ENVS3000

Lauren Tiveron

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Blog 10 - Final blog

Throughout the semester we have learned how to become a nature interpreter and what special qualities and skill we should develop. With the weekly blog prompts we wrote we were able to not only write on our experience with nature but make a connection into becoming a better interpreter while also discussing with classmates and their unique experience.

I believe that everyone can have an understanding and appreciation of nature. However, in today’s world it is harder to get people to leave their comfort zones and ever evolving modern world of technology to spend time in nature. I believe the best way to have a deeper connection and fondness of nature one must be in nature with no distractions to really take in the beauty. But as I mentioned, technology has affected this as more kids are staying indoors rather than going out or them choosing to go to wonderland than going camping. In one of the units we read, it expressed how we can use technology as an outlet that can even help reach more people than we tend too.

I believe that we can use technology as a way to lur others into taking a break and going into nature to explore and develop a deeper connection with nature, on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. My best memories as a child were going to our cottage in the summer with my whole family and my cousins and I would go on a walk in the woods behind the house we would sometimes get lost as we were still young however we always found our way back.

Something I love to do when I am stressed or uncertain of what to do, I find just watch in the distance how water moves weather in a river, lake, or any body of water. It gives me a sense of peace and helps we forget about any distraction and focus on a solution or just giving me a break from the world.

I believe as an interpreter we need to show others that nature isn’t so scary and can be an outlet for us to let out steam or clear our heads as everyone can get overwhelmed time to time. I want to be able help others get this sense of relief when going into nature and for them to seek the comfort that nature can provide.

The responsibilities I have as a nature interpreter is being able to connect each and every person in their own unique way to nature, it takes just one memory to either make or break someone’s relationship with nature. Nature can be scary, as sometimes nature can be ruthless showing no mercy to anyone or anything. However, I believe that the beauty while executing safety precautions outweigh the negative side of nature, because everything in life there is always a good and bad side. Not everyone is going to jump headfirst into the idea of spending days or weeks in nature and or have a past fear of being in nature one bad experience can really impact a person’s life and can reflect onto other people around them. For example, my family and I went to Cuba one summer for my birthday and on the trip, we decided to do a 2-day horse riding expedition. We spent a few hours riding while being informed about the rich history of the forest we were riding through by the guide, we pasted rivers, open spaces, we saw some wild turkeys and native plants of Cuba ending up at an amazing natural waterfall. While we spent time at the waterfall, we had an unexpected visitor a Cuban Boa also known as Chilabothrus angulifer. It was my first time seeing a snake in its natural habitat and so close… I loved it. The whole experience truly brought me closer to nature and wanting to spend more time in it and experiencing new things. However, this trip was the complete opposite for my sister, she hated the whole experience since the horse ride was bumpy that caused her lower body to hurt and since she was wearing dark colors she was being constantly bit by mosquitos and to further ruin her experience something I found so interesting and amazing terrified her wanting to leave immediately. What sparks interest in one person might not for the other and my responsibility as an interpreter is to make sure everyone is creating positive memories and connections with nature for them to then want to continue exploring and creating deeper connections.

An approach most suitable for me as an individual is connecting it with wildlife and entertainment. I really liked earth rangers as a kid I have a fascination with animals so anything involving animals my ears perk up and has my immediate undivided attention which is also the reason why I’m studying zoology. Every time I go to a place, I like to know what wildlife there is in the area, which is why on my bucket list I want to go to both British Colombia and Africa. British Colombia has such amazing and unbelieve views and it has such a diversity in its wildlife. People who live there have the possibility to run into bears, wolf and even cougars, this is dangerous however I find it fascinating that they have such strong predators in Canada. When interpreters use wildlife as a way of creating connections, I really enjoy it and find it interesting, and I have a better way of understanding nature around me.

Another approach is being entertaining, getting information back-to-back with little connection or buffers makes me loose interest as this is a way of parting from my regular day to day learning. Hearing someone talk for more than 30 minutes without a buffer or a way to connect with the audience is exhausting especially when it can be approach in a creative and interactive approach. Having a balance of information and buffers can really help the information sink in while creating a fun atmosphere.

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this class and what a unique take it had with assignments… I was more of making connections with the curriculum our own way and this is one of my classes this semester where I truly learned because I had to take the information and relate it back to experiences. If I could take this class again I would do it in a heartbeat. I also enjoyed reading everyone’s blogs on their own take of each unit and everyone’s experience. I hope everyone enjoys their summer!

Natasha Garces

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hi Natasha!

I enjoyed reading your final blog post!

I think that you explained your personal ethic as a nature interpreter really well. Some of your beliefs really stood out to me like how using technology as a way to encourage others into taking a break and going into nature to explore and develop a deeper connection with nature, on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. This stood out to me because seeing videos online of different places in the world is what motivated me to travel and see the natural parts of the world! I relate to this belief you have. I like how you explained childhood memories as it kind of added a story to your post! I have not said this in a reply to anyone's blog post before because I haven't thought about it until reading yours, but I like how casual you wrote. It wasn’t written as if it was an essay or fake just to sound good. I can tell it was real! The approach most suitable for you that you talked about was well explained! Connecting it with wildlife and entertainment is a really good approach and I think a lot of people would agree! Your responsibilities as a nature interpreter are related to mine as I appreciate the natural world around me and try to influence as many people to sense and take in the endless beauty around us. Nature is so important to me and I believe everyone needs to take time to interact with it as much as they can

Thanks for sharing your ideas!

Lauren

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Blog 10 - Final blog

Throughout the semester we have learned how to become a nature interpreter and what special qualities and skill we should develop. With the weekly blog prompts we wrote we were able to not only write on our experience with nature but make a connection into becoming a better interpreter while also discussing with classmates and their unique experience.

I believe that everyone can have an understanding and appreciation of nature. However, in today’s world it is harder to get people to leave their comfort zones and ever evolving modern world of technology to spend time in nature. I believe the best way to have a deeper connection and fondness of nature one must be in nature with no distractions to really take in the beauty. But as I mentioned, technology has affected this as more kids are staying indoors rather than going out or them choosing to go to wonderland than going camping. In one of the units we read, it expressed how we can use technology as an outlet that can even help reach more people than we tend too.

I believe that we can use technology as a way to lur others into taking a break and going into nature to explore and develop a deeper connection with nature, on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. My best memories as a child were going to our cottage in the summer with my whole family and my cousins and I would go on a walk in the woods behind the house we would sometimes get lost as we were still young however we always found our way back.

Something I love to do when I am stressed or uncertain of what to do, I find just watch in the distance how water moves weather in a river, lake, or any body of water. It gives me a sense of peace and helps we forget about any distraction and focus on a solution or just giving me a break from the world.

