Natasha Nature Interpretation

[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.

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Blog 9

Hello everyone,

It is hard to believe this is our last blogging week! This semester has gone by so quickly but so slowly at the same time. I have learned a lot this semester not only about nature interpretation, but about myself and how I learn, communicate, and relate to others around me.

Through these blog posts I have also discovered that I have several strong personal ethics and beleifs that drive me. I value kindness, passion and genuine human connection and see interpretation as a way to spread all of those things to the people that surround us. I think it is part of our meaning in life to listen to our beliefs and to value them in everything we do. I think interpretation is an incredible privilege and opportunity to promote those values and beliefs to others in hopes of making a difference in the world. As I covered in my post about privilege, a large part of being an interpreter is carrying and accepting the responsibility of privilege and acting accordingly. Being able to interpret at all and having the opportunity to have an impact on others is a privilege itself. I will use interpretation to share knowledge, spread love for the Earth and nature, promote kindness, and encourage self-reflection and growth.

As one of my passions is environmentalism and caring for the Earth, I really loved this weeks content and its focus on the responsibility of interpreters to help foster the development of environmental stewards. Environmentalism has always been very important to me and I resonate a lot with the quote by environmental interpreter Jacob Rodenburg:

“I’m trying hard not to get discouraged. Being an environmental educator in today’s world feels like you are asked to stop a rushing river armed only with a teaspoon.”

I have always struggled with accepting the reality of our world and how we treat it and eachother. As the quote describes, it can feel impossible to make any difference when all we can control is ourselves. Treating the earth poorly is so engrained in our society and what we teach our children that it just seems like that’s the only option because everyone just follows societal norms like sheep. When our world is dominated and controlled by mass companies and governments, it feels like not using one plastic straw will do absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. And realistically, it may not. Only when we as a society change our norms and expectations will change begin to really happen. Like Jacob, I find hope in knowing that change is possible and knowing that the fate of our society rests on our youth.

The chance to make change by promoting environmentalism and respect for the earth gives me motivation to apply my knowledge in interpretation. I think the basis of my motivation is also sourced from the desire to achieve personal growth and happiness.

In terms of approaches to interpretation that are most suitable for me, I have found I really enjoy utilizing my linguistic intelligence in addition to an auditory focused format. I love talking and communicating with people in a genuine way that I feel like I can get through to people with. Personally, I find some methods of interpretation to be too distant and find that it can become washed out or ignored by audiences without a personalized component involved. Of course formats like information brochures and visual pieces are helpful in scenarios like trails or monuments when an interpreter is not present, I just personally would rather be involved in other methods of interpretation. I enjoy small, personal interactions with audience members where there can be discussion, debate, and opportunity for new ideas and concepts that I can learn from as well. This would give me the chance to really integrate my own insights, personality, and ethics into my work. It would also give me the chance to grow, reflect and develop my own beliefs and ethics.

I really value personal reflection as it relates to nature and would love to be in a scenario where personal growth and awareness are emphasized. I also love science and would love to have a position where I would be able to share knowledge and information to help an audience gain a better understanding of nature and its constituents.

When I first began this course, I really had never heard of nature interpretation nor did I understand the thought behind it. I genuinely have learned a lot this semester and I am very grateful for the privilege to be able to have access to education. I am willing to take on the responsibility that having that privilege comes with and will use what I have gained to spread knowledge, my passions, and hopefully a little bit of kindness and love.

I hope you are all prepared to do the same.

Cheers,

Riley 

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Hey Riley!

I can’t believe it either that this week is our last week of blogging. It is a bittersweet moment as I have started to enjoy writing them and reading our classmate’s views and experience of nature. When I began this course as well I didn’t know what I was getting into as well as I never heard of nature interpretation either nor the importance of them. I am happy I took this course because It gave me a better understanding of nature interpretation and how to connect and engage with others. We all had the privilege of taking this course and opening our minds to gain more knowledge of nature. As I read your blog I already notice that everything we learned will come in handy based on how we should accommodate to different types of learners. As you are an auditory learn I am a visual learner however we both agree that we would prefer small personalized groups to be able to get a better understanding. We need to be able to adapt and have different formats for everyone to be more inclusive to make sure that connections are being made. We have the privilege of being able to help others make connections and give meaning as we promote our values and beliefs to make a difference as you mentioned.

Your quote got me thinking as well, as today’s modern world is shifting towards being indoors, technology based, social media it is becoming difficult to persuade others into disconnecting for a bit and opening their minds to nature. Kids now a days are not as eager to play outside or go looking for bugs in their backyards but instead are wanting to play on their iPads, computers, playstation..etc. It is sad that the world is shifting away but as the quote says, we have to try to not be discouraged. We can help others find the beauty in nature, make a difference and impact others into taking breaks from our modern world and indulging themselves in nature.

