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Final Blog Prompt:
Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?
Hey everyone,
It's my final blog post today and I can't believe the semester is winding down already. It has been a joy being able to come and write my thoughts for each of our prompts. If I’m being honest, I didn’t quite know what nature interpretation was when I joined this course. However, being here has allowed me to see and recognize all the different nature interpreters that I have encountered in my life. It has also allowed me to see the beauty of this profession, as well as the kind of interpreter that I desire to be. I hope to being forth the authenticity of the people that I meet while doing interpretation. In this course, we learned that different age groups desire a different technique of teaching of relaying information. I want to be able to be able to serve each of these people in a way that meets their needs as well as involve them in the process of interpretation. I want to refrain from making the younger kids worry about the more complex conversations like deforestation and climate change. If I do—I want to make it as digestible as possible, while paying attention to how they may be responding to the information. I hope to bring more complex conversations to to the teens and allow them to speak their minds freely. I hope to engage the adults with in-depth information that allows them to know new things and have information to share with those around them. With the elders, I hope to glean as much wisdom from them as possible. However, I hope to learn, grow and be challenged by the opinions and thoughts of all of them. I hope to bring forth the belief in the beauty of nature. Often times, we can treat nature as something we only take from, not necessarily something we can learn from. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, we can learn so much from nature in how they move in harmony and navigate the different seasons of the year. I would also want to understand how they see nature and what impact they hope to have on acts such as deforestation. I hope to bring the belief that the land we stand on should be cherished, as it will one day be the ground our future generations will inhabit. I hope to bring forth the belief that guilt is not needed when it comes to discussing climate change. We are human beings and we will not be able to fix or change everything. Despite this, we can do what we can, where we are, with what we have.
As an interpreter, it is my duty to be treat everyone with the respect that they deserve. It is my hope to bridge the gap between different cultures, ethnicities religions among other things, by allowing everyone to feel welcome. Nature is here for all of us to glean from and is surely not a place where discrimination and prejudice should exist. With this being said, I also hope to incorporate history into nature interpretation. We all have varying backgrounds and experiences, so does the land on which we stand on. I hope to bring the history of this land to the forefront and challenge to see the lessons and mistakes of those before us, as well as the beauty that can be found within it all.
Thank you so much for reading my posts this semester, I wish you all the best and good luck with your assignments and exams!!!
Hey, I think you did a great job on your blog post for this week!
I felt myself relating to how you didn't know what nature interpretation really was until you joined this course. I have now learned what it truly means, and also that nature interpretation has played a major role in my life. I've come to realize that many forms of nature interpretation have actually shaped my life, whether it be how I decided to study environmental science or what I want to do in the future. I agree with a lot of what you want your journey in nature interpretation to manifest, as I see myself hoping to invoke similar ideas. I liked how you mentioned that you want to make the information you present digestible. I feel like many people can feel extremely overwhelmed when learning about all the issues we face today, especially in relation to the natural world. I know when I first learned about all these issues in elementary school, I felt defeated in a way and confused as to if we can really make any difference. I know that many others probably feel the same way, so I think it is really important to be considerate of how you present your information as an interpreter, specifically to the differing age groups like you mentioned.
Overall, I think the beliefs and goals that you hold will take you far in your nature interpretation journey, and I wish you the best!
Blog #9
As a nature interpreter, you have a responsibility to uphold and incorporate certain ethics, beliefs, and responsibilities. As a nature interpreter, you have an enthusiasm for nature and a passion for education. Interpreters express concerns for environmental issues and community involvement surrounding nature. As an interpreter, the importance of providing lifelong lessons that become influential in individuals’ lives. I believe that education is a valuable resource that anyone has the right to participate in. I believe that it is important as an interpreter to constantly be gaining new knowledge and listening to different perspectives around certain topics. I believe that effective interpretation can improve research opportunities and public support when people are educated and passionate about a topic.
As an interpreter, you are responsible for embracing the wonders and beauty of nature and sharing that experience with everyone. As we learned in our podcasts, we have to know our audiences. By understanding our audience's age group, pre-conceptual beliefs, and why they are they are there in the first place we can adjust our way of presenting our ideas. There are often times as an interpreter when you won’t have just one set age group for your audience and you will have to connect with a diverse group of minds. When working with diverse groups it's important that you share your enthusiasm while also encouraging individuals to find personal connections with the topics you are presenting. By having a more broader sense of different individual’s ideas a more meaningful outcome can be experienced for guests. Nature interpreters get all different types of audiences, I often think of school trips and there's always half the class super engaged and amazed by the nature they’re within and then there’s the other half that doesn’t care to be there and running off into the woods. Knowing why an audience is there to see you in the first place can be valuable as an interpreter as you can adjust your way of presenting to be more engaging, more fast-paced, and hands-on. As a nature interpreter, you have a responsibility to advocate for the issue you're presenting and that may require taking action publicly. Call-to-actions urge elected officials to make choices that can be beneficial to the issues you’re fighting for. As an interpreter expressing this message to the public and to official leaders is something that has to be presented differently depending on the audience being addressed.
When I picture myself as a nature interpreter there are a couple of approaches that I believe would be most beneficial to me. When I think of approaches that seem most suitable to me as an educational interpreter, I would have to favour a Roving style interpretation (Beck et al. 2018). Roving is a personalized face-to-face presentation that is presented in a chosen location with the purpose of nature interpretation (Beck et al. 2018). When I think of my own personal experiences with nature interpreters the most memorable and influential had always been ones that took place in a Rove setting. My experience with interpretation with Provincial Parks, Wildlife Interpreters, and Conservation Experts has left lifelong memories because of the hands-on approach these settings can bring to the audiences. I have always been an animal lover so nature interpreters that had focused on native and endangered species have always provoked the most interest in me. Crowdsourcing is another source that can be useful in expanding your own knowledge as an interpreter and for connecting with a broader audience as well (Beck et al. 2018). Crowdsourcing is the use of a community or other professionals to obtain new knowledge on a certain topic or idea (Beck et al. 2018). By sharing expertise this provides a further opportunity for nature interpretation in education, research and enforcing new legislations. Another area of nature interpretation that I would be interested in moving forward legislations that revolves around environmental conservation. There can be a disconnect in the corporate business world and the world of science making a nature interpreter very useful in these cases.