I believe as an interpreter we need to show others that nature isn’t so scary and can be an outlet for us to let out steam or clear our heads as everyone can get overwhelmed time to time. I want to be able help others get this sense of relief when going into nature and for them to seek the comfort that nature can provide.

The responsibilities I have as a nature interpreter is being able to connect each and every person in their own unique way to nature, it takes just one memory to either make or break someone’s relationship with nature. Nature can be scary, as sometimes nature can be ruthless showing no mercy to anyone or anything. However, I believe that the beauty while executing safety precautions outweigh the negative side of nature, because everything in life there is always a good and bad side. Not everyone is going to jump headfirst into the idea of spending days or weeks in nature and or have a past fear of being in nature one bad experience can really impact a person’s life and can reflect onto other people around them. For example, my family and I went to Cuba one summer for my birthday and on the trip, we decided to do a 2-day horse riding expedition. We spent a few hours riding while being informed about the rich history of the forest we were riding through by the guide, we pasted rivers, open spaces, we saw some wild turkeys and native plants of Cuba ending up at an amazing natural waterfall. While we spent time at the waterfall, we had an unexpected visitor a Cuban Boa also known as Chilabothrus angulifer. It was my first time seeing a snake in its natural habitat and so close… I loved it. The whole experience truly brought me closer to nature and wanting to spend more time in it and experiencing new things. However, this trip was the complete opposite for my sister, she hated the whole experience since the horse ride was bumpy that caused her lower body to hurt and since she was wearing dark colors she was being constantly bit by mosquitos and to further ruin her experience something I found so interesting and amazing terrified her wanting to leave immediately. What sparks interest in one person might not for the other and my responsibility as an interpreter is to make sure everyone is creating positive memories and connections with nature for them to then want to continue exploring and creating deeper connections.

An approach most suitable for me as an individual is connecting it with wildlife and entertainment. I really liked earth rangers as a kid I have a fascination with animals so anything involving animals my ears perk up and has my immediate undivided attention which is also the reason why I’m studying zoology. Every time I go to a place, I like to know what wildlife there is in the area, which is why on my bucket list I want to go to both British Colombia and Africa. British Colombia has such amazing and unbelieve views and it has such a diversity in its wildlife. People who live there have the possibility to run into bears, wolf and even cougars, this is dangerous however I find it fascinating that they have such strong predators in Canada. When interpreters use wildlife as a way of creating connections, I really enjoy it and find it interesting, and I have a better way of understanding nature around me.

Another approach is being entertaining, getting information back-to-back with little connection or buffers makes me loose interest as this is a way of parting from my regular day to day learning. Hearing someone talk for more than 30 minutes without a buffer or a way to connect with the audience is exhausting especially when it can be approach in a creative and interactive approach. Having a balance of information and buffers can really help the information sink in while creating a fun atmosphere.

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this class and what a unique take it had with assignments… I was more of making connections with the curriculum our own way and this is one of my classes this semester where I truly learned because I had to take the information and relate it back to experiences. If I could take this class again I would do it in a heartbeat. I also enjoyed reading everyone’s blogs on their own take of each unit and everyone’s experience. I hope everyone enjoys their summer!

Natasha Garces

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Blog 10 - Final blog

Throughout the semester we have learned how to become a nature interpreter and what special qualities and skill we should develop. With the weekly blog prompts we wrote we were able to not only write on our experience with nature but make a connection into becoming a better interpreter while also discussing with classmates and their unique experience.

I believe that everyone can have an understanding and appreciation of nature. However, in today’s world it is harder to get people to leave their comfort zones and ever evolving modern world of technology to spend time in nature. I believe the best way to have a deeper connection and fondness of nature one must be in nature with no distractions to really take in the beauty. But as I mentioned, technology has affected this as more kids are staying indoors rather than going out or them choosing to go to wonderland than going camping. In one of the units we read, it expressed how we can use technology as an outlet that can even help reach more people than we tend too.

I believe that we can use technology as a way to lur others into taking a break and going into nature to explore and develop a deeper connection with nature, on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. My best memories as a child were going to our cottage in the summer with my whole family and my cousins and I would go on a walk in the woods behind the house we would sometimes get lost as we were still young however we always found our way back.

Something I love to do when I am stressed or uncertain of what to do, I find just watch in the distance how water moves weather in a river, lake, or any body of water. It gives me a sense of peace and helps we forget about any distraction and focus on a solution or just giving me a break from the world.

I believe as an interpreter we need to show others that nature isn’t so scary and can be an outlet for us to let out steam or clear our heads as everyone can get overwhelmed time to time. I want to be able help others get this sense of relief when going into nature and for them to seek the comfort that nature can provide.

The responsibilities I have as a nature interpreter is being able to connect each and every person in their own unique way to nature, it takes just one memory to either make or break someone’s relationship with nature. Nature can be scary, as sometimes nature can be ruthless showing no mercy to anyone or anything. However, I believe that the beauty while executing safety precautions outweigh the negative side of nature, because everything in life there is always a good and bad side. Not everyone is going to jump headfirst into the idea of spending days or weeks in nature and or have a past fear of being in nature one bad experience can really impact a person’s life and can reflect onto other people around them. For example, my family and I went to Cuba one summer for my birthday and on the trip, we decided to do a 2-day horse riding expedition. We spent a few hours riding while being informed about the rich history of the forest we were riding through by the guide, we pasted rivers, open spaces, we saw some wild turkeys and native plants of Cuba ending up at an amazing natural waterfall. While we spent time at the waterfall, we had an unexpected visitor a Cuban Boa also known as Chilabothrus angulifer. It was my first time seeing a snake in its natural habitat and so close… I loved it. The whole experience truly brought me closer to nature and wanting to spend more time in it and experiencing new things. However, this trip was the complete opposite for my sister, she hated the whole experience since the horse ride was bumpy that caused her lower body to hurt and since she was wearing dark colors she was being constantly bit by mosquitos and to further ruin her experience something I found so interesting and amazing terrified her wanting to leave immediately. What sparks interest in one person might not for the other and my responsibility as an interpreter is to make sure everyone is creating positive memories and connections with nature for them to then want to continue exploring and creating deeper connections.

An approach most suitable for me as an individual is connecting it with wildlife and entertainment. I really liked earth rangers as a kid I have a fascination with animals so anything involving animals my ears perk up and has my immediate undivided attention which is also the reason why I’m studying zoology. Every time I go to a place, I like to know what wildlife there is in the area, which is why on my bucket list I want to go to both British Colombia and Africa. British Colombia has such amazing and unbelieve views and it has such a diversity in its wildlife. People who live there have the possibility to run into bears, wolf and even cougars, this is dangerous however I find it fascinating that they have such strong predators in Canada. When interpreters use wildlife as a way of creating connections, I really enjoy it and find it interesting, and I have a better way of understanding nature around me.

