Katie's Interpretation of Nature

By: Katie Schankula

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Final Blog

Reflecting on what I’ve learned in this course over the semester has been really interesting. I have enjoyed looking back on my past blog posts to see what I have learned. I will be graduating with my degree in environmental sciences in December, so I will be taking these skills into the “real world” fairly soon.

I started this semester off reflecting on my relationship with nature. This set up how I wrote and thought about my answers to my future blogs. While I was writing my first blog, I was thinking a lot about my time working in British Columbia last summer and my drive back from there to Guelph. This was a trip that really made me love nature even more and allowed me to explore it on my own, as I drove back alone. Now, I know that I will be going back to British Columbia this summer for a co-op job on Vancouver Island. So, I am once again thinking about my trip out there, and the nature that I will be exploring this summer.

 I then reflected on how I see my future as a nature interpreter. This was hard for me as I still do not know what I want to do with my life. But what I do know is that I love nature and I love sharing it with people.

Our third blog topic was about privilege in nature interpretation. This one really made me reflect on my own privilege and how much there is inherently in nature interpretation. This is definitely something that I will carry in my personal ethic as a nature interpreter in the near future. By this, I mean that I will always acknowledge that I have been privileged to have explored nature like I have and that I will understand that not everyone has the same experiences as me in nature. Nature can be viewed in many different ways depending on someone’s upbringing and past experiences. Understanding that and using that is important to me.

My personal ethics also include being a responsible explorer of nature. Leaving no trace when I am in nature is something that is important to me, as well as when I am with others. Being responsible around wildlife is also something that is important. I think that bear safety is very important when people are outside in areas where there are bears. In my future as nature interpreter, this would be important to ensure that everyone understands. Not disturbing other wildlife is also important. Humans are not the only living beings on the planet and respecting habitats of wildlife while enjoying nature is important.

Grizzly bear on side of Trans Canada Highway near Banff National Park, April, 2021.

In my sixth blog, I reflected on the role that history plays in nature interpretation, and the importance of recognizing the knowledge that Indigenous Peoples bring to nature. Western science often disregards the generations of knowledge that has been past down. I believe it is important to include this. For me as a nature interpreter, including this knowledge would be important to mention. For example, when talking about the process of making maple syrup, acknowledging that the Indigenous Peoples of Canada were the first to develop this process. Or the traditional uses of birch bark for canoes.

The podcast assignment was also an interesting opportunity to try a new way of interpreting nature. It was difficult to figure out the best way to explain complex things to an audience composed of children. But overall, I learned a lot about how to communicate things about nature in an engaging way.

Overall, I learned a lot in this course about interpreting nature. I learned new ways to interpret nature, through art, music, and experiences. As I look to the future, I will be driving to Vancouver Island with my dad in about a month. As we explore the nature along the Trans-Canada Highway, I will have things learned in this course in the back of my mind. I will have new things to show him, and I really look forward to that opportunity.

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Hello Georgia,

I'll start off by saying congratulations! That is super, exciting that you are graduating and looking forward to the next chapter of your life! I wish you all the best in the future and I hope that nature, as I am sure it will, continues to be part of your life and close to your heart.

One thing that I have noticed after reading everyone's final blog posts is that there seems to be a common theme of privilege. It seems as though everyone took a lot away from that lesson in this semester and really took the time to understand the privilege that is in their life, and what that means for them as an interpreter. I think this is very interesting and I sometimes wonder if there is a connection to our generation somehow.

I too found that writing a script for a younger audience was difficult for the podcast assignment. Trying to find a balance between serious information and fun activities was challenging. Now that we are on the process of creating the second podcast, I am having a hard time switching into a more serious tone. I got so used to the children's podcast that now I am having the opposite problem! I think this is important to recognize as this is something that interpreters deal with everyday, delivering programs to multiple audiences at once and needing to find that balance to keep everyone connected and intrigued.

Overall your blog posts were really good and I hope your job opportunity in B.C this summer is awesome!

- Katie

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Final blog post #1: My beliefs and tools as a nature interpreter

For the final week of blog posts, I would like to take the chance to deeply reflect on what I have learned and how I can give back to my community, once I have graduated. I believe that as an environmental interpreter, I have the responsibility to teach, to inspire, to learn and to grow. In order to perform all these duties in an effective manner, I need to establish a set of beliefs that I need to follow:

Teach effectively by incorporating many styles of learning, do not settle with just the bare minimum (i.e: only giving out factual information like what a plain textbook already has, a nature interpreter is a person, not an audiobook).

When it comes to inspiring people, effective communication is an absolute necessity. This can only be done if I understand the topic, do my research, and communicate with audiences with a passion.

Always stay humble. Being able to own up to one’s mistakes is the most effective way to learn and mature from one’s faults. Besides teaching, it is very important to keep an open mind and open ears to listen, no matter who my audience is. There is always something they know that I do not.

Planning and design is important before embarking on any journey. However, keep in mind that there isn’t any perfect plan for every situation. Expect the unexpected and be prepared to handle any challenges in the most calm manner as possible.

Working in this field means I need to do my best to encourage participation and collaborative efforts (Knudsen and Seidler, 2013). This translates to giving my audience the opportunity to touch, feel, and smell nature, that way they get to experience nature to the full extent. This directly ties into the naturalistic intelligence that Howard Gardner suggested in 2011 (Beck et al., 2018). Even though it is the latest to be added to the list of learning style intelligences, I personally think it is the most relevant way to connect with nature on a deeper physical and spiritual level.

A useful tool that I can use to effectively communicate with my audience is probably my sense of humor. I have always been afraid of boring everybody whenever I talk, therefore, over time I learned how to level up my linguistic intelligence (Beck et al., 2018). However, it is important to keep in mind that there is an extent to the use of humor. Too much would just make the audience question the seriousness of the issue or the subject that I am trying to interpret, and will likely backfire on me as an interpreter.

Finally, we are living in an era where information and technology is only one click away. I think we should maximize this to their fullest potential. The textbook suggested that as interpreters, we do not need to be afraid of technologies as distractions, but rather, we can turn them into a tool by smoothly incorporating it into the ways we teach (Beck et al., 2018).

For now, that is where I am going to end this blog. I will see you all in the follow-up blog some time this week! Thanks for tuning in!

Duong (Robin) Nguyen.

References

Knudsen, M. A., Seidler, P. H. (2013). Nature interpretation for children and young people in the Nordic countries. Nordic Council of Ministers. DOI: 10.6027/TN2013-534

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

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Hello Duong (Robin), 

I really enjoyed how you have created a structured list of goals for your future as an interpreter. Not only did you create a list of things that you will do, but you acknowledged what we have learnt this semester and where your downfalls may lie. It is like you unpacked you backpack one last time but now as a reflection of your learning not so much on your privilege (Gallavan, 2005). I really liked this component and it is something I think I should take the time to do as well; to highlight the most important messages I took away from this course and to capitalize on what I have learnt. 

I also enjoyed how you strictly state that you may be able to create a connection to people through humour. I think this is a very interesting idea and not one I had considered. I have thought a lot about how I can connect to people through my passions and what I have learnt in school, but not as much on how I can connect with people through my personality. I am a very open-minded person who enjoys a good laugh as well. This may help to keep interpretation events light and fun. Moving forward I am going to pay more attention to how my personality interacts with others as well. Thank you for brining this to my attention, it is a really cool idea! 

This was a wonderful blog post to read and I look forward to your follow-up post later this week! 

