Katie's Declassified Nature Survival Guide

Disclaimer: This blog was created for ENVS 3000, 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.

[etrax3000-19]

My personal code of ethics and developing as an interpreter

          When I think of ethics, I think about the various business courses I have taken and how a business will have a code of ethics. However, I have never really thought about what my own personal code of ethics would look like. My understanding of ethics from business class would involve parameters for appropriate behaviour based on morals. My personal code of ethics would then act as guidelines for my actions based on the morals I hold. There are many moments in life where I have to choose between two alternative and my own code of ethics plays an important role in the decision I make. Especially as I develop as a nature interpreter my personal code of ethics will impact the groups that I am guiding on interpretive walks or programs. This makes developing my personal ethic very important.

Photo from colourbox (2019).

          I think that my personal ethics have developed since I was a child from learning and discovering the world. These are also constantly evolving as I continue to learn about the world and become an adult. There are four ethics I would like to talk about in this blog post: honest and integrity, hardworking and sincere, respect and be prepared.

Honesty and Integrity                                                                                                                                                                                                                     The truth matters to me. I think it is important to stand up for what is right and just. As a child my parents taught me important values such as honesty and compassion. I quickly learnt the importance of these values because my actions had consequences as a child such as getting a time out. Today as an adult this is still true only the consequences are different. As I develop myself as a nature interpreter, I think that honesty and integrity becomes even more important because the actions I make set an example for others. For example, as a nature interpreter it is important to me that natural landscapes be protected for future generations. To encourage others to be mindful of their own impact on the environment I need to show this to lead as an example for others. It is my responsibility as a nature interpreter to not only provide accurate information on the subject of climate change but also to stand up for the protection of the environment as various issues threaten the conservation of species and landscapes.                                                                                            

Hard work and Sincerity                                                                                                                                                                                                              I am hardworking and sincere. It is important to me that I am dedicated to the activities and tasks that I am doing to fulfill my ambitions. I am developing this with each challenge I am met with in my life. Especially since attending university I have been able to over come many challenges and work hard to achieve success. This has made me not afraid to take on difficult tasks. I think this becomes more important as I develop as a nature interpreter because it can be challenging to relate the subject of nature to the variety of peoples live in an audience to offer a “spark” (Beck & Cable, 2011). I have received this “spark” from other nature interpreters that has made a lasting impression on my life. Now as a nature interpreter myself I need to develop this skill of offering the “spark” to others. This will take hard work to develop and practice as I improve in nature interpretation. It is my responsibility as a nature interpreter to understand my audience and what they are interested in to relate my message to the knowledge and experience of the audience and provide an engaging and meaningful experience. This includes catering to different types of learners in the audience such as active and reflective, sensing and intuitive, visual and verbal, sequential and global learners.                                                                   

Respect                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         I think it is important to be respectful. This ethic has been with me since elementary school and into high school. I developed this because my elementary school motto was: “treat others the way you want to be treated” and in high school the motto was: “respect: give it, get it”. This has stuck with me ever since, highlighting the importance of respect and treating others fairly. As I develop myself as a nature interpreter and communicating to a wide variety of audiences it is important to be respectful to everyone. Especially as everyone carries their own invisible backpack. Being aware of this as a nature interpreter means respecting everyone regardless of what someone might have or not have in their invisible backpack (McIntosh, 1989). It is my responsibility as a nature interpreter to be aware of the privileges I have in my life and not assume things about other peoples lives. This way I can be inclusive to everyone as a nature interpreter.                                                                                                                 

Be prepared                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Another important motto I carry with me is from girl guides and that is “be prepared”. In girl guides this meant that guides are ready to cope with anything. I think that as I develop myself as a nature interpreter being prepared means planning for interpretive activities and programs. I also realize as a nature interpreter there are risks in any activity or program. Despite every effort to be prepared incidents can still happen. I carry with me as a nature interpreter the lemon theory to avoid accidents when be prepared isn’t enough. I am still developing my skills as a nature interpreter to manage risks in outdoor activities. It is my responsibility as a nature interpreter that my priority is everyone’s safety when engaging in various outdoor activities (Hahn, 1960). There is an element of being prepared with planning to avoid risks however as a nature interpreter I need to develop my ability to risk manage because accidents are not planned and can be out of my control                                                                                          

          My approach to nature interpretation is rooted in my love for beauty in the environment and being able to help people see this for themselves. Because beauty is subjective, and nature is dynamic there is always some aspect of nature that everyone can view as beautiful it just might not be obvious at first. I express the beauty I see in nature with my creativity in photography, so my approach to nature interpretation would involve photography to help others see the beauty in nature for themselves. By helping people who might not see the beauty in nature be able too perceive this beauty can help others understand the intrinsic value of nature to encourage the protection of landscapes and species. I am passionate about protecting the environment and as a nature interpreter my approach is not only to get people engaged with nature but also call people to action to protect nature and be mindful of everyday actions that impact the environment. 

Photo of me taken by my sister, to remind myself that my personal code of ethics will help me inform my decisions and help me develop as a nature interpreter (2018).

          My personal code of ethics will always influence my decisions and actions when I am faced with a dilemma. Some aspects of my personal ethics are influenced by how my parents raised me and values that have been instilled in me through experiences I had as a child. Other aspects of my personal ethics I am still developing as a nature interpreter and as adult. Because of this my ethics will adapt with my personal growth as a nature interpreter. I value the many lessons and experiences this course has offered me to developing myself as an adult and a nature interpreter.

References

McIntosh, P. (1989, July/August). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12.

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

Hahn, K. (1960).Six social declines of modern youth. Retrieved from: http://www.kurthahn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/2017-obt1960.pdf

[kvenvs3000-19]

I loved and connected with your post this week! I think we have such similar views when it comes to nature! I agree that it is so important to have respect and determination when you are talking about things that matter to you, regardless of what they are. Since I am not a working nature interpreter, I don’t have the same understanding of these concepts. But through this course, my eyes have really been opened to how similar nature interpretation is to any kind of presenting. 

I think it is so vital that people go out and learn about nature. I think nature interpretation plays such a huge part in this and I have so much appreciation for the people who make this happen. I think the view that everyone can find something beautiful in nature is a great view to have. Since nature encompasses so much, everyone will connect with it in a different way and something will stand out to them differently. For example, my mom loves flowers when we are out for a walk or a hike. She will always stop to take photos of the flowers. And while I respect all of the plants in nature, I don’t have the same connection that she does. I find more interest in animals or water. I think that this was such an interesting thing to learn in this course. Your audience will all have different interests and opinions and it is your job as a nature interpreter to engage everyone and I think that can be really difficult. 

I think that ties into your last belief as a nature interpreter. If you are prepared to guide your audience and engage them in the information, you will accomplish great things! This preparation doesn’t always come from knowing where you will take your walk or which sites you will visit. I think preparedness comes from your knowledge of the area and your willingness to change your plans at a moment’s notice. With our arboretum tour lab, we learned that sometimes your plans will go awry and you have to have the confidence to still present a fantastic experience!

Thanks for the great post! You really gave me a lot to think about!

[km-envs3000-19]

reflecting on interpretation and faith

Personal ethic is a complicated topic, so thank goodness I have twice the word limit to tackle this final prompt! As a nature interpreter, I think we have the responsibility to use what we’ve been given in our invisible knapsacks to give meaning to our personal philosophies about interpretation.

I’m a Christian, and that has been a huge part of who I am for almost my whole life. Having these beliefs have shaped me as a person, including my own code of ethics, right down to the way I treat people. Jesus’ whole life was based around loving people even when they don’t run in the same circles as you, or when they’re different, or when they hurt you, or when they aren’t kind to you. As a nature interpreter, I can use this to my advantage as the groups of people I’m talking to will very likely be different than me, all the while still deserving and worthy of respect and love. By treating people kindly, it invites them into the experience of being in nature. By checking any preconceived baggage or bias at the door upon entering the space of interpretation, it creates a safe place for various people of all backgrounds to congregate and share in something bigger than ourselves. For me, creating this space is so meaningful because of my faith, because I know it makes God happy to see people brought together for good.

Image 1: Stairs through a forest in Norway, leading to a church. From Colourbox.