Another approach is being entertaining, getting information back-to-back with little connection or buffers makes me loose interest as this is a way of parting from my regular day to day learning. Hearing someone talk for more than 30 minutes without a buffer or a way to connect with the audience is exhausting especially when it can be approach in a creative and interactive approach. Having a balance of information and buffers can really help the information sink in while creating a fun atmosphere.

Overall, I REALLY enjoyed this class and what a unique take it had with assignments… I was more of making connections with the curriculum our own way and this is one of my classes this semester where I truly learned because I had to take the information and relate it back to experiences. If I could take this class again I would do it in a heartbeat. I also enjoyed reading everyone’s blogs on their own take of each unit and everyone’s experience. I hope everyone enjoys their summer!

Natasha Garces

[ltenvs3000w22]

#10 Final blog post

I have been trying to figure out how I can translate my own insights, personality, ethics, etc. to a larger audience. I never thought taking this course would allow me to advance and evolve my nature interpretation so greatly. It has pushed me to change my perspective on life and encouraged me to make my new nature interpretation habits a lifestyle. Connecting and interpreting with nature is calming, eye opening, creative, and motivates me to see the world through a different lens. 

Throughout this semester, I have learned so much and really got to understand my peers' insights about nature interpretation. Having a weekly blog post assignment has not been something I have never experienced in other classes and I really enjoyed it. I think it is such a good idea to help students interact as well as get into nature interpretation in a fun and creative way! An important thing I have learned while reading blog posts the last couple weeks is that everyone's interpretation of nature is so different and unique. Although I only interacted with a few posts, I did read many along the way. An element of individualism influences interpretations as everyone's surroundings and ideas are different. 

I have always been fascinated by our world and how it connects within itself. It wasn’t until the last two years that I have really connected with nature and found peace within it. I appreciate the physical world collectively and all it has to offer. Animals, plants, the landscape and several other products and features of the earth are all incredible beauties of nature that human creations cannot compare to. I love visiting new places and exploring with my friends whenever I get the chance to.

To me, personal ethics are the moral principles that influence a person's behaviour and which that person identifies with in respect to people and situations that they deal with day to day. This gives people the opportunity to internalize what is wrong and right based on personal understanding. To describe my personal ethics is difficult as there are so many factors and years that have influenced my ethics and made me who I am today. One thing I know has impacted my personal ethics the most is my family. I have grown up with 3 siblings all very close in age and two amazing parents. My nana has lived with me all my life which has also had a great impact on my life and how I interpret the world. Everyday I experience new situations and experiences that contribute to my personal ethics.

I bring many beliefs as a nature interpreter. I believe that the relationship people make with nature is so important. This is the foundation of all unique thoughts and feelings towards nature. I believe that connecting with nature has many physical and emotional benefits. Emotionally, nature reduces anger, anxiety and stress. Physically, it reduces blood pressure, heart rate and the tension of your muscles. It allows for less production of stress hormones. As a stressful person, this interested me as I found that I could possibly heal my mental health issues with nature. 

My responsibility/role as an interpreter is to always live in the moment and appreciate the natural world around me. I try and will continue to try influencing as many people around me to sense and take in the endless beauty around us. Nature is so important to me and I believe everyone needs to take time to interact with it as much as they can. Taking this course has encouraged me to learn more about nature interpretation and to continue doing more everyday to interact with it. 

The approaches most suitable for me as an individual would be to participate in activities that conserve the planet. I am very passionate about conserving the planet. It saddens me to know that so many negative circumstances are occurring within nature and our planet. Spreading awareness about what is going on in the world and being an activist is the best way that I personally can project my responsibilities as a nature interpreter. 

In this class we blogged about the role of an environmental interpreter, how privilege is played in nature interpretation, nature through art, music in nature and nature in music. All these topics helped me to understand more about who I am as a nature interpreter and all the factors that contribute to it. I feel so lucky to have been a part of this class and advance my understanding so much as a nature interpreter. Reading all my peers’ blog posts allowed me to understand nature through another set of eyes. 

Thank you everyone for sharing all your thoughts and insights throughout the course!

Lauren

[akenvs3000w22]

How something small can have such a BIG impact...

This blog prompt, yet again, is very exciting to discuss. Upon doing the textbook reading this week, I was surprised to see the topic of awe discussed and noticed a lot of unintended similarities between the text and my blog posts (which you should totally check out). The feeling of awe can evoke curiosity and make you question your place in the world and is actually shown to positively affect your well-being (Beck et al. 2019). These are sentiments I shared when unpacking my experiences with the emotion of awe, and there is no doubt that nature has an abundance of awesomeness.

Now, what is the most amazing thing about nature to me? This is an extremely loaded question that does not have a concrete answer. However, if I was forced to answer immediately, I would choose the sheer abundance and diversity of insects.

Insects are, by a long-shot, the most abundant and successful group of animals in the world. To give you some perspective, the known insect species represent 80% of the total world’s species, with an estimated 10 quintillion individuals alive right now; that is a one followed by 19 zeros, by the way (BugInfo, 1996). This numerical success in itself baffles me and gives me perspective as a human and how our success as a species may not be as great as we imagine.

Now, insects aren’t only quantitatively incredible, but their diversity and ancient lifestyles are equally incredible. Just the concept and complexity of metamorphosis in butterflies is astounding when you think about it, especially when you realize that butterflies have the same memories as their larval stage (Nielson, 2008). Furthermore, learning that when food becomes scarce and grasshoppers have to share a small food source, the entire population will transform into ravenous locusts and attempt to eat anything they can access (Song et al. 2017). Learning facts like these have completely changed my outlook on insects. What was once a world overshadowed by large charismatic animals is now an entire new world with even more to explore!

The sheer amazement I experience when learning about the success and adaptations of insects, makes me question my own perspective and importance in the world, which draws back to the topic of awe (Beck et al. 2019). Insects are small, and when they’re alone they often seem insignificant. However, understanding more and more about them has made me realize that their lives are just as significant as ours is. We as humans search for purpose in life. Are insects, and every other organism born with a purpose? Is their purpose to fill their ecological niche and maintain the balances of nature? What does this say about our purpose and our own “ecological niche”?

This change of perspective might actually be the most amazing thing about nature. The more that I learn about this world we live in, the more I realize its importance and its impressiveness. The way it challenges my ways of thinking and my place in the world is a gift in itself… and who knew that thinking about some silly little bugs could teach me so much!