- Katie 

References 

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks.” Multicultural Education (San Francisco, Calif.), 13(1), 36–36. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9fe2f151

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#10: My ethics on nature interpretation

Going through my childhood photo books for inspiration, I noticed my mother’s handwriting that my first outing at 8 days old consisted of a stroller walk through the forest near the hospital where I was born. There are pictures of me as a baby sitting in between the plants in the garden or having the best of times with floaties in the sea. Later on when my parents lived in Tunisia, we would often walk through Roman ruins near our house, see picture below. Fast forward a few years, and we would encounter elephants on our way to the beach in Gabon, and watch baby sea turtles hatch at Ras al Hadd in Oman.

I’m immensely grateful to my parents that they provided me with unforgettable nature experiences as a child, as it formed who I am today and continues to drive how I live my life. I’ve made a career change once already - which made me come to Canada - to get involved with sustainability, and I’m on the brink of making another career change to start a new life as a nature conservationist / interpreter - which will get me to leave Canada again. Every week, I go for forest hikes or walk to the lake nearby, and in summer spend countless hours in the garden.

I’m acutely aware that many people don’t enjoy that privilege of access to nature for a myriad of reasons, including never having been exposed to nature as a child. My belief is that nature should be made accessible to everyone, especially to children and local residents so that they can experience nature as part of their regular lives and learn about the genius loci; why it’s a place worth preserving and protecting (Beck et al., 2018). Tourists are very welcome too as they can spread the word and generate a revenue stream to support free local programming. Nature for all!

As the course book describes, any site can be interpreted to evoke the cultural history and highlight natural features (Beck et al., 2018). By doing so, it reconnects humans to who we are as a species, reminding us of the important things of life - like most other species, we want to stay safe, eat well and be part of a community. Interpretation creates awareness that humans need to act in harmony with the natural environment in order to survive long-term, and that it requires giving back instead of only taking from nature. Even if interpretive programming is limited to only providing trail wayfinding signage, such as in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, see picture below, giving visitors the opportunity to soak in the experience and let nature speak for itself, promotes contemplation and can strengthen people (Beck et al., 2018).

I feel responsible to encourage others to develop their relationship with nature while safeguarding the natural integrity of the place and sustaining biodiversity through nature conservation. I’ve recently become a land steward volunteer for the Bruce Trail Conservancy, and am looking forward to getting my hands dirty by removing invasive species this summer, while also aiming to get local residents engaged through e.g. a presentation at the local library and organizing community conservation events at the property. By creating learning opportunities about the outdoors and showing how anyone can contribute to a healthy environment, I hope that it breeds familiarity with nature to create a sense of stewardship (Beck et al., 2018).

The course content on privilege and looking at nature through the lens of history, made me realize that until now I was mostly focused on the environmental aspects of interpretation, and less so on the historical and cultural story of a place (Hooykaas, 2022). I now see that it’s my responsibility as an interpreter to ensure that past stories are not omitted from the collective memory, and that by including cultural heritage in programming it makes the space more meaningful; children and residents especially will benefit from celebrating local history. Similarly, the course content on science as a lens (Hooykaas, 2022), made me contemplate that although I like participating in citizen science, I’ve never been actively encouraged to do so at a conservation area. That’s a missed opportunity so I see it as my responsibility, even more so as an engineer by background, to engage visitors in how they can contribute to citizen science while furthering their environmental education (Wals et al., 2014).

My approach will likely be foremost centered around onsite activities, consisting of creating interesting hiking trails and signage that will highlight special features. Ideally a visitor centre provides visually attractive exhibits which also stimulate on a sensory level by e.g. letting people touch, hear or smell the surrounding nature. The course content on art gave me ideas how to incorporate song and dance into children programming (Hooykaas, 2022), and a vegetable demonstration garden would be a way to remind both children and adults where food comes from. Guided hikes such as I experienced in Les 2 Alpes in France, see picture below, are a great way to interact with visitors. I also like the idea of roving interpreters who answer questions to visitors on-the-spot outdoors (Beck et al., 2018).

As much as I’m not into digital content, I recognize the need to have a strong online presence in order to deliver the interpretive message to the larger public. Hopefully I can delegate to someone else to build an attractive website, send out regular newsletters & social media posts and create podcasts, not only to drive traffic to our conservation area but also to cultivate environmental awareness in those that don’t visit (Beck et al., 2018). I’ve come to realize I quite like blogging so this may be continued after the course to further hone my skills!

Most importantly, I would like my approach to interpretation to be successful in creating a place of personal growth where everyone of any age appreciates something new about nature (Beck et al., 2018). I’d like to offer free access for school trips and underserved groups, as I feel they would benefit most, however ultimately I want everyone to enjoy nature and hopefully inspire more thoughtful living on Earth. Everyone deserves pure happiness such as jumping in a field of poppies! 😍

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

Hooykaas, A. (2022). ENVS*3000 Nature Interpretation course manual. University of Guelph.

Wals, A.E., Brody, M., Dillon, J., & Stevenson, R. B. (2014). SCIENCE EDUCATION Convergence Between Science and Environmental Education. Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science), 344(6184), 583–584. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250515

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Heyy! 

What an inspirational blog post! I totally agree that our experiences and feelings as a child can shape who we will become in the future! I too had the privilege of growing up with a family who enjoyed the outdoors and had access to hiking trails and a cottage on a lake. I agree, as you mentioned, that these experiences helped to shape who I am today. Not only as an interpreter, but as a person as a whole. Ever since I was little I can remember my Grandpa telling me that I would grow up to become a biologist. He was close (I chose ecology), but I will give him the credit. 

I too have a hard time with the digital component of nature interpretation. I think I have benefited from trying to use citizen science platforms like iNaturalist to get used to having an online presence. But that is only a stepping stone towards a need to have a social platform where I can connect, or stay connected to other interpreters and people who may be interested in what I have learnt. If I am being completely honest, I had never once been on Tumblr or used it before this class. I did really enjoy these posts though, and reading through everyone’s perspective. I think this is something that we are all still getting used to, as interpretation online is relatively new compared to storytelling or other more traditional delivery methods. I know we will learn and grow together, as we have created a community of interpreters within this course.

Thank you for an awesome final post! I wish you the best of luck in the future! 

- Katie 

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Who I Am as an Interpreter?

My name is Katie Schankula, and I am a 21-year-old girl who grew up in North Bay, Ontario, Canada. I am attending the University of Guelph because I have the privilege to do so. Because I grew up in a country that allows me to do so, with a family that supported me, and access to a high school education. I was able to go camping as a child, I had clean lakes to swim in, and Ontario Parks to hike through. That is my backpack, and I now see how much privilege it holds (Gallavan, 2005). I now more thoroughly understand the privilege I have and have an uttermost respect for the people who are underserved (Beck et al., 2018). I will not let my privilege of having access to an education and the ability to understand interpretation go to waste. That is my promise to my fellow classmates, my professors, and the people I interact with every day.

When Richard Louv suggested that no matter what your motivation is to do this job, you have a responsibility to future generations, this really sunk in for me. It emphasizes the idea that we may all come from different backgrounds as interpreters, we have different reasonings for taking this class, and different interests, but in the end, we share a common passion. And that passion runs so deep that it brings us all together and connects a diverse group of people with one common goal, to share our love of nature with others.

My responsibility as an interpreter is to do exactly that, to share my love of nature with others. Because I had the privilege to obtain a university degree from an environmental program that is well recognized, I have a role to share that knowledge with the public. Even if I do not obtain a career strictly as a nature interpreter or in that field, I have a responsibility to connect people to nature through the scientific education I have obtained. I now have the tools in my pocket to be able to take heavy material and create a fun and engaging program for all audiences. I recognize that some people do not have the access to provincial parks or the means of travel to attend a guided hike. For them, I will use communication and word of mouth to spread my stories. I will listen to other’s stories and help keep the art of storytelling alive. As Beck et al. (2018) mentions, storytelling is able to encapsulate entire cultures. It is inexpensive and just as effective, as even younger audiences can appreciate a good story.

