jadi

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Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

Hi everyone,

Wow, how time flies! I cannot believe that I am writing my last blog post for this semester. It has been a pleasure getting to know all of you over the course of this semester. I have enjoyed reading all your thoughts and opinions through each blog post.

I will admit when I enrolled in this course I did not fully understand what it meant to be a nature interpreter. Now that we have reached the final unit, I can confidentially say that not only am I well-informed on what nature interpretation is, I was able to discover who I am as a nature interpreter.

These weekly blog posts have provided me with the opportunity to take the time to reflect on who I am as a nature interpreter. Through these reflections I was able to come to a better understanding of what this title means to me. I have realized that my role of a nature interpreter consists of helping others better understand the significant part that the earth plays into their lives and ways that we can show our gratitude by looking after it. My main goal as a nature interpreter is to help people deepen their own relationships with nature and get them excited in doing so.

This course has taught me so much about nature interpretation and the responsibilities associated as such. From this, I have been able to construct my own personal ethics related to being a nature interpreter.

First, I would say my own personal ethics go hand in hand with being a nature interpreter. I value being fair, understanding, accepting, kind, respectful, welcoming, compassionate, considerate, and caring to all forms of life. These attributes are important in both my personal life and in my role as a nature interpreter.

Also, my personal ethic as a nature interpreter values inclusivity. As a nature interpreter, it is my responsibility to provide my audience with an enjoyable experience while being accommodating to everyone.

Earlier in the semester, when I first wrote about what type of nature interpreter I am, I talked about how I would prioritize incorporating a wide range of multiple intelligence activities that cater to the different learning styles (Beck et al., 2018). As the semester progressed, I learned how necessary it is to accommodate to the various learning styles and circumstances so my nature interpretation can be useful and accessible for everyone. The textbook mentions some characteristics of being an effective nature interpreter, such as being a good speaker and being able to adapt to the needs of their audience (Beck et al., 2018). I further considered strategies for implementing this. Some examples of ideas I have thought of included providing hands on activities for tactile learners, offering pamphlets and YouTube demonstration videos for visual learners and to incorporate Q&A sections during presentations for auditory learners.

Specifically, I found the group podcast was an educational experience for both myself and our viewers. I believe that participating in the group podcast assignment significantly helped me improve as a nature interpreter as I was able to execute my acquired skills and knowledge. As a tactile learner this project was a great educational tool for me. This assignment taught me so much about engaging in nature interpretation through hands on activity, that I believe I would not have been able to grasp as well had it been through just reading the textbook.

Although we faced a few challenges during the recording process, I am grateful to have been granted this amazing opportunity for learning and advancing my skills as a nature interpreter. I was able to practice and improve my public speaking, pronunciation and overall nature interpretation skills. Additionally, our group had to come up with ideas for keeping our audience interested, entertained and attentive. To keep the podcast upbeat and entertaining for our younger listeners, we implemented our creativity using jokes and music. We also made sure to write our script using simple language so that our listeners can easily follow along and understand, as suggested in the textbook (Beck et al., 2018).

I am glad to have had the privilege of being able to access the recording studio and utilize its tools for producing our group podcast. This granted opportunity was a new and fascinating way to help build on our levels of experience and capabilities.

As discussed previously in the semester, education and its resources are a privilege, which unfortunately are not accessible to everyone around the world. The textbook mentions that there are a variety of possible barriers that can prevent someone from being able to participate in nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018). As a nature interpreter it is my responsibility to take these barriers into consideration so that I can come up with ways for anyone to fairly engage in nature interpretation.

Nature interpreters serve an honourable role in educating others and advocating for the environment and the living beings within it who are unable to advocate for themselves.

Overall, I truly enjoyed learning about every topic that this course offered me. I must say I feel quite prideful in my development as a nature interpreter over the course of the semester. I am grateful to have been able to have taken this course as I feel that it has helped me build my relationship with nature. Often, life gets in the way, and it is easy to lose touch with things that bring you joy and peace, and I believe that this course has been successful in strengthening my connection with nature. I will continue to implement all I have learned from this course in my daily life.

Wishing you all the best of luck with your future endeavours! Take care.

P. S. Please don't forget to take time to un-plug tomorrow at 8:30 PM for Earth Hour!!

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 Cidalia,

Great post! Hearing about your growth and development as a nature interpreter over the semester was awesome! I believe your personal ethics as a nature interpreter, which values inclusivity, respect, and compassion, are essential attributes to possess in this field. It is great that you have also learned the importance of accommodating different learning styles and circumstances in your nature interpretation. The group podcast assignment seemed like a great opportunity for you to practice and improve your skills as a nature interpreter, and it is impressive that you were able to incorporate creativity and keep the content engaging for your audience. Lastly, It is also great to hear that this course has helped you strengthen your connection with nature and that you plan to continue implementing what you have learned daily. Overall, it sounds like you have had a fulfilling and informative experience in this course, and I wish you all the best in as your interpretation journey unfolds!

P.S. Thank you for sharing your beautiful photos with the class! While each reader interprets them differently, I believe they did a great job of showing the audience the importance of taking the time to appreciate nature and the small details that make it so captivating - these photos serve as a visual representation of what the course aims to teach!

[jgenvs3000w23]

Wow, I connect with your post so much! Throughout this course, I kept being in awe because every time there was a unit where I thought I was going to struggle to relate to, I was proven wrong time and time again. This is because I did not realize that interpretation is everywhere and there was always something that I could connect with from the textbook readings or courselink notes. 

I’ve read a few posts now that mention the connection between your personal values and how that carries into nature interpretation. So I wanted ot reflect a bit on some of mine as I did not go over this in my post. My values that would benefit me as a nature interpreter include compassion, patience, kindness, respect and initiative. These values would help me connect with my audience and facilitate a safe, learning environment but also ensure that I care for the shared space and intend to respect and protect it as well. 

I love that you extended the course material and created some considerations to the delivery of information to be more receptive to different learning styles. As an interpreter, your audience is going to differ the majority of the time and it is your job to be able to still connect with your audience as you are responsible for catering to EVERYONE. Finally, I agree with you, the podcast was a real life example of how as an interpreter you have to tweak your delivery to cater to a younger audience through your language and creating a more engaging delivery. We also quickly realized that we needed to be quirky and come up with jokes and activities to captivate our younger audience. 

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Unit 10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

Who am I as an Interpreter?

Well, here we go everyone… my last post for the semester! What a bittersweet moment this is. As grateful as I am to be completing this semester, I thoroughly enjoyed the creativity involved in writing these blog posts so it will certainly be missed. 