Here is a link to John Hallmén’s Flickr page if you’d like to check out more of his insect photos!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnhallmen/

Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Chapter 21: The bright future of interpretation. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018.

BugInfo. 1996. Numbers of Insects (species and individuals). Smithsonian. Accessed 20 March 2022 at https://www.si.edu/spotlight/buginfo/bugnos

Nielsen, J. 2008. Study: Moths can remember caterpillar days. Research News. Accessed 20 March 2022 at https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88031220

Song, H., Foquet, B., Mariño-Perez, R. and Woller, D.A. 2017. Phylogeny of locusts and grasshoppers reveals complex evolution of density-dependent phenotypic plasticity. Scientific Reports (7): 6606

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hey Andrew!

I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week!

I never really thought about the sheer abundance and diversity of insects. I love how throughout your post you mentioned a bunch of interesting facts and didn't just keep it about one specific insect!

I think it is so interesting that the known insect species represent 80% of the total world’s species. That is very mind blowing but definitely makes sense when you think about it. Metamorphosis in butterflies is a really incredible process. I was thinking about that as I was reading the blog post prompt. I did not know that they have the same memories as their larval stage. That is so cool!

I believe that insects are born with a purpose! I think everything in life is a snowball effect and is meant to affect everything around it! If we did not have insects living on earth, our lives would be incredibly different. It is funny how such a small thing can have such a large impact.  Insects pollinate many of our fruits, flowers, and vegetables. We would not have much of the produce that we enjoy and rely on without the pollinating services of insects, not to mention honey, beeswax, silk, and other useful products that insects provide!

Thank you for your post! I really enjoyed reading it!

- Lauren

[ltenvs3000w22]

Nature is AMAZING!

This week's blog post prompt sparked a lot of different thoughts and ideas in my head about all the amazing things in nature. 

Without doing any research I know a few interesting things off the top of my head but I do not know a lot about each interesting fact. There are two things I wanted to talk about today. They are not related besides the fact that they are both topics of nature.

The first thing I want to talk about is hammerhead worms. Hammerhead worms are  predatory land planarians. They are invasive, toxic, cannibalistic and potentially immortal. Originally from Southeast Asia, Hammerhead worms have a worldwide distribution. They have the power to destroy ecosystems by eradicating earthworms. This is done by trapping the earthworm in a slime that liquifies them, which they then drink it. The slime is toxic which discourages people and animals from eating this worm. The worm produces a potent neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin, which immobilizes its prey and deter predators. The noxious chemicals cause skin irritation in humans and encourage nausea in animals who consume the worms. Hammerhead worms eat other hammerhead worms as well as parts of themselves.

The most interesting part about this worm is that you cannot kill them by cutting them in half because they are able to regenerate. Hammerhead worms are hermaphroditic which means they have male and female reproductive organs but do not sexually reproduce. They reproduce through fragmentation which means if cut in half, another head will form within 10 days. If this worm is cut in half then there will be two living worms instead of one. If this worm is cut in 10 then there will be 10 living worms. In order to get rid of hammerhead worms, you must trap it in a jar of salt/vinegar and freeze it until the worm dissolves.

The second thing I wanted to talk about is space. Space is by far the most amazing concept I have ever learned about. Space is the boundless three-dimensional extent in which objects and events have relative position and direction. Space is everything in the universe that is beyond the top of earth's atmosphere.

Space is approximately 93 billion light-years. Scientists believe it is unlikely that the universe has an end. This means that there is no stop to galaxies or a barrier to end space.

I guess one of the amazing things I know about space is how little we know about it. It is so insane to me that we know so little about something that surrounds our earth. Without space we would not exist. Although we have come a long way with the knowledge we have about space and time, most of what we “know” are just theories. The stars, galaxies, and planets that have been observed make up approximately 4% of the universe. That leaves 96% of space that we don't know, can't see, or even comprehend. One amazing thing about space is that the sun is 400 x larger than the moon but they appear to be the same size to us on earth because the sun is 400 x farther away from us than the moon.

I hope by reading my blog post you learned some interesting facts! Thank you for reading!

[ltenvs3000w22]

Nature in music & Music in nature!

This blog post prompt really interests me because I am fortunate enough to have a ravine and forest in my backyard. Everyday I hear music in nature.

Depending on the time of year, there is a variety of different sounds in nature.

Year round, starting in the morning, there is a variety of bird songs with different tunes. For example the tap tap tap of the woodpecker searching for insects in the oak trees and the cardinal's sweet songs as they collect sunflower seeds at our bird feeder give two different melodies in nature.

On any given day, standing on my balcony you can hear the squirrels and chipmunks wrestling in the leaves by the ravine which also has its own melody as it flows through the forest. Not only does a ravine make music but the sound of waves crashing in an ocean or the plunge of the waterfall as it collapses into its base. The croaking of a bullfrog in a pond creates a constant rhythm similar to crickets chirping in the grassland.

On a windy day you can hear the wind whistle through the trees, and the leaves shaking. In the fall, the added sound of acorns falling adds to the natural concert. Stepping on dry leaves and twigs is almost as satisfying to the ear as crunching snow and ice in the winter.

In the spring and summer, the pitter patter of raindrops and the BOOM of thunder makes a symphony of its own. I love the splash of ducks jumping in the lake and the baby duckling squeaks in the summer.

I can hear the loud, piercing howling of coyotes at night in the forest as my dog’s barking joins the chorus. In the summer I can hear the sweet sound of hummingbird wings as they flap their wings 80 beats per second.

All these melodies, tunes and songs in nature come together to make music.

I was trying to think about what natural sounds are in music, but realized there weren't many songs with nature unless we're talking about children's tunes or meditation music.

I continued to discuss with my family about nature in music because it was a little difficult for me to find it. We talked about our bamboo wind chimes which combine both nature in music and music in nature! Drums made of animal skins and wood make a beautiful sound out of nature. Rain sticks mimic the sound of rain and are typically made out of wood. I have heard many songs with whistling in the background which imitate the sound of a bird singing.

There are a few songs that take me back to a natural landscape.

The song Leather and Lace by Fleetwood Mac doesn’t have a lot of clear nature in the song but it does take me back to a natural landscape. It reminds me of walking in a field and looking at sunflowers. Here is a picture of what this song reminds me of.

Thank you for reading!

Lauren

[kpmbenvs3000w22]

Nature and Music

Music is all around us, we are lucky enough to be able to experience the place in which true music has originated, which is the lovely music we can listen to in nature. From the birds calling, to the wind blowing through the trees, and so on! These parts of nature have always been my favourite, from listening to a certain bird call and learning what each call means, and just enjoying them call to and from, but I do have to say for me, when a big gust of wind hits a tree just the right way so all the leaves dance and make that’s lovely ‘woosh’ sound has got to be the best part of natures song. 