I had the privilege of obtaining many certifications such as white-water canoe training, basic canoe training, wilderness first aid, basic CPR and first aid, and a pleasure craft operators’ card. I know the trade-offs between risk and reward, and I am responsible to ensure that I am encouraging safe behaviour in the environment for both the person and the ecosystem (Beck et al., 2018).

What do I believe? I believe that no matter the age, no matter the ethnicity, beliefs, or background, everyone has the right to enjoy nature. I think people are quick to picture children as enjoying nature, playing in a puddle, or getting covered in the mud. But why shouldn’t and adult be able to do that too? I want to create an atmosphere around interpretation that makes everyone feel comfortable being themselves and connecting to nature in whatever way that makes them happiest. I want to provide people with the tools to do so. That could be helping someone identify a bird call, or simply pointing out where to look for dragonflies.

I am an able-bodied person who is passionate about the outdoors and has worked as a nature interpreter in the past at Marten River Provincial Park. When I approach nature interpretation, I think I would personally be better suited in an outdoor setting. I don’t necessarily mean in a structured sit-down lesson, or a pre-determined game. This could be as simple as suggesting going for a hike with a friend when I am bored. I have learnt that interpretation can be found in everything. There are people that are better at engaging groups in more of a classroom setting, and people that are better at creating podcasts, but I am better suited outside being exposed to the sounds and beauty around me. I am sure lots of people feel this way, and I would be capable of running a program indoors or online, but my element is outside. And there is nothing wrong with accepting where your strengths lie.

If there is one thing I could work on as an interpreter, it is supporting fellow interpreters. Attending interpretation events at the university, or seeking community held events. Although interpreters are trying to create a sense of community with the public, I think it is also important to create that sense of community with each other. Because as I mentioned, as well as Richard Louv, we all have the same responsibility and together, we can create an even larger community.

I want to take a moment to thank the teaching staff at the University of Guelph and for the ENVS*3000 “Nature Interpretation” course for providing me with the tools and the education to spread my knowledge to others. And thank you to my classmates who interacted with my posts and started creating that sense of community between interpreters. To have the ability to interact with so many other people with the same passions as me has been awesome and I have learnt so much from you all! I hope to keep spreading your stories and inspiring others to do the same!

Best of luck moving forward to you all!

-       Katie Schankula

One last photo of my trip to Hawaii! Go explore what Earth has to offer! 

References 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks.” Multicultural Education (San Francisco, Calif.), 13(1), 36–36. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=9fe2f151

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N(e)ature - Bears that Surf

Close your eyes for a moment and listen to this sound:

What do you see, smell and hear?

Besides the picture, these sounds immediately take me back to running water. Where does it take you?

Breath in deeply and close your eyes. Picture yourself near a stream. You can hear the water, a brute force that overpowers all the other sounds from other animals that might be around. You feel the moss underneath your feet. One step forward and you feel the very, very cold water touching your toes. You might smell flowers that are blooming onshore and are awakening from their deep winter sleep.

I see myself standing near a gushing stream in Jasper, Alberta. At Maligne Canyon, I can see the water passing along and then suddenly falling deep down.

Visiting Maligne Canyon at Jasper National Park (August 2021)

Waterfalls were not the only thing I saw out West! Last year, I saw my first-ever grizzly bears! Grizzly bears are really fascinating to me. #Funfact: Grizzly bears only reproduce every 5 to 8 years (Parks Canada, 2017)! Today, I want to tell you about how they practise surfing because when I learned about this, I was flabbergasted.

Resource Waves

Yes, you heard right, bears like to surf. They just don't use surfboards like we do and they don't surf waves on the ocean. Bears surf resource waves. Resource waves are changes in the spatial and temporal abundance of prey (Abrahms et al., 2021). This means, the bear takes advantage of when and where its food source is very abundant, and then it goes there at the right time to feed on the prey.

Grizzly Bear hunting salmon at a waterfall.

Salmon spawning times affect grizzly bear behaviour

As you can tell by the video, grizzly bears like to eat salmon. Since all of you have taken at least one biology course, you are probably aware that salmon migrate back to the watersheds they were born in to spawn. What you probably didn't know is that the spawning date of salmon changes with the water temperature (Abrahms et al., 2021).

In warmer waters, such as lakes, salmon spawn later. In rivers and fast-flowing, colder water, salmon spawn earlier. This change in spawning date is exactly what the grizzly bear takes advantage of: The grizzly bear tracks the movement pattern of the salmon and feeds first on the salmon in the river, and then in the lake (Abrahms et al., 2021).

Why surfing is crucial

You might wonder why it is important for the grizzly bear to track the resource pattern of its prey. There are two reasons:

1. The bear tracks the peak abundance of the salmon, which means it feeds while there is a lot of salmon present. This prevents the bear from decimating the salmon population (Abrahms et al., 2021).

2. The bear first feeds on the salmon in the stream and then in the lake. This gives the bear food for multiple months (Abrahms et al., 2021)!

The love for berries

Grizzly bears also love to eat berries. #DYK That bearberries are called this way because they are the favourite food of bears (Mussulman & Reveal, 2022)? Usually, berries bloom after the salmon spawn so when the bears are done feeding on salmon, they switch to berries.

Resource waves everywhere

I always find it so fascinating how things are interconnected in nature. The concept of resource waves is not limited to bears, mule deer also follow the peak abundance of vegetation (Abrahams et al., 2021). Next time you go for a walk, BEAR in mind how organisms are intertwined with each other and how impacting one will impact others. Maybe there are animals in your favourite forest that also practise surfing?

References

Abrahms, B., Aikens, E. O., Armstrong, J. B., Deacy, W. W., Kauffman, M. J., & Merkle, J. A. (2021). Emerging perspectives on resource tracking and animal movement ecology. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 36(4), 308–320. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2020.10.018

Mussulman, J. & Reveal, J. L. (2022). Bearberry. Discovering Lewis & Clark. http://www.lewis-clark.org/article/1352

Parks Canada. (2017). Grizzly Bears. https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/mtn/ours-bears/generaux-basics/grizzli-grizzly

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Hello Verena,

I loved this blog post! So awesome and very vivid imagery. When I read your first paragraph listening to the sound of water this is what I saw….

I closed my eyes. I saw the stream I found while exploring the McConnell Lakes a few summers ago. I walked under a canopy of trees, wading through the stream which was just deep enough to tickle behind my knee. I heard the wind in the canopy above and felt clay like sand squish between my toes. When I finally emerged into an opening on the other side of the trees, I realized this little river connected two large bodies of water. Like a bridge for the organisms to travel across from one body of water to the next.

Photo I took of this little river. I didn’t even have to find this photo to remember every little detail about it after reading your post! I found the photo after I wrote my response to add a visual!

You can tell that you put a lot of effort into incorporating a lot of potentially heavy material into a form that a wider variety of people can connect to. As stated by Beck et al. (2018) in chapter 10, the authors mention to use imagery to allow people to see what you are explaining. Using that technique in your first paragraph, coupled with the auditory components added by the videos you were able to adhere to more than just one of our senses!