I really enjoyed reading your post! good luck on any exams you have and have fun during summer!

Natasha G.

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Final Blog

Reflecting on what I’ve learned in this course over the semester has been really interesting. I have enjoyed looking back on my past blog posts to see what I have learned. I will be graduating with my degree in environmental sciences in December, so I will be taking these skills into the “real world” fairly soon.

I started this semester off reflecting on my relationship with nature. This set up how I wrote and thought about my answers to my future blogs. While I was writing my first blog, I was thinking a lot about my time working in British Columbia last summer and my drive back from there to Guelph. This was a trip that really made me love nature even more and allowed me to explore it on my own, as I drove back alone. Now, I know that I will be going back to British Columbia this summer for a co-op job on Vancouver Island. So, I am once again thinking about my trip out there, and the nature that I will be exploring this summer.

 I then reflected on how I see my future as a nature interpreter. This was hard for me as I still do not know what I want to do with my life. But what I do know is that I love nature and I love sharing it with people.

Our third blog topic was about privilege in nature interpretation. This one really made me reflect on my own privilege and how much there is inherently in nature interpretation. This is definitely something that I will carry in my personal ethic as a nature interpreter in the near future. By this, I mean that I will always acknowledge that I have been privileged to have explored nature like I have and that I will understand that not everyone has the same experiences as me in nature. Nature can be viewed in many different ways depending on someone’s upbringing and past experiences. Understanding that and using that is important to me.

My personal ethics also include being a responsible explorer of nature. Leaving no trace when I am in nature is something that is important to me, as well as when I am with others. Being responsible around wildlife is also something that is important. I think that bear safety is very important when people are outside in areas where there are bears. In my future as nature interpreter, this would be important to ensure that everyone understands. Not disturbing other wildlife is also important. Humans are not the only living beings on the planet and respecting habitats of wildlife while enjoying nature is important.

Grizzly bear on side of Trans Canada Highway near Banff National Park, April, 2021.

In my sixth blog, I reflected on the role that history plays in nature interpretation, and the importance of recognizing the knowledge that Indigenous Peoples bring to nature. Western science often disregards the generations of knowledge that has been past down. I believe it is important to include this. For me as a nature interpreter, including this knowledge would be important to mention. For example, when talking about the process of making maple syrup, acknowledging that the Indigenous Peoples of Canada were the first to develop this process. Or the traditional uses of birch bark for canoes.

The podcast assignment was also an interesting opportunity to try a new way of interpreting nature. It was difficult to figure out the best way to explain complex things to an audience composed of children. But overall, I learned a lot about how to communicate things about nature in an engaging way.

Overall, I learned a lot in this course about interpreting nature. I learned new ways to interpret nature, through art, music, and experiences. As I look to the future, I will be driving to Vancouver Island with my dad in about a month. As we explore the nature along the Trans-Canada Highway, I will have things learned in this course in the back of my mind. I will have new things to show him, and I really look forward to that opportunity.

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Hi Georgia!

I really enjoyed reading all your blogs throughout this semester, but this one has to be my all time favourite. I also believe it is important when being in nature to leave no trail of our presence because it can not only harm nature but wildlife. Especially when more and more people are heading out to nature in the summer we can harm the ecosystem. Another great point you mentioned was being respectful with wildlife, they can be amazing to see in person but if we aren’t careful a beautiful encounter could being a dangerous one. As seen with the picture you share of the grizzly bear, from a far distance it is breathtaking but grizzly bears are dangerous predators and can cause serious harm. I had the same thought as you in appreciating a good road trip and seeing nature as we drive by. It really open our eyes that there is more than just busy city streets and traffic. I have gone on a few road trips myself and I love passing all the different sceneries nature has to offer. I am always unable to sleep unlike my sister as I'm too busy trying to see as much detail as possible as we drive by. nature is something else and I’m glad that most of us, if not everyone in this course appreciates it.

I hope you have fun on your road trip to Vancouver this summer!

Natasha. G

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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

[dhenvs3000w22]

Sense-Making of Nature Interpretation - Blog 9

What is the most amazing thing you know about nature? I think that is a very broad question, but different on a personal level to any individual who may try to answer it.

For me…

The ocean and the beach as I have talked about in my past blogs have brought so much into and have impacted my life immensely. Considering this, I have learnt an abundance of it to grow my perspective of the place I love submerging myself within. Therefore, the ocean has so many interesting qualities that many people do not know fully about, one of them being tidal waves. I can speak for myself, but I am sure many others have experienced as a little child, or even in this day and age, jumping into ocean waves. Ocean waves and the tides are two opposites, with different powers. They hold so much unknown. Right? 

