ENVS3000 Blogs

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Final Blog

The end of the semester has come very quickly and sadly the end of our blog posts as well. I would like to start off by saying these blogs have a great way to express my experiences in nature. At the end of the week, I sit back and think about all that I have done while learning about different ways to interpret those experiences. This is my last semester in Guelph and I am going to be graduating next month, so this is very different. Not only am I reaching the end of my final school year, but I am also reaching the end of one of my last courses. This is a very nerve-wracking time for me as I feel like all of my hard work is amounting to this moment. I also feel very lost as I am still not sure what I want to do after I graduate. When I was in my first year I was in animal biology but quickly switched out of that into biological sciences. Although I switched out of one program I never felt like I belonged in this new one. It was not until I took this course, that I had some sense in what I enjoy. I realized what I like and what I could potentially want to do in my life.  This course made me appreciate the little things in life which made me realize I want to travel and explore nature. As a nature interpreter, I don’t think you can stay in one place, you are meant to be everywhere. And if you know me then you know that is one thing I’ve always wanted from my future career: the ability to travel. This course has opened my eyes to many different perspectives about nature interpretation such as ethical points of view, technology, music, and art in nature. Many people may consider this an environmental course, but I look at it as a way of life.  Learning about nature in different ways opened my eyes to a potential career path that I would actually enjoy. I believe it is because it revolves around things I would actually enjoy studying. For a long time in my university career, I have felt like I have not felt connected to any specific course. My belief that I bring into this course is that everyone should have the chance to enjoy nature. Whether you are an outdoorsy person or adventurous or you like to stay at home. As a nature interpreter, I would love to make people feel connected to nature the way I do. I would want to open many people’s minds to the different ways that nature could make them feel. I would do this by appealing to different sides of everyone’s personality. For example, by relating music to nature and having people appreciate the sounds they hear I could appeal to their musical sides.\ Moreover, my ethical views have also changed as I have grown throughout the semester. One of the topics I enjoyed learning about was our invisible backpack, as it had me reevaluating my privileges. This is very important to due because not everyone has the same experiences as each others. My responsibility as a nature interpreter would be to make sure everyone is included, and that everything is properly communicated. Being able to ensure that I understand everyone’s learning styles means that I can interpret nature for everyone. As an individual, I believe I would try to communicate through different learning styles such as visually through art perspectives, for auditory learners I would use music. My overall approach would be to connect with everyone and make sure everyone is enjoying their time. Lastly, I believe it is important to be passionate about connecting with others and be able to share. When you personally connect with something you are able to share it with many people because you love talking about it. This is very important as people have good judgment skills on whether someone is genuinely passionate about their job. If you think about it when you see someone who clearly does what they love you think they are doing this because they genuinely want everyone to see their passions. This is defiantly one of my goals when finding a career path! To end off, I enjoyed reading each of your blog posts and I hope to continue this journey to express my views on nature.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Unit 09: Sense-Making of Nature Interpretation

Nature is such a broad topic, and everyone interprets it in their own way. Things that I find amazing others could find average and vice versa. There are many amazing things about nature such as the way it brings you peace, opening your eyes to things you never knew existed. Nature can challenge your thinking in many ways as there are some things that you would never expect to see or feel. I think one of the most amazing things about nature is how the appreciation for it is timeless. Back in the day when people first started discovering camping and natural parks it was very popular. Even though there was no social media or things to distract them everyone still liked to be out in nature. In today’s society, we appreciate nature because there has been a lot of focus on social media and technology. When we step out we realize all the things we can experience in the open rather than behind closed doors and screens. I was researching some facts about nature and came across a few interesting ones. For example, did you know that there are more trees on earth than starts in the galaxy? There are about 1 trillion trees on the earth which is so amazing because there are many different life forms that live in them. Moreover, as humans, we have only discovered about 30 percent of the ocean. There are so many creatures and spaces that we probably have never even heard about. Think about how deep the ocean is, we have discovered less than half of that. Although this is kind of scary as many people fear the unknown, I think of it as an endless opportunity. In the past, we would have never thought that someday somebody would land on the moon. Who knows if in the future we someone has who travels down into the ocean to see what is on the other side of this planet. To continue, I believe that nature is one of the only things that brings people peace because we all evolved from spending all our time in it. Our ancestors would live in the wild and all their means would come from the environment. I feel like deep down we still have these instincts and that’s why we feel differently when we are sight-seeing or camping. There is a certain type of relaxation you get while being out in nature which to me is fascinating. All in all, I feel like the fact that we have so much more to discover is what is the most amazing thing about nature. It is timeless and never-ending. There are so many new possibilities that could lead to an endless amount of things. How do you guys feel about my stance and what do you think is the most amazing part of nature?

