Wow, the end of the semester already. Last week, I shared what I believe the most amazing thing about nature is.
In a way, nature interpretation shares that feature. The environment connects different dimensions of science, politics, memories, experience, beauty, art, holistic and explanations. Nature interpretation has allowed humans to resonate with the world around us. Likewise, cultures and religions have been able to flourish with dependence on the natural world. Even more, without nature interpretation, art like songs and paintings would never be able to be enjoyed, green spaces in urban areas would not exist and scientific studies on climate and biodiversity.
By interpreting the environment, we are allowing humans of all backgrounds to learn about the history, function, and complexities of the natural world. In turn, we are learning to be inquisitive. As we discover more about nature, we discover our roles within it.
But what if the natural world we know, and love was being destroyed in front of our own eyes? Would you want to support the destruction or do something to stop it?
My personal ethic as I establish myself in nature interpretation is founded in the idea that discovering the natural world can create deeper meanings between people and nature (Beck et al., 2022). Nonetheless, nature interpretation cannot be done unless we find ways to preserve it. My background in biology and sociology inspires me to find explanations and solutions. We all have heard by now that climate change is increasing at an alarming rate (Stevenson and Peterson, 2015). As an interpreter, I want to respect nature, highlight its beauty and address concerns for the environment (Stevenson and Peterson, 2015). Ultimately, it would be ignorant for me to appreciate nature through my interpretations without acknowledging the detrimental risks that are at stake. As I know the risks at hand, I have a responsibility to inform others as well. To lead others to care for the environment, I will guide with hope instead of fear (Beck et al., 2022). According to Beck et al. (2022) to effectively execute my ethic I will…
“win-win” (want both parties to succeed)
Listen to understand, not to deflect
Constantly work on my skills/seek to improve
So what are my beliefs? What moves me as an interpreter?
While I do not have any traditional beliefs about nature myself, I am motivated by an array of cultures and religions that do. I believe it is a privilege to be able to learn from others’ beliefs systems. When I chose to be open to greater ideas instead of secluding myself to my own upbringings, I was amazed by how much we can learn from each other. For example, I think everyone can learn from the indigenous and their views on conservation. Indigenous values highlight the notion of environmental stewardship (Appiah-Opoku, 2007). The indigenous peoples care for the well-being of the planet by responsibly managing resources and land use (Appiah-Opoku, 2007). I want to include the indigenous, as well as other groups, religions and cultures in my interpretations to show my audience that nature preservation can be done in different ways. I want to teach others to be open-minded when approaching the environment. There is always more information, skills, and practices we can adopt.
Also, I have a passion for educating the youth, especially those who are misunderstood or overlooked. Outside of university, I work as a supply teacher and volunteer at schools in disadvantaged communities. From my work volunteering, I see how important it is to understand the diverse backgrounds of the learners. For example, some of the children I have taught have gotten the chance to go far and wide, discovering nature in different countries on expensive trips. Other times more often than you would think, the most nature a child has seen is as far as the school’s fence line goes. As an interpreter, I do not wish to interpret at some expensive excursion. I will unpack my invisible backpack and admit that I have been privileged in this life. I want to reach out and be a resource for those who have experienced disadvantages in their life. Don’t get me wrong, those whale-watching trips and hikes far and wide seem amazing. However, I believe fostering environmental stewardship starts with instilling environmental stewardship in the youth. Children have the resources of the environment surrounding them, especially the ones who know all they know. Therefore, I will be innovative and improvise through creative and interactive approaches (Beck et al., 2022). For example, I once did a craft with my group at volunteering. All we did was glue together fallen leaves, sticks and grasses to create an abstract landscape. In doing so, I hope to have taught the children to see the beauty in the small things around us and to understand the importance of each part of our ecosystem. As we were gathering the materials, I emphasized the need to respect living plants and animals. We only take what we need and do not disturb a living organism for our own satisfaction.
What does the future look like for me as an interpreter?
My approach as an interpreter will be leveraged by my future career as a science teacher.
Using Beck et al. as a guide, I will teach to reach different learning styles through innovative and historically and scientifically backed activities (2022). I will incorporate a variety of values to share the importance of climate change. I will not create fear, but instead teach them the beauty of conservation (Beck et al., 2022).
While being historically and scientifically accurate, I hope to provide hands on learning experiences, outdoor exploration and guests from professionals. My goal is to teach the curriculum, while still empowering the students to find their own passions in nature. I want to participate in activities like, earth day clean up, to show that change is possible on a small scale.
Instead of telling the children what to believe, I want them to choose it. As a professional, it is my responsibility to constantly grow my skills, plan my interpretations and be understanding of my audience (Beck et al., 2022). In turn, I hope I foster inspiration and positive relations with the environment. I want to lead knowing I give each learner the chance to create their own opinions.
So my ethic overall is to maintain the beauty of our planet. No generation should go without seeing the amazing ecosystems. Therefore, it is my ethic as a nature interpreter to foster sustainability efforts in those who find inspiration through my interpretations.
Appiah-Opoku, S. (2007). Indigenous beliefs and environmental stewardship: A rural Ghana experience. Environmentalist, 27(1), 79–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/08873630709478212
Knudson, L.B.T.T.C.D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Publishing LLC. https://sagamore.vitalsource.com/books/9781571678669
Stevenson, K., & Peterson, N. (2015). Motivating action through fostering climate change hope and concern and avoiding despair among adolescents. Sustainability, 7(1), 5933–5946. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7055933