Great Job!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

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Nature is Amazing

One thing I know for sure about nature, is that it never ceases to amaze me. There is always new information to be learnt, and stories to be told, or phenomenon’s to be admired. One of the phenomenon’s that I learnt about in this class while doing some research about the Northern Lights (Aura Borealis), is how this phenomenon is recognized worldwide and all nationalities, cultures, and beliefs have their own origin story for the Northern Lights.

What are the Northern Lights?

You are standing outside in Northern Canada, on a cold winter day. The chilly wind is blowing against your face and your nose is turning red while your cheeks are rosy. Everything is quiet but the sky. The sky is awake! Dancing over your head are shades of blue, green, purple and everything in-between. The light is jumping around and moving from side to side like a snake. A fire in the sky! Everything around you is still and silent to admire the picture being painted before your eyes. And this picture can be entirely explained by science. The Northern Lights are caused by electrical particles and the interactions they have with one another creating this light show, according to Western Science. But every culture has its own origin story.

Origin Stories of the Northern Lights

It is important to note that all of the following stories were researched online, and there may be many variations or other explanations from each culture as to how the lights came to be. The following are a few interesting ones I read about, but there are many many more to be heard!

Ancient Greece

The Greeks and Romans believe that the Aurora Borealis was a sister of the sun and the moon, Helios and Seline, who used her colours to wake up her sisters and warn them of a new day (Aurora Zone, 2022). Aurora is considered to be the goddess of Dawn in Roman history (Aurora Zone, 2022).

North America

Many Indigenous groups across Canada have different origin stories for the Northern Lights. The Indigenous group of Algonquin people believe that the light was created from a fire that their creator started (Nanahbozho), and it is a reminder that their creator is watching over them (Aurora Zone, 2022). Inuit people believed the lights were human spirits using a walrus skull as a ball to play games with (Aurora Zone, 2022).

The Baltic States

Estonian people believed that the lights were created by spiritual horse drawn carriages that were transporting guests in heaven to a celestial wedding ceremony (Aurora Zone, 2022).

Photo from Pexels: Tobias Bjorki (2018) ~ Taken in Norway, one of the 11 Baltic States

All of these back stories are generated from viewing the same dancing light from various locations across the world. One phenomenon is able to reach the hearts of so many different cultures and nationalities, inspiring amazement in all. Their beauty is recognized by all who see it, but everyone interprets their meaning in their own way. As stated by Beck et al. (2018) nature interpretation is able to bring an extremely diverse group of individuals together by sharing stories or enjoying the beauty our Earth has to offer. By sharing origin stories and creating our own interpretation we are able to include multiple nationalities and cultures and perhaps create an inclusive atmosphere for underserved populations (Beck et al. 2018). I am going to play a video below of the Northern Lights in action by National Geographic. When watching, think about what the lights represent for you? What do you feel when you see them? Do you now feel connected to the lights? Feel free to leave a comment on your thoughts!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

Mythology of the Northern Lights. (2022). The Aurora Zone. https://www.theaurorazone.com/about-the-aurora/aurora-legends

National Geographic. (2012, March 21). Spectacular Norway Northern Lights. [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izYiDDt6d8s

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Blog 6: music & nature as one in the same

Where is music in nature? To me the answer is everywhere. We often listen to music when we’re taking time for ourselves and wanting to relax, and the sounds of nature have the same effect. There’s a popular quote by George Santanaya saying, “The earth has music for those who listen”, with the important part being those who stop and listen. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, rain dropping, birds singing, cicadas humming, thunder rumbling ect is all part of the symphony of the earth. Not all notice these noises, but they are constant and everywhere in varying degrees. This reminds me of the saying “it’s like music to my ears’’ which people normally say when hearing something they like that’s not traditional music. When I think of this, I picture myself on an empty beach listening to the waves crashing on shore, as I consider that a form of music. What comes to your mind?

After reading this weeks content I read the paper that published the quote shown in the notes called The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music by Gray et al. They answered the question of whether or not other species show musical language and expression by explaining how whales and birds use similar musical techniques as humans (Gray et al 2001). They have the ability to memorize and recognize musical patterns, showing they use music to share and interpret information just as we do.

Where is nature in music? With this I think of either turning natural sounds into songs, or songs that mentally take people back to natural locations. A good example of one of these was provided to us as DJ Ecotone. He creatively took nature sounds and turned them into a modern style of music that would appeal to kids. His passion started with recording bird calls and then adding beatboxing to connect others with nature as the birds had done to him. Even the recordings of nature sounds have been shown to improve peoples mood and mental state. Sometimes when I’m stressed I’ll go on Spotify and listen to playlists that combine nature sounds with classical music to relax. It always works to help calm me down before an important exam or presentation.

A song that takes me back to a natural landscape would be “A Horse with No Name” by America. 

I was 13 in the back of my grandparents car driving through the deserts of Arizona when my Grandpa thought it would be ironic to play a song about being in a desert. Although, we ended up listening to the entire album 3 times in a row by which point we were all very sick of it. Now everytime I hear that song I think about looking out the car window into the deserts of Arizona and the vast and flat landcape.

-Reilly

References:

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

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Hi Reilly,

I felt a strong connection to your blog this week as I have similar opinions and experiences! You mentioned the quote by George Santanaya saying, “The Earth has music for those who listen.” And as you mentioned the “those who listen section” is very important. After reading this week’s material I did not notice how I tend to overlook the songs of nature. I have always enjoyed the sounds and will sit with a window open during a thunderstorm or listen to the birds through my window in the morning. But what I have been overlooking is the whole picture. I had never really thought about the entirety of these sounds coming together to create a song sung by nature. This made me wonder how many people have done the same thing as I have been doing, overlooking nature’s voice.

Another interesting point your blog brought to my attention is how we all have similar examples of music in nature. For example, you used rain dropping, birds singing, and thunder rumbling. I used the exact same examples in my post, and I have noticed similar comparisons in some of our other classmates as well. My question then becomes, why do we all have the exact same interpretation of nature’s song? There are thousands of noises outdoors all the time, but we all thought of the same examples. Is this because we have been told these examples in nursery rhymes and campfire songs? Or is it because they we find the most pleasure in these sounds? Or perhaps it is because it is what we have seen in movies growing up. For example, Disney Princesses tend to sing to birds, or Fiona from Shrek sings with a bird. Interesting to think about!

I like this song from enchanted because you can hear the sounds of bugs and other critters that aren't normally thought of as having a "song."

Thank you for sharing your insights! I look forward to your future blogs!

- Katie

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Music in Nature

Music is everywhere. In the sound of rain, the sound of birds chirping in the morning sun, or the sound of leaves rustling in a crisp breeze. It is all around us all the time. We may walk outside and not even realize that we are hearing the music of other species. I personally like the question proposed by Gray et al. (2001) on if other species (besides humans) show musical language expression. Ever since I was little people told me that singing to plants can make them grow bigger. I saw grade-school science experiments with bean plants being grown in environments with different genres of music playing to see which one grew the biggest. Or what about my dog or bearded dragon, do they appreciate my singing? But I now realize that not only could these species be interpreting our song, but they are singing to us as well. If you combine the sounds of rain falling, with wind blowing, and birds chirping you have a song of nature.

But what about nature in song? Beck et al. (2018) mentioned that nature interpretation should use all our senses, that way we can include a more diverse audience and it is easier for that audience to relate to the information being presented. Musicians, specifically human musicians, use the sounds of nature to depict emotion in their song and create that connection. For example, country music often uses sounds of nature to help with emotional connection in their songs. For example, the song titled “Thunder in the Rain” by artist Kane Brown compares sounds of nature to human interaction to create a connection. For example, he compares the rumble of thunder to the sound of a quickened heartbeat.