One of the many forest with the best leaves to hear the wind through

 My mom has been feeding the birds that live behind my house for years now, and her favourite (its up there for me as well, has got to be the Baltimore Oriole. They have some of the most beautiful colouring you will ever see but they also have such a lovely song. Learning that our music has a lot of parallels to the songs of a bird makes a lot of sense, because that would be the place a lot of us heard it first (especially in the past) and with how much rhythm there is to a birds song (Gray et al. 2001.)

Baltimore Oriole in my Backyard

 I think that there is a lot of nature within the music we write as well. I know there are many different people who actually go out into nature and record their own sounds of nature to incorporate into their own music (Courselink 2022). A lot of classical music was either inspired by bird songs, they would copy the notes they heard the birds sing and integrate them within their music, using them for melodies and certain harmonies as well (Gray et al) There are also many different musicians who use the power of nature to inspire their own songs as well, sitting in the middle of the forest, listening to waves etc to strike inspiration. Something else I think is awesome with the music in nature is how diverse it is. The bird species here in North America may have very different songs than those in Europe, the wind in the trees may even sounds different due to the difference in trees. All of these things are amazing and wonderful all on their own, but thankfully due to technology, many of us have been able to listen to our musical nature from around the world without ever needing to leave the country (Beck 2018). This is something that has brought us so much opportunity, as now I can listen to the sounds of the waves from anywhere in the world even when nowhere close to an ocean, but it will never be able to replace the real thing. We have many ways to dupe you into thinking what you are hearing or seeing is real, which is amazing, but it is still a virtual reality, and nowhere near what sounds and songs you can hear nature make in real reality (Beck 2018).

A song I would say brings me back to nature is Mr. Brightside by The Killers, it is a song that reminds me of camping with my friends or even driving/riding through the forest, it brings me to a time of peace and tranquility I love to be in.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC.

Courselink (2022)  Nature Interpretation through History, ENVS*3000

Gray, Patricia M., et al. “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music.” Science, vol. 291, no. 5501, 5 Jan. 2001, p. 52. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8. Accessed 6 Mar. 2022.

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hi Katherine!

I really enjoyed your post about nature in music and music in nature!

I love how you explained many examples throughout your blog and used words like “whoosh” to describe the sounds!

I also have a bird feeder in my yard and get to hear so many birds with a variety of different sounds! I feel lucky to be exposed to these songs every day!

Your view on nature in music is cool! I had trouble thinking about nature in music because I only thought about children's tunes or meditation music. I didn't even realize how classical music was either inspired by bird songs by copying the notes they heard from the birds singing! Integrating that within their music certainly shows nature in music!

I like the point that you made about some singers using the power of nature to inspire their own songs! 

In my blog post, I talked about how each season provides the earth with so much music. In the summer and spring you can hear crickets, the sound of rain falling, waves crashing on the shore and animals wrestling in the forest.

In the winter I love listening to the sound of crunching ice as I step on the snow covered grass. The sound of crunching leaves on the ground in fall is a similar feeling. Cracking sticks and acorns falling from trees all provide a tune in nature. 

All year round you can hear birds chirping, rainfall, thunder strike and thousands of different bugs and animals. Music is everywhere.

Thanks for your post!

Lauren

[jalenvs3000w22-deactivated20220]

Walk it off

Hello readers! 

This week there is no prompt and I get to write about what I’ve been thinking about. Of course school first comes to mind. The stress of it all (homework, interviews, job searching, midterms…) is a lot to take in sometimes. So this past weekend I went on a long walk with my thoughts. In hindsight, I should have worn some better shoes – just ask my pair of blisters! I ended up walking with my thoughts around Guelph for 2 hours. I started on campus and made my way down to Speed river. Next I found myself sitting briefly on a bench by the river that didn’t have a heap of snow on it. It was nice to sit quietly and enjoy the sounds of birds and the quiet sound that comes from the insulated, snow covered ground. I continued my walk all the way until I hit Highway 6. I was pretty content to keep walking so I followed the Royal Recreation Trail until I found myself around familiar streets and guided myself home. I think taking the time to appreciate nature in all the chaos of my life helps me “heal”. I hope those reading also have a coping strategy, or activity that helps them find peace. 

I had another uplifting and relevant moment this week. During the week I’m thinking about my group’s podcast and doing research. I was talking with a friend and they shared with me a podcast they had created for a different class. It was so clever! They had interviewed a duck which made their podcast interesting and kept the educational portion of it as well. It made me laugh and still taught me about wetlands. I can’t wait to see what everyone else comes up with for this class!

I hope everyone had a great weekend and week.

Thank you for reading,

Jacqueline

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hey Jacqueline!

I loved reading your post! Going on walks always helps me relax and get my mind off of things. It is very healing! You write so well and keep the reader interested with the detail you put into it. There is so much going on in life constantly and it is so nice to do something to take your mind off of it. I find the best thing to do is go outside and enjoy the fresh air and nature.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us!

Lauren

[ltenvs3000w22]

Controversy of Veganism

This week I had a hard time figuring out what to write about. This week my sister decided to go vegan and did a lot of research on why veganism is the way to go. This made me question what some of the cons to this diet can result in. We all know how many advantages there are but I thought it would be interesting to research the negative effects on the environment!

Does veganism contribute to environmental conservation? Eating a vegan diet has been said to be the most effective way to reduce your environmental impact on earth. Although this may be true, vegan diets and the reduction of meat consumption while gaining grain products harms animals and degrades the environment. 

A professor at the university of south Wales, Mike Archer, explained how vegans can do more harm to animals by illuminating the one thing they rely on; plants. 

The production of wheat and other grains in Australia result in 25 times more animals being killed per kg of usable protein, animal cruelty, and more environmental damage than farming red meat. In order to produce these grains, agriculture kills thousands of animals and plants by clear cutting native vegetation.

Not only does veganism affect animals and the environment, but it also heavily impacts the human species who partake in that lifestyle. According to WebMD, veganism may result in risks including brain health, hair loss, strokes and depression. The lack of protein, iron, vitamin B, and zinc can cause detrimental health problems.

Although consuming meat creates a lot of greenhouse gas emissions, I do not believe it makes up for the fact that the vegan lifestyle wastes land that could be consumed by people. The protein from livestock costs a lot less lives per kilogram. I believe it is a more humane, environmentally friendly and ethical dietary option. 