Overall, there is a need for advocacy for environmental change and providing nature interpreters can push conservation to a wider audience in a more obtainable way.
Beck L., Cable T. T., Knudson D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.
Hi Maddy!
I enjoyed reading your post for this week, and feel you did a great job summarizing and examining what we've learnt in the course. I found myself relating to a lot of your beliefs, while also learning a few things. It was nice to see how this course in itself acts as a form of interpretation, where everyone may pick up on differing or similar ideas. I liked how you related your beliefs when it comes to nature interpretation to the podcast. It made me reflect on how much I learned from creating a podcast in relation to interpretation. The connection you made to school trips and knowing the audience who you are interpreting was really nice, since many people can relate to that. I agree with how knowing your audience can play a significant effect on what message/information the audience takes away, so I'll remember to keep that in mind.
In my post I discussed the lenses nature interpretation can be presented through, so I also liked how you mentioned the style of interpretation you prefer. I think many other interpreters, as well as I can benefit from thinking about what style fits best for us. I've learned from your post that by understanding this, you can really make an impact on others in how your nature interpretation comes across.
Great job and I wish you the best in the rest of your nature interpretation journey!
Week 10
Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?
I can't believe we’ve already reached the last post for this class, it feels like we had only just started.
For this week, we were asked to take a look into our personal ethics when it comes to nature interpretation. This was something I didn't really think much about until the start of this course, and going through the various blog prompts throughout the semester. I mean of course there were basic ethics that I knew were important, like to respect and appreciate the natural world. However, they were always in the back of my mind. I didn’t really take the time to really delve deep into it.
This semester we were given the opportunity to view nature interpretation through different lenses such as art, music, science, history, etc. I feel as though this allowed me to develop a sense of what I enjoy. I feel it's important to understand what you enjoy first, as it can aid in forming an ethical stance, because you can create personal connections, which leads to a deeper appreciation for the natural world. From this you can feel more motivated to take action revolving around certain environmental issues and it can allow you to understand conservation efforts. Viewing interpretation through different forms helped me enhance my ethical perspective, as there are many ways to perceive the environment.
Let's take a look at some examples.
Science was one of the more obvious ones for me. I mean when I think of nature, I typically think of the environment in a scientific way. This may be due to the fact I'm studying environmental science. For that reason, I already had some beliefs formed. Most if not all of the courses I take often touch upon environmental issues, whether it be climate change, pollution, endangered species, etc. Even before university, it was already engraved in my mind that we have to be mindful of the planet and how we treat it. Generally, to do what we can to limit our environmental impacts (negative impacts of course). Nature interpretation to me seemed like a form of delivering information to others, where they would learn the science/biology behind different environments. Generally, I believed that scientific knowledge would form a sense of responsibility as it shows the importance of conservation and sustainable practices. While that can be the case, I've learned that there is much more to it as well.
Now, as for viewing nature interpretation through art. While I knew that art can portray many messages and meaning, I didn't really think of ‘art’ when I thought of nature interpretation. However, after going over previous readings and blog posts I learned to see a different perspective. Art allows us to form emotional connections with nature. It can evoke feelings of empathy and appreciation for the natural world. This is when I realized, paintings, photographs, music, etc. all play a crucial part when it comes to nature interpretation.
History was another form that I knew was crucial to learn about when it comes to nature interpretation, but I never really put much thought into it like I did with science. I believe now that in order to form beliefs surrounding nature I need to recognize and learn about the history first, as it provides context. History can show us both the positive and negative impacts humans have had on the environment. When we understand the consequences of past actions, we can form ethical decisions for the future.
Generally, I learned that nature interpretation doesn't have to follow a structured format. Instead there are various ways to view nature interpretation, which seems obvious to me now. I feel as though this wasn't so obvious when I first started this course because typically the courses I took prior (science based) followed fairly structured formats. Now, as a nature interpreter, I've learned that I'm responsible to consider multiple perspectives, but also provide differing perspectives to others. While I also enjoy the science side of interpretation, I’ve learned to enjoy and am open to other forms as well. I've learned that as a nature interpreter I am responsible to bridge the gap between people and nature in ways that are accessible, relatable and compelling. In this week's reading on courselink we were asked the question “what motivates you to do this work?” While my love and appreciation for nature keeps me motivated, I also think what I've learned through this course would have an effect on this. I've learned to recognize the significant effect nature interpretations can have on others by recognizing the forms of nature interpretation that have played a crucial role in my life in shaping what I want to do today. I think it was important to realize the effect that nature interpretation has had on me to realize I can have that same effect on others. I’ve learned to be mindful of how I both present and obtain information.
Overall, I'm grateful for what I have learned in the course, and will remember to carry on to this information for the rest of my nature interpretation journey.
Lichen and Moss ~ Blog 9
As we near the end of the semester in this course, I can say with certainty that I am a Nature interpreter, and that interpretation is all around us. It works to enrich our daily lives and serves as a motivator when we may least expect it. In our textbook reading for this week, one story struck me. A father and his son were visiting Gunnison National Park, but the boy was eager to leave the trail. One man noticed the pair and offered to take them to a spot where they could see a bighorn ram. The son was in awe, and now he was refusing to leave the trail as he was memorized by the animal. Honestly, if I saw one in real life too, I would also be memorized. This moment in the boy’s life was probably a stepping stool in his future with nature. It shows that unexpected experiences can change one’s life.