[nhenvs3000w22]

Music in Nature

Music is everywhere in nature. George Santayana, a poet philosopher, and naturalist, stated “the Earth has music for those who listen.” Birds and whales have very similar music in respect to human songs. A song is defined as, “any rhythmic repeated utterance, whether by a bird, a frog, an insect, a whale or a human being (Gray et al. 2001). For instance, whale’s “songs fall between the length of a modern ballad and that of a movement of a symphony” (Gray et al. 2001). Due to the fact that whale’s songs are close to humans, it is believed that that they have close attention spans to humans (Gray et al. 2001). This is a result of whale’s large cerebral cortex’s (Gray et al. 2001). Additionally, whales are able to sing over a range of seven octaves. However, whales typically utilize “musical intervals between their notes that are similar to or the same as the intervals in our scales” (Gray et al. 2001). Next, birds will often chirp songs that “use the same rhythmic variations, pitch relationships, permutations, and combinations of notes as human composers” (Gray et al.2001).

Nature is also everywhere in music. Many of the sounds that are utilized in modern music are from nature. I personally know many people that can’t fall asleep without listening to ‘nature’s music.’ For example, hearing running water from a waterfall, owls hooting, or ocean waves crashing on the beach. Even in the famous nursery rhyme, “Old Macdonald Had a Farm,” nature is utilized in music through the use of the different farm animals.

The song that immediately takes me back to nature is “Big Yellow Taxi,” by Joni Mitchell. The message in this song is very clear message regarding society’s poor use and concern for our use of the lands around us (Mitchell, 1970). This is shown in the main chorus “we pave paradise and put up a parking lot,” as well as “we cut down all the trees and put into a tree museum and charge the people a dollar and a half to see them” (Mitchell, 1970). Whenever I hear this song, I think about how beautify nature is and how it is being taken away. This is even stated in the song when Joni Mitchell says, “you don’t know what you got till it’s gone” (Mitchell, 1970). I believe that this statement sums up nature as society has become so driven that nobody takes the time to enjoy what Earth has to offer. I loath the day we need to pay “a dollar and a half” to see nature in a museum.

References

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=anon~bddb6115&sid=googleScholar&xid=8b0b8c09

Mitchell J. (1970). Big Yellow Taxi [Recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell]. On Ladies of the Canyon. United States: Reprise Records.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

I enjoyed your post and how you used the quote that “Earth has music for those who listen”, which I believe is very true.  I also never knew that birds and whales have the same music in respected human songs. I have also listened to many songs that have nature sounds in order to go to sleep. There is something about these sounds that bring me to a place of nature that relaxes me. I also love the song “Big Yellow Taxi”, it’s one of my favourite road trip songs. I believe that music can really bring together art and music which is why nature is part of music. 

