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Unit 10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my last blog post I have had a wonderful time completing these and learning about nature interpretation and I hope you all feel the same.

I have grown immensely throughout my university career going through ups and downs, rights and wrongs, great times, and sad times. If I look at it from a larger picture, I ask myself how I stand up against my fellow undergrads. Am I better than them? Are they smarter than me? Who’s going to get the better job? I can guarantee most individuals maybe not all will think of these questions at one point or another. Not in a way that they want others to fail but rather in comparison. I do not want anyone else to fail but I also do not want to be at the bottom. Everyone is striving for superiority including myself. However, this concept is needed to create a competitive atmosphere that drives the thought in your mind to push yourself to your limits. To make something worth remembering. To be the change. Studies have shown that individuals have a high desire for status even if that means the downfall for others (Anderson & Hildreth, 2016).

Regarding my own ethics, beliefs, and reasonability’s they have all been developing since I could walk and talk. I was raised in a catholic home and went to a catholic school. Learning about the bible, the sacrifice, the joy, the consequences. Thinking about those experiences my ethics are solely based on my beliefs. Beck et al. (2018) on page 91/92 puts its perfectly explaining the idea of “constructivist”. We build new knowledge, values and beliefs based on our early constructs of knowledge and values that we gain in early development (Beck et al., 2018). We all learn in different ways meaning that the construction of every person is different and therefore constitutes a different ethics system. Beck et al. (2018) on page 110 explains that in all presentations a variety of learning styles is key to success. Meaning if an individual is not given the right opportunity to absorb knowledge through their learning style, then they cannot grasp the importance of the content which will directly affect their ethics and beliefs.

Now I have not really answered the question yet because to me the most important ethic to follow is common respect. No one is above you and no one is below you. Being smarter or having a higher paying job does not make you any better than your neighbour or friend. Yet our lives are consumed and controlled by this notion. Beck et al. (2018) on page 101 says that interpretation is a visitor’s experience. The ultimate goal is to get the visitor to respect what they are seeing, smelling, or hearing. If I can provide you with respect that makes you feel like you are important than learning from me is easy. Not only do others deserve your respect but nature does to. In the article by Rodenburg (2019) they mention a story about a killdeer where the students protected the bird and watched it raise its young. This exact same story happens to me every summer at my job. There are hundreds of killdeers around my workplace and whenever I see them nesting in a driveway where they could get hit, I always set up pylons and check up on them every day. It’s as simple as respecting another human being. Rodenburg (2019) further goes on about ways in which we can get children excited about nature allowing them to make a discovery even though you already know about. Respecting that this is a new experience for them is crucial to their development and their future ethics.

I believe that it is my responsibility to inform others to the best of my knowledge my interests and thoughts. Through this I am hoping that others will be in intrigued by my teachings to become interested in the subject. I am an environmental science student and so environmental issues are a big part of the concerns that I believe in. Approaching the question of my ethics and how they can be interconnected with my beliefs and responsibilities can be difficult to express. I want to approach the problem like Rodenburg. By building age-appropriate environmental education. Due to this I believe that another very important ethic to follow is integrity. Integrity is such an important aspect to follow. Simply being honest even when no one is looking is truly what brings you closer to a higher being. Beck et al. (2018) on page 458 explains that visitors who are served with thoughtful, meaningful, creative interpretation benefits the individual, the community, organizations, society and most importantly the integrity of the planet. By simply being an honest human, it reflects to much light onto others and shows the world how much you care about a subject. It creates wonders for other people to want to follow in your footsteps.

Now as I mentioned earlier in this week’s blog post, I am catholic and was raised to believe in the holy bible. I do not necessarily believe in everything that is spoken in the bible or even God for that matter. However, it is still my belief that there is a greater being and to reach that greater being you just need to believe. You could be good or bad, but everyone will one day reach that greater being. For some it may take longer because they do not see the way but for others that are in the right place it happens when the time is right. Individuals with strong ethics are closer to reaching this greater being than individuals lacking strong ethics. In a way it is my responsibility to try and help others try and reach their potential. I cannot make them believe in anything but helping them be a better person by educating them on environmental issues, having common respect for others and having integrity for our planet is crucial to reaching internal and external peace.

What are your thoughts? Are your ethics, beliefs, responsibilities similar to what I have talked about?

Thank you everyone for listening!

Aaron

Anderson, C., & Hildreth, J. D. (2016). Striving for superiority: The human desire for status. IRLE Working Paper No. 115-16. https://irle.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Striving-for-superiority.pdf

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.

Rodenburg, J. (2019, June 17). Why environmental educators shouldn't give up hope. CLEARING. Retrieved March 20, 2023, from https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

hsenvs3000w23

Your post sparked a lot of interest in myself. I agree with you that as humans we are always comparing each other to others. I think it is almost natural to compare we to peers or coworkers, and at least wonder who is succeeding and who I not, or who is doing better. This is simply because we are all thriving to push ourselves.

I find it interesting to read everyone’s ethics and beliefs and see what everyone thinks the most important ethic is. Like you, several others have written that respect in some form is the most important ethic.

I agree, respect is so important and completely necessary to have relationships with others. With this being said, respect is 100% important when communicating with other humans, however respect is just as important in context to relationships with nature.

I know a lot of people do respect nature; however, I want to point out that respecting nature should be talked about more. There are a lot of people that don’t respect nature, and there are simple things that reflect this. For example, there are a lot of individuals that show respect to nature by walking or using public transit to reduce their emissions into the atmosphere.

I love how you find importance in sharing who you are and that you include integrity in your belief system. I think it is important for everyone to share their voice on topics they are passionate about. Especially when referring to environmental issues. I love when others share new environmental updates with me, when I learn something new about our Earth it allows me to become more knowledgeable so I can continue to share with others.

I enjoyed reading about you perspective on ethics and beliefs, thanks for sharing!

maenvs3000w23

Unit 10

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to my last blog post!

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

Now,

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you all for a great semester.

Makayla

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

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

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

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

hsenvs3000w23

I 100% agree with you that this class has taken me out of my comfort zone, which allowed me to learn a lot about myself as well as nature. This course has allowed me to focus on my belief system where I have acknowledged and furthered my beliefs and understanding of privilege. As you shared, you have strong beliefs around the hardships of privileges that some induvial may have. I think it is very important to identify privileges that we face on the daily and understand that not everyone has the same privileges.

