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[mfenvs3000f23]

Small actions, big outcomes! Environment as a frequent classroom topic!

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

This is my final blog post and you likely do not know who I am, but if you are interested, I invite you to delve into Madeline Fantin’s interpretive ethics, values, and ideas for the future.

To start, what beliefs do I bring? I am a wildlife biology and conservation student; therefore, the vast majority of my courses have looked through a scientific lens (western science that is). Perhaps the reason I chose my program is due to possibly my most core belief, that individuals have the power and influence necessary to make a real difference. This is why I became a vegetarian even though my entirely Italian family thinks I’m bonkers, I think one person cutting their carbon emissions is a worthwhile effort. Are billionaires flying their private jets around for unsatisfactory reasons and investing in all kinds of large corporations who dump pollution directly into our environment? Yes of course, and don’t get me wrong, I think part of the fight towards a healthy planet is holding the extremely wealthy accountable. Perhaps they are hoping we will put all the blame on ourselves so that we ignore their insurmountable consumption. However, we are consumers too and where possible, we can choose where to put our money and how to live our lives to a certain extent. I believe that however small, the average citizen’s fight against climate change is valuable and necessary. In conversations I have had with the people in my life, I have learned that many people become unmotivated by the “all or nothing” mindset. For example, I frequently hear people say that they “could never go without meat all the time.” So don’t! Have meatless Mondays! Have meatless weekends! Go pescatarian! Go meatless biweekly! There are unlimited combinations of schedules that could provide a more reasonable expectation. The effort doesn’t need to be “perfect” to be worth something. This can be applied to many environmental actions. In most places in Ontario, it wouldn’t be reasonable to ask people to use public transport or bike as a main form of transportation. Most cities don’t have great public transport, and most people live a long, long bike ride away from their place of work. However just because you cannot bike to work doesn’t mean you can’t ever trade the car for your bike. Maybe there’s a friend you often visit just on the other side of the neighborhood, and maybe you usually drive to them, but when the weather is ideal and if you are able, the bike could work! Many “imperfect” actions are better than no action at all I promise!!!! There is no shame in not being the perfect environmentalist all the time, it is near impossible in the society we have created.

I also believe that there is something to be gained from spending time in nature, for anyone. Whether that is a chance to gather thoughts, get some exercise, some vitamin D, you name it. I don’t think it needs to be picturesque either. Sometimes connecting with nature looks like sitting on the curb outside your east campus townhouse because the sun has reappeared after some days of gloom. Sometimes you will have the energy to head to the arboretum, but when you don’t, taking a sunny break on the curb is better than skipping the outdoors all together. Again, it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

I believe it is never too late to get started! Everyone, no matter the age or circumstance, should feel like they have a place in the world of nature interpretation and the outdoors. Having not grown up in an outdoor adventure family doesn’t mean you can’t have any outdoor adventures! On that point, outdoor adventures are whatever you make them. They need not be a costly trip to the other side of the continent. Someone with the right mindset could gain more from an hour by the local creek, than someone with the wrong mindset on their trip to Mount Kilimanjaro.

What responsibilities do I have? Well, there are the obvious ones such as to deliver the program I have advertised, inform guests about risk, manage and prevent dangers, present accurate information, check my bias and privilege, to be fun and engaging, and for guests to leave feeling like they have benefitted in some way. Other more specific responsibilities I believe depend on the approach…

So what approaches are the most suitable for me? Well, it is my goal to get into teaching in high school classrooms. This is not the type of environment we have spent the last few months discussing, but nonetheless I think there is a ton of relevant overlap. Nature interpretation could take place in the classroom, or the school yard. There may also be opportunity for class trips where students could be exposed to new ways of learning or new environments.

When relevant to the content, I would aim to stimulate interest and conversation about the environment and environmental issues happening around the world, as they relate to us in Canada and otherwise. I probably plan on living in Canada, and therefore will need to create programs suitable for all 4 seasons. This could mean the same topic modified with each passing season, different topics in each season, or a combination. I am excited to take advantage of the variance each season brings. I think many topics in the high school curriculum could benefit from an environmental lense, and I would look to make connections throughout where possible.