I do not necessarily believe that veganism is bad, but I do think that there are many other ways to conserve the planet and help save plants and animals where people can make an actual change. Donations to animal-oriented organizations and the reduction of waste can have a much more healthier impact than a vegan diet.

Before reading a paper on this topic, I did not have much of an opinion about vegan diets. I still believe that going vegan is a good choice and I support anyone who lives that way. All I know is that there are many pros and cons to the lifestyle. This includes:

Pros: Prevention of overfishing, Overpopulation of cows for food cause pollution, preventing livestock emissions

Cons: Extinction of almond trees - because of high demand, Highly processed foods (tofu) can be bad for environment (Made in factories)

What are your thoughts on veganism? How do you think being a vegan affects environmental conservation? Do you think the pros outweigh the cons?

Reference:

https://dailytitan.com/opinion/benefits-of-a-vegan-diet-dont-outweigh-its-environmental-impact/article_10079b1c-a13e-11eb-aefd-9363be1e574e.html#:~:text=Vegan%20diets%20don't%20resort,degrade%20the%20environment%20as%20well.

[cdwenvs3000w22]

Blog #4: Nature Through ART

For this weeks blog post I will be discussing the relationship between nature interpretation and art in my life. First, I would like to share that my two main passions in life are nature and art. In high school I would describe myself as creative and artistic, I took classes like media arts, visual arts and photography. I was in love with nature as well, I would always use nature as my muse for most of my projects for photography, painting, collaging and more. Nature truly inspires me, and my creativity. With knowing my passions I was able to chose what route I would like to take educationally- landscape architecture- This field allows me to work with both my artistic side and my love of nature. I use my skills to create art through nature. 

When I look at the natural world around me all I see is art, I cant help but take photos whenever I can, to keep that peaceful moment with me forever. To me “the gift of beauty” is the beauty that nature organically creates. It is not painted or made….nature grows. The true beauty lies in the unique art that nature holds. For instance, an obsession of mine is to capture the natural patterns that nature produces. See here, an example of a photograph I have taken that showcases natural patterns in nature

Turkey Tail Mushroom 

Why is nature art to me?

Nature is art to me not only due to the natural patterns, colours, textures and sculptures that exist within it, but also because of the emotions that are evoked by it. Nature is always strongly related to wellness and metal health, experiencing nature in any way to me is extremely therapeutic. Many people also strongly relate art to wellness, making art often has a therapeutic effect much like experiencing nature. My ideal mental rest day, when I am not feeling the best involves music, my phone to take pictures, art and taking a long hike through nature. I love to let the visual art of nature cure me in a way, the fresh smell of dirt and trees, the sound of birds singing in the distance, the feeling of the bark of a tree or the water that runs though the forest on my fingertips. This ideal day is like one great work of art, one amazing composition of sound, colour, shape, texture and more. 

I also feel like nature is almost spiritual to me, I feel so connected with the earth on my ventures into nature. I feel so at peace in my mind and find a space in my thoughts for personal refection as-well as gratitude. The art in nature, the gift of beauty it gives makes me reflect on all of the other things in life that I am grateful for. 

That is why I chose Landscape Architecture, so I can create spaces that evoke these feelings for others. I want to create spaces, utilizing nature because it is art. For example, I went to Niagara falls during the summer. See here, 

Niagara On The Lake

As you can see, there is so much art through nature lining this strip. This use of nature as a visual art form is amazing because it makes this side walk experience more alluring in comparison to a regular sidewalk with grass. The walk on this path can be related to a walk through an art gallery, each garden, each tree, each flower is a work of art in itself. 

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed and learned a little bit more about me, hope you have a great day :)

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hey!

I really enjoyed reading your post! I think it is great that your two main passions in life are nature and art. I too love nature and art. I think it is really important to appreciate the beauty of nature. Art driven by the inspiration of nature results in such meaningful and remarkable art pieces. I love how this encouraged you to choose landscape architecture as your education route.

I can relate to you when you say how all you see is art when you look at the natural world. Without something being what is typically seen as art (paintings, sculptures, etc.) usually is the most beautiful art. I hope you understand what I am trying to say.. I know that was a little confusing. What I mean is that when I least expect to be blown away by beauty is when it happens. Looking at trees, weather, animals interacting, forests, etc is what surrounds us with beauty. Beauty that nature organically creates is definitely the best beauty. 

I really liked your example of the Turkey Tail Mushroom! Explaining the patterns, colours, textures and sculptures within the mushroom allowed me to see the beauty and share the experience that you get from observing it. 

Bringing up a correlation between nature and mental health in your blog is a very strong point that I wish I had brought up in my blog. This is very important to me and I am sure to many others. Nature is so therapeutic as you mentioned and almost puts me in a meditative state. This is why I love nature so much. 

Thank you for sharing your ideas and feelings. After reading your post I can relate a lot to you and how you interpret art in nature!

- Lauren

[ltenvs3000w22]

Unit 4 - Nature interpretation

We are so lucky to have nature surrounding us and be within us. Our minds, lives and bodies live in, off and on nature. We depend on it. The air we breathe, the food we eat and the water we drink is all provided by nature. Our life source is sustained by the earth. If nature did not exist, we would not be here. 

There are several forms and purposes that artwork based nature may take. These include plants, flowers, trees, cells, animals, aging, evolution, natural sciences, fire, the environment and more.

Expressing the skill, creativity and human imagination through art such as painting, drawing, photography or sculpting provides a voice of what nature lacks to speak. Art can involve the display of the natural world or to make scientific observations in our environment. It can allow individuals to expand their minds to the connections and ideas about nature. Integrating art and nature can capture extraordinary results.

Figure 1: Fall tree painting done by young me! 

So, how can art become an interpretation of nature? Nature can be mimicked through art by visually replicating what is observed in real life. Interpreting nature can be done through abstract art which takes their visual cue from actual forms of nature. Studying, observing and contemplating natural forms is how interpretation is created. There is flexibility within nature interpretation through art which makes it difficult to illuminate. 

Figure 2: Sunset painting done by me in Florida

Who am I to interpret nature through are? As a very creative person who has been creating nature through art for many years, I believe the one thing a person needs to have in order to create this interpretation is to appreciate nature. Having a deep appreciation for the natural world allows people to experience it in their own ways and have their own ideas about it. No matter how creative a person is, everyone can interpret art. There is no “one way” to interpret something. Nature is meant to be interpreted in many ways. Some things are more significant to some people while meaningless to others. Some individuals can personally relate to nature and express how they feel through art.

Figure 3: Another beach photo using real sand from the beach!

The appreciation and involvement in the study of ecology and the natural world will encourage people to interpret nature through art.