I find it very interesting that your most important ethic is accessibility. After reading your blog, I would agree with you. Accessibility is such an important need that must be met, especially in context of nature interpretation. It is crucial to identify equity in our daily lives, as everyone faces different challenges. In addition to this, it is so crucial that everyone should be able to access an effective education. I really appreciate how this course has intertwined equity and privilege into the course content, because it is so important to learn.

Your experience at Eco-Adventure Park sounds very intriguing. I have never herd of this place before, so thanks for sharing! It’s very interesting how the locals use the gully, this is something I would not have expected. So, I guess just as you said it is very important to learn about culture.

I love how your approach which is most suitable for you is using your voice. Your voice is so powerful and a tool you should continue to use for ever. It’s very aspiring that you have goals to empower others and strive for equity.

Blog Unit 10

Over the duration of this course, I have learned a lot about nature interpretation and what responsibilities are associated with being a nature interpreter. I have been able to further understand and develop my personal ethics as a nature interpreter and have learned more about who I really am as a person, and as an interpreter. Although I already had strong beliefs prior to this course, I feel like I have been able to strengthen and expand on my ethics and beliefs surrounding nature interpretation. During this post I am going to further address what I mean by this…

Thinking back to the beginning of this course I did not have a lot of knowledge surrounding nature interpretation. I did however have knowledge surrounding nature and a strong passion for spending time with the environment. This course has brought my passion for nature and the ability to learn (and teach) more about nature together. Since a young age I always enjoyed spending time outside. I would never pass up an opportunity to play outside, go for a hike, or camping, and I still wouldn’t. The opportunity to engage with nature in any shape or form has and will always interest me more than an any indoor activity. This passion is what shapes my desire to become a nature interpreter.

As I develop as a nature interpreter so does my personal ethic. The course textbook states that “Interpreters help people to develop an ethical sense of their place and role in the world” (Beck et al., 2018). It took me a few minutes to fully comprehend the meaning of this, and now I am going to share my personal understanding of this quote. Interpretation is a learning experience that allows people to further understand a topic. In context of this course, interpretation often refers to teaching about nature and environmental relationships. This concept allows individuals to work on personal ethics because nature is such a strong component to our everyday lives. We must understand more about nature and the environment we live in so we can discover who we are and who we are meant to be in the world. We need to know how we can fit in nature and what relationships we should have with the environment. Knowing this will allow individuals ethics to flourish. From personal experience, I feel as if my ethics strengthen every time I learn something new or every time I spend time one on one with nature. In a way it is like a meditation that is strengthening me morally, physically, and ethically over time.

I have several beliefs that coincide with this week’s blog prompt. My belief system is strongly correlated with nature and environmental concerns. For example, I am a strong believer in the mental and physical health benefits associated with nature. I think this is a belief shared amongst nature interpreters. I believe that spending time outside can lower stress, impact my mood, and further my decision-making process daily. In addition to this, I believe everyone should work on spending time outdoors or taking time to learn more about nature. My beliefs have stemmed from personal experiences, as my first response to stress has always been to go for a walk outside. If I can make it to a conservation area or public park, it’s a bonus.

As of right now, I do not have a lot of responsibilities. Like most of you, I am a student that spends a lot of time doing schoolwork. I am currently not employed, but I do live with roommates in a student house. I am mainly responsible for myself and that’s it. With, sometimes being responsible for myself seems like an ample number of responsibilities. To tie this in with nature interpretation I would like to address the role nature interpretation has on my responsibilities. Firstly, to manage my stress levels I will always turn to nature exploration or environmental excitement to make me feel better. In the future, I hope my daily goals include more responsibilities, hopefully something that aligns with nature interpretation. I say this because I would love if my future job or career can incorporate nature interpretation in some way.

As an individual an approach that is most suitable for me will include a variety of teaching styles. I would say my preferred approach would be something hands on or visual. When it comes to learning new concepts, I know I learn best through a hands-on approach, and that’s how I would teach a concept as well. I know I learn best this way from experience. For example, I took a Field Course last summer in Algonquin Park, during this course most of the course content was performed in the field and as a complete hands-on learning experience. I would confidently say, I learned more during that course than I have in any lecture room. Although I think it is important to experience lecture style teaching, mainly because this is where I have learned a lot of analytical concepts, I would not say it is my favourite style. If I were to interpret nature to others I would begin with a short, short lecture style speech, which would incorporate main thoughts and ideas. Then I would continue my interpretation technique through a hands-on concept or using visuals. When I think back to interpreters that I have witnessed and have enjoyed, my mind immediately thinks of instructor led hikes. This approach offered me the opportunity explore with someone who has knowledge on the same hike. During this experience I was able to feel content in nature while also expanding my knowledge on the landscape.

This course has taught me a lot and I strongly enjoyed reading everyone’s thoughts and experiences through blog posts. I think over the span of this course my passion for nature interpretation has become more real and has grown much deeper. I cannot wait to see what my future of nature interpretation looks like. I look forward to reading everyone else’s posts to compare how our ethics and responsibilities may align or differ.

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

apenvs3000w23

The Venus Flytrap

This week we get to talk about an amazing thing we know about nature. Although I find many things amazing, the first thing that came to mind today was the Venus flytrap (Dionea muscipula). In my botany class, my professor briefly mentioned this plant and essentially talked about how cool it is. I have known about this plant before, but part of me wanted to dive deeper and discover how they "trap" their food. Therefore, today I will be enlightening you with all things Venus flytrap! I know you have probably seen a video or two of this plant before. It is the one where it can close and trap its prey! I have always found this very cool, especially since I was a child and I never really understood how it worked until now.

The Venus flytrap is a carnivorous plant (Hedrich & Neher, 2018). There are approximately 630 other carnivorous plant species, so the Venus flytrap is not alone in this category; however, they are one of the few that have to complete a movement to capture their prey (Lotzof, n.d.). It terms of its trap, there are two lobes that are positioned towards the end of the leaf that are hinged and allow for the open and closing movement, and this is called the bivalved trap (NWF, n.d.). On the inside of the trap, trichomes are present, which are appendages that protrude off the leaf's surface (Werker, 2000). Essentially, the trichomes resemble hair, and when something like an insect touches them, they signal the plant to shut closed (NWF, n.d.). This plant has mechanoreceptors that are easily stimulated that transfer the signal from extracellular to intracellular with the help of an electrical network (Hedrich & Neher, 2018). Although they are easily stimulated, the trap will only close shut once the trichomes have been stimulated multiple times in order to conserve energy (NWF, n.d.).