 I would look to encourage active learning and participation through mediums the students may be interested in, just like we talked about all the different mediums of nature interpretation. If I’m teaching grade 9 or 10 science, then this class is still required of them, and many may only be there by necessity. They might not want to be there or have particular interest in the content, which is ok, and I would need to navigate how to still make sure they get what they are meant to, even if they never develop excitement about it.

To revisit responsibilities, as a teacher I must provide a classroom environment conducive to learning, where everyone feels comfortable, valued, and that students look forward to attending each day.

For my final blog post outro (☹), I will say that climate doomism is very contagious and easy to get wrapped up in. I think one of the most important things we can do as nature interpreters is spark hope for change. You never know who is looking to you when they are feeling discouraged about the state of the world, and how you can provide them motivation to keep fighting the good fight!

[mcenvs3000f23]

Hi there,

I would like to thank you for sharing your insightful ideas in this last blog post and congratulate you on reaching this important turning point in your trip. Your statements demonstrate your constant commitment to wildlife biology and conservation, which has not only influenced your academic career but has grown to be a driving force in your life.

I could relate to your thoughts about acting even when something isn't ideal. It's a novel and realistic strategy that allows people to make a significant contribution while acknowledging the complexity of environmental issues. You offer a useful manual for anyone looking to make a good impact on the environment by presenting environmental initiatives as doable stages and highlighting the idea that even little steps are better than none at all.

This kind of thinking, which promotes inclusion and divides the sometimes difficult task of addressing climate change into manageable tasks, strikes a deep chord.

I like how you emphasize the importance of making personal decisions, like becoming a vegetarian and, where possible, using sustainable transportation. It's important to remember that individual choices lead to communal change, as demonstrated by your recognition that everyone can make a contribution, no matter how big or little. It's a call to action that goes beyond accepted social standards, urging individuals to make decisions that are consistent with their values—even if it means defying expectations from family members.

Your welcoming viewpoint on appreciating nature is uplifting and freeing. Eliminating the idea that it needs to be an all-or-nothing experience makes room for a variety of ways to express your relationship with the surroundings.

Age, background, and situation are all irrelevant when it comes to the compelling message that it's never too late to explore the outdoors. Your claim that there is a place for everyone in the natural world is evidence of the equal and universal nature of the universe. It illustrates the concept that everyone may enjoy nature, regardless of background or level of expertise in outdoor activities.

It's admirable and bold of you to envision nature interpretation in high school courses. As you correctly point out, education is a major factor in determining attitudes and actions. The curriculum's inclusion of environmental themes, which are seasonal adaptations, shows a progressive attitude that acknowledges the dynamic and ever-changing character of our planet.

By pointing out that climate doomsday is contagious, you bring attention to a crucial component of the present environmental conversation. It is an important reminder that, as nature interpreters, we not only provide knowledge but also inspire and raise others, as seen by your appeal to ignite hope for change. Your focus on building hope is a light of optimism at a time when worries about the state of the world may be overwhelming. 

Finally, your final blog article summarizes not only your own experience but also acts as a roadmap and source of motivation for others tracing their own routes in the fields of animal biology, conservation, and nature interpretation. We appreciate you sharing with us your thoughts, goals, and a portion of your environmental philosophy.

Thanks so much for sharing,

Morgan

[jpwenvs3000f23]

I am similar to you when it comes to just sitting outside when the Sun comes out, except I am not very good at sitting there, especially when it is cold. Instead I just go for a run and as I am newish here, I look up local lakes or parks and run around them, often ending at around sunset, my favourite time of day.

I like how you have properly thought about your plans as a teacher, and by reading this, it seems like you will do a great job. I especially like the idea of having different topics based on the four seasons, and I wish this was something my teachers did. One of my favourite things about Canada is that it has quite definitive seasons, and this is a smart way to take advantage of that.

This was a great final blog. It seems like you really have a good idea of what you want to do when you finish uni, and I wish you the best of luck.

[hkenvs3000f23]

Week 10

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

I can't believe we’ve already reached the last post for this class, it feels like we had only just started.

