Katharines Guide to Nature Interpretation @kpmbenvs3000w22 - Tumblr Blog

Final Blog Post: My journey

Hello everyone,

I am stoked to have been a part of this journey this semester, sharing and learning each other’s experiences through blog posts. I enjoyed sharing my personal experience on nature and being vulnerable in honestly stating my viewpoint and experiences with nature. Commencing this course, I thought that I did not have as much of a nature interpretation side to myself as my experiences with nature were very different from everyone else’s. Thinking back to the first posts, everyone shared their experiences with camping, hiking, and even summer camps in their childhood that I did not have the privilege to experience because I grew up in a country limited in offering such adventures. Throughout this course, I thought to myself that my nature experience was insufficient or invaluable in comparison to others’, but I learned that that was not true. There is no right or wrong way for us to experience nature. As David Suzuki mentioned, the definition of nature is not as easy as we believe (DavidSuzukiFDN, 2012). He said that we left the description of nature to poets (DavidSuzukiFDN, 2012); his definition of nature is anywhere there are species other than human species. I found this exciting and eye-opening because my idea of nature did not involve other species; I was thinking about trees, plants, and flowers. This made me realize, and this entire course, that everyone has their definition of it and values certain things in nature more than others.

My ethic as a park interpreter

When I think about exploring nature and going on adventures, I think about the dangers that come with it. Tragic accidents happen, and I believe it is more common in nature because we are used to walking on perfect surfaces. Equally, when one is hiking on a trial, in some areas it is necessary to scramble over rocks or climb to get higher up a mountain, which is often when accidents can happen. In my opinion, and in reference to my visit to Banff, Alberta, this past summer, accidents happen when someone is unaware or uninformed and is therefore not fully prepared for the adventure. As I was not experienced in hiking on mountains, I wanted guidance and advice from others around me, for the sake of fun and safety. Thus, I thought my role as a nature interpreter was to be a park interpreter, which I still stand by after the journey we had throughout this semester. As a park interpreter, I plan to research and organize educational programs for visitors to national parks and conservation areas (eco Canada, 2021). Considering people today have access to social media, I believe the best way to start my journey as a park interpreter is through podcasts. I plan to go on hikes to the most visited areas to make podcasts on my journey and help share information with future visitors of the area. Even the social media platform TikTok will aid in my journey of park interpretation because some individuals are visual learners. Seeing national parks may not just spark interest, which may in turn force a TikTok viewer to get out of their comfort zone, but will better prepare viewers for the adventure ahead.

What beliefs do I bring?

Regarding experience with nature, I believe there are two types of people: one has gone through every outdoors adventure as a child and, the other did not have much exposure to experience nature as a child. I believe it is essential for people that had a rich experience with nature not to discourage ones who did not. The right thing to do is not to judge others but guide them in the most appropriate path. For people who have zero experience with nature and wish to step outside of their comfort zone to explore nature, help can best be offered by sharing knowledge about the best attire to wear and how to best prepare for such an adventure. As a result, I choose to become a part interpreter and help individuals who want to explore nature do it safely and without feeling like an outsider. In Alberta, everyone packed their proper attire, trekking poles, and bear sprays or bells. This made me feel embarrassed because I was underprepared and felt unable to complete the hike. Everyone wore just one light jacket but I had a thick coat because of my understanding that the higher the mountain, the colder it gets. This was in September, and the temperature was already 8 degrees. I would wear my jacket because I was cold since I was not used to this type of adventure or even weather because, in Ontario, I would often hike in warm weather. Thus, I believe it is essential not to belittle people doing a specific task differently instead of guiding them to gain confidence and continue their adventure.

What responsibilities do I have?

After going through blog posts, I had a different realization each week. I thought nature was just one specific adventure or experience, but I realized that nature has a different definition for everyone. Throughout this course, I learned that if you are better at something than someone else, it may have been due to the privilege you had of being exposed to it at a younger age; thus, not judging if someone doesn’t know something is crucial. Everyone learns differently from me. If I plan to take the role of park interpreter, I must understand that there are different learning styles such as auditory, visual, or tactile learners. One aspect I never thought about before this course is understanding who I am as an interpreter, who my audience is, and how I can make this experience meaningful. I saw this every time after going through the weekly course notes. It is a tool I learned that I am using in my other classes that have discussion posts, presentations, or even papers to understand why my audience is significant. It pushed me to find ways to be creative to help gain more interest.

What are approaches most suitable for you as an individual?

I learn better once what I read in a lecture or a book is applied to real life. When I learn something, I like to know that I can use it in real-life scenarios. That’s when it sparks an interest in me. Even though I enjoyed these blogposts, if this class were delivered in person, to have components of us exploring the arboretum would have been beneficial. However, I know that this was not possible due to the pandemic. Even though I liked having an external component, I felt more comfortable writing my experience with nature as blogposts because it made me more vulnerable. I was not afraid of being judged; the blogs allowed me to get to know everyone, and if it were in person, I would not have been able to hear everyone’s stories and experiences.

To conclude my final blog post in this course, I would like to share the most important things I learned. To become a nature interpreter, we must understand the value of wildlife and the purpose they serve. We need to respect nature when we explore and not try to change it for our benefit. Going on a hike and playing music is disrespectful as it can disrupt nature; littering during nature walks is like throwing garbage in someone’s home when you are a guest—expecting someone to have the same beliefs as you regarding nature is wrong as everyone has developed their unique definition of nature. Understanding that everyone has different learning strategies and if you are planning to spread awareness or share information about nature, it is essential to present it so that everyone can understand it. There is no right or wrong way of experiencing nature and encouraging individuals to step outside of their comfort zone to explore nature is important, too. Lastly, for me, the most important takeaway from these blogposts is an understanding privilege; some people had the privilege of exploring nature when they were young, and some people are exploring nature in their adult age, and someone not knowing how to swim or canoe should not be seen as incapable compared to a person that spends their childhood expanding these skills. It is never too late to go out into the world and experience nature, and it is okay if someone is not passionate as others regarding nature.

Thank you for reading!

Nabila

References

DavidSuzukiFDN. (2012). David Suzuki and Richard Louv @AGO. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/F5DI1Ffdl6Y

Eco Canada. (2021). Park interpreter. Retrieved from https://eco.ca/career-profiles/park-interpreter/

kpmbenvs3000w22

Hi Nabila! I have loved sharing this journey with you and so many others. I think here you have summarized our journey together in quite a beautiful way. I also agree many people here were lucky enough to have the privilege of experiencing nature at a young age, as our formative years are those in which our major interests in life usually begins., At the same time I love how you brought up the fact that this does not always have to be the case! Something I find we all too often do is leave our childlike wonder and questioning behind far too early. Asking these questions and allowing ourselves to be amazed by the things we find interesting does not always have to be something we do in our childhood, but rather something we should bring with us into adulthood. I truly think we would have a much heathier and happier world if we did that. Your idea for being a natural interpreter within a park who makes podcasts is an amazing one. I really think that there is an art form we can bring into interpretation that is not only conveying information in the form of art, making a form of storytelling ? (Beck et al 2018, Chapter 10 pp. 223). You would be able to create beautiful imagery doing this and reach audiences we were never able to reach beforehand due to certain restrictions to audiences such as the ones you mentioned and more. I think you are going to be an amazing park ranger, and I cannot wait to hear one of your podcasts in the future!