Kane Brown - Thunder in the Rain Lyric Video

Song creates an ability to spark memories, some of which may be to nature. My song is titled “Patio Lanterns” by Kim Mitchell. My family’s cottage, located on the Ottawa River, is lined with these yellow, green, and red patio lights. I remember sitting outside under the stars, chasing fireflies, and listening to Patio Lanterns. Every time I hear this song I think of those nights, and the smell of campfire burning while the crickets chirp in the background, and there is a reflection of the moon cast onto the water before me. If this song is able to create that vivid of a memory, and that strong of a connection to nature, then using song in interpretation could be a create tool to inspire others.

Photo I took at my cottage of the moon one clear night

From this week’s material, I specifically enjoyed the lecture video titled “Ideas @Davos | Ocean Mercier | Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science” shared by World Economic Forum. The speaker is attempting to convey the relevance and importance of historical knowledge and traditional knowledge in science. The reason this video was so interesting to me was because of how it connected back to the teachings of Beck et al. (2018). They stated that for interpretation, we need to keep in mind all our senses. I feel that often western knowledge finds a need for manipulation and often overlooks the value in observational studies. This is not always true, but there are a significant number of manipulative studies. What the video by World Economic Forum called “Ideas @Davos | Ocean Mercier | Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science” is attempting to convey is that historical knowledge and traditional knowledge also expands from science, it is simply communicated differently. Perhaps this traditional knowledge system is the perfect balance because it includes a lot of observation. As mentioned in the video Indigenous explorers and historical figures were expert navigators using stars and waves. They observed this science firsthand making their observations a perfect balance to the physics associated with Western Science.

Patio Lanterns Lyric Video - Kim Mitchell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh23bEz8qwA

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

Gray, P. M., Kraue, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science, 291(5501), 52-54. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.10.1126/SCIENCE.1056960

World Economic Forum, director. Ideas @Davos | Ocean Mercier | Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science. YouTube, 21 Mar. 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoQS_7yjStE. Accessed 28 Feb. 2022.

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Blog #6 - The Gifts of Interpretation - Edward Hyams

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” ~ Edward Hyams

I believe that Edward is trying to display the idea that there is no value to something from the past unless we give it a value. He states that there is no merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity. He is demonstrating that there is no value both positive or negative associated with an ancient object or detail unless we provide it with one. He is stating that as humans we have a requirement for integrity, and integrity is the process of providing truth to something. He is hinting  that in order to keep our past alive we need to interpret historic events and provide these stories with values in order to keep our history alive.

In the YouTube video “National Park Service Chief Historian Robert Sutton on Historical Interpretation in Parks,” Robert Sutton mentions that many national parks are created on historic sites, not necessarily for any purpose, but this has provided humans with the opportunity to create these stories and share the values of our past as Edward Hyam is referring to. Robert mentions that the civil war is a popular topic, but sometimes other events can be shadowed by the war. For example, he explains that there was a trail called “The Trail of Tears” used by indigenous peoples during the war. The story of the trail would have been completely lost if park interpreters had not brought its story, and therefore value, back into existence.

Edward is stating that there is a value associated in looking back to our past to create a story and benefits for our future. And as stated in this week’s unit, we can learn from our past and create unified communities through story telling.

I had the privilege of interpreting a historical logging museum at Marten River Provincial Park where people would come from all over the world to learn about their family’s heritage. I got to meet people from Australia, New Zealand, the United States and more. It was an amazing experience to be able to tell the stories of the past and provide these families with a connection to the local history. This was the moment that I personally realized the importance of storytelling, and I hope everyone has the opportunity to either tell their story or hear a story as heartfelt as the logging stories I heard from people around the world.

A super cool group of artists that sing at Marten River about logging history are the Wakami Wailers! I recommend checking them out if you have the opportunity!

Photo taken from: https://www.wakamiwailers.com (the background building is part of Marten River’s Logging Museum)

Some of my favourite songs by this group are:

-       The Lumbercamp Song

-       The Winter Camp

-       The Last of the White Pine Loggers

Fun Fact - They used to perform at Marten River during one of the parks logging museum weekends!

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I Miss Travelling

For the past two years, we have all been stuck inside the house (Well, at least for me). I used to travel outside of Canada at least once every year. Though, because of COVID, I have not left Ontario since the summer of 2019. Now, this is not anything to complain about, but recently I have been coming across way too many ads that have been tempting me to leave the country. So I figured in order to feed my hunger for adventure, I'll share some of my travelling adventures with you, along with some tips on what to do while you're there.

Now I can go on forever on the places I have gone or the places I want to go to, but for this post, I am going to focus mainly on Japan. It is one of the main spots known for its ecotourism, which is going to different natural wonders in the country and supporting them. By buying a ticket to a natural attraction or supporting the businesses in the area, you are participating in ecotourism!

First things first, if you ever get the opportunity - please go to Japan. The country is filled with a rich culture, fascinating history, food to die for, super friendly people and beautiful scenery. It was like no other place I have been to. At first, it was a bit of a culture shock with the busy train stations and massive city centres, but you get used to it with the help of apps and locals. My sister and I took the shinkansen (bullet train) all around Japan, which truly helped me see the country's beauty. It was a quick, easy and eco-friendly option (they run on electricity) - we wouldn't have been able to do half the excursions we planned without it. Not to mention, on any long haul trips, the stations always had stalls where they served delicious snacks and bento boxes which you can eat on the train (Bento boxes weren't my favourite, but it's worth a try). So use this to your advantage, even if you just want to see the countryside.

On our way to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park via bullet train.

There are numerous places you can see that truly highlights Japan's natural beauty. Bamboo groves in Arashiyama, Sika deer in Nara Park, the floating Shinto Shrine in the waters of Miyajima - these are some of the many places we visited that support ecotourism. However, I would like to highlight two important areas that are a must-visit.

1. Mount Fuji

This is probably one of Japan's most famous, well-known spots for obvious reasons. I remember seeing this while taking the train and being in absolute awe. You can see it as clear as day, from kilometres away. The size of the mountain is insurmountable (3,776 m to be exact); I remember feeling so small compared to it. I won't lie, it was very touristy and hard to get to; however, the views are worth it. The picturesque lake, deep forests and the snow-peaked mountain is something that you won't forget.

Views from Chureito Pagoda, luckily no clouds covered our view! There were a lot of stairs though, so be prepared!

2. Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

If you like wildlife and anything nature, this is the place to go. The train ride is filled with rolling mountains and small towns with ryokans (traditional Japanese inns) and lush forests. When you get to the park, you are faced with a 30-minute hike through a beautiful forest within the mountain. There are a couple of small stores and a hotel on the path, but other than that, you are alone in nature. The hike was extremely peaceful (except for the muddy patches that destroy your shoes. Had to buy socks mid-hike from the shop) and filled with dense pine trees. When you get to the park, you get to see the wonder of Japanese Macaques relaxing in the hot springs. There were very few people there when I visited, which meant the monkeys were everywhere. You can't touch them or get too close for obvious reasons, but getting so close to the monkeys in their natural habitat is something you won't forget.

After a long hike being absolutely covered in mud, our reward was pretty sweet!

I'll probably talk about Japan way more in future posts, but here's just a snippet of one of my favourite trips. At the end of the day, it is essential to support ecotourism when you can, as it can help promote and sustain local environments. I would love to hear any travel stories you have, so please share them if you would like!

