Hannah's Adventure

Fourth-year environmental science student at the University Guelph trying to make a difference in the world

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hey... did you know?

Hey everyone!!

This blog post was hard for me to write. I had to sit down and really question what my personal ethics were when it came to nature interpretation. But, looking back at what I have learned in the course and through the readings, I can see how my core values have been strengthened and developed over three short months. 

I have always been a firm believer in knowledge sharing. I think one of the most important things one person can do is share what they know with other people. This is what I believe is my biggest core value is and the main moral principle I strive to follow in my life. The act of knowledge sharing helps people to connect to what they know and brings to light situations people do not know about. 

Knowledge sharing also raises awareness. The more people know about something, the more they are aware of what is happening and are therefore more inclined to do something about it. Especially in nature, it's important to be aware of what is happening to the ecosystems around us. With climate change being such a hot debate in our world, I think it's important as an environmental student that I do everything  I can to bring awareness to what is happening to our planet because of climate change. 

I have learned how to do this better through this course, as I have learned the tools for effective interpretation. 

BUT, my biggest fear is not being heard, and people disregarding what I am trying to tell them. I think a really good quote from our textbook that explains how I feel is when the author states: “no matter how much confidence we may have in our science and our professional procedures, no matter how enthusiastic and polished our presentations, the audience ultimately decides if the resource has value. The audience determines if they will care enough about the resource to support the care for the resource” (Beck et al, 2018, p.130). I would like to say I’m pretty smart, but I always worry about how people will perceive me, and if they will believe what I am saying. 

I don’t want my knowledge to go to waste.

What I have to constantly remind myself is that every action I do matters, and it is my responsibility to share what I know. There are people in the world that have no idea what is happening to our planet, or what they can do to help it, and although I do not have a huge social media presence, there are other ways I can share what I know. 

One of my favourite things to do is talk. I find it very easy to start conversations with guests that come into my work, and with new people, I have just met in public (maybe it's because I’m so eager for social interaction after lockdown).  I find that I have been able to share simple facts about climate change in random conversations and surprise people with what I know. 

When sharing knowledge to people, “being relevant means ‘taking action-publicly on the issues that matter’ the most to the organization. Of course, public advocacy can be risky, and not always possible everywhere, but for the right organizations there can be enormous opportunities to more deeply connect with their clientele and make a difference in the world” (Beck et. al., 2018, p. 469). I think this quote really helps to explain why I interpret the way I do. I know that not everyone that listens cares, or wants to know what I am saying, but I know that some people do. I am aiming to reach that part of the population that will actually listen and want to do something about what I have told him. For me, this is the easiest way to interpret nature, by verbally sharing what I know. It is a lot easier than making videos or doing podcasts, as it makes it more personal for me. I like having that connection with the people that I talk to and try to start a connection between the people I talk to and nature. 

Relating this to my life, when my boyfriend and I go on hikes, I share with him facts that I have learned in my forest biodiversity and ecology classes so that he can connect what he is seeing to the facts I am telling him. It makes our walks more interesting, and he walks away with new knowledge of the natural world around him. 

Or, for example at work, I collect all of our old coffee grounds and bag them to give out to customers. I made a small sign that explains the benefits of using old coffee grounds as fertilizer and actually helped to raise a lot of awareness of using recycled materials when compared to synthetic ones. 

These simple acts I perform are ways I enact my personal ethic of knowledge sharing in small ways that I think are the most effective way of interpreting nature. 

Now, after finishing this course, I know that my way of knowledge sharing is a form of interpretation. As described in the textbook, “... we have the privilege to shape and inspire the interest of these future generations” (Beck et al., 2018, p. 144). The facts and tools I provide people about caring for nature and its inhabitants is a simple way that I help start people's interest in doing the same. I hope that everyone I talk to shares what I told them so that it can be passed onto the next person. 

As a happy sign-off for my blog, I want to know one cool fact about anything nature-related that you know and want to share with everyone who reads this post. 

I’ll start… did you know that sloths only poop once a week? 

Have a great last week everyone! 

Hannah 

Reference: 

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

[msenvs3000f21]

Personal Ethic

     If it hasn’t been apparent by now, nature and anything to do with the environment is a big deal to me. It’s my go-to place as a stress reliever and it plays a critical role in the health and development of humans and animals. The different sounds and experiences I’ve had with nature brought me closer to it and have become my source of fun and excitement, as well as become a stress reliever later on in my life. When exams are near or I have a stressful presentation, I’ve learned to use nature as a way to relieve stress and help me clear my mind and get my thoughts straight. A walk in the park, or on a trail is enough to calm me down and relax myself for any challenging exam that I might be preparing for. Nature is critical in the health of humans and animals as it provides vital oxygen as well as water and different essentials we might need. Clean oxygen, clean water, shelter, food is all essential to the growth of humans and animals. Creating pollution that hinders these factors can lead to a lower quality of life and lead to greater health risks.      A revolutionary new technology called CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is a breakthrough science improvement that allows for the editing of DNA in living organisms (Barrangou & Doudna 2016). As this is a huge, enormous topic, I will very briefly sum it up. Crispr is a sequence of DNA that protein found in cells that are used to fight off attacks from previously attacking viruses (Barrangou & Doudna 2016). This is sort of like an antiviral defence system in cells so that when the same virus attacks, the cell already has the defence DNA so it cant be attacked again (Barrangou & Doudna 2016). This is great and all, but the most important part is the protein CAS9 (Barrangou & Doudna 2016). This is a protein that does the insertion of DNA into living cells in order to prevent future infection (Barrangou & Doudna 2016). What scientists learned is that we are able to give CAS9 any DNA we want to add into a cell, and CAS9 will do it with precision accuracy (Barrangou & Doudna 2016). This ultimately means we are able to modify organisms however we want. Do we want a cure for HIV? We can give antibiotics that rarely work, or we can use CAS9 to insert DNA that prevents HIV from infecting the person in the first place. Moving this into a nature perspective. We have great levels of pollution and greenhouse gases that are slowly eating the ozone layer, causing global warming and massive impacts on the environment. We can try to prevent this by moving to electric vehicles, not burning fossil fuels, recycling, or we can use CRISPR to our advantage. We have already used genetic modification to create bacteria that eat at oil which are used to help clean up oil spills that happen in our oceans. To combat pollution. Insert a DNA sequence that allows for more uptake of carbon dioxide in plants and trees that will help us clean up the air just like the bacteria we use to clean up oil. This is a very complex subject but things like this are possible with current technologies. I believe this technology will help us with the different pollutions we as humans have caused to the environment.      This video describes very well the uses that we can have with CRISPR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAhjPd4uNFY&ab_channel=Kurzgesagt%E2%80%93InaNutshell