BUT, tidal waves, not the regular shallow water waves we jump into are created from the gravitational interactions and pull between the sun, moon and Earth. Tides play a vital role in the natural world, and they can have a significant impact on many ecological activities and systems. 

Did you know that tidal waves can turn into tsunamis? 

OF COURSE, tidal waves are quite harmful. When strong winds and the force of an earthquake combine, they can cause a huge disturbance on the ocean’s surface with leading consequences. The tidal waves grow more deadly as the wind speed and the magnitude of the earthquake increases.  

SO, why am I telling you that this is such an amazing thing about nature? Well in reality as the ocean is my safe place, it is also a very dangerous place. Many people travel or visit/lay by the ocean every single day, but to some extent, many individuals do not understand that an ordinary day can turn into a tragedy. Whether it be by the tides or even aquatic animals. Anything can happen. It is full with unknown. You see it all the time on social media or in the news, tragedies of those affected by the ocean. 

Ultimately what is interesting is that in a place of such calmness, it can turn into strong power and great disturbance. As it gives me peace, it is also interesting to see the perspective of how much power the ocean does really hold overall; how much nature (such a beautiful thing) can hold so much power overall in so many different ways. I find it quite fascinating. It reminds me at the switch of a button, how something positive can turn negative instantly. I think it is important to know these facts, just as you learn how to behave and act around a certain animal like a bear. 

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Hi Dalia!

I agree that the question ‘what is the most amazing thing you know about nature’ is broad question that can open so many doors for countless conversations. I really enjoyed you post about the ocean and how you stated that the ocean is an uncertainty that it can start off as a nice calm day and can in a instant turn to treacherous waters. I have always found it fascination how we know so little about the ocean and yet people love to spend time in it. I have read that human have only explored 5% of the ocean floor leaving 95% to the unknown which I find it scary yet thrilling. The earth has been in constant abuse of us and our way of living yet it manages to keep a part of itself from us and all the sea creatures from us. It is something uncontrollable something no one on earth and use nor bend it to its will. I have always found tidal waves and tsunamis interesting yet I’m terrified of them because of the lack of mercy they show to everyone and anyone. Yet I’m always wanting to go to the beach swim around aimlessly. My favorite thing to do at the beaches that have waves are “ saltando olas” which is basically jumping waves, It is where you go as far as you can into the water where you can push yourself up and so when a wave is coming if its still developing you can either push yourself up and go over it or if its taller than yourself in the water you go under or If you don’t decide fast enough you end up getting thrown by the waves. It sounds dangerous but its actually really fun especially when your with someone cause there is always one person choosing the wrong option and being dragged 3ft from you in the aftermath.

Overall I enjoyed you blog this week!

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Blog 9

The most amazing thing about nature? This question stumped me not because I don’t know what to say it’s because I don’t know which one out of so many to choose from. I have watched so many documentaries that It’s so hard to grab one thing. Nature is such a beautiful and amazing thing that ever little aspect of it is just so mesmerizing. With this course we indulged in the beauty and the importance of learning how to interpret nature to not only help ourselves understand nature better but to help others understand and developed a relationship with nature.

My fascination with nature has always been in the aspect of animals, which is why I’m studying zoology.

A few of my all-time favourite animals are tigers, bears (any and all types of bears), gorillas, snakes (again, all and any type of snakes), and my all-time favorite Lions.

African lions have become one of my fascinations for years now, which developed to me watching endless hours of documentaries whether it be on YouTube, Netflix or Disney plus and allowed me to view different aspects of their ways of living.

I have always been fascinated on how a lion’s empire “pride” revolves around the lioness. They are the primary hunters and leaders as they work together to catch prey and raise their cubs together. While male lions defend the pride’s territory and chasing off intruders. Female cubs typically stay with their group however males must leave and establish their own prides by taking over another group by fights the head male lion. I find lions so fascinating because it is one of the groups of predators that have a family and live in a community while also relying on females to provide and catch food.

The way they are able to execute hunting without the constant need of communication for teamwork and planning is just fascinating.

Here is a short video on understanding the lives of lions:

https://youtu.be/zobZd8Mp3sk

What's your favourite animal and why?

