Hana

Blog for ENVS*3000 at UoG!

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Disclaimer

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

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

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

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Last BLOG

As I think about everything I've learned in this course about becoming a nature interpreter, I realize it's changed me a lot. It's not just academically but ethically and personally. It's also about how I see my role in talking about and protecting the environment. It's made me really think about how I can take all this classroom learning and use it out in the real world.

First up, I absolutely love nature. That's the big reason I'm doing this class. I've always been amazed by the outdoors, and this course has made me want to share that amazement with others even more. Like from the textbook by Beck, Cable et al, (2018) mentioned, sharing what you're passionate about can really make a difference. It's not just about dumping facts on people; it's about making them see why nature is so awesome. I want to get people as excited about saving the planet as I am.

Another big thing I've learned is how important it is to make sure everyone feels welcome in nature. The outdoors should be for everyone, no matter what challenges they might face getting out there. We talked a lot about making sure things are accessible for everyone, whether that means having braille for people who can't see well or making sure paths are wheelchair friendly. Nature doesn't leave anyone out, and neither should we. I strongly believe that nature isn't just for the few. It's for everyone, no matter their background or abilities. This means I've got to think creatively to make sure everyone can join in

I also realized that learning about nature is never done. The world is always changing, and there's always something new to discover. I want to keep exploring and finding out new things, and I want to help others do the same. It's like what Rodenburg (2019) said: being curious and always ready to learn more is super important.

After taking this class it makes me feel like it's my job to make sure that when I share nature, I do it in a way that everyone can enjoy. This means thinking about different people's needs and making sure they are welcomed and accessible to all. Beyond just pointing out cool plants or animals, I see it as my responsibility to educate people about the challenges our environment faces and inspire them to be part of the solution. It's about stirring up a sense of wonder and a desire to make a positive impact.

I've also spent a lot of time thinking about how different people connect with nature. Some might like to learn by doing things with their hands, while others might enjoy listening to music inspired by nature or looking at nature art. Stories or history about a place can also make it come alive in a new way for people.

While nature is all about disconnecting from screens, I think technology can be a great tool if used wisely. Things like apps for identifying flora and fauna, or podcasts about nature (which could provide loads of insights by the way!), can enhance the outdoor experience without taking away from the magic of being in the moment.

Building upon that, creating and hosting a podcast as a nature interpreter opened up a whole new world of insights for me, way more than I expected. It wasn't just about sharing cool facts about nature or talking about the outdoors; it became a journey of discovery, connection, and learning that went both ways, between me, my guests, and my listeners. 

For me, as an individual diving into the world of nature interpretation, finding approaches that resonate with my personality and strengths is crucial. A strategy that feels most suitable for me is definitely getting hands on, I love doing things where everyone can actually touch and see stuff up close. Imagine going on a walk and being able to touch the leaves, smell the flowers, or even spot animal tracks. It's like making everyone feel like they're part of the adventure, not just watching from the sidelines.

In a nutshell, my journey as a nature interpreter is guided by my love for the natural world, a commitment to inclusivity and education, and a belief in the power of hands-on learning and storytelling. My mom, who recently passed, always used to say “get outside today”. I will hold on to that saying forever, and definitely do that.

References:

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

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

Cheers!!! -Virginia

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Hi there!

You have the best spirit and energy! I can tell you truly love and care about the environment and it shows through reading your last blog. The way you talk about nature and your love for it makes me love it more too!

We seem to share a lot of the same beliefs toward nature interpretation, I believe that it has to be more accessible too! When it comes to nature interpretation no one should feel as though they cannot do it. I love how you said that adding braille on signs could help. This is something I did not think of but I completely agree. Something that I think we need to also incorporate is how we can make nature interpretation more accessible to minority groups as well. I also neglected this in my blog post this week but someone who reblogged my post brought it up and I think it's worth sharing. We need to be mindful of the “invisible knapsack” we all wear. Where some people carry knapsacks full of maps, visas, clothes, passports and tools, while others don’t (Gallavan, 2005). I think one way we can do this is through self-reflection of our own privilege and ways to make others feel more comfortable if they do not.

I also agree with you how amazing the podcast experience was. It was much more than an assignment about a topic in nature. It was an eye opening experience for me and I enjoyed every moment of it. 

I am so sorry for the loss of your mother, my heart goes out to you. My mom has also had a huge impact on why I love nature so much and so I send you my condolences. 

I loved reading your blog this week. I know with your positive personality that you’re going to play a key role in nature interpretation!

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks". Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36. https://link-gale-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9fe2f151

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Personal Ethics

As I develop as a nature interpreter, my personal ethic is deeply rooted in a desire to make a positive change in an ever-evolving world. I am driven by the aspiration to inspire others to deepen their knowledge and understanding of the natural world, emphasizing that we are a part of nature, not just co-inhabitants of our planet. My beliefs are centered around the critical importance of animal conservation and rehabilitation strategies, focusing on addressing and mitigating major concerns such as habitat destruction, poaching, and the impact of roadways on wildlife. I am committed to exploring and sharing ways to overcome these barriers, aiming to reflect the knowledge and experiences I've gained to inspire others.

I acknowledge the responsibilities that come with this role, including the duty to convey accurate information, foster a sense of stewardship towards the environment, and engage people from diverse backgrounds in meaningful discussions about conservation (Beck, et. al., 2018). My approach to fulfilling these responsibilities leans towards leveraging written and published work, as I find my strengths more pronounced in these areas compared to verbal communication (Beck, et. al., 2018). I am also keen on utilizing visual signs and signage as effective tools for interpretation, believing that these methods can powerfully convey messages about conservation and the natural world (Beck, et. al., 2018).

The preface of the textbook, Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage, highlights the multifaceted role of interpreters, who are tasked with transforming facts into engaging stories and experiences (Beck, et. al., 2018). This resonates with my ethic, as I see the value in using various media, including blogs, social media, and exhibits, to reach and educate a wider audience (Beck, et. al., 2018). Interpreters are described as ambassadors, a role I embrace by striving to serve as a bridge between the natural world and the public, encouraging a deeper appreciation and understanding of our planet's biodiversity (Beck, et. al., 2018).

The ideals of interpretation stress the importance of offering experiences that involve and resonate with visitors, promoting values such as peace, beauty, truth, diversity, and sustainability. These ideals align with my belief in the power of interpretation to inspire individual growth and communal action towards a better world. The philosophy of interpretation, with its focus on sharing the wonder and beauty of life, guides my approach to engaging with audiences and fostering a collective sense of responsibility towards environmental conservation.

In the context of environmental education, the challenges of climate change, habitat destruction, and biodiversity loss underscore the urgency of my mission (Roden, 2019). . Despite the complexities and siloed nature of these issues, I remain hopeful and committed to teaching and empowering the next generation to act (Roden, 2019). . Recognizing the limitations that keep children indoors, I advocate for more opportunities for outdoor learning, believing in the transformative power of direct experiences with nature to cultivate a sense of connection and stewardship among young people (Roden, 2019).

In conclusion, my personal ethic as a nature interpreter is anchored in a commitment to conservation, education, and engagement. By leveraging my strengths in written and visual communication, I aim to contribute to the collective effort to protect and preserve our natural world, inspiring others to join in this crucial endeavour.