For this week's blog, we were asked to write about the most amazing thing we know about nature. Recently I started watching this documentary on Netflix called “Life on Our Planet”. I haven't watched a Nature series in a while, but I thought why not? This series is like no other I’ve ever watched, and I highly recommend anyone who has Netflix to check it out! It recounts the evolution of our planet and all the stages of life and hostility on Earth.
Before the age of the dinosaurs, our planet was completely desolate and inhospitable. According to the documentary, it almost resembled the moon, covered in dead volcanoes and craters. I know for me it's hard to imagine our world like that, but it's also immensely fascinating that it used to be like that. However, even before this, life underwater had thrived for more than a billion years. From this emerged lichen, a curious life-form that is neither a plant nor an animal. Almost like fungi, and they are a combination of fungi and algae. Lichen spread rapidly over our planet and worked to break apart and infiltrate rocks that covered the land. Producing soil, and I’m sure we’re all familiar with the life-bearing properties of this medium.
From this first development of soil, came moss; which ruled and carpeted the planet for 40 million years!! This brought forth the evolution of plants that had lignin, which strengthens the cell walls of plants, allowing them to grow upwards. Trees and all different types of plants start shooting up, growing closer to the sky to get the best access to sunlight. Trees are the tallest living organisms on our planet, and this green evolution made the land hospitable to animals, insects, and all different types of creatures.
It’s honestly crazy to think that lichen and moss gave rise to all the greenery we see on our planet. Now when we look at plants, we know that their beginning was simple yet so profound that it changed the face of the Earth. I find that simply amazing, and I stumbled upon this finding because I wanted to watch a new documentary on Netflix. There’s beauty in the small things in life, quite literally.
Lanfear, S. (Writer & Director), Hamlin, J. (Director), Salisbury, E (Director). (2023, October 25). Invaders of the Land (Chapter 3) [TV Series episode]. In S. Spielberg, D. Frank, J. Falvey, K. Scholey, A. Fothergill (Executive producers). Life on Our Planet. Amblin Television & Silver Back.
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 21: The Bright Future of Interpretation . In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (pp. 457–476). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing.
Hi Rebecca,
I really enjoyed reading your blog this week!
I like how you discussed the story of the boy's experience with his siting of the bighorn ram. I feel like this is something that many of us can relate to. I know I have had a few encounters with many different animals that I still think about quite often (as mentioned in a previous blog, the great blue heron is an example). I agree with how you mentioned how “that moment for the boy was probably a stepping stool in his future with nature”, again because I find myself thinking about how similar experiences were what made me realize my love for nature. I believe this doesn't just have to be encounters in natural environments, but can also be through videos and other forms of interpretation. For me, I mentioned how a documentary about crows has stuck with me for quite some time in my blog post this week, similar to how you discussed “Life on Our Planet”, which is a great series for sure.
Sometimes I forget how our Earth was described to be before the age of dinosaurs, so your post was a nice reminder of how fascinating it truly was. I think you picked a really cool topic as lichen is an amazing organism! So I was glad to learn more about it, as you did a great job of highlighting its history.
I look forward to more blog posts :)
Blog Post 9
Prompt: Interpret (through this blog) the most amazing thing you know about nature – get us excited. This is your blog – your audience isn’t out in the field with you so bring the field to your armchair reader.
When I first read the blog prompt I was really intrigued, but soon found it difficult to decide on a topic. I mean nature is amazing in itself, so how could I pick just one thing that I think is amazing about it. So that's when I had to sit and just think for a minute, what's something that I've learned about nature which has stuck with me since? After some thinking, I’ve decided to tell you all about something I learned in the 8th grade while watching a documentary. I mean the 8th grade was quite some time ago, however it's still something I still think about pretty often.
So now to what the most amazing thing about nature is. It’s Crows!
As many of you may know, crows are some of the smartest animals in the world. So let’s look into why this is exactly. Crows are a part of the family corvids. Corvids in general are incredibly clever and are often known for their complex social groups (Clayton and Emery, 2005). They also are known to have the largest brain compared to their body size of any birds. Did you know that a crows brain is the same relative size as the chimpanzees brain? (Clayton & Emery, 2005) They’re also known for their ability to solve puzzles, use dialects and hold funerals for their dead.
Crows are also famously known for their ability to use tools. Well not just use them, but also create them. They are commonly known to create two types of tools; hooked tools made of twigs to capture insect larvae from holes, and stepped-cut Pandanus leaves to lure their prey found in soils and tree holes. (Clayton & Emery, 2005) This ability to create and use tools is mainly seen in the great apes, so it's amazing that a bird so small can do this too. (Clayton & Emery, 2005)
Now let's get into what I found so cool from the documentary.
It's that crows can remember faces! Whether it be of other birds or humans. But wait, that isn't just it, they also can pass information about the faces they remember to other generations.
This was tested in a study done by John Marzluff, a University of Washington professor of wildlife science. Just like “social media, websites, apps, and other technologies assist in informing people of opportunities and becoming more deeply involved” (Beck et al., 2018, p. 466), this documentary offered a similar experience for me. In this study the researchers wore a caveman mask and would net/capture the birds, band them, stretch their wings out to measure them, even going to the length of holding dead crows. Basically things the crows did not really like (pretty reasonable if you ask me), causing them to hold 'grudges'. Later on, when researchers would walk by these crows on the campus wearing the same mask (it didn't have to be the same researcher, just the same mask), they would often get scolded by the birds. However, if the same researchers would walk by without a mask, they would not receive this reaction. The crazy thing is when the researchers completed the same experiment over 10 years later, the crows were shown to give the same reaction, providing proof for the communication through generation.
While this covered a general overview of the documentary, if you want to learn more about this I recommend watching the documentary, “Do Birds Remember Faces?”.
I hope some of you learned something new, and thank you for reading my post this week!
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). The Bright Future of Interpretation. In Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed., pp. 466). Sagamore Publishing.
Clayton, N., & Emery, N., (2005) Corvid Cognition. Current Biology. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2005.01.020
Here's a short clip:
Crows can remember the face of their captors—even after generations.