Information and facts from: https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/japans-best-ecotourism-destinations-we-cant-wait-to-visit/

~Nicole

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Hi Nicole, 

Your images are awesome! It looks like such a great time! I really liked how you mentioned the bullet train and how it is completely electric! I feel that a lot of people jump to the conclusion that because Japan has such a high population their pollution outputs are so much higher and that’s the end of the story. But this is not the case. Although Japan may have a higher population, they are also putting in an effort to come up with green alternatives to transportation or other human needs. 

I grew up in North Bay, Ontario and although we have a smaller population, our green infrastructure is severely lacking. Our means of transportation were very limited. For example, our bus program is consistently being cut back and there is no other form of group transport like a streetcar or subway. I believe there are only a few options left if I wanted to take a bus from Guelph, all the way back to my house as more and more scheduled buses are being cancelled. So it is super cool to highlight that there is a train that not only provides group transportation, but is also electric and covers a majority of Japan! More sustainable transportation is possible, we just need to be motivated and have the means to implement them. Very cool little environmental component in your post. 

Speaking of environment.... those monkeys are super cool! The fact that they are taking a nice warm bath in the hot springs makes them feel even more human like. Really brings into perspective that all living things have basic needs, and can find joy or a use for a nice warm bath! We can all appreciate some luxuries!  

Super cool post, I look forward to hearing about more of your adventures! 

- Katie 

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Exercising in Nature

Something that has become a super “hot topic” over the last few months has been working out and exercise and the closure of gyms due to Covid -19. Due to these closures many people have been forced to find alternatives to fulfil their exercise needs. Some people may have resorted to at home gyms, or working out at a friend’s house, but others may have moved their exercises outdoors.

I have always felt uncomfortable in a gym setting, maybe because I don’t really know what I am doing, so I resort to exercising outdoors. When outside you get the joys of nature and the peaceful sounds of birds chirping or the sun shining as motivation to keep pushing through whatever activity you may be doing. I also enjoy exercising in ways that do not make it feel like a task. For example, going for a long skate on a winter trail or a bicycle ride on a waterfront path feels more like fun than work!

I have always enjoyed exercising outdoors, but I wonder if all these people who were forced to find alternatives to exercising have newly discovered a passion to exercising outdoors as well. Introducing someone to an outdoor workout can provide inspiration for that person to enjoy outdoors and perhaps spark questions about what they may be observing. For example, taking a run through an old growth forest may make someone stop and wonder how a tree got that big, or how they can conserve that forest. It makes me wonder if exercise can somehow be used in nature interpretation. I often hear about nature hikes or walks but what about more extensive exercise to replace a gym setting?

A super cool outdoor gym I keep seeing social media posts about is the Tulum Jungle Gym located on Tulum Beach in Mexico.

Photo Taken from: https://tulumjunglegym.com/gym-in-tulum-tulum-jungle-gym/

 Beck et al. (2018) mentions that children often need to have games to play or something to do to keep buys sometimes, but what about for older audiences? As Beck et al. (2018) mentions, you also must think about inclusivity as well, and ensure that all members are able to participate. This is where the idea of a perhaps a group cycling event may only appeal to certain audiences.

Something I have really wanted to try that may be more inclusive is outdoor yoga or meditation. That way if you are not comfortable with participating in the yoga portion you can follow the inspirational messages that the instructor may convey all while being outdoors. I personally want to try goat yoga because I love animals, but others may prefer the calming atmosphere of just being outdoors! Although I may get too distracted by the goats!

Let me know what you think about incorporating gym activities in nature interpretation?

Photo taken from: https://www.foxdengoatyoga.com/site/about-goat-yoga-niagara

The image above is taken from foxden Goat Yoga, which is a goat yoga place in Niagara, Canada that was featured on the television show “Dragons Den!”

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Art and Nature; A Likely Pairing

Art is such a unique way of interpreting nature; it goes beyond speech and uses a range of techniques, such as paintings, photographs, and music to convey information that words alone cannot (Beck et al., 2018). I believe that we all regularly interpret nature through art, even if we don’t necessarily realize it. We may not all paint or write stories, but we certainly all have had, at some point, our own unique experiences with nature and art. Have you ever sat by a window and taken a few minutes to simply do nothing but admire the scenery - even if it’s just your back garden? Have you ever seen an influx of sunset pictures on social media after a particularly gorgeous day? Were you compelled yourself to take a photo - maybe post it and share what you saw? Isn't it fascinating, and in fact, rather heartwarming, that humans have a desire to not only capture and save the things we find beautiful so we can enjoy them again later but also to share what we saw with others? On my hikes, I'm sure I've snapped over a thousand photos of the scenery, even if it’s a simple local forest trail. I have also shared my pictures on my own social media and even on this very blog. Whether it’s a spectacular vista or a local park, whether we’re professional artists or amateur photographers, or whether it’s a painting we spent weeks on or merely a photo taken on a phone - we have filled the world with magnificent works of art showing scenes of nature because of our very human desire to share what we see. Sharing our art or photographs can, in many ways, be viewed as an act of nature interpretation. By sharing specific scenes of nature that gave us inspiration and we regarded as beautiful, we’re capable of arousing that same inspiration and emotions in our audience.

We learned about the Group of Seven, a group of Canadian painters and nature lovers, while I was in grade nine. I recall feeling a strong connection to the paintings, and it's one of the few things I remember from that art class. When I got into hiking some years later, I rediscovered the Group of Seven after discovering I had hiked in many of the sites they had painted. I ended up purchasing four prints for my home. In fact, one of my favourite provincial parks (Killarney Provincial Park) exists solely due of the Group of Seven's tireless conservation efforts. One of the most important aspects of nature interpretation is that it "sticks" with the audience, and the Group of Seven's scenes of nature certainly "stuck" with me. Colour, framing, and stylistic approaches enable artists like the Group of Seven to instil meaning into their work. As a result, the nature is more likely to be remembered, and it may even have an impact on the audience's relationship with nature, as it did with me.

One of my favourites, and one I have displayed, is by Tom Thomson titled “The Jack Pine”. The subject matter is straightforward: it depicts a tree in front of a body of water. Thomson, however, uses the previously stated artistic approaches to give the image a deeper significance. Although the meaning of art is subjective and cannot completely be "rightly interpreted" nor is the meaning “fixed”, the uniqueness in our interpretations as individuals is what makes nature interpretation through art particularly impactful AND memorable (Beck et al., 2018). To me, The Jack Pine evokes the spirit of Northern Ontario through its lone pine-tree subject. The stylized tree, outlined in a deep red and seemingly glowing in the fading daylight, stands out against a background of broad horizontal strokes. It portrays perfect peace — the sky and lake are serene and painted in large strokes, with a soft colour palette adding to the impression. The falling crimson threads of bare pine branches, the vertical lines of the trees, and the curves of the hills act as a perfect juxtaposition to the ribbons of wide horizontal, almost gentle, background. The foreground of the Jack Pine’s scraggly dark-green and tattered form is most striking against the calm and waning light, its as if the tree were a symbol of Tom Thomson’s impending and suspicious death which came later that same year (Parsons 2003). Thomson effectively employs artistic methods in his paintings to tell us a story as well as meaningfully portray nature. An artist who doubles as a nature interpreter is capable of making a “basic” tree just as striking and memorable as a mountain landscape.

Whether an interpreter is a nature guide or an artist, the goal is the same: to help people appreciate the beauty of their surroundings, no matter where they are, and to instil in them the necessity of conserving it (Beck et.al. 2018). Each person's definition of beauty is unique, but anything can become beautiful and valuable when we assign it meaning, be it through art or speech.