Interpreting the gift of beauty requires pleasing ideas of the property, quality or state of being. In order to interpret the gift of beauty, individuals must be motivated to observe beauty around them in the natural world. Beauty is subjective. It is based on personal feelings and influences. Being able to understand beauty within nature is difficult as you must have a natural feeling towards it and not force yourself to just find something “pretty”. I believe that interpreting the gift of beauty is very personal and is most recognized when in a meditative state. I see the gift of beauty when focusing my mind on what I see and thinking about nothing except the feeling I get when observing what is in front of me.

Figure 4: A painting of a bird that comes to my bird feeder everyday.

Figure 5: Interpretation of nature in the four seasons through art!

In order to interpret nature through art, I believe the gift of beauty must be present.

[kpmbenvs3000w22]

Privilege in Nature

Nature interpretation is a privileged industry, but it doesn’t have to be. It is something that people with privilege has created, but it is something that with a little work, we can make it so everyone feels the rush and amazement when learning about nature and what they can do for nature.

My working definition of privilege would be any part of your life in which something in which you do not have control over has given you an unfair advantage over others. This could be race, this could be wealth, where you live etc.

Unfortunately, when people have privilege, there are others who do not, usually people of a certain age group, minority, or a person with a disability. These people do not always have the option to visit nature to learn and take in its beauty.  This is shown by the crowds going to national parks, as noted in ‘Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World’ the majority of visitors are not within any minority groups.

This is something that needs to be fixed, as it is everyone’s responsibility to help care for our planet, and nature interpretation is something that will be a guide t us humans on how to do that. Now the question is… how do we make sure people are feeling more welcome and more excited to come out and learn about all these things? That is up to us, as a future nature interpreter I would love to make sure as many people as possible are comfortable coming to a guided tour.

Some things I think are important to think of is the risk vs reward of changing things in order to make it more accessible, as it should be something that rewards us a lot more than it will negatively affect any part of nature. Things like added pavement paths for people who are unable to hike through the forest will help, however this may negatively affect the nature, as the pavement impedes on the ground in which the plants will grow! But having things like pressed down paths are a lot better and have a much higher reward, and this has been tested at a few National Parks  and for sure works.

Another obstruction that turns people away would be any type of language barrier they might have. If the goal is to get information to as many people as possible, this is something that would be very tricky to do if the person cannot understand the information you are trying to convey. This could be solved with a number of different solutions. One could be to have a variety of audio tours available in different languages, although this comes with the risk of someone feeling out of place as they are the only person not listening along to the person tour. Another one could be having multiple multi language interpreters on site at a time in order to best aid any and all visitors.

All of these solutions come at a cost, but the goal is to find the one which the reward is greater than the cost.

[gvhenvs3000w22]

Hello!

I loved reading your post and hearing your opinion on this topic, I thought it was very insightful. I agree with you that although nature interpretation is open to everyone, some people may not feel welcome. As nature interpreters ourselves, it is our job to make sure that everyone feels welcome! I agree that accessibility is an issue, and it may be difficult to make absolutely everything accessible to all, but even creating a flat pathway for a simpler hike is a good way to create more accessibility in nature. Spending time in nature is great for your mental health, as we have all seen during the pandemic as everyone wants to go out for walks, but I think it is important for everyone to have access to safe spaces in nature to heal.

I love your idea of having language interpreters on site to help out with translation! I can imagine that if a location knows they get a large crowd of people from Quebec for example, that they would make sure to have someone on deck who speaks french fluently. I think that would make people feel more welcome and included in the space!

Excited to hear more of your opinions throughout the semester!

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hi!

I like how you started your blog post with talking about how nature interpretation doesn't have to be a privileged industry. 

Your working definition of privilege was described very well. Advantages that have been given to individuals based on their membership and belonging within a group are privileges. It is a special right or immunity, usually unearned. I thought it was interesting that Peggy McIntosh introduced a concept explained on courselink to help understand privilege more easily. This concept is displayed as thinking of privilege as an “invisible backpack”. What your backpack holds depends on circumstances within your life. It is often not acknowledged that the contents in those with a lot in their backpack was not entirely earned. This is a great way to show and help understand how privilege works.

I completely agree that it is  important to think of the risk vs reward of changing things in order to make it more accessible. It needs to be something that rewards people much more than negatively affecting any part of nature.

Thank you for sharing your ideas!

Lauren

[kpmbenvs3000w22]

Privilege in Nature

Nature interpretation is a privileged industry, but it doesn’t have to be. It is something that people with privilege has created, but it is something that with a little work, we can make it so everyone feels the rush and amazement when learning about nature and what they can do for nature.

My working definition of privilege would be any part of your life in which something in which you do not have control over has given you an unfair advantage over others. This could be race, this could be wealth, where you live etc.

Unfortunately, when people have privilege, there are others who do not, usually people of a certain age group, minority, or a person with a disability. These people do not always have the option to visit nature to learn and take in its beauty.  This is shown by the crowds going to national parks, as noted in ‘Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World’ the majority of visitors are not within any minority groups.

This is something that needs to be fixed, as it is everyone’s responsibility to help care for our planet, and nature interpretation is something that will be a guide t us humans on how to do that. Now the question is… how do we make sure people are feeling more welcome and more excited to come out and learn about all these things? That is up to us, as a future nature interpreter I would love to make sure as many people as possible are comfortable coming to a guided tour.

Some things I think are important to think of is the risk vs reward of changing things in order to make it more accessible, as it should be something that rewards us a lot more than it will negatively affect any part of nature. Things like added pavement paths for people who are unable to hike through the forest will help, however this may negatively affect the nature, as the pavement impedes on the ground in which the plants will grow! But having things like pressed down paths are a lot better and have a much higher reward, and this has been tested at a few National Parks  and for sure works.

Another obstruction that turns people away would be any type of language barrier they might have. If the goal is to get information to as many people as possible, this is something that would be very tricky to do if the person cannot understand the information you are trying to convey. This could be solved with a number of different solutions. One could be to have a variety of audio tours available in different languages, although this comes with the risk of someone feeling out of place as they are the only person not listening along to the person tour. Another one could be having multiple multi language interpreters on site at a time in order to best aid any and all visitors.

All of these solutions come at a cost, but the goal is to find the one which the reward is greater than the cost.

[kpmbenvs3000w22]

Privilege in Nature

Nature interpretation is a privileged industry, but it doesn’t have to be. It is something that people with privilege has created, but it is something that with a little work, we can make it so everyone feels the rush and amazement when learning about nature and what they can do for nature.

My working definition of privilege would be any part of your life in which something in which you do not have control over has given you an unfair advantage over others. This could be race, this could be wealth, where you live etc.