Now some of you may have a negative experience with a Christian in your invisible knapsack. You may have been hurt or offended by someone who was a Christian. You may have read the above paragraph and thought “Oh boy, this chick’s a quack!” Some people may have just read the first sentence of that paragraph and were completely turned off because of my faith. I’d just like to apologize on behalf of the Christian who hurt you, because that’s not what we’re about in my faith. We’re human, deeply deeply flawed people who mess up sometimes (a lot of the time actually). I know Christians have been awful to people and certain groups of people, but that’s really not what we’re about. We’re about loving and including people. I hope you will continue to read this post and try to understand why Christianity has given me joy and life. And if you have any questions, hit me up! I’d be happy to go for coffee to discuss faith and deeper meaning! I’m not really into debating, but if you want to have a mutually respectful conversation, or leave a respectful response to this post, please do! I’d love to hear it!

Another aspect of interpretation that I base off my faith is the respect for the Earth and the creation around us. In the Christian faith, we believe that we were made to be caretakers for nature and the creatures on this planet. This is relevant today, even though the Bible was written over 2000 years ago, with the rising need to address the climate crisis. If I’m to be a caretaker for the Earth, that means I’m conscious of the resources I consume and use, like water and plastic. Just think, if someone who you love very much created something beautiful and wonderful just for you, you’d do everything you could to preserve and protect that gift. That’s the way I like to think about the creation I see around me, and it’s why I try my best to minimize my waste and keep wild areas wild.

Image 2: A boy in the woods, just soaking it all in. From Colourbox.

Our experience at the Art Gallery, when we saw the art installation done by an indigenous woman and her son, relates to this. To those of us outside of that tribe, the land isn’t of great importance. But for those people, the land meant everything because it was a gift. They were heartbroken to see a highway built right through it, destroying their precious gift. In a nature interpretation scenario, this may be a little trickier to communicate to people. We can do our best to not litter and to stay on the marked trails, but who’s to say if the next person is going to have the same respect for the natural area? Through nature interpretation, the gift of passion and of a story, we can hope to explain to people the importance to respecting the land and the beauty around us.

In addition to being a Christian, I’m also a scientist. This confuses a lot of people, especially the old ladies at my church who think science is anti-God. In my mind, science makes God looks awesome. I love to study biology because I love to see the little details and complex processes that are happening at every second inside the body and within the ecosystems surrounding us. One of my favourite classes so far in my degree has been Evolution (BIOL*2400). I thought I was going to hate it, because it was my preconceived idea that evolution and faith were mutually exclusive. Now I just think it’s amazing that something could be created so intelligently that, over time, it could adapt and overcome obstacles to survive in new environments. In this realm, I really don’t have any concrete answers as to whether evolution is real or not (from a Christian perspective) because I’ve heard compelling arguments on both sides. However, I do know the biology I’ve learned have reinforced my faith and given me new passion for it. As an interpreter, I’m bubbling over to share all kinds of biology knowledge with people! I want them to be able to marvel at what we see around us. This gift of passion is what drives me forward, and what gets me out of bed in the morning!

Image 3: A woman on a hike in the woods, staying on the marked path (woohoo!). From Colourbox.

Overall, my faith has given me important tools that I can use in everyday life and in nature interpretations. For me, gifts of inclusiveness, respect for the Earth and awe of the world around us have roots in my faith and allow me to grow into different roles such as nature interpreter. All that I’ve learned has become part of my personal code of ethics. This course and semester have taught me so much, and all this knowledge has pointed me back to my faith. I linked one of my favourite worship songs below, and it’s appropriate because they make a lot of nature references. Again, if you have questions about faith please ask away! No judgement here! 

Thanks for everything, Fall 2019 semester! Thanks for everything, ENVS*3000!

Video: One of my favourite worship songs. It helps me reflect on the nature I see around me. I hope you like it!

[kvenvs3000-19]

I really enjoyed your post. Although we have very different views on faith, we have very similar opinions in terms of nature, and I think that is such an incredible thing to learn. I agree that every piece of nature has to be treated with respect. After all, the trees are the reason we are breathing, and we have to at least respect them enough for that! I am working towards a plastic-free lifestyle which is mainly because I’m getting so tired of seeing garbage in beautiful natural spaces, like you mentioned.

Growing up with a Christian faith, I totally understand where you are coming from with all of your connections to nature from your faith. Although I don’t follow that faith anymore, I really appreciate those who use their faith to spread love and kindness! I think a love for nature is something that is really important, and I would love for more kids to be educated in the importance of nature and why we need to be so aware of the things going on around us!

I listened to your song and I thought it was great! I love when songs incorporate nature into their basis. One of my favourite songs that does this is Big Yellow Taxi by Counting Crows ft. Vanessa Carlton. It has such a powerful message and combining that with an upbeat tune made it really catchy! I think this is an important tool that we discussed in our music lab. Sometimes, a catchy tune that gets stuck in someone’s head is the best way to educate people, because even if they disagree with your ideas or opinions, they are listening to your side. I truly believe that nature is important, and I hope that more of these kinds of songs can be spread and get the opportunity to reach more people! Thanks for a great post!

[kvenvs3000-19]

Do the greatest you that you can do!

It’s crazy to see how fast this semester went by! My last blog post is a bittersweet one to write since I am sad that the course is over but so happy to walk away with so much new information. As I move forward in my life, I’m faced with the question; “what’s next?”. I know that I can take everything I learned in this course and apply it to my life somehow in the future.

As an environmental science kid, I have always wanted to include nature in my life. I still love going on hikes (especially if they’re with my dog).  I think nature has always been such a big part of my life and I would love to pursue a career that encapsulates that part of me. Although I may not want to be a nature interpreter per se, I still think these lessons and experiences will help me in the career I have in mind. For the longest time, I have wanted to get my masters and start working in field biology.  I think the things I’ve learned from this course translate into so many different fields and I am lucky enough to have this knowledge and be able to apply it to my future.

A photo of the pond in Victoria Woods in the Arboretum. Taken by me.

I believe that nature is so vital, and I think nature interpretation is an incredible way for people to experience nature and learn more about the thing keeping us alive. It means so much to me that people dedicate their lives to teaching others the importance of nature. In my group’s podcast, we talked about the therapeutic basis of nature and I think this is such a great aspect of nature. I truly believe that nature has so many qualities that make it amazing. Personally, I love hiking because it is no peaceful and seeing that therapeutic quality really work is incredible. My dog suffers from separation anxiety and she’s a puppy, so her energy is all over the place. When we go hiking, she is a completely different dog. She is calm, she walks at the same pace as me, and she will sit and wait with me if I want to stop and take photos. I think it is incredible that nature can help calm even the most rambunctious puppies and it is all because of the therapeutic qualities that it contains.

Probably the 20th photo of my dog I’ve uploaded but she’s so cute I can’t help it.

I also believe that nature interpreters have so many responsibilities and it is incredible to see how many people follow these to a tee. In nature interpretation, as with every form of presentation, it is so important to keep people engaged. This comes from tailoring to your audience. In class, we discussed how every audience is going to connect with information differently and each presentation should be altered to engage your group in the best way. Our podcasts were a great way to test this responsibility. In our podcasts, we presented the same information to two wildly different age groups. When you go through that experience, you really learn how careful you are with how you are presenting. With the kid’s podcast, we didn’t want to use too many overly complicated words and we wanted to keep the topics pretty simple. Whereas in the adult podcast, we wanted to talk about more complicated topics, and we could use more mature vocabulary. I think this experience was so helpful to learn how to teach different audiences.

A photo of one of the paths in the Arboretum. Taken by me.

Another key responsibility of a presenter is to ensure that your audience is comfortable and safe. This is especially true in terms of nature interpretation because it is so common to have risks on a nature walk compared to in a science complex. Although this responsibility seems simple, it is the most important. In class we discussed how assessing risks is one of the most important parts of a nature walk. We experienced this with the tour we had of the Arboretum with Chris during our lab. Since it was so windy outside, it was dangerous for us to be in areas of the Arboretum where falling trees were a danger. This responsibility isn’t only necessary in nature interpretation though. It is important that any presenter ensures their audience is comfortable at all times. During our history tour, our tour guide made sure to slightly alter our walk to stay indoors out of the cold. This is such an important responsibility that I think was done so well. It is important that we keep our audiences feeling comfortable and safe. If we don’t do this, they will not be open to listening to the information we are providing them. This goes along with making sure our audience is having an enjoyable experience. We want to be sure that everyone is enjoying themselves. After all, the most memorable experiences come from the most exciting situations.