So let's dive in, shall we? Prior to participating in this course, I didn’t fully understand the amount of hard work and effective communication it takes to be an environmental interpreter. In all honesty, I barely knew what the term ‘nature interpreter’ fully meant in itself. Reflecting back on readings, I feel that many beliefs and responsibilities emerged from myself as an interpreter. I’ve been able to dissect the concept as a whole, understand how I fit into that role and figure out who I am as a nature interpreter. 

So who am I as an interpreter and what do I believe in? When reflecting on my ethics as an interpreter, I believe they coincide with my personal ethics outside of interpreting. I value understanding, accepting and most importantly being kind to other individuals. I believe each of these concepts are key points and responsibilities of being an interpreter, and are necessary to be an effective one.

Image taken of myself (fall 2022) in the Arboretum at the University of Guelph.

The purpose of environmental interpretation is to help individuals understand the natural world and help people create a positive, lasting sustainable relationship with the environment (Youngentob & Hostetler, 2018). As an interpreter, I believe that this is our main responsibility and to effectively fulfill this, we are responsible for knowing and understanding our audiences. First and foremost, it's important to acknowledge that there are different learning styles that individuals have. Incorporating different teaching styles in presentations is important to address visual, auditory and tactile learners. As mentioned in past blog posts, this can be done through the use of visuals, captivating story-telling or hands-on activities in presentations. Having this variety in presentations has proven to be the most useful, meaningful and the most interesting for learners (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 110). It is also very important to know our audience's age range. By knowing who we’re talking to, we can figure out how to talk to them. Conveying messages in an engaging matter is a very important and valuable skill, and adults and children are engaged in different ways. These are all responsibilities I have as an interpreter, and to consider each of these factors when trying to convince and engage an audience of the importance of our natural world.

Figure of the main learning styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic (tactile).

When I mention that it is in my ethics and moral code to accept other individuals, I mean this in terms of the spectrum of diversity. As an interpreter it is my job to help other humans create a lasting relationship with their environment, and this should include all humans regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, finances, religion, health or physical condition. A valuable lesson I learned in my interpretation journey is the role that privilege has in nature interpretation. As an interpreter it is important to unpack our invisible backpacks, as mentioned by Peggy McIntosh (1989). By doing so, we can acknowledge the privilege that we have and understand that audiences may not hold that same amount of privilege. On a similar note, it has been recognized that there is a large lack of attendance from minorities in nature interpretation parks and this is a result of economic, cultural, communication, knowledge and fear barriers (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 133). As an interpreter I believe it is my responsibility to acknowledge these barriers, and to practice inclusive interpretation. Inclusive interpretation involves advocating for the reduction of economic barriers, the inclusion of minority populations, reducing communication barriers and by supporting the inclusion of staff diversity (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 134-137). By accepting, including and celebrating cultural differences, not only is this morally just, but this can help me as an interpreter to serve everyone more effectively.

Drawing of diversity audience taken from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Finally, kindness is a huge part of my personal ethics, and is a quality of mine that I value most and I think it very important to bring this into the world of environmental interpretation. There are a lot of negative things actively happening in this world and many tourists and audiences look to nature interpretation programs to take them away from all of the chaos. Using kindness as a tool to grab audiences and talk to individuals can leave a lasting and positive impression on interpretation programs. By leaving this kind of impression, people will feel more motivated to have a positive and sustainable relationship with the environment, which reflects back on the definition and purpose of nature interpretation programs. 

Image of me in August 2022 in Algonquin Park, Ontario, handling juvenile spotted and blue-spotted salamanders.

Moving forward from my personal ethics, I think a major responsibility I have as an environmental interpreter is to discuss the importance of history with my audience. Interpretation plays a significant role in maintaining the integrity of the past. By sharing historical tales and artifacts, we are able to remember these stories of the past. Now, why is it important to tell the tales of history? Well, as Turkel (2006) describes in their article, one motive for learning about the past is the desire to influence the present and the future (Turkel, 2006). By understanding stories of tragedy and hope from our past, we can use these teachings to make a more sustainable and inclusive future. 

So how will I approach my role as an interpreter with the ethics and responsibilities I have discussed? I think it is important to remain positive, and give life to what I am speaking about. Beck et al. (2018) pp. 83 describes Mills’ ‘formula’ which involves appealing to the imagination, and giving life to facts. By doing so, audience engagement is guaranteed while also keeping myself motivated and passionate to continue guiding others. This will ultimately fulfill my duty as being an environmental interpreter and encourage future generations to feel passionate as well. 

Thank you everyone for joining me on this nature interpretation journey! I leave off on this note, it is our duty as individuals that are passionate about environmental science to educate humanity on the importance of our earth and the history behind it to provide a more sustainable future. 

Signing off, and wishing everyone the best in their studies and future careers! Don't forget to appreciate the little things in life :)

Image of BIOL*4410 (2022) Field Ecology Course participants admiring moose sighting.

References

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

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

Turkel, W.J. (2006) “Every place is an archive: Environmental history and the interpretation of physical evidence,” Rethinking History, 10(2), pp. 259–276. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13642520600649507. 

Youngentob, K.N. and Hostetler, M.E. (2018) Environmental interpretation: How to communicate persuasively. Available at: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW182 (Accessed: March 20, 2023). 

Images taken from:

Do You Understand the Most Common Employee Learning Styles? - HR Daily Advisor

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[jgenvs3000w23]

Brilliant reflection! 

This course was also an eye-opener for me about what being an environmental interpreter actually consisted of, similar to you, I did not know what the term “nature interpreter” actually meant until week 2. I loved that you connected your personal values with the values of a nature interpreter. I think being kind and having kindness as a major component of your ethics as an individual and therefore as an interpreter is vital. It can be described in many ways but I view it as a combination of being positive and enthusiastic with your audience which makes them feel welcomed and valued. But being kind also ties into the space that you are sharing and ensures that you are being kind to the animals and plants in the space along with the history of the space. I think kindness is a great word to describe your ethics because it is a single word that can be interpreted in so many ways but each way has a positive connotation. 

I also agree with you, the week surrounding privilege really made me more mindful of what I have and how this differs from other people I encounter, therefore I need to adjust the way I communicate and present information based on this. It is also easy to overlook some of the things that do in fact make you privileged such as our education, being able to speak English, etc. I was very appreciative to this unit for putting things into perspective for me. 

Thanks for sharing and best of luck on your future in nature interpretation!

[jgenvs3000w23]

Week 11 - final blog post...

We have made it to the end! This post allows us to reflect on what we have learned and taken away from the course. Honestly, we covered a lot of new concepts that I had never been exposed to in any other course. From the beginning to now I have 23 pages consisting of notes, blog posts and responses. To begin this final blog post, I decided to reread all my previous blog posts and reflect on what I took away from each week. 