Now, let's say the plant has trapped its prey. You may be wondering how does it even digest it? Essentially, along the edge of the trap, there are digestive glands, and once the trap is fully closed, the glands produce a liquid (Leege, 2003). The liquid touches the prey and slowly softens it, and the enzymes within the liquid break down the prey and withdraw only the necessary nutrients (Leege, 2003). The digestion process can prolong for approximately five days, so they do not need to trap prey often (NWF, n.d.). It can last many months before its next trap, as it can still undergo photosynthesis and get essential nutrients from that process (NWF, n.d.).

Overall, I hope you learned something about the Venus flytrap, and that this has made you want to do more research! I have always found this species extraordinarily interesting, so I hope you did too. Now let me ask you, what is your favourite plant? Or a plant you find interesting?

Literature Cited

Hedrich, R., & Neher, E. (2018). Venus Flytrap: How an excitable, Carnivorous Plant Works. Trends in Plant Science, 23(3), 220–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2017.12.004

Leege, L. (2003, December 29). How does the Venus Flytrap Digest flies? Scientific American. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-venusflytra/#:~:text=Once%20the%20trap%20closes%2C%20the,to%20extract%20the%20essential%20nutrients.

Lotzof, K. (n.d.). Carnivorous plants: The meat-eaters of the Plant World. Natural History Museum. Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/carnivorous-plants-meat-eaters-of-the-plant-world.html

Venus Flytrap. National Wildlife Federation. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2023, from https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Plants-and-Fungi/Venus-Flytrap

Werker, E. (2000). Trichome diversity and development. Advances in Botanical Research, 1–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0065-2296(00)31005-9

hsenvs3000w23

I love how you decided to enlighten us with some knowledge behind such an amazing carnivorous plant. I personally have always thought the Venus fly trap was such an incredible species but did not know exactly how it captured its prey. I am glad you shared this in your blog because now I am more knowledgeable on this plant!

After reading your blog, I immediately thought of a species I discovered this summer in Algonquin Park. It is called a Pitcher plant, and it is another carnivorous plant, like the Venus fly trap. The pitcher plant attracts and traps insects and then will digest they prey in a fluid that is later released for nutrients (Mithöfer, 2011).

When I was first introduced to this plant, I was taking a field course in Algonquin Park (BIOL 4410). While in the park, there was a masters student performing research on pitcher plants who shared some quick details on the species.

I learned if you look into the plant, you can see what they have been predating on. I was never able to see this in action, however some people have been able to witness full salamanders inside the plant.

It is super cool to be able to identify plant species when I go back to the park, especially these super cool carnivorous plants.

Mithöfer, A. (2011). Carnivorous pitcher plants: insights in an old topic. Phytochemistry, 72(13), 1678-1682.

Blog 09: The Most Amazing Thing About Nature

This week’s blog prompt was very open ended. Asking me to write about the most amazing thing I know about nature opens so many doors to my favourite things. I know so many amazing things about nature and learn more amazing things every day. However, I am going to focus on my most favourite part of nature, my cottage, and the several benefits associated with spending time in nature. Although my cottage specifically is not “nature” it is where I encounter all the amazing thing’s nature has to offer.

As our textbook mentions, nature and the environment hold so many benefits to individuals and society. People tend to spend their free time visiting nature centres because they have fun and leave feeling inspired (Beck et al., 2018). In addition to this, parks and landscapes have health benefits. Nature parks provide individuals for a place to perform physical exercise and a place to relax. Our textbook also indicates that the health of natural landscapes is linked to human health (Beck et al., 2018).

I find it even more interesting to learn that there is a disorder the exists amongst people that lack a connection with nature. In our textbook, I came across “nature deficit disorder”, which is a disorder people encounter when they have a broken bond with nature (Beck et al., 2018). This makes me feel so thankful I have such easy access to spending time outdoors, as I can head up North for a quick weekend in the woods whenever I want. I have never had to worry about a lack of activity in natural landscapes because it is something that brings me so much joy. However, I could completely understand how I would feel mentally if I did not have a bond with the environment.

I can relate to this concept of nature influencing individual health benefits, as I personally can feel so much healthier when I am encountering nature. I would say my physical health is linked with natural landscapes because I really enjoy going for hikes or runs outside in local conservation areas. Being surrounded by nature in any way makes it a lot easier for me to do something active. I would also say my mental health is linked to natural landscapes because being outdoors gives me a little extra serotonin. I always find myself happier and feeling less anxious when I am outside.

Therefore, I decided to focus on my cottage in this blog prompt. I have spent a lot of time exploring natural landscapes and learning about all the individual benefits I have gained from spending time outdoors. All thanks to my cottage. The feeling of being secluded in the trees while looking out onto the lake brings me so much personal joy. Sometimes I find it hard to recognize the nature that surrounds us here in Guelph, but when I am up North, I never struggle to recognize the constant feeling of wildlife that is all around. There is no better feeling then being one with nature and knowing it is all around you.

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

ihenvs3000w23

Nature & Music

Throughout history, music has played a large role in shaping cultures and values into specific relationships with nature. Music, just like nature is made up of subcomponents which play a role in the entirety. Every piece is significant in its own way whether it be the melody or the soil composition. As stated in the notes, the addition of some form of media, in this case music, takes a program from something good to something great. Music can be viewed as something universal, but I feel as though music is also a privilege to many. Being able to make music is one privilege, while being able to hear or feel is another. Furthermore, I believe that music is within nature as nature is within music. Music can be heard in nature with the sound of birds singing or the sound of the ocean. In terms of nature within music, many cultures use sounds from nature as a way of meditating and connecting with themselves. Other artists use these sound effects as a part of their melody or as inspiration for lyrics. In addition, certain instruments have been made from materials from nature and have been created to mimic the sounds that are made in nature.

When I reflect on a song that immediately takes me to a natural landscape it is called Space Song by Beach House. Near my home, there are escarpments and whenever I head this song, I think about how they look at nighttime. When I was in high school, my friends and I would park our cars and look out at the escarpments and I can vividly remember this song playing. So, now whenever I am around the area, this song needs to play and when I miss home, I tend to play this song.