Personally, I am not super comfortable presenting to people. I find that the more I prepare for a presentation, the more nervous I get. For me, the best approach is comedy. I think that comedic teaching is the best way to make an impression and it is the easiest for me to accomplish. I think because I tend to use comedy when I’m nervous, having that be the theme to a presentation makes me more comfortable. In my experience, comedic presentations are the ones I remember the most. In our improv lab, I remember so much of what we were talking about because the lab itself was so fun and care-free. To me, it is so vital to present information in an entertaining way and I think the best way I can personally accomplish that is through being myself (which contains just way too many dad jokes). I haven’t had a nature interpretation experience, but when I was a tour guide here at Guelph, I used this approach a lot and I found it engaged my audience way more than just spewing facts at them. Since everyone there is so willing to learn, it is my responsibility as a guide to make the learning more enjoyable. And I hope to bring this mindset into anything I do in the future.

This is Woody. He is a tree. My friend and I went on a walk in the Arboretum and had just a bit too much fun. We love Woody. 

Finally, the most important thing I think I learned from this course is that there is no one right way to do things. Whether it be nature interpretation, presenting, leading a walk, or just having a discussion with someone; everyone will do things in their own way. Some people may take a very factual and informative approach while others make joke around and be silly. Regardless of what you do, it will go perfectly if you stick with what you know and be yourself.

Thank you all for a great semester!

[hivany3000-2019-blog]

Debriefing the Gifts from the Arboretum!

          Throughout this course, we have been exposed to a variety of interpreters that each have their unique approaches for sharing the information they are passionate about. In terms of the lab activity that I connected the most with, it would be the walk in the arboretum that we did with Chris Early. Throughout this lab period we experienced a variety of interpretive hurdles that include, cold and wet weather along with high winds that limited us going into the forest. Chris demonstrated the unique teaching or adaptive skills that he has. When we were limited to the open areas due to the winds, I felt a little disappointed that we were not going to be able to experience a more traditional “interpretive guided walk”. However, Chris was able to use this limitation and change the perspective to create an advantageous learning opportunity. He introduced us to a bird calling game, where participants learnt some common bird songs and eventually had to find their mate using only their hearing.  

          After reflecting upon that lab, I realize that the disappointment I originally felt (feeling like we missed out on a traditional “interpretive walk”) is no longer my feeling about the entire lab period. I feel now that we were able to experience a truer representation of how interpretive programs never go as planned. Throughout this course along with the textbook, the idea of adaptability has always come up. However, it was not until this lab and the demonstration that Chris Early gave us, that I truly appreciated the ability of one to think quickly on their feet and adapt to changing conditions.  

          I noticed throughout this lab that the main point of the walk was not to demonstrate a perfect interpretive walk. It was to show a variety of teaching techniques and how to take a less than ideal situation (such as the weather) and change the program to fulfill the program outline. I feel that I learnt a valuable lesson surrounding the importance of being prepared for your program. This preparedness is not only in creating a plan (or guide), but in knowing the information that you would like to present in enough depth to be able to adapt to the changing conditions that could restrict your program.  

          Overall, this arboretum walk with Chris Early demonstrated a variety of tools and techniques along with characteristics that each interpreter could benefit from having. I learnt that there is no perfect interpretive walk, and the true beauty in connecting people with nature is in the mutual experiences that occur when in nature. I will try to incorporate the lessons that I learnt in this activity within my own nature interpretation walks for work and when sharing my passion for the environment with friends and family.  

          In terms of the “gifts” that were referred to in the textbook, this experience provided me with quite a few. In particular, the gift of targeted programs was demonstrated through the ability of Chris to share his bird calling game to us and to his usual audience of younger children.  Chris explained that when it is used with younger groups, it is an opportunity for children to connect the sounds they hear frequently outside to the reason that birds call (these being for reproductive reasons or even for warning calls). Thus, he was able to express the importance of the game to us (as university students) being less on the information that we receive and more on pushing us out of our comfort zones. Then, for children it is less for pushing them out of their comfort zone (kids are more willing to participate in activities) and more for connecting the sounds they hear in nature to an experience every time they will hear those bird calls again.  

          The second gift demonstrated in this lab period was the gift of passion. It was evident throughout this lab period that Chris has a passion for sharing his knowledge and experience of the outdoors. As mentioned in the textbook, this passion is something that makes for a very effective interpreter. Which, I believe his effective interpretation resulting from his gift of passion translated very well into the interpretive walk that we received in the arboretum. It was especially demonstrated when we participated in the impromptu short interpretation of an object that we found nearby. Chris gave constructive criticism along with being encouraging towards every person who presented.  

          The third gift that was demonstrated clearly was the gift of spark. This gift to me is essentially the ability of the interpreter to provide a spark of interest or curiosity within the program participant. While this gift may have been a little bit easier to give to this group of participants (since we all signed up for the nature interpretation class), I think that he provided valuable information on the reality of being an interpreter while inspiring others to pursue this rewarding career pathway.  

          To conclude, I feel like the gift presented in this lab that could have benefitted with some development would be the gift of passion. While it was evident that Chris is very passionate towards his career in nature interpretation, I felt like it would have added to the lab period to hear some more personal experiences that Chris has had. While it was difficult to be excited to share knowledge in the cold and wet weather and get others to be excited to learn, I feel that Chris did a great job at being encouraging. Like I mentioned, I think this gift could have been developed further throughout the activity by having Chris share more personal experiences with watching other nature interpreters he has mentored develop. This could have added another layer of understanding and passion within us as newer developing interpreters to learn from the mistakes or successes that Chris has experienced as a mentor with other developing interpreters.

I wonder, did anyone else feel like they could have benefitted from hearing about other interpreters development stories?

References

“The Gifts of Interpretation” by Larry Beck and Ted T. Cable. 3rd Edition, Copyright 2011.

[kvenvs3000-19]

I agree with your post whole-heartedly! I loved Chris’s talk in the arboretum. I think he did a fantastic job and I think his way of presenting really helped us all connect with the information he gave us. I think the gifts you highlighted fit this lab perfectly! I completely agree with the gift of targeted programming. I think one of the most interesting parts of the walk was discussing the ancient fruit that came from one of the trees in the Arboretum. I thought it was so interesting to learn about how some species aren’t great at evolving and that was one of the main takeaways for me. I thought it was so cool to learn about how that tree species evolved and the ways in which researchers are trying to keep it alive! I agree with your criticism too! Although Chris did a wonderful job of giving us information in an entertaining way, I would’ve loved to hear more personal stories and how he connected with the information he was teaching us. I think the main takeaway from this lab was the ability to adapt to your environment and I think Chris did that in such a great way. Although he didn’t plan to go on the route we went on, he still managed to present interesting information and he did so in such an entertaining way. I personally think another gift Chris could’ve included is the gift of precision. While this was a nature walk and it was meant to guide us as to how to lead groups, I think keeping one theme would’ve made the talk more effective. That being said, I think he did a fantastic job with the walk he took us on, and it was such memorable experience. “NICE BRIGHT RED birdy birdy birdy birdy”

[kvenvs3000-19]

Gifts Given by the Fox-Bird-Hybrid

The lab that stood out to me the most was the improv lab. Out of every lab we did, that one kept me the most interested throughout the entire 3 hours. I don’t think I’ve ever had so much fun in a lab before. When thinking back on this lab, I can’t help but think about how vividly I remember everything. I think this relates back to a lot of the course information. When you make a subject interesting and unique, people really remember it, it stands out.

It may have had to do with Aaron’s half-fox, half-bird suit, it may have had to do with rowing a table boat, or maybe it was Russian Elsa, but that lab stood out so much above all the others for me. I think this really connects with a lot of the gifts mentioned in the textbook and a lot of the themes presented in class. Overall, the lab’s purpose was to teach us how to get out of our shells a bit and learn to present in ways that were a bit out of our comfort zone. I think this was so perfectly accomplished since I am still thinking about how much fun that lab was and how much I would want to do it again.

I think this lab perfects encompassed the gifts of targeted programming, passion, and spark. Through the activities and the little pieces of advice, I think Aaron did a fantastic job proving that the unorthodox ways of teaching something is sometimes the best way!