For this week, we were asked to take a look into our personal ethics when it comes to nature interpretation. This was something I didn't really think much about until the start of this course, and going through the various blog prompts throughout the semester.  I mean of course there were basic ethics that I knew were important, like to respect and appreciate the natural world. However, they were always in the back of my mind. I didn’t really take the time to really delve deep into it.

This semester we were given the opportunity to view nature interpretation through different lenses such as art, music, science, history, etc. I feel as though this allowed me to develop a sense of what I enjoy. I feel it's important to understand what you enjoy first, as it can aid in forming an ethical stance, because you can create personal connections, which leads to a deeper appreciation for the natural world. From this you can feel more motivated to take action revolving around certain environmental issues and it can allow you to understand conservation efforts.  Viewing interpretation through different forms helped me enhance my ethical perspective, as there are many ways to perceive the environment.

Let's take a look at some examples.

Science was one of the more obvious ones for me. I mean when I think of nature, I typically think of the environment in a scientific way. This may be due to the fact I'm studying environmental science. For that reason, I already had some beliefs formed. Most if not all of the courses I take often touch upon environmental issues, whether it be climate change, pollution, endangered species, etc. Even before university, it was already engraved in my mind that we have to be mindful of the planet and how we treat it. Generally, to do what we can to limit our environmental impacts (negative impacts of course). Nature interpretation to me seemed like a form of delivering information to others, where they would learn the science/biology behind different environments. Generally, I believed that scientific knowledge would form a sense of responsibility as it shows the importance of conservation and sustainable practices. While that can be the case, I've learned that there is much more to it as well.

Now, as for viewing nature interpretation through art. While I knew that art can portray many messages and meaning, I didn't really think of ‘art’ when I thought of nature interpretation. However, after going over previous readings and blog posts I learned to see a different perspective. Art allows us to form emotional connections with nature. It can evoke feelings of empathy and appreciation for the natural world. This is when I realized, paintings, photographs, music, etc. all play a crucial part when it comes to nature interpretation.

History was another form that I knew was crucial to learn about when it comes to nature interpretation, but I never really put much thought into it like I did with science. I believe now that in order to form beliefs surrounding nature I need to recognize and learn about the history first, as it provides context. History can show us both the positive and negative impacts humans have had on the environment. When we understand the consequences of past actions, we can form ethical decisions for the future.

Generally, I learned that nature interpretation doesn't have to follow a structured format. Instead there are various ways to view nature interpretation, which seems obvious to me now. I feel as though this wasn't so obvious when I first started this course because typically the courses I took prior (science based) followed fairly structured formats. Now, as a nature interpreter, I've learned that I'm responsible to consider multiple perspectives, but also provide differing perspectives to others. While I also enjoy the science side of interpretation, I’ve learned to enjoy and am open to other forms as well. I've learned that as a nature interpreter I am responsible to bridge the gap between people and nature in ways that are accessible, relatable and compelling. In this week's reading on courselink we were asked the question “what motivates you to do this work?” While my love and appreciation for nature keeps me motivated, I also think what I've learned through this course would have an effect on this.  I've learned to recognize the significant effect nature interpretations can have on others by recognizing the forms of nature interpretation that have played a crucial role in my life in shaping what I want to do today. I think it was important to realize the effect that nature interpretation has had on me to realize I can have that same effect on others. I’ve learned to be mindful of how I both present and obtain information.

Overall, I'm grateful for what I have learned in the course, and will remember to carry on to this information for the rest of my nature interpretation journey.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

This was a great blog to read because I felt as if I was reading my own thoughts. I thought the same at the start of the course. I had no idea what to expect and I assumed there was a set way to interpret nature that we were going to be taught, but it turns out there are many ways, and the way you do it ultimately depends on you. I thought it was quite refreshing to do a course that was not all science based like the ones you did, and just be able to speak more freely. I also like what you wrote about the history aspect of it as this is something I think about often in terms of politics. We learn about the mistakes so we can avoid them in the future, and somehow as an environmental science student, it never occurred to me that it can be such a big part of nature interpretation.