References:

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

Roden, J. (2019). Why Environmental Educators Shouldn't Give Up Hope. Clearing. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

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I enjoyed reading your blog this week, and as a zoology minor I love how your approach to nature interpretation involves animal conservation! I like how you think it is extremely important to acknowledge the responsibilities that you have as an environmental interpreter. Interpreting requires a lot of frequent self-evaluation and reflections, and acknowledging the responsibilities you have as an interpreter is so important for your improvement. Personal evaluations in interpreting are just as important as supervisor and peer evaluations (Beck et al, 2018). You talk about wanting to publish your own work and I think this is a great idea. I would love to know what type of published work you'd be leaning towards, and if it's scientific studies, what studies would you consider doing? 

I also completely agree with you that social media, blogs, and public exhibits are able to connect the natural world and the public eye. In my own blog this week I also discussed this topic. I believe that social media is the future and it provides so many excellent outlets for discussion. I also think it is truly important to think about the bigger picture with climate change and the climate crisis. We need to think how the animals will be affected, how the crops will change and how our supply of natural resources will vary. 

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on nature interpretation ethics, I genuinely enjoyed reading your blog this week!

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 21). SAGAMORE Publishing.

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Nature Interpretation for change

At its core, I believe that nature interpretation is all about the feelings you have toward nature, whether it's in that moment or in general. However, the more textbook definition is an educational activity that analyzes the meanings and relationships within nature, through use of original objects and first hand experience to communicate information (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt1). Nature interpretation can and should be done by anyone and anywhere. 

What is my personal ethics as a nature interpreter? I feel as though everyone should have the right and access to nature interpretation. This means that as interpreters we need to make interpretation easily accessible to everyone, especially public areas (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt7). This means adding more ramps for wheelchairs in public parks, and making sure there are enough benches for people to sit at whenever they need. There needs to be trash cans and picnic tables for people to eat lunch, or use at their own leisure as some people may need to change their diabetes patch or throw out a diaper. We also need to make nature interpretation a safe space for people to share their own thoughts. Some reasons people, especially minority groups, might not want to get involved with nature interpretation is because of cultural barriers, communication barriers, and economic barriers (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt7).

I also believe that as interpreters we should encourage the future generation to become interpreters, and open this up to children as well. I think it is so important for children to understand the beauty of nature at a young age. Knowledge of the world and natural history breeds “fond familiarity” with people and nature experiences (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt21). It is so important for people to create these relationships with nature because it’s in ecological literacy that makes people understand the impact of climate change, pollution, and other environmental problems (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt21). I believe that the next generation needs to be more exposed to nature and being outside. With today's technology, the appeal of going outside and playing has faded and we need to bring it back. I think some new initiatives to enforce this can be through having more outdoor school trips in elementary schools, and trying to incorporate more outdoor classes into our schedule. There are even simple activities that we can try and get children into to deepen their love for nature. Some of these activities include nature portraits where you paint or draw everything around you, or pattern wandering where you pick a pattern and search an area for anything that has a similar pattern (Evergreen, 2023). All this is to say that I believe the next generation needs to develop their sense of place. This is the feeling you feel when you find a place where culture and history speak for itself. Finding your “A raison d’être” or a reason for existing is crucial for wanting to protect the environment (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt1). I think that our next step is to engage children in more nature interpretive activities. 

I am very passionate about protecting the environment and I am always looking for new ways to become more eco-friendly and sustainable. As nature interpreters, it is our responsibility to look after the environment as it sustains everything that we need to survive. I think one way in doing this is researching and donating to researchers trying to find new ways to help in the climate crisis. One organization called rainforest alliance hopes to bring harmony to people and the environment by implementing scalable solutions to the climate crisis (rainforest, 2024). Rainforests are ecosystems under pressure from climate change, and organizations like this that put emphasis on protecting them are crucial. Another new initiative that is being researched is carbon sequestration. Everytime a farmer tills their soils, they release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and this increases our greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists are trying to find ways to keep the carbon in the soil, and this is through practical farming techniques like reducing tillage, cover crops, precision fertilization and more. A scientific article called Shaky Grounds by Gabriel Popkins discusses all of the ways that carbon sequestration could show promise to the climate crisis (Popkin, 2023). Supporting research for this is one simple way that we can all become more sustainable and aid the climate crisis. Another very simple way is by adapting a more reusable lifestyle. Some ways of doing this are through not using disposable bottles, using reusable initiatives such as beeswax to preserve food instead of plastic wrap, and using reusable makeup wipes instead of disposable ones. I think it is our responsibility to adopt these small changes in our lives and in the lives of the people around us. 

Everyone will be able to tackle these changes in their own unique and important way. However, the way that I believe I should tackle these issues is through social media. I think social media is the future whether you choose to admit it or not. It is so important to use social media as a tool to engage and teach people. Something I can see myself doing, and that I already partly do is posting and reposting climate change initiatives and ways to save the planet. I think that using social media as a platform to encourage change is amazing! I currently run a couple TikTok pages for different clubs and it is so exciting to see the way different people respond to what we post. Some TikToks also reach thousands of views in only a couple hours. This goes to show the power that social media has. The National Park Service Climate Change Response Program has slowly begun to emphasize the importance of climate change and ways to help the crisis. Some of the ways they are doing this is through using science to help manage parks, finding ways to reduce our carbon footprint, and through public awareness and communication (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt5). I think that climate change needs to become an active influential part of the interpretation of nature as these go hand and hand, and I believe that spreading awareness through social media is my way of doing this. I will be posting more photos of nature to encourage a deeper appreciation in others and repost articles that talk about ways that we can aid in the climate crisis. 

So why is nature interpretation so important? It is absolutely essential to create heightened appreciation, make deeper understandings, and find new ways to view the world around us. It can be one of the solutions to the climate crisis, and it can help one's mental health (Beck et al, 2018. Chpt1). The environment is beautiful, and one way to appreciate it is through nature interpretation. I know that everything I have learned over the last couple of months will be put to good use going forward! 

Here are some of my favourite nature moments

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 1). SAGAMORE Publishing.

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 5). SAGAMORE Publishing.

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 7). SAGAMORE Publishing.

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 21). SAGAMORE Publishing.

Evergreen. 10 fun and easy outdoor activities for Kids. (2023). https://www.evergreen.ca/stories/7-fun-and-easy-outdoor-activities/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-_mvBhDwARIsAA-Q0Q4Rj4rHzCu8PxRJ0ob-7Kpuq0TrABZKSyTIQgnCzAcIxronevCsfZAaAujcEALw_wcB 

Popkin, G. (2023). Shaky ground. Science, 381(6656), 369–373. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adj9318 

Rainforest Alliance. (2024). https://www.rainforest-alliance.org/

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Nature's amazing methods of communication

To me, the most amazing thing  about nature is how different species of both plants and animals communicate. For many years, we thought that plants did not have systems of communication, because language is complex and plants do not have brains! However, plants do communicate, through chemicals. 