I think the gift of targeted programming really came through with this lab. The gift of targeted programming is catering your communication to your audience and connecting with them on a more personal level. I think because the lab relied a lot on our ability to work with our peers, we could make the lab into whatever we wanted it to be. Because of this, I think it was perfectly catered to how our class would enjoy it. Personally, I loved the ecosystem activity. Because even though it felt so dumb at the time to pretend to be a tree, I got so into it and it turned out to be a really interesting way to incorporate science aspects into a fun and care-free environment. Since this is an environmental science class, I think the way the activities revolved around science was a perfect way to connect us to the activities and really engage the class. 

What a class to have on halloween. Taken by Melissa :)

The gift of passion I think was quite obvious here. Aaron was clearly so into all of the activities and I think their passion really rubbed off on the rest of us because by the end of the lab, everyone was laughing and having fun together as a group. I think the gift of passion is one of the most important gifts that you can bring to a presentation. The gift of passion focuses on caring about the topic you are presenting and sharing that passion with your audience. When you care about what you teach, your audience connects with you more. Having a common ground of interest is really helpful when talking to a group. Aaron was clearly very passionate about their interests in cosplay and teaching and combining those in this lab was done so flawlessly. It was so easy to listen to what Aaron was saying when the lesson is being taught by a giant bird fox. I really appreciated that amount of care that was obviously put into the lab. 

I found it really hard to think of a single thing that could’ve been improved. I mean, other than the obvious: “Get Aaron a fan so they don’t die in that suit”. I think the only gift that this lab didn’t touch on is the gift of personalizing the past. Although this may not necessarily be an obvious gift to include in a lab about improv. But I think if Aaron had told more stories about their past and how they learned to overcome different issues with presenting, I think that would’ve been helpful to me. However, I genuinely think that this was such a well done lab and I learned a lot overall!

The last gift that I thought was represented perfectly in this lab was the gift of spark. The gift of spark is communicating and creating that spark of interest in your audience. I think Aaron did that in such a wonderful way. Here I am, weeks later, still thinking about how much fun that lab was. When the information is presented in such an entertaining way, it really helps the information stay in your head. I don’t think I’ll ever forget Russian Elsa teaching me that bringing confidence into your presentation makes the presentation entertaining, even if you have no idea what you are saying. I think I’ll forever remember that no matter what I am presenting, if I find a way to be interested and passionate about it, no one will ever forget me!

[ekenvs3000-19-blog]

Scientific Heroes: Thank you for making some animals less lame (to a kid)

Growing up, I only had access to three cable television channels geared towards kids. Three. That was it. Kind of hard to fathom considering the sheer number of things available to watch nowadays. Anyways, getting to the point, one of those channels was PBS Kids. I’ve been an animal lover for as long as I can remember, so when a nature show popped on, it normally didn’t take much effort to convince me to watch it. However, I was also the kid who really only loved cute animals, so if they didn’t feature something cute looking, you can bet that I was less than excited to watch.  The only exception to that was if the other two channels had something I’d be even less enthusiastic to tune into. So, despite not always liking what specific animal they might have been talking about, the following “scientific heroes” at least helped me to learn something cool about all the fascinating creatures of Earth.

First, I’ll start with one I’m sure so many people have also grown up watching, which was Zoboomafoo! This television program featured the Kratt Brothers, as well as a Coquerel’s sifaka lemur dubbed Zoboomafoo (whose real name was actually Jovian, sorry to disappoint all the long-term fans). Every episode of this show had some sort of theme related to animals, whether that be baby animals, frightening animals or the importance of play in animal species. As well, there was always a “mystery animal” in each episode, where the brothers would list off some different and interesting facts about the animal. The enthusiasm that the brothers showed while talking about these creatures also helped me to become interested in them as well, even if as a child I didn’t classify them as cute.

The second is a lesser-know, but it was definitely something I looked forward to watching on the weekends: Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures! This television program was a nature documentary series hosted by Jack Hanna, an American zookeeper. Through this series, I was able to learn so much about not only so many different types of animals, but I also got to see a behind the scenes look at what happened at zoos. This show in particular sparked my interest to visit a zoo when I was younger and to understand the benefits as well as the downsides to them. Jack is also a very big advocate for supporting wildlife conservation, so this might have subconsciously been where I got the idea for my major!

Image 1 (above): Jack Hanna and a cute snow leopard! Image from https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/jack-hanna-returns-to-seaworld-orlando-for-wild-weekend/

This last example is actually one that I discovered in later years but is still one that I watch to this day: Hope for Wildlife! Hope for Wildlife’s TV series documents the efforts by Hope Swinimer to rescue, rehabilitate, and return to the wild thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals every year. Hope has an absolute passion for helping every single animal she can and won’t stop trying to help an animal until she has tried every possible thing she can. I admire her strength and her will to keep persevering, even in the face of some pretty heartbreaking obstacles. Someday I’d love to visit her and see the work that she does in person.

Image 2 (above): Hope and Gretel the Pine Martin! Gretel is one of the ambassador animals at Hope for Wildlife (and my favourite!), which means that when she was rescued, she couldn’t be released back into the wild. Now she helps to teach people about the Pine Martin! Image from https://myhero.com/hfwa_mdss_ca_2011_ul

All of the science heroes I mentioned above all have two things in common: a passion for their jobs and enthusiasm to teach the people around them about wildlife, which I admire as I don’t think I could ever address as large of a crowd as they have. However, if I could influence and teach even 0.5% of their audience about wildlife over my lifetime, I’d be overjoyed to do so.

[kvenvs3000-19]

I really enjoyed your post! I think it is so funny that we watched very similar things as kids! I also remember curling up on a Sunday morning in front of the TV to watch Zoboomafoo with my parents. Although these kinds of shows are really meant for kids, they hold so much valuable information that I genuinely still enjoy watching as a bio sci student. A great majority of my interest in animals can be contributed to these legends. I always loved seeing people have so much passion speaking about animals and the environment and I think it’s incredible that they had an impact on so many lives. I know this is a weird thing to point out from your post but I never knew that Zoboomafoo’s name was actually Jovian and I have to say, my world is a bit rocked. I loved what you said about a passion and enthusiasm for careers in wildlife education because I agree that this was what interested me the most as a kid. I always loved that the people I watched loved animals so much and were so excited to teach me. I think everyone in the science community can learn from people like this. If you have enough interest and passion in the topics you are talking about, no one will hesitate to listen. I also really appreciate that, like me, you still find these shows interested and informational. I think shows like this would benefit so many kids and we should strive to see more of them in the future! I recently got my little cousins on a Bill Nye the Science Guy kick and I couldn’t be more proud. I truly believe that just getting their interest is enough to get more kids into science! 

Thanks for the great post!

[kvenvs3000-19]

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s my heroes!

From a young age, I have always taken an interest in science and animals. I think growing up in Toronto also gave me a lot of opportunity to interact with people of many different backgrounds and career paths. My science path started from a really young age and I have always been encouraged to pursue things that interested me. The main contributors to my interests would have to be my parents. 

My parents have always been really supportive of what I wanted to do regardless of what that was. However, with my mom being a pharmacist, I have always wanted to follow a similar path. I knew that medicine didn’t interest me but I wanted to be able to talk the way my mom talked; with so much intellect and knowledge about such cool things. When I was born, we had 2 dogs and 3 cats so I was always around animals and from a young age, I knew that I would need to surround myself with animals in the future. I never wavered from this and my parents always knew that I would eventually put myself on a path where I would have a job in animal care or welfare. My parents have always been supportive of the decisions I’ve made regarding my schooling and my career path. Even though I’ve changed it a couple times, my parents are always the first people to support my decisions. I think that their attitude towards my interests really helped me see what I wanted to do with my life. 

My mother has always been one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Throughout my schooling, I always wanted to be like her and be able to have intellectual conversations about science and medicine without having to look anything up online. The best thing about having my mother as inspiration is that we get along so well because we share such similar interests and beliefs. My father was always one of my top supporters and always pushed me to pursue worthy causes (like the environment) and even changed his lifestyle to show support of the issues I believe in (like cutting his use of single-use plastic to support my fight for the environment). 

Although this isn’t a specifically “science” influence; I think that their support and encouragement really helped me find the thing I was interested in for my future. When I was younger, my parents put on a lot of shows that required learning (like Zoboomafoo for example). And this motivation from a young age really grounded me in science and animal studies (the things I’m interested in now). 