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Music in Nature

To understand how music is in nature you have to broaden your senses in order to get a better understanding of nature. You can not only see nature, you can hear it, feel it and get a sense of belonging through these experiences. One of the most peaceful sounds in the world, well to me at least is the crashing waves. No matter what time of day it is or the weather outside there is something peaceful of hearing water moving. I would say this is one of the first times I have experienced music in nature. Terence McKenna an American ethnobotanist stated, “Nature is not mute, it is a man who is deaf”. Being able to hear music in nature is part of the reason you feel connected to the earth. Nature also plays a big role in music as many sounds come from naturally occurring things such as rain dropping or birds chirping. Many songs sample sounds from nature to make their music more interactive. There is a certain art in placing samples of nature in music as it gives a real feeling to the song. A specific song I can think of that reminds me of this is “Jungle” by Drake, in where he samples sounds from the jungle. I love the meaning behind the song and the sample music in the background really brings the song together. Other examples of nature in music is listening to rain or leaves ruffling to help you focus or fall asleep. Many people use these tactics when they need to feel calm in order to get tasks done and be focused. I believe that many songs can take you back to a certain point in your life and provide nostalgia. One specific song that reminds me of nature is “Castle on the Hill” by Ed Sheeran. I believe this song is very specific to me because it reminds me of a hill I used to go to in high school to watch the sunset with my friends. Not only does it remind me of the sunset but the feelings I used to get. Certain songs can transfer you back to a certain time in your life and let you experience that moment again. Whether it be the way the wind felt or the feeling you get when you were with people you loved. This is why I believe that music is everywhere in nature because it also gives you that sense of belonging and a feeling of peace. I am interested to know what songs take you guys back to a certain point in your lives. Are you able to experience the same feelings again?

[kkdenvs3000w22]

NATURE THROUGH ART

[efenvs3000w22]

Discussion 3

I think that when it comes to nature interpretation, and even having a relationship with nature, there is a lot of ways that privilege can have a large influence. My definition of privilege is the idea that some people are born with advantages that help them to move through life and give them opportunities that others do not get simply because of the position they were born into in society. I see that I have the privilege of being born in a white middle-class family, with parents who have helped me financially be able to go to University. Because of having my parent’s support, I have been able to spend money that I have saved on trips and activities where I gained experience outdoors. This can impact people because a large part of getting a job in this field is having the skills and experience that comes with being outdoors often, like being knowledgeable on various activities and on local wildlife. Some people may not be able to get jobs in the sector simply because they were not able to get this type of experience, whether that be from financial or location reasons, or any other reasons. 

I think it is on a smaller scale as well, with my parents having 9-5 jobs so my dad had time to take me into nature on weekends. We had access to our own vehicle to get to out of the way nature areas, could do fun activities like camping because we had the equipment for it. Often people use nature as an escape from daily life, but not everyone can afford to do so or has the time and means. It can be a daunting task to go out of your comfort zone and do something for the first time by yourself, such as learning a new outdoor activity. All this to say is that privilege comes in many forms, and when it comes to nature interpretation it has a large role in shaping people’s experiences. 

It is important to consider your audience. An example I can think of is using eco-friendly products. Often these types of reusable, or low-environmental impact products (cleaning supplies, kitchen supplies, organic food etc.) are more expensive options. Not everyone can afford to purchase the more expensive option, so people’s financial abilities would be something to keep in mind when promoting actions or things that are eco-friendly. 

As a woman, I can see how going into nature on hikes, camping trips, or anything really is a risk - especially if you are alone. I think that most women I know would be hesitant to go into the woods alone for something like a hike. This has an impact on nature interpretation because you want to make sure that your outreach is accessible for a large audience, and that everyone feels comfortable and safe if you are outdoors and in charge of teaching or guiding others. Not everyone has the same level of comfort with being in nature and that is an important consideration to keep in mind. As the textbook suggests, getting to know your audience is essential for being a successful nature interpreter, and part of that is assessing your audience’s level of prior knowledge and comfortability.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Hey there, I enjoyed reading your take on this week's blog topic and I think you have a good sense of how privilege affects different people. You are completely right about the eco-friendly products being more expensive. This is the same thing with many healthy food options which are more expensive than junk food. Certain things can not be obtained because everyone does not have the same financial standing. This is the case for many nature views as they often are far away or maybe they are too expensive and not everyone can have access to these luxuries.  