Have you ever smelled the distinct aroma of freshly cut grass? Grass actually evolved that smell to communicate to other blades of grass that a predator is nearby (Phillips, 2014)! Typically, this means an insect or herbivore, but in recent years it may mean a lawn mower too. Typically, when only a few blades are cut or eaten, we would not be able to smell it, but because of the speed of lawn mowers we get to experience the smell too. 

Personally, I used to think that plants were inferior to animals because they didn’t have brains and they couldn’t run away or fight when a predator came lurking. However, this is actually not true, because plants have their own way of fighting predators. When other grass blades detect the chemicals causing the freshly cut grass smell, they begin to pump out defence chemicals that make the plant less appetizing to a predator (Phillips, 2014). These chemicals also may signal to the plant’s cells that they should start toughening up their cell walls to make it harder for the predator to bite through the grass (Phillips, 2014). 

You might find it helpful to think of this as something similar to a castle siege from medieval times. We can’t pick up the castle and move it, nor can the castle itself fend off the intruders, but there are things that we can change about the castle to make it more impenetrable. For example, lifting the drawbridge so intruders can’t cross the moat. Or maybe boarding up the windows and any other weak spots so arrows can’t get inside. 

Although this might sound cool, grass communication is actually not considered very sophisticated, even in the plant world! An example of a more sophisticated method of plant communication can actually be seen in the acacia tree.

Acacia trees can communicate with other acacia trees, similar to how grass communicates. Chemicals are released to warn other acacia trees that a predator is nearby, and the other acacia trees respond (Wohlleben et al., 2019). However, instead of merely making themselves unappetizing to predators, acacia trees pump out toxic chemicals in mere minutes (Wohlleben et al., 2019)! This means that predators such as giraffes cannot eat acacia trees for very long, and they must travel much farther to eat more acacia leaves (Wohlleben et al., 2019). Hopefully on the way to a new acacia tree, they will see another, easier plant to eat!

In this way, I think that plant defence is actually much cooler than typical animal responses, which are typically limited to running away or physically fighting back. Instead, they manipulate things behind the scenes so that predators must choose of their own free will to seek out a different source. As someone who dislikes confrontation, this is an appealing strategy!

Phillips, Kathleen. Texas A&M AgriLife. "Mown grass smell sends SOS for help in resisting insect attacks." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 22 September 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140922145805.htm>.

Wohlleben, Peter, and Tim Flannery. The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries from a Secret World. Translated by Jane Billinghurst, BlackInc., 2019.

*all images are taken from istock photos, and are royalty free

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I think plant defense is a very unique topic. I’ve always had a love for plants, and all of the grass information was very interesting to learn about. I will be telling all my friends why grass smells! I’m learning about plant defense through chemicals in one of my courses and I enjoyed reading your blog which explains it extremely well. As a plant nerd I completely agree with you when you say that plant defense is almost cooler than animal responses. 

I love the castle reference! I think that this metaphor helps me to interpret how plants defend themselves from predators in a creative way. I’ve always had a creative imagination and this reference to the castle made the topic click in my head. One's intellectual knowledge is how people make sense of the environment through facts, concepts and classifications (Beck et al, 2004.Chpt6). This reference really helped my intellectual knowledge, as it was helpful for my learning style. 

One of my favourite ways to interpret and help others interpret is through storytelling. Storytelling is a straightforward and inexpensive form of interpretation (Beck et al, 2004.Chpt9). I would encourage you to share your own stories in the blog as well! I can tell you have an interest in grass and plants and I would love to hear personal stories of how this love came to be. 

Thank you for sharing your insight and fun facts about plants. I enjoyed this week's blog!

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 6). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L. Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 9). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

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The most beautiful thing about nature!

What is the most beautiful part of nature? One could argue that it's the glow of bioluminescence, or the way that golden hour lights up the world, or even the flowers growing in your backyard. My favourite part of nature is the ocean. I love the way it shimmers at night, and the feeling of water just submerging your toes. 

Recently I had the pleasure of experiencing the ocean for the first time, and I could not get enough of it. In February, I went to Portugal and we did a day trip to a town called Cascais. Cascais is a beach town, and children come after school for an afternoon swim. The first thing we did was visit Boca de Inferno. This translates to “mouth of hell” in English. The ocean is extremely rough in this area, and it brutally crashes against the rocks. It's an ancient cave of eroded limestone cliffs (Cascais, 2024). This was amazing to see, I remember seeing it from a far and then truly seeing it up close. The way the waves crashed along the arches of the cave was beautiful. I kept saying the foam coming from the ocean looked like the fizz on top of coke. 5 minutes turned into 30 and next thing you know we were sitting on the rocks watching the Atlantic ocean crash against us. “Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in… where nature may heal and cheer and gives strength to body and soul.” This is a quotation by John Muir that describes how nature can reveal beauty and focuses on how nature can even heal people (Beck et al, 2018(21)). I understand this quotation more after experiencing this magical moment. Interpretation is for everyone, and everyone can interpret, whether it's to learn historical and natural features or to try and relate more to the world around you (Beck et al, 2018 (21)). Interpretation is a powerful tool, and I’m glad that when looking back on this memory, I am able to interpret it differently each time. 

After this we went to a beach. I was so excited to finally dip my toes into the ocean. The walk there seemed like forever, but it was the best feeling to go up to the water, roll up my pants and stand in the ocean. The rest of the day my friend and I laughed at the seagulls, slept in the sun, made fun objects in the sand and had the best day. I can still picture it perfectly whenever I close my eyes. When I got home I told my parents all about it, which made me almost emotional. Storytelling is a powerful method of interpretation; telling vivid stories can create clear images in the listener's mind, but it can also bring the interpreter back to the moment they're sharing (Beck et al, 2018 (9)).  

That whole trip was absolutely amazing, and my friends and I already have plans to go back. But my first time experiencing the ocean will always be my favourite moment from the trip. I will remember the sand, the sun and the water forever. I end this by asking if any of you have had similar experiences with your first time in the ocean? 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 9). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 21). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

The best Independent guide to Cascais . The boca do Inferno, Cascais. (2024). https://www.cascais-portugal.com/Attractions/Boca-Inferno-Cascais.html

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Unit 07: Nature and Music 

Music is deeply intertwined with nature, and my time spent in Mexico during reading week reminded me of that. From pelicans squawking to waves crashing loudly on the shore or rain hitting the pavement, nature's sounds are diverse. In my opinion, that "atmosphere" created by nature is attributed to its "music." Each environment creates its own unique music, evoking emotions and memories in those who experience it. No one environment produces the exact same music, and one environment's music is never the same each time. Gray et al. (2001) note how nature's unique sounds have sparked curiosity throughout history. For instance, the study of communication among aquatic mammals like dolphins and whales has long been a focus. From the majestic mating songs of blue whales to the distinctive clicks of dolphins, these sounds compose the underwater world's music. Recently, I had the privilege of listening to humpback whale mating songs in Puerto Vallarta. Accompanied by a marine biologist or a nature interpreter, the experience was enlightening. Through his expertise, he skillfully guided the group through the whale-watching tour, engaging people of all backgrounds and instilling a sense of curiosity and respect for nature. By sharing his passion through personal anecdotes, he illustrated the real-world significance of our course content in connecting humans with the natural world.