     Since this technology is not 100% understood and used there are still things, I personally do right now to prolong the amount of pollution I am causing. I work at a lab that tests water, soil, and air samples around Ontario and we use this data to show what pollutants and different things are found in our ecosystem. We use this data and send it off to companies and the government to help aid with clean-up and to help clean-up crews know what to use for any pollutants that we found. Knowing what pollutants are found in soil can help with clean-up aids and help crack down on how those pollutants got there in the first place. I tested different sewage, soil, and water samples around Guelph for different oils, metals, and chemicals and we sent our results to the government for further evaluation. This is my personal responsibility I have, to help with keeping the environment clean and protected. Other little things I do are recycle and use locally sourced things to lower my greenhouse footprint. It’s a little thing but little things add up. I also currently inform my relatives about different recycling practices that they might be doing wrong.      I am not a very important social figure that has a lot of power to make huge changes like the government or a celebrity. But as a 21-year-old, I do anything in my power to help make a change and keep the environment as clean as I can.      I also try to inspire others to go out and experience nature on their own to help strengthen others’ bonds with nature. My cousins and siblings are very hesitant about the outdoors as they prefer to be indoors and spend their time on their phones and video games. I have recently begun a tradition in our family where the cousins all gather at a picnic or an outdoor setting and spend time together. We always pick different scenarios, from Rattlesnake Conservation Area, to just up north at their cottage we find different ways to get closer to each other as well as get closer to nature. Slowly I’ve noticed they have begun to love the outdoors and this love can directly translate to being more aware of how pollutions are negative. “If he is indeed wise, he does not bid you to enter the house of his wisdom but rather, leads you in the threshold of your own mind” – Kahlil Gibran If you remove a child from the opportunity of bonding with nature then that child will get less of a balanced moral compass (Beck et al 2018). That’s why giving my siblings the opportunity to go out and experience nature with them, and sometimes on their own, will help them learn about the different pleasures they can get from it, as well as how important it really is to us, even if we don’t directly interact with it.      Nature is a very important aspect of my life. I cherish it and I always make sure to appreciate what it does to me. Personally, it’s a stress reliever that helps me cope with exams and the different stresses of life. The environment is also detrimental to the health of humans and different plants and animals. I believe that CRISPR is the future and since we are finding it challenging to cope with the increasing pollution, we are experiencing every day, CRISPR offers an efficient way to combat the ever-increasing pollution. Since this is a new technology that isn’t used very much yet, I still do my part by working at Bureau Veritas to help companies and governments help with pollution in Ontario as well as help inform others of different practices and things, they can do to help lower their personal carbon footprint. References Barrangou, R., Doudna, J. Applications of CRISPR technologies in research and beyond. Nat Biotechnol 34, 933–941 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt.3659 Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hi Michael!

I can’t believe that I’m just now reading your blog, you’ve got so many good posts and responses! 

Just like you, I do everything that I can to make a difference in the world, especially when it comes to environmental stewardship. In my community, I promote and support local businesses that are working on combating their carbon footprints. Even in the cafe I work at, I keep all the coffee grounds and give them away to our guests so that they can be reused. 

I just wanted to point out that I think you are wrong. You are an important individual, and even though you aren’t an influencer, your actions do not go unnoticed. You are making a difference with your small actions and contributions. 

It is so important that we use and share what we have learned to encourage others around us to help protect the environment. This is important as “by gaining more knowledge about the cultural or natural resources of an area, their visit (or their home territory) becomes more meaningful” (Beck et al., 2018, p. 42). Everytime we share a fact or a story, we’re encouraging the people listening to look at the world around them differently, and giving more meaning to it. This way, they will have more incentive to protect it. In your life,  I can see that you do this by bringing your family into the outdoors so that they can experience nature and start to appreciate it, even if they are reluctant to do so. 

Have a great rest of the semester, 

Hannah 

Reference: Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson. D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore-Venture.

[lpenvs3000f21]

Oh, the places we will go...

We have all come a long way from the beginning of this course, which was only two and a half months ago. I took this class out of pure curiosity but leave it with a new appreciation and understanding of the crucial necessity for nature interpreters. Nature interpreters are more important now than ever before, especially with environmental issues like climate change. Without interpreters who fully understand scientific elements and can break them down for the public to understand, societal habits will not change, thus there will be no improvement for our environment. With the number of people who lack trust in science, we need people who are passionate for science and the environment, and who are natural leaders and communicators who can teach the public effectively.

There are many skills I had never considered for this profession. One of the most important ones I learned over this semester is being able to convey information to people of all ages, backgrounds and learning styles. When I think back to the most impactful lectures I attended through university, or even the lessons that remain with me from elementary school, they have something in common, and that is engagement. I remember the lessons where professors asked for volunteers to help test a hypothesis, or the teachers who incorporated a game into their lesson for better understanding and hands-on experiences. It is important to keep learners active and engaged to make an impactful lesson. “No matter how much confidence we may have in our science and our professional procedures, no matter how enthusiastic and polished our presentations, the audience ultimately decides if the resource has value. The audience determines if they will care enough about the resource in order to support the care for the resource” (Beck et al, 2018, p.130).

I also discovered over this semester, the power in reducing homogeneity. Prior to this course, I would have formulated a public work that was very general, something that regardless of culture, ethnicity, age or gender, an individual could relate to. I now know that this is unrealistic and an inefficient way of drawing in an audience. Rather, a good interpreter does the opposite. An interpreter should make it a priority to get to know their audience on a personal level, understand their motives for being present and listening, and learn how to properly welcome them, eliminating any barriers that could inhibit public interest. As Pease (2015) found, economic barriers, cultural barriers, lack of knowledge, and fear are the most common factors leading to reduced groups of minorities participating in interpretive programs (Beck et al, 2018, p.133). Rather than staying broad in topic, learn your audience and find specific ways of assisting them such as by providing transportation to the site, personally inviting groups of minority, incorporating media and additional languages, and increasing staff diversity (Beck et al, 2018).

Through making two podcasts, one for children and one for adults, I understand the power of language. Listening to a podcast can be hard, especially when the presenters sound unenthusiastic, therefore it is important to rehearse, recognize how you sound and even receive feedback from outsiders since we all learn differently. We must also consider everyone’s invisible backpack, how their past experiences influence their thoughts and ability to connect with different symbols leading to their sovereignty. As Freeman Tilden stated: “The visitor ultimately is seeing things through his own eyes” (Beck et al, 2018, p.131). It is important to think outside the box, if you haven’t convinced someone through one method, keep trying because your ideology will likely resonate with them in some other way.

In terms of my personal ethic, I have been described as punctual, literal, a good communicator and hard worker. While these traits have helped me in many ways, such as by staying on task, finishing assignments with plenty of time to spare and following instruction, my work ethic has been my own demise in other ways. I have more trouble writing a blog than I do an essay, as blog posts require self-reflection and less formality. It took a while for me to find the balance between being too textbook-ish, and too informal.