[arenvs3000w22]

Music and Nature

Some of my best memories have come from trips to Northern Ontario. My dad and I will often wake up early to complete silence, load our gear into the boat, and head out onto the lake to fish while the sun rises. This part of the day is like the dramatic rest before nature’s melodies begin to build. The first streak of light in the sky is accompanied by ribbiting frogs. Then cooing mourning doves. Then the eerie whistle of the wind through the line guides of my fishing rod. The splashing of the fish near the shore. A chorus of biotic and abiotic harmonies which ebb and flow with the waves. My dad and I don’t talk much while we fish, which allows us to be privy to the secret music of the lake. This is where I hear music in nature. As Gray et. al. (2001) mention, nature offers its music as a way to connect us to our evolutionary roots. These authors suggest that music is an innate characteristic of living things, not something that humans invented. Immersing myself in the sounds of the lake serves as a sort of reset for me and allows me to view myself as a part of nature rather than distinct from it. I’m interested to hear which of nature’s sounds resonate most with you.

Some pictures from the lake:

I like to think of art as a collective thing. Every being expands the breadth of the greater body of work by adding their own iterations and perspectives. Nature’s music can be thought of the same way. It inspires human-made music, and it is used in human-made music. Even natural things which are not often associated with sound can be used to synthesize music. My acoustic guitar honours the tree it was made from. I like the thought that it is both a continuation of and a tribute to nature. I often hear nature in acoustic music, even when the lyrics don’t explicitly mention natural motifs.

As an aside, I’ve come across a number of videos recently which make music directly from nature. Probes are attached to living plants, and the biorhythms that are detected by the probes are translated into audible notes. This video by PlantWave is one of my favourite examples, where the mushrooms are captured producing a meditative forest song. I was surprised to like it as much as I did, and I encourage you to check it out if you’re interested!

To close, I’ll share a song that brings me back to nature: “I’ll Be There in the Morning,” by Townes Van Zandt. I love this song for many reasons, some of which are difficult to articulate. It is packed with natural imagery of mountains and rivers and themes of escape, love, loss, and solitude. The simple chord pattern has a sense of tragedy and mourning, which is reflected in the lyrics of the final verse, “…I’ll stay as long as the cuckoo wails and the lonesome bluejay cries.” The song is equally sad and comforting to me, and I can’t quite explain why. I keep coming back trying to understand its lyrics more thoroughly and also to feel the sense of peace it gives me.

Is there a particular music style that makes you feel most connected to nature? I’m looking forward to reading everyone’s posts this week!

Annika

References

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science, 291(5501), 52–54. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.10.1126/science.1056960

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Hi Annika,

First off, the pictures of the lake you go fishing on is absolutely beautiful my favourite one is the second picture where you slowly start to see the sunrise the pink and yellow sky is memorizing. The way you described your mornings of fishing sound so peaceful and intriguing it makes me want to hear what you hear during those mornings. I have only been fishing once and it truly is about the silence to not scare off the fish but also helps in just listening to nature’s music all around you, allowing you to soak up nature.

I find it interesting that you own an acoustic guitar and I agree with what you say about how sometimes is just the melody that provides you with a connection to nature and not solely relaying on lyrics because somethings are just better without words and help you find a deeper meaning. I never knew that they use probes attached to plants that use biorhythms to generate notes. I listened to the one about mushrooms as you mentioned, and I found it absolutely amazing and I’m still so blown away that it was created by pants. It's an actual song by nature... How cool!

“I’ll be there in the morning” is such a nice song that as you mentioned shows the themes of escape, love, loss, and solitude making it such a impactful song.

I overall enjoyed your blog this week and I can’t wait to read your other ones.

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Nature in Music

There are times in life where we can’t physically be in nature and experience it first-hand, for instant my desire to go to Africa and get to experience all they have to offer. However, it is times like this were we have the possibility to get a glimpse of that experience through certain outlets. Throughout this unit we explore the different types of outlets that help interpret nature like print media, radio, television along with the internet and social media, these are considered powerful tools for interpreters to connect with thousands of people virtually (Beck et al. 2018).

These pass two years we have experience the sudden switch to a virtual world due to the pandemic and trying to alter and find creative ways to mauver this switch.

During the pandemic when the whole world was on lock down there was a video of a building in Italy where the residents came out to their balcony and started to sing all together during these hard times to lift morale showing this unity through music.

YouTube link from Guardian news: https://youtu.be/Q734VN0N7hw

Music is an outlet where most people can find a song to relate to and share a connection with. Music has been defined as patterns of sound varying in pitch and time produced for emotional, social, cultural, and cognitive purposes (Gray et al,2001). So, where is music in nature? Music is EVERYWHERE in nature, whether it is the singing of birds, or the sound of a stream nearby, or the rattling of the leaves in a tree when a breeze of air passes through. The sound of nature doing its own thing is music. All of it coming together makes a peaceful melody and calms most people to a peaceful state. When I go on walks in the nature trail I like to stop in excluded areas off the trail and just listen to everything around me and just soak up the music in nature.