Like nature interpretation, music affects our minds through emotion (Gray et al., 2001). While initially challenging to pinpoint where nature is in music, the reading by Gray et al. (2001) highlighted its presence. Musicians and composers often draw inspiration from nature's sounds, incorporating them into their compositions to evoke specific moods or atmospheres. In that regard, it's similar to poetry, incorporating certain words like "dark clouds" or "rain" to evoke a feeling of sadness and despair. 

Another factor I had yet to consider, explained by Gray et al. (2001), was that nature's unique sounds mimic those in an orchestra, with each creature and element contributing its own distinctive voice. Just as musicians use different instruments to create harmonious melodies, nature orchestrates its own music. 

Reflecting on personal experiences, certain songs transport us back to nature. As someone who grew up playing different instruments, the melody of music sticks out to be more than lyricism does. Through playing guitar, I have come to appreciate songs that involve plucking each string, each evoking a sense of connection to the natural world. One such song that immediately conjures images of rolling mountains and lush green grass is “Edelweiss” from The Sound of Music. The melody resonates with feelings of peace and tranquillity, reminiscent of the landscapes portrayed in the film.

References

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link-gale-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8

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Hi Emily!

For starters I’m so glad you got the opportunity to go to Mexico over reading week. I had the opportunity to go to Portugal and France over reading week and I feel very lucky to do so as well! I also loved listening to all the music that was playing there and being surrounded by the culture. 

I like how you mentioned that each environment will create its own type of music and that every environment has different attributes to it that will give insight to the environment. To me this is kind of like a song. Each song has different lyrics that convey a different message and this is a form of storytelling. Storytelling is powerful and it can convey information in a way that can be cultural and incorporate the natural history of what it's discussing (Beck et al, 2018). I think that each environment has it’s own song with it’s own lyrics and I really enjoyed your perspective on that as well.

In my blog this week I also talked about how aquatic animals tend to produce their own song, and I loved to read your take on the topic! I’m so jealous that you got the chance to listen to humpback whale mating songs while whale-watching! That sounds like an amazing experience and I can tell that the interpreter was engaging and entertaining, which is always something that is important when interpreting to others.

I enjoyed it when you said “nature's unique sounds mimic those in an orchestra.” We have similar outlooks on nature and music and I couldn't agree more. This brings me back to a hike I took the other day where I stopped to just admire the sounds of nature that were all around me! 

Thank you for sharing your perspective on nature and music! I would love to hear more about your trip to Mexico!

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 10). SAGAMORE Publishing.

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The Music in Nature

Music is such a crucial aspect of many people's lives, especially mine. I think music is a powerful thing as it can uplift one's spirit, add to a memory and influence how one interprets nature. I play various kinds of music when I am going on a walk, and when I walk I like to listen to music that calms me down. Listening to this type of music always brings me back to taking a walk through a forest.

Music is all around us, and nature itself has music. Music is seen as “patterns of sound varying in pitch and time produced for emotional, social, cultural and cognitive patterns” (Patrica et al, 2001). This means that animals are constantly making music, whether it is to attract the attention of a mate through a call, or its unique roar to scare off a predator. One example of this is the humpback whale. Humpback whales are known to have a whale song that consists of rhythms similar to that of us, they can even sing in a similar note as well, and are even capable of making different types of noises. Something that I think is cool is that the songs that humpback whales sing are comparable to our music. This is also a learned trait, something that is passed down for generations; this is called vertical musical traditions (Patrica et al, 2001). These traditions are seen in human culture all of the time, I know that I got my love of music from my dad. He used to always listen to music when I was in the womb, and it's why my mom says I was trained to love music before I was even born. Every time I listen to country music it takes me back to driving with my dad blaring music with the windows down. Nature itself is another powerful instrument, for example, the crunching of leaves when animals walk over them. When it comes to music interpretation, how the audience receives the music determines if its music is not (Beck et al, 2018). My friend’s boyfriend will go out to a forest and record waterfalls, the wind whistling during a storm and more sounds to post on YouTube. They are always so well-received because, to some, this is music. 

Nature always has a funny way of making it into music. I find that a lot of artists love to use nature references in their songs in the form of metaphors. One artist that I find does this well is Taylor Swift. She has many references to nature throughout her songs such as “all my flowers grew back as thorns” from Call It What You Want It or “a red rose grew up, out of ice frozen ground” from The Lakes. Finnish folk singing does this well as they are known to reflect nature. This type of singing points out nature as more than just a resource, and the lyrics discuss their nature interpretations. The artists will even take nature itself and integrate it into the background track of the song (Mallarach, 2012). 

Many songs come to mind when looking back on what may take me back to nature. One of my favorite artists is Novo Amor who is an Indie artist and his song “Anchor” always takes me back to my cottage, lying on my dock, staring at the stars. When interpreting nature, music can be used to deepen the engagement of the audience. By “singing for ecology” music can strengthen nature interpretation (Beck et al, 2018). For me, listening to music always influences how I interpret nature, and I find that my interpretation is enriched by the music playing in my ear. 

Nature has always played a crucial role when I am interpreting nature. I will never walk without some type of music playing in my ears, and this music influences my walk dramatically. Music is seen heavily in nature and nature can be found in music. Next time you’re going on a walk or listening to your favorite song I encourage you to find these moments where nature and music come together.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. (Chapter 10). SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science, 291(5501), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.10.1126/science.1056960 

Mallarach , J.-M. (2012). Spiritual values of protected areas of Europe: Workshop proceedings. Silene.https://www.silene.ong/en/documentation-centre/spiritual-values-of-protected-areas-of-europe-workshop-proceedings#Proceedings_Spiritual%20Values_PAs_Europe.pdf

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The integrity of 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 is challenging to analyze, but this leads to various ways to interpret it. The first half of the quote discusses how there is importance in persevering integrity, and when trying to maintain integrity, we must use our knowledge, memory and ancient things to do so. I believe that this means that history holds integrity and this is why history is studied and remembered through time. When interpreting history there are two main challenges that can occur. 

One challenge is accuracy. Any historical interpretation must be presented with respect and with professional integrity to ensure that the listeners are presented with the truth (Beck et al., 2018). This is easier said than done, as there are a lot of factors that can influence the truth. For example, different local cultures may have contradicting interpretations of past events. Your geography and location can also influence how you interpret a historical event. Another challenge with historical interpretation is that it is dynamic and always changing. All of these challenges influence how accurately we interpret history, which in return, can influence the integrity of the history itself (Beck et al., 2018). 

Another challenge to historical interpretation is authenticity. Authenticity is extremely important to interpreters as it provides a sense of realism. Gilmore and Pine (2007) did a study that found that consumers want the real thing. Whether this is a painting in a museum, or a perceived artifact. Having the real thing makes a difference in how we interpret history (Beck et al., 2018). Consumers might lose integrity in history if there is no authenticity. Therefore, authenticity creates a challenge with how one may interpret history.