However, my personal ethic can help me in other ways to be a good interpreter! First, I am very punctual. I have never taken an extension on any assignment and strive to never take one. This is necessary for certain interpreters such as podcast hosts. If the host of a podcast promises their listeners to have new content every Sunday at 2pm, it is essential that the timeline is met to keep their listeners trust and loyalty. Or for instance in my position as a host for Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants, there is an audience of classrooms waiting at exactly the stated time, therefore it is important to log in early to meet the scientist, ensure there are no technical issues and go live on time. Although I am just another face within the organization, it is important to remember that each staff member and volunteer represents the organization as a whole.

With the new knowledge I have acquired, I am going to work on enhancing my oral and written communication skills but also listening skills. It is easy to assume everyone will share the same feelings toward something as you do, but we all have different interests and experiences leading us to our destinations. While I love coyotes and the peace my seasonal job at my local cemetery brings me, many people fear both of those things! However, someone may share my feeling if I explain that for eight hours a day, I get to enjoy being surrounded by nature, tending the earth, spotting deer, and watching coyote families play in the distance like puppies, of course in addition to strenuous physical labour! I am going to work on incorporating art into my storytelling, through photography and music. I cannot wait to continue this journey of nature interpretation, and I am excited to see the adventures that all of you will go on!

Reference

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson. D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore-Venture.

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hi there!

It really is sad that this is our last post and responses for this course. It's hard to believe only 2 months ago we started this course!

I agree with you, that after this course the biggest take away is learning how to convey information and share stories with people. Before this course, I had never really thought of the importance of sharing my knowledge and experiences with others… but now it's all I can think about! Now I can’t stop thinking about how to share every part of my life with people to enjoy and learn something new.

I think as nature enthusiasts we need to continue to advocate for nature so that others around us can learn the significance of the world around us. In the textbook this is described as when “effective interpretation improves the chances of success in their missions and in gaining public support” (Beck et al., 2018, p. 14). We want nature to be protected, and so through sharing our stories we can help others to see the importance and value of nature in the hopes they move to protect it.

Just like you, I have trouble writing a blog compared to an essay. It's hard to switch off the professional academic brain and write something more casual and interesting!

I’m glad to see that you have learned how to overcome this and have written a beautiful blog!

Have a great rest of the semester,

Hannah

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson. D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. Sagamore-Venture.

[kamenvs3000f21-deactivated20220]

Hello friends, I am going to share the COOLEST NATURE FACT I have learned in one of my favourite university classes. In order to do this, I am going to need you to use your imagination here. It’s a hot and sunny mid summers day and you decide to take a road trip to visit the conservation area just outside of town. You pull into the parking lot, grab your backpack, and set off on a hike. About 1km in you come across a beautiful meadow full of wildflowers. They are in full bloom showing off their tones of pink, blue, purple, and yellow. You decide to take a break here to admire the sheer beauty. Looking closer at the sea of flowers, you notice honeybees flying around and visiting the flowers. Moving a bit closer, you notice individuals visiting the exact same flower species and avoiding the others. Why is that?

Maybe they prefer that flowers colours. Maybe they like how the plant species has a lot of flowers. Maybe they smell the sweetest. All three are correct but, how do these things benefit the bees and how do they all know to visit that particular species?

Honeybees are a eusocial species. This means that adults live in groups, everyone takes care of the young, jobs are divided among individuals based on reproductive organs and age, and generations overlap (Plowes, 2010).

There are 3 castes or specialized groups within a colony: the queen, drones (males), and workers (nonreproductive females). The workers carry out the day to day hive tasks including foraging for water, propolis (plant resin), nectar and pollen. They are optimal foragers who want to collect as much pollen and nectar as possible in the shortest amount of time so they can make it back to the safety of the hive. When a forager finds a flower that produces a lot of high quality nectar and pollen, it goes back to the hive to share the information. If the flower is less than 80 meters away, it will perform the Round Dance. If the flower is over 80 meters away, it will perform the Waggle Dance. Check out this fun video that explains the two dances!

These dances are magical and impressive leaving me in awe (Beck & Cable, 2018, p472). I told my parents about the bees dancing, I told my boyfriend and his whole family, I told a few friends, and here I am telling all of you.

So, we have answered the question of how and why the bees exhibit flower fidelity or consistency, but how do flower colours, amount, and smell come into play? Most flowers rely on pollinating insects, like honeybees, to perform pollination. Different colours and smells attract bees while foraging. If the flowers secrete a lot of sweet nectar, they will look for those colours and smells and return to that particular species. Some flowers also have UV coloured lines that guide foragers inside the flower to the nectar. Plants that grow a lot of high quality flowers are also attractive to bees as they make their foraging trips more efficient.

If you want to learn more about the plant strategies to attract pollinators, visit this website and click on the visual cues and scent tabs.

Next time you visit a conservation area, park with gardens or wildflowers, or a nearby apiary take a few minutes to watch the honeybees foraging and see if they all visit the same flower species. If you live somewhere with a yard, you can plant bee-friendly plant species and watch them forage right in front of you!

Guzman, E. (2020). Honey Bee Types, Nest, Colony Cycle. Personal Collection of E. Guzman, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.

Guzman, E. (2020). Foraging and Reproduction at Individual Level, Queens and Mating. Personal Collection of E. Guzman, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON.

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hi kate!

Your post this week was indeed VERY cool! I have never heard of the ‘waggle dance’ that bees do, and it's quite interesting to know that they do this, and kind of funny! It’s almost like a little happy dance for finding good flowers.

The links you shared throughout your post were very interesting to read and helped to expand on what you explained in your post. I have even shared the list of bee friendly plants with my grandma, as she is an avid gardener who is always looking for a new flower to plant in her garden!

Personally, I find bees to be the most peaceful insects. They just go about their days working away and we get the pleasure of sitting and watching them.

I have a tree in my front yard, I am not sure what kind of tree but what I do know is that bees LOVE it. During the summer, there are too many bees to count, as they are so busy pollinating and moving about! I feel great pleasure in being able to watch these bees work, and even shared what I saw with my neighbours kids to show them how bees work.

I think it is really important that we share what we have learned about pollinators, as they are key players in keeping our ecosystems running smoothly. I hope more people read your post and see what you have written and click the links! They are definitely worth a read

Have a great week!

Hannah

[hnenvs3000f21]

The Best Part of Nature

No one makes nature sound more interesting than David Attenborough. I recommend that you go watch one of his documentaries RIGHT AWAY and immerse yourself into the world of nature as narrated by the most soothing old British guy.

After watching all of his documentaries, you will fall in love with nature and its processes all over. I could never live up to the standards of Sir David Attenborough, but I can try my best and try to immerse you into the world of nature. There are so many different components of nature, all with their valuable and interesting topics, but with some standing out more than others. 

To me, the most amazing thing I know about nature is the colours. How many colours can you count in a forest? Tons right? Nothing in the world can add up to the vibrant colours of the natural world around us. Trees, for example, are some of the most colourful components of our world. In North America, they are a vibrant green in the summer, but as soon as the weather gets colder, they change. They turn into vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow, and turn the green monochromatic landscape into a colourful palette as the leaves start to change. 