This is not to say that there are no other pieces of music that remind me of natural landscapes, but that is the main one. I feel as though many people will choose actually music from nature, but I do not believe that would be an authentic answer of mine. However, when I choose to do yoga or meditate, I choose to listen to sounds of a rainforest. I do not know if I am the only one that finds instrumental music with rain overlapping as a source of comfort and relaxation, but I recommend it. In previous courses, I learned about the importance that human connectiveness with nature has on human happiness. One main factor was the positive impact that the sounds of nature have on stress and mood in people and there are studies such as the one by Buxton et al., which analyzes these health benefits. I was curious if any of you find that you become more productive or calm when you listen to natural sounds? If not, what sounds bring you Zen? If so, what is your go to nature sound or playlist?

Buxton, R. T., Pearson, A. L., Allou, C., & Wittemyer, G. (2021, March 22). A synthesis of health benefits of natural sounds and their ... - pnas. A synthesis of health benefits of natural sounds and their distribution in national parks . Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2013097118

hsenvs3000w23

I really enjoy how you described ‘music’. I never once thought to compare it to soil. Every piece is unique, and each piece makes up an entirety. Music is compiled of several music notes, instruments, voices, and even sounds found in nature. It’s interesting how sounds from nature can be incorporated differently. As you said, it is used in cultures as a form of meditation. I have never specifically meditated to the sounds of nature; however, I have found piece of mind in listening to the rain or the wind. I could see how so many people can mediate to the simple, unique sounds of the natural world. In addition to this, music in nature is used to form sound effects, like a wildlife DJ. I cannot say that I listen to music with nature sounds in it, but I would love to stat incorporating these sorts of music into my playlists. I do listen to white noise sometimes as a focus technique, and these often include nature sounds. Mostly rain, waterfalls, or birds chirping.

I love how everyone has a different song that connects them with a memory. It is nice to have a quick minute to listen to a song that can take you back to an experience that means so much to everyone. I personally listen to songs that make me think of memories all the time.

I have never done yoga, so I can’t say that I listen to nature like you do. However, I do agree that the sound of rain is very relaxing and has a way of comforting me. I would say I become calmer when I listen to nature songs, depending on my mood, it could put me to sleep. I don’t have a go to nature song but looking forward to everyone’s responses!

I forgot to tackle this follow up question in my previous post, so here it goes… When I think of a song that takes me back to a natural landscape I think of Gone Gone Gone, by Phillip Phillips. There is no actual connection to nature and the song, but it is a song that takes me back to summer nights. Specifically, I love to listen to this song when I am on a boat at my cottage, it is the best during a sunset!

I attached a picture of a sunset I took at my cottage while on a boat, most likely listening to Gone Gone Gone!

Unit 07: Nature Interpretation through Music

Music serves so many purposes and is a huge part of many people’s daily lives. I can say this from how I personally feel about music. I listen to music every day while walking to campus, studying, in the shower or at the gym. This blog prompt managed to make me think of music as something greater than what I listen to on the daily. It has prompted me to conquer the question of how music and nature are connected?

Firstly, I began to wonder where I have witnessed music in nature. I have heard music in nature many more times than I first thought. My first reaction immediately went to birds chirping. Mainly, I am referring to the morning, when I am lying in bed and when the window is open, and I am awakened to several birds chirping amongst themselves. It is such a beautiful and peaceful noise, but not until now have I considered it to be music. Next, I also found myself thinking about the sound of rain, which could be a form of music. Rain is a tranquil, ambient sound that I didn’t consider music before, but I don’t see why it couldn’t be. It is so calming and relaxing that I would listen to it as music if I had the chance. Music is also found in so many animals, whales for example communicate with songs. On a different note, wolves communicate with howls. Although it may not be as peaceful, I wonder if this is a form of music?

It was easier to think of where music is in nature because it seems to be everywhere. It was harder to think of where nature is in music. After some research, I discovered there is an entire genre if music with natural sounds. Biomusic is music with sounds created entirely by non-humans. Additionally, the course content led me to learn about a new career path I have never heard of, a Wildlife DJ….

After reading “Music As A Gateway To Nature,” I was surprised to learn about Mr. Mirin’s career, a Wildlife DJ (Music as a Gateway to Nature, 2016). At first thought it seems like such an interesting way to incorporate new sounds into music, however I learned it is even more than that. Mr. Mirin also does it to inspire conservation and introduce new audiences to the natural world. I feel like this unique way of incorporating people with natural world, will manage to connect several individuals that have not felt this form of connection yet. He is managing to incorporate birds of New York City into beatboxing, and I think this will create an entirely new connection between a different group of individuals and nature that could have not been accomplished in other ways. For me, I connect with the natural world by experiencing nature firsthand (hiking, camping, exploring, etc..), however I know of so many people that do not enjoy these activities. People who don’t enjoy spending time directly in an outdoors setting may struggle to connect with the natura world, but a Wildlife DJ maybe the perfect opportunity to open a new door for people who enjoy music as much as I enjoy the outdoors.

This unit not only connects music with nature interpretation, but also brings up one’s creative self that could have been lost along the way. Music is a tool to express feelings, emotions, and passions. Many people express themselves through music and it is such an important tool that can be used for interpretation. I think it is possible music may not get as much credit as it should in relation to nature interpretation. I think we need more people like Mr. Mirin who manage to connect others, who may not be previously connected, with the natural world to inspire conservation and allow others to find their sense of adventure.

GrrlScientist. (2016, September 22). Music as a gateway to nature. Forbes. Retrieved February 28, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2016/09/21/music-as-a-gateway-to-nature/?sh=42459148549e

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Nature Interpretation Through History

Hyams uses this quote as a way of underlining the true importance of history and in which ways we should interpret it. To be specific, when he mentions “believing that a railway station through which our train has passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it”. Prior to your individual experience, somebody else was in the same position and experienced the situation either the same or in a completely different way. As mentioned in the textbook, the reason we interpret history is so that we can remember. What we deem to be important and worth remembering is personal, yet a combination of many other factors. For example, the term “place of memory” is used to describe a site or property that is protected due to a historic event taking place there. We see these places all around the globe, whether the significance be recognized by everyone around the globe or just a specific country. Furthermore, Hyams mentions the term integrity throughout this quote in relation to “keeping together of the parts of any whole”. This idea is evident through many parts of history, but I want to draw on the fact that even the many parts play a significant role in understanding the whole. For example, when bones are found, it is very rare that the entirety of the artifact are found, but that little piece will tell you where it comes from and what whole it belongs to.