Unfortunately, when people have privilege, there are others who do not, usually people of a certain age group, minority, or a person with a disability. These people do not always have the option to visit nature to learn and take in its beauty.  This is shown by the crowds going to national parks, as noted in ‘Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World’ the majority of visitors are not within any minority groups.

This is something that needs to be fixed, as it is everyone’s responsibility to help care for our planet, and nature interpretation is something that will be a guide t us humans on how to do that. Now the question is… how do we make sure people are feeling more welcome and more excited to come out and learn about all these things? That is up to us, as a future nature interpreter I would love to make sure as many people as possible are comfortable coming to a guided tour.

Some things I think are important to think of is the risk vs reward of changing things in order to make it more accessible, as it should be something that rewards us a lot more than it will negatively affect any part of nature. Things like added pavement paths for people who are unable to hike through the forest will help, however this may negatively affect the nature, as the pavement impedes on the ground in which the plants will grow! But having things like pressed down paths are a lot better and have a much higher reward, and this has been tested at a few National Parks  and for sure works.

Another obstruction that turns people away would be any type of language barrier they might have. If the goal is to get information to as many people as possible, this is something that would be very tricky to do if the person cannot understand the information you are trying to convey. This could be solved with a number of different solutions. One could be to have a variety of audio tours available in different languages, although this comes with the risk of someone feeling out of place as they are the only person not listening along to the person tour. Another one could be having multiple multi language interpreters on site at a time in order to best aid any and all visitors.

All of these solutions come at a cost, but the goal is to find the one which the reward is greater than the cost.

[ltenvs3000w22]

Blog post 3

My working definition of privilege includes advantages that have been given to individuals based on their membership and belonging within a group. It is a special right or immunity, usually unearned. Peggy McIntosh introduced a concept explained on courselink to help understand privilege more easily. This concept is displayed as thinking of privilege as an “invisible backpack”. What your backpack holds depends on circumstances within your life. It is often not acknowledged that the contents in those with a lot in their backpack was not entirely earned. This is a great way to show and help understand how privilege works.

Race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, religion, wealth, and class are all examples of privileges. Being born into a middle class family as a cis female, with an abled body i carry many privileges myself. I have a family I am very close with who financially supports me. These privileges encouraged me to have my own experiences which I have not necessarily earned. This took a while for me to understand because I have never experienced a world without having these privileges. It makes me feel guilty as I did not earn these privileges but I know I can acknowledge it and appreciate what I have without being completely ignorant (as many are). Being ignorant about your privileges is a luxury and needs to be noticed.

Privilege certainly plays a role in nature interpretation. There are many factors that contribute to the ability to have access to natural areas. In order to travel to, afford, and take work off for these locations, you must have many privileges which are usually not even recognized by the individual as a privilege.

To me, exploring nature is a common activity that I get to experience whenever I want. For most people, nature is costly and difficult to approach. I have access to primary literature which encourages me to be informed on new discoveries. Because I am a university student, I have the privilege to speak with professors and field experts about what I am interested in. I am able to interpret and appreciate nature more than the average person.

The knowledge I have alone is such a privilege that I didn’t even realize until writing this post. Being aware of the risks and tips of going outside. Knowing how to be prepared for camping trips allows for safe adventures which not all people have knowledge in.

I hope everyone is aware and acknowledges how lucky they are to have privileges. Peggy McIntosh's invisible backpack concept should be constantly recognized and encourage everyone to put themselves in other people's shoes.

Thank you for reading my post! I look forward to reading yours!

Lauren

[amenvs3000w22]

Blog post two - My ideal role

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

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

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

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

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

[nbenvs3000w22]

Ok, I’ll admit… I’m absolutely terrified of bees or anything bug-related, but your post is super interesting! I’ve always seen beekeepers on Tiktok and Instagram and have always questioned how they do it with the big suits. But seeing the picture of you with just a t-shirt on at the Apiary shocked me. How do you not get stung? How are you not afraid? I give you so much credit; I don’t think I can build up the courage to even get close. Though I won’t lie, I think I have gained a new appreciation for bees and pollinators over the past two years of university. They are such an essential part of our ecosystem; without them, our world would collapse. Even though I am scared of bees, I am hoping to take ENVS*2210 (Apiculture and Honey Bee Biology) in the future to truly understand their role within our environment. I feel that it’s so important to teach people why we need to protect pollinators, so I am really happy you’re so passionate about the topic. Regarding your role as an environment interpreter, I completely agree that you need to spark their interest by catering to everyone’s learning styles. I feel that a lot of learning material tends to cater to just one learning style and fails to create engaging content. Something as simple as adding a diagram to an informative writing piece or asking a student to find a specific species they’re learning about in their backyard can enhance their learning experience. As environmental interpreters, it’s important to be inclusive of all learning styles.

Anyways, awesome post! Can’t wait to read more :))

-Nicole

[amenvs3000w22]

Hey Nicole! 

Thank you for your comment :) I’m glad you found my post interesting! Definitely take ENVS*2210 if you get a chance. I took it this past Summer and it was incredibly eye opening and informative. You also get to learn about different styles of beekeeping. At the Apiary on campus we farm the bees for their honey (so it’s not beekeeping for conservation) but there are other methods designed to conserve honeybees and strengthen their populations. Bugs can be very scary, I have to admit that I still get quite scared, but through learning about bees in the apiculture and honeybee biology course I became less hesitant and scared of handling them. Insects are generally gentle creatures, you have to remember that they only sting you because they think they’re protecting their colony. Thank you once again for your positive words! 

All the best, Ally 

[ltenvs3000w22]

Hey Ally!

I felt drawn to your post as your pictures were so fascinating and really cool. I am glad I did because I loved reading your post!

You are completely right about how everyone has a different style of learning. I have found this so interesting in my last years of university. It is so important to communicate and adapt in order to account for the majority of the population. Your example with tumblr is clearly proven right by how I was immediately interested in your post without reading it first. Pictures are perfect for visual learners. 

I like how you have a specific species you are passionate about. Raising awareness is where all the change starts. Hands-on workshops, events, and social media pages are all great ways to spread awareness which adhere to all different learning styles. It is cool that you are interested in such an important topic. Your blog alone has encouraged me to further educate myself.

The close up photo of the bee is so amazing. Your caption under the image describes what is happening and when it took place. You did a great job educating your followers!

Your last paragraph covered just about everything crucial to be a successful environmental interpreter. Specifically, being passionate about the topic is really important as it makes everything you're saying/doing interesting and helps engage whoever you may be educating. If you are not passionate about what you are doing, this gives off a sense of boredom and discourages you from doing the best you can.

Thanks for your post! I really enjoyed reading it!

Lauren