It is so sad that as women we have to think about our own safety in situations that we should be able to enjoy. This is something that I have always hated because I've always wanted to travel alone but my fear holds me back. This is something that should be addressed in the environmental field such as group trips to make women feel more comfortable or phone lines set up for emergencies. Another big factor in privilege is a race because many people cant visit certain places or have a good experience based on discrimination of skin color. This could be addressed by educating and hiring more people of color in the environmental science field as there is clearly not enough representation or diversity. Although, we have a long way to go in the science field in addressing social injustices which makes science not inclusive for all types of people as it should be. Let me know what you think we can do to make this field of study more inclusive.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Privilege

Privilege is a tricky topic. Those who have it often do not understand what it means whereas people who don’t understand it clearly. I believe I carry my own invisible backpack because I live in Canada, with “first-world problems” and I am able to discuss this topic openly. Although I am a Sikh woman who lives comfortably, I am able to do many things that my own mother was not able to do back home. For example, because I have a good relationship with my mom she understands that I have my own life and goals. I know that this is not the case for many kids with immigrant parents as we feel like they have sacrificed a lot for us, which makes us feel guilty for living our own lives. Many students also feel like they are studying for their parents which is why I like that I am able to study what I am genuinely interested in. To continue, over the past years there has been a lot of discussion on the news about Black lives matter and the injustices occurring with Indigenous peoples. These topics always get me very upset, even though I am a person of colour I feel like not enough is being done within our own communities as well. There is a lot of performative activism such as naming streets after people or wearing orange to show support. The real support comes from the day to day life, for example, if you notice someone making a racist remark you should call them out for their behaviour. These racist remarks are not always in the way you think, they could be as simple as “Oh why is it only black lives matter, what about all lives matter”. These types of remarks are the reason why we need these movements as they completely invalidate the struggles of black people and everyone should be supported. Moreover, privilege plays a big role in nature interpretation because not everyone is able to go out in nature and enjoy things the same way. For example, as a woman, it is harder to travel alone in foreign places as you could become a target for many people. As a person of color, you can also face many different discriminatory experiences which make being out in nature harder. The textbook also highlights ways that nature interpretation can increase inclusivity for everyone. For example, reducing cultural barriers by inviting people to certain places would make them feel more comfortable. Another way could be to reduce communication barriers by providing multilingual interpretation to include people who don’t speak the language. Another way to think of it is the nature you are observing could be land that is stolen or not being respected properly. In this case, instead of ignoring the signs, you should be respectful before you decide to visit a place because that becomes disrespectful. An example of this is the government of Hawaii letting tourists know that currently, it would not be a good idea to visit the island, as many of the locals are experiencing difficult scenarios right now. All in all, I believe that privilege is a tricky topic because people do not want to put their pride aside and be held accountable for having it.

[gmenvs3000w22]

My Future as a Nature Interpreter

I still do not know what my dream job would be. What I do know is that I want to work outdoors and that I love to see children learn about nature. As I mentioned in my previous blog, at one of my co-op work terms I was an outdoor education intern and an outdoor education centre north of Toronto. Many of the students who came to the centre had never left the city before and were experiencing being in nature for the first time. We took them cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and taught them while doing these activities. It was incredible to watch their eyes open as they learned about the outdoors while experiencing them at the same time. These types of trips were always my favourite while I was in grade school as well and I found I learned the most while experiencing nature.

All this being said, I am a relatively quiet person and do not love speaking in front of big groups. While on this work term, I learned that I do better and enjoy it more when there is a group of around 5-10 people where I can interact more. I also really want to do field research. Putting these things together, I think my dream job would involve ecological monitoring in a park (provincial, national, or other) where I could still interact with groups of visitors and educate them about what they are exploring.