The second part of this quote discusses how history debunks the belief that the past doesn't live on, and in thinking this, you believe that a train station only existed for the time the train was at it. This part of the quote resonates with me as I believe that it is trying to say we must learn from the past. I believe that the best type of learning comes from our past mistakes, and the mistakes of others. Part of the reason history is studied is to not repeat the mistakes of the past. I think that history interpretation ties in well with this part of the quote as it involves the retelling of stories to an audience, provoking the thoughts of others while trying to be inspiring and meaningful (Beck et al., 2018). That is how history is best shared, through meaningful stories that grab the attention of others. I think that relates well to nature interpretation as a lot of the same principles apply. To interpret well, you must be relatable, thought provoking and meaningful. They also intertwine as “every natural site contains a history, and every historical site has a natural resource” (Beck et al., 2018). 

I want to end this blog on an abstract question. What do you think would happen if the integrity of history fell apart?

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

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To learn from the past is to better the future...

This week we were tasked to pull apart and inspect the following quote:

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

(Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

To start, it makes sense that there is no particular worth in old things like artifacts, however there is worth in integrity, and integrity means keeping together the parts of a whole. This means that in order to maintain the integrity of a historical event, we need to maintain those ancient things that make it what it is. In order to maintain the integrity of the whole, you have to remember why it was ever important in the first place, and that is what makes it important to give merit to the ancient things that make up a whole. In the sciences, we learn about system thinking, and that the whole is merely the sum of its parts. In order to properly remember and interpret history, you have maintain the integrity of all the little things that make that historical event important.

To say that “the past is in the past” is to say that moments are only significant or important if they happen directly to you, and that there is no merit in remembering history, as we weren’t there and therefore it has nothing to do with us. In reality, interpreting history helps us understand ourselves, where we have been and what makes us who we are (Beck and Cable, 2018). History allows us to find inspiration in the stories of creators, leaders and survivors. Interpreting the past gives us the opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes and successes, and create a better future using that knowledge.

One of the most important lessons I took from this week’s content is that we need to always consider when interpreting history is to make sure we are doing so accurately and respectfully. The lessons we can learn from the past can be powerful, and it’s important that we’re portraying the past in the way the story was meant to be told, and avoid bias or personal attachments.

Beck and Cable (2018) said that “every natural site has a history and every historical site has natural resources.” I thought this quote connected this week’s content with past content. Although we have been focused so far mainly on how to interpret nature to others, history and nature have always been intertwined, and it is important as an interpreter to be comfortable with both. Tied into this concept (and every concept) is the impact of privilege that we talked about a few weeks ago. In Canada, it is always important to be aware and mindful that the nature and history that we are interpreting has been skewed by colonialism. One of the most respectful things we can do as interpreters is ensure that the stories we are telling about the history of the land reflects the actual truth.

Besides first-person and third-person interpretation (Beck and Cable, 2018) I think that writing is one of the most common types of interpretation of history (and nature) that we see in the world. All over museums and archives, natural parks and conservation areas, the written word can be found interpreting what you are looking at. Interpreting through the written word makes it possible for there to be an absence of a live interpreter while at the same time forcing a person to pause and interact with the item or place, as well as capture someone’s attention, so that they might learn something new (Hooykaas, 2024). Writing plays an important role in the interpretation of both nature and history, and is also something that helps keep memories alive.

What’s one way you have (or someone you know, or somewhere you’ve been) used writing as a way to interpret nature or history?

One way I interpret through writing is to write down important memories I’ve had (both good and bad) and that way I can go back and reminisce or pull guidance from an experience I’ve lived through :)

- All for now!

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

(Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

Hooykaas, A. (2024). Unit 06: Nature Interpretation through History. [Lecture notes]. ENVS3000 Nature Interpretation. University of Guelph.

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Hi Heather!

I think this week's prompt was a little challenging but I really enjoyed the way you choose to tackle it! “This means that in order to maintain the integrity of a historical event, we need to maintain those ancient things that make it what it is.” This is so beautifully said, I really like how you analyze the Hyams quote by saying that there are many factors that go into preserving the integrity of an historical event. I personally feel as though one of the main takeaways of this quote is that integrity is extremely important to maintain in a historical context, and this can be done through many different ways. 

I think that reflecting on history is also impactful for protecting the future. We learn from our past mistakes, and a lot of history is unique because of this learning curve. I think you were trying to get at this from saying that we must always interpret history accurately and respectfully. I completely agree with needing to look back on history accurately, but I would argue that some history needs to be looked back on in a negative way. Not in saying that we need to be disrespectful, but in saying that a lot of our history is destruction, and we need to acknowledge that this can not be repeated. 

To answer your question, my mother always reflects on history and writes down her thoughts. My mom has always journaled (which is a trait she has passed on), and she loves to explore. She will visit a historical site and immediately have thousands of ways to interpret it. She is also a huge nature lover so a lot of the sites we see are related to nature in some way!

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Role of Nature Interpretation in Environmental Stewardship

Before starting this course and my placement as an Outdoor Education Intern, I put greater emphasis on scientific evidence as one of the most important ways to get people to care about environmental issues. I thought that if everyone knew the alarming facts of climate change or the rapid decline of wildlife, people would strive to make the drastic changes needed to address these issues. However, by focusing on only the science many people become disinterested or so overwhelmed that they feel powerless. Whether at a National Park, school or online forums, nature interpretation programs allow people to build emotional connections to nature while learning about the natural world and the importance of sustaining the earth's resources.  

While working as an Outdoor Education Intern at the Etobicoke Outdoor Education Centre (EOEC) for my first 4-month co-op placement, I got to work with Toronto District School Board kids from grades 4-8. School groups would visit EOEC for three days where they got to take place in curriculum-based outdoor programs. Additionally, during the school trips students participated in an ecological footprint challenge that focused on reducing food waste and water and energy conservation.  

A picture I took of the main classroom at the Etobicoke Outdoor Education Centre.

At the start of my placement, I remember feeling disheartened by the number of kids who showed little interest and even apathy for being outdoors. I would wonder how these kids could not love being surrounded by the beautiful natural world. I quickly realized that many of these kids had never spent extended periods outdoors. This was due to limited access to the outdoors because of location, financial reasons and other limitations. These kids had little opportunity to gain a connection to nature, so it only made sense that few of the students had positive feelings toward natural environments. However, every week during this co-op placement, I got to help students with varying levels of outdoor experience explore new activities and gain a greater appreciation for nature, which was truly fulfilling. 

A picture of a school group cross-country skiing at EOEC. This was many of the student's first-time cross-country skiing.

This course has allowed me to reflect on my time as an outdoor education intern and better understand the significance of nature interpretation in Environmental Education. As emphasized by Beck et al. (2019), interpreters work to communicate to people the importance of resources in a way that forges emotional and intellectual connections. Environmental education should provide emotional context that allows people to think ethically, creatively, and critically about environmental issues, solutions, and personal environmental stewardship (Wals et al., 2014). Environmental education is a form of nature interpretation that connects people emotionally with nature while providing them with tools to better understand environmental problems and solutions.   

Connecting scientific knowledge with place-based and indigenous knowledge is essential for getting people to actively engage in sustainability (Wals et al., 2014). Nature interpretation programs such as those at outdoor education centres and National Parks create positive emotions toward nature and provide people with a sense of place (Beck et al., 2019). Nature interpretation provides individuals with the emotional connections and curiosity that allow people to appreciate the environment. Through interpretation, people may be inspired to learn more about nature and find ways to participate in environmental stewardship daily.  