The first blog post we did was about developing a sense of place and I talked about how the pandemic helped me reconnect with nature. It helped me develop a sense of appreciation and gratitude for nature and I learned about this sense of relief when I would go on walks. Then, I got an outdoor job that really enabled me to fall in love with my time in nature and it quickly became a part of my daily routine. I also gave credit to my dad for always pushing me to spend more time outdoors and always spoke to me about how much peace he felt when he got to connect with nature. 

From this introduction week, we moved into the ideal role of an environmental interpreter which is one of my favourite weeks because it helped me actually conceptualize what the responsibilities of an interpreter actually entailed. One of the biggest skills for an environmental interpreter to have is being captivating and engaging to their audience. In chapter 5, Tilden discusses that love of the place and love for the visitors is the secret and most important principle for being an effective interpreter (Beck et al., 2018). I think that this is the best and simplest way to describe the skills that an interpreter needs, passion is one of the biggest factors to be a good interpreter. Finally, a good interpreter needs to know their audience and adapt their presentation of the information to accommodate their audience’s learning style. The interpreter has to adjust their presentation based on the age of their audience or ethnic background. For example, when dealing with a younger audience, the use of simpler language and tangible items is more beneficial to captivate this audience (Beck et al., 2018).  Also, the incorporation of Paiget’s stages of cognitive development where the interpreter can adjust their delivery based on age and the stage of cognitive development of their audience. This is beneficial again to make the message from the interpreter more receptive (Beck et al., 2018). 

Then, this was followed by the week of privilege where the majority of us unpacked our invisible backpack and discussed how we were privileged in some way. This week was the most memorable for me because as someone who is part of a minority group, it is not discussed enough why so many conservation areas or national parks are predominantly white spaces. It was very enlightening to see everyone and myself read about the reasoning behind this phenomenon but also solutions to make these spaces more diverse and inclusive. I have had so many friends and family members discuss discomfort when navigating these spaces due to cultural barriers (Beck et al., 2018). I found the most influential solutions to be advertising these spaces in minority communities  and having a more diverse team. The invitation would make this group feel more welcomed and having someone that looks like you in this space also creates a sense of comfort (Beck et al., 2018). 

Following this week, we began to look at different lenses to interpret nature beginning with art. This was more difficult for me because I am not an artistic or creative person, I consider myself more left brain dominated. But again, I was pleasantly surprised by how much I actually did interpret nature through art specifically through photography. In today’s generation where social media allows you to connect and share with a large audience very quickly and it made me realize that pictures from my hikes, camping trips, sunsets and sunrises actually have the power to influence and inspire my audience. This is providing the gift of beauty to my audience which provides the ability to acknowledge the sense of beauty in their surroundings and provide a spiritual uplift (Beck et al., 2018). Also, sharing beautiful moments on social media or directly to friends and family has the power to  inspire others to seek their own experiences and possibly share as well, creating this chain reaction.

Then we looked at nature interpretation through science. This week really connected with week 2 regarding the skills of an interpreter and the importance of knowing your audience and adjusting your language accordingly. When interpreting through science, it is important to remember most of the population do not have much science knowledge. With this in mind, it is important to break down material to make it more digestible and use some simpler language to ensure your message is actually received. 

Interpretation through history was another eye opening unit for me. I think history can be a difficult road to navigate because it requires a lot of mindfulness and awareness. This entails understanding who was involved, how they were involved, what actually occurred and how every party felt during the historic event. Interpretation through history also needs the stories of atrocities, discrimination and ethnic conflicts to be taught to remember the sorrows of those before us and to keep the story alive (Beck et al., 2018). 

Finally, interpretation through music was very interesting as I analyzed some song lyrics to see any associations with nature. Musicians use their platform to communicate issues in nature to their audience as seen in “Eyes wide open” by Gotye. 

This course has helped me realize that many of us actually have the tools to be a nature interpreter in some capacity. Regardless of working at a national park or as a camp counselor, many of us have a platform in a capacity and the power to share and educate our audience. It just requires us to be passionate, captivating and knowledgeable on what we share to actually inspire others to have the same passion or take away knowledge from what you share. 

References

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 9 - Nature is COOL!

Okay, I'm going to be 100% candid with you guys - this post intimidated me. I mean, after 3.75 years of an environmental science degree, I feel like I have learned so many insanely cool facts about nature that it's almost impossible to key in on one specifically. That's why I figured I'd use this space as a way to highlight a few of the times throughout my undergrad that I've sat back and thought "wow... nature is COOL!".

One of the most fascinating courses I've taken here at the university is Apiculture and Honey Bee Biology. Throughout the entire semester, I found myself continuously amazed at how complex and intricate honeybees are as a species. For one, they're kind of feminist icons. All working bees are female, and males truly only carry the biological role of reproduction. This means that all the sweet, sweet honey you see in grocery stores is created entirely by girl power!

Another really cool fact about bees is their communication skills. Bees are able to communicate SO MUCH information, entirely through dancing. If a foraging bee finds a huge field filled to the brim with pollen, they can make their way back to the hive and perform a dance to the rest of their colony indicating the direction, distance, and fruitfulness of the patch! This is especially incredible to me given the fact that I can barely make it to work without my GPS directing me the entire way!

Last semester, I took Forest Health and Disease - a course entirely based on fungal pathogens in forests, and man oh man was I pleasantly surprised by the content. I originally took it as a way to fill a restricted elective, but I ended up finding such a deep appreciation for fungal fruiting bodies. Every Thursday morning, we would take a walk in a different woodlot in Guelph and check out all of the various fungal pathogens visible to the human eye. This (understandably) filled my camera roll - check out some of highlights above.

This opened my eyes to how diverse the natural world is if you know what to look for, and how complex and integrated every organism is. Where someone may look and see deadwood, I can now see the fruiting bodies of different wood rotters, tell you if it prefers cellulose or lignin, and how long (ish) it's been infecting the deadwood for... cool, right?

I also found it fascinating how different fungal species can look. Whether they're dense, white, and round, or yellow, small, and slimy, they are all under the same taxonomic kingdom. This level of diversity is so wildly huge, it absolutely never fails to amaze me!

I'm curious to know - have any of you had any course content here at the university that has made you stop and say "wow, nature is so cool!"? If you have, drop it below! I'm always looking to expand my running list!

[acmenvs3000w23]

Hello,

Great post!

I really enjoyed reading your some of your most inspiring experiences.

I am also an environmental science student in my last semester and the amount of knowledge and interesting facts we have learned is crazy to think about sometimes.

Just like you it’s hard to narrow it down to just a few. One topic that made me stop and say “wow, nature is so cool” was when I was taking ENVS*4350 Forest Ecology. We learnt that in certain ecosystems where there are large trees, pockets of soil can form in the forest canopy. This creates an aerial ecosystem. The soil is made of feces, falling debris such as leaves, barks, ferns, and others that fall onto large enough branches to hold onto the debris and create an ecosystem. Nadkarni (1994) mentions that the soil on the ground is 10 to 100 times greater in density. However, since the soil in the canopy is such a small environment it can have an invertebrate density 10 times greater than the forest floor. Lastly the soil in the canopy has a high organic content and small mineral component due to fine particles being carried there from wind, rain, and fog.