I think it is incredibly important to educate the public about the importance of conserving biodiversity. More often people just hear “save biodiversity” without an explanation of why it’s so important. I think that I would do well in a position of getting people to care about biodiversity by having them see it first-hand. While I don’t do well speaking in front of large groups, I do well with small groups. So, explaining to visitors what I am working on and why as they pass by would be a really rewarding job for me.

I love forests and am really passionate about trees. One of my favourite things to explain to friends when I’m hiking is the “perched birch.” This is when the beginning of the roots of a birch tree are above ground making the trunk to appear perched above the ground. This happens because birch seeds are not always heavy enough to get through the layer of fallen leaves on the forest floor, so the seed lands on a decaying log and begins to grow. The log decays over time and you are left with a perched birch tree. I love learning about adaptations like this on that trees have to survive, and I love talking about them. When I get to show them first-hand, it’s a really rewarding experience. I also find that they often look at trees and appreciate them in a different way after this.

So, I’m still not totally sure how I see myself in the future as a nature interpreter, but I know that something like what I’ve described would be a dream and that I love to do it for fun with friends.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Hi there! I enjoyed reading your take on this week's blog! I also feel like I am very shy so I can relate to how you would feel when dealing with an audience. I definitely would want to work with a close-knit group of people as well because I feel like this is where I would be able to thrive the most. I think a common misconception for people who are shy is that we can not interact with anyone which is not the case. As long as it is a comfortable setting and not too many people there it is usually a better scenario, for me at least. I do understand what you mean about saving biodiversity as I feel like there is a lot of performative activism. It is up to us to actually make a difference instead of just posting on social media when something is trending. Thanks for sharing about the birched trees as well, as this is something I never knew about. I love that you have something you are passionate about as this will make finding a career much similar and you will be able to enjoy your job. That is something I am also working on as I do not want to get stuck in a position solely for money. Overall this was a great blog post, and I am looking forward to hearing more from you for the rest of the semester.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

Ideal Role as an Environmental Interpreter

[kmsenvs3000w22]

Relationship with Nature

Half past noon. Sun. Crouched. Calm. Stream trickling. Water Striders. Trees creaking. Smell of warm air. Warmth of the sun. Boots sink in mud. Soaked. Cold. Stationary. Everything is stationary. Peaceful. Movement. Twig breaks. Flash of brown and white. Deer. One. Two. Three of them. Eyes stare. Frozen. Close the distance. No threat. Back turned. Walk. Disappear. Stationary. Everything is stationary once again. Peaceful.

Nature.

I honestly believe that the person who gave me a “sense of place” is myself.  For as long as I can remember, nature has always been a part of me. It is what many people know me as in one shape or form. I am not sure how this fascination with nature began, but it has always been there. Both of my parents are not too keen on the outdoors, nor what inhabits them. I like to think through my obsession, I have dragged them in with me. Whether it was through begging them to go camping or spend a night in the backyard. Or asking if I can keep the Gartner snake, I caught in my butterfly net. After a couple of years of this, it was clear to them that this wasn’t a phase. These days I think they just tolerate my shenanigans, but I know they encourage it as well, especially my mom.

To me, being in nature clears the mind and strips me of the chains of our urban lifestyle. In nature, nothing else matters than what I see through my eyes, what I smell with my nose, what I feel with my hands, what I hear with my ears, and not so much taste with my tongue (for now anyways). Completely in the moment. It shows me what really matters and reminds me how distant we are from it all. Nothing drives this point more than the water. I have always been drawn to the water more than anything else. Its inhabitants, the silence, the idea of entering a different world. The idea that I am so out of place here, yet everything else under the surface is thriving. The one memory I have tied to this all is swimming with Whale Sharks, nothing beats it.

I have always loved animals, especially the ones misunderstood by the general public. I remember I got a tarantula when I was five years old for Christmas. It was my first “real” pet. Her name was Aragog, she was an Aphonopelma seemani, she was so pretty. I didn’t realize how much I cared for her until I found out she had passed in the December of 2018. She was just always around. And even though she couldn’t speak or effectively communicate, I always felt like I knew what she was thinking. I knew when she was stressed or scared, when she was ready to moult and when she was hungry. She had a personality. She wasn’t out to get me or aggressive. In my young mind, I concluded that she’s not too different to me.