In order to fully understand any object, place, or thing, it is important that we remember and learn about their history. We need to remember that everything in nature has a history and every piece of history has natural resources. The true beauty in nature comes to be when all components are understood and appreciated. I feel as though this is more complex to do than we think, truly because we tend to oversee the historical context of nature. Rarely do I find myself looking at a waterfall or mountain and questioning how it got there or when. I live near a conservation area and I recall for school trips going and studying its different components and what made it unique in comparison to that of other conservation areas.

Lastly, I want to touch on tying together all the nature interpretation aspects we have touched on thus far in the course. When we interpret things in nature, we get the best interpretation when many aspects are brought together. Whether that be including interpreting nature through science, art, history and personal experiences. I personally believe that all components are highlighted to bring their own importance to their interpretation, and I do not believe that one component is more important than the other. I do however believe that people are more comfortable and prefer using one of the interpretation methods over the other. I was curious if you guys think that one of the interpretation methods is more important than the other? If so, which one and why?

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I enjoyed reading your interpretation of Hyams quote as we interpreted it in slightly different ways. I am mainly referring to when he mentions “believing that a railway station through which our train has passed, only existed for as long our train was in it.” You interpreted this as somebody else was in your position in the past and could or could not have had similar experiences. After I read this, I realised that makes a lot of sense. Hyam could be referring to experiences that anyone could have shared with one another, and how the past could be completely different amongst individuals. I interpreted it as an important event could have happened in the past and just because it isn’t shared doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. I guess we both interpreted it to a similar extent with our own personal twist. I enjoy seeing how others interpreted it because is strengthening my understanding of the quote.

I also appreciate how you defined some key parts of the quote. For example, “integrity in relation to keeping together parts of any whole” was a key part in the quote. I didn’t define or break down certain pieces before I unpacked Hyams work, however it would have been helpful. Furthermore, I like how you related this to finding one bone of an entire artifact. Signifying small pieces are key to identifying the past and uncovering the truth. Just as the reading identify, the truth is extremely important in interpreting the past (Beck et al., 2018). The truth of past events is key to understanding what happened in history and will influence how we view past events.

And I just want to mention I love your picture of the waterfall, I wish I lived near a Conservation Area!

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

Unit 06: Nature Interpretation Though 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 unit has intertwined the importance of history with environmental interpretation. The written word can bring meaning into historic events while helping the audience connect with the past. Beck et al (2018) revealed natural resources and history are linked, as every natural site contains a history, and every historical site has natural resources.

To unpack the quote by Edward Hyams, one must first understand the story that is being shared, what is included, what is ignored, what is implied, and what is specified. The above quote that is being shared includes the importance of ancient things, more specifically: the importance of living history. Living history is “an attempt to accurately replicate the past through the use of a physical environment and the sights, sounds, and smells of the period being represented” (Beck et al. 2018). Edward Hyams is suggesting a memory of ancient things is just as important as integrity especially because ancient things are scattered throughout time. I interpreted this as the importance of living history because I think Edward Hyams is using ancient things as a metaphor for past historic events. Knowledge and memories of past events needs to be shared as living history so the audience can be presented with the truth and recall the past.

I further broke down Edward Hyams quote where he states that thinking the past is done with is like thinking a railway station only exists when you are in it. The learnings of authenticity from the course content really helped my understanding of the quote. When reading the course content, one quote really stood out to me that I thought directly related to Edward Hyams quote…

"We are deceiving ourselves if we think that when we stand in front of a case of medals, or guns, or photographs of mutilated bodies, we are looking at the past. We are looking also at the present and the future. If interpretation is to be a source of social good, then it must recognize the continuity of history and alert us to the future through the past." (David Uzzel, pg. 342)

This quote as well as Edward Hyams quote, indicates the importance of authenticity in interpretation. It is important to share the most authentic version of the truth when interpreting history, even when talking about challenging topics. Challenging topics may include war, the holocaust, indigenous people, slavery and so much more. After this unit and unpacking the above quotes, I have learned it is important to address and learn about the difficulties in history to encourage people to reconcile and connect with the past.

History is important to share in nature as well, because as we all know our Earth is changing. Climate change, human development, urbanisation, and land use change all have an impact on our natural landscapes. The way we interpret history and how our landscapes will change over time will be important for past, present, and future generations.

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

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A Rainy Day...

Before I start, let me paint the picture of what I am doing at this point in time. So here I am, sitting at my desk at the time I have allotted to complete this blog post. I am on my computer staring at a blank word document for what feels like forever. It's raining outside, so I feel comfortable and a bit more reluctant to complete this task. Cars are passing by, but I haven't heard a single soul outside yet, which is strange because it's 1pm. I am reflecting on the fact that throughout the entire day, I always have what feels like 1000 different thoughts in my head at once that don't let me have a moment of silence. But right now. With all the power in the world to talk about anything I wish, my mind is blank and quiet.

It's amusing to me that no boundaries were set for this week, and I have the chance to be creative, but I am at a loss. When I really think about it, I am a bit fearful! Why can't I decide on one thing? Am I too reliant on others or my phone? Can I not think for myself? But then I take a step back and remind myself that we are in a challenging part of the semester. I have assignments like no other, midterms coming up, and my body has been wrapped in stress for far too long. So? It's okay that I couldn't think of something right away. I'm tired, and school has been a lot.

So instead of talking about things that stimulate the brain, let's talk about how powerful weather, seasons and conditions are to us. Because as I look outside on this cold rainy day, all I want to do is stay inside, close my school work and watch a movie. The act of leaving my apartment right now feels like the largest chore. It is so funny because yesterday it was 6 degrees Celsius and sunny, and I was so upbeat and wanted to stay out the whole day.

However, today, my day started completely different because I woke up to the sound of rain. I think that's pretty powerful, don't you think?

I don't know about you, but when the sun started setting at 4:30pm in late November to December, I was struggling. As someone who likes to get things done during the day, trying to get work done when it is dark felt impossible. My roommates and I found each other getting ready for bed at 6pm and would only realize once we checked the time. We felt so tired, and it ultimately affected all of our work patterns and mental states. Seasonal depression is so real. It's hard to stay so upbeat when the day ends so early. Nowadays, the sun is setting at 5:30pm, and things are starting to feel much better. Although I am still anxiously waiting for the warmth of summer and those long summer months when the day doesn't end until 9pm.