Music in Interpretation
Blog 7: Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?
As a follow-up (focus on the above two before you tackle this one), what song takes you immediately back to a natural landscape? What is the context? Share it with us – I would imagine many of these ideas may have similar underpinnings of a campfire, roadtrip, backpacking journey, etc.!
From my experiences, music is very prominent all throughout nature. If we look for it hard enough, I believe we can find music in any part of nature. The most obvious place is in animals like whales and birds who have songs of their own, but upon closer inspection music is abundant in many other natural places. From the gurgle of a brook to leaves rustling from a breeze there is no question that there is a natural music to the world around us. When I get stressed, I like to venture into the forest behind my house and listen to the sounds of nature. This allows me to slow down and return to my roots as a creature of earth. It is moments like these that truly make me believe that nature is filled with music.
By the same token, nature is a motif in music around the world. “In many cultures, stories, songs, poems, and dances are not just for celebration and fun, but also to teach and inform (Courselink).” Music is within humans. We are connected to our environment. Therefore, that connection and awe of nature often inspires music. I enjoyed reading the article from our textbook, The Arts Provide Another Dimension to Interpretation, as there was a quote which mentioned that “If the songs are not sung and the stories are not told, the land will die.” It was also said that “If the songs are not sung and the stories are not told, danced, painted, or acted, our spirits will die as well.” Humans are very emotional creatures. Something to note about music is that it draws on our emotions, frequently resulting in an impactful and moving experience. Due to this idea, I believe that nature interpretation should include music as it will increase emotional participation. It is something that we need more of in discussions and action revolving around environmental issues like climate change.
Personally, I adore music and I have so many songs that remind me of natural landscapes. In my experience, music has always had the power to create vivid images in my mind. If I’m being honest, I have a whole playlist that reminds me of the mountains. Music evokes such powerful emotions, and this playlist never fails to encapsulate the feelings I have when I’m travelling. Although there are many, the one song that never fails to take me back to the mountain ranges is Sleep on the Floor by the Lumineers. This song is particularly good at drawing me back to the mountains because it reminds me of my trip to Tofino, BC. We drove from Nanaimo to Tofino (a 2.5-hour drive) and blasted the Lumineers the whole time. I grew up travelling and listening to the Lumineers on long drives, so it is only natural that this song reminds me of the natural places I’ve been to (specifically mountains).
I’ve attached the link to the song mentioned (Sleep on the Floor by the Lumineers) as well as some images from my travels that often appear in my head when listening to it.
YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4pi1LxuDHc
Hi Simone!
I wanted to start off by saying I loved the pictures you added to your post! I knew I would be interested in reading your post as soon as I saw them, and I was glad I did. I agree with your ideas on how music can be found in nature, and while I don’t have a forest too close to my house, I enjoy whenever I can go to trail and just listen to the sounds. Even just listening to the sounds of the birds chirping in the morning or the rain pouring outside my window can be calming.
I found the way you interpreted nature in music very interesting, especially with the quote you picked from the textbook reading. I agree with how we should use music more when it comes to nature interpretation and discussing environmental issues. I know when I watch videos, documentaries or movies revolving these issues, I feel an increase in emotions when there is music, specifically music containing elements of nature in the background.
I really enjoyed your song choice and your story behind it. Whenever I hear “Sleep on the Floor” I tend to think of driving by the mountains, so I found it funny when you said it reminded you of mountains specifically. I would love to hear more of your playlist!
I look forward to reading more of your future posts :)
Blog post 7
Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?
As a follow-up (focus on the above two before you tackle this one), what song takes you immediately back to a natural landscape? What is the context? Share it with us – I would imagine many of these ideas may have similar underpinnings of a campfire, road trip, backpacking journey, etc.!
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- We’ve discussed how nature is interpreted through art a few weeks ago, and I mentioned how the relationship between the two often go hand in hand. For that prompt I mainly looked at the visual arts and photography side of art. However, music is one of the greatest forms of arts, as it has the power to convey emotions and tell stories through sound. As we know, music has a major influence in our world today and has had played a crucial role in shaping cultures throughout history.
So, let’s talk about where music is in nature.
If you look at any of these pictures I took, you can probably just hear/imagine what they sound like.
I think you can find music in all aspects of nature, as nature itself is a symphony of sounds. You can hear music in the sounds of the water flowing, leaves rustling, or through the sounds of the wind. Some more obvious sounds may be from crickets and cicadas or birds chirping. There are so many unique sounds of nature. While these sounds may not seem like ‘music’ separately, it’s when you hear them together, where nature really starts to sound like music. So, if you find yourself putting on headphones when you go on walks, try to take them off and listen to the sounds of nature instead. The music of nature can have a therapeutic effect, so it’s important to get outside and just listen for a minute.
Now as for nature in music.
This may not be as simple to find, but a lot of songs will have nature sounds incorporated into them, even if you don't notice at first. By adding nature elements to songs, artists can enhance the overall atmosphere, or like this week's reading says it can "change the way people see, think, and feel". One of the first examples of this that comes to mind is “Good Days” by SZA. While she makes multiple references to nature in her lyrics and video, what I feel enhanced the ambiance is the sounds of nature, such as the birds chirping and water flowing. The use of nature elements gives a relaxing and therapeutic feeling, which is why this song reminds me of going for road trips or hanging out at a park with friends during summer. Another example of an artist that uses the sounds of nature is Frank Ocean. For example, he uses the sounds of birds chirping and flowing water in both “Seigfried” and “Skyline to”. “Skyline to” exudes a sense of calm, whereas “Seigfried” has more of a dramatic tone. This is interesting since both songs use similar nature elements, however the way they are used conveys distinct emotions/atmospheres. While “Skyline to” makes me think of going on a walk or sitting outside early in the morning, “Siegfried” reminds me of going on a walk late in the evening.
Generally, incorporating sounds of nature into music can allow the artist to invoke certain emotions in the listener and can transport the listener to a specific landscape.
