are created by the release of gas from the suns’ solar activity that then collides with Earth’s magnetic field. This collision disturbs the magnetic field and produces charged particles that follow the path of magnetic forces into the Polar region. The charged particles then collide with oxygen and nitrogen atoms, resulting in the light show we observe (Library of Congress, n.d.).

Beyond the aesthetics and science of the northern lights, one thing that amazes me is the rich spiritual significance they represent within different communities. As far back as the times of Galileo, the northern lights have awed many people and symbolized several cultural meanings (Library of Congress, n.d.). For example, the Cree First Nations see the northern lights as a symbol of the life cycle and believe that passed loved one’s souls are communicating with them through the lights (Aurora Zone, n.d.).

Many efforts to capture the essence of the lights have been made in various art mediums, such as painting, poetry, and photography. One famous interpretation of the lights is a painting done in 1865 by Frederic Edwin Church called Aurora borealis. It is hung in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and is said to be reflective of its time, as this interpretation of the northern lights represented the belief that God was upset with the confederate slavery during the American Civil war, and the lights were a sign of His displeasure. The story of these signs from God inspired Union soldiers to remember the weight of what they were fighting for (Albany Museum of Arts, 2020).

Frederic Edwin Church. Aurora Borealis (1865). Oil on canvas. 56 in x 83.5 in. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.

As time has continued, the aesthetic, scientific, and spiritual fascination with this natural phenomenon has not faded. Today, viewing the northern lights is still a well sought-after experience and people travel from all over the to do so. I personally hope to travel to northern Canada to catch a glimpse of the ‘moving and mystical’ lights that have been explained as visually and emotionally indescribable (Redal, n.d.). For those who prefer the comfort of their own home, the lights can also be viewed on video livestreams. No matter what way people choose to view the northern lights, the unearthly beauty of this natural phenomenon rarely fails to amaze its spectators.

References

Albany Museum of Arts. (2020). Dancing lights in the sky. Retrieved from http://www.albanymuseum.com/kids-staying-inspired/dancing-lights-in-the-sky

Aurora Zone. (n.d.). Mythology of the northern lights. Retrieved from https://www.theaurorazone.com/about-the-aurora/aurora-legends

Library of Congress. (n.d.). What are the northern lights? Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/everyday-mysteries/item/what-are-the-northern-lights/

Redal, W. (n.d.). Northern lights: nature’s winter magic. Retrieved from https://www.nathab.com/articles/alaska-and-northern/churchill-northern-lights/natures-winter-magic/

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The Art of Nature and its Modern Approach

The world is full of different perspectives and impressions. These different perspectives are specifically noticeable in the various interpretations of nature and individual artist’s attempts to incorporate their experiences with it through art. People from all over the world have presented their interpretations in order to create shared experiences of nature and elicit emotional responses from the viewer. This can be important for promoting connections between people and the land and therefore encourage a sense of environmental stewardship (Beck et al., 2018).

In the past, it was largely professionals in the art industry who took on this feat of enticing people to care about nature. For example, some famous artists that were well known for this was the Group of Seven. The Group of Seven made a career of painting northern Ontario wild landscapes and showing these sketches to the public in art showings. This group was exceptional in their field and played a large role in shaping the Canadian perspective by provoking feelings of pride for the country and the vast beauty of nature within it (TVO Docs, 2019). Like mentioned above, since professional were mostly given the opportunity to publicly share art interpretations and receive recognition in art shows and museums, the dissemination of art was not widespread. However, in modern times, I find that there is more opportunity for people who aren’t professionals but are interested in art to share their own interpretations through the means of technology.

The textbook suggests that nowadays, younger generations have less interest in nature compared to previous generations, as a result of a disconnect from the natural world (Beck et al., 2018). This makes sense seeing as newer generations have grown up in a more technological and urban world, so the prominence of nature has faded into the background. Personally, this has not been my experience growing up, as I have always enjoyed outdoor experiences and have in some ways been able to use technology to my advantage when sharing my interpretations. Although I am not particularly artistically inclined, one way I find I interpret nature through art is photography, and social media has a role in inspiring this hobby. I enjoy following photography accounts on Instagram and sometimes even sharing my own snaps of landscapes, which allows me to see nature through many different individuals lens’.

A few photos I've snapped of nature and shared to my socials over the years.