[khalilgskrsgenvs3000blog-deacti]

Final Blog Prompt:

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

Hey everyone,

It's my final blog post today and I can't believe the semester is winding down already. It has been a joy being able to come and write my thoughts for each of our prompts. If I’m being honest, I didn’t quite know what nature interpretation was when I joined this course. However, being here has allowed me to see and recognize all the different nature interpreters that I have encountered in my life. It has also allowed me to see the beauty of this profession, as well as the kind of interpreter that I desire to be. I hope to being forth the authenticity of the people that I meet while doing interpretation. In this course, we learned that different age groups desire a different technique of teaching of relaying information. I want to be able to be able to serve each of these people in a way that meets their needs as well as involve them in the process of interpretation. I want to refrain from making the younger kids worry about the more complex conversations like deforestation and climate change. If I do—I want to make it as digestible as possible, while paying attention to how they may be responding to the information. I hope to bring more complex conversations to to the teens and allow them to speak their minds freely. I hope to engage the adults with in-depth information that allows them to know new things and have information to share with those around them. With the elders, I hope to glean as much wisdom from them as possible. However, I hope to learn, grow and be challenged by the opinions and thoughts of all of them. I hope to bring forth the belief in the beauty of nature. Often times, we can treat nature as something we only take from, not necessarily something we can learn from. As I mentioned in one of my earlier posts, we can learn so much from nature in how they move in harmony and navigate the different seasons of the year. I would also want to understand how they see nature and what impact they hope to have on acts such as deforestation. I hope to bring the belief that the land we stand on should be cherished, as it will one day be the ground our future generations will inhabit. I hope to bring forth the belief that guilt is not needed when it comes to discussing climate change. We are human beings and we will not be able to fix or change everything. Despite this, we can do what we can, where we are, with what we have.

As an interpreter, it is my duty to be treat everyone with the respect that they deserve. It is my hope to bridge the gap between different cultures, ethnicities religions among other things, by allowing everyone to feel welcome. Nature is here for all of us to glean from and is surely not a place where discrimination and prejudice should exist. With this being said, I also hope to incorporate history into nature interpretation. We all have varying backgrounds and experiences, so does the land on which we stand on. I hope to bring the history of this land to the forefront and challenge to see the lessons and mistakes of those before us, as well as the beauty that can be found within it all.

Thank you so much for reading my posts this semester, I wish you all the best and good luck with your assignments and exams!!!

[jpwenvs3000f23]

I am the same, I did not know what to expect from this course, but it has been fun to do these blogs and be more open with what we are writing instead of just facts after facts. I agree with what you said about how we take from nature and not always learn from it. Sometimes just observing it and literally let nature take its course can be the best thing to do. I also liked what you said about not making people feel guilty about climate change. I think if we just focus on those negatives, the younger generation will not want to talk about it as much. If they are shown and educated in the right way about what it is they are saving, they should feel a lot more optimistic and incentivised to do something to help.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

It is hard to believe that we are at the last blog as this means we are coming to the end of the semester. Coming from England as an exchange student, I have wanted my time here to go as slowly as possible, so it does not all rush by. Luckily I have another semester here to enjoy as much of the famous Canadian nature as possible. It is after all, one of the reasons why I picked this country.

Simply, my personal ethic as a nature interpreter would be to get other people as excited about nature as I am. I feel I have done this job well in the past with friends when we go on holiday. They are usually determined to stay in the bars and drink the week away, but I have encouraged them to go on hikes to actually see the country itself. Call me old or boring like they do initially, but afterwards, they are glad they have done it. Last week I visited a friend doing his exchange year in Victoria, BC, and I had to convince him to walk through a park instead of just going to the pub first. While we were out, we managed to see deer and an eagle which is a bird we never see in the UK. We both ended up very glad we did that, and not start drinking earlier.

I watched an interesting video the other day that summed up, said when we are gone, we will eventually be forgotten and our possessions like our car or house will either be used by someone else or destroyed. This may seem daunting, however, the point of the video was to say that when we are here, we should not worry about 95% of the things we waste our time thinking about. At the risk of sounding corny, I believe that by appreciating the world we are in, particularly the nature side like the mountains, coasts, and wildlife, this is how I believe we should live our lives. Through nature interpretation and passing down the knowledge and passion of the natural world, is the best way for this.