Another interesting topic I learnt about was island biogeography in GEOG*3110. Basically, it explains how species richness changes based on island size and distance from shore. It also accounts for immigration and extinction. However, there are other problems such as edge effects and the rescue effect. It’s a lot to understand but really interesting no doubt.  

Aaron

Nadkarni, N.M. (1994). Diversity of Species and Interactions in the Upper Tree Canopy of Forest Ecosystems. Amer. Zool., 34. 70-78.

[jgenvs3000w23]

 Thank you for sharing your post!

The course you mentioned in your post seems very interesting, I think being able to actually go out and see the diseases that are presented to you in classes makes the material significantly more digestible and interesting. Also, the fungal pathogens you shared look extremely common so it would be interesting to actually understand what they are!

I am weeks away from completing my undergrad in Biological Science. When I first started, I avoided taking any courses involving the environment, agriculture and plants. I swear I did not hate nature or animals,  I just really wanted to learn about the human body and any courses that focused on diseases that affected humans. This led me to take a bunch of human kinetics courses, genetics courses and nutrition courses. Eventually, I realized these courses were insanely content heavy and I simply was not enjoying my experience. To some students, they love the knowledge and heavy content courses, I was unfortunately not one of those students. So I decided to shift my course selection and read into more ENVS courses. I was pleasantly shocked to see that there were SO MANY options available and so many that genuinely interested me. It began with “Plant Health and The Environment” then “Pesticides and the Environment” then my personal favourite which was “Climate Change Biology. The moral of the story is I ended up enjoying the majority of ENVS courses that I ended up taking. My favourite concept that I learned was about El Nino and La Nina in climate change biology which is pretty much a climate pattern surrounding trade winds and the movement of cold or warm water which impacts the weather, wildfires and ecosystems. It is actually super interesting to read into to see how large the impacts can be. 

[ccenvs3000w23]

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.

[jgenvs3000w23]

Sense-making of Nature Interpretation

It is actually really hard to simply pick one amazing thing that I know in nature. But, one aspect that is really important to me are sunrises. It may seem very simple when you think about it at first, you probably think that I picked this aspect of nature due to the visual beauty of a sunrise. You are completely right, the breathtaking aspect of a sunrise definitely plays a role as to why it is so amazing. But there are other factors, when you wake up to watch a sunrise, it is usually around 5:30 to 6am when the majority of the world is still sleeping. This gives you a moment of stillness and peace where it is really just you and your thoughts. You can also bring a friend then you can share your thoughts in the moment and from my experience it creates a bonding experience leading to a deeper connection in your friendship. It is one of the most peaceful experiences I have ever had. If you get to the sunrise early enough while it is realistically still night and dark out, before your eyes in about a span of 30 minutes you get to see the complete transformation as it becomes daylight as the sun slowly comes up before it completely engulfs the darkness. The change happens so quickly and every stage between the darkness until the sun is completely up is equally as beautiful.

Sunrises have the power to stimulate that feeling of awe. This feeling of awe has great power on humans’ appreciation for life and has had mental health benefits by reducing stress and improving mood (Beck et al., 2018). The feeling of awe can be triggered by different environments such as nature, art and impressive individuals or feats and also differs between people (Beck et al., 2018). It is pretty much the feeling you get when you see something breathtaking or listen to someone tell an inspirational story, your eyes light up, you have a smile you cannot contain and really any external factors in your life just get forgotten, the only thing on your mind is the present moment. 

Here I have attached a picture of the sunrise in the heart of the city of Toronto. This picture is extra beautiful as you can see there was an overcast that day but the building was above the overcast. This is definitely not a view that you get everyday, as being in this building is not an everyday experience for me and an overcast this low is not very common. In this moment, I felt that feeling of awe that I discussed above. An array of emotions just wash over me when I see a special sunrise and I can only hope you have or get to experience the same emotions.

My questions for you now are:

How do sunrises make you feel? Have you thought about them in the light that I presented them in before?

If you do not necessarily have the same experiences with sunrises, have you ever had this feeling of awe while in nature?

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

[hpenvs3000w23]

Unit 7: Interpretation Through Music

Music is something that I absolutely enjoy regularly. I'm very much an audiophile where I'm listening to music pretty much most of the day. It is an addiction. It is true that every known human culture has music. When reflecting on the course material, I find it so fascinating that we have created patterns of sound varying in pitch, tone, and rhythm that is different or can be similar across various cultures (Gray et al., 2001). Music itself is like its own language and there is evidence of the earliest use of nature in music.

Where is music in nature? When I think about this I know that nature makes its own sound like waves and the sound of birds at the beach creating a sense relaxation. Birds are definitely the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of where we find music in nature. Going back to how I mentioned that music is like its own language, we can appreciate how birds have a language of their own by singing. What's interesting is that birds have the ability to pitch songs to Western music which is why humans are attracted to these sounds (Grey et al., 2001).

Where is nature in music? This is an interesting question. Our Neanderthal ancestors were very fond of music. They used animal bones to create a flute-like instrument which resembles the sound of today's recorders (Grey et al., 2001). This just goes to show that ancient civilizations prioritized and discovered music as a primary form of entertainment. I would say that this is an early example of nature in music because animal bones were recycled to create instruments which is a clever idea.

Discovery of prehistoric flutes (Gray et al., 2001). Credit: Jelle Atema.

One song that I used to listen to a lot when I was a younger was Starships (clean) by Nicki Minaj because it reminds me of summer and it's a catchy throwback song. The song itself is fast-paced with the strumming of a guitar in the background. It makes me visualize a nice sunny day. And it reminds me especially of the times where I would go to the beach with my friends and we would always jam out to this song on our way there to get hyped. It's the perfect road trip song to the beach. It's very upbeat and always puts me in summer mode when ever I hear it even during the gloomy winter months.

For further discussion, what are some other animals that use musical sounds to communicate? How are these musical sounds beneficial within species?

Thanks for reading,

Hinal.

References

Gray, P. Krause, B. Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54.

[jgenvs3000w23]

Thank you for sharing your post!

I did not know about the use of animal bones as musical instruments prior to reading your post. I think it is really interesting to see that humans have always created some sort of music throughout history. It shows how beneficial music can be to communicate but also it is an art that can be very pleasing and soothing for many. I loved that you mentioned “Starships” by Nicki Minaj. I would agree it is a song that reminds me of summer and a sunny day filled with happy vibes. A song that makes me feel similar is “Good days” by SZA and as the song title suggests, it reminds me of good days and good times. When I listen to this song, it immediately puts me in a good mood and takes me to summer and sunny skies as that is when I feel the happiest. 