The changing colours of the trees are the most mesmerizing part of the forests, as there is always something to look at inside. You never know what colour you are going to see. 

Not to mention the creatures that live in these trees. Insects and birds of every colour can be seen flying around, some of them trying hard not to be seen. It's hard to believe that so many colours exist and are being used by species every day to survive. Spending a day in the forest, it's guaranteed you could find all the colours in the rainbow present, just by looking at the colour of the bugs you see crawling and flying around. 

Even in the winter, when you think everything is dead, the forest continues to be a palette. The bark of the trees still reflects the incoming light, scattering it and making the forest light up. The snow held up in the branches of the trees adds shape and character, and provides contrast to the dark interior of the forest left by the cold winter. It may not look like a lot, but combined it is still a pretty picture. 

I myself am biased towards forests, as they are all I know living inland in North America. I would be fascinated if someone who has spent time underwater could tell me about the colours they have seen, perhaps scuba diving or snorkeling? It’s funny that you don’t think of all the colours you’ve seen until you start to think about them!

But, if you haven’t, I am still curious to know that if you could take a snapshot of nature, with the prettiest colours, in your eyes, where would you take it?

[llenvs3000f21]

Hello everyone!

I really enjoyed reading through some of this weeks blog posts about Music and Nature. Where is music in nature and where is nature in music is something I’ve never really thought of, although there is certainly a lot to say about how the sounds of nature can be incorporated into music. In our textbook of the authors discusses the importance of music in nature interpretation as it can allow the listener to feel more emotion with the living things around them. An example of this is when I could go to overnight camp growing up and our camp counsellors would play certain songs on our camping trips. When I hear these songs today, it brings me back to those times when I was so in tune with nature & how much it impacted my perception of it at such a young age. An example of how nature is incorporated into music, is through spa music. One can notice that a lot of the sounds that are used to make these songs are sounds of nature such as trees blowing in the wind, the waves crashing into the shore, birds chirping & even the sounds of insects such as crickets. These are all sounds that we can hear when walking through forestry or ravines. That itself is music to my ears & is also very therapeutic. It’s very calming and it reminds me of the endless healing affects that nature can have on your mind body and soul. Growing up, my mom would play a lot of music that was influenced by the sounds of nature and this really helped my mood as a young girl. I grew up painting a lot with my mom and she would always play soothing spa music in the background that had a lot of sounds of nature. This made me really calm and just hearing those sounds made me more creative when painting and more focused. Music was created on a foundation based in the natural environment & researchers have found that the music of both humpback whales and many bird species have surprising similarities to the structure of our human music. The ambient sounds is a central component of natural habitats as well. It was really nice reading all of your posts!

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hey Loren!

Just like you, I had never really thought of how intertwined music was with nature until this week's blog post. After learning about and reading everyone's post, now I can’t stop seeing the connection between the two. I really like your example on how present nature is in music that we don’t even notice. Now that I think about it, spa music is almost exclusively nature sounds! That really shocked me, as I had never even realized it. It really is so calming that I never even thought of what I was listening to!

It's really interesting to see how influential music is on our moods. A lot of the time, nature sounds are used as a calming effect, not even just in spa music, but when babies are being put to sleep; nature sounds are used to lull them to sleep. I think it's funny how we don’t notice some things in our life until they are pointed out- like in this example of this week's blog posts.

Have a great week!

[hnenvs3000f21]

Sound of Music... in Nature

Close your eyes. Picture yourself walking into a forest. What do you hear? The leaves rustling in the wind, the birds chirping in the trees, and the sound of small creatures foraging. These are the voices of the forest. All though not the human voices that we are used to, but voices of the wild that combine in layers to make the music of the forest. We know this of course, after this week's readings define a song as ”any rhythmic repeated utterance, whether by a bird, a frog, an insect, a whale or a human being”(Gray et al., 2001). It is not the typical music and melody you might be used to, but the combination of the sounds is what makes the unique songs sung by the creatures of the wild residing in the area.

You can probably guess from my example, but my favourite nature song is sung in the forest. I love the sounds that are made by the trees when the wind passes through. For the most part, the sound is peaceful. The wind is reassuring and gives me a sense of joy when I hear the trees rustling. The wind passes through the trees gently, moving from branch to branch gently moving the parts of the forest. It is like a happy song. To me, the wind is a friend that is passing through sharing their happy tune to the rest of the forest and moving through the different bodies of the forest.

But sometimes, the sounds can give off fear and warning. Before a storm, the wind is more aggressive and sings a different song. The wind blows aggressively and blows leaves and branches off the trees. Times like these remind me of songs of anger, and sadness, as the wind is causing harm and moving with intent, instead of moving gently without effort.

Music in nature can be influenced or reflected by a mood in a person. Calm noises provide a sense of joy and relaxation, just as a happy uplifting song provides you with the same feeling. In the same way, harsh conditions can remind someone of a bad time, just like a sad song.

Alternatively, nature is present in music. It is always not direct, but I find when I listen to songs, I can place myself in a piece of nature. For example, when I listen to “Mariposa” by the Peach Tree Rascals, I can picture myself walking through a field of flowers. This song is very uplifting and has a happy tune, and reminds me of how in movies people walk through fields of flowers.

Alternatively, thinking of Adele and her melancholy songs, you can see how she uses nature to reflect her mood. She uses the rain, dead leaves of a forest, and harsh winds to convey the sadness and anger she has felt and is singing about.

Music in nature is present every day for those who are patient enough to listen. I don’t even think most people realize that they are listening to the world's best tracks, and overlook them daily.

What’s your favorite song of nature?

[emlenvs3000f21]

a quote and a rant about history

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

This quote poignantly summarizes the importance of keeping history in context with all its parts and emphasizes that erasure of certain points in history is unacceptable. For hundreds of years, colonization has suffocated and erased cultures and communities that lived on land that was thought to be of importance to the colonizers. In our history, we have treated Canada as a train station that only existed when we got here and colonized it, not acknowledging that it was present and inhabited long before we arrived.

Having experience as a costumed, third person interpreter at a historical site, I have conflicted feelings about historical interpretation. I value my experience and the opportunity to learn and connect with visitors from many different places and cultures, but I do feel somewhat guilty. The past few years have made me a bit disillusioned from history and anthropology as it has been structured by colonization in the effort to claim stolen land and push Indigenous cultures and communities into museums while they still live and breathe.

Lately I have been finding it hard to appreciate even our green spaces, conservation areas, and parks as I learn more about the atrocities of European colonization. Paintings done by the Group of Seven depict Canada as a vast open space full of wonderful natural features just waiting to be explored and “discovered”. This romanticizes the fact that these settlers were claiming territory they had no right to and completely writing off those who lived there already.