I think this is one way in which modern day technology can actually be a benefit to younger generations due to the fact that it can be a powerful tool for inspiring art by sharing experiences and understandings of nature with one another from all over the world. Beyond that, viewing art interpretations on social media can inspire people to travel and experience the beauty of nature for themselves. Personally, when I post photos of my own adventures, I hope to encourage others to experience nature for itself, in the hopes of people building connections with it through these experiences and learning how to respect its pristine beauty.

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

TVO Docs. (2019). Painted Land: In Search of the Group of Seven. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL6jzhsUvXA

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Learning New Tools

In terms of nature interpretation, I am only a competent storyteller at best, as well as someone who enjoys using visual art (painting and photography) as both a tool and a hobby to teach people about nature. However, in this week’s chapter, I find myself feeling like “who I am” in terms of someone who uses art to interpret nature to be somewhat subpar. Beck et al. goes into detail about individuals who use art forms that I have never seen been used to interpret nature. I’m not sure if this lack of knowledge on the different art forms reflects my own lack of diversity in the different strategies or my lack of diversity in the types of nature interpreters I have experienced. Either way, I definitely learned new ways to interpret nature this week.

A picture of me leading a nature walk through the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens. Using storytelling as my art form.

The first art form that really stuck out to me while reading this chapter was the use of theater. I am not a fan of theater at all and I was even cringing at the thought of having to read about theater. However, I was blown away by one particular aspect, Lee Stetson. I have never heard of Lee Stetson or the character he portrays, Jon Muir, however, his dedication to theater is really inspirational (Beck et al., 2018). I decided to look into who John Muir was and discovered he was a naturalist and conservationist, which most of you probably already were aware of (Wood, n.d.). Upon learning this and learning that a professional actor who has had the opportunity to play other major roles chooses to play America’s foremost naturalist and conservationist for the last 37 years is amazing (Beck et al., 2018)! In addition, I also thought that Stetsons belief that interpreters do not need dramatic training to do what he does is refreshing (Beck et al., 2018). Hopefully, when quarantine is over and I am finally able to fulfil my dream of going to Yosemite, I hope to see Lee Stetson preform his meticulously researched character.

The second art form that really stuck out to me was visual art, mostly because it is my favourite type of art (both drawing and photography)! In Nirupa Rao’s ted talk, she mentioned how her art was able to help document trees for the Nature Conservation Foundation and also be used to create children’s programs to help them learn about local fauna. I think visual art is the most perfect way to interpret nature because it can mean many different things, you don’t need to speak the same language to understand (Beck et al. 2018).

There are thousands of interpreters that use art as tools in their nature interpretation and just learning about 2 of them has really inspired me to expand my imagination when it comes to using art in nature interpretation.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Wood, H. (n.d.). John Muir: A Brief Biography. Retrieved October 13,2020, from https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/life/muir_biography.aspx

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Like you, I love to use both photography and painting to express nature. I think it is so refreshing to be able to use art to show others how you, yourself, view nature. I appreciate that these art forms can be done very lowkey as I believe my lack of stage-confidence prevents me from doing anything such as drama or dance. Although I am not the biggest theatre-dweller, I can still very much appreciate those who are as it means we are able to experience their hard work. I have heard of John Muir but never really looked into him further, so it is really interesting to find out that he was both a naturalist and conservationist.

Through quarantine, I have found myself turning to art as a way of self-improvement and relaxation through everything that is going on in the world. Currently I am really enjoying photography, painting, sketching and even makeup. Even if the art does not turn out well, it makes me calmer and allows me to think of only one thing at that certain time. It is difficult to find time to do these things as school often disallows for more creativity. That is one reason I am thankful for this class, as it allows us to write fairly freely on interesting topics, and these blogs are something I may even look back on one day.

A painting I made that turned out to be moldy lemons.

[hhenvs3000]

Hi Victoria!

Your post raised some very relatable points for me! I too feel that I am someone who doesn’t typically use art to interpret nature as this is not a topic I am well versed in. After reflection though, I find nature interpretation and art interpretation are very similar in that they are all about how the individual perceives them and the emotions this perception can elicit, no matter the degree of knowledge/expertise associated with the environmental or artistic aspect. In my opinion, this is why art can be such an effective tool for introducing all kinds of people to nature.