For me personally, the best parts of a trip away are the outside activities (only if it is not raining) like walking and beach activities if it is that type of holiday. I believe each country is unique or in this case, each state or province is. My ideal approach for nature interpretation would be to be involved in filming a show or film that involves nature in any way. I do not necessarily have to be the one holding the camera or be in the shot, but to be involved in any way would be enough for me at this stage. I really do not want to be stuck in an office job every day. If I am able to travel and in some way be part of spreading the knowledge and love for nature, I would be satisfied.

After watching the video of 'David Suzuki and Richard Louv at the Art Gallery of Ontario discussing how to reconnect to nature', this further supports my approach to nature interpretation. As I said earlier about wanting to be part of filming, this links to the idea of when they discussed technology in the video. Children these days rely on technology even more than we did which is a shame but understandable with all the changes going on in the world. They explained that it is harder for children to appreciate the nature especially if they are in growing urban cities. Therefore, it is through technology that they can get some sort of experience of it, until they are older hopefully when they can go out and experience it for themselves like we do. This would be another reason to do what I want to do through filming etc. In this modern world, this would be one of the more effective ways to share nature interpretation.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 09: Sense-Making of Nature Interpretation

Interpret (through this blog) the most amazing thing you know about nature – get us excited. This is your blog – you audience isn’t out in the field with you so bring the field to your armchair reader.

I am going to take this opportunity to talk about one of my favourite parts of the world, despite never actually visiting before, but of course, hope to one day. The Amazon Rainforest. After watching documentaries and looking at photos of the place, I think it is one of the most beautiful, interesting, diverse, and important places in the world.

The Amazon Rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world with an area of 6,000,000km2, which also covers 40% of Brazil. Located by the Andes, it has high rainfall, humidity, and temperatures, while having the richest biodiversity. There are over 40,000 plants, 3000 fish, 400 mammals, and 2,500,000 species of insects. (Augustyn, 2017) Monkeys are my favourite animal, so I should talk about them, in particular the squirrel monkey.

They reside in the canopies, usually in groups of about 500 (also known as troops or a barrel), swinging about quickly. Due to the large numbers, they have complex social behaviours. They tend to eat fruits for nutrients and insects for protein. They are known to be diurnal which means they look for their food during the day. In order to reproduce, the female gives birth to only one baby after a five-month gestation period. The majority of babies are born during the wet season where there is a higher food supply. The young monkey stays with its mother for about two months, and about six months later become completely independent. (Riverview Park and Zoo, 2021)

Sadly, they can be under threat when people hunt them whether it be for food, as pets, or medical research. However, local zoos and conservation areas make it their priority to protect them.

I hope you found this as interesting as I did. Monkeys have always been cute, but fascinating creatures to me, and I feel I could watch them all day. Here is a great photo I found of a squirrel monkey mother and infant.

(Folly Farm, 2019)

Augustyn, Adam. “Amazon Rainforest | Plants, Animals, Climate, & Deforestation.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2017, www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-Rainforest.

Riverview Park and Zoo. “Common Squirrel Monkey.” Www.riverviewparkandzoo.ca, 12 May 2021, www.riverviewparkandzoo.ca/en/zoo/common-squirrel-monkey.aspx.

Folly Farm. “Squirrel Monkey – Fun Facts & Information for Kids.” Folly Farm, 2019, www.folly-farm.co.uk/zoo/meet-the-zoo-animals/common-squirrel-monkey/.

[otenvs3000f23]

Hello everyone, 

I hope you are all enjoying our last few days of the beautiful autumn weather – certainly my favourite season, so I’ll be sad to see it go! 