This also brings up another thing I feel unsure about which is authenticity. When reading the textbook, it mentions all the different types of authenticity and how these can add more value to an interpretation and a lot of it has to do with things being “unique”, “untouched by human hands”, and “never before seen by human eyes”. We as visitors hold historical sites to a certain standard and expect interesting, unique, and accurate interpretations, but I feel as though we can’t provide those if we are not honest about how we came to be on this land in the first place. While artifacts can be interesting and give “life” to an interpretation, we should be careful with how they are presented and retrieved.

There were many periods in Canadian history when settlers decided to steal and collect as many Indigenous “artifacts” as they could because they believed that these were dying cultures. This only allowed them to continue to assimilate and destroy whole cultures and act as though they were the ones saving them from being forgotten. The quote above mentions integrity of objects and I believe that Indigenous art and cultural objects being put in museums has removed their integrity by implying that those peoples no longer exist. I appreciated the textbook mentioning that some Indigenous knowledge is sacred and sometimes should not be shared. There are some depictions of sacred ceremonies and dances that have been removed from archives because they are not ceremonies that can be shared with the public. Many are private ceremonies that only certain members of the Indigenous community are able to witness and we need to make sure that in our quest for authenticity we don’t forget that these communities still reside on land we interpret on and they have every right to privacy.

I would love to hear your thoughts on my post, I don’t usually feel so negative but some days it is difficult to appreciate some things in Canada as I struggle with the fact of being part of this colonial history and ask myself everyday how I can work to make things right.

[hnenvs3000f21]

Emma, I have to say that your alternative ‘negative’ view was very refreshing to read. Honestly, you brought up a lot of good points. Not even just in Canada, but across the world, I think colonialism is overlooked when it comes to green spaces and parks. I think a lot of people forget that the land we use for recreation isn't our land and it is actually stolen land. Not even just for recreation, but a lot of scientific discoveries and milestones in environmental science have been achieved on stolen land. Even today, environmental colonialism is still a thing, with western science overtaking traditional land views, and scientists disregarding traditional views to make it their own. 

It is scary to think how many achievements have been made while disregarding the people and land around us. I think as environmentalists, we need to remember the dark history of our field and move forward with that knowledge and intention to do better.

Without history, and people continuing to share memories, discoveries, and stories, we would never learn from our mistakes. 

I think we all try to see the good things, which is why I think I interpreted this quote in a good way, but we have to remember that with the good, there is bad. I’m so glad your post brought up the alternative view to this quote so that we can see the other side to the importance of history. It is not only important to preserve the good memories, but also the bad ones so that the whole story is shared, and not just the rainbows and butterflies.

[hnenvs3000f21]

“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 Hyam

As soon as I saw this week's quote I was thrown back into a memory of me at my friend's cottage in Haliburton. Her cottage was nothing special, just a small place in a trailer park, where we spent most of our time in the summer running around and swimming in the nearby lake. To anyone driving through the place, it looks like a dump, but to me, it’s one of my fondest childhood memories. 

I’m not gonna lie, this quote was very confusing to me to actually explain. I had to take apart this quote piece by piece and try to make a connection to my personal life in order to really understand what Hyams was trying to say. 

In the first part of the quote, I believe Hyam is trying to tell us that just because something is old, doesn’t mean that it's special. What makes something special is when something has the honor or is wholesome. These wholesome items must be maintained and honored throughout time, and that's what makes them special. 

Relating this to nature interpretation, we’ve learned that ‘history makes spaces special’. What this means is that places are special because of the history tied to them, and how they are continually reflected upon in the present. Without history, there are no memories and no ties to areas or people. This relates to what Hyam is trying to convey as he says that we have to uphold the integrity of things in order to keep them special. 

In my life, this is the memory of my friend's trailer. It wouldn’t continue to be special if I didn’t continue to think about it or tell my friends and family about the shenanigans I used to get into. 

What continues to make something special is how someone speaks about it, and how it makes someone feel. It can “help nurture the development of a personal identity” (Beck, (Cable, & Knudson, 2017), and in my case, I think the cottage experiences helped me to become who I am. What I experienced was one of a kind, and when I share my stories I know they are special and they continue to make me happy. 

Looking back at the quote, I think he is trying to say that you don’t have to enjoy / like something while it's happening, but after it's happening you can still enjoy the memories and pass down stories of how it made you feel in order to keep that memory's integrity in tack. 

For the rest of my life, I know I will continue to hold the memories of the cottage close to my heart, even though I haven't visited in years, to continue to keep that memory’s integrity.

What special memories do you hold onto? 

*the reference was pulled from Weeks 6 content, and I couldn’t find the full reference.

[ktenvs3000f21]

Lack of Diversity in Interpretive Programs

After reading this week’s ares readings I was left once again thinking about the barriers presents in naturalist programs. I know this is a topic we discussed previously in unit three however, the participation statistics listed by Merenlender et al. (2016) were extremely astounding for me. To briefly summarize the demographics present in their program:

Ethnicity - >20% of participants identified as non-white (Merenlender et al., 2016).

Employment Status - 75% of participants were either full-time workers or retired. Only 7% were students. (Merenlender et al., 2016).

Education Level - The majority (69%) were highly educated, having a bachelor’s degree or graduate degree (Merenlender et al., 2016).

Average Income - The majority of participants had an income upwards of $50,000 (Merenlender et al., 2016).

Age - Half of the participants were over the age of 50 (Merenlender et al., 2016).

Sex - Approximately two-thirds of participants were women (Merenlender et al., 2016).

To further break it down, the majority of participants are white females, working full-time or retired, are highly educated, make upwards of $50,000 a year and are over the age of 50. I know that statistics can sometimes be overwhelming but, using them helps me emphasize how significant the lack of diversity is within the two programs mentioned in the study. It is extremely evident that these participants represent such a small demographic. This highlights the immense need for these programs to encourage a wider, more diverse audience to participate in both nature interpretation and citizen science. This made me think about ways these programs can help encourage more diversity within participants especially concerning age and ethnicity.

I believe they could encourage younger people to participate by partnering with local colleges and universities and integrate their volunteer opportunities into the curriculum of courses similar in content. The addition of this program can help enrich the content of these university courses and could even be used as a course requirement or extra credit. Having this integration will allow students to apply the science education and environmental education they receive in class to citizen science. This will allow them to engage in non-formal scientific research in the community which will thereby promote stewardship. This isn’t something new, if any of you have ever taken PSYCH*1000 you know that they do something similar. The professor allocates a certain percentage of your grade for participation in a certain amount of psychological studies on campus. This encourages students to gain first hand experience in the field.

In addition, they could encourage people of different ethnicities to participate by personally inviting minority populations to attend. Maybe these individuals could reach out to cultural centers in the neighbourhood and invite them to participate. This can help them reach a broader audience. If language is an issue they could hire a translator to help with communication. As well, this translator can help tailor these volunteer programs to incorporate multiple languages using varied media. Hiring multilingual employees for these volunteer programs can make minorities feel represented and welcomed thereby further encouraging diversity within participants.