In Bryanna’s reply, she mentioned that she values more ‘lowkey art forms’ due to personal inclinations. To expand on that, I think the range of art forms available and how some are individually valued over others out of personal preference, is good to understand when focusing on targeting nature interpretations to certain audiences. The variety of ways to encourage connection, both intellectually and emotionally with the natural world are endless and understanding the best way to do so for specific audiences is key.

One example of a way art can be used to target nature interpretation is visual art. You mentioned in your post that it can be used to promote nature to global audiences because it doesn’t require the understanding of a specific language. To complement this, I think visual art is also great for reaching global audiences because of how easily it can be shared! With social media today I think the amount of visual art available and the access to it has never been so expansive. With apps like Instagram or Tumblr, different art interpretations of nature, that are unique to every individual, are able to reach all corners of the Earth and share the perspectives of the different natural beauty out there. This is so useful for promoting nature learning and is a side of social media that I personally love to immerse myself in, to learn more about all the natural wonders in the word, and stories of how they came to be. Have you ever learnt something fascinating about nature through art on social media?

[hhenvs3000]

Risky Business: Interpreters & Assessing Risk

Three things are unavoidable in life; death, taxes and risk. Risk is all around us in our daily lives and often confronts us with choices of uncertainty. When considering how people make decisions regarding risks, there are many factors that come to mind, but a major one I’d like to highlight is the role of someone’s risk aversion. Risk aversion is defined as “unwillingness to take risks or wanting to avoid risks as much as possible” and everyone has varying degrees of aversion to risk (Cambridge University Press, n.d.). This got me thinking about how risk can be subjective to the individual based on how risky one perceives a behaviour to be in their internal evaluation of a decision. I think this individual subjectiveness can be applied to nature and how people assess risks within that space.

Relating this concept to nature interpretation, in the traditional sense you may think about risk of a twisted ankle or being bitten by wildlife. However, if you take a step back and look at the larger picture of an interpretation program there are additional hidden risks such as trusting in the safety of the program or judgment of the interpreter.

Interpreters are people too and thereby have a personal level of risk-aversion that influences what they deem safe in an environment. Additionally, experience and knowledge may affect how an interpreter views risk, based on past experiences, and in some cases, could create a sense of false confidence if they overestimate their capabilities in dangerous situations. In natural settings, if an interpreter tends to be less risk averse and has a high confidence in their abilities, the subjectivity of risk evaluation could land a group in a dangerous situation. An example I thought of when exploring this thought is a movie I recently watched called Everest (2015). It’s tells the tragic true story of a group’s expedition to the summit of Mount Everest and the unfortunate events that unfolded. Without going into too much detail, the movie depicts several of the problems presented on the day of their final ascent, as well as some questionable judgment calls by the guides, which all accumulated and resulted in several casualties. Although this expedition had a lot of ‘lemons’ associated with the trek, I also believe that various guides’ assessment of the risks presented played a role in the tragedy. The guides had overconfidence in their abilities to get back up and down in a timely manner and demonstrated minimal aversion to risk in their decisions.

Photo: Colourbox.com / Galyna Andruskhko. 

I think the main takeaway I took from these thoughts and their relation to real life events, is how the subjectiveness of danger interpretation is a hidden risk in itself and no matter what a person’s experience or knowledge is, nature can be unforgiving. Because of this, I think it’s important for interpreters to always be re-evaluating situations as new problems arise and remember that some risks are not worth taking.

References

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus (n.d.) Cambridge University Press.

Kormakur, B. (2015). Everest. United States: Universal Pictures.

[jlenvs3000]

Learning on the Outside Using iNaturalist

Have you ever paused to think that the cellphone that’s likely nearby has much more potential and processing power than almost anyone in the 1900s could have ever dreamed of? Not only is it powerful, but it can fit in your pocket and you can access it practically anywhere, at anytime. So, what should you do with all this power? Message friends from around the world, instantly? Access the entirety of humankind’s collective knowledge, AKA Wikipedia, at a moment’s notice? Browse funny pictures of cats? Well, all these options are possibilities, but how about something much more exciting; becoming a scientist with a few taps of the screen.