Blog post 6
Unpack this quote: "There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it."
There are several parts to this question, a lot of which use metaphors and symbolic terms to describe something I will need to break down in order to digest fully. I will be thinking (or speaking out loud, somewhat) so bare with me. First I will start by describing the meaning of merit. How I interpret merit is something of importance, worth or value. So this quote is saying that ancient things alone do not have a special value alone. They say that “integrity”, which can be both described as morality or wholeness/unity, brings merit. I am assuming they are referring to the latter (wholeness/unity), as they go on to describe that the wholeness/unity allows for a memory of ancient things. This makes sense because as you put ancient things together (photographs, articles, artifacts) it creates a picture or snapshot of that point in time. So maintaining the unity of ancient artifacts through time allows us to piece together and describe history. It then ends with the sentence saying that acting like the past is done is like acting like a railway station doesn't exist because the train already left or only existed as long as the train was still there. The last sentence I think is the most challenging for me to decipher. I think the meaning of it is that just because the past is no longer present with us - that doesn’t mean it didn't happen ever. This also holds true/can be proven because of the artifacts and pieces of evidence that have memories attached to them that are left behind. There are so many important reasons why we need to continue to keep history/past events relevant, and a good example of this would be residential schools, WW2, or the holocaust. Acting like these events never happened would be extremely horrible and simply ignorant. We need to continue keeping the past relevant in order to educate ourselves, which helps to ensure such tragedies never occur again. In addition, also to remember and commemorate all the beautiful souls and memories that were lost.
Connecting this to the unit 6 content and nature interpretation, as mentioned in the reading, history makes spaces meaningful. It allows for a connection between the audience and the environment. This allows the audience to gain a stronger appreciation for nature and hopefully a stronger relationship with it as well. I attached a photo from this summer that has "history" and memories to me, but to you it may mean nothing at all. After all, a picture is only a picture, without a caption to give it meaning. The textbook describes something called “living history”, which I realized I had experienced before. An example of living history you may have seen before are things like Pioneer Village or Medieval Times. I have also been to a historical area/living history exhibit called St. Marie among the Hurons. I would say these are arguably the most engaging educational experiences I’ve ever had, and I can still remember the scenes in my head. I think this is because instead of just providing you historical information, the actors are acting as historical interpreters, which allows you to relate to them.
Hi Lauren!
I wanted to start off by saying I enjoyed reading your blog post and your perspective on the quote and its meaning! I feel like we had similar ideas regarding the quote, but it was cool to see the way you broke down the quote. By unpacking the quote in steps made it alot easier to understand, which I had trouble doing at first (it would have been helpful seeing this before). I liked how you provided examples of historical events, as they serve as major reminders for how it is important to keep them relevant.
You did a great job of connecting it to the unit, especially by adding your own picture. A photo allows you to capture a moment that conveys a significance, more than it just being a static image. I don't know if I completely agree with the part where you say that “a picture is only a picture without a caption to give it meaning”, since there can be many ways to perceive an image. Like the saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” suggests, certain images themselves can convey significant information, meaning or emotions. But I do think a caption can enhance the understanding, especially if you want a specific message or perspective to be seen.
Your mention of the “living history” and example of the Pioneer Village and Medieval Times brought back some great memories. It's nice how while people can have different perspectives, we can still have shared experiences, memories and emotions.
Week 6
There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.
(Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)
Hi everyone, welcome back to my blog!
This week we’re unpacking the quote from above. When I read this quote at first I was kind of confused as to what it meant. However the analogy of the train passing through the railway station helped me understand this further. Like this part states, we cannot just believe that a key point in history (the railway station) only exists for as long as the train was there (present moment of event). The station, like any moment in history, has its own significance. To believe that a station only exists for as long as the train passess through it, you are ignoring the history and importance of the station (historical moment). We know that this is not the case. Each event in history has its own importance and is generally a part of a greater context, which is why it is crucial to acknowledge the value of historical moments and their role in shaping the future and present.
Understanding this helped me further understand the beginning of the quote, so let's go back and unpack the start. The quote starts by saying there is “no peculiar merit in ancient things”, suggesting that something being “ancient” doesn't automatically make it valuable. Instead of placing value on something merely due to its age, value it on its ability to maintain unity. This could be, preserving the memory of a historical moment as part of a greater narrative, even if, like Hyams states, the “parts are scattered throughout time” .
Generally, he criticizes the attitude of believing or feeling the past is no longer significant.
We should keep this in mind when it comes to nature interpretation. Wouldn't it be odd to make the argument that one ecosystem is more important than another because it's older?
Human activities have major impacts on our environments. So, by considering the historical significance in the context of the natural world, it can help us make informed and effective decisions on the future of it.
Rachel Carson, a marine biologist, author and conservationist states, “The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction”. This serves as a reminder, similar to the quote we unpacked, the value of understanding the historical significance of the natural world, in relation to the impacts human activities have.
Thanks for reading my blog!
Week 4: Art as an act of love - Why we interpret nature through art
When I think of interpreting art or the gift of beauty I think of a moment from two summers ago when I was working as a field biologist. The task of the day was an anuran survey. We were at the site after dark, listening for frogs and toads. I love frogs and toads, truly, but I wouldn’t personally call many many dozens of spring peepers calling beautiful (picture many many small angry cats yelling at each other). No, the beautiful thing was on the walk back when the whole forest lit up with fireflies; thousands of glowing bugs floating down the trail in a forest dense enough to block out most of the ambient light. It was like standing in a crystal clear night sky; my two co-workers and I silently agreed to turn off our headlamps and just stand there for a while.