I guess I am trying to say is that sometimes you must take a step back to see how often we are affected by nature. It's okay if you wake up feeling down on a cold rainy day with no intention to move. Seasons and weather are so powerful! It subconsciously affects us every day without us even knowing sometimes.

Here is a picture that was taken at 9:07pm in June.

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I found your post extremely entertaining. I like how you opened with your current situation. This was so relatable as I also spent way too long staring at a blank word document. It’s crazy how fast all my ideas left my head as soon as I started. Your post relived some of my stress. You are completely right; I am also tired, and school has been very overwhelming recently. I like how you mention the connections with your mood and the weather. I can say when its sunny out I am in a better mood. When its rainy and cloudy I am usually in a worse mood. It does not help that this winter has been very cloudy. I feel like I can count on one hand the days we have seen sun. However, sometimes I enjoy a rainy day. Rain offers such a southing sound, and it can be nice to watch from inside.

Just like you I cannot wait for the sun to start setting at 9pm. Summer days feel so much longer and are so much more enjoyable. But we are getting closer. I know when summer gets here, I will miss winter. Sometimes winter offers upbeat days too.

I love your picture, I can’t wait for summer sunsets!

My Journey Through Nature Interpretation

Having no prompt for a blog post this week, I decided I was going to write about my journey through this course so far.

This course has been a lot of fun, specifically I really enjoy writing these blog posts on Tumblr. ENVS 3000 is the only course I have taken where the course projects are submitted over a social media platform. I personally think this has been a great method to engage with course content and other students. Social media has only expanded and has created a huge connection platform for people across the world. I am glad we are taking advantage of the positive outcomes associated with Tumblr. For example, I have been able to communicate and relate with all my fellow classmates while engaging about course content. This has really benefited my learning and understanding of the material.

I have always spent a lot of time outdoors, so I have some knowledge of nature, however I do not have a lot of knowledge on interpretation. I have a lot of interest of learning more and this course is only furthering my knowledge on nature interpretation. This course has taught me interpretation refers to communicating a process to inform and inspire people about culture and nature (Beck et al. 2018). The main goal of interpretation is to open your mind to receive interest of the landscapes. I often enjoy being the audience of the interpreter and learning what someone else is teaching me. For example, when I have been to Provincial Parks I have learned from the employees and naturalists. This course has influenced me to look into these positions. Recently I have felt encouraged to open my future goals to consider positions like a naturalist or an outdoor learning provider.

Nature Interpretation has allowed me to understand the role between an audience and the environment, as well as the excitement that comes with exploring nature. There are several ways that we can interact with nature, and I keep learning more as we move into the next unit. Last week, we learned about nature interpretation through art. This unit reminded me how easy it is to connect with nature. Painting, photography, and music are some of the ways I can connect with nature interpretation through art. I am a big fan of spending time outdoors and taking photos of my experiences to look back on. Some of my favourite places to take photos of are at my cottage. Memories I have made and continue to make at my cottage are extremely special to me and being able to look back at photos always makes me feel thankful.

I have attached some photos I have taken at my cottage. Another reason I enjoy this course is because I get to see everyone’s pictures from their experiences with nature. I find it exciting to hear about all my classmates’ adventures and to see their pictures. In addition to seeing all of your lovely pictures I also enjoy sharing mine because it allows me to reflect on my past experiences with nature!

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

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Unit 4: Nature Interpretation through Art and Planning for “All” Scenarios

This week, we are looking at and discussing how we interpret nature through art, as well as how we are able to interpret the gift of beauty in our own unique ways. For me, interpreting nature through art can mean a lot of things. I drew a lot when I was younger, but never really found that I wanted to capture the beauty of natural spaces in this way. Instead, I greatly prefer taking pictures to capture the importance of different environments.

Photography is such an effective form of artistic nature interpretation as, similar to statements in this week’s reading, scenes are often able to interpret themselves (Beck et al., 2019). While I do enjoy other depictions of nature, be it paintings or drawings, I never felt that I was able to capture the beauty I intended to in these ways and instead opted to take pictures. Below is a photo of my local park over the most recent winter break, when a bad snowstorm had just hit, and the high winds made for a treacherous walk. While it isn’t a picture of a sandy beach or a secluded forest, I could find beauty in how harsh nature could be in this context and wanted to save the moment for later viewing and interpretation. While I did not appreciate my moustache freezing to my face at the time, I may think back on it more fondly when I am working outside in 40-degree weather this summer.

The gift of beauty is described as interpretation providing us with the means to sense and understand the beauty of our surroundings while giving us the desire to do so (Beck et al., 2019). For me personally, my desire to do so involves using artistic depictions of nature to transport me to other settings I find meaningful. Just as I mentioned above, I did not appreciate the freezing cold, winter winds while I was braving them in the park, but will likely look back on the experience fondly later on when I’m hot and exhausted. In terms of most nature interpretation, the most effective means of understanding a place’s beauty would be to go there yourself, but this is not always the case. Areas with extreme weather or an abundance of environmental risks may not be very pleasant in the moment, but through art, we can interpret them in a more reflective light and appreciate the value we may not have been able to see at the time.

Artistic depictions of nature and how we interpret them allow for us to extend the value of the environment past the actual physical experience of being there. In the same way art can transport us to places with different temperature extremes as mentioned above, it could similarly invigorate people to look into conserving places they may not have before. Acting as a visual extension of the value of other places in nature, artistic interpretation allows leaders in the field to teach a multitude of lessons involving the environments they care so much about.

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

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I can strongly relate to your post this week. I also find that the best way to capture natures beauty is through photography. Unlike you, I was never really a painter or drawer so I cannot compare the difference between paintings and photography. However, I strongly enjoy looking at paintings other people have created of nature. For example, the Group of Seven does a great job at connecting art to Canadian landscapes.

I like how you chose to include a picture of how harsh nature can be. Personally, I enjoy the winter months more than the summer so I can see the beauty of your picture. The “gift of beauty” is the principle that interpreters should instil desire in the audience to sense beauty in their surroundings and to encourage preservation (Beck et al. 2018). You have accomplished this with your photo.