I think that the lab this week in class was indicative that knowledge and interest in someone’s passions really makes a difference. Talking with Aaron helped guide me in a great direction for grad school and they answered so many questions that encouraged me to start researching more ways to set myself up for success. This encouragement and openness was the same thing my parents did for me and it is the most amazing thing that someone could offer me. 

Without my parents’ encouragement and motivation, I wouldn’t have an interest in science and I wouldn’t believe that being an academic is important. Because of them, I am able to appreciate the education I have and I hope that one day, I am able to enjoy my career and appreciate the people that guided me along the way. I hope that one day, I am able to follow in my heroes’ footsteps and be kind, supportive, and nurturing in someone else’s life. 

[kdmenvs300019-blog]

Algae whiz! This salamander takes advantage of algae to help its offspring grow.

Ever lived with a roommate that just stressed you out? Perhaps you did all the cleaning, took the trash out and bought the toilet paper, while your roommate contributed nothing more than a messy game of dirty-dish Jenga on the kitchen counter. If it provides any comfort, know that these kinds of imbalanced living situations occur in nature too. 

It seems that one species of algae (Oophila amblystomatis) gets the short end of the stick when living with the embryo of the spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum). Spotted salamanders travel to ponds and wetlands to lay their eggs, which are bound together in a jelly-like mass. Algae sometimes grows within the jelly casing of the eggs mass. Here, the algae and salamander embryo are like neighbours. But sometimes, algae and embryos become roommates, with algae growing right in the egg itself.

I’d love to have this spotted salamander for a roommate! But if you’re algae, you may not always get along with a salamander for a roommate. Photo my own.

This close relationship between the salamander embryo and the algae is called symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships occur in nature and are defined as two species living in close contact, with at least one of those species benefiting from the relationship. Although symbiotic relationships exist between microorganisms and invertebrates (such as between algae and coral), the relationship between algae and spotted salamanders is unique. It’s the only example of a vertebrate hosting a microorganism.

Algae produce oxygen through photosynthesis (though they are microorganisms, not plants). When they do this right next to a salamander embryo, the embryo takes advantage of the oxygen, which it needs to survive and grow. The algae benefits from nitrogen (which it uses to grow) that is expelled as a waste product from the salamander embryo. This symbiotic relationship is especially helpful in water with naturally-low nutrient levels.

Green eggs (but no ham)! Here, you can see a spotted salamander embryo in its egg, which it is sharing with some green-coloured algae. Photo my own

A salamander embryo might seem like a good roommate at first: they’re pretty quiet and they’re willing to share the stuff they don’t need. Yet sometimes things don’t work out so well. In fact, algae growing next to embryos in salamander eggs can show signs of stress and nutrient deficiencies. Remember the oxygen produced by the algae and used by salamander embryos? Well, algae need a little oxygen too. But if salamander embryos use too much, algae get stressed and may start burning through their reserves of starch. It’s like if your roommate ate your leftovers, leaving you to throw together a dinner made from the untouched canned  food and rice in the back of your pantry.

Check out small woodland ponds in spring to look for spotted salamander egg masses. I found egg masses in ponds like this one near Washago, Ontario. Photo my own.

The  salamander embryos grow up to be bigger and healthier than they would had there not been any algae living with them. As for the algae, researchers are now looking more closely for others ways the algae may benefit from this odd living situation – especially when they get stressed. If you want to know more, I suggest checking out the resources cited below. Plus, spotted salamanders live here in Ontario. If you find a green-tinted egg mass in a pond in spring, you might be looking at a strange pair of roommates!

Sources:

Frazer, J. (n.d.). Algae Living inside Salamanders Aren’t Happy about the Situation. Retrieved November 3, 2019, from Scientific American Blog Network website: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/artful-amoeba/algae-living-inside-salamanders-arent-happy-about-the-situation/

Salamander Symbiosis Stresses Green Algae | AMNH. (n.d.). Retrieved November 3, 2019, from American Museum of Natural History website: https://www.amnh.org/explore/news-blogs/research-posts/salamander-symbiosis-stresses-green-algae

[kvenvs3000-19]

I really enjoyed your post! I especially liked the relation from the salamander and algae to living with stressful roommates since I can relate to that on a personal level! (they won’t read this post right?). I think the symbiotic relationship between salamanders and algae is so interesting and I really appreciate the chance to learn more about them! After reading more, this relationship reminds me of another interesting symbiotic relationship found in the wild; crocodiles and Egyptian plover birds. The crocodiles benefit since the birds clean the crocodile’s teeth. And the birds benefit because their cleaning gives them a meal. The reason this relationship reminded me of the salamander is because there is risk in the relationship. Since the birds are in a crocodile’s mouth, there is always the possibility that the crocodile can kill them. This is similar to the salamander eggs possibly harming the algae by using up the available oxygen. 

Overall, I think learning about these kinds of relationships is really cool since they are on a small scale so we don’t really notice them on a daily basis. These little relationships are important to the ecosystems they are in! These kinds of relationships, the salamander and the algae, or the crocodile and the birds, are vital for those species to thrive in their environment. Without these interactions, the species wouldn’t get the things they need to survive. For example, without the relationship with the salamander, the algae wouldn’t be able to get enough nitrogen to survive. I think that this interaction is so cool because it is a small interaction that helps these species stay in their environment for a long period of time!

Thank you for the awesome post and the really interesting facts!

[kvenvs3000-19]

For every one human, there is about 2.6 billion animals. And they’re all cooler than us.

One of the things I spend a lot of my free time doing is looking up new animals to obsess over. There are approximately 8.7 million species of animals on Earth. That means that if I found a new favourite species every day, it would take me 23, 835.6164 years to get through every species! And that is only species! There are approximately 20 quintillion individual animals on Earth. The means that for every one person (about 7.7 billion in the world), there is about 2.6 billion animals. I think that it is pretty mind blowing to think about how many creatures live with us on Earth. To me, this is the coolest thing about nature! There are so many different creatures on this Earth and on average, we only see a small percentage of them. I think one of the reasons it is so important that everyone takes some interest in the creatures we share our home with, is because we lose about 10,000 species every year. And a lot of the species loss is due to human impact and himan activity. I think it is so important to get people interested since interested people make the most change. 

As a kid, I always loved learning about animals. Shows like Zoboomafoo and, weirdly enough, a lot of national geographic, were my main focuses. I still to this day love to learn things I didn’t know before. In fact, my most frequently visited webpage on my laptop is dailyanimalfacts.com. It’s so cool that I get to learn random facts about the most interesting animals! I honestly love being that person at a party that jumps into conversations with “Fun Fact!”. 

Since my main goal is to get people interested in some of the amazing creatures we have on this planet, I think it would be best if I shared some of my favourite animals and why I think they are so interesting!

1. Fossa 

Image from http://animaltheory.blogspot.com/2015/07/fossa.html

The Fossa is probably one of my favourite animals ever. Especially since they had a pretty big role in the film Madagascar. Funny enough, a lot of the information contained in that movie was correct! Fossa are group hunters that prey mainly on lemurs (about 50% of their diet). Although they look similar to cats, they are more related to the Mongoose (group of several species that are all small carnivorous animals). They are only found in forested areas in Madagascar, which means they are excellent climbers and are great at finding places to hide. Interestingly enough, the reason they can prey on lemurs is because they are faster and swifter than a lemur, even in trees!

2. Wombat

Image from https://zooaroundtheworld.wordpress.com/australia/wombat/ (this image is also my desktop image)

On to my next favourite animal. Wombats are probably one of the cutest things on the planet, mainly because they look like giant teddy bears. One of the coolest things about wombats is that their poop is cube shaped. It is probably the first thing anyone will tell you about them, just because it is such a strange phenomenon that we aren’t used to. Although they look small and sweet, they are great at defending their habitats and can actually run up to 40 kilometers an hour! So if you ever happen to see one walking around, maybe try not to piss it off. 

I could go on forever listing all of the animals I find so interesting and some cool facts about each one but I think the spark in interest must be personal. Everyone will have a different favourite animal, and everyone will connect with nature in different ways. I like the animals listed above because to me, they are a mix of adorable and dangerous and both animals have such interesting features that are unique to them. I think these kinds of animals are what peak my interest the most. 