You mentioned at the end of your post to think of animals that use musical sounds to communicate. I immediately thought of dolphins that are known to be the singing animals. Dolphins are quite unique because they can be very expressive from their sounds which is not common for many animals. As many of us know, dolphins are extremely intelligent mammals; their temporal lobe which processes sounds is actually 10 times bigger than humans (BBC Earth, 2013).  I found this really interesting video that discussed the importance of sound for dolphins. It is really intriguing to see how different animals use sounds to communicate. 

References

BBC Earth. (2013, November 27). Dolphin Expresses Emotion Through Sound [Video]. YouTube.

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Nature interpretation through Music

Music has a different meaning to every single person and what may be considered music to one person may not be music to another. In my opinion, music is a form of art that consists of the production of pleasing sounds that can be created from anything. The typical music that we think of and hear on the radio usually consists of computer engineered sounds and a combination of traditional instruments like piano, guitar, drums, etc.  But, I want to highlight the non-traditional forms of music as well. For example, street music that can consist of bucket drumming where artists use unconventional tools to produce a rhythm/sound. There are a few examples of music in nature that come to mind. For example, the flow of a river which provides a therapeutic, pleasing music to most individuals or raindrops pelting along a window which is a form of music that many use to fall asleep. These are the forms of music in nature that may be overlooked by some as just being sounds but in reality it is nature providing us with music. The opposite concept is where nature is in music. The concept of calm before the storm has inspired many classical music symphonies, a really popular one is Beethoven’s “Pastoral” piece. He creates a very calm, happy aura at first then abruptly changes the atmosphere of the piece to dark and powerful, reflecting the storm before ending the piece with more melancholy to reflect the calm that is slowly regained after the storm. 

Music is a form of communication and artists have the power to advocate about issues going on in the environment. A common message that artists articulate is pollution and Earth’s devastation. For example, “Earth song” by Michael Jackson, he discusses the effects of war and pollution on the Earth. He includes lines like,

“What about killing fields? 

Is there a time?” 

and

“Did you ever stop to notice

All the blood we've shed before?

Did you ever stop to notice

This crying Earth, these weeping shores?”

(Earth Song by Michael Jackson, 1995)

The lyrics are a reminder to all of his listeners that their actions do have detrimental, long-term effects on the state of the Earth. It is a reminder of the effects of air pollution on our health, and the effects of land-use and land-use changes on biodiversity loss. 

Another song that utilizes lyrics to address issues with pollution is “Eyes wide open” by Gotye. The lyrics that really stuck with me are,

“And some people offered up answers

We made out we like we heard they were only words

They didn't add up, to a change in the way we were living

And the saddest thing, is all of it could've been avoided

But it was like to stop consuming, to stop being human

And why'd I make a change if you won't”

(Eyes wide open by Gotye, 2021)

The lyrics show that our society has been given advice or instructions to mitigate climate change and the rising levels of pollution but instead “we heard they were only words” which shows that we did not apply the advice and chose not to listen. The lyrics continue with “all of it could’ve been avoided” which shows the lack of application from our population despite being provided the correct tools. 

Music is art that we hear everyday, and nature sounds are used often but most often we see artists talking about nature, including problems of nature.

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Nature interpretation through History

Everyone at this point has taken a highschool history course where we are taught usually about the tragedies that occurred in history. These stories of atrocities, discrimination and ethnic conflicts are taught to remember the sorrows of those before us and to keep the story alive (Beck et al. 2018). I want to start with what I initially thought of interpretation through history before learning the actual unit.  This definition of historical interpretation states “historical interpretation grounded in individual histories facilitates connection between lived experiences and archival records or artifacts.” (Modern Cartography Series, 2019). This is interesting because it ignites the idea of sharing a personal history or family history as well which is a smaller scale that I did not really consider being an option. When I think of historical interpretation, I think of teaching about  historical tragedies or movements that had a strong influence on society.

This week, we are analyzing 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.”.

When I first read this quote, it made me think of a very common saying that I am sure you have all heard…”If you’re gonna tell the story, tell the whole story”. A lot of history is not digestible, it is not an easy topic and a lot of events seem unfathomable for many people today but it is important to tell the entire story and not just bits and pieces. As an interpreter of history, you should not decide which parts of the story you decide to tell but rather provide your audience with all parts and allow them to interpret their own feelings and opinions on the subject. Furthermore, history has many perspectives, for example, war between 2 countries will be viewed very differently by citizens from each country despite being the same event. I think another aspect of “merit in integrity” is providing a very unbiased perspective when presenting information which will allow the audience to create their own thoughts. An interpreter should present the story as neutrally as possible while being mindful of their tone and emotions and ensuring that their own opinions are not included. 

I think interpretation through history is the lens that requires the most mindfulness and consideration when presenting because it is easy to misconstrue a story that you more than likely did not witness yourself. In our Courselink notes, we are given 5 questions to consider: What story is being shared? What is included? What is ignored? What is implied? What is specified? If an interpreter can successfully answer all of these questions while telling the story, it is likely that they will avoid bias while also telling the entire story to their audience. All in all, history contains a lot of sensitive stories that can easily be altered or misconstrued over the years and it is the interpreter’s job to thoroughly study the topic and tell their audience the entire story.

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

Hooykaas, A. (2023). Unit 6: Nature Interpretation through History [Courselink Content]. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306929/View.

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Unit 05: Attitudes toward nature interpretation under capitalism

ENVS*3000 Nature Interpretation is a third year course at the University of Guelph that is predominantly taken by students pursuing an undergraduate level education in the biological sciences. The skills required in nature interpretation span a vast horizon of realms including a strong ecological knowledge base, strong communication skills across different ages and accessibility needs, cultural awareness, and the ability to be adaptable and cater interpretive experiences to a specific audience. These skills are integral and transferable to many professions, both related to and unrelated to nature interpretation. For example, teachers must be adaptable to the learning needs of their students, conservation biologists must have strong ecological knowledge bases to determine which ecoregions and organisms to protect and best strategies to do so, and politicians must understand cultural histories and needs in order to create equitable policy decisions. Outside of a professional context, these skills also help individuals form deeper relationships with each other and their surroundings, improving quality of life and promoting eco-friendly initiatives. 

Despite the immense benefits of practicing nature interpretation and developing these skills, I think that nature interpretation is largely overlooked and looked undervalued by society. When I share what my courses are with friends or family members, I can tell they assume that Nature Interpretation is a bird course that they expect me not to learn very much and get a high mark with the accomplishment of very little work. Interestingly, this is not the assumption when I share my other science courses or discuss courses relating to microbiology or that are deemed to have some medical implications. 