I can find desire and beauty in your picture, probably for different reasons than you can. You mention how you will look back on the experience of being cold and will enjoy it when you are in a position experiencing extreme heat. Although this is true for many people, no one can truly be as connected to your picture as you. I find desire in your picture because it makes me feel eager to go outside and participate in a winter activity myself.

Interpreting photos allows the audience to form their own connections and feel desire towards the given landscape. I would love to see more photos of the winter!

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

I think the use of art is an important tool to use as a nature interpreter. Artwork is a fun and creative way to share environmental experiences and to grow a stronger relationship with nature. Artists have been using painting since 19th century to keep wilderness landscapes protected for future generations (Beck et al. 2018). Paintings can be used as a form of photography to remember the landscape or nature experience that someone wants to hold on to or even as a tool to share with others. Individuals are constantly looking at past artwork and interpreting it, to enhance viewers experiences. When I think of interpreting nature through art, I immediately think of the group of seven. The Group of Seven was a group of Canadians who painted landscapes from 1920 - 1933 (The Group of Seven, 2002). Personally, I have heard a lot about Tom Thompson and his paintings from Algonquin Park. I enjoy learning about Thompsons work from the park as I spend a lot of time in Algonquin, and it is a great way to make a connection to the scenery. Using paintings to visualize nature that exists can be interpreted in so many ways. One person may be able to interpret one of Thom Thompsons paintings completely differently than someone one else viewing it. The audience can make their own interpretation and connections. After reading some of the course textbook, I discovered that nature can be interpreted through art in various ways. For example, paintings are a prime example, but so is theatre, dance, and music (Beck et al. 2018). I do not have a lot of experience with theater or dance; however, I do listen to a lot of music. Regarding interpreting nature through music, I think of listening to songs and singing along to guitar around a campfire. Music allows the audience to connect with their surroundings and explore the natural landscapes around them. One of my favourite ways to interpret nature is to sit around a campfire with my friends. I have spent so many nights around the campfire listening to a friend play guitar. During these moments I have reflected on the lovely landscape and even took a moment to look at the stars. The “gift of beauty” is the principle that interpreters should instil desire in the audience to sense beauty in their surroundings and to encourage preservation (Beck et al. 2018). I feel the gift of beauty through music as well as my photos. I interpret nature through art is through photography. Looking back through my photos I see several pictures I have taken of nature. I have a lot of photos from my cottage and love to reflect on the moments I spent one on one with nature. The “gift of beauty” is the principle that interpreters should instil desire in the audience to sense beauty in their surroundings and to encourage preservation (Beck et al. 2018). I feel the gift of beauty through music as well as my photos.

This is a picture I took last winter at my cottage. I am sitting by a fire most likely listening to music. Now that I am looking back at the photo, I am reflecting on what a good day that was. This is an example of interpreting nature through art. I interpret those photos differently than a lot of you do, however it is a really good way to feel connected with nature.

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

Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933. The Group of Seven. (2022). Retrieved February 2, 2023, from https://thegroupofseven.ca/

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Unit 03: Risk and Reward

My working definition of privilege involves the unearned reception of certain advantages to a group of people, or individual. These privileges are often passed down through generations and typically revolves around identities such as race, ability, socioeconomic status, sexuality, and level of education (Mcintosh in Noel, 2000 p. 115). While many people who live a privileged life are afraid to recognize it, it is an important topic to discuss in order to fully understand the power imbalances that result from it.

Privilege is just as important of a concept within nature interpretation as it is in everyday life. One of the ways I recognize that I am privileged in terms of my relationship with nature, is through having parents that placed values on our natural environment. Not everyone has the same opportunity to grow up in a family that has an appreciation for nature as I did. I am able to recognize this as a privilege as it is not something that everybody grows up with, and not something I ever worked to earn. I was simply born into a family that happened to share the same love of nature as I did, and this ultimately shaped the course of my life. One way this privilege unfolded as I grew up was through travelling. I have been fortunate enough to have parents that understand the value that comes with travelling and can set aside enough money for our family to go on trips. This has benefitted by relationship with nature greatly as it has allowed me to learn firsthand about different environmental topics such as ecology and conservation in other countries. This has bettered my ability as a nature interpreter as I’m able to spread the knowledge I’ve learned on trips with the people around me.

This privilege has benefitted me throughout the course of my time as a student, which even furthered my privilege. A specific example I can remember of travelling benefitting my performance in school was in grade 10. In my biology class we were learning about different interactions within nature, specifically symbiotic relationships. During the Christmas break of that year, my family travelled to the Amazon for an adventure. We were on a hike with a guide who was informing us of the natural history and interactions that occur within the rainforest. One topic he mentioned was the relationship between capybaras and cleaner bird species. He explained how certain birds will land on capybaras and eat ticks and parasites off of them and how this benefits both animals. It was a perfect example of a type of symbiotic relationship, specifically a mutualistic one, and I was able to reinforce what I had previously learned in class with a real-life example. When I returned to school, the information I had learned over the break stuck with me and ended up benefitting me in class. I was able to recognize that this was a unique experience that I was able to participate in and that it was a privilege resulting from my parents.

Privilege is an important topic to discuss, within the field of nature interpretation but also in everyday life. Continuing the conversation is one way to recognize your privileges and understand the power imbalances it creates.

Gallavan, N.P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their ‘invisible knapsacks.’ Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36.

Noel, J. (2000). Notable selections in multicultural education. Guilford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill.

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I really enjoyed reading your post! I like how you mentioned that privilege is unearned, I think this is a key part of the definition. Privilege is often beneficial however it is not usually earned. I really enjoy reading others working definition of the word ‘privilege’ as it is furthering my view on the topic.

Similarly, to you I recognize that my relationship with nature stemmed from my parents love for nature. This is definitely a privilege in terms of nature interpretation because not everybody grows up with this. I grew up with a cottage, which was such an amazing opportunity for me to connect with nature. I wonder if I didn’t have this privilege if I would still be as connected to nature as I am today. I find it fascinating you have explored conservation in other countries, what a great opportunity that must have been! Your guided hike through the rainforest sounds like an amazing opportunity to have learned about natural history. I recall learning about mutualisation symbiotic relationships in high school. Visualizing an example of that in real life must have been amazing to see, and beneficial to your learning.

Discussing privilege is so important and I am glad we had this blog post to share our interpretations. I think it is so important to reflect on our personal privileges because sometimes we are not even aware that we have them. This activity furthered my interpretation skills, and I am excited to keep growing my personal knowledge on this topic!