This is a board students used to track their class's eco-footprint challenge results while at EOEC. Students tracked the amount of food waste produced at the end of each meal, how many lights were left on before each program and water usage.

Additionally, nature interpretation programs that supply individuals with chances to engage in stewardship efforts on their own help people continue to build strong relationships with the environment. For example, in Washington Wachira’s Ted Talk, For the Love of Birds, he conveys to the audience the beauty and significance of birds by touching on the formative experiences that led him to his passion for birds (2017). Near the end of the TED Talk, Wachira tells the audience about citizen science programs around the world that people can take part in to help bird conservation efforts. This is an excellent way to show people that they too, have the power to help protect wildlife.  

Citizen science enables people to participate in environmental stewardship by assisting with scientific research within their communities (Merenlender et al., 2016). Citizen science is a part of environmental education that further develops a person's scientific knowledge and sense of place in a fulfilling way (Merenlender et al., 2016). Like the eco-footprint challenge students participate in at EOEC, citizen science allows people to feel like they can take part in meaningful environmental stewardship efforts that make a difference.  

Providing people with profound experiences outdoors through nature interpretation, environmental education, and citizen science is vital to environmental preservation. Nature interpretation provides the spark of inspiration needed to see the beauty in nature and the desire to preserve the environment that science alone cannot provide. 

References  

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

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  

Wachira, W. (2017, August). For the love of birds. Washington Wachira: For the love of birds | TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/washington_wachira_for_the_love_of_birds 

Wals, A. E., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Stevenson, R. B. (2014). Convergence between science and environmental education. Science, 344(6184), 583–584. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250515 

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I was drawn to your post because of the board that you show in the third photo. I was very curious what that could mean and how it might relate back to nature interpretation.

I love that you shared your own experiences working as an outdoor educator in Etobicoke and working with kids. I grew up working with kids all the time. I used to be an assistant skating coach for kids ages 3-10 and it was so exciting to watch them grow to become more confident and comfortable skating and being on the ice. We used to have an ice show where they could show off their talents and I would always watch them skate like a proud parent from the sidelines. Realizing that most of these kids have not had impacted experiences outside is so important. I really liked how you mentioned that helping the students appreciate nature was fulfilling. I think that I would love to do something like this too!

Connecting this blog to the emotion perspective of nature interpretation was very smart. I think that there is a huge component of nature interpretation that revolves around the emotions that you feel while being with nature. You said nature interpretation provides people with emotional connections and curiosity. Do you think that nature interpretation is so impactful because of the emotional connection that it involves? I personally think it does, as everything that leaves you with an emotional connection tends to be more impactful on your life. 

Overall I really enjoyed your creative perspective on the role of nature interpretation in environmental stewardship!

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Role of Nature Interpretation in Environmental Stewardship

Before starting this course and my placement as an Outdoor Education Intern, I put greater emphasis on scientific evidence as one of the most important ways to get people to care about environmental issues. I thought that if everyone knew the alarming facts of climate change or the rapid decline of wildlife, people would strive to make the drastic changes needed to address these issues. However, by focusing on only the science many people become disinterested or so overwhelmed that they feel powerless. Whether at a National Park, school or online forums, nature interpretation programs allow people to build emotional connections to nature while learning about the natural world and the importance of sustaining the earth's resources.  

While working as an Outdoor Education Intern at the Etobicoke Outdoor Education Centre (EOEC) for my first 4-month co-op placement, I got to work with Toronto District School Board kids from grades 4-8. School groups would visit EOEC for three days where they got to take place in curriculum-based outdoor programs. Additionally, during the school trips students participated in an ecological footprint challenge that focused on reducing food waste and water and energy conservation.  

A picture I took of the main classroom at the Etobicoke Outdoor Education Centre.

At the start of my placement, I remember feeling disheartened by the number of kids who showed little interest and even apathy for being outdoors. I would wonder how these kids could not love being surrounded by the beautiful natural world. I quickly realized that many of these kids had never spent extended periods outdoors. This was due to limited access to the outdoors because of location, financial reasons and other limitations. These kids had little opportunity to gain a connection to nature, so it only made sense that few of the students had positive feelings toward natural environments. However, every week during this co-op placement, I got to help students with varying levels of outdoor experience explore new activities and gain a greater appreciation for nature, which was truly fulfilling. 

A picture of a school group cross-country skiing at EOEC. This was many of the student's first-time cross-country skiing.

This course has allowed me to reflect on my time as an outdoor education intern and better understand the significance of nature interpretation in Environmental Education. As emphasized by Beck et al. (2019), interpreters work to communicate to people the importance of resources in a way that forges emotional and intellectual connections. Environmental education should provide emotional context that allows people to think ethically, creatively, and critically about environmental issues, solutions, and personal environmental stewardship (Wals et al., 2014). Environmental education is a form of nature interpretation that connects people emotionally with nature while providing them with tools to better understand environmental problems and solutions.   

Connecting scientific knowledge with place-based and indigenous knowledge is essential for getting people to actively engage in sustainability (Wals et al., 2014). Nature interpretation programs such as those at outdoor education centres and National Parks create positive emotions toward nature and provide people with a sense of place (Beck et al., 2019). Nature interpretation provides individuals with the emotional connections and curiosity that allow people to appreciate the environment. Through interpretation, people may be inspired to learn more about nature and find ways to participate in environmental stewardship daily.  

This is a board students used to track their class's eco-footprint challenge results while at EOEC. Students tracked the amount of food waste produced at the end of each meal, how many lights were left on before each program and water usage.

Additionally, nature interpretation programs that supply individuals with chances to engage in stewardship efforts on their own help people continue to build strong relationships with the environment. For example, in Washington Wachira’s Ted Talk, For the Love of Birds, he conveys to the audience the beauty and significance of birds by touching on the formative experiences that led him to his passion for birds (2017). Near the end of the TED Talk, Wachira tells the audience about citizen science programs around the world that people can take part in to help bird conservation efforts. This is an excellent way to show people that they too, have the power to help protect wildlife.  

Citizen science enables people to participate in environmental stewardship by assisting with scientific research within their communities (Merenlender et al., 2016). Citizen science is a part of environmental education that further develops a person's scientific knowledge and sense of place in a fulfilling way (Merenlender et al., 2016). Like the eco-footprint challenge students participate in at EOEC, citizen science allows people to feel like they can take part in meaningful environmental stewardship efforts that make a difference.  

Providing people with profound experiences outdoors through nature interpretation, environmental education, and citizen science is vital to environmental preservation. Nature interpretation provides the spark of inspiration needed to see the beauty in nature and the desire to preserve the environment that science alone cannot provide. 

References  

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

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  

Wachira, W. (2017, August). For the love of birds. Washington Wachira: For the love of birds | TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/washington_wachira_for_the_love_of_birds 

Wals, A. E., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Stevenson, R. B. (2014). Convergence between science and environmental education. Science, 344(6184), 583–584. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250515 

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The benefits of interpreting with others!

