Logan's Nature Interpretation Blog

ENVS*3000

[lpenvs3000w23]

Interpreting Nature Through Art

Being able to take a picture of your surroundings in a beautiful, natural envrionment is an amazing ability to have. It can allow people to capture the utter beauty of their setting and allow them to relive a certain moment in their life where they felt free. Memories are great, but they are generally lost with time, so the fact that we can "save" a memory is very important to me.

For example, I went on a trip to the Devil's Punchbowl in Hamilton last year for a geology class I was taking, and the views were simply breathtaking. In the picture posted above, you can see a timeline of different rock types settling over the past thousands of years, and the fact that I can go back and look at this picture to really understand how long the process must have taken is extraordinary.

I believe that the pictures people take are a great way of expressing themselves. In the textbook, the concept of self-actualization was discussed. I believe that there are many instances where individuals feel fulfilled when they take pictures of the beautiful landscape they are in, and the fact that they can share these moments on social media with others encourages more people to save these memories.

I believe that the "gift of beauty" is interpreted differently from person to person. When I think about the "gift of beauty", I think about vast mountainous landscapes with tall trees and lakes at the bottom. These landscapes show such a variety of Earth's beauty that it just makes me feel like I'm on top of the world. I have never been good at drawing, or really anything art related, so taking pictures of beautiful landscapes is my way of appreciating the "gift of beauty".

[dralh]

Disclaimer

This blog was created for __________, University of Guelph. 

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

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

[hpenvs3000w23]

Relationship with Nature

My current relationship with nature is steady.  I’ve never really thought about this so it’s definitely an interesting prompt to reflect on. I would say that my relationship with nature has definitely evolved over the past few years where I didn’t truly care for it initially. Since I grew up in the suburbs, I was pretty much limited to parks which I seldom visited anyways. In the summers, I would mainly stay inside rather than going out and exploring nature. I have changed my habits a little bit more over the years where I’ve realized that I want to be able to enjoy it a bit more by going for a quick walk at our local park or even driving a little further towards the countryside. I now try to appreciate nature whenever I can since it’s refreshing to be around. I like to keep myself surrounded by it and I even do this by keeping a collection of plants in my room. With the weather being cold for most of the year I don’t go outside too much. When the weather’s nice I like to go hiking just to appreciate nature a little bit more.

I took a road trip with my family all the way down to Florida and it was amazing seeing how much the geography changes as you go down south.  Driving past West Virginia was absolutely beautiful. We didn’t end up stopping there but being able to drive past the valleys was breathtaking. Here is a photo: 

Being a biological sciences student, I’ve taken a plant science course as an elective and it truly broadened my horizons helping me understand plant life at the biological level. I also went to the dairyfarm in one of my first year courses during the winter which was definitely a great experience. I don’t typically prefer to be outside during the winter but this particular activity was fun. Before this, I never truly cared for nature so I would say my relationship with nature was definitely lackluster and has improved over the years. 

This past summer I got into biking long distance and I really developed a "sense of place" when I started doing that. It was definitely one of my favourite activities to do and it made me realize how much I need to spend time outdoors. Even though it’s not as beautiful as the countryside where there’s a lot of scenery, it still allows you to appreciate nature a little bit more.  I've now decided to make this a regular activity in the summer and spring.

[lpenvs3000w23]

Hi there,

Great post! I feel like I can relate to the point you made about not caring as much about nature because you grew up in suburbs and natural settings were not always readily available. I am glad that you were able to start doing more activities to help appreciate the nature around you like biking. It is important for everybody to take some free time and explore the beautiful world around us!

I loved the point you made about it being so cold in the winter, that one really hit home! The coldness of the air tends to make me want to stay inside as well, but whenever I decide to bundle up, it always ends up being worth it.

I like how your sense of place came from the activity you were doing. Not everybody has someone to explain to them the importance of the environment around us, so the fact that you began to realize its importance and beauty all on your own is really fascinating and I applaud you for that.

Would you say that looking at different landscapes and environments also changed your sense of place in this world when you were driving to Florida? I can imagine there are many different landscapes on that drive because it is definitely a long one!

I look forward to reading more of your blog posts this semester!

Logan

[lpenvs3000w23]

Unit 1: Launching into Nature Interpretation

Nature has always been a huge part of my life growing up. My family has owned a cottage on the Kawartha Lakes for many years, and some of my fondest memories come from this place. From taking boat rides with grandparents, to having snowball fights with my cousins, this cottage has been a beautiful backdrop to activities in my life and I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to grow up in such a natural and gorgeous environment.

Big Bald Lake - 2022

Over the course of my tenure at the University of Guelph, I have been able to participate in courses that have further extended my knowledge of the environment and what is actually going on around me. For example, I took an environmental geology course which showed me the different types of parent rock material located throughout Ontario, and it is very fascinating to me that the type of rock seen around this area is much different than the type of rock seen around Guelph.

The connection between an individual and the nature around them is very important in my eyes. Many people these days struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety, and I find that just being in a place like this with the sound of waves hitting the shore and birds chirping above you can really calm the nerves and allow you to really connect with yourself.

I currently live in a suburb near Hamilton, ON. I feel that if I had no had the opportunity to spend so much time in a natural setting like this growing up, I would not have the same connection to nature that I do now. I would say that my mom offered me my "sense of place" because she always told me to appreciate the natural setting around me growing up. She wanted me to know just how priviliged I was to be able to just exist in this envrionment, and knowing that has really opened my eyes to how beautiful the world is and how it can be so helpful to so many people.

To end the blog post, I'd like to highlight my favourite activity, which is definitely jet-skiing. The activity itself is incredibly fun, but the fact that I can almost go on an adventure through various lakes in the Kawartha area to see different plants, geology, and animals really just completes it all. Here is a picture of me doing said activity!

Big Bald Lake - 2021