Think about your favourite piece of art that involves nature. Is it a painting? A photograph? A story? Please share it and explain why it’s your favourite.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture. Pp. 43-45, 85

Parsons, L. (2003, September 16). Tom Thomson: Painter and "Canadian legend". World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved February 1, 2022, from https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2003/09/thom-s16.html

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Hi Madeleine!! 

To answer your question, my favourite piece of art that involves nature was actually a song I heard a long time ago about early logging history as well as a song about Samuel de Champlain’s explorations. Both of these songs I heard at an interactive museum night where there were sing alongs and informational sessions being held about local history and ecology. I was only about 7 years old when I heard these songs and have remembered them ever since! It is crazy to think that these songs have stuck with me for so long, and must have really had an impact on my interpretation of logging and exploration as a child. I think they really encouraged me to become my own explorer and go and seek my own adventures outdoors as Samuel de Champlain did. 

I also covered an entire unit in middle school on the group of seven and specifically Tom Thomson. I think his story and his paintings are both forms of art that have driven people to go explore the outdoors. People hear of Tom Thomson’s story, or see an image he created and want to go and find these places themselves, or recreate the image in their own view! My favourite image he painted is “The West Wind” painted in the early 1900′s. I also really enjoy “Jack Pine” as well. These images were the first paintings that inspired me to see the beauty in coniferous species. I think before that I always had a love for deciduous trees because of their big leaves and the fall colours. But after viewing some of his work and hearing his story I began to observe conifers a little more closely! 

The West Wind ~ by Tom Thomson

Image taken from: Art Canada Institute 

https://www.aci-iac.ca/art-books/tom-thomson/key-works/the-west-wind/

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Interpreting Nature Through Art – Blog #4

I interpret nature through art using photography. I have mentioned in some previous blogs that I enjoy photography and most of the time my photos are of landscapes or animals. As our textbook by Beck et al. (2018) states, taking a picture  is capturing a snapshot in time. I am very sentimental, so photos are a perfect way for me to capture these beautiful moments in time. I am also very interested in painting! I am not good at it, but I very much enjoy it! I usually paint very simple landscape photos or cartoon animals. When it comes to my role of interpreting the “gift of beauty,” I share my snapshots of beauty in time through my photography. I have a photo website online that I share all of my images to for people to use for free with no licenses applied. This allows me to share my interpretation of the beauty of nature with people for free, allowing a more diverse group of people to have access to this from of interpretation.

Above are some of my favourite sunset photos or “snapshots of beauty” that I have been able to capture!

In addition, I had the opportunity to offer an “Art in the Park” program as described in our textbook. I brought all the art supplies to a random area within Marten River Provincial Park and had guests join in and draw what they saw. Sometimes I would ask them to close their eyes, and paint just based off of noises they heard, or create art made of materials found in the area such as rocks and sticks.

In chapter 10 of our textbook, I found the music section to be very intriguing. I started to think about how I can memorize hundreds of song lyrics but have a hard time remembering basic lecture material. However, when I use song to remember something, for example, the periodic table, I can remember it a lot easier. This made me think about all the songs that I was taught in elementary school to remember environmental processes, for example the water cycle song, or our solar system song! I am curious about any other cool songs people may have learnt in school or when exploring the internet! Feel free to mention some if you have any you would like to share!

I have attached some of the songs I heard in elementary school below in-case you are interested!

Solar System Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2prtmPEjOc

Periodic Table Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz4Dd1I_fX0

Skeletal System Song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vya4wpS2fgk

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Blog #3 - Privilege

Many of us have heard the saying, “the rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.” We see, for example, many wealthy, successful, and well-known individuals such as Jeff Bezos taking advantage of their status in society and devaluing those below him (such as his workers at amazon). Now, you may be wondering how Jeff Bezos is related to privilege in nature interpretation? The simple answer is he is not. Jeff Bezos has no relation to this class, to understanding interpreters and the visitors, enhancing visitor experiences, and providing a more inclusive environment. He resembles the picture-perfect definition of privilege, but more importantly, privilege within society.

More often than not, being privileged within society means that an individual or a group has economic and financial stability, fluent language skills, wide-ranging knowledge due to a head start in the world and the advantage of falling into a majority group (rather than a minority). These factors are what I would consider privilege not only in society but also in everyday activities such as camping, attending zoos, parks, museums, and the course topic of the week.

Following the footsteps of our professor, I decided to unpack my invisible backpack to see what characteristics and opportunities I have been given that others may have not. I am a white woman in the process of becoming a highly educated individual who has not had to worry about paying for my schooling. Growing up, I had the privilege of finding children’s books that represented my race. I am fluent in English. My family had the financial means to put me through years of competitive swimming. Being a competitive swimmer allowed me to work with physically, sensory, or psychologically conditioned individuals at a kid’s hospital, all because at a very young age, my parents were able to put me through swimming lessons. These characteristics correspond to a privilege that I have not had to work for but have still placed me in an advantaged position.

Within nature interpretation, we see how privilege can drastically change the experience of an individual or a group of people. For example, many wheelchair users cannot go sightseeing or hiking in certain parks due to the limited wheelchair access. Many museums lack diversity in their staff, little language guides, ASL programs, and tactile exhibits. I believe that one of the most important things we can do is promote equal access and inclusion to these facilities. The principles of nature guiding have never explicitly indicated that its focus is to facilitate inspirational learning for only one group. Nature guiding is not a discriminatory guide and should always connect with people regardless of gender, race, or ethnicity.

3D Version of the “Mona Lisa” in Madrid’s Museo del Prado (The New York Times)

I found an interesting blog written by Cecilie Skou Andersen (linked below), who highlighted 10 accessible museums worldwide for individuals who have vision impairments. Some locations, such as the Museum Van Loon in Amsterdam, offer tours where visitors can touch collection pieces. Hands-on the Wall in Chile is an accessible museum “equipped with touch panels, braille and an audio guide, so that vision impaired art lovers can experience the large-scale artwork through their fingers on the tactile panel.”

https://www.bemyeyes.com/blog/10-accessible-art-and-museum-experiences

Thanks for reading!:) 

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Hey!!

That blog link you added to your post is super cool! I think that it is awesome that some museums want people to feel so welcomed and included in their facilities! I think having these opportunities like touching art also adds another dimension to art interpretation entirely, regardless of ones disability. Feeling texture can also be beneficial for people who learn better through other senses besides just their eyesight. This becomes important as Beck et al. (2018) mentioned that we cannot separate people with disabilities or minorities from the “average” person. Like you mentioned, having tactile experiences allows sight impaired people to enjoy, but as well as all guests to encourage inclusion and create a community setting! 

I think it is awesome that you are able to unpack your own backpack and acknowledge the privileges you were given. Some people have a hard time accepting this, but as I stated in my blog, accepting that you have these privileges is the first step in creating a more inclusive environment. I like your point about nature being an experience that everyone has the right to admire. No matter how they admire it, whether through sound, touch, sight, smell, or any other way someone may choose to enjoy nature, everyone should have access to experience it in their own way. That’s also similar to what was mentioned in “Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage” by Beck et al. (2018), that sometimes the best way to help someone interpret nature is to just introduce them to the idea of exploration, and then let them guide themselves in their own immersive program. 

Very wonderful post and thank you again for sharing both your personal connection as well as that super cool blog post! 

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Blog 3 - Privilege in Nature

My working definition of a privilege is that it is something you are born with or experience that did not require effort on your behalf.