Nature is in music in many forms, whether it be in lyrics or in the melody or how a certain song connects you to a memory about nature. It can be used as an interpretation to send a message for example one of my favourite songs “somewhere over the rainbow” by Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole. https://youtu.be/V1bFr2SWP1I . When I heard it, I start to remember all the places I have been too as well as all the difficult times I have been through. To me it’s a bittersweet song that evoke so many different emotions. While I listen to this song, I want to cry my eyes out and at the same time smile fondly at all my memories. This song has many different ways of interpreting the message. I would listen to this song when I travel, the message I get from this song is that no matter how hard it is, it will get better ‘somewhere over the rainbow.’ When I hear this song, I automatically start to think about when I would go visit my great grandfather in “la sierra” which is the mountain region of Ecuador. Watching through the car window as the trees pass by going up the mountains.

Referenes

Beck, L. Cable, T.  Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-57167-865-2

Hooykaas, A. (2022). Nature Interpretation Through History. [Unit 7 course reading]. Nature Interpretation Course University of Guelph.

Gray, P. Krause, B. Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54.

[kh-genvs3000w22]

Why Are Ethics Important When Interpreting History?

There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it. (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

I love this quote because there is an idea people have of  the past being static like a picture–forever stuck, taken for that one purpose to reflect on.  This idea is often used in support of an argument to ignore the most important events from the past that influence current times.  A simple way of thinking about this is: a hiker was going for a walk on a paved trail in the forest when they were confronted by a squirrel that says look what humans have done to my home. The hiker says well that was the past, and walks away.  The squirrel, however, is still left with no home.  It is a funny thought–what if an animal could talk–but then comes the realization that the history of damage to the environment impacts the health of every single animal and that the emergency of time ticking on the clock of climate change started around 1938 (The Carbon, 2021). Those years between 1938 and 2022 are crucial and despite the increase in evidence, people in authority refused to act, instead blaming it on the past. Because history has a tendency to repeat itself, we can be better prepared and make better choices.  The same systemic racism, misogyny, and speciesism that make up relationships toward society and the environment are from old ways that haven’t been adapted to new knowledge.  When working on the enhancement of a community, considering collective memories and traditions along with their stories is a great start (Hookaas, 2022).  Honest, factual, authentic interpretation of historical events is extremely important because it is the only way to keep current the memories of a peoples’ lives or way of life and those hold valuable lessons. Ethical Interpretation also has no agenda to gain and much to lose from misrepresenting the events in history.  Any interpretation must be done with the utmost integrity to ensure the audience is shown true facts (Beck et al. 2018).  It is a very different experience to attend a movie or read a book than to watch living history interpreters. The emotion of the portrayed lives comes through from human contact and being able to interact with the time period objects. Giving the stories a real recognizable face taps into that core subconscious part that brings the teaching to another level of accessibility and immediacy. As noted in our textbook: incorporating sensory awareness and physical involvement of children promoted critical social, cognitive, and emotional development (Beck et al. 2018).  Unpacking this quote is simple in theory but is more difficult to put into practrice because the basis is in order to have an authentic valuable history all perspectives, motives, and facts need to be fully and accurately presented in order for the interpretation to be of any worth.  People can’t change history but they must reconcile themselves to it, repair what they can, and focus on learning better for the future, by actively helping to reduce further damage and applying systems to prevent similar problems.

                                           References

Beck, L. Cable, T.  Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-57167-865-2

Hooykaas, A. (2022). Nature Interpretation Through History. [Unit 6 course reading]. Nature Interpretation Course University of Guelph.

The Carbon Dioxide Greenhouse Effect. (2021). American Institute of Physics. https://history.aip.org/climate/co2.htm.

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Hi,

I really enjoyed reading your blog. Especially the examples you used with the squirrel and the hiker. It is true what you said that history repeats itself and instead of dwelling on the past we should work on changing the future and preventing history to repeat itself and or changing the outcome. As you mentioned climate change has been a problem but as we investigate and learn about the history of climate change we are able to better understand and prevent certain situations that has occurred before while also changing our ways to better improve our future.

overall I enjoyed you blog and it was really captivating.

:)

[ngsenvs3000w22]

Blog 6- Nature Interpretation through History

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

At first, I was stuck on this quote and what Edward Hyams tried to express. But as I read it over and over again, I got a sense of what he is trying to express. In the first part of this quote, he expresses that in order to keep the integrity in history, every part of history has to be known not just the main points or bias views. The full picture must be seen; however, this is not always the case. There are biases that changes the story as it goes on through people and generations that as it goes on the truth changes every time little by little.

The second part of the quote as I understood it, states how there are times in our lives leave a mark within us that then become a part of ourselves and our history. After each train has passed a lesson was learned and the tracts that stays are the path created after each lesson. With these ‘tracts’ we keep in mind the past and thrive with what was learned. Keeping this marks a part of our history.