I think this difference in reactions comes from society’s ideas about what information is the most “prestigious” or commodifiable. I suppose this makes sense since the whole premise of capitalism is that our economy is controlled by our share of the capital (i.e., how much money we have), and medical sciences are associated with doctors, and doctors are associated with money. Nature interpretation in many cases is viewed as a hobby or an art, which can be very difficult to commodify. There are many jobs that encompass nature interpretation, such as being a park ranger, but these jobs still do not have the same amount of socially constructed prestige. Again, because capitalism seeks to commodify all that it can, nature is just another resource to exploit, not protect. 

Park and Pellow (pg. 64, 2013) explain that in a capitalist system, everything of potential economic value is sought to be privatized which in practice also limits the people who are able to access it. This includes the establishment of national parks, which have also been used as a vehicle to forcibly remove Indigenous Peoples from their native territories, and use these parks as tourism opportunities to drive profit instead of solely prioritizing conservation efforts (Sandlos, 2008). 

To bring it all together, when money is the driving motivation dictating our decision making, important skills (including those involved in nature interpretation), the inclusion of diverse perspectives (not just rich settlers/colonizers), and our fundamental human needs (e.g., mental, social, physical, spiritual, and emotional health benefits from spending time in nature) are discarded and not given the credit and investigation they deserve. Nature interpretation is a powerful tool to elevate all dimensions of our health and quality of life, and the economic systems we live in are a barrier (to some more to others, based on amount of privilege) to access them.

Park, L. S.-H., & Pellow, D. N. (2013). The Slums of Aspen: Immigrants vs. the Environment in America's Eden. New York University Press. 

Sandlos, J. (2008). Not Wanted in the Boundary: The Expulsion of the Keeseekoowenin Ojibway Band from Riding Mountain National Park. Canadian Historical Review, 89(2), 189–221.  https://doi.org/10.3138/chr.89.2.189.

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Thank you for sharing this perspective!

I really like where you took this week’s post and it really enlightened me about the influence of capitalism on all aspects of our lives including nature interpretation. My friends and family had the same reaction when I told them about this course, they did not see what valuable information that I would take away from the course. Similarly, their reactions wrote this course off as being relatively easy in comparison to other science based courses I’ve taken such as  biochemistry just as an example. Which is very interesting because to interpret anything takes a great skill, a deep understanding of concepts and profound thought to then successfully articulate your words to your audience in a manner that they will understand. I did not connect their reaction with our capitalist society and how certain professions, undergrads or courses are deemed superior to another.  

To be completely honest, prior to taking this course I did not know nature interpretation fell under as many occupations as it does. My base knowledge connected tour guides and park rangers with nature interpretation. When in reality, it is a much greater umbrella that includes public and private companies and can range from small scale to large scale deliveries. For example, camp counsellors tend to incorporate a form of nature interpretation in their daily activities or employees at a museum, aquarium or a zoo, all incorporate some sort of nature interpretation. Regardless of the type of occupation that the interpreter possesses, it comes down to the passion for the topic and to teach others the history of your area or topic. I think it is a skill that is commonly overlooked when it in fact takes so much knowledge, passion and resilience to be a good interpreter. 

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a reflection of the course thus far

So far, this course has taken perspectives that I was not expecting when I initially registered. Since this week is an open ended blog post, I wanted to reflect on the course material so far and what has been resonating with me. As mentioned in this unit, I did in fact expect a very science based interpretation of nature throughout the course but I was very delighted that we are learning about various lenses. So far, the course has been a reminder of various methods that I sometimes use to interpret nature without necessarily realizing which began with the last unit, interpreting through art. The unit that is really sticking with me as I write this post, is Unit 3 (Risk vs Reward). I did not really consider the importance of privilege, considering how your privilege may differ with your audience and how you would need to adapt to better reach your audience. I realized it is an important aspect that I really overlooked and I enjoyed reading everyone’s reflections that week the most. We continue seeing the recurring theme of who is your audience and that topic reinforced how to understand your audience on a deeper level. 

As for interpreting through a science lens, I think language is the most important factor to consider. Majority of the population did not continue studying science past the mandatory grade 10 level and realistically how much of the information did they retain. With this in mind, when delivering information from a science perspective, it is still important to consider your audience and adapt your language to be more simplified if necessary. For example, the interns of the Arboretum used the chart to create visual aspects to allow the audience to interpret in a method that may be easier for them. Also, the sheet allows the audience to have the information right in front of them so they do not feel overwhelmed by a bunch of names or terms being thrown at them. The biodiversity sheet is a great interpretation tool because it also acts as an activity to have your audience involved as opposed to just listening to the interpreter talk the entire time. The interns at the arboretum also had a very enthusiastic, welcoming tone which kept me, as the audience intrigued. This really ties in the concepts we have learned so far about knowing your audience and understanding that not everyone will receive information the same way but adapting your delivery to reach a greater audience.

I am curious to see how I feel at the end of the course and how my relationship in nature may or may not shift. When sharing pictures with a few of my posts, I have already felt differently towards them and felt almost a sense of gratitude for the moment I had while capturing the image. I think that reflects some progress and a mindset shift especially with the last unit and understanding the “gift of beauty”, I think it really brought me a sense of appreciation for many moments I've had in nature. 

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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

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Thank you for sharing your perspective of interpretation through art!

I am similar in the sense of my artistic capabilities with drawing and painting not accurately depicting the beauty of the scenery which is why I also opt to taking pictures instead. As you mentioned, the benefits of photography and sharing your photography is being able to share the "gift of beauty" with your audience. I think your picture really conveyed the calm after the storm where most people are in their homes and you can take in the stillness. As your audience, I think you conveyed the beauty of the aggressive side of nature because it is not always sunny and perfect but still beautiful.

As someone, who does not enjoy the winter and counts down the days until warmer, longer days, I appreciate the the enlightenment of this picture. I also liked that you used a picture of your local park, which demonstrated to me that you don't need to go far or somewhere extravagant to be enriched by nature and appreciate the beauty of the scenery around you everyday.

Although, I cannot relate to your personal connection to the picture, your picture has the power to influence others especially during this time to still get outdoors and embrace the colder temperatures. Again, I do not enjoy the winter months but my dad always says that if you dress for the weather, you'd be surprised how much more you'll enjoy it. He is definitely right and has pushed me to go on winter walks and hikes with him. Your post is just another reminder to me that outdoor activities in the winter are achievable and should be encouraged because there are so many benefits.

Jadi

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Interpreting through nature

Art is one of the greatest lenses of interpretation. It provides an audience with the artist’s perspective of a moment, experience or even location but the beauty of sharing art is having your audience make their own connections to the piece. It is a way of communicating through a timeless piece while reaching various groups of all ages. I am in no way a painter or the most creative but I experience interpretation through art by taking photos on my phone or film camera. Most people have a phone nowadays and it is the quickest way to capture a moment and share the experience with others in hopes of provoking the same serene feeling as the artist at the time (Hooykaas, 2023).