A lot of the time when we talk about nature interpretation, we talk about how it benefits our mind, our appreciation for nature and how it’s a form of protecting and enhancing our environment. Something that should be talked about more is how nature interpretation can impact our relationships with others. Whether it’s taking a walk with your mom, a hike with a group of people, or laying in the grass with your best friend. Nature interpretation can play a key role in our relationships, and the people we let into our lives. 

One of the pivotal parts of becoming a nature interpreter for me was in first year when I had to go on a squirrel walk for BIOL*1070. I know there are a lot of people who will know what this is, and to be honest I loved them! We had to go on 5 walks that were about 30 minutes long and monitor any squirrel's behavior. I would take all of my friends on a walk through the Arboretum. This started as a task, but slowly turned into such a fun experience. I remember we found a little area in the Arboretum that reminded us of a movie scene and all gathered together to take a photo. We ended up going so far back into the Arboretum that we got lost, and a half an hour walk turned into three hours. The whole time we were talking about how beautiful the nature around us was, and wondering why the trees were that shape or why some had leaves and others that looked the same didn’t. This is something I still remember, and occasionally my friends and I will laugh about how we got lost in the Arboretum. This moment of being able to interpret nature with my friends is one that I will always remember and it has a special place in my heart.

“An important characteristic of interpretation is that it implies interaction.” This interaction can come from listening to a podcast, a group hike with a tour guide, or a walk with a friend. This is the essence of interpretation, that visitors are interacting and participating with the interpretive experience (Beck et al, 2018). I like to think that some of the best things come in two, and being able to interpret nature with someone is something that can be special when you have a partner.

One of the biggest reasons I love nature and going on walks so much is because it reminds me of my mother. Sometimes being in Guelph and away from my family is hard, so taking little walks along a path is just what I need. Many people learn to love nature interpretation through their parents, just like I did. My mother has subconsciously made me love and appreciate nature through all the walks we would take growing up, or the summer camping trips we would take. This is important in nature interpretation as it makes way for the next generation. The textbook shares stories about Cornelius who was amazed by a wild bighorn ram when his father took him to a national park, or how Maria taught her daughter how to properly identify all birds and plants in the woods by their house (Beck et al, 2018). These experiences are crucial as they keep nature interpretation alive and inspire the next generation of interpreters and they also create special moments with loved ones.

Next time you decide to go on a walk, maybe ask your roommate, and see what happens!

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

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04: Interpreting Nature Through Art.

As a student with an appreciation for art and nature, I find myself constantly drawn to both of these two elements. Nature, with its intricate patterns, vibrant colours, and the sense of tranquility it has, can serve as a source of inspiration for many artistic endeavors. I see interpreting nature through art as a way to connect with the world around me.

I think that interpreting nature through art can be seen as a sort of “dialogue” between the artist and the natural world. It is a way for someone to engage with the environment on a deeper level, and capture not only what is seen but also the emotions and connections that come with it. Art can be used as a language for someone to convey their appreciation for the natural world. 

I've played around with various art forms like painting, sketching, or photography. Photography has been my favourite form of interpreting nature through art, and even though I haven’t done it in a while, it really allowed me to connect to nature. Each way of art allows me to communicate a specific aspect of nature's beauty that I enjoy. This process is not about replicating nature, but more about sharing my perspective and feelings, and turning the intangible aspects of nature into something visual. I view myself as a sort of middle-person in this process, sort of like a  storyteller. My goal is to convey the qualities of nature, like its beauty and resilience, in a way that resonates with others. Essentially, I'm sharing the gift of beauty, creating a connection between the viewer and the natural world.

"The gift of beauty" is an important concept that holds significance. It states that “Interpretation should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings - to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation” (Beck et al., 2018). This statement highlights the positive impact of interpretation by emphasizing its role in nurturing people's ability to appreciate the beauty in their surroundings, creating a deeper connection to the environment. It also promotes a sense of responsibility by encouraging both spiritual uplift and a commitment to preserving resources, which contributes to a more mindful and sustainable relationship with nature.

Overall, as someone who is passionate about both art and nature, I aim to use my creativity to interpret and share the beauty that nature freely gives us. I hope to inspire others to appreciate the incredible beauty in every part of our planet in a similar way!

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., Knudson, D. M. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Available from: Sagamore Publishing LLC, Sagamore Publishing LLC, 2018.

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Hi Grace!

Your blog really resonated with me, for a bunch of different reasons. I love how you also love painting, sketching and photography, and how you feel about depicting nature in art. I think your passion for both art and nature comes through when reading your blog!

The way you view nature interpretation through art as a dialogue between the artist and the natural world is very interesting to me. It is something that I have never thought of, but strongly agree with. In my opinion, the best part of art is being able to interpret it the way you want too. Art has many different meanings, and I love when people say “it speaks to me” because that's the ultimate goal of art. I think that when interpreting nature through art, it's extremely important to convey the emotions that go with it. When I paint a landscape that inspires me, I want to highlight all of the elements that make it so special, so the interpreter can have the same experience as I do. 

The gift of beauty is impactful in art and nature because as you said, it promotes a sense of responsibility to try and preserve the resources around us. If you look at something, or think something is beautiful, you’d want to keep it the way it is, and protect it. I think this is one of the underlying messages of the gift of beauty, and something we should all take away from it. 

This was such a fun blog, I love your outlook on interpreting nature through art, and I look forward to seeing what else you post!

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How I interpret nature through art

When it comes to nature interpretation, I think one of the reasons it’s so popular is because nature is beautiful. When you wake up early in the summer and see dew on all the grass. Or when you take a walk through a forest in October and every tree has different coloured leaves. Nature is a gift that needs protection as we step into a climate crisis and global warming. 

There are many gifts in life; you may have heard of the gift of passion, or the gift of story. However, today we are going to focus on the gift of beauty. The gift of beauty is when interpretation instills the ability for people to sense the beauty in the world around them, and when it does, there is a spiritual uplift. This uplift is what drives resource protection and preservation (Beck et al., 2018). I think a simpler way to explain the gift of beauty is that feeling you get when you see something absolutely breathtaking. It doesn’t matter if it's a picture, place, or person, it is that feeling of being stunned. The gift of beauty is the ability to feel that way and express those emotions, while also wanting to protect the environment around you. I know that when I find the most beautiful place while on a hike, I get that feeling of wanting to take a picture and hoping that it never changes. To protect this place I’ll pick up trash I find on the ground, and I’ll watch where I step to make sure not to crush anything. 

I love art, and it is something I am very passionate about. I love painting, drawing and photography and I find that I love to use nature as my inspiration. One of the effective ways to be an interpreter is through using tangible items to advance the meanings of intangible moments that are associated with them (Beck et al., 2018). One of the reasons I love photography is because it can capture those special moments with a camera. If you take a photo of a sunset, you can look back and remember the moment through that photo. This is a form of making intangible moments somewhat tangible. I think this is a very powerful interpretation skill that is used so frequently in nature interpretation. 