This quote overall expresses that history sometimes is scattered having passed through many people who have different options or omitted certain details creating a biased. These biased can be everywhere in academia, everyday life, politics etc. and it’s because everyone has their own option and beliefs. However, we should try and keep the integrity of history by keeping it pure and showing the full picture and not just what we want to be seen.

As interpreters, we aim to make an impact/mark on people’s lives to be part of their history. To become a “railway station” with our tracks to guide and follow through to the future. Throughout this course we have all made references and told our memories of our relationship with nature or how nature has impacted us in a certain way and thus interpreting nature through history. This is important because a person will carry this memory with them and continue to relive it while also sharing it and the lesson they learned.

Also involving history with nature it gives more depth and meaning to it allowing others to truly grasp and learn as much as they can, while truly appreciating nature and its beauty.

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Blog #5: Oh, the places you will go

Over the past 2 years, many of us haven’t been able to travel anywhere to see family or even just for the sake of travelling. Travelling is something that has always been on my bucket list. Travelling and seeing the world also helps us broaden our understanding of nature. Although a relationship with nature can be formed anywhere in the world, even in your own backyard, travelling allows us to experience different parts of the world and allows us to observe various species of plants, animals and other natural wonders. Obviously, travelling requires money and time which is not something I have right now. Once the Covid restrictions end and I have enough money saved up, after graduating here are some of the places that I would like to visit.

There are so many beautiful places in our very own Canada that I have yet to explore:

Aurora borealis, Canada:

The Aurora borealis is one of the seven wonders of the world. When electrically charged particles from the sun collide with gasses as they enter our atmosphere, the aurora borealis AKA the northern lights are produced. This phenomenon occurs all year round, but they can only be seen in the winter as it is too bright at other times of the year for them to be visible. The sky’s the darkest from November to March so that would be the most ideal time to visit. From my research Whitehorse, Yukon is the best place to view the northern lights in Canada. There are so many fun activities that I would want to do here some of which are dogsledding, snowmobiling and visiting the Yukon Wildlife preserve.

Yukon Wildlife preserve

Banff, Alberta:

Banff and Lake Louise is a major tourist hotspot in Alberta and is known for some of the most breathtaking mountain locations on the planet. Banff and Lake Louise offer countless activities and have easy access to pristine nature, numerous outdoor excursions, jaw-dropping landscapes, and a rich history and culture. I love to hike and it has always been a dream of mine to hike in such a beautiful place. When I go to Banff, the hike that I would go on would be one that leads to a lake or waterfall, for example the Rockbound lake hike which leads to the high alpine lake surrounded by a cliff and a breathtaking view. After doing some research I found that this hike is 16.8 km long. While it is on the longer side undertaking this hike would be a challenging and memorable experience for me.

Some places outside of Canada that I have been dreaming to visit are:

Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan:

Hunza Valley

Five of the “eight-thousanders” (mountains higher than 8000 meters above sea level) and more than fifty peaks higher than 7,000 meters can be found in Gilgit-Baltistan. The three primary centers for expeditions to the mountains are Gilgit, Astore, and Skardu. Some of the world’s highest mountain ranges can be found in this region. Hunza Valley is one of the most beautiful valleys in Gilgit-Baltistan and has many tourist hotspots and this is where I would want to spend most of my time. My mom told me about how she visited this place with my Grandfather when she was my age and I hope to be able to go there one day too as she describes it as being the most breathtaking sight she has ever seen.

Grand Canyon, Arizona:

Like the Northern Lights the Grand Canyon is also one of the seven wonders of the world and is one of the most visited natural attractions and for good reasons too. This natural wonder is 277 miles long and 18 miles wide. The entry points are the North, South and West rims of the canyon. The South and West rim are the most popular spots for exploring this natural wonder. Both of these rims have hiking trails leading to the grandeur of the canyon. I would like to hike at the West rim because it also features a river and is suitable for people of all skill levels unlike the South rim. Although I love hiking I would not say that I am someone who is highly skilled and I am somewhat out of practice.