For example, this is one of my favourite pictures of the sunrise I took. The best part of art is being able to remember the exact moment and why you decided to take the picture to begin with. I share this picture with the intention of sharing the gift of beauty that I felt in this moment. The gift of beauty provides the audience with the ability to acknowledge the sense of beauty in their surroundings and provide a spiritual uplift (Beck et al. 2018).  The context of this picture for me was that it was my last morning in Mexico which was my first trip since being locked down during the pandemic. I had not been to an ocean beach in years and the entire sunrise was an experience of gratitude, appreciating the ability of being there and taking in the stillness of the morning. For my audience, I would want them to take away the same stillness and calmness of the sunrise and appreciate that sense of beauty, providing my audience with a sense of escapism with me. 

Similarly, I want to carry on the concept of TORE, specifically the T which represents thematic which is the most difficult for interpreters because the image should provoke thought. This image without context may not evoke a great sense of thinking for some of my audience because the background of the image is so personal to me (Beck et al. 2018).  But, I believe that the moral of the story can be received by the audience which is appreciating the beauty and feeling a sense of calmness, while also inspiring others to seek their own experiences and possibly share as well (Beck et al. 2018). This picture for me was a moment of self-actualization, connecting my passion for traveling and experiencing different cultures with nature and mindfulness. It was a moment shared with people I love and was of “highest happiness” (Beck et al. 2018).  The key point that I am conveying is that the audience may not be able to share the exact theme that I associate with the picture but they will be able to take away the main idea from the image and have a provoked sense of appreciation of the beauty.

Here is another picture that I love but at an Ontario beach but it provides the same feeling of calmness. 

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

Hooykaas, A. (2023). Unit 4: Nature Interpretation through Art and Planning for “All” Scenarios [Courselink Content]. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306929/View.

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Risk Versus Reward

The working definition of privilege to me means that groups and or individuals are granted a certain entitlement, these privileges usually revolve around race, level education, and financial status. Moreover, I believe that privilege has played a major role in nature interpretation without many people even realizing it. 

Nature interpretation and privilege go hand-in-hand with one another, though it is often not looked at. This relationship can be seen throughout reading the blog posts. Many students were privileged to have nature-loving family and friends, where others may not have been. Additionally, many students in the class seemed to have grown up in cities, so their exposure to nature may not seem to be as great as others. I am able to understand the level of privilege I have been granted with in terms of nature. I was born in a place surrounded by nature, additionally, my family and friends were always doing something regarding nature. This has made a huge and long lasting impact on my life, as it allowed me to create a huge connection with nature. As I grow older this privilege I had as a child allows me to realize how much I took it for granted. Coming from Northern Ontario to Guelph, a lot in my life has changed. I find that I do not see as much wildlife, I hike less, and I spend less time in nature. This change has been quite hard for me, but it has made going home during the breaks that much more exciting. Not many people can say they can see a bear on the mountain while looking through their window, and I feel very fortunate that I can. 

As I mentioned, as a kid I did not really understand the level of privilege I had relating to nature. Now as I reflect and look at where I came from, I can see it quite easily. In high school, an option for a course is “Outdoor Education”. Now this course can be offered in schools within cities, however for us it was easy to access nature. Local hiking trails are right outside the school's door, Lake Superior is just a two minute drive. These experiences make up the privileges I didn’t know I had until I graduated. Moreover, during the summer I participated in the field ecology course, BIOL 4410. Throughout discussions with other class members they mentioned that some had to travel a bit to get to their research site, but for myself it was just a step outside of my door. It was really amazing to be able to share my experiences with everyone, and begin to understand the privilege I had growing up in Northern Ontario. 

Overall, I believe that nature interpretation is much determined by one’s privilege. How you grow up, who you grow up with, and your surrounding environment determine much about how you view nature, and these to me are the privileges that make it up.

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I really enjoyed reading about your perspective. I am one of those students that grew up in the city and it takes quite a bit of extra effort to be able to connect with nature. The majority of the hikes that I go on are at least a 45 minute drive but usually about 60 to 90 minutes away. The trails near my house lack wildlife because it is still so close to busy streets and urbanized areas. I could not imagine seeing a bear anywhere near my house, also not a mountain! I actually took an outdoor education course in highschool, and it was probably very different to the course you took, as it focused on just outdoor activities, generally physical education but outdoors.  For me, Guelph was an even smaller city than I am used to and felt very small compared to my hometown. I think growing up in nature being a privilege is subjective depending on your goals and what you gained from that upbringing compared to what would be lacking from a city upbringing. 

Which leads me to a question, you mentioned that growing up in nature was a privilege, I am curious to know what skills or application you developed from your upbringing being in nature compared to what would lack growing up in the city. 

I am also curious to know if you have experienced any majors pros or some adaptations while living in Guelph and if you are willing to share I’d love to hear your perspective. 

It really all is just subjective since neither one of us has experienced each other’s upbringing to truly compare and contrast, I just want to hear your opinion and perspective.

Thanks for sharing!

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Privilege in Nature Interpretation : week 3

Privilege is something that everyone has in one form or another. Some people simply have more privilege than others but if you really take a step back, I can guarantee that you will find a form of privilege. The article by Peggy McIntosh is an incredible read and highlights some everyday forms of privilege that could be easily overlooked.  I want to start by unpacking my own invisible backpack. I am highly educated with access to education, I speak English, I am a Canadian citizen and I have access to free healthcare and a reliable healthcare system. 

The ability to have access to education let alone higher education is a privilege that many people who may have the academic means to complete but not the access, support or opportunity to ever pursue an education which makes it a great privilege. Education is not affordable in many countries or schools are inaccessible. Being able to speak English, which is the most common language in the world and one of the hardest to learn, opens up many opportunities all around the world and it is a privilege to be able to speak English fluently. I was born and raised in Canada, my parents were not. Our upbringing and opportunities in our childhoods were very different. I had access to free healthcare from birth , my mom went through her pregnancies without healthcare. Furthermore, being a Canadian citizen has taken away the worries that my parents had such as job security and even getting a home for their family. 

Just as there may be factors or characteristics of your life that may hinder you, if one takes a step back, you will find gratitude in the traits that help you to bigger opportunities. I believe that acknowledging your own privilege helps to better understand and connect with your audience as you can understand that not everyone will share the same perspective due to different upbringings and backgrounds.