I am not much of a musically inclined person, I never even learned how to read music in school! Nonetheless, I absolutely love listening to music, if you are anything like me, I have about a million different playlists for various moods, ‘vibes’, and activities on my Spotify. My family is in Vancouver, so I spend a good amount of time in the mountains, and I always find myself listening to ‘folky’ and rock songs that embody the whole “granola-girl” aesthetic whenever I am out there (I find it funny how I rarely listen to that playlist when I’m in Ontario). In my opinion, nature interpretation is all about gaining an appreciation for nature and being fully present and in tune with it. Listening to the music of the trees blowing in the wind, birds chirping, and the crunching of leaves beneath your feet is probably the best kind of music for being present and one with nature. Still, if I had to pick a genre of music that spoke to me most while outdoors – or elicited a feeling of being fully present – it would have to be contemporary classical music. The absence of lyrics allows my mind to take in all the beauty around me. The calming melody of the classical instruments kindles the sense of “presentness” that I find so important about being outdoors – and in any aspect of life. In the same way photos and social media can push for immediate interpretation (as stated in the textbook), I would argue that music has the ability to transport you to another realm of awareness and presence, one where you can tune out some of your incessant thoughts that consume your day, and one that can evoke feeling and emotion. I think it’s super cool that we humans aren’t the only species who communicate through music, for example, think of whales or birds, even insects have the ability to feel rhythm! There is a reason music can induce great emotion and memory, it is ingrained in our history as a species and we wouldn’t have it if it weren’t for nature and our great ancestors evolving animal vocalization into the sounds of music we hear today. If I had to pick some songs that transport me to a space where I can be fully immersed in nature – sticking with my contemporary classical genre – the following are what I would recommend: 

Sunken Dreams by Alban Claudin & Esther Abrami

Minerva by Akira Kosemura

Avril 14th by Aphex Twin, Daniel Hope, Jacques Ammon, Christoph Anacker, Jane Berthe, and Kaiser Quartett

I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this week's prompt because I sort of struggled with it haha!

All the best,

Olivia

[jpwenvs3000f23]

I struggled with this one too, but it was nice to see that someone else appreciates classical music in a similar way I do. Lots of people would be too scared to mention they enjoy it. I agree with your idea that it is soothing and nature is usually calm, so they work well together. I feel it has less distractions compared to the usual pop songs, so like you said, it can easily make you imagine you are there and feel emotion.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 07: Nature Interpretation Through Music

Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

As a follow-up (focus on the above two before you tackle this one), what song takes you immediately back to a natural landscape? What is the context? Share it with us – I would imagine many of these ideas may have similar underpinnings of a campfire, roadtrip, backpacking journey, etc.!

This is a challenging one for me as I am quite boring in the sense that I do not really listen to music, so my knowledge of it is poor. However, I can appreciate a good song or piece of music when I do listen to it.

Music can be found in nature anywhere. This includes all the sounds that we hear which can be animals like birds communicating to each other or monkeys chattering. You could also say the rustling of leaves is music. They are all natural sounds that together make up a song. It may not be your typical song that is played with a piano or drum and bass, but it still creates a story or message for your ears.

I am sure there are countless songs and pieces of music that are about nature, but as I mentioned before, I am unlikely to know many. Personally, the type of music I listen to are film soundtracks. When music is played in a TV show or film while showing natural landscapes and events happening in the natural world, I immediately connect the two if I listen to it again. Think of a show like Game of Thrones that has a great soundtrack and great cinematography. There are many scenes that are set in the snowy northern mountains and the music they play has a slow ambiance, often with a cello. This means that if I listen to pieces of music similar to that then I envision the stunning snowy landscapes.

To answer the follow-up question, the song that I connect nature with a lot is 'Into the West' by Annie Lennox. If you search it up, you will find that it was used in Lord of the Rings, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise after reading this blog. There are many mentions of nature in this song such as 'the distant shore', 'white gulls call', and 'a pale moon rises'. It is a calming song that reminds me of the nature, particularly in the films where there are the stunning landscapes of New Zealand shown, which I suppose is like a fantasy version of a backpacking trip.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 06: Nature Interpretation Through 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)

Unpack this quote.

This quote required me to read at least three times before I could grasp any sort of understanding from it. I think there is a lot to unpack from this quote, so I will try by starting with the first part. My interpretation of this is that all parts of history in a certain place must be considered in order to award it some merit in its integrity. There are many moving parts in history that must be analysed and it is through this that we learn about the ancient things. In a way, Hyams is also stating that the ancient things are not a largely important factor in appreciating history, but this is not necessarily the case. Ancient things like artifacts or buildings are what gives us an idea of how people were back in those times and the characters that were present then. For example, you look at the pyramids and mummies and they teach us about the Egyptian glorification of life after death. This is a beautiful belief that is still with us today.