Alright, it may not qualify you for a degree or allow you to receive a salary but contributing to citizen science is an extremely rewarding hobby that’s becoming more and more popular. If you enjoy nature and have access to a phone, you’ve likely heard of the app iNaturalist before (if you haven’t, you should definitely consider downloading it from the Apple Store, Google Play or at their website, www.inaturalist.ca). The idea is rather simple and expertly integrated; users upload images of any living organisms they may find in the field (anything from snails to grasses to large mammals) and suggest an ID for the individual. The images are then reviewed by the community and if enough people agree with the ID, it becomes a research grade observation. These research grade observations can then be used by scientists that are conducting research on the observed species. It may sound interesting, but what’s in it for the users that are submitting observations or reviewing the observations of others? Well, more than you may think.

This friendly little Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) had no issues staying still for the camera so we could get his observation posted.

I was only first introduced to iNaturalist several years ago during training for a science outreach program. At first, I was amazed at the amount of observations some users posted. Tens of thousands of observations, sometimes all from the same area. I could never imagine submitting that many, especially with everything else I was occupied with. Despite it being somewhat daunting, I decided to give it a shot and today, it’s likely the best app I’ve ever downloaded. There’s no minimum amount of knowledge required to get into it. Unsure of a seemingly easy tree to identify? Take pictures and post it. Suggest that it is at least a plant and others in the community, sometimes experts, will likely help you identify it further. Not only is this observation contributing to an ever-growing database of observations that can be used for anything from range maps to abundance studies, but it’s also contributing to your knowledge of the local flora and fauna. There are even many exciting stories of individuals discovering species far outside of their known range or even some that find entirely new species!

More of a fungi-person? Try posting observations such as these Saddle-Shaped False Morel (Gyromitra infula) that I found along my hike.

Now, I can’t guarantee you’ll be able to find a new species and name it after yourself. What I can guarantee is that if you’re a nature enthusiast and enjoy learning and contributing to scientist, iNaturalist is the app for you. Just remember, take lots of pictures to help others ID, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and, most importantly, have fun! It’s more of a hobby than an assignment after all.

[hhenvs3000]

Hey Joseph, I was excited to see your blog post about iNaturalist as I just discovered this online community a few months ago myself! You did a great job outlining the features of this platform and the value it provides to anyone with an interest in nature as well as the scientific community at large. After reading your blog post and reflecting on my own experience, I find that it is a good avenue to increase accessibility to nature, as anyone can use the app and be connected to outdoor enthusiasts in an anonymous and safe environment. Additionally, I think this app demonstrates how technology can connect people, nature and science in a positive way that builds a sense of community.

I feel compelled to also share my experience with iNaturalist. It began when I was startled by a snake in my parents backyard this summer, which I had never seen before. After some quick research I was certain it was a “rare” species that needed to be reported for science. To confirm my almost certain suspicions I found iNaturalist after a quick Google search and within a few minutes had uploaded my photo hoping to surprise other users with my unique discovery!...Within 24 hours I was informed by some very kind fellow nature lovers that what I had found was actually a common Eastern garter snake...womp (see below).

Even though I did not discover a rare species, I did learn something from the online community and more importantly, found a great new resource to assist me when interpreting nature.

[vbenvs3000]

Privilege in Nature Interpretation

Becoming comfortable and open to the idea of privilege and what that means in your life, is not an easy process. I am still working on accepting my own privilege and understanding the role of privilege in our world. Although we are all striving for a university degree, our economic, educational, and environmental conditions vary. Some students have unearned benefits or advantages by the nature of their identity and but that does not mean that they are immune to the hardships in life (Ebbitt, 2015). Privilege is different for everyone, but some common privileges include race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, country of origin, language, and/or ability. My privilege comes from the colour of my skin, gender, middle-class upbringings, education, resources to food, access to health care, and familial support. By being born with certain traits and resources, I had advantages growing up that some may not have had. Privilege is not something that I am completely comfortable with but recently I have begun to understand the importance of addressing the imbalances and discussing privilege with others and myself. Having privilege isn’t something that anyone needs to feel bad about, it doesn’t make you a bad person; it just means that you possess benefits that others may not have, and by acknowledging your privilege, you will be able to address it and do something about it.

In order to address privilege in nature programming, interpreters must get to know their audience. Knowing the characteristics and demographic of the audiences will allow the interpreter to effectively deliver content and experiences. Privilege plays a major role in nature interpretation; some people may experience barriers that limit access to nature interpretation programming. Some participants may struggle with physical disabilities, social or psychological barriers that may leave the participant feeling unwelcome or irrelevant. These reasons for non-participation are things that the interpreters need to understand in order to create programming to eliminate these barriers. It is important to adapt programming to make sure that everyone no matter their privilege, feels comfortable and welcomed to join. As a aspiring Landscape Architect, I hope to create spaces that focus on inclusion and engagement. I strive to create spaces that are welcoming for everyone; spaces without barriers. 