When I interpret nature through art, I always start by going outside and finding something that makes me feel something. Most of the time I capture moments that make me happy, but sometimes it's moments that make me feel grateful, amazed, sad, shocked and more. From here I capture this moment that made me feel something. Sometimes I paint it if I feel as though the texture of the area or item I am capturing is needed to interpret it. I like to draw it if I know that drawing it in black and white will enhance the beauty. I’ll take a photo if I know that I want to save this moment just the way it is. Art thrives from interpretation, and I think that's the beauty of it. One of the reasons I love nature interpretation so much is because certain things can have different meanings to other people. Visual arts allow people to interpret the “beauty and complexity” of a certain place (Beck et al., 2018). 

This has been one of my favourite blog posts, as it combines two of my passions! I have attached a bunch of my art below! See you next week!

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

Pictures I took on my camera!

Drawings I made from a camping trip in 2020!

Paintings I made a couple years ago!

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Unpacking the World of Privilege

Hi everyone!

Welcome back to my third blog post!

So far, we’ve talked about more light hearted subjects such as my evolutionary relationship with nature, my personal experiences with nature and my ideal world as an environmental interpreter and what that would entail. In this week's post, I am going to reflect on what role privilege plays in nature interpretation and how I have experienced forms of privilege within my own life.  As we head into this weeks blog post, I acknowledge that myself and those who read this, might feel moments of discomfort or uneasiness however, I believe this to be an important topic to reflect on. 

To begin, privilege to me is the advantages and benefits that come with having a certain identity such as race, gender, or economic status that often provides easier access to opportunities, resources and overall a heightened sense of well-being and success. As mentioned in the readings this week, many individuals born into more privileged environments, “are not taught to recognize their own privileges,” and after reflecting on my own life, I’ve realized that there are many ‘invisible backpacks’ I carry that I haven’t truly recognized (Gallavan, 2005). To get personal and transparent, I am white, middle class, speak English, was able to get a University degree with help from my family, was not born with physical or cognitive disabilities and wake up each day with a roof over my head and food on the table. Although many of these things might seem small or trivial, the impact they can hold is significant without even realising it. 

An experience in my life where I truly realized my own privilege, was when I volunteered at Kids Ability to assist in a swim program for children with disabilities. I learned through my time assisting these children that there are barriers and obstacles they face that do not make them any less of a person, but that gives a person like me an amplitude of challenges I will never have to face. If I connect this topic to the world of nature interpretation, the concept of privilege is particularly important when considering individuals with disabilities as they may face various barriers that affect their ability to access and interpret the natural world around them. For example, physical access to natural spaces that lack wheelchair ramps or accessible trails or inadequate visual or tactile tools such as braille or audio descriptions. As mentioned in the textbook, it is important as nature interpreters to integrate all audiences by providing opportunities for building social skills for those with and without disabilities while also recognizing our own privilege we carry in relation to those around us. Some suggested examples of proper etiquette when working with people with disabilities are: don’t “talk down’ to a person with a disability, speak in a normal tone of voice, be patient and encouraging, do not lean on a wheelchair or any other assistive device, offer assistance only when permission is given, etc (Beck, 2018). Most importantly, as an interpreter it is important to treat every person in your audience the way you would want to be treated and in regard to people with disabilities, “interpreting to people with disabilities involves getting people to participate and learn by building on their knowledge, interests, and skills, just as with any group of visitors!” (Beck, 2018). 

Thank you for reading and I hope you were able to take something away from this post, whether that be reflecting on your own privilege or gaining more knowledge on how to interact with those around you. As always, treat others the way you want to be treated and be kind!!!!!

Cheers, Natalie 

References:

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks". Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36. https://link-gale-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9fe2f151

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

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Hi Natalie! I really enjoyed reading your tumblr post this week. I think that like you said, this is a very important conversation to have and reflect upon. The way that you discuss privilege is very well done, I think that it covers all of the bases of what privilege means. Privilege is an advantage that someone may have that provides easier access to opportunities and resources. I also think it's important to realize that success comes easier to people with privilege, and the way you conveyed that was very well done!

When it comes to ‘invisible backpacks’ it is so easy to forget that everyone is carrying them, but they’re all very different. I know that sometimes I forget to recognize them too. I am also white, middle-classed with a great family, who speaks English and sometimes I forget to be grateful for all of these aspects of my life. 

Thank you for sharing your experience with volunteering for Kids Ability. I think it is so important to acknowledge those times in your life where you notice your privilege. Something I also discussed in my post this week is how easy it is to take for granted having access to nature. Some people may not have the ability to walk through a forest, or see the leaves change colour. This is something that needs to be acknowledged and respected when it comes to nature interpretation because everyone has a right to interpret nature. To do so, we as nature interpreters might need to change our routes or habits to make sure that everyone is included.

Thank you so much for sharing Natalie, I look forward to reading your future tumblr posts!

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Privilege in Nature Interpretation

What is privilege? There are many definitions of privilege, the one that I like is by the Cambridge dictionary; “an advantage that only one person or group of people has, usually because of their position or because they are rich” (Privilege). I think that this accurately describes what privilege is, as privilege can occur in both groups of people, and individuals. Privilege is related to money, but it could also be a position in a workplace, a social setting, a community etc. I think something that is important to add to this definition of privilege is that it is something that you could be born with, and also privilege appears in everything we do. This includes nature interpretation.

A lot of nature interpretation takes place outside, and this is something that not everyone can partake in. “Interpretation and presentation activities should be physically accessible to the public, in all its variety” (Beck et al., 2018). Being able to easily access nature is something that we take for granted; I know that I do. I work for the university as a tour guide, and we go on a two hour walking tour all over campus. This tour involves lots of stairs and walking, but we also have to know all the accessibility routes as well. Whenever I walk around campus now, I notice all the elevators and the ramps. It was something that I only subconsciously noticed before, and now I am always aware of it. I think that with privilege, it's easy to forget that some things are harder for others. Nature interpretation should not be constrained to one group of people. We should always be aware of people with physical and mental disabilities and make sure they are both represented and incorporated. 

Everyone has a right to interpret nature, and there are many ways that as nature interpreters we can make it easier for people to be able to enjoy this as well. Some reasons why people, especially people in minority groups may not want to be involved in nature interpretation are because of cultural barriers, communication barriers and economic barriers. One way the textbook says that national parks could make different cultural groups feel more included is through increasing staff diversity (Beck et al., 2018). I think this a great idea, as incorporation of all types of culture provides different perspectives and new ideas, which is always encouraged in nature interpretation. We are stepping into a new era of technology, and I believe that there are so many different resources that we can use to make sure that everyone who wants to get involved with nature interpretation can. I think that virtual reality can benefit nature interpretation. This is because it can be done at home, in a chair, with very minimal movement. It can include closed captioning if needed and it could be done alone or in groups. With social media, nature interpretation can also turn into youtube videos that could be enjoyed at home. I think that a podcast or audio book about nature interpretation could also be extremely beneficial as well, as people can enjoy their own interpretive journey with guidance in their own location. 

I think it's important to always be aware of the privilege we have, and acknowledge that some people may not have the same privileges we do, and figure out ways to ensure they are always included. 

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

Privilege, english meaning. Cambridge Dictionary. (n.d.). https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/vignette