Privilege in Nature Interpretation : Blog 3

My working definition of privilege is an advantage that is given to a certain group. This definition applies to nature interpretation because privilege often gives a group an upper hand at overcoming barriers. The absence of privilege can make it harder for people to enjoy nature interpretation or create more barriers for those that have no privileges. After some more research I found that privilege can be a combination of five things… It is a special advantage, it is granted not earned, it is an entitlement related to status, it is exercised for its benefit and excludes others, and privilege is a status that the person possessing it is not aware of (Black & Stone, 2005).

Before this unit I never considered the role privilege plays in nature interpretation. However, after reading the course content and reflecting on my past I discovered privilege has a strong impact on nature interpretation. To start off this post I want to reflect on the role privilege has played in my past regarding nature interpretation. My interest in nature has been present since I was a child. I spent my entire life growing up at my cottage, which I recognize is a huge privilege already. Having the opportunity to spend time outdoors with my family in such a beautiful location is not something that everyone gets to experience. I think this is like camping with my family. My parents had to put in their time and effort into taking me on outdoor trips as a kid. They spent their time and money on enforcing time spent in nature on several occasions. I recognize that there is a lot of children that did not get to experience this.

Another privilege I recognize I have is being in university and taking classes that allow me to further my future in nature interpretation. My parents have helped me mentally and financially get to where I am today. University is an expense that I would not be able to afford if my parents didn’t help me prepare for. My savings are all thanks to past summer jobs that I could not have gotten without some help from my parents. For example, in high school I worked at Canadian Tire and my parents had to drive me to and from my shifts. In more recent jobs, my parents have helped me prepare for interviews. I am aware a lot of students don’t have as much help from their parents that I do, and this gives me an advantage. The fact that I am in my final year of university, taking this specific course in nature interpretation is a massive advantage that so many people do not have. I am sure there are several people who want to work in a career in nature interpretation but unfortunately face a disadvantage in the work force because they did not attend university.

Lastly, I think a privilege that relates to nature interpretation is the fact that I am young and healthy. I am completely capable of participating in nature programs if I want to. A reason why some people cannot participate in nature interpretation programs could be that they want to participate, but encounter boundaries like physical impediments, such as people with physical disabilities or even the elderly population (Beck et al., 2018).

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

Black, L. L., & Stone, D. (2005). Expanding the Definition of Privilege: The Concept of Social Privilege. JOURNAL OF MULTICULTURAL COUNSELING AND DEVELOPMENT, 33(4), 243–255. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2161-1912.2005.tb00020.x

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Unit 02: Teaching Learners

My goal as an environmental interpreter is to establish/strengthen a connection between the learner and nature, in order to ultimately inspire environmental stewardship. My favourite and preferred audience of learners to work with is students from K-Gr 6. I especially enjoy working within this age range as these years are foundational to building a meaningful relationship to nature, and can lead to a positive effect on overall childhood development. As Richard Louv (2008) mentions in Last Child in the Woods, increased time in nature and green space can lead to higher academic achievement, social-emotional regulation, and confidence in children. I find that each age group offers unique gifts and challenges when it comes to designing a program that scaffolds learners effectively.

Additionally, my ideal role as an environmental interpreter is one where I’m not only facilitating lessons, but also have a lead role in the development of programming. Throughout the experiences I’ve had as an interpreter, the ones where I felt I could make the best connection with each group I was working with were jobs where I could be part of the program development process. I found that certain jobs where I was handed pre-made lesson plans to follow left me feeling restricted, and feeling almost robotic at the end of a day's work. The researching and planning process is where I feel most creative and inspired to teach, as it’s also the time where I get to continue to learn and discover any potential new information on environmental science and education, and collaborate with other educators.

I believe that using interpretation leader Sam Ham’s TORE model of thematic communication mentioned by Beck et. al (2018) would provide a great basis for the program planning process, leading to more complete and goal driven delivery. When delivering the same program content to multiple groups in a row throughout the year, I find myself going through the motions and at times forgetting to me mindful of the purpose and evolving theme of my interpretation. Although all cornerstones of the model are important to making an experience enjoyable for learners, R, relevance to audience, is one that I strongly believe is the critical component to whether or not an interpreter will achieve their goals for programming. An audience can listen and absorb all the information being provided and experienced, but I believe that results that last past the end of the program are only possible when the learner can relate to the content. Beck et. al (2018) mentions that connecting content with your audience can be a challenge, depending on whether or not you know your group and can prepare ahead of time, or if you start without knowing them at all.

I find that taking the first few minutes to do introductions, and simple ice breaking games can make a huge difference in establishing connections with the group, and getting to understand their learning styles and comfort level with the outdoors. For example, finding out that a student’s favourite thing to do in their spare time is play video games can be key information to incorporate later on perhaps in a game break may result in that student suddenly feeling included and excited about the content, despite never mentioning loving the outdoors. Learning back pocket games and icebreakers from other interpreters in the field has been one of the most valuable components to enhancing my lessons, and I hope to continue strengthening this skill, to build on my R cornerstone.

A resource that I've found useful for ice-breakers and games:

Ultimate Camp Resource is a free resource for Camp Games, Camp Songs, Camp Skits and more. Ultimate Camp Resource is made for camp people, b

Even though it's camp related there's lots of games that work great for all ages, even adults!

Citations

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

Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the Woods. Algonquin Books.

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I enjoyed reading your blog! I like how you are already aware of what age group you prefer to work with. I have some experience working with kids and I know it involves a lot of patience, so good for you. However, as you said this is an important age to begin connecting with nature. I started connecting with nature at a young age and I think it would be fantastic if all kids could start at such an early stage of their life. I completely understand what you mentioned about premade lesson plans. I would 100% chose to create my own lesson plan versus following someone else’s. It is hard to follow a plan because a lot of individuals learn differently, and you must adapt to each individual learning style. I also like how you mentioned the audience must relate to the concept in order to fully understand it. I can personally say that this is the best way I learn. If I can directly relate to a concept, I am more likely to listen and pay attention to what is being taught, and will probably have a greater interest in too. I know icebreakers are not a favourite for a lot of students, but I do agree with you that it is so important to begin with group introductions to fully understand others. I was a camp councillor a few summers ago and I always made my campers do ice breakers. It was a great way to get everyone to break out of their bubble and start making friends.

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