Unit 10: Where do I stand?
Before I decided to take this class, I had never really heard the term “nature interpreter”, nor would I have ever used such a term to refer to myself. However, throughout my journey in this class, I have learned a lot about what it means to be a nature interpreter and the multitude of different tools one can employ to help educate and spread our shared passion for nature. With each blog prompt, I have been challenged to critically think about my own experiences and how they have influenced my journey in regards to studying the environment. During the various blog posts, I have learned to unpack my “invisible backpack” of unearned opportunities I’ve had that have helped guide my value for nature, and see how different circumstances may have led to a different outcome (McIntosh, 1989). Through analysing my own life and experiences with nature, I can better understand why I have gained a passion for connecting to the nature around me. Keeping that in mind, it further enables me to think of how someone with completely different life experiences may not share the same passion as me, and through this understanding I can better learn how I can educate and spread my passion to people of all walks of life.
Of the many topics the units of this course have covered, a common theme that has been enforced throughout the units is to understand your audience, how they learn, and what they may best respond to. Whether it’s through a simple engaging conversation, stating fun facts, or using aspects of art such as music or visual art; all these serve as different tools that can help engage an audience and perhaps ignite the same sense of passion for nature that we have as nature interpreters. When I first heard the term nature interpreter, the only thing that came to mind was the stereotypical guide at a conservation park, but after 10 weeks of this course I know there is so much more to it, and that educating others about nature is very crucial when it comes to protecting the environment for future generations. For me personally, I grew up going camping trips with my family, and doing things such as visiting a provincial park, or going out hiking or canoeing was a crucial part of my life that defined the value that I have for nature at a young age. This helped me define my interest for nature, and helped aid my decision to study Environmental Management here at the University of Guelph. However, hundreds of millions around the world do not have access to nature in the same way that I did, and due to this most of their views when it comes to nature are guided by the media and the plethora of different arguments when it comes to things like climate change or habitat conservation. Due to this, it can create a sense of disconnect to nature for many people, which can lead to the mentality that human civilization is so separate from nature. However, I personally see us as a part of nature, as not only do we rely on it to provide us with necessary resources, it is also a crucial part of the human soul. Due to this view, I believe that it is my role as a nature interpreter to share the values I have to as many people as possible so those who didn’t have the same opportunities as me can truly feel the same sense of connectivity to nature that I was able to discover through my life experiences.
Thinking about where I stand as a nature interpreter still leaves me with a bit of uncertainty when it comes to what form of nature interpretation suits me best. When I try to think about where my future stands I find it important to think through my past and what brought me to study the environment in the first place. One of the major conclusions that I found throughout high school as I thought about what I wanted to do in university, I knew I was the kind of person who wanted to avoid spending my career sitting in an office chair. I have always been more of a hands-on learner who enjoys actually going out into nature, and experiencing the sights, smells, and sounds so I can better gain inspiration in a way that a computer screen could never provide. So this is why I think I can best educate others on nature in a setting that allows me to guide others through the same physical experiences that ignited my passion from a young age. Through guiding others in hands-on experiences and using some of my knowledge, and storytelling skills to instil a sense of connectivity and passion in nature is currently where I see myself as being the most effective as a nature interpreter. The people who receive your nature interpretation will be able to sense how passionate and genuine you are pretty quickly and this will influence how much they take your message seriously. It is for this reason that it is best as a nature interpreter to be in a role that you are truly passionate about, as passion is one thing that can’t be faked.
My ethics in regards to nature interpretation has changed, and been redefined as I learn more about environmental issues and some of the misconceptions I had before beginning my studies. I have always valued nature, and seen it as something that is worth preserving, however my values in regards to what the current losses in biodiversity means to us as humans, and how we can best go about protecting nature has changed quite a bit through this course. I have learned the importance of educating others not only so they know facts about nature, but so they know more about the spiritual and cultural aspects around nature that make people feel a stronger connection to nature so they will view it as something worth preserving for future generations. In my view, losing nature is much more than just losing pretty landscapes or important resources, it is akin to losing a part of ourselves. It is very important to guide the general population into understanding why we dedicate our lives to protecting nature, and why its importance is much deeper than what's on the surface. This is because it is only through a better-educated populace that we can influence political, and business decisions regarding the environment, as with more people advocating for nature with a passion, decision makers will be more inclined to move towards more sustainable practices. Given the current state of the world, it may seem like a very uphill battle for us as nature interpreters, but through reading everyone’s discussions throughout this term I have gained a lot more confidence in the future by seeing how passionate many others are in this class are for protecting the nature around us so future generations can enjoy the same passion and awe we find in mother nature.
References
McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12.
Hey Carson, congrats on finishing the blog-portion of this course. This is my last post, and I chose yours as it was very well thought out!
I also hadn’t heard the term “Nature interpreter” before I started the course, but it turned out to be an incredible nuanced and multifaceted subject. I would also agree that with each week’s blog prompt, I was forced to think critically, and in a way that I had never had to think before. I believe that’s one of the fantastic things about open ended courses, such as Nature Interpretation, is that with one prompt, you have get 60 entirely unique responses. Although I found them difficult to start at first, throughout the course I could find myself thinking critically about the subject, and each post became increasingly easier, yet difficult at the same time.
I also agree that my ethics as a nature interpreter have changed throughout the course. I feel as if I am thinking more critically about certain environmental issues, and whenever I discuss them with others, I try and incorporate the things I’ve learned in the course to insight a deeper conversation. It’s refreshing to have conversations about things that don’t just skim the surface of knowledge but dive deeper into more complex subjects and the underlying issues associated with them.
Again, awesome post, good luck with the final podcast assignment!




