Currently, I feel the same as I did when I was five years old. That’s why I sometimes feel like I am a five-year-old in a twenty-one-year-old’s body because the same things excite me! Nowadays, I have more freedom to spend even more time with nature. I also have been lucky enough to turn this passion for nature into a career path. Additionally, also become obsessed with the idea of fly fishing for several years now. It’s a burden on the bank account, but hey it’s worth it 😊

In mind, my relationship with nature is only beginning.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

I loved this blog post! You perfectly described how nature can make you feel and I can appreciate your thought on how nothing matters in nature except your own senses. I feel the same once I am in the water I feel like everything is just at peace. I'm curious to know why do you think we get this sense of calmness in nature? I believe it is because in our regular lives we are so used to living through screens that once we experience things in our own eyes our soul appreciates the feeling. I love that you were able to swim with the sharks as scuba diving or swimming with the fish is always something I've wanted to do. Is traveling important to you? I think that being able to visit different parts of the world is a real eye-opener. For example, in the textbook, there is a sense of place given when you visit somewhere with historical significance as you know what had happened there and the impact on the land. The history of a place can affect how you feel when you are there as you can understand how the land used to be used and live a day in the life of people who used to live there. This is why I think it is so important to get out of your comfort zone and see places that you would never think you would be. After all, life can't be lived in the places you grew up otherwise you would never get to see the world!

[dralh]

Disclaimer

This blog was created for __________, 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.

[kkdenvs3000w22]

My relationship with nature

Growing up I never considered myself an outdoorsy person as I spent most of my time reading books and experiencing the world through words. In fact, I associated nature with bugs or weather that I did not want to spend time in. Although, as time started going by I realized I do enjoy spending time outside and making my own experiences. I realized I still enjoy the summer more than the winter, as I feel like I can experience things in peace. I got over my fear of bugs and found out that doing excursions in nature made me feel good about myself.

I believe that the one place that made me change my mind about the outdoors was the beach. There was something about standing in a water-filled with waves and not being able to see how far it stretches out that gave me a sense of peace. One of my best feelings in the world is standing in the water with the sun hitting my face because at that moment I feel as if nothing is wrong. You may have your own place or person which makes you feel good inside, and for me, that place is the beach. I do associate the beach with some of my closest friends as any time we were upset over the summer we would plan a beach trip. Not only do the people you surround yourself with the matter but the fact that they have the same feeling of peace where you are. I believe the water gives me a sense of place as most of the time we as humans stay on the land but we don’t realize there are many other places we can be.

I would also say that another trip that changed my outlook on nature was last year on my birthday with my family. We went to Mount Tremblant during the fall and it was my first time visiting, I was in awe at the beauty in the mountains. I would describe this as a very enriching experience for me and I found myself taking “mental pictures” for many moments. We went ziplining on the highest mountains in Canada, and after a long hike, we reached the most breathtaking views. Now I will be the first to admit that I am not a very healthy person, so this hike took a lot out of me but in the end, the entire thing was worth it. A moment that will be saturated into my body and life forever, would be ziplining down the mountain with the sun beaming in my face and seeing the beautiful fall trees – it was something out of a movie! We also had a house by the lake so every morning we would wake up and take our kayaks out on the lake. I already described how I feel about being in the water which is why this experience also brought me peace. A lot of things changed for me this year so this trip was very eye-opening and it showed me how much the people in my life mean to me, as I was doing things I never do with people I genuinely love spending time with.

One of the views from the lake!

Some of the views from the mountains.

Our house by the lake

My relationship with nature is evolving as I grow and it also gives me a sense of identity as I am finding out new things I love to do.  I defiantly want to explore this side of me more as I like what I am discovering.  My next step is traveling so I can experience nature in different parts of the world and learn about different cultures.