An issue in nature interpretation is connecting with diverse audiences (Beck et al., 2018). As someone who identifies as a minority myself, I have seen firsthand the discomfort and unfamiliarity of visiting National parks, going camping, participating in nature walks, etc. I have found cultural barriers to be the greatest hinder in having a more diverse audience in these spaces (Beck et al., 2018). Although, my family has embraced many trips in nature, indulge in annual camping trips and regular hikes as examples. When invited other family members and family friends, they expressed discomfort due to the activity being associated with a predominantly white environment. I believe that the best methods to influence more inclusive interpretation would be inviting or advertising experiences in minority communities which provides an introduction to navigating this new experience while feeling welcomed (Beck et al., 2018). Sometimes, it takes a personal invitation to feel included. Another really good option would be increasing staff diversity because it greatly increases comfort seeing someone that looks like you in a new space (Beck et al., 2018). 

Thank you for reading!

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 02: Teaching Learners

When I think of what makes a good environmental interpreter, a few people come to mind. The most recent example was a tour guide I had while on vacation in the Dominican, named Angel, who made our bus ride to our excursion not just a boring ride, but an incredibly engaging interactive talk on the history of the Dominican Republic. He spoke of how proud and happy his people were to be Dominican despite how impoverished the majority of his country was, how they lived, what they prioritised, and how their natural resources shaped their culture. He discussed how annual hurricanes affect their overall crop yields, their housing situations, and how important the ecotourism of their country was to maintaining their economy after such hard times. He not only demonstrated the beauty of their landscape by pointing out to us recognizable plants, crops, and mountains, but even stopped the bus to grab a bundle off of a plant so we could smell the sweet and fragrant scent of the coffee bean flowers in bloom. As the textbook describes, he made this talk engaging to the audience by connecting the intangible knowledge with the tangible. 

Comparatively, if I had to think back to my earliest memory of an environmental interpreter, it would have to be when I was in the fourth grade, when a guide showed us around the Holland Marsh. Similar to the Dominican, this tour guide showed us the intangible importance of wetlands by demonstrating tangible examples, such as recreations of historical indigenous structures, animal exhibits within their wildlife centre (snakes and turtles), and even a marsh invertebrate identification activity in which we caught live invertebrates with nets and identified them using what I now know is a dichotomous key. Even though it’s been over ten years since that tour, I still remember the joy at finding something completely new and unique in the water compared to my classmates and the fascination I had with just how diverse and important something like a wetland, which I thought was just gross scummy water, actually was.  

Taking these two experiences into account, I think the ideal role of an environmental interpreter is someone who can expand on someone’s preconceived notions of a place in an interactive and interesting way. Angel knew the tourists on the bus were enclosed in their resorts and saw the world through rose-tinted glasses, and expanded on it by demonstrating how their presence in his country was a result of the natural beauty and resources and was incredibly influential to their economy which is devastated by hurricane disasters every few years. The guide at the Holland Marsh knew that kids my age are what the textbook describes as “nature deficient” and needed some of Richard Louv’s Vitamin N. Therefore, they engaged us through charismatic examples of things we were familiar with, such as snakes, turtles, and games, to ensure we learned about an initially gross and foreign area in a fun and active way. 

I have always been someone who learns best through direct experience, the third step in Cornell’s (1998) stages of flow learning, which involves learning through personal discovery. But the previous steps in flow learning are: 1) Awaken Enthusiasm and 2) Focus Attention. I believe the best interpreters are people with the skills to engage people through anecdotes, charisma, or sheer people skills, as using these they can begin the first two steps of learning and guide their listeners into an absorption state of self discovery. If I was an interpreter, these would be the skills I would work hardest on, so I would not just know the knowledge, but know how to connect the tangible with the intangible in ways that keep the audience engaged.

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I really enjoyed reading about your personal experience with nature interpretation. I had a similar experience when I went to the Dominican Republic back in 2019. My mom and I decided to take an excursion and do a safari tour. Our tour guide made it the most memorable experience of the trip, she was extremely passionate about the habitat that the safari encompassed. She taught us about many different species of monkeys that lived in this jungle, and showed us how to observe some of their behaviors. There was also a portion of the tour that went through a botanical garden and she showed us so many different plants and flowers. Then, we finished with a tour of a coffee and cacao bean plantation. She informed us about the process of start to finish, how these beans are harvested, and the historic importance of these beans for the economy. A lengthy all day tour like this one really requires the interpreter to be passionate and engaging to ensure that they are captivating their audience and that their audience is following and absorbing the information being delivered.

I also found it really interesting that you remembered a nature interpretation experience that occurred when you were much younger and it is something that you continue to value today. I am sure this experience ignited some passion for nature and discovery. This really shows how important a good interpreter can be as they can change the perspective and mentality of their audience while also providing unforgettable memories and connections.

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The possibilities of an interpreter

An environmental interpreter has the luxury of choosing from various positions and working with different platforms. For example, they may work with the government or in private companies such as tour agencies or camps or they may do it voluntarily.  The variation allows the interpreter with flexibility to pick the environment that best suits their passions and method of delivery to their audience. 

An ideal interpreter needs to be captivating and engaging. Ofcourse, this is easier depending on the region but regardless the interpreter cannot sound like a textbook or sound scripted. As someone who is mostly an auditory learner, I can effectively receive information by listening but the information must be delivered with tone and emotion. An interpreter requires a deep understanding of the area, connecting the ecology with the cultural heritage of the area. The interpreter needs to be linguistically flexible, able to adjust their language by reading their audience. A group of school kids would require a different vocabulary compared to a group of researchers visiting. They must sound passionate about their region and its history, communicating in a clear confident manner as if delivering a presentation. 

If I were to work as an interpreter, I would like to begin by working at youth camps. I think using simple language and simplifying more complex history and environmental relations is a great way to start. Kids are more receptive to information and tend to soak up information if it is engaging. It can begin with a small practice like a guided hike that teaches the practice of mindfulness while being in nature, enforces respect of the shared space. This would also allow a new interpreter to learn more about an area of interest while still getting some practice presenting. 

But there are many opportunities for an interpreter depending on their skill levels, experience and passions. They may decide to work with national parks and highlight the history of the land and guide a tour focusing on why protecting certain regions ties in with protecting the cultural heritage of the area. There are many attributes about a national park that an interpreter may touch on such as the scenery, wildlife or vegetation and how some of these were used historically. An interpreter in a national park has the power to shift the values of their audience to better retain meaningful information and hopefully leave with a mindset that supports protecting national parks. An interpreter for a national park also has many resources and methods to provide their delivery, it can be done virtually through videos, virtual tours or incorporating social media to reach a greater audience. 

I thought the passage on National Wildlife Refuges to be really interesting because it demonstrates the real role of an interpreter of translating a story you did not notice at first glance. Refuges are usually less attractive to the general public due to it being mostly wetlands or desert environments, it appears to be muddy and unappealing at first. But, an interpreter at a refuge has the skill to translate the value of the refuge to their audience and make it a captivating memory.