I share that story because I think it captures how I feel beauty and art should be interpreted. I didn’t need to be told fireflies are beautiful, I didn’t need to understand the biochemistry that lets them light-up or why they seem to love this random wooded area behind a train station, but I never would have been there in that moment if I wasn’t a biologist with a miraculous stroke of luck. To be clear, please don’t go hiking through private property at night looking for fireflies, it's unsafe and you're more likely to just get lost and mosquito bitten half to death. My point is that I was in the right place at the right time and magic happened, and as interpreters, I think we can let nature speak for itself in the beauty department if we only get our guests there at the right place and time.
These moments are rare and lightning doesn’t reliably hit twice so we can also share these events through art and stories. You felt a little calmer when you read about the fireflies right? You have an image in your head about what I might have seen and really, that image could be just as beautiful as the one that lives in my head. I’ve talked about my friend the photographer on this blog before as well and I think that is another great way to share and interpret beauty. He has always had a talent for noticing little things, an a-symmetrical leaf, the pattern of plants in the grass, and he can highlight beauty in what he sees by taking a picture that lets others look through his eyes.
Now, I couldn’t talk about art and beauty on a nature interpretation blog without talking about my personal favorite comfort media: Ghibli movies. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, congrats you have plans tonight: find your comfiest blanket and look up Spirited Away on Netflix, you can thank me later. Spirited Away shares the story of a young girl who accidentally travels to the spirit realm where she ends up working at a bathhouse full of nature spirits. The movie personifies rivers, radishes and ducks and almost every other thing you could find in a forest and brings them into a colorful world where they can be cleansed and relaxed. It’s an interesting metaphor for how pollution affects the natural world. Metaphors and personification aside, the film also has beautiful imagery of nature, with calm grassy fields, wide lakes and mysterious mossy forests. You don’t even have to step outside to be moved by Miyazaki’s interpretation of nature and to understand the messages about our responsibilities in caring for it. It’s my favorite example of how interpretation of nature through art can simplify complicated ideas into a single work and communicate them without lecture.
At its core, art is an act of love - it takes time and labor to create and can wordlessly communicate the artist's belief that something is special, and therefore worth appreciating, protecting and thinking about. I suppose my thesis in this post is that art captures and shares moments that are special, so we can connect with nature on an emotional level and build a sense of value through finding the beauty in a place.
Images from Spirited Away (2003)
Hi Noelle,
Awesome post! I found myself relating to many of the points you made. I genuinely enjoyed reading about your experience at your place of work, I can only imagine how beautiful it must have been seeing all those fireflies. The way you described it got me imagining how it would feel to experience that, and honestly did make me feel calmer. As humans we can often find ourselves overthinking even the simplest things, which can really take away from enjoying certain experiences (I know I find myself doing that quite often). It’s important to sometimes just see things how they are in order to truly appreciate their beauty, like the fireflies.
I agree with your perspective that art captures and shares moments that are special. Channeling the emotions from these experiences or from moments of connection with nature is an important step toward creating meaningful art.
Also, I love that movie! It really is a work of art and a great example for how art can inspire people to appreciate and care for their surroundings, and generally a great representation of “the gift of beauty”.
Keep up the great posts!
Week 4
Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”?
Nature interpretation is a process by which individuals can learn and connect to the natural world. It allows people to gain knowledge on ecological concepts, wildlife behavior, conservation efforts and generally create a deeper understanding on the environment. Now science may be crucial when trying to understand certain concepts regarding nature interpretation, however art plays a major role in it too.
Art has always been a way for us to connect to the world around us, whether it is through painting, photographs, music, etc. and we typically find nature to be a muse for many artists. (I may not be a profound artist, but nature is typically the central theme in my drawings) Now there must be a reason why nature or the natural world is such a popular choice when it comes to the central theme of many works of art. The relationship between art and nature complex yet often go hand in hand. Now some may wonder, how can recreating a view or a natural environment be any different from going out and looking at it yourself, but as Aristotle said, “Art not only imitates nature but also completes its deficiencies”. Art can enhance certain aspects of nature and allow for different perspectives, emotions, and experiences, what I may see in a forest may not be the same as what you capture. Not to mention, it isn’t always as simple as getting up and going out into nature. Art allows access to those who may not have direct access to the natural world.
For example, at this stage in life it is a little difficult for me to travel. Don’t get me wrong, I still love and appreciate going on walks on trails nearby or visiting places like the arboretum, nevertheless I am still looking forward to when I can travel around the world. However, my older sister is at a stage where she often has more opportunities to travel to different places around the world. Which is why I often look forward to seeing the pictures that she captures. The photographs allow me to connect to different natural environments and experience the beauty in a way that is convenient for me.
Now as for “the gift of beauty”, the textbook describes it as how “interpretation should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings-to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation.” As for how I interpret this in simple terms, interpretation should prompt people into appreciating the beauty in what around them, in this case the natural world. This is generally what art does, whether it be related to nature or something else. Art bestows the gift of beauty.
Hey! This week blog prompt asked us to consider that role that privilege plays in nature interpretation, and to think about and share our own working definition of privilege.
My working definition of privilege is the sum of the benefits, opportunities, or lack of barriers that someone is given through no effort of their own.
From personal experience, I have seen that privilege plays a massive role in nature interpretation. At a previous job, I worked in the kitchen of a hiking lodge. It was a beautiful place, and provided plenty of educational opportunities, but mostly just to those who could afford them. A two night stay there would have cost me a week’s wages. And I was lucky to work there too, since the place was pretty remote and I needed one of my parents to drive me. While there, I was able to meet a few people who worked as hiking guides, but most of the people who they brought out into nature were rich families on a weekend getaway. The idealized situations of taking “less privileged” children to witness how life-changing the outdoors can be did happen, but were relatively few and far between. At one point the presidents of the outdoors organization that ran the place came to visit, and seem to think themselves deserving of special treatment as thanks for their philanthropy. They had charcuterie boards airlifted in when in all other cases helicopters were reserved for only the most dire of medical emergencies. It’s not an experience I’m going to forget any time soon, and it made me acutely aware of how not ever considering the privileges one has been given can lead to rather negative consequences.