To determine what role ‘privilege’ plays in nature interpretation I am going to use myself as an example. I think while it is important to understand how privilege fits into nature interpretation, I also think it is important to be able to acknowledge how or if privilege applies to yourself. I was born into a family that already owned a cottage on a lake, with a boat and kayaks. They had camping equipment, and a mode of transportation to get to different provincial parks. I was able to attend interpretative programs offered at provincial parks across Ontario because my parents had their own vehicle, their own tent, and already had an understanding of how provincial parks worked. I am extremely grateful for these opportunities as a child. And like it was stated in the video from this week’s content, “Social inequalities explained in a $100 race,” I did not need to lift a finger to experience them.

When understanding how privilege is incorporated into nature interpretation, I think there are some very basic concepts that are over-looked. For example, to camp at a provincial park you need to be able to make a reservation. There are people who would have a very hard time learning how to use the reservation program, let alone have access to a computer. Some parks are beginning to remove the ability to book a campsite over the phone making it even more difficult. It is very easy to think of privilege and instantly picture jet ski’s or camping trailers, when in reality the root of the problem for many people begins way before even getting to an interpretation program. Knowing someone or having a parental figure with the knowledge on how these programs work, when a program is going to take place, and where to go is a privilege.

In this week’s assigned readings of chapter 5 in “Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage” by Beck et al. (2018) mentions that there is also a group of the population who are underserved. These are social aspects that may limit someone from getting involved in an interpretive program. After living in a northern community (predominantly consisting of white or Caucasian individuals) I can see how feeling “different or isolated” can have a huge impact on many people. The idea of multiculturalism is not as developed because some small towns may not have been exposed to this idea before. That being said, some of the largest provincial parks are located in northern Ontario. In this example, your race or ethnicity is a privilege and can help eliminate stress associated with vising northern parks. As Beck et al. (2018) mentions, there needs to be some form of training or exposure to multiculturalism for an interpreter to be able to emotionally connect and understand their audience.

Another interesting topic mentioned in chapter 5 by Beck et al. (2018), is how one of the hardest parts of keeping teenager’s attention during an interpretive program is technology. This made me think about how children are getting younger and younger when being introduced to technology. How long before we meet a point where children are introduced to technology almost from birth? Will nature interpretation die off then? Perhaps, or perhaps we will need to shift our interpretive programs onto technology. Or instead of running the program online, advertise the program and encourage people to interact and join the program. I know interpreters are already using technology for teenagers to keep them immersed in programs, but how young is too young? The chapter specifies that pre-schoolers need these raw interactions with a pile of dirt or a running stream to create core memories with nature to help remove the fear of the outdoors from a young age. What happens if technology takes away these core memories. Will future generations live in big houses made of glass so they can observe the outdoors from a distance out of fear? Or are interpreters going to be able to send messages of the beauty of the outdoors? Online interpretation may be okay for children with the privilege of owning technology, but what about those who don’t? Are they going to be left out?  If children can’t create these memories will fear of the outdoors take over our youth? Crazy to think about! Let me know your thoughts!

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Learning Style

Hey everyone!!

I am curious to see how many different learning styles are present in this class alone. I thought I would reach out and do a little survey of what everyone received on their learning style quiz that was located in the course material for unit 2. If you are comfortable, feel free to share your results and we can compare, if not that is totally okay too! Just a fun activity! 

My results:

50% auditory 

25% visual 

25% tactile 

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Blog post 2 - My ideal role

As an environmental interpreter, it is my role to spark an interest in others regarding nature and connecting with nature. In order to do this, I must understand that everyone has a different style of learning and be able to adapt to account for the majority of the population in my delivery. For example: in my Tumblr posts, I try to word things as clearly as I can so that auditory learners will be able to understand, I add pictures to allow for visual learners to comprehend a little better, and I try to describe everything in a mechanistic way for the kinesthetic learners. Personally, I learn the best when I am visually shown exactly how something works, or am able to have hands-on experience. In terms of auditory interpretation, I understand things better if I am able to clearly picture exactly what the interpreter is describing. A combination of hands-on learning with clear instructions and a clear demonstration works best for me personally, as I am a kinesthetic learner.

This is a picture of me beekeeping this past September in the Apiary located at the University of Guelph. I was giving the bees 2 different types of medicines to help prevent mites and disease from forming in the colonies.

I’m not sure of the exact role I would want as an environmental interpreter, but something I’m passionate about is raising awareness about pollinators and encouraging practices to conserve pollinators.  One of the best ways to do this as an interpreter would be by running workshops and attending various events to raise awareness. These workshops would be hands-on and would range from starting a pollinator garden, constructing bee, butterfly, and bird houses, making home-made cleaners and pesticides that are not harmful, etc. For people who are not hands-on learners, I would have some sort of social media page (such as tiktok) where I would be able to spread awareness and encourage people to help in other less interactive ways (ex. Donating, reposting, question and answer sessions, etc.). Conserving pollinators is one of the most important topics that needs to be focused on right now, and is something I’m super interested in. If I can be a good interpreter and spark the interest of many individuals, it could assist in the conservation of pollinators and could help people build better and more eco-friendly habits, which could contribute to various other environmental issues. Most of the information you hear about pollinators is all negative. By using workshops and activities to introduce these topics, it will be more appealing to the general public and is a more efficient way of spreading information. These workshops could be executed at local markets, flower shops, or events. This way, the learners would be able to see all of the amazing products pollinators help to produce, and will hopefully build interest in the topic. Obviously I would not make this a career, but I think it is something that is important to interpret to a large population. 

This picture is a macroscopic image of a honey bee collecting pollen from a sunflower in my garden this past August. I like this picture a lot because you can see all the flecks of pollen on her hairs and in her pollen baskets. Honeybees collect pollen from a variety of flowers, and in doing so, they assist in cross pollination, as well as self pollination in flowers with both male and female reproductive organs. By doing the plants this favour, they get to collect some pollen and nectar for themselves, so it is a mutualistic relationship.

To be a successful environmental interpreter, I would need to be visibly confident, knowledgeable and passionate about the topic I am discussing, and must be able to connect well not only with nature, but with the people I am interacting with. Building relationships will result in more approachability, and will help the learners to remember more about the session. If I am able to have an impact on someone by connecting with them personally, I might be able to make them more passionate about the topic. The ultimate goal as an interpreter is to use your enthusiasm to inspire others.

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Hey Ally,

That is a super cool photo of a bee! I am very jealous of your opportunities to work so up close and personal with bees! I agree, pollinators are a very important topic right now! I actually just purchased a book called “The History of Bees” by Maja Lunde. It is a fictional book about how humans have used bees in the past up until the future. While the events are fictional the use and outcome are very much real and possible. Maybe you have heard of it before, if not you may enjoy the book! 

I also had a hard time picking a role as an environmental interpreter but that being said I had a similar idea to you with incorporating interpretation into the career I choose to do. Whether that be volunteer or modifying the position to encourage community outreach. I love the ideas you had on the workshops, I think that is a really creative way to get people thinking about providing for species that need our help while conducting a fun activity such as making a bird or bee house! 

Something I noticed this summer that you may be able to comment on is how a lot of businesses plant flowers that are aesthetically pleasing but not necessarily native. Their goal is to capture peoples attention as they are usually after a certain aesthetic to match their company. Perhaps an outreach program educating businesses on flower choices that give the aesthetic that they are after while also being native or promoting pollinator activity would be a cool initiative! Like a workshop on pollinator and butterfly gardens but more for the purpose of smart flower selection for businesses. 

You have a lot of good ideas for providing interpretation for all types of learners. I liked reading through your list and finding out if the example you gave for a certain learner appealed to the learning style I received on the learning style quiz assigned in class. As far as I can tell I think you've covered a lot if not all of your bases! 

I may have to do some of the activities you suggested with my family sometime, they sound very fun!