Keith's Interpretive Blog

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Disclaimer School Account

This blog was created for ENVS3000, University of Guelph. 

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

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

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Final Blog Prompt

Nature interpretation is something that involves a profound engagement with the environment and natural world, and is something that demands a sort of self-awareness and a development of one's personal ethics. As I navigate the path of nature interpretation, my personal ethics are ever evolving, and are shaped by a set of core beliefs, unique experiences and unique responsibilities, and an overall individualized approach to a balance between education, interpretation, and inspiration. 

At the core of my personal ethics in nature interpretation are my foundational beliefs, which serve as a sort of moral compass and guiding principles for my interaction with the natural world and others. One of my fundamental beliefs is my high regard of biodiversity, and the understanding that it holds in every place on the globe, and everything on the globe as well. Everything in this natural world is interconnected, and everything relies on everything one way or another, whether it is readily apparent or not. This belief is one of the main contributors towards my personal ethics towards nature interpretation, putting biodiversity preservation at the forefront, and seeing that everything has a place in the ecosystem, even mosquitoes in the summertime. 

Another one of my fundamental beliefs is environmental stewardship, as to me, nature interpretation is a platform that can be used to educate others on the responsibilities we all have for the environment. Not only does this involve education, but also involves inspiration, as someone can be educated by uninspired, so they do not contribute towards environmental stewardship, but can also be inspired but uneducated, perhaps trying to help but not knowing how or possibly doing something harmful that they thought was good. A happy medium between education and inspiration needs to be instilled in all scenarios so that those being spoken or relayed information to stay engaged, while also being educated. 

However, ethics in nature interpretation are not all core values and foundational thought, but also action, and responsibility, and as a nature interpreter, there are many responsibilities that I believe that I have, which can be divided into responsibilities to nature and responsibilities to the audience. 

Responsibilities to nature are the set of responsibilities that I have towards the environment that go beyond observation, one of which being the obligation to reduce my ecological footprint during any interpretational activity. This involves thoughtful consideration of the environmental impact me or anyone I am with may have on the ecosystem, and taking consideration towards any sort of fragile or delicate habitat and vulnerable species. Furthermore, the responsibility for stewardship and intervention is also required. This responsibility involves not only intervening when necessary, but also understanding and being able to tell when to not intervene. Stewardship also involves actively participating in conservation efforts whenever possible. 

Responsibilities to the audience is the second part of nature interpretation, as you have to respect the environment while also participating with an audience seeking knowledge and connection. One key responsibility is communication. Accurate, scientific information is needed to be conveyed to the audience so that they can receive an understanding of the natural world, and unbiased information is needed so that they can develop their own connections with nature. It is my place to aid in interpretation, not force them to believe what I do. Furthermore, there is a responsibility to create a sense of connection with the environment. Nature interpretation should not just be all education and facts, but should be found in the hearts of those you educate and inspire. This also involves the responsibility to be able to craft inspiring narratives and be able to emotionally connect with those you interact with, and provide the ability to form meaningful relationships with nature. 

Finally, a responsibility to be able to juggle education and entertainment, while crafting narratives and creating stories is important in order to inspire, education should come first, and integrity of facts and information should not be compromised for the sake of narrative or entertainment. A balance should be formed to ensure that the audience remains engaged while accurate and scientific information is conveyed. 

While these are some of my responsibilities and my ethics, I believe that there are many approaches that are individual to me and that uniqueness should be embraced. A significant aspect of my individual approach is relatability. I believe that being able to relate to those you are talking to is the first step in education and interpretation, as by relating you make yourself seem more approachable if questions arise, you make yourself more engaging, and you have the ability to get into specifically what they are interested in if it is relevant. By blending facts with unique experiences, one can create a holistic experience that individuals feel cater to them, not some broad overarching topic that can apply to anybody. 

Furthermore, my approach embraces technology as a tool for engagement. Throughout my time as a Manual Worker for Bass Lake Provincial Park, I had found myself using technology to identify plants, animals, and all kinds of species in the park. An app called iNaturalist is one that I had frequented as I was able to see what kinds of animals my friends were identifying, as well as taking photos of animals or plants that I see and being able to identify them with a click of a button. Interactive mediums, digital databases, and photographs are all essential in creating a unique, memorable experience.

In the world of nature interpretation, personal ethics serve as a moral compass and can guide an interpreter through life, their approaches, their responsibilities, and their beliefs. The foundational beliefs can shape someone’s perspective, the responsibilities that they hold towards nature and their audience, and their unique, individualised approaches that can help their audience feel engaged, and special throughout the whole process. As I continue to develop myself and my moral compass throughout my life, I believe that my ethics serve not only as a reflection of myself, but as a commitment to the connection that is held with nature.