I encourage you to go out and look for different things that will spark your interest in nature and all of the cool creatures we share this planet with. I truly believe that change can only happen when people care about the cause. Hopefully, we can spark some more interest in these cool creatures and help save them and the planet they live on!

After all, I think Dr. Suess said it best: 

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not”

- The Lorax by Dr. Suess 

References:

https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/

https://www.dailyanimalfacts.com/animal-facts/

https://animals.mom.me/number-animals-earth-3994.html

http://wwf.panda.org/

[brenvs3000-19]

Communication: Nature’s Symphony

    My ever-insightful father (notice the sarcasm), always tells me that, “you won’t make it anywhere in life if you don’t have social skills.” I’ve always taken this as his way of teaching me the importance of communication. The ability to communicate with others allows us to form connections, not just with other people but with our surroundings.  

    If you really think about it, this ability to communicate with each other is instilled in us from a very early age. First, it’s learning to talk….expressing our needs, wants and feelings. Then it’s learning how to write…how to take an idea and put it onto paper so others can understand without having to experience it themselves. I think this idea that we are able to communicate information without having to personally experience it morphed into the creation of music. The act of stringing together changing patterns and pitches of sound allows us to convey different meanings and emotions in a way for other individuals to understand. We are able to connect feelings to a sound, which changes how we respond to them. 

(Women listening to musci and relaxing - retrieved from Colourbox)

    It is for this reason why I think music is such a celebrated way to express ourselves in today’s society. The ability to connect music to how we’re feeling creates a mood. I know for me, I have songs I can turn to when I want to feel calm and disconnected or need a pick-me-up. You always feel like you can transport yourself to a different place of mind and separate yourself from the present. Music is an art form that creates a transfer of information through sound to create a direct connection to the listener, even over long distances. This idea is heavily featured in Nature as well. 

    Vocalizations between individuals of a species or across ecosystems are used to transfer information to individuals across a range. This behavior can be found in all walks of life, such as a bull elk. Its bugle resonates across 100s of yards as a sign of dominance and to locate and attract females. I mean who wouldn’t be intimidated by a nice good scream?!? 

    Wild species and their expressive displays are what define their own version of music within nature. It’s not uncommon for the many calls of animals to be considered songs, such as the calls of breeding birds looking for mates or bats communicating within colonies. I consider the sounds of nature as a whole a poignant form of music. No matter where you go, you hear a unique melody of bird calls, insects, and elements such as water or wind. It can instill that sense of calm and disconnect in me the same way a good song can.

Nothing can beat the symphony every summer night at my cabin as I fall asleep. The water lapping on the rocky shoreline while the wind brushes gently through the trees, rustling the leaves. The even beat of the cricket chirps under the croaking bass of the bullfrog. Through it all, breaks the sharp wailing of the loon, calling out to its mate fair away. An answering call, faint but sure. A bedtime lullaby that never grows old. 

(Loons wail - Created and posted by ADKsounds | The lake our cabin is on is home to a mated pair of loons that return each year to nest. Each night they drift across the lake, calling back and forth. We’ve even had them come right into our bay. Creates quite the nighttime concert)

[kvenvs3000-19]

I loved your post! I thought that your inclusion of the loon song was perfect and really worked in your favour to tell your story. I agree that music is an excellent form of communication. As James Gordon said in our lab, music has to be able to tell a story or present a message in an entertaining and engaging way. If music isn’t able to do that, we lose the whole purpose. I think that music is a great way to make yourself and your ideas heard. Songs are made to present an opinion or tell a story. I mean, we did write a song about how much Nestle sucks. I also like your point relating music to animal calls. It’s so cool to think about animal calls the way we think about music. All animals have their own song but the general idea of animal songs as a form of communication is universal. I think this is true for music as well. Music is a universal form of communication. Although we may not understand the language, we can still listen and appreciate the art. Animal songs are the same. I don’t understand what a wolf is saying when it howls to it’s pack, but I can appreciate the beauty in that song. I also really appreciated the way you referred to animal songs as a symphony. I think that is a perfect metaphor. Because even though all of the songs are different and contribute different things (much like instruments in a symphony), they all play a part in a much bigger and more complex song. I think this really represents nature as a whole. Although many different things are making up the scenery, it sure paints a beautiful picture. 

Thank you for a great post! You really made me think about music in a different way!

[kvenvs3000-19]

*ribbit* *howl* *chirp*  -the songs of nature

You always hear the lines in books where the author tries to explain the scene by saying “the wind whistled in the trees” or “the animals sang into the night”. I think that these are both ways that you can hear music in nature. Although it may not be the standard music that we are all used to, I believe that a bird’s song is just as complex and wonderful. 

I remember a large portion of our lab in the Arboretum was listening to bird songs and identifying the birds based on the song. This is a way to open your ears to hear the songs of nature. Any piece of nature can make music. Whether it be the wind travelling through the trees or the wolf howling at the moon. All aspects of nature have some sort of instrument that they seem to play and they all contribute to a beautiful song that can be heard every day and night. 

Personally, I love the sound of crickets at night. I live in Toronto, a really large city. And although I’ve grown to love the sounds of cars passing by, I always listen for that little bit of nature that is in my backyard. Living in a city, I don’t have tons of access to nature on a daily basis. So it’s really nice to be able to have a lullaby sung by crickets each night. 

I think that finding music in nature is quite easy. All animals have their own song, all plants interact with the wind in a different, playful way. However, I believe that finding nature in songs is much more difficult. In popular media, it’s hard to find songs that reflect on a topic like nature. Most songs are about love or friendship... or drinking. But looking for a song that not only discusses nature but also connects with you, is quite difficult. The lab we attended this week was a bit of an eye opener for me. I was never really aware that you can turn any topic into a successful song. 

Our guest speaker, James Gordon, has written some beautiful and catchy songs about subjects like climate and the environment. He played us a song from his original play about climate change and it really interested me. I looked up more of his music when I got home and I found a lot of songs that I really enjoyed and that I feel told a wonderful story. His song “No Matter Where This River Flows” has beautiful lyrics that describe a scene of a river. I think that an important part of nature interpretation is being able to get your message across in an effective way. His lyrics “The time has passed when we could turn around and head for home, we’re heading down into the unknown” paints a clear photo of the river he is describing. I think that this form of art is very effective when trying to illustrate a certain topic (or scene in this case), while also remaining extremely entertaining. I’ve listened to this song a number of times just because it sounds so beautiful. 

I think that music can be used as an effective form of nature interpretation because it has a way of capturing attention in an entertaining way, while also being able to describe a specific topic or idea. We discussed in class that effective writing in important when trying to get your message across to people. I think this also applies to song writing. You have to be able to find the right words to attract people to your songs. Your message becomes one that is not only talked about for a long time, but one that is sung. 

My question for you: I noticed that in my life, I haven’t come across many songs about nature. Do you think popular music should encompass more important topics and issues (such as nature or the environment)? Do you think that these kinds of songs would be popular with different age groups?

[km-envs3000-19]

art and beauty are subjective

I am not an artistically gifted person. Most of my “art” would be in the margins of notebooks, hastily drawn before scribbling more notes as the professor lectures. Sometimes I try watercolour painting, which is fun and a good way to destress, but I mostly like watching the colours melt together instead of producing a quality end product. As for other forms of art, I have two left feet and couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, so dancing and singing are off the table. My mom would say I’m dramatic, so maybe theatre would be a good artistic avenue to explore (unlikely though!). All this to say, I don’t know if am worthy of interpreting nature through art, simply because it’s not how I respond to nature personally. But this is not the case for everyone! As a nature interpreter, I think it’s our duty to take into account the diverse background of our audience, and recognize that one person may respond to nature in a scientific way, scanning the scene for plants and animals, whereas a person with an artistic background might be captivated by the shapes of the trees, or the way that they dance in the wind.

All of these interpretations of nature are beautiful because all of nature is beautiful, as Beck and Cable explain in chapter 13 of “The Gifts of Interpretation”. People are attracted to the tallest mountains and deepest canyons for very different reasons, and that gift of diverse perspectives is a gift in and of itself. I think of impressionist painter Claude Monet, who was greatly inspired by nature in his own garden and all-over northern France. His paintings of waterlilies are a very different interpretation than that of a botanist, researching the flower. His paintings of the stunning cliffs of Etretat are very different than other impressionist painters such as Jean Francis Auburtin painting the very same landscape (shown below). As humans, I believe we go into nature all seeking different things, and that to me is the gift of beauty.