I had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe this year and it was amazing to see how different interpreters adapted based on the group they were working with. While on a bus tour of the Highlands in Scotland, there were some language barriers amongst the group; the tour company immediately adapted their programming by providing the individuals with headsets with a pre-recorded audio in their language. This way, the individuals who didn’t speak English were still able to learn and be a part of the entire experience. The interpreter used many gestures and expressions to ensure that the group was constantly engaged, no matter what language you spoke. Being able to understand and appreciate differences between participants can allow the interpreters to serve the group more effectively. Understanding privilege and diverse audiences ensures that everyone can positively benefit from nature interpretation and programming.

Attached is a picture of the bus we toured the highlands in. We participated in “roving interpretation” which is a newer approach to reduce barriers and increase participation. This experience allowed us to be fully immersed in the environment that we were being educated on and sparked amazing conversation and involvement amongst everyone.

References:

Ebbitt, K. (2015, February 27). Why It’s Important to Think About Privilege - and Why It’s Hard. Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/why-its-important-to-think-about-privilege-and-why/

[vsenvs3000]

I totally agree with you, becoming comfortable with privilege is difficult and just like you I am not fully there yet. I am still accepting my own privilege and unpacking my own invisible backpack like Dr. Hooykaas explained in this weeks lecture. I like how you mentioned that privilege is different for everyone, I think this is important to reflect on and is especially important to keep in mind when interpreting nature to a group of people. Nature interpretation as well as Landscape Architect are both so unique in their own ways but both really require careful thought to give everyone an equal experience and appreciation of nature.

I also admire how you were very open about your privilege. It definitely has taken me a while to realize how privileged I am but once I did, I have seen how fortunate I am. After this weeks lecture and reading your post I realized I am very similar to you in terms of privilege. My race, gender, education, resources, upper class upbringing, access to free healthcare, support, always having food on the table, being able to play any sport I wanted, not having to provide for my family… the list I made after this weeks lecture went on and on. I know you mentioned it and so did Dr. Hooykaas in lecture, but I can’t help but feel a little bad about the privileges I have. Do you feel the same way?

[vbenvs3000]

Thank you for your response! It is something you don’t think about everyday, and when you do think about it, it is easy to find yourself feeling guilty about it. I also find myself feeling bad about the privileges I have, but I think it is important to redirect that energy to ensure that we show everyone kindness, compassion, empathy and love no matter what the situation. It is an uncomfortable topic to discuss sometimes, but thank you for engaging in this conversation, it is nice to get everyone’s opinions and perspectives!

[hhenvs3000]

I enjoyed reading your post and found some of your points really relatable! Your honesty about how privilege is something you still have to work to accept really resonated with me and I have also found that identifying my privilege has been an ongoing learning process that requires frequent reflection.

As a person with privilege I know it can be easy to avoid these difficult topics, in an attempt to evade tough conversations with ourselves and others. In regard to your response to Victoria, where you mentioned that guilt is sometimes a feeling you get when accepting privilege, I feel that this is a commonly experienced emotion, among many others.

Reading recent posts and having open conversations with people regarding privilege, due to the surge in the BLM movement, I find another emotion people feel is defensiveness. I think this defensiveness comes from a place that relates to your point that having privilege doesn’t mean you haven’t faced hardships. To expand on that, I think when people are told they have unearned benefits, through privilege, they feel this invalidates the hard work they’ve had to put into overcoming hardship and accomplishing their goals, which is why it can be hard to accept.

To change this false perception, I think it’s important to educate ourselves on our privilege and understand that it doesn’t mean we don’t have to work for things, but that privilege means we don’t have additional barriers to overcome, as a result of our identity. When translating this to nature interpretation I think it’s important to recognize these feelings of discomfort regarding privilege and work to resolve them so that interpreters are better able to acknowledge that people face unjustified oppression in nature and adapt their programs to serve these diverse audiences, like you mentioned in your original post. I think one way people can start to educate themselves is through open and honest conversations, which is why I loved your post so much! The way you were able to share about how identifying privilege has affected you personally is a great way to start open communication and take step towards more constructive and progressive nature experiences.