These are just a few ideas of mine, I would love to hear some of yours. How would you help these volunteer programs connect with a more diverse audience? How might we encourage more males to participate?

Reference

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. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12737

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hi Karissa!

Not only do I agree with your choice on talking about the lack of diversity in interpretive programs, but I wanted to add to what you have mentioned. I think the topic that you chose to write about adds to the privilege blog post that we wrote last week.

Privilege exists as most of the people working in naturalist programs have higher economic status and are given more experiences as a result, and therefore gain experience in environmental programs faster. Sadly, a lot of the time, the lower-income and education levels exist in ethnic communities, and therefore they are put at the disadvantage of not being exposed to naturalist programs.

To combat this, I think more educational programs need to be introduced in elementary schools, to get kids exposed at a younger age. They should be introduced in lower-income neighborhoods, and allow kids to spend the day exploring the green spaces around them and learning about what they are seeing. These programs could help reach a more diverse audience as they are introduced in school, where children of all ages and ethnicities could participate for free! It would also expose kids to naturalist programs, and get them thinking about getting involved with environmental programs as they get older, as they have already been exposed and gained experience from their schools.

I think this would be a great first step, in addition to what you have said.

Have a great week!

Hannah

[hnenvs3000f21]

Mental Health and the Environment

This week's blog prompt got me to think about nature and what I want to share with everyone. There are so many topics that I could talk about for hours with everyone, and probably write several essays on, but I think this week I really want to talk about how interconnected the environment is with Mental Health. 

In a lot of my posts, I talk about how exploring the wilderness awoke a different part of myself, that made me appreciate the world around me and kickstarted my education into Environmental Science. With this, my exploration into nature has also improved my mental health and continues to be a coping mechanism for when I am overly anxious or stressed. 

Nature continues to act as my escape to the world, where I can immerse myself in the wilderness and forget about the stress of my day-to-day life. 

I’ve said it before, but I continue to use nature as a way to take a deep breath. This week's blog prompt got me to think about my own feelings towards nature, and I did some research on how mental health is scientifically proven to be improved by interactions with nature.  I wanted to share with everyone some of the research I found, to help convey to everyone how important nature is to improving and maintaining good mental health. 

I think a lot of people would be surprised by how much the environment can impact someone's mental health, and if more people knew the facts, they would be more inclined to explore the natural world in order to improve their own mental health. 

In a study, it was found that people who spend at least 2 hours a week in green spaces are more likely to report good health compared to those who have no exposure to green spaces (Robbins, 2020). Not only does nature act as a relief for mental health, but it also provides a safe space for people to exercise to improve physical health.  Good physical health is important to mental health as the endorphins released during exercise create feelings of joy and happiness that put people in a better mental state (Robbins, 2020). 

Looking into how nature continues to make people feel relaxed, it’s understood that people pay attention to nature in a different way than they do everything else in their day-to-day life. Look at your own life. In your day-to-day life, you pay extra attention to whatever task you are working on. When people enter nature, they pay attention in a more broad sense, and with less effort (Robbins, 2020). The broad and effortless view leads to a relaxed body and mind because people are not paying as close attention to what they are doing, and simply enjoying the moment (Robbins, 2020). 

Reading the facts has reinforced to me, and I hope everyone reading, the importance of exploring nature and how it can be a great benefit to our mental health. 

Robbins, Jim. (2020). Ecopsychology: How Immersion in Nature Benefits Your Health. Yale Environment 360. https://e360.yale.edu/features/ ecopsychology-how-immersion-in- nature -benefits-your-health

[ktenvs3000f21]

The Gift of Beauty

I decided to include the above quote from Rita Cantu because I felt that it provides a good explanation as to why we should be interpreting nature through art. One of the main goals of interpretation is to embrace the gift of beauty and share that with others. Nature interpretation itself is an art form that uses artistic methods to provide meaning to the beauty around us. Using art to convey your interpretive message creates an enhanced experience for the audience; making good programs great. It allows the audience to perceive natural resources and history both emotionally as well as intellectually. Several types of art forms are beneficial for use in nature interpretation. These include interpretive theatre, storytelling, poetry, dance, visual arts, and music. The use of each provides a different dimension to nature interpretation.

Theatre is a great creative tool that can be used to help attract a broader audience and keep people engaged in interpretive programs. Storytelling has the power to captivate large audiences of all ages. These stories create vivid images in people’s minds which helps them understand and retain what they have heard. After all, emphasis on the storyline approach is the key to successful interpretation! In the case of environmental interpretation, singing can help promote environmentally sensitive behaviour. This is because the words in these songs stick in the listeners' minds and evoke emotions in the listener. Dance is another art form that can complement an interpretive program by promoting participation from the audience and evoking emotions. Visual art can also be used as an aid to help audiences immerse themselves completely in an interpretive program.

I am not a very artistic person in the visual sense. However, I do love to be creative and interpret the beauty of nature through photography. I am not a professional photographer by any means but, I do love taking pictures of the natural world. I find that taking up close and personal photographs of underappreciated species (like the spiders we all love so much) can often be surprising. There is so much more to these species when you take a closer look at them than you ever could have imagined. These snapshots successfully capture the beauty of these individuals at that specific moment in time. It’s nice because although that moment is over, you can always relive it through the images that you have captured. I enjoy sharing these photos with friends and family members and, in doing so, feel that I am extending my appreciation of nature to them. Often people are surprised at the beauty in these images because they are often of things they see every day. However, these photographs allow them to take a closer look and find a whole new appreciation for these species. Taking the time to appreciate the beauty in nature always makes my days a little brighter.

Music is also a very useful art that can help people remember information. This is especially evident in advertising. There are so many jingles that, for the life of me, I just can’t seem to get out of my head. I bet you can finish this one too.

967 11 11…

This can’t be just me. Are there any other jingles that you can remember extremely well?

Until next time,

Karissa

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hi Karissa! 

Thanks to you, now I can’t get the pizza pizza jingle out of my head! Reading that jingle awakened the child in me watching tv, and now I have the “call 1-800-588-2001... ALARM FORCE” song stuck in my head. I hope you read this and get it stuck in your head haha! 

Your example of jingles really helps connect how important music is to putting things to memory. It really proves how much we can remember with one simple tune. 

Just like you, I also like to use photography to capture nature. I am also not very artistic, and think photography is also one of the easiest mediums for people to capture and interpret nature. 

One simple photo can capture a years worth of stories, and show people the resiliency of an ecosystem and what it has gone through. It is also cool to be able to capture all the different colours in nature, as you don’t realize how many there are until you’re actually looking at them! 

I think a lot of people think of art in nature as a simple concept, but it is much more when you start to analyze and actually look at what is around you. 