Image 1: Claude Monet’s “L’Aiguille et la falaise d’Aval” 1885, on display at the Giverny Museum of Impressionism.

Image 2: Jean Francis Auburtin’s “Voiliers a Etretat” on display at the Giverny Museum of Impressionism. Notice the similarities between the two paintings. These paintings were part of an exposition of Monet and Auburtin’s works titled “Monet-Auburtin: Une rencontre artistique” (translates to “an artistic meeting”) More information here!

As interpreters, I think it’s our duty to unpack this, as it comes with every single person we’ll encounter. It’s almost like our invisible knapsacks we discussed earlier in the course, that each person comes with a set of tools they’ve been given based on privilege. I’d like to take it a step further and call the little things that people come with that they’ve chosen for themselves our “invisible fanny pack”. This could include interest in art, history, science, any tools or background knowledge that a guest could use to help them interpret nature for themselves. This is also an example of the gift of beauty, because it is unique to each person.

Beck and Cable explain that “interpreters help people possess beauty,” but in my opinion, it’s the opposite. People already possess the gift of beauty, and they actually show the interpreter a new view of the beauty of nature. Each person will tie their own meaning to place or thing, and that is a unique snapshot of who they are as a person. When people have a personal connection to a place or thing, they make an effort to protect it and to show others why it matters. And that, my friends, is beautiful.

Image 3: A photo of Claude Monet’s Gardens at Giverny, France. Where I see biodiversity, Monet saw art. Photo by me.

[kvenvs3000-19]

I think your stance on nature interpretation through art is very interesting and I think you don’t give yourself enough credit for the things you do. Your photo of the Gardens in France is beautiful and I personally would consider that a very  important art in nature interpretation. However, I do understand your point on the break in your audience between people who are more artistic compared to people who lean more towards academia. I am actually in a very similar situation as you because I am not artistically inclined. When I look at nature, I notice things like animals and the way they interact with their environment rather than notice the way the sun shines through the trees. I think your opinion of the Beck and Cable quote is very interesting. I completely agree that as an interpreter, you will end up learning something from your audience depending on their interests and how they perceive your teaching. I think personal connections are so important in capturing people’s interest. From what I’ve experienced from our labs, I know that different people will find different things interesting and when they do, they voice their interest and engage the other people around them. I know that personally, I am not really interested in history so the history walk was not something I was looking forward to. But the way our guide talked about different locations and the way my classmates were engaging with the information, I felt that it changed my view of the entire experience in a really good way.  

Do you think that interest can trump knowledge in many cases with nature interpretation? Do you think that one person’s interest can change the experience for others?

I really liked your post! Thank you for sharing!

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B-E-A-utiful

A photo taken by my mom this weekend at the cottage. (I asked her to send me a photo of a flower because she loves taking photos of flowers, and she sent me 63 photos)

I believe that everyone is qualified to interpret nature through art. Although some people may interpret things in different ways, everyone has that one thing in nature that they love. Whether it be close-up photos of flowers (that’s what my mom stops for) or animals in the wild (what I stop for), everyone has something that peaks their interest. Even if you have no experience and no knowledge about interpretation, you can still be an engaging interpreter if you can personally connect with something around you.

I think for me, photography is one of the best ways to capture the beauty of nature. Since photography is both easy to do and yields rewarding results, I believe that photography can help to spark interest in nature. In my personal experience, giving a child a camera automatically sets a little light off in their heads where they think it’s a competition to get the best photo or the perfect flower for the photo and I think that this is a great way to get kids interested in nature. We discussed in class that one of the nature parks in Niagara Falls awards points to kids with photos of certain things. I think that photography is a way to put yourself in nature and since you end up with beautiful pictures, it is really rewarding.

I think one of the things that stuck with me the most on our lab this week was when Chris talked about how to engage an audience when you don’t have any knowledge on the subject. Chris mentioned that even if you have no knowledge on the subject, if you show interest and share your interest with others, you can engage people. I can personally relate to this strongly and I completely agree. As someone who has never worked as an interpreter, I find this world completely out of my comfort zone. Seeing so many of my classmates thrive in this environment is incredible because all of them seem so confident and are so knowledgeable and when you are surrounded by such incredible people, it’s a bit intimidating. I think that one common ground all of us share is the interest we have in nature. I think that Chris’s comment about sharing your interest really put this course into a different light for me. Since I don’t have experience to contribute to interpretation, I know I can contribute my interest.  

Another photo taken by my mom at the cottage this weekend. 

I think the “Gift of Beauty” as described by Beck and Cable related to me on more of a personal level than I thought it would. They discussed how being an interpreter is about “helping people see beauty beyond the ordinary” and that it “convinces people to become as passionate about your cause as you are” (Beck and Cable 2011). I think both of these quotes represent a different way of looking at nature. To me, these quotes mean that as long as you have an interest in nature and you appreciate nature for what it is, I believe you van be a great interpreter. I believe the first step is being really interested and committed to sharing your interest with others. Everything else, every other skill, will come as time passes.

My question for you:

“Do you think that a nature walk led by someone with little to no knowledge of the area can be as rewarding as an experienced interpreter if they have enough passion and interest in nature?

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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All You Need is Passion

I’m not going to lie, having no prompt this week somehow actually made it more difficult for me to talk about something. I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve had to act as a nature interpreter. I’ve never worked at a park or led a group of people on a walk through the woods, nor showed kids the magic of interacting with the natural world around them. The closest I’ve come is throwing out some random tidbits and facts to my family while camping or travelling.

I was lucky enough to volunteer at a local wildlife rehab center in the summer of 2018. I got to aid a few different species of wildlife in Canada, including raccoons, opossums, squirrels, skunks and minks. Although this is not the typical position someone would think of when mentioning the title Nature Interpreter, I think it still can have an impact. Although I wasn’t the one who was directly telling the public information about the wildlife that we rehabilitated, I still managed to tell some people around me information that might change their perspective on how to help/interpret wildlife.

Image 1 (above): The front webpage of a well known Wildlife Rehab center located in Nova Scotia. I have learned a great deal from their show, Hope for Wildlife and I’d love to visit someday.

Before I volunteered for the center, I liked opossums, but they were far from my favourite animal. When I got to work with the young opossums whose mothers had died, I learned so much about them that they quickly became my favourite animals to feed. I had no idea that they were gentle and chill animals (especially compared to feeding a baby squirrel – trust me). After I had seen their behaviour, I told my family about them, and sure enough, my family started to see them in a different light. My impact on others may not be as big or reach as many people but it still was nice to see that after sharing some background on different animals, some people I knew changed their perspectives.

Image 2 (above): A handful of interesting facts about opossums! Although they look scary, the babies are absolute sweeties to work with, and overall badass creatures: possums are immune to snake bites, bee stings and other toxins, according to the National Wildlife Federation!

Some of you may be asking then, if I don’t plan on becoming a nature interpreter, then why did I take this course? I took this course because, in the future, I could be in a position where I can influence the perspectives of people just by telling them what I know about a subject related to the nature around them. I think it would be awesome if I had an idea on how to not only engage them but if I was able to get something to stick with them, even if it’s only one single idea. I’m not always great at conveying my ideas, and if this course helps me to connect with an audience, no matter how small, I feel there is value in that.

As said in Chapter 15 of The Gifts of Interpretation “In addition to being passionate for the interpretive site, the interpreter has a passion for sharing his or her knowledge and wisdom with others.” So, I think that a nature interpreter can come in all kinds of forms. If you have a passion for nature and you want to inspire those around you to care as much as you do, you might just be a Nature Interpreter.

References:

“The Gifts of Interpretation” by Larry Beck and Ted T. Cable. 3rd Edition, Copyright 2011

[kvenvs3000-19]

I really liked your post this week. I am honestly a little jealous because you got to work my dream career! I think it is incredibly admirable that you found a connection between wildlife rehabilitation and nature interpretation. I honestly think that having those kinds of experiences in your life better prepare you for tasks you may have in the future. Your experience has given you more information that you can now pass on. Although it isn’t a textbook nature interpretation job, it really does connect to the core purpose of nature interpretation: understanding nature in the context of different things and being able to integrate nature into your life. When you work jobs like this, it really helps you connect with other people who share the same interests. I think that your stance on nature interpretation is very strong. When you understand nature interpretation in the context of teaching, it becomes easier to connect with it. Your example of teaching people about the animals you took care of based on your experience is exactly how I would define a good nature interpreter. When I was working at a humane society, I remember talking to a couple that were looking to adopt a cat. I remember going on and on about every cat we had available for adoption and all of the little things I knew about the personality of each cat. Thinking about this now helps me connect with nature interpretation because in collecting my own facts and information, I was able to change my introductions of each animal as it suited the people looking at them. I never really thought about the connection this has with nature interpretation until your post. You really made a great connection, thank you!