As for the second part of the quote, I agree with, but also think it should not be the case. It would be sad if all these events were occurring and then just quickly forgotten about. History leaves behind, using the terms of Hyams, ancient things. Not only the history of mankind like mentioned before, but also in nature. There is evidence of the ice age and dinosaurs with their fossils. These events lead to another event, and then another. Just like the station will always be there, but not always the same train. We learn from history and create new moments in history, and this is very important in today's modern world. There have been countless mistakes made whether it be to do with politics or the climate as some examples. Learning from those mistakes means we can only better ourselves and the nature that surrounds us.

This was a challenging quote to unravel, but only became more enjoyable as I got further into it, and I hope my answer makes some sort of sense to the rest of you.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 05: Free Write

I will be honest, I struggle to write any piece of work without any prompt or question. I suppose the first thing that comes to mind is my recent trip to Algonquin Park.

As a British student, driving through Canada was amazing. It made me fully realise how ridiculously big this country is, but also stunning in terms of its nature and small towns in between the long roads.

Arriving at Algonquin Park, the surroundings were great to see. The lake outside our motel and the autumn trees complemented each other excellently. Despite the continuous rain we had on the trip, this does not take away from the fantastic views that we experienced. I am aware though that the scenery would have been even better without the rain as the visibility would have been higher, but I still greatly appreciated it. I felt this was only a preview of what beautiful landscapes are out there. I am excited to see a white Christmas in North America as this is very rare in the south of London.

I have often been asked what are my favourite countries, climates and landscapes I have witnessed. I have always said snowy mountains like in Norway, or coastal cliffs in Croatia or Spain, but I think Canada's lakes and highlands will rise up there when I visit more places here.

I am interested to know what other people's favourite trips have been over the years.

[jpwenvs3000f23]

Unit 04: Nature Interpretation through Art and Planning for “All” Scenarios

Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”?

Ever since I was a child, I never felt I was talented or creative enough to produce any artwork worth people's time. I was always more into the written subjects like maths and sciences. However, as I have grown up, I have learnt that I can still appreciate art without having to do it myself. Over time, I realised I enjoyed looking at paintings or drawings of natural landscapes and animals more than of people. This is when I was starting to get the idea that I enjoyed nature a lot. I always sensed more beauty in those types of paintings. Photography is another form of art that I also enjoy looking at as well as doing myself. I feel like there is a lot of emotion in those forms of art, and this may be why I love films like Lord of the Rings, as they capture the natural beauty of New Zealand's mountains and forests through the impeccable cinematography.

To me, the gift of beauty is being able to enjoy the story behind art. This can apply to all sorts of art whether it be paintings or buildings or stories. Everything that has been designed by mankind is art that can be beautiful and interpreted in infinite ways. I believe these art forms can bring people together such as stories as Tyrion states in Game of Thrones. They create healthy discussions between people, and that is what I believe is the gift that beauty provides for us.

As I said before, I never felt I had any authority on interpreting art like paintings, but as I go through this course, I am beginning to understand that anyone can do it. You do not need some fancy art history degree to be able to appreciate the beauty art gives you.

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Unit 03: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation

What role does “privilege” play in nature interpretation? Please include your working definition of privilege.

The discussion of privilege can be a tricky one as it refers to sensitive matters such as level of education, income, socioeconomic status, and race. There has always been a sort of divide between people who have that privilege and who does not. This can affect the ways people perceive the world due to the way they feel they are treated in society. In the case of nature interpretation, this can have a great impact on how people of privilege see nature compared to the ones who are not. There is the idea that people who live in more urbanised areas will be less likely to experience nature, whereas people who reside closer to national parks will have a greater advantage in perceiving nature firsthand. There are alternate ways of interpreting nature without having to frequently visit the places, however, there is little doubt that it is the ‘privileged’ ones who will understand nature and the wild more.