Art in nature is pretty cool when you think of it, and I hope I have added something to your post to help see nature in a different light. 

Have a great long weekend, 

Hannah

[hnenvs3000f21]

Beauty of Nature

When I was younger, my dad always used to tell me to slow down and enjoy the view. This was his most annoying saying. I couldn’t understand why on road trips he wanted to pull over to the scenic lookouts and stand there staring at a bunch of trees, whereas I just wanted to keep driving to our destination. I didn’t understand what the huge deal was, and I didn’t appreciate what I was looking at. 

Now, I can appreciate the natural beauty of the world, and I regret not taking the extra five minutes to appreciate and take in what my dad was trying to show me. The natural world around us is so complex and stunning, it's hard to interpret it through one medium. 

For myself, I now use photography as a means to interpret the world, taking hundreds of photos of trees and small wildlife I see in my daily life. I can also appreciate paintings, like the ones drawn/painted by the Group of Seven, when visiting art galleries. 

When I look at the photos I have taken, it takes awhile to see the whole picture. As there are so many aspects, it takes a second to digest every part, as the colours and shapes all tell different stories. The vibrant colours of the forests show how alive the ecosystem is, and the size of the trees can show how old an area is compared to the small new life growing in the area. 

Before, I could never appreciate what I was seeing and was oblivious to what I was witnessing. Now, I can’t stop looking at all the little things and wanting to witness every aspect of wildlife. I also want to understand everything I am seeing, which I think is the environmentalist in me showing, as I want to be able to connect what I am seeing to what I know. 

Whenever I see a photo of a forest, I can’t help but analyze every aspect of it to learn the story of the area, by looking at the colours and the sizes of the trees. As they say, “a picture tells a hundred words”, and one photo of a forest can tell hundreds of years worth of growth and change. It just takes a second for someone to look at the photo to understand what the forest is trying to show us. 

My favourite part of interpreting nature through photography is capturing the different colours. In the fall especially, there are so many vibrant colours that tell a story about an area. To me, it shows how complex nature is and its ability to change and survive different conditions. 

What's your favorite part of interpreting the beauty of nature?

[kpenvs3000f21]

Privilege and Nature Interpretation

Privilege can be a tricky subject to grasp, as I believe there are certain privileges that affect our lives in ways we often overlook. What I mean by privilege is something that gives you an advantage over others, whether you’re aware of it or not. I am aware I am very privileged, but it’s probable that I am even more so than I realize. There are many factors regarding my privilege that I may not even consider and therefore don’t fully realize just how lucky I really am. I’m aware of my privilege in the sense that I am a caucasian, English-speaking, Canadian citizen, who’s parents have assisted in paying for my post-secondary education twice (both college and university). Growing up middle-class in southern Ontario, these are all things I ignorantly assumed were the norm for everyone else around me (for the most part). Of course, I was aware of differences between people, but not until I was older did I considered how many more differences there truly were, and how these differences could be a disadvantage for others. Not being aware of certain disadvantages is in itself a privilege. I did not learn about them until I happened to come upon them or decided I wanted to learn more. Some people do not get the luxury of ignoring certain socioeconomic issues, but I had the privilege to ignore certain issues simply because I had not personally experienced them myself. 

The more I learn, the more I realize how complex privilege really is with a greater awareness of intersectionality. With this in mind, how might privilege play a role in nature interpretation? Well, I am further privileged by the opportunity to live in a National Park within Canada. When I first moved here, I assumed most people visiting the park were aware of information I considered “common sense”. Only after interacting with more people did I start to realize how even more privileged I was. Some visitors had never seen mountains, or wildlife, or rushing rivers. Knowing that fast flowing water and approaching wildlife is dangerous, is something I assumed everyone else was aware of, but that’s not true. Some people plan their whole lives to come and visit the park, some people have older relatives that never had the opportunity to visit when they were able, and will never get the chance to travel here. That further lead me to realize that not only am I privileged to be here, I am even more privileged to be knowledgeable of the local environment, and to be physically able to experience certain things or perform activities others cannot. For instance, I am physically fit to go on a long and steep hike, while someone who uses a wheelchair would not be able to go. Although there are trails here that are accessible, they are of course limited. 

Understanding the privileges I have in my “invisible backpack” and how they provide me an advantage is essential in interpreting information to others. My invisible backpack is “filled” with things such as being physically able, financial stable etc. and these “items” allow me to potentially have an advantage over others. When interpreting knowledge about wildlife for example, I need to understand that some people may have zero knowledge on the subject, as well as consider the physical abilities of those I teach if we go out into the park to explore. In addition, perhaps my audience will be accessing my nature content online. It’s vital to make sure the information I’m presenting is done with inclusivity in mind. I’ve noticed the advertised “lifestyle” for living in places such as the National Park I live in, is one that’s focused on people who are “fit” by society’s standards, mostly caucasian, young, able-bodied etc. Even the retail stores within my town are filled with advertisements that target one demographic, and outdoor equipment that is far from inexpensive. There is little representation, for example, for visible minorities, individuals with differing body sizes or abilities, or people of colour. I am fully aware I fit into this target demographic, and most things advertised and presented to me are made for people like me. I am intending to keep all of this in mind when sharing content and interpreting, as I believe it’s important everyone feels they have a place in nature and in the things that they’re passionate about. Relating back to my first blog post, I am hoping to help provide others with a “sense of place” within nature and all it has to offer, regardless of the differences we may have. Keeping in mind that not everyone is going to have the same experience even if we’re doing the same things. 

My invisible and literal backpack and I, privileged enough to experience this hike, fitting into the target demographic mentioned above

[hnenvs3000f21]

First off, I have to say living in a national park sounds like such an awesome place to live. I can only imagine the scenery and wildlife you are exposed to every day!

You are right, privilege is a very complex term to understand and evaluate within our lives. It is hard especially when we don’t even realize we are ‘’flexing’’ our privilege with our extensive knowledge or experiences. It really does take an “oh crap” moment to kind of shock us into realizing what we have, and for you, I think that moment was after you moved to the national park.

For myself, my “oh crap” moment was when I moved to Guelph and was talking to my floormates about my hometown, and they knew nothing about the Niagara Escarpment having come from far away to study at Guelph.

These moments really stop us and make us feel the ‘‘invisible backpacks’’ we carry regarding our privilege towards nature. It is so important we have these moments though so we can start to share our knowledge with others so that they can become knowledgeable about the nature surrounding us, and appreciate what we have come to experience within our own lives.

Excited to read your next post!!

Hannah :)

[hnenvs3000f21]

The Privilege to Explore

I think when we look at privilege, it is important to have an understanding of what privilege actually means. I believe that everyone has a different understanding and view of privilege, but with the same core definition. Personally, when I think of privilege, I think of how some people have the advantage over others. People often have the advantage over people when they are at a higher economic and social status, putting them ahead of the people around them. They often have more access to resources to help themselves, granting them the ability to do more than others. Sometimes, people don’t even realize the privilege they have, and are ungrateful of the experiences and opportunities they have. 