Access to the outdoors has in many ways become a privilege that relatively few people get to enjoy. People generally need time off from work, a car, enough money for a day trip, money to pay for any needed gear, access to care for any medical issues that would hinder physical activity, etc., etc. It’s a long list, and I think that privilege in all its forms is a very important thing for anyone interested in nature interpretation to at least consider. There often seems to be an attitude that people who don’t take an active interest in nature just need to be “shown the light.” I don’t completely disagree, but I think it’s important to respect that not everybody has the privilege to dedicate any of their time to nature. There are plenty of people out there who would love to spend more time in nature, but can’t take time off from work, for example. Or live in an urban area and don’t have access to green spaces or a car to get to one. And unfortunately, those are issues that guided nature walks aren’t exactly a direct fix for. It’s much easier to be interested in and care about nature when someone has the time, money, and mental space to be able to do so. Overall, this week’s prompt was a lot to think about, and it’s difficult to fit a solid response into a short blog post.
Hey Rebecca!
I enjoyed reading your post! I agree with the way you defined privilege, and found it interesting how you witnessed the role it had on nature interpretation first hand. I just had to say I was shocked reading about the special treatment that someone had expected at your job.
I liked how you explained the privilege of being able to spend time in nature and how people may not always be able to have the opportunities to do so. This can be something that's easy to forget, especially as a student at Guelph, since we receive many opportunities to do so. I'm not sure what program you're in, but I'm in the envs program, majoring in ecology, so that in itself allows me many opportunities to experience nature. So, I try to remind myself of how I’m able to pursue my education in something that I genuinely enjoy, and I especially thought about that more after reading your post.
Thanks for your post, I look forward to reading more :)
Week 3
What role does “privilege” play in nature interpretation? Please include your working definition of privilege.
The term privilege typically refers to advantages or benefits one has without having to work for them. Since privilege can be evident in so many ways, it can often go unseen to those who possess it. Typically, privilege can manifest through access to resources and opportunities. Most people have some degree of privilege, yet this doesn't automatically mean that your life is amazing. You may still struggle, however the struggles you face generally aren't due to the privileges or advantageous characteristics you possess.
Like in any other field of work, it is important to recognize and acknowledge the role that privilege plays in forming different perspectives on the natural world and the experiences we encounter. As I stated before, privilege can manifest in many ways. One of the major ways we can see it in nature interpretation is having access to many natural spaces, whether it is being able to access parks and nature reserves or being able to travel to different parts of the world. Not to mention, it's a privilege to be able to attend a university in a city that is surrounded by nature and has many opportunities to access these natural spaces. Which brings me to the influence privilege has on educational opportunities, as it allows those who have access to education the ability to develop deeper understanding and knowledge on biodiversity and environmental issues. These are just a few ways we can identify roles privilege plays in nature interpretation, so it's important to continue recognizing these privileges and others in order to create more inclusive experiences.
Week 2
As an environmental interpreter I want to stimulate self-reflection among the individuals with whom I engage to help them find places of empowerment in regards to their impact on the planet and thus relationship with nature.
Engaging with people on a direct personal level energises me and gives me the opportunity to better understand my listener/participant so that I can tailor my communication to their personality. This is why my ideal delivery method would be direct, in person communication. Other delivery methods of information that I would be interested to use as supports would be a YouTube channel, documents and resource lists online. Using video as a method of connecting with individuals or groups does offer a more accessible means of connection while still allowing for tone of voice, body language and visuals. I think that having documents such as checklists or key information as well as resource links are very helpful in reducing the friction one may sometimes feel when engaging in a new activity or topic.
I see nature in every aspect of my life. Where did my kitchen cupboards come from? How did the food I am eating grow? Why do squirrels appear to sunbathe on my parents’ backyard fence? What is the impact of anyone of my actions on another part of the world? Because of this, I would look to connect the spaces in which we live with natural locations based on theme. If I meet a group in a community centre and start in the kitchens, can we walk to a community garden where food is being grown. If I consult with a family in their home, can we discuss water usage by going to a local ravine. For a group in cottage country, can we look at the buildings in which they are staying and find the tree types used to build them in the forest.
I grew up with a mother who was a Social Worker. She focused on clinical work in family therapy and one thing she always said was that the work cannot only be done “in the room” if it is going to make a difference in a person’s life. What she meant was that if we isolate the expectations and experience of learning to a single physical space we do not get the practice to use or maybe even think about that learning elsewhere. If each of us could consider the connection of the objects and natural resources in our daily lives with their original sources and how they fit into natural systems, then we have the opportunity for nature interpretation to impact actions.
The mandate which I would have for myself as a Nature Interpreter would be:
To create a safe, non-judgmental space for participants to share opinions and ask questions; and
To provide education of the natural world including how it is impacted by human activity; and
To share existing solutions to sustainability issues or connect individuals to develop such ideas.
My overall goal is empowerment. I do not mean power over nature but empowerment for each of us to find ways to work with and appreciate our natural world. We are in a scary place and lack of information and support are two things which can make anyone feel helpless. But the more we learn, the more we can find that we are not helpless, and neither is nature.
Hi Julie!
I want to start off by saying I really enjoyed reading your blog post and seeing what your ideal role as an environmental interpreter would be.
I thought it was cool how you explained the ways you can see nature in all aspects of your life. I feel like it can be easy to forget that parts of nature can be presented in many ways in one’s life, so it’s a nice reminder. I admire how you can take what you learn and use it to make connections, but also how you would be teaching others that skill through interpretation. Especially in the way you explained how your mother said, “the work cannot only be done “in the room” if it’s going to make a difference in a person’s life” and then applied it back to nature interpretation.
As for the mandate you had created for yourself, I find that to be a great idea that everyone should take the time to do, since it can be quite easy to lose track of what you initially wanted to achieve through your work. It’s a great way to hold yourself accountable and gives a sense of clarity of purpose. I know I’ll be writing one for myself now, so thank you for that!