There is also the matter of income. Some people may not be able to afford fancy holidays to the other side of the world where nature is very different to home. This could influence people’s interpretation of nature because it could mean that they have not experienced the potential excitement of travelling and experiencing the world in the same way as someone who is an avid traveller. Therefore, they would not feel the need to teach or learn about this subject. Similarly, this can be applied to the level of education someone has received. If they have not been taught certain aspects of the world, they are less likely to pay attention to such matters.

You could argue though, that for someone who is not used to experiencing and interpreting nature in their lives, this new experience that eventually occurs, can be very thrilling. Meanwhile, people who see it as the norm, they will interpret nature in quite a contrasting way. For example, as an exchange student from London, I could be a lot more excited to experience Toronto and the surrounding national parks, while a typical Canadian may not as it is the norm for them. This shows that a lack of privilege can have a significant impact on someone’s nature interpretation in a positive way.

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Unit 02: Teaching Learners

Prompt: Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need? (Keep these all-in mind as you begin to work on your assignments – tailor these to that ideal job!)

Ever since I was a child, I have always been fascinated with the local wildlife of wherever I visit, whether that be back in England or in France or somewhere tropical like Mauritius or Bali. It shames me to admit that when I was younger, I never paid attention to the plants and trees in these areas as I would find flowers quite dull. I would usually pay more attention to the creatures big or small, moving around. As I have got older, I have appreciated the vegetation a bit more as I know now how important they are, but my focus has and always will be drawn to the wildlife. That is why my ideal role of environmental interpreter would be to educate people on the animals and insects found in the area. If I am enthusiastic about the topic myself, then I would hope I could project that onto the people around me. I would want to take people around, young or old, and whatever we come across, I would inform them about those creatures. As I have a great fear of snakes, a climate where they are likely to be found, such as rainforests, would not be ideal. National parks in Canada and the US, I think are the most beautiful places to visit, so just being there would get me excited. The bears and moose would be the perfect animals to share my knowledge about as I believe they are highly fascinating and impressive to look at. To be a nature interpreter in these places would require great confidence as they can be quite intimidating to people, so I would need to help people become more comfortable in their surroundings. I would also need to be generally fit because it would potentially entail lots of hiking and moving around. Being polite and welcoming to the people is very important too because you could be giving them a once in a lifetime experience, and you are a big part of that experience. I would love to share my passion for the wildlife and the stunning landscapes where they are found, and hopefully get others to understand that passion too.

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Unit 01: Describe your current relationship with nature. How has this developed/evolved? Who offered you “a sense of place,” as described in our textbook?

Disclaimer

This blog was created for ENVS3000, at the 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.

Growing up on the outskirts of London, UK meant that we did not necessarily have a direct connection with nature. However, thanks to my parents, they made sure that me and my siblings had our fair share of walks in the Surrey Hills which are large areas of fields and woodland not too far from us. As a child, I enjoyed these walks by running everywhere, climbing the trees, and playing hide and seek. Every summer we would go to the south of France and enjoy frequent visits to the beach. Although, as I got older I felt I became less interested in going outside because I preferred indoor activities. Since COVID though, I felt I had some catching up to do with the outdoors. This became even more desirable as I got older and became more independent, meaning I could go on holidays with my friends. This included the coastlines along Spain, Italy, and Croatia. Above all, my favourite type of nature would be up in the mountains and/or lakes, which is one of the main reasons I chose Canada for my year abroad. It may be due to being a foreigner, but I believe Canada and the US to be the most beautiful part of the world. I am very excited to visit some of the natural landscapes here and see wildlife that is not found in the UK. I would also say that my growing love for nature is due to my love for photography. I really enjoy taking photos of landscapes which are hard to come across in England.

The first picture shows Bushy Park, London

The second picture shows Box Hill, Surrey Hills (southwest of London)

Despite this and my desire to live in another country after university, I will always feel a great admiration to the local places back home such as Bushy Park because it is where I have grown up and created many childhood memories. There will always be a stronger sense of belonging to those places compared to other magnificent places I have visited or will visit. I am still very eager to see some national parks like Algonquin, and the Canadian Rockies. I find experiencing these places of nature more exciting, but also calmer than cities like Berlin and Paris. I believe this is due to living quite close to London where it is hectic and too fast-paced. There needs to be a sense of balance when visiting places, and I am hoping I can find that in Canada this year.