These are just some of the places that I would like to visit in my lifetime. I could write about so many more, but for now I will leave you guys with this. Thank you so much for reading my blog, I hope you enjoyed it. I would love to hear about some of the places you want to visit or have already visited. I hope we all get a chance to experience memorable adventures and fuel our wanderlust

Links for more information:

https://grandcanyonwest.com/story/how-do-you-choose-grand-canyon-west-rim-vs-south-rim/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5iQBhCsARIsAPcwROPaspjiEtdO_t1r3ZOqOJ_Tmkoc0fTak6rsLyRtSlLSoX32UE8q1AEaAj2iEALw_wcB

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tourism_in_Gilgit-Baltistan

https://www.banfflakelouise.com/hiking?https://www.banfflakelouise.com/hiking?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=TA_DMO_search_program&utm_term=Hiking&utm_content=owned&gclid=Cj0KCQiAr5iQBhCsARIsAPcwROOSZkSxr-W5JrxLLJ9Vx0_BoJ9tmVqXgfwGKJpSDqDBnB-Y6ZVEV_oaAgYdEALw_wcB

https://www.canadianaffair.com/blog/northern-lights-in-canada/

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Hii,

These pictures are breathtaking and they are also places I want to visit some day. before the pandemic we used to take travelling for granted, like if I wanted to go somewhere I would say ill go someday but as the pandemic hit and we have been like this for 2 years it hit me like 'someday' isn't guaranteed. I always thought I would have my high school graduation ceremony, promo, or my very first day of university in person. These were all things that were 'guaranteed' and yet with this pandemic wasn't possible. I also want to be able to travel places and create a deeper connection with nature. Your post made me think more in-depth for this and actually start to plan out and set a timeline. I hope one day you are able to travel to all the places you want to visit.

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blog 5

Before this course I was always just focused on the animal aspect of nature. I was solely focused on what creatures lived within the environment but never really looked at the ‘bigger picture.’ Of course when I would go on trips I would think, ‘wow this is beautiful’, or ‘oh that’s pretty’ but I never really took it in. I would be mesmerized that there are places in the world that are beyond beautiful but I never really made a connection with it. The only place I have made a connection with is back home and seeing the difference here and there. In Toronto the ‘beauty’ is the skyline or Downtown Toronto where you see these huge building and lights everywhere. But Back home or in other countries i visited like Cuba, the ‘beauty’ isn’t buildings, the beauty is nature or the open space. In Ecuador they focus on Galapagos Island where you are able to see such a diversity we aren’t used to seeing in the city or In Cuba you have these white sand beaches which are beyond breathtaking.

I’m not saying Toronto isn’t beautiful, but I yearn to have a better connection with nature and to understand why its so important. With this course I am able to understand more and more that being an interpreter is more than just liking nature but understanding and helping others make a connection with it.

It’s kind of ironic that during this time learning about nature and trying my best to interpret it I haven’t been going out and actually putting these theories to practice. In order to fully understand what I am learning in this class I have to put it to practice. Of course with theses cold winter weathers make it hard for me to want to spend time outside but it shouldn’t be a reason for me not to go and admire nature.

With this course I am now understanding that nature isn’t just about the creatures that live within it but also making a connection with everything.

I have also now started to think about wanting to visit other places that allow me to disconnect with the city and focus solely on making my relationship with nature stronger.

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Blog 4: Interpreting Nature Through Art:

When I thought about the question “who are you to interpret nature through art?” It took me a while to answer. I am not artistically gifted and so I have never been able to capture the beauty of art through drawing, painting or sculpting. For many people it is difficult to truly gravitate towards art and to be able to express themselves through art, me being one of them. I struggle to find a deeper meaning to art pieces when visiting art galleries and museums. However, I believe that we all just need to find a connection to art in our own ways and that can help us strengthen our connection to nature because nature is art. Interpreting nature through art does not necessarily mean being able to find the deeper meaning or micro-analyzing a piece of art; it could simply be appreciating how that piece of art was able to capture the beauty of nature.

When considering how I interpret the "gift of beauty," I had to acknowledge that beauty is subjective. If I find something beautiful it does not necessarily mean that other people will share my sentiment. “The gift of beauty” is when your art, whether that be a photograph, painting or piece of music, touches the heart of your audience. Your art becomes their safe space and it is something memorable for them. Sometimes the viewer needs more encouragement or knowledge to properly appreciate the beauty and depth of your art, and other times it is "love at first sight". Our responsibility as nature interpreters is to make our audience “feel” something.

How I interpret the “gift of beauty” is through photography. I love taking photos which is why when reading the textbook the line “taking a picture is capturing a snapshot in time” really resonated with me (Beck et al. 2018). Some claim that photography isn't actually art, but I disagree because the pictures photographers take are able to capture nature in a unique state that it will never be in again. Every sunset is different and every tree tells a different story. Being able to capture all of this is a skill and is also a form of art. Interpreting nature through art goes beyond words and employs a variety of mediums, including paintings, pictures, and music, to express information that words by themselves can't convey (Beck et a;. 2018).

Here are some of my favourite photographs that I have taken over the years on my adventures.