The advantage of being able to go out and explore nature is a privilege most people don’t even realize they have. I didn’t really think about how big of an impact privilege plays in exploring the environment till I started reading this unit. 

Looking at the experiences I’ve had, I can appreciate how I have been able to explore the nature around me. I live close to the Niagara Escarpment, which is one of the most prominent topographic features in Southern Ontario, and is part of the World Biosphere Reserve due to its importance in protecting biodiversity. Most people won’t have the chance to explore the trails  in this range, as they do not live close or have the access to get to this area. I have been extremely privileged to walk these trails and see the conservation plans implemented in this area, where most people just have to read about it. 

I can also say I have been quite ungrateful of the opportunities I have had. In the past, I have turned my nose up at the idea of spending a day hiking. But, some people in the world will never have the opportunity to go hiking through a forest such as the Escarpment. People living in remote areas, like in deserts, have never been to forests like the ones in Canada. They are limited to their area, and may not have the money to travel to a place like Canada where there is so much forest around to explore. 

Going forward, I think we should all take a moment to reflect on our experiences and have a sense of pride in what we have been able to accomplish and see. We have been given the opportunity to explore nature and share our stories with those around us (especially on our blog posts). Some people will never have the chance to do what we have done, and will only ever be able to see the wilderness in a book or on the internet. 

As most of us are environmental activists and enthusiasts, we should continue to share our adventures and pictures so that those around us can feel a connection to the natural world around us, and understand a bit more of the nature that exists around the globe.

[rscenvs3000f21]

The Joy of Not Knowing

My ideal job as an environmental interpreter is heavily blurred. Ive spent so much time throughout my degree ruminating over what I want my career to be; whether I want to pursue research, work in wildlife rehabilitation, or explore the more interpersonal side of environmental education.

I've had the privilege of getting to practice environmental interpretation through my work as both a camp counsellor and an outdoor education intern. At these jobs I've led programming such as overnight canoe trips, snowshoe hikes and arts and crafts using/inspired by nature. During these programs I didn't realize that what I was doing was nature interpretation. But by definition I was, I was taking my knowledge of nature (both scientific and practical) and transferring it to learners through engaging activities which allowed them to explore, ask questions and learn at their own pace.

I'm not exactly sure what I want my career to be, all I know is that I want it to include two things... - I want to work with kids - I want to spend as much time outside as I possibly can

I'd love to build a system that provides inexpensive, accessible outdoor experiences to those who may otherwise not have access to it. This could include subsidized overnight canoe trips for middle/high school students, or nature walks on accessible paths for people with disabilities. This could also manifest as me being a high school science teacher, or going to school for psychology to explore the field of wilderness therapy- using nature to help people living with mental illness, disabilities etc.

Even though theres massive diversity in the type of jobs I've considered working, there are certain skills that can apply to all of them. For starters I'll need a deep understanding of biology and the mechanisms that drive ecosystems. By this I don't mean that I need to be able to recite all of the wildlife living in the area, nor do I need to be able to answer every single question I'm asked. What I mean is that I need to be able to apply the knowledge I've developed in my degree to the places I'm working, and when I don't know the answer to a question I can work with others to make observations, do research or come to conclusions. This field also requires a diverse set of soft skills such as effective teamwork skills, ability to think/adapt on the spot, or be able to mediate conflict among learners.

As you can tell, I have no idea where I want my career to go and that is perfectly fine! I've recently discovered the joy in not knowing what to do next, instead of rushing to apply to grad school I can focus on learning as much as I can and I can get jobs in the field to see which ones best align with my goals. All I know is that I want to use nature to provide people with a new perspective on the world. I have seen how great of an impact nature can have on people and it would be so rewarding to provide these experiences to others. Though I don't know exactly where my next step will be, I'm excited for the adventures it will bring!

[hnenvs3000f21]

Hi Sydney!

Your post this week made me reflect on my own thoughts on my future in environmental science, and I can 100% agree that I also have no real idea of where I see myself in the future.

I have dreams, of where I work on large nature reserves, but realistically I have no clue of where I see myself in the future. Like you, I do have a general idea of who I want to work with, but unlike you, I do not want to work solely with children. Honestly, I am not a big fan of kids. I have no patience to slow myself down and take the time to teach them or watch them. I think personally I would want to work aside people my own age, and if I were to be in an instructional position I would want to work with adults or teens.

To me, that seems easier than working with kids. I admire you for being willing to work with children for most of your life, and can’t imagine the stress you were under watching kids at camp all summer. I don’t know how you did it!

I do agree with you, that no matter where I go I want to be outside. The thought of benign trapped behind a desk for the rest of my life sounds boring. It takes all the fun out of what we’ve spent so much time exploring and learning about over the years!

Excited to read what you post next :)

[hnenvs3000f21]

Why I would make the next best Jungle Cruise Guide

If you haven’t seen the movie or been on the ride at Disney, you might be a little confused. The Jungle Cruise is one of the best rides EVER on the Walt Disney properties, earning its’ own movie. Hoping in a boat with a skipper as your guide, the ride takes you on a journey down the Amazon river to encounter the wildlife and locals that live in and around the area.

This would be my dream job as an environmental interpreter. Getting to show and guide people through a wildlife reserve would be the best-fit role for me. It involves two key characteristics of an interpreter, visual and verbal skills, as you have to explain what you are seeing as you move through the tour. This would also be the perfect job for me, as it involves two of my favorite things: talking and exploring the wilderness.

It also involves making corny jokes along the way, which I excel at: despite what people may tell you.

If I had the choice, I wouldn’t choose to be a guide along the Amazon- I would be on land. It would be cool to explore the Serengeti in Africa and show people the large nature reserves there. I would choose here as I have always wanted to go to Africa myself and take a tour there.

Although it’s not my favorite to be in front of large crowds and talk, I definitely enjoy leading smaller groups through activities, as I feel more in control and that I am able to connect with the people in the group better. It’s easy to just tell people facts about ecosystems, but it is much more helpful and engaging to actually show them what you are talking about. It helps to show people exactly what you are saying and they can see the ecosystem in action.

We spend so much time thinking and analyzing, that we barely get to look outside and observe what we are actually learning.  

I like to think of myself as a leader, as I am a team lead at my job. I help guide my coworkers and help them with any questions they have. I also train new staff and show them how to work at my cafe. Due to this role, I believe I already have the teamwork skills needed to be an interpreter, as it entails the same responsibilities. Both roles require that I help individuals understand a concept, and help them on a journey.

I could improve my patience, as I get annoyed when things do not move as fast to my liking, or when I feel people are not grasping the concept as quickly as I think they should be.

This would have to change, as being a guide involves being patient with the people on the trip as they learn and observe the natural world around us.

The photo’s I have attached to this post are from Walt Disney Worlds Nature Reserve in Florida.