I can tell you will do great in the path you have chosen as an interpreter, due to the way your able to communicate effectively, even just through a blog post.
Keep up the great work! I look forward to reading more of your blog posts :)
Blog Post 2
Prompt 2:
Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need? (Keep these all-in mind as you begin to work on your assignments – tailor these to that ideal job!)
Hi everyone, welcome back to my blog!
When I had decided that I wanted to go into a career related to the environment, nature, wildlife, etc., some of the job pathways that I kept revisiting funny enough were related to nature interpretation. This was mainly because I gained a love for nature by learning about it from other nature interpreters, one of the major ones being the Wild Kratts, like I discussed in my last blog post. Some of the other interpreters included the ones I met when I was in elementary school, whether it was the ones I met on trips where we got go out and be in nature, or the ones who did presentations at schools and brought in animals.
I remember in one of my elementary schools they would invite the Earth Rangers every year to teach kids about the conservations of animals and their habitats. It was one of the things I looked forward to most since they would always bring in cool animals for the kids to meet. This one time they had let the birds they brought in fly across the gym and one of the owls went right over my head, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. I couldn’t stop talking about what had happened and what I had learned to my family. I remember thinking after every presentation that I would want to do what they do when I would grow up. I mean working with animals and teaching others about them sounded like the ideal job.
As I grew up, I realized there were many ways to do this, it didn’t just have to be going to schools, it could be working in parks, museums, at trails, zoos, doing podcasts, making videos. There were endless ways to teach others about what I loved, so I had to really think about what would work best for me.
So that brings me to what my ideal role of an environmental interpreter would be.
I would say it would be a job that deals with the conservation of animals and where I would also be able to travel across the world to different habitats. One job I have researched about quite often is a wildlife biologist as they study various species in their natural habitats. This would allow me to learn more about the behaviour of animals and their conservation need. As a wildlife biologist there are many opportunities to educate others whether it be through educational programs, public outreach, guided tours, or consultations. Out of these I would prefer guided tours where I would be able to share my knowledge to others while being able to promote conservation efforts.
Not to mention, this job would also align with my learning style (tactile and visual learner) as it would allow me to learn as well as educate others in the learning styles that I prefer. The tactile side could be portrayed through fieldwork, specimen handling, interactive learning. Whereas the visual side can be shown through making observations in natural environments, working with photography and videography, as well as working with maps and diagrams.
Overall, I feel like this job would align best with what I desire and with the skills I have gained overtime.
Blog Post 1
Blog 1: Describe your current relationship with nature. How has this developed/evolved? Who offered you “a sense of place,” as described in our textbook?
From a very young age, I've always felt a deep sense of belonging when surrounded by the beauty of nature. Being born and raised in Brazil, surrounded by the world's most diverse collection of plants and animals, spending time outdoors has always been a source of joy for me. As a child, I used to visit my grandfather's farm on weekends to feed the goats and watch my grandpa ride horses. Whether I was climbing trees or gazing at the stars, being in the great outdoors filled me with a profound sense of fulfillment. Those days seemed endless, and I felt a genuine satisfaction in my accomplishments. I not only connected with myself but also with the entire world around me. As a very extroverted child, I embarked on countless adventures, whether alone or with others, all in the pursuit of exploring. When I first moved to Canada, I was captivated by the abundance of natural beauty that surrounded me. From hiking in Moore Park to visiting Niagara Falls, I always found a way to immerse myself in nature, regardless of the season.
However, during the pandemic, a time that I believe was a low point for everyone, I felt disconnected, both from myself and the world around me. Being stuck in my room all day and experiencing social isolation, not just from humans but also from nature, took a toll on my well-being. The only activity I looked forward to during those days was the daily 15-minute walks with my family. During these walks, I ultimately just wanted to reflect and rediscover the beauty of nature that I had been missing. The chirping of birds, the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind, and my reflection beneath the trees became sources of immense happiness during those walks. I was reminded how nature can provide comfort and renewal even amid adversity.
The relationship I have with nature has changed greatly due to my education as I get to learn more, especially in classes focusing on the environment (ENVS 3010, BIOL 2060, BIOL 1070) it starts to become clear to me that my sense of place is still evolving because I am still learning and experiencing. With that being said, “a sense of place” is a journey that I am trying to find on my own, but giving full credit to my family who allowed me to explore the outdoors as I child, because without that maybe my love for nature wouldn't have existed. This past summer, I visited Quebec City and Montreal, where I encountered so many beautiful parks and trails. Among the highlights of the trip was my visit to Parc de la Chute-Montmorency. I happened to go on a rainy and windy day where I wasn’t expecting to see much because of all of the fog. As I arrived, the sun began to break through, revealing the most breathtaking rainbow I've ever witnessed arching over the falls. Moments like these, where you can observe and appreciate the beauty of nature, are stuck in my memory forever.
I've attached some photos that capture the moments when nature held the most significance to me
Hi Susanna!
I really liked reading about how your relationship with nature has developed and reading about your experiences in Brazil. I can only imagine how beautiful it is there! It is definitely on the list of places I want to travel to, especially after reading about your experiences. I would love to hear more about your time in Brazil!
Also, I can totally relate how the pandemic had affected your life. Feeling disconnected from the world and myself was one of the things I struggled with too, as I found myself trapped in my room for most of the day. This was certainly terrible for my mental health. I found it kind of difficult to get myself out of the house, even for just a walk. But anytime I did manage to get myself out, I always felt better after, which is why I really loved when you said, “nature can provide comfort and renewal even amid adversity”.
It was nice to read about your trip to Quebec City and Montreal. I also went there a few years ago with my family and we also visited Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, which was one of my favourite parts of the trip. Although we had gone during the winter, when a lot of it was frozen. So, it’s nice to see how it looks during the summer!
Can’t wait to read more blog posts of your experiences!
I attached pics of Parc de la Chute-Montmorency from when I had gone if you’d like to see :)