I find it amazing that I can capture the beauty of a sunset, the tranquillity of a lake, and the magnificence of a tree just by a click of my finger. By simply glancing at that photograph again at a later time, I am able to relive the same feelings I had while taking the picture. I can share these beautiful moments with other people and encourage them to also appreciate the beauty of nature through photographs. Being able to share these photos on social media for my friends and followers to see and enjoy makes this a form of interpreting nature. Whether we are sharing our photographs/ paintings or our knowledge about nature, the ultimate goal for us is to help individuals in appreciating the beauty of their environment, regardless of where they are, and instilling in them the importance of conservation (Beck et al. 2018). If people are able to recognize the beauty of the world around us it will encourage them to do everything they can to protect the world from harm.

Work Cited:

Reference: Beck, L., Cable, T.T. and Knudson, D.M. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore Venture Publishing. 2018.

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Hey Simrah,

First thing I want to say is WOW, your pictures

Are incredible and so beautiful. It is true that some people have difficulties connecting with a drawing or a painting. Kind of like poetry, where you have to read in between the lines (something I am terrible at). I agree that everyone has to make there own personal connection with art to be able to appreciate the art in nature. I really liked the way you expressed how not everyone finds the same thing beautiful which doesn’t matter but what matters is the connection the person has with it. I agree that photography is art since as you mentioned it requires skills and allows you to express yourself and allow others to see your  prospective. Your photos are amazing I especially enjoyed the one of the bee because 1. I’m terrified of bee and would never be able to get that close to one to admire it and 2. It captures nature at its finest.

Your post was really interesting and I hope to see more of your pictures throughout the rest of the blog post. :)

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Nature is Art

When I first read the blog prompt the first word (well two words) that came to mind was British Columbia. I am obsessed with British Columbia and the beauty it contains. Even though I have never been I hope this year I can finally go and really soak in and experience its beauty. My obsession started when I saw a friend post a picture on Instagram in British Columbia, the landscape looked unreal. It was breathtaking, almost looked like she photoshop the background. Not only does BC have such amazing landscapes but it is the most biological diverse province in Canada.

This was my initial thoughts, now I’m going to get into answering the blog prompt.

Who am I to interpret nature through art? At first, I thought I am a nobody, but then I started to realize that by taking this course and studying to be a zoologist I have some idea. Each week I am learning how to interpret nature and how to show the beauty of nature to others. I try my best to interpret nature through art and appreciate such beauty. I dabble in painting, and one of my favourite things to paint are landscapes, animals, flowers. Overall everything that has to do with nature. I honestly suck at taking pictures and truly capturing the beauty of what I see when I go on adventures whether its locally or in another country. I prefer to just soak it up and appreciate the beauty in the moment and take a mental picture. Then I come home and paint what I saw. It is taking the beauty of nature and painting what I really connected with and how I interpreted nature. I did a painting like how I just described for a special person in my life. We always talked about going to the beach and just spending quality time together. We were finally able to do this, and it was such a great experience with such a beautiful view that I decided to do the painting for him. I really enjoy doing paintings like this because I feel connected to the place, and I get to show the beauty of nature through my eyes.

(The painting I did to remember the day I spent on the beach)

I interpret the “gift of beauty” by helping others connect and build a personal relationship with nature that help them view something as simple as a park and really appreciate the beauty it has. Every day I am just amazed of how much detail there is in nature, and I want to evoke that same appreciation with others. From the smallest thing like a snowflake to the largest thing like the mountains. A week ago, as I was walking my dog after the snowstorm I started to think about Elementary School and how you would fold up a blank sheet of paper and make odd cuts and it turns into a ‘snowflake’, each was unique with different details. At a glance when snow falls you just see small blobs of white falling and when it’s on the ground it just looks like a blank sheet. However, that day as I was waiting for my dog to finish, I decided to pick up some snow on my fingertip and really look and an individual snowflake. I was completely mesmerized at how it looked and how much detail there was in such a little thing. I repeated this serval times that by the end it was my dog that was waiting for me to finish. All I could think was “WOW,” there is so much detail in nature that at a first glance you miss it. Nature is art. The same way artist take time to put details into paintings that they use thinner tip brushes to add even the smallest detail, Nature does the same thing.

As a nature interpreter I want to be able to teach people that to truly appreciate Nature’s beauty you must look at all the little details that make such a beautiful place. Being able to do this they will have a better appreciation of nature that something as simple as snow captures their attention and think “wow, something this small has so much beauty. Who would have thought?”

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blog no.3

To start this blog off I’m going to personally define the term privilege. I believe to be privileged is to be given more opportunities, without putting in any personal effort. The video, text, and article reviewed this week have completely opened my eyes to cultural and historical diversity amongst groups of people. Underserved and less privileged people experience additional challenges from the ignorance of others, myself included. I don’t