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 10: Arts in Interpretation . Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 215-232

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Exploring My Role As An Interpreter

Happy Sunday everyone!

This journey exploring my outlook on nature interpretation has been insightful and enriching, and I’ve learned a lot along the way. For my final blog post, I will be exploring what my role as an interpreter has become, but I would like to emphasize that this role is fluid. Firstly, as an interpreter I hope I never become stagnant, and I keep challenging myself to learn more and hone my skills. If I want my audiences to be open to my interpretation, then I need to ensure my mind is always open to new ideas, or else I will become ignorant. I also hope to instill this lifelong learning practice in those around me, as will allow us to grow and aid in our personal lives and endeavors (Beck et al. Ch21, pp 46).

Something else I will continue to adamantly practice is getting to know my audience as well as I possibly can. Obviously, this has barriers when interpreting online via blogposts; however, I have gotten to know you all by reading your blogposts, which are often revealing about your own values and beliefs. Knowing the audience is critical if you want your interpretation to have an impact, because even if the content matters to you, it will have no effect if it matters not to the audience (Beck et al. Ch7, pp 130). From this, embracing and acknowledging the differences and minorities in audience members is integral to creating a welcoming interpretation program. This is not just a priority in interpretation, but every aspect of life.

When interpreting, even though I will try my best to get to know my audience members, there is a challenge in which you will always be interpreting to a group of people with their own unique life stories with unique perspectives on everything. The beauty of interpretation, and one of my main responsibilities as an interpreter, is that we can use shared human experiences to give meaning to anything.

One of my favourite interpretive approaches is to guide and harness the human senses in order to make the interpretation an experience (Beck et al. Ch5, pp 100). The audience may not know where to look, what to listen for, or what to feel, but guiding the audience in the right direction will ensure that they are able to get the first-hand experience. This will make the moment much more authentic and genuine for the audience members, especially because they found the beauty themselves. The use of senses will also make the moment much more memorable and will often act as a catalyst to seeking further education and interpretation (Beck et al. Ch5, pp 101). Using the human senses is an effective approach because it doesn’t matter what your walk of life is, because we all use our senses to experience the same world.

Photo taken by me. This is a simple image of preservation field with a clear sky in Guelph, ON. Think about what senses would be stimulated if you were placed within this photo? How would these senses impact your experience here?

Possibly an even better approach to interpreting, is the harnessing of human emotions. Although we all come from different origins, there are key emotions that are shared amongst humans of every culture, such as suffering, love, overcoming a challenge, and fear (Beck et al. Ch5, pp 88). I believe that using these universal emotions is a great way to invoke empathy within audience members, creating an emotional connection between them and the topic of interpretation. I find this incredibly impactful when mixed with story-telling, because it ties in vivid imagery with vivid emotions, which allows the interpretation to stick with the audience members (Beck et al. Ch10, pp 223).

These approaches will help me fulfill the responsibilities of interpreting: educating and uplifting. Furthermore, as an interpreter, I have the responsibility of ensuring the safety of everyone involved, as well as curating a welcoming and inclusive environment for anyone. This means that I have the responsibility of acknowledging my privileges, such as being an able-bodied middle class man; and understanding my own privilege will aid in better understanding my audience, which I previously stated will elevate my interpreting (Beck et al. Ch7, pp 130). These responsibilities, along with the approaches mentioned to ensure they interpret through their own perspectives, will allow me to meet both the audience’s basic needs and growth needs (Beck et al. Ch3, pp 47).

Once all of the basic levels of needs are met, I believe self-actualization is one of the most enriching parts of interpretation because it challenges one to perceive differently and offers exhilaration and deep satisfaction (Beck et al. Ch3, pp 47). A common theme throughout many of my blog posts has been to explore the feelings of awe and wonder, and how impactful and overlooked they are. It’s even been shown through research that awe-inspiring experiences can change lives in profound ways and can induce empathy and generosity (Beck et al. Ch21, pp 472). I believe harnessing the feeling of awe is key to self-actualization, and it is something I strive to elicit through interpretation.

Nature is abundant with awe. Think about all of the magical sunsets, raging downpours, or colourful autumns you’ve seen in your life, and how you feel during those moments. I’m not sure about you but I just stand there and soak all of the sounds, sights and smells of the moment in and gawk at how incredible these feats of nature are. These things are regular occurrences too, as the sun sets every day, and embracing the feeling of awe can make you feel grateful for these “regular” things. More so, I think awe makes me grateful to be alive in general because I am so lucky to be able to see all of the amazing feats of nature. I strive to instill this gratefulness in others, and hope that all of us can tap in to our curious and inquisitive sides.

Here is a photo of me and my friends watching an everyday sunset. I remember feeling said sense of awe and wonder while letting my senses take in all of the surroundings. Specifically, I remember admiring the deep colours on the horizon, feeling the cool breeze, and smelling the fresh air. Which sense tends to have the greatest impact on your sense of wonder?

This blog has taught me so much about my interpretation approach, and how important it is to uplift each other. Through the practices of understanding my audiences, and using human senses and emotions, I hope that I can lead people to self-actualization and perceiving the world with wide eyes. Nature interpretation is a very fulfilling gift, and I look forward to seeing the next generation of interpreters.

Thanks to everyone who participated in this blogging series, and I hope you enjoyed this journey as much as I have. Good luck with your future endeavours, and I can’t wait to see the paths you’ll forge!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 3: Values to Individuals and Society. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 41-57

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 5: Guiding Principles of Interpretation. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 81-102

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audiences. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018.

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 10: Arts in Interpretation. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 215-231

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 21: The bright future of interpretation. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 457-477

kpmbenvs3000w22

Hi Andrew! Wow! From the sounds of it you are going to be an amazing interpreter in the future, gifting so many people with your joy for nature and your knowledge. I think you have touched on some pretty important topics. I think one of the most important is how interpretation and knowledge must be fluid. You mentioned being ignorant as well, and this is something I have seen firsthand with so many teachers. I am sure we have all seen or heard of teachers in our lives who have stopped learning themselves, and your fellows or perhaps even past classmates have warned you of this. The teacher has neglected to learn with the times, which in turn can make much of their information dated and possibly irrelevant. You are correct in thinking that getting to know your audience is a very difficult task, but something I have learned that makes that easier is to not only provide answers to people, but also remember to ask questions ourselves (Beck et al, 2018, chapter 7, pp. 128). By doing this as interpreters, we are able to guide others in a way that makes most sense to them. I did want to ask as well, what do you find to be the best way to provide information? Which is your strongest, and how would you work on your weakest skills in interpretation to make sure that you are able to serve such diverse audiences? I wish you the best in your future nature interpretations, and hope to someday be a part of a journey in nature with you!

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audiences . Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 127-162

Final Thought on Nature Interpretation

This is the final blog post of the semester, and I think that this is the one that really brings together all of the ideas we have discussed over the last few months. Today I am going to talk about how I personally would use all of the different techniques we have seen over this course, and why I think, for me, these are the most important..

I have put a lot of thought into this post, as we were asked to talk about our own personal beliefs and ethics that we would bring into our version of nature interpretation. If you are someone who has known me in my life, you would know I have extraordinarily strong beliefs and opinions on many things, but, when conveying my own information about things I do my absolute best to stay as neutral as possible, even if the opposing party is doing their best not do. I simply wish to share information I know about this topic, and allow others to interpret my own interpretations in their own way.

Ethics are described as ‘moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity’. In this case, I believe my ethics would be to allow people to see nature the way I do. To see the wonders in even the littlest of things within nature, and give them my same for information and knowledge about nature. My moral principles state that nature is something to be loved and protected This is something many of us forget about during our day to day lives. My goal as a future nature interpreter is to provide people with the information they need in order to make choices based on the needs of nature, and be able to share their own newfound knowledge with the world around them! Let’s make everyone their own nature interpreters so that everyone can understand it the way we do!

The wonders of nature I have been grateful enough to see in my life, such as this tree which fell over but still continued to have life grow out of it, something awesome to learn about nature is how it continues to grow even with issues like this.

I also think is very important for me to share and discuss why I fell in love with nature, allowing readers to develop their own ideas and ways they too can fall in love with nature. In one of our first blog posts we explained our own relationship with nature, and how it kindled. I found for many of us it was something that came about when we were children, and something that many of us have always known. My goal is to allow people of all ages to fall in love with nature, and give them that sense of ‘awe’ discussed in our textbook that most of the time only children allow themselves to feel (Beck et al. Chapter 21, 2018).

Even getting older, I have always found wonder in nature, such as these caves in the Bruce Peninsula

As someone with the privilege have been fortunate enough to have in my life, I need to ensure I am grateful enough to extend this privilege to others as well. This is a key factor in being a nature interpreter. Something else we have discussed previously within our blog posts, is privilege. Privilege is something that impedes many people exploring nature, or even learning from a nature interpreter about our planet. My dream in life is to get everyone who has any barriers, such as language, location, cost etc. out into nature, or hopefully at some point bring nature to them. Giving those who have never been given the opportunity to learn the joys of nature. I think so many people are missing out just because of simple lack of chance to learn this information (Beck et al. Chapter 7, 2018). Perhaps I can open a small nature information center in a big urban city center, such as Toronto, where people can come for free learning about nature, with immersive videos and even options for transport to one of our many beautiful national parks to become even more immersed in our own nature. This would be wonderful, as maybe even smaller public schools in these city centers can take field trips to these centers, allowing those who may not have had the opportunity to learn and love nature at home from family are given the chance. Allowing their fellow classmates and teachers that inspire them to learn themselves.

A picture of me an friends in Grade 8, learning about the natural world around us in a conservation area in Quebec

When we were asked about our dream job within the second week of school, I discovered that for me, active learning is the best way to learn. I said previously that this is the way I would prefer to do my own nature interpretation, as it is the way I learn best, so I do not see why it would not be the way I teach best (Beck et al. Chapter 6 2018). I would use many different immersive and hands on activities, allowing children and adults alike to find their own wonder in nature, and to discover all its beauties on their own. The reading this week showed us that no one should think that teaching people about nature is a lost art, or that our planet is too far gone for anyone to care, because as they said, when you allow children, and in my own experience, even adults to see and love nature in their own way, and to explore their very own findings, it may ignite that spark if there is any gas there to start it (Rodenburg, 2019). They also talk about safety, I think a simple way to do this is to make sure that groups are smaller, and that all children, adults and in between know the dangers of the areas around them, using this approach I can also ensure that I am available to give every single person answers to any and all questions they may have.

Throughout this course we learned about many different tools you can use while interpreting nature; written word, art, music, spoken word and so many more. All of these are wonderful tools, but trying to use all at once would definitely make things more confusing. I believe that using the tools you are most comfortable with, while still being open to other ways of learning and teaching, would suit me best when going on to be a nature interpreter.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 6: How People Learn. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 105-126

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audiences . Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 127-162

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 21:. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018, pp 457-478

Rodenburg, J .Why environmental educators shouldn't give up hope https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

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Blog 8: Spring is here!

When brainstorming the most amazing things I know about nature, so many specific details came to mind, but I wanted to make it something exciting. Instead, I decided to pick something that’s really been exciting me lately and is a much broader topic, and that is spring! The signs of spring after a long cold winter brings me so much joy, so i’m going to share some of the common ones in Canada.

Besides the obvious milder weather and rain, it’s the signs from the plants, animals and insects that fascinate me, the way nature regrows and regenerates in unison.

Plants blooming:

On wednesday March 16th I saw my first flowers of spring. In the photo here is Winter aconite which was found downtown guelph. This flower is part of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae is is commonly one of the first flowers to open up.

Another sign I’ve noticed is tree buds getting much larger. This was taken in the arboretum of a red maple. While it may take another month and a half for them to open up. Buds signify the end of dormancy and the start of new growth.

Species Arriving:

Robins are a popular bird that symbolize the return of spring in mid-march. I saw my first one last weekend, and already they seem to be everywhere. Robins migrate south in the winter since the ground freezes which prevents them from getting worms. The arrival of these red-breasted birds indicate that temperatures are raising and they can now forage and begin to mate here.

Mallard ducks are another sign of spring. I took this photo a week ago of this very cute couple. While some can be seen here all year round in unfrozen waters, many migrate to the southern states where the lakes don’t freeze over and food is more abundant.

Insects:

While most people don’t get excited about seeing flies, they are another sign of spring in most areas. Flies actually hibernate in the winter by building up fat and produces a natural antifreeze in their body.

Bumble bees are another insect that come out fairly early in spring. I learned in another class they are able to come out early and forage before other bees by revving their internal wing muscles to increase their temperature. This allows them to come out in cooler weather.

While each season has a beauty of its own, seeing colour return and the replacement of brown to green is something that always excites me. Spring is a time of regrowth, and seeing all these different kinds of species doing so at the same time but individually is amazing to see.

Feel free to expand on this with any other signs you have noticed!

-Reilly

Photos from:

Robin: Alex Eberts. 2020. Ohio. Macaulay Library. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id

Fly: Isabelle Gallant. 2020. PEI. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-houseflies-winter-hibernation-1.5834157

Bumblebee: Chris Helzer. 2014. Nebraska. The Nature Conservancy. https://blog.nature.org/science/2014/03/19/plight-of-bumble-bee-native-pollinators-ecosystem-services/

kpmbenvs3000w22

Hey Reilly! I think you have brought us something so interesting about nature, and that is the way it changes not only over the many years we have lived on this planet, but also just the major changes we can see every few months when the weather changes! There are very few people I know who are upset when springtime rolls around, having the sun out a little longer every day, seeing more green and more animals roaming around our neighborhoods. The only people I can think of who hate spring are people like my sister with nasty allergies, but I know at least in my sisters case she still loves it because it means no more snow! It is truly a wonder of our world that we can see such dramatic changes in our weather, so much so you can even tell by our wildlife! I know you mentioned how most mallard ducks migrate south, and when we can see some more of them around our parks it probably means spring is near! I think that these little facts of spring are so cool, and truly leave me in wonder of our world. I have a personal connection with ducks and spring, because every year when I was younger we could always tell it was nearing spring because we have a couple of ducks that come and use our pool as their pond when the winter cover is still on and the ice on the top has melted! What a cool thing about spring!

Life Finds a Way

One of the most amazing things I know about nature is just how it always finds a way to grow. Even with all of the issues and the problems we have given our world, there is always a way that nature will push through and overcome all of our issues we hand it.

Plants finding a way, even in an unnatural world

This is all because truly, we live in a natural world, it used to be covered in plants and trees, and before humans, this is all there was. Nature has evolved to live around us and so many other things over the lifetime of earth, so much so that if you went back over 100,000 years, I am sure a lot of the plants you know and love from today would not be there, because as everything else in this world evolves, so does nature. In reality, no matter how much pavement, rock, tile, cement etc. we put down, our world is still covered in dirt and earth. This is the base of our world, and when the man made items start to break down, we have more and more of the dirt appear, and that is where we can start reconnecting with nature. This is why when you see a big building be left for years you can see all of the roots of trees entering through the windows.

Life finding a way to re enter our man made buildings

I am not sure how many of you have been, but for anyone who has been to Niagara Falls, a great example of this happening in real time would be the plants that have started to grow on the roof of the water plant right at the bottom of the falls! It is an old building made of stone, but if you look further into it the entire roof is covered in moss and plants! Something I want all of you to think about is why this happens. Thinking about the wear and tear we make on buildings, eventually we get cracks, tear downs, holes, and even full one demolition of the buildings we have created after a while, and when we live in these building or still use these man made roads, we will patch up the cracks and the holes in order to keep going, but ever notice what happens if you don’t patch it up right away? It starts to get bigger, and as it gets bigger plant life with very little needs, and by that I mean not our little orchids we keep as our plant babies that need certain amount of sunlight and water per week to thrive, but I am talking about the plants we usually rip out of our gardens, the weeds that can grow absolutely anywhere and everywhere, these are the little guys that come out of the cracks in our sidewalks, and the ones that help more plant life along by making the world a little more natural every day.

This weeks readings talked about getting people excited about the things that excite us in nature. I wouldn’t say this information is so much as exciting, but it is definitely something that should give us a little wonder, because no matter how often we destroy and fight with nature, as Jeff Goldblum always says, “Life finds a way”

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing.

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Blog Post 7: Music

Hello everyone,

When I think of where music is in nature, I think of natural sounds made by animals, such as birds chirping and owls hooting sounds. Additionally, waves at the beach and heavy rain give me a sense of peace. I see it as the music of nature, and it is beautiful because it is natural. Hearing these things reminds me of how beautiful all aspects of nature are, and anything magnificent made by humanity will not be as remarkable as nature itself. This is where nature is in music; I believe artists try to make music to remind us of nature, but it won’t quite beat nature’s music.

This week’s blog post question reminds us to compare and see if we believe nature is more beautiful than things made or created by humanity. Think about the seven wonders in the world everyone has heard or plans to see because when you go there, it makes you think how this place was even created, such as Niagara Falls. Even though I have visited multiple times every time I go and see the falls, it gives a sense of peace. Listening to the sounds of the falls is like music to me. It is more beautiful than listening to the top-rated song of the week because songs are replaceable and get old over time, but the sound of the falls is irreplaceable and beautiful to my ears each time I hear it.

Some people choose to create music by incorporating nature into their songs to reconnect with nature, and that is what Ben Mirin tried to accomplish with his music (GrrlScientist, 2016). His talent was beatboxing, and he wanted to incorporate beatboxing and birdsongs (GrrlScientist, 2016). With time, he grew and is now known as “Wildlife DJ” many people enjoyed his music (GrrlScientist, 2016). He shared that the purpose of making music was not just to make music; he wanted to inspire his viewers to nature through his music (GrrlScientist, 2016). He learned that bird singing would change if they changed habitat; for instance, if they were in the rainforest, they had a lower frequency, while birds in open habitats such as eucalypt forest had higher frequency when birds singing (GrrlScientist, 2016). His approach allowed him to use his talent and learn about his interest in nature.

The song that gives me a sense of nature is “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole. I listen to this song when I go on road trips for camping and road trips in general because it brings a sense of peace. And when I go on road trips, I think that it is relaxing because it is taking time off from the real world, and to me, that is peace being able to leave behind the city and go and explore nature without having the stress of school or work. Sometimes, I listen to this song when stressed, and it calms me. Every song brings different emotions based on when you first listened to it. There are some great songs that I do not enjoy anymore because it reminds me of bad memories, but there are also some songs that may not be everyone’s favourite, but I enjoy them because it brings back good memories. This song that I chose has 1 billion views on YouTube, but people around me don’t recognize it because it is so different from today’s music. I believe music is like time travel, you travelling back to time to the first time you heard the songs. Like the video shared in our course notes “The Six Blind Men,” every blind man had a different prediction of what they were feeling, and I like to think music is like that too. Everyone understands music differently and puts different meanings to it. Since some music is in other languages, some instruments are only used in a particular culture. Thus, not everyone can understand. However, with the music in nature, everyone can understand, and I like to believe that it brings peace to everyone that hears birds in nature or the sound of the falls.

I would like to hear your thoughts on my blog post, and if you have the same feeling when listening to the song, I included the link to the song if you are interested.

Thanks for reading!

Nabila

Song: “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

References

GrrlScientist. (2016). Music as a gateway to nature. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2016/09/21/music-as-a-gateway-to-nature/?sh=3c325d549e74

Hooykas, A., Dr. (2021). Unit 7: Nature Interpretation through music. Retrieved from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/730239/viewContent/2951598/View

Kanika24fps. (2009). Six blind men. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqgr5xZLz0

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Hey Nabila

I loved your take on this, I think it is really important to think about how so many artists try to remind us of the sounds we hear in nature, but you are absolutely right in thinking that they will never ever be able to exactly match the beautiful sounds in nature. I think it is so interesting how so many people have actually incorporated their own nature recordings into their own music, and how much people allow nature to have an affect on their work. I know you spoke about songs that allow you to feel calm, but I think that could really also connect to nature too. The sounds we hear that bring us back to a peaceful time are the ones we reach for when stressed, whether it is a happy memory like you said, or it is a calming place where they know the sounds. I think our bodies have a response when hearing things that calm us, and I think that is why so many people are drawn to the sounds of nature, for example many people love to play rain sounds when they sleep. I know you were talking about things being created by humanity, things like music, and I would love to bring uo the point that before we created instruments we used the ones found I nature. There were drums made out of the skin of animals people would eat, or other instruments made of bone. Humanity has always wanted to be apart of nature, and they have tried to incorporate it into our lives as much as possible, do you think this is true for the most part? Because I think it is, at least for many of us who enjoy the natural world more than the urban one.

nienvs3000w22

Blog Post 7: Music

Hello everyone,

I would like to hear your thoughts on my blog post, and if you have the same feeling when listening to the song, I included the link to the song if you are interested.

Thanks for reading!

Nabila

Song: “Somewhere over the Rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I

References

GrrlScientist. (2016). Music as a gateway to nature. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2016/09/21/music-as-a-gateway-to-nature/?sh=3c325d549e74

Hooykas, A., Dr. (2021). Unit 7: Nature Interpretation through music. Retrieved from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/730239/viewContent/2951598/View

Kanika24fps. (2009). Six blind men. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBqgr5xZLz0

kpmbenvs3000w22

Hey Nabila

Nature and Music

Music is all around us, we are lucky enough to be able to experience the place in which true music has originated, which is the lovely music we can listen to in nature. From the birds calling, to the wind blowing through the trees, and so on! These parts of nature have always been my favourite, from listening to a certain bird call and learning what each call means, and just enjoying them call to and from, but I do have to say for me, when a big gust of wind hits a tree just the right way so all the leaves dance and make that’s lovely ‘woosh’ sound has got to be the best part of natures song.

One of the many forest with the best leaves to hear the wind through

My mom has been feeding the birds that live behind my house for years now, and her favourite (its up there for me as well, has got to be the Baltimore Oriole. They have some of the most beautiful colouring you will ever see but they also have such a lovely song. Learning that our music has a lot of parallels to the songs of a bird makes a lot of sense, because that would be the place a lot of us heard it first (especially in the past) and with how much rhythm there is to a birds song (Gray et al. 2001.)

Baltimore Oriole in my Backyard

I think that there is a lot of nature within the music we write as well. I know there are many different people who actually go out into nature and record their own sounds of nature to incorporate into their own music (Courselink 2022). A lot of classical music was either inspired by bird songs, they would copy the notes they heard the birds sing and integrate them within their music, using them for melodies and certain harmonies as well (Gray et al) There are also many different musicians who use the power of nature to inspire their own songs as well, sitting in the middle of the forest, listening to waves etc to strike inspiration. Something else I think is awesome with the music in nature is how diverse it is. The bird species here in North America may have very different songs than those in Europe, the wind in the trees may even sounds different due to the difference in trees. All of these things are amazing and wonderful all on their own, but thankfully due to technology, many of us have been able to listen to our musical nature from around the world without ever needing to leave the country (Beck 2018). This is something that has brought us so much opportunity, as now I can listen to the sounds of the waves from anywhere in the world even when nowhere close to an ocean, but it will never be able to replace the real thing. We have many ways to dupe you into thinking what you are hearing or seeing is real, which is amazing, but it is still a virtual reality, and nowhere near what sounds and songs you can hear nature make in real reality (Beck 2018).

A song I would say brings me back to nature is Mr. Brightside by The Killers, it is a song that reminds me of camping with my friends or even driving/riding through the forest, it brings me to a time of peace and tranquility I love to be in.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC.

Courselink (2022) Nature Interpretation through History, ENVS*3000

Gray, Patricia M., et al. "The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music." Science, vol. 291, no. 5501, 5 Jan. 2001, p. 52. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8. Accessed 6 Mar. 2022.

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Unit 6

Unpacking the given quote for this week’s post has proved to be challenging for me. I have spent some time thinking about it, and my mind keeps going back to the idea that history is a narrative. It depends on who’s telling that narrative. In another class of mine, we learned how important it is to conduct scientific research to include different narratives. In particular, including various knowledge systems, such as the scientific community and local and Indigenous knowledge. There are many forms of knowledge and many narratives surrounding natural history, which can greatly differ from different points of view. I think an example of such is National Parks in Canada. They are seen as beautiful and vital pieces of Canada’s history to help maintain our country’s historical natural landscape. Their creation is usually seen as positive, but that is a colonialist viewpoint. I do not want to speak for a point of view that is not my own, so I want to say that I am not a part of a First Nations community. It is a fact that the creation of National Parks in Canada displaced many First Nations communities. They were excluded from entering and prohibited from doing any activity in the parks, such as hunting for these people (McNamee & Finkelstein, 2012). This land, described as pristine, has been cultivated for a very long time by First Nations communities before creating the parks, so even the idea that National Parks conserve the integrity of natural history is not wholly accurate (McNamee & Finkelstein, 2012). My point is that the idea of having complete integrity in history is not possible. There are always different narratives that influence the integrity of history. With National Parks, which have a goal of preserving natural history, their efficacy is subjective. They have a history of violence that is often forgotten. As suggested in the course notes for this week, who’s narrative are we hearing when we are told the history of a place? It is crucial to incorporate different areas of knowledge and even what knowledge is, as it can come in many forms.

The natural landscape we see around us now has been shaped by our land use and development history. The forests we see in southern Ontario are majority new-growth forests because centuries of logging and land development decimated old-growth forests in the area (Land Owner Resource Center, n.d.). The natural beauty we see in forests in southern Ontario now is not the same as what was here before colonialists settled here. Maintaining the integrity of biodiversity as it is currently does not necessarily depict the natural history of a place. The history of a place is difficult to claim the integrity of, as nature is constantly changing and being affected by numerous facets all the time. Trying our best to understand history through different points of view and from different information can give a more complete image of the past. It is important to consider the effects past actions have had to make better choices in the future. As the quote suggests, just because it is in the past does not mean there are no repercussions still around from that history - such as with new growth forests and the formation of National Parks.

Emily

References

Land Owner Resource Center. (n.d.) The Old-Growth Forests of Southern Ontario. Government of Ontario. Retrieved February 15, 2022 from https://cvc.ca/wp-content/uploads//2021/07/oldgwth.pdf

McNamee, K., & Finkelstein, M. W. (2012). National Parks of Canada. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved February 15, 2022, from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/national-parks-of-canada

kpmbenvs3000w22

I loved reading your blog post this week, because I think you brought this post in a whole different direction than many others did, which is awesome and the entire reason we have so many different people at al times interpreting the same one object, none of us will have the exact same first thought! You are so correct that a lot of the history we have is narrative, and I really think it is important for us to recognize where this version of history comes from, as it will give us more of an idea of the accuracy and the integrity of the history.

I think you really focused on the part of the quote where it states there is merit in integrity, and I think that that is a very good way to start! Thinking about the national parks, and even thinking about the ones I myself have visited, much of the history on the signage there is either subjective history we have found through research, but a lot of the concrete for sure known history, history including pictures drawings etc. only comes from after the colonization of Canada, which is kind of like the end of the quote, where a lot of early age interpreters during the colonization of Canada imagined the train station never existed before they got there.

An experience of my own I would love to share would be something I did this past year, when I was in Collingwood in October, they had a nature walk with lights and interactive components, that showed us how the Indigenous people from this area interpreted Nature, what parts were most important to them. I thought this was really cool because it was something that tied in the history of Canada before colonization, and I was able to see a lot of written signage there explain nature and its history!

One of the “exhibits” on the nature walk

Interpretive signage explaining a meaningful concept of history and knowledge

The Power Of Words

I know something that was talked about this week was writing, and as the textbook gave us a lot of tips and tricks to make our writing better, I am going to try my best to use them! Something I have always struggles with is run on sentences and fluffy words, so bear with me as I try to eliminate these in this post as much as possible (Beck et al. 2018). This quote we have been given to unpack this week is one with a lot of information, and it has so much more information than what first meets the eye.

Ever since humans walked the earth, we have always been interested in preservation, as the quote says, giving ‘merit’ or ‘purpose’ is something we long to do, and one of the easiest ways to do so is to write it down, take a picture, give it some sort of immortality. This is also addressed within the quote, as it mentions the past being done with, that would be similar to if we continued on without immortalizing anything, rather just continuing on, not keeping anything from our past at all. We can use relics, notes, and pictures from the past to learn about what has changed and it even helps some people to see how far we have come since then, seeing the development within our communities (Beck et al.).

I have a question, how many of us have a small box, filled with old birthday cards, pictures, notes, and memories we have kept for ourselves? I know I for sure do and I know so many others as well. This is our own version of a maintenance of history, as this is our own history taking the form of written word or even pictures (they’re worth 1000 words you know!). This is what we have done to preserve our memories of ourselves and others, very similar to what so many have done with history, animals, towns etc (Beck et al.) I am so happy to have all of the memories I have kept, and I know this is a way of preserving some of my own natural history, my childhood, and I can see how far I have come since growing up.

Photo showing signage how different the Maple Leaf Gardens (now a Loblaw's) posted within the building, showing how different it is now

Firsthand, I have seen so many different examples of signs ‘replacing’ a live interpreter (Courselink, 2022). I think these signs can be very important, because these signs are ways we can keep the history of some places, as some may even have pictures showing you how much that one particular place in nature has changed. It is interesting to read about the places you are visiting, I love reading signs along walks through the forest, teaching me about the nature around me. Honestly, for me that is sometimes the best way to interpret nature, as I like to take my own time in nature, and this way I can learn the info without having to make anyone wait around on me!

This sign was on the walk though Niagara on the lake, explaining how the Niagara Escarpment and the Canadian Shield , giving a little history and a little information

References

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC.

Courselink (2022) Nature Interpretation through History, ENVS*3000

Hey guys! So this week we were told to write about whatever we want, still pertaining to nature of course. Something I wanted to share with you all would be one of the biggest ways in my life I have come to enjoy nature, and what that means to me. I am now 20 years old and have been riding/loving/working with animals, especially horses, for as long as I can remember. Some of the biggest memories for me out in nature and outside just in general would be surrounding horses. I have mentioned a lot of this before in previous blog posts, but this time I wanted to get more into why so much of this allowed me to love nature, and why this is the place I feel most at home.

As you can see, I have always been ready to get outside and ride!

Something I think that is really important to note is that nature interpretation does not always mean we have to be deep in a forest, river, or any type of greenery, but it also can be your backyard, a field, or even the animals themselves we discover in nature. A big way I figured this out way through horses, especially through the knowledge I was given through the Canadian Pony Club. The people who taught me how to handle horses and so many other things about the world around me. After being in this course I have now learn they the people teaching me were actually interpreters and I was there to learn from them every week! This really allowed me to appreciate the things around me, especially because I learned how much of nature surrounded one of my favourite hobbies, for example how different grasses were used to make hay! I even got the chance to learn about all the different parts of the horse, which was so cool for myself because I have also always been interested in science and the parts of the horse, the health of a horse etc. It was really cool while reading last weeks chapters I also used art within nature interpretation, as a lot of the time I used to act out different scenarios about horses with others when I was very young and continued on to use this as a teaching tool for kids, I got the chance to teach later on, and isn’t that what interpretation is all about!

Getting out in nature along with horses and friends!!!

I always felt the most at peace when it is just me and my horse at the barn, because with my relationship to my horse and my relationship with nature, I feel a sense of calm I never have felt anywhere else in the world. This calm is even stronger when I am able to ride out in the forest, as I feel completely submersed in nature, with nothing else around me other than just the sounds of nature, and myself and my thoughts. I thought this would be a good thing to mention this week because this is something that makes me truly happy, and I think in these times we all need to remember what keeps us sane and happy in life.

No matter the weather, it is always nice to have some one on one time with my horse and nature

dhenvs3000w22

The Beach - Blog 5

Everyone has a place that they feel most at home, whether it be just at their house, a cottage, outside, a sports field, or even an individual. For me, it’s the beach, specifically with my family. With COVID-19 it has forbidden my access to travel, especially to a destination residing on a beach. It has forbidden many things for all. Although now things are slowly opening back up and restrictions are beginning to get lifted, my family and I have been hesitant for a while to travel for many reasons. Now I don’t wanna make this whole post about COVID-19 because I’m sure many individuals have had enough of it, just like myself, but it has restricted me from being in a place that resolves all negatives in my life.

I love the beach because…

The scenic bright blue waves crashing in the background noise. The ocean breeze’s earthy and salty odours. The soothing sounds of the ocean and the gulls. The vitamin D absorbing in my skin, the feeling of sand on my feet, the warm wind that brushes a tan, it makes me feel at peace, calmness. The relaxation, the scenery, the warmth, the water, and the sun the beach has to offer, quite frankly I believe can make anyone’s frown turn upside down, or their mood skyrocket with dopamine.

Every trip I have gone on and every country I have traveled to, my family always goes to the beach. For them too, and their own love for the ocean and the beach, has grown my love for it. When I am at the beach without them, it offers the exact same feeling as if they aren’t there with me.

I miss it incredibly. I am thankful enough that this summer I will finally be able to travel again without any hesitations, and go on a trip down south with my family which we have planned for in August.

This aspect of nature has impacted my love for it, and my life entirely. The beach has offered many outlets in my life, and has made me more appreciative for the Earth, mother nature and it’s offering. As beaches surround us in many different parts of the world, I still cannot bear the thought of not being consistently brought up around it, because since I was a little girl, it has offered a positive impact on my future life and self, something I would have never imagined. It is a place that I can go to, and nothing else matters than offering myself mental and physical self-care.

Here’s a small look into some of the photos I have or my family has captured from the many beaches I have experienced in my lifetime:

kpmbenvs3000w22

Hey there! I loved reading your post, it really took me back to the trips I had at the beach in Florida with my family and how at home I used to feel in the ocean as well. I think it was cool to see someone talking about parts of nature other than just the forest or hiking, as that is something I also talked about this week in my post! I would love to learn about how all the beaches you have visited have been different, because I think it’s so interesting that a place with the same name no matter where you are in the world can have such different characteristics. Knowing how much biodiversity and nature occurs within a single beach as well, I would love to hear about your experiences with different marine and land life you’ve encountered. Now, I end this with some questions; what do you think is your favourite thing you have learned while at the beach? Have you ever encountered an interpreter who has been able to give you more information while at the beach that interests you?

Art and Nature

I find art in nature at all times. One of my favourite relaxing activities is to walk through the forest, taking in all of its beauty and finding art around every corner. I think there are two different ways to see the nature within art, that being the art we humans can create using our own ideas and the art nature itself can create.

Many artists find their muse within nature, whether it be the inspiration for their painting, or just the Zen they need to sit down and write that song or script they’ve been blocked on for weeks. This is a safe space in which inspiration can run wild, and they can produce the best art possible.

I think for me, interpreting nature through art has come second hand for me. As someone who may not have the best artistic abilities herself, I really enjoy perceiving the work of others, as I may not be able to produce it I for sure can appreciate the work and passion that had to go into creating whatever masterpiece it is. I have always enjoyed art from which I can learn, which is probably why I find so much joy in visiting museums. I think places like museums are very important, not only for history and knowledge but also for people to enjoy art and see how the differences in the natural world are discerned through the art from that one specific place. This is something I myself have had the pleasure of doing, and it really allowed me to see how although all nature art is interpreting nature, it is all still so unique from one another.

Something else I have found myself enjoying is not only the visual art of nature interpretation, but also the physical art. Acting is an art that allows us to immerse ourselves fully and completely into whatever scene the actor is currently performing, and this allows us to really enjoy and understand exactly what is going on. I know there are many actors who use their art to portray the beauty of nature, whether it is in a small theatre where they discuss nature, for example, someone may perform as a European first coming to North America, and how they felt about the vast differences within our natural world here and the one over there.

I think the gift of beauty is a wonderful thing. I know so many people in my life who have given me the gift of beauty and the love of nature through their very own art. I think the gift of beauty is something that others inspire within you. This gift gives you a sense of peace and joy, as well as inspiring you to either enjoy nature on your own more, or maybe even allow you to interpret nature in your own way. Artists have always worked hard to allow us to see the gift of beauty within everything, and whether or not an art piece is your cup of tea, most people can still enjoy the beauty within it.

kdenvs3000w22

Nature Through Art

I think this weeks question is very interesting as to understand who I am to interpret nature through art, I would have to understand to a deeper level on how I perceive art.

Nature has always defined my relationship with art. myself not being a very artistically inclined individual, I could uphold an image or sculptures beauty in terms of its nature like characteristics. And although my knowledge is limited on techniques and practises that are used to create the art pieces, my brain is able to pick a part the message and if not create my own. I think nature in art is a wide spectrum that I am still attempting to comprehend, looking at paintings, such by Bob Ross, of high rising mountains with ocean views demonstrates an exact depiction of a natural environment that almost everyone deems beautiful. But I think nature in art can be found in less “eye appealing” forms, the construct of old images from the 1800’s of hand built houses made of different trees wood within a solitary part of the woodlands is like an art form of its own, demonstrating the contrast between nature and what nature created in the hands of man.

From this, I think there is no right or wrong way to interpret art, that’s what it’s is all about right? How you see something and how you find beauty in it. As from my example above, those old homes remind me of my home, and it creates this feeling of connection as I am able to perceive the image with a more in tune viewing, wether that be with the sounds or smells that I could imagine surrounding it, I implicate characteristics of my own life into the art, which creates my own standard of beauty towards it through nostalgia.

The “gift of beauty” for me is being able to interpret surroundings with many different filters and not through one lens. Being from Canada and being able to observe a persons art work on nature from different cultures and countries suggests the idea that everyone is given the gift of interpreting beauty, and what it means to us. Art allows us to not only express our environment but allow people to draw their own conclusions on it.

For me I very much enjoy taking pictures of nature, whether it be on its own, or intertwined with mans creation. There’s a sense of peace and calmness through doing so as by knowing I will have this tiny moment forever with me in my back pocket if I choose to bring it to light.

Image of stem and leaves fossil within the cement at Courtcliff Park.

Up close image of moss spores found in Valens Conservation Area.

kpmbenvs3000w22

Viewing the nature in art is a very interesting take, as I know most people more look for the art in nature, and I love the idea that it can be done the other way around as well. I think you are correct in art in nature is such a broad subject with so many different ways to look, or rather interpret, the art.

I think the gift of beauty is something that is very personal. We all have different things that are beautiful to us, as we all know beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think the way you explained it as appreciating how many different ways you can perceive the same thing is spot on, because being able to look at something through different perspectives really broadens your appreciation for beauty.

One thing I think is also important to note is how many different ways nature can be interpreted into art, and not only picture art! Something like acting in a natural setting, or even just plain storytelling can be art. I find these ways to be the easiest for people trying to convey the raw material they have, interpret the info, and relay it back to others in a fun and education way!

Privilege in Nature

Nature interpretation is a privileged industry, but it doesn’t have to be. It is something that people with privilege has created, but it is something that with a little work, we can make it so everyone feels the rush and amazement when learning about nature and what they can do for nature.

My working definition of privilege would be any part of your life in which something in which you do not have control over has given you an unfair advantage over others. This could be race, this could be wealth, where you live etc.

Unfortunately, when people have privilege, there are others who do not, usually people of a certain age group, minority, or a person with a disability. These people do not always have the option to visit nature to learn and take in its beauty. This is shown by the crowds going to national parks, as noted in ‘Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World’ the majority of visitors are not within any minority groups.

This is something that needs to be fixed, as it is everyone’s responsibility to help care for our planet, and nature interpretation is something that will be a guide t us humans on how to do that. Now the question is… how do we make sure people are feeling more welcome and more excited to come out and learn about all these things? That is up to us, as a future nature interpreter I would love to make sure as many people as possible are comfortable coming to a guided tour.

Some things I think are important to think of is the risk vs reward of changing things in order to make it more accessible, as it should be something that rewards us a lot more than it will negatively affect any part of nature. Things like added pavement paths for people who are unable to hike through the forest will help, however this may negatively affect the nature, as the pavement impedes on the ground in which the plants will grow! But having things like pressed down paths are a lot better and have a much higher reward, and this has been tested at a few National Parks and for sure works.

Another obstruction that turns people away would be any type of language barrier they might have. If the goal is to get information to as many people as possible, this is something that would be very tricky to do if the person cannot understand the information you are trying to convey. This could be solved with a number of different solutions. One could be to have a variety of audio tours available in different languages, although this comes with the risk of someone feeling out of place as they are the only person not listening along to the person tour. Another one could be having multiple multi language interpreters on site at a time in order to best aid any and all visitors.

All of these solutions come at a cost, but the goal is to find the one which the reward is greater than the cost.

omenvs3000w22

Blog Post 3 - Privilege

This week’s readings were obviously extremely crucial in today’s social climate and saw me reflect on my own privilege and the inequalities that surround many of our societal systems. While we were asked to provide our own working definition of privilege, I have found that quite difficult as I have been brought up in a privileged environment. Whether it be skin colour, financial status, or geographic location, evaluating what privilege is while being privileged seems like an ironic task. That being said, the consensus is that privilege is an unconscious advantage where someone can afford to benefit from something while taking minimal risks in comparison to others. Privilege evidently plays a role in everything we do, and I think that being able to recognize where it stems from allows us to make systemic changes in favour of equal opportunities for all.

There were many jarring facts in chapter 7 of the textbook but none of them were terribly surprising. The chapter outlines that visible minorities are much less likely to go to parks, that minorities are more likely to be less knowledgeable of park services, and that current conditions in parks discourage a more diverse crowd of people from attending them. Beginning to address these issues is critically important but I have found the more thought you put into it, the more you start to see how firmly established the roots of these problems are in our society. I had started to think of solutions to these problems but realized that my perspective would likely be shrouded in the privilege that I carry. The textbook mentions that reducing economic barriers, removing cultural walls, and increasing interconnectivity will help mend these issues. I would agree that these are good universal starting points. I may also stress that you do not want genuine efforts to help a disadvantaged population to come off as condescending or pandering. Legitimate actions to ensure parks are more welcoming for all will benefit both the parks and those that visit them.

It is hard to overstate the benefits of creating an equal environment in both society and in natural spaces. In the cases of parks and interpreters, educating as many people as possible about the importance of the park is a primary goal. The more people that are exposed to parks, the more likely they are to take the message to heart and spread awareness or act on environmental issues. Unfortunately I think that erasing privilege and making a more equal/equitable society is often swallowed up by political discourse and in many instances the right course of action is obscured.

Currently, nature interpretation is more easily available to those in privileged positions. Additionally, there is a stigma that “interpretation” as a whole is an exercise that is only carried out by privileged individuals. Asking yourself how interpretation can be made more accessible seems to be a great way to get more questions than answers. How can interpreters and parks expeditiously make themselves more attractive for diverse crowds? Does systemic change need to occur for true equal opportunities to arise? What small steps can we do to be better?

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Hey there! I think you brought up some really important points about why the privilege so many people have allowed them to have easy access to nature and access to the knowledge they will get from the interpreter. It is really important for us to recognize this privilege we have been given and use it aid those who have not been given the same opportunities.

Stemming off of your idea that we need to ensure the steps being taken to allows nature interpretation are not ones that would be deemed offensive or condescending to those who the steps are meant to be taken for! I think something that could definitely be a start to helping fix this issue would be to have multiple languages available for the tour, whether that is in the form of a primary or secondary person who is multilingual, or if it is the guided tour headsets that some in different languages as seen in places like museums, but making sure this is not isolating anyone who does not speak the language, and still doing their best to answer any and all questions every guest has.

I think we can make sure any and all trails that need to be taken are ones that wheelchair accessible to the best of our abilities, and that this is not done in any way that would be a hindrance to the trail. This is pretty easy to do, and would not need to add anything other than packing down the ground on the trail so it is flat enough.

These are just some small things that can be done, and I think there can be so many more! We can try and get nature interpreters further into cities to get knowledge to those who cannot or do not wish to travel further out into the country to engage with nature.

I think that this is a start, and we need to keep doing more!

My Dream Job

If I could snap my fingers and make it happen, I would be the head of a wildlife conservation facility, one that specializes not only in wildlife rehabilitation but also in the education of the public.

There would be a multitude of different learning opportunities for those who work there and for those who visit. They would have the option between going through a small mini-lecture on how to best watch for wildlife and protect them as an everyday person, and what steps they should take if they see any wildlife in trouble. This would be the best form of learning for an audio-visual learner, who likes best to have the information relayed back to them through lecture form with accompanying slides (Courselink, 2022). I would also love to have all this information displayed on a website for the public to find and read so that even if they are not able to make it up to the facility order to come to look around and learn what they can do to protect the wildlife, they still have the option to learn.

I am an active learner, so my favourite way to learn things and to teach things is through hands-on experiences. On days that I am not going out to rescue wildlife, I would love to conduct tours in which people can see what kind of animals we rescue, how we care for them, what knowledge goes into the care needed for them, and why all this work is done. Throughout this tour, I would love to have people of all ages help me with small tasks and show them things they can do on their own if they ever find wildlife in need of help.

The experience that I wish to give others would be similar to the time I stumbled upon a small honeybee farm along the Forgotten Highway in New Zealand, and I was able to speak with the head beekeeper, who showed me numerous different things about the honey-making process, and even let us get up close and personal with the beehives!

Now, I know what you are thinking, all the ideas sound great, but they all seem to be things that have been done before. From reading “Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World”, I know that flow learning can be quite a successful tool when used correctly, and it allows you to teach your audience while having a fun time with your audience. My dream would be to start the tour with something that really catches your eye. For example, I would love to start off every tour showing off our best animals on-site and allowing people of all ages to get some hands-on experience, either feeding, grooming, playing or whatever that animal in that time would need! Of course, this can only be done with safe, non-threatening animals, and only done if the audience is aware of certain safety precautions needed around certain animals. I would then narrow down the tour to specific information, showing people exactly what we do and what they could do out in the field. I think giving them this experience, will really spark inspiration in many people to continue learning about wildlife and doing their part to save them.

All these things would be a part of my dream job in nature interpretation because nothing could be better than sharing my knowledge and experience with our beautiful wildlife.

Works Cited:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC.

Courselink (2022). Unit 02: Teaching Learners

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