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Unit 9 Prompt

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

To me, one of nature’s most amazing things is symbiosis, and the symbiotic relationships all throughout nature. A symbiotic relationship is when two or more species have a relationship that has interactions that are beneficial for all species involved. Symbiotic relationships take place in the air, on land, in the sea, on a macro and micro level, and all levels in between.

The first symbiotic relationship that comes to mind for me takes place in the oceans coral reefs, which are home to the clownfish and the sea anemone. The unlikely companionship of the two is the textbook example of symbiosis. The clownfish is one of the only species immune to the sea anemone’s stinging cells, which means that the inside the anemone is a perfect place for clownfish to seek shelter and to evade from predators. However, this is a symbiotic relationship, so what does the clownfish do for the anemone? The waste that the clownfish produces while seeking shelter in turn provides nutrients for the anemone, making this relationship a sort of positive feedback loop, or a symbiotic relationship.

This is far from the only symbiotic relationship in nature, another example could be insects, such as the ants in the Amazon rainforest, and the acacia tree, the acacia tree provides shelter for these ants, and a food source in the form of nectar, and in response, the ants protect the tree from herbivores trying to eat the tree, and even eat away any vegetation standing in the way from the acacia trees growth.

The previous example isn’t even the smallest form of symbiotic relationships, they can exist on a microscopic level in soil. Various forms of fungi are found within the soil, and can enhance plants ability to absorb water and nutrients, and in turn, the plants provide the fungi with sugars and other waste produced from photosynthesis.

These are just 3 examples of the wonder that is symbiosis and symbiotic relationships, and I hope that this illustrates a magnificent picture of the wonders of nature, and the interconnectedness of everything. Symbiosis reminds us that everything is interconnected and everything helps to sustain everything, one way or another. Next time you step outside, think about the role that symbiosis has in the things around you, or even that it has on you, directly or indirectly.

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Music and Nature

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

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

Music and nature are two things that at first thought, seem to be distinct from one another, however, throughout the history of this world, that could not be farther from the truth. Music can be seen and heard throughout nature, and nature can be seen and heard in music.

Where is Music in Nature?

When the statement that music is in nature is stated, the natural question to ask is “where”, and the response is not straightforward. Music is everywhere in nature, it is in the birdsongs heard early in the morning, it is heard in the wind through the trees, it is heard in the crickets at night, and everywhere in-between. The music is all around, ever-present, and provides not only a reminder, but an inspiration to all kinds of artists and people about our interconnectedness with nature.

Where is Nature in Music?

On the opposite side, music is often evocative of nature, whether it be through the direct lyrics, the melodies and rhythms, or even the emotions of the music. Many songs draw inspiration directly from nature and many artists use nature as their muse, whether it be hometown landscapes or the comparison of a forest to the big city in their music, or through their album covers, showing the different emotions one can have in nature, such as the cover of Taylor Swift’s ‘Folklore’. Taylors comparison to the large, abundant trees in the forest of the album cover further insist upon the melancholic experiences on the album, and one can imagine the sounds that would be heard within the isolation and the forest that she is in on the cover.

Songs That Transport to Natural Landscapes

Music to the vast majority of people has the power to transport. Whether this transport be to the past, the memories they have when they first heard the song, or to nature, and an experience in nature that was had to the song. A song that takes me to a natural landscape would have to be “Feels Like Summer” by Childish Gambino. On the surface it can transport you to a summery beachside landscape with its sultry vocals and its melodic beat. However, upon further investigation behind the meaning of the song it also provides a grim reminder of climate change and the effects on the environment.

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Prompt 4

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

Ever since the first humans had evolved, art has always been a medium in which we have been able to express thoughts, feelings, emotions, stories, and scenes that span the world and time as we know it. One of the most beautiful aspects of art is the ability to encapsulate nature and its beauty, but through this, one question arises “who are we and who am I to interpret nature through art?”.

Interpreting nature through art and interpreting all of art is something that is deeply personal, and changes from person to person. Nature is a complex art piece in itself, and the ever-changing nature of it is something to be admired in itself, and the art that is created serves as a lens both into the time at which the piece was created but also serves as a time capsule for the environment at the time. It serves as a visual window for how the artist also interprets nature.

Artists interpret nature in many different ways, and have the privilege of capturing the beauty that they see. These artists do so through a variety of different mediums, with each medium offering its own way of translating nature into something more permanent. As artists, we can see directly how they interpret nature, as the art pieces are directly how they interpret nature through art.