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My Sorting Situation

During class last week, a question kept popping into my mind: So what happens when someone doesn’t fit in the group you originally put them in? What happens when they have different beliefs or opinions than you originally thought they would?

A beautiful path in the arboretum. Although it is a man-made forest, it is an absolutely beautiful natural scene.

In class, we discussed the importance of assessing your audience and trying to connect to them in order to really make them listen. To me, this means that you have to change the facts you give and the way you speak, depending on the people you are talking to. I think this is an amazing lesson to learn since I noticed how often I do this in my everyday life. Even at work at a retail store, I change my tone of voice depending on who I am talking to and give different recommendations based on my opinion for that specific person. I do the same thing when discussing topics that are important to me. When talking about climate change with little kids, you have to be kinder about the situation while still trying to explain how important it is. With people my own age, I try to have a rational discussion about our future and future generations. With those that are older than me, I know I must remain respectful even when some disagree with me. This tactic, of grouping people of similar knowledge levels and beliefs, works for me to be able to change the way I express my opinions or pass information on. When someone doesn’t fit into the group I’ve already put them in in my head, I have a harder time talking to them. 

Earlier this week, I was talking to one of my roommates about the environment and since he is my age, I was talking about trying to fix things now so we aren’t completely blind-sided in the future. But he said that it didn’t matter because we could just “let someone else deal with it”. Now as someone who cares about the environment, that is the worst possible sentence to hear. Those kinds of sentences are what got us into this mess. It was so strange to me that someone of my own age didn’t share my view of the importance of the environment. I honestly thought, based on all of the wonderful people I talk to at Guelph, that we, as a generation, were becoming more aware of the importance of the environment and we were starting to work together to try to fix things. Instead of a rational discussion that I would usually have with someone my own age, I started having to discuss the environment in the same way I would discuss it to someone a lot older than me. Not that climate change skeptics don’t exist at this age, but they are more commonly seen in older generations. This is another thing that made me think about the topics discussed in class. Although someone could seem like they fit into a certain group, they might have totally different beliefs and opinions that must be taken into consideration. 

Climate change rally that took place in Toronto. Students were allowed to leave school to participate in the climate strike. Photograph obtained from https://www.cp24.com/news/tdsb-allows-students-to-take-part-in-toronto-climate-strike-1.4612079 (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP)

I think I tend to group people based on their age often. I always assume that people my age will, for example, have the same beliefs as me when it comes to the environment. But this isn’t always the case. Although these kinds of situations upset me, I think they are good practice for talking to groups of people. There will always be someone who disagrees with your opinions. There will always be skeptics or people who just don’t understand. But they are no reason to get upset, they are ways to learn to adapt your teaching. When you know who you are teaching, you can strengthen your knowledge which will continually prepare you for future skeptics and naysayers. 

My Question for you:

I know that personally, it throws me off when someone doesn’t fit into the group that I’ve already put them in in my mind. Does anyone have any similar experiences that baffled them? 

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This is Maple. She wants to say hi.

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Today is Tomorrow’s Yesterday

As humans we have an innate desire to categorize and document our memories and actions in one form or another; from photo albums to art galleries to museums, we have created an almost infinite number of ways to creatively express our perceptions of historical events, organisms, and cultures. The problem comes when some details are considered more important or some are considered unimportant, allowing certain facts to become lost to the oblivion of time.

When mulling over the prompt - or rather the quote - we received this week;

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts fn 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, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which a train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation

I couldn’t help but be reminded of a few quotes spoken by others that resonate the same energy as this quote. I’ll be using those quotes throughout this post, but I’ll start by focusing on the initial quote prompt.

There are many ways that this can be interpreted, “parts” of history could mean cultural, social, and anthropological parts of the history (since we most often speak of times when humans exist). But “parts” of history could also be as specific as certain aspects of a historical event, like World War 2 events within particular countries, though similar, each country would have had a different perception of World War 2. Germany experienced domestic governmental and martial transition to authoritarian leadership, the Netherlands experienced an invasion and occupation by Nazi soldiers, British experienced air-raids and rationing of wartime. 

Children wave flags before leaving Berlin, circa 1940-1945. These children are being evacuated from the city to live in Kinderlandverschickung camps, where they will be safe from air raids. Many will be separated from their families.  

(image via Wikimedia Commons, caption credit here) 

I believe that this quote means that forgetting our past is non-sensical. to forget any part of it is to lose our integrity and ability to be honest with ourselves, as well as others, since we won’t have the full story to inform our actions through. 

“ Children with Down syndrome sit at Schönbrunn Psychiatric Hospital, 1934. Mentally challenged children were forcibly sterilized to keep them from breeding. They were, initially, taught in separate classrooms, but then considered to be “unteachable.” Later, children like these would be killed in order to remove them from the population.” 

(image via Wikimedia Commons, caption credit here )

This would be like remembering that the Amazonian Rainforest was being intentionally slashed and burned to clear it for farmland, but to forget that this land includes “protected” tribal lands of those tribes in Brazil. This changes the meaning of the action from; humans need land to provide for a growing population and are willing to sacrifice forest for farm; to, these people are willing to push people from their homes and villages and kill them if they show resistance. To forget that crucial tidbit would be to forget that the people heading these developments value money over human life. To forget this revokes our right to an opinion or voice on the matter.

“Amazon tribe looks on helplessly as rainforest is destroyed by man and fire”

(caption and image credit here)

As stated by George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” And to this I add, to forget the past is to forget what makes us human. Complete knowledge of past events helps to inform us on the moral and consequential implications of our choices.

These meanings can also be applied to another quote I was reminded of when reading Edward Hyams’ statement; 

“The nature of our immortal lives is in the consequences of our words and deeds that go on apportioning themselves throughout all time. Our lives are not our own; from womb to tomb, we are bound to others, past and present, and by each crime and every kindness, we birth our future.” - Cloud Atlas (2012) film

It resonates the meaning and reminder that your actions not only have an emotional impact on those around you, but that every action has consequences, whether positive, negative, neutral, or mixed, everything you do will coalesce into a new event, whether directly or indirectly. We live in a universe where our past affects our future constantly; history is now, whether we accept it or not; whether we remember it or not.

[kvenvs3000-19]

Hi! I really appreciated the depth of your post. You really brought a new level of understanding to the quote that I didn’t think about initially. I think the part of your post that really resonated with me is how you mentioned how people’s actions have impacts on the lives of others, whether it be intentional or non-intentional. I think you raised a really interesting point when connecting it back to the Amazonian Rainforest and how one decision ruined decades of culture and community.   I think that too many people today don’t understand that their actions affect others in very serious ways. Your points made me think back to last lab where we discussed the highway that was put in the middle of a protected area. With the current economy, many larger businesses are only concerned with money and how they can exploit different resources to fit their needs. A large company made the decision to pave over sacred land to build a road. This destroys decades of culture and destroys land that is sacred to people of that community. This kind of decision makes it hard for people to embrace their past and where they came from. When all of your fond memories of childhood are replaced with buildings and asphalt, it’s hard to keep those good memories innocent. From that moment on, all of those memories are tainted with that sense of betrayal. I believe this is true for the Amazonian Rainforest as well. One single decision has many consequences and in this case, one of the consequences was the death of many people who were just trying to protect their land. Situations like this make you think about how hard it must be to move past things like that. Edward Hyams’ quote discusses moving forward from the past but embracing that the past has occurred. In situations like this, it sparks the question; “can you move past an event that caused you so much heartbreak and trauma?”. I’ve personally never had to go throught such a traumatic event but I can imagine it must be hard to accept your past when so much of your past has been corrupted. 

Thank you so much for your post, it sparked so many trains of thought in my head and I really appreciate how in depth you took the quote. 

Do you think people can still embrace their past in situations like this?