As viewers of art, we can also interpret nature through art in a majority of different ways. As mentioned earlier, interpreting nature and art and beauty, is entirely individual and varies from person to person. This means that if we view nature through art, while we can appreciate the art and the nature, it does not always translate. This is because we are interpreting an interpretation of nature, as we are interpreting the artists interpretation.

I interpret the gift of beauty in a variety of different ways, and the gift of beauty is not something that is universal. I see the gift of beauty in a majority of different things, one of which is nature. The gift of beauty can be seen in rolling hills and looming mountains, in small rocks and the bugs underneath, in colourful flowers and vibrant forests, and everything in-between. The gift of beauty, specifically in nature, is seen everywhere at least in my eyes, and I hope that it is seen everywhere to others, because that to me is how nature is intended to be seen, and how it can be shared.

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Prompt 3: The role of privilege in nature interpretation.

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

I believe that privilege has a major role to play in nature interpretation, but before that is discussed, I believe that it is important to explain my definition of privilege. The formal definition of privilege is “a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group”. I believe that my definition of privilege is nearly identical to this one, while I would add that for most of the people who have privilege, they remain unaware of it, as in today’s society, privilege is deeply ingrained.

Now that we have my working definition of privilege, we can discuss the various roles it plays in nature interpretation. One being the access to natural spaces, one of the most significant ways privilege affects nature interpretation. People living in urban areas such as Toronto have limited green spaces and limited diversity among the flaura and fauna that they are able to identify and see, while someone even such as myself, who grew up just outside of Orillia, Ontario, has a much greater access to green spaces and diversity of living organisms and environments. Furthermore, those with a higher economic status are able to have better nature interpretation due to the access to cars and vehicles to reliably transport them to said landscapes. Also, they can pay the entry fees and day passes to certain landmarks or provincial parks that others might not be able to afford.

Another way that privilege plays a role in nature interpretation is access to jobs in environmental fields or outdoor locations. I am very privileged to be so close to a provincial park and to be able to work maintenance at said provincial park. This means that I am spending 40 hours a week at minimum in nature and have access to a provincial park where one of the main goals ins species diversity and environment rehabilitation. The same cannot be said about others. Some people have to work indoors, at desks, in cities, in factories, in order to live, while I get the opportunity to work in the place that I do.

Finally, privilege plays a major role in environmental awareness. Those that have access to the education and literature may have a larger understanding of the environment and ecological issues. Those that are able to take courses, afford books, or even have a major in an environmental science or nature specific course load may have a greater knowledge of certain things in nature then others.

While these are not all of the issues that privilege has on nature interpretation, I do believe that these are some of the major ones, and it is important for everybody to recognize the privilege they have, whether it be in nature interpretation or in all facets of their lives.

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Me as a Rookie Interpreter

Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need?

I am happy being outdoors in any setting for the most part, but if I had to choose a type of environment to interpret, it might have to be a mountainous region with lots of streams and forest. I imagine myself leading a hike through a valley next to a river in the summertime when everything is in bloom and there are lots of pollinators about. I think it would be extra interesting to describe the glacial history that may have helped shape the mountain ranges and surrounding lakes. I think this was influenced by my time in Alaska, where we spent a lot of time driving between mountains, and even driving two miles through one when we went to the town of Whittier. Theres a saying about the weather being not so great in Whittier compared to the other side of the mountains, because of the way they affect the winds and precipitation. The day we were in Whittier, it happened to actually be a nice sunny day, but the guide we were with remarked about how uncommon this was and it made the day memorable. I think the weather patterns would keep things super interesting and leave so much to talk about!

For this type of environment, I would need to make sure I’m aware of risky areas along the path, for example unstable rock, large roots, or rapid waters. Something that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about is accessibility in the case of emergencies. A lot of the hikes and trails I’ve done have been super desolate and I wondered in the midst of them what the options would be if somebody happened to decently injure themselves. I would need to learn how to assess risk level and manage different abilities on a hike with such potential for injury or getting lost.

I would also love the opportunity to interpret anything related to insects. Ever since my high school co-op, when I took a course on raising monarch butterflies, it has been my passion project at home. In August I had the opportunity to bring my monarchs to Guelph Bug Day and present them to folks of all ages. This was my first more formal experience with some interpretation, because it was up to me how to run the booth and what to say. Of course, different ages required different versions of the presentation, as our textbook mentioned that it is not satisfactory to simply dilute the information, but to make separate points altogether. For the younger audience I would focus on the distinct stages and order of the life cycle, whereas for the older audience I could get into the instars, or the process of forming the proboscis after hatching as a butterfly. I would love to participate in an event of that sort again, because I feel I learned so much about conveying scientific information to all learning levels in just a six-hour day. That experience taught me which facts people are actually interested in, and what isn’t so important to point out.

It wouldn’t matter how well you understand the surrounding landscape and ecosystem if you don’t have a good understanding of your audience. We don’t just want to throw information out there, we want it to be absorbed, pondered, and to leave an impression, so I think understanding the crowd is one of the most important skills to have, and one that I want to develop. Our textbook also mentions allowing visitors a choice and autonomy over their experience, which is something I would find interesting to incorporate.

Here are some photos from my time in Alaska, the inspiration behind my ideal interpretation role. As well, a photo of me with my booth at Guelph Bug Day.

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Hello! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post, it sounds like you already have some wonderful experience with nature and environment interpretation! Your past experiences are very interesting.

            I had found your description of leading a hike through a valley next to a river in the summertime to paint a very vivid picture in my head, and a great kind of experience that you can offer to others. It is a very easily accessible activity, and provides not only some beautiful views and scenic travels, but also ample opportunity to educate those on the walk about local fauna, flora, and just about anything in between. Furthermore, the anecdotes you shared had shown a connectedness with nature that is something to be strived for, and something that can be great experience to be a nature interpreter.

            I would also like to comment on the opportunities you got as a co-op student raising monarch butterflies. That kind of experience where you are not only watching nature evolve and grow right before your eyes, but you are also directly responsible for said nature, and the precious life within it is something that is very beautiful. The opportunity to bring these monarchs to Guelph Bug Day, with the ability to present to people of all ages also sounds directly transferable to be an environmental interpreter. Overall, I believe that you seem very interested in the role, and are already leaps and bounds ahead of most, both in terms of experience and in technical knowledge.

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Blog 2

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

In 2023, when environmental awareness is the most crucial its ever been, an environmental interpreter is an essential position in society. An environmental interpreter would act as an advocate of nature, and would have passion for the environment. The environmental interpreter would be able to inform, educate, communicate to those that need to and want to know about the environment.

            The job of environmental interpreter would entail many things. For one, they would offer various education programs. Being very knowledgeable in the environment themselves, they would be able to educate various people, whether they be customers, visitors, or even potentially higher up, talking to government officials. These programs could range from simple workshops to interpretive nature walks. They would be able to inform those in attendance on all types of organisms, from trees to plants to animals to insects. Furthermore, they would be able to story tell, and have engaging conversations with those in attendance to highlight the interconnectedness with nature, and be able to help people relate to all things in nature. Finally, they would have an understanding of basics in biology, chemistry, and physics in order to lead certain initiatives against pollution and the development of green space and nature.

            This would all take place in a variety of places. One place it would be prevalent would be provincial parks. Most Ontario Parks do have a Park Ambassador or a Discovery program which entails these duties pretty well, and with the high traffic of people that are either camping in nature for the first time, or are wanting to develop their connectedness with nature, it is easy to see how this would be a fit. Furthermore, various gardens or aquariums can have this sort of position, as they are also places where people want to be educated and learn more about nature and the wonders that it presents.

            The skills that should be essential to an interpreter are very similar to the ideal roles mentioned earlier. They should have knowledge in a variety of basic sciences, as well as the ability to effectively communicate to all different types of people and personalities. They should have strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to adapt and answer questions, or find the answer if they do not have it already.

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Blog 1: My Relationship With Nature and Sense of Place Within it

Week 1 Prompt: Describe your current relationship with nature. How has this developed/evolved? Who offered you “a sense of place,” as described in our textbook?

I grew up amongst the rolling hills, creeks forests and farms of Caledon Ontario. Since I was young I have always felt connected to nature, and I account this largely to the setting in which I grew up. Instead of street names, malls, houses, shops and recreation centers, my neighborhood was instead conservation areas, farms and undeveloped land. My friends and I would go for long bike rides and hikes and play in the woods growing up. I think this is where my current relationship with nature has had its roots.

As time went on I became busy, I trained 22hrs a week as a competitive swimmer, went to a highschool in the city and eventually made my way to the university of guelph. Nature and my time in it got further away. I missed it and have since realized the profound impact it has on my well being, so I started to find my way back. I got into triathlons after quitting swimming and started to trail run and bike. To me there is no greater feeling of freedom than moving through outdoor space, particularly one of nature, running and biking re introduced this to me. I then had the chance to work at a mountain top tea house in Banff where I lived without electricity and amenities for a summer. I truly felt I knew the place. By the time I left, I could name every mountain, valley, river, identify countless trees, birds, plants and, having just completed a geomorphology course, understand the topography of the landscape. The friendships I made that summer were unmeasurable in their meaning, and I would say these came about from the full immersion in time, place and nature as well as from the lack of modern distractions and amenities. The level of understanding I gained for that place really intensified my relationship with nature.

The following summer I worked as a park ranger in Terrace British Columbia, we worked 8 days on and 6 days off. During our shifts we would do a combination of backcountry maintenance, public outreach and communication as well as ecological monitoring. Spending days camping in the backcountry at first was scary to me. I feared the large wildlife, moose, bears, cougars etc. However by the end of the summer that fear was replaced by respect, understanding and a sense of security and belonging. To be able to walk through the old growth rainforest, see endangered species, learn cultural histories, and understand the ecology and relationships between species of plants, animals and fungi was eye opening. I feel more at risk in cities and suburbs than I ever have in the great outdoors. When doing public outreach I got to address people's concerns and curiosities about the parks I was working in. There were so many people who had no clue about bear safety or the vital role of predators in our ecosystems. Being able to help explain ecosystems and their importance, as well as, how to take safety precautions to enjoy the outdoors without fear and instead respect, further evolved my relationship with nature and my sense of place in it.

On a different note, I have always had a fear of death, I myself am not religious, and it was in my immersion with nature that I found a healthy peace and respect for it instead. To respond to who offered me a sense of place, I would say it was all the people who helped to shape my understanding of nature as well as those who provided me with the opportunities to explore on my own; there are a lot of people and places that deserve credit. My family when I was young, those I met in the jobs I worked, and the opportunities that came my way present a brief summary.

Enjoy this gif of a bear scratching its back:

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Hello! I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post, sounds like you’ve had a very enlightening journey with nature. While I cannot directly relate to your experience with the backcountry camping and maintenance in Terrace British Columbia, I do have some friends who have shared their experiences with research and sampling in the backcountry of Alberta, and I myself have worked maintenance at a Provincial Park, so I can understand how you would become in tune with nature, and be able to identify so many different species and landmarks such as mountains.

As mentioned before, I have worked for many summers in the Bass Lake Cluster of Ontario Parks, I also have experience with species identification as well as environment management. Having an understanding of the complexities of the environment, and the beauty of these complexities is truly something to behold. Both being able to tell people and listening to people explain the interactions that occur and the differences in species is special, and going to work always willing to learn is awesome. Your experiences must have been challenging yet fun, and it sounds like a good environment to work in, especially if the people you are working with are good people.

Your overall immersion in nature is something to be admired, the healthy peace you have found as you described it is something that we all should experience sometime in our lives.

Also, I did enjoy the gif of the bear scratching it's back!

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ENVS3000 Blog Post 1

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

Hello everyone in ENVS3000, I would first like to start off by saying that I am looking forward to a good semester and potentially meeting some of you!

My current relationship with nature is one that I would personally describe as good. I am from Oro-Medonte, and when I am not in school, I live on a 150 acre farm. While we do use a lot of the land for farming, a lot of the land is also forested and when I was younger I would find myself exploring there a lot, and even know I take my dog for walks throughout our property. Furthermore, in the summer I work at Bass Lake Provincial Park, so I am in nature and dealing with nature pretty much all day. I work as a maintenance lead for this park, so I often find myself working with nature, dealing with invasive species, identifying animals, insects, and at risk plants, and making sure that while the park remains operational the natural beauty of Ontario is not lost.

My relationship with nature has certainly been developed and evolved since I was younger, while also staying the same. When I was younger I mostly just ran around exploring, playing sports, and overall being outdoors for the bulk of my time. This has stayed true, as when I am not in class, I try to be outside as much as possible, doing homework on my porch or going for walks through the nearby park. Furthermore, while as a kid I would always be picking up any sort of insect that I saw, I now understand the importance of maintaining their ecosystem, and not disturbing them, as not only does this interrupt a potential vital process, but also can damage the insects body. I still like identifying insects or plants that I find at work or here in Guelph using either my previous knowledge or the app iNaturalist, but as mentioned previously, I now know not to do anything that could potentially harm the organism. Finally, as someone who lives on a farm, I find myself being more conscious of the weather and the effects of climate change. Where I lived it was known as a very wet summer and a lot of the farms around and including ourselves had many troubles getting hay and straw cut and baled in the few days it was hot enough to dry properly.

I would say that my coworkers and friends have offered a sense of place, as they have been with me for most of my adult life in nature, and have offered me much knowledge and a bulk of the information that I know about nature now. My best friend, who I have met at work, has invited me camping many times and has helped me find myself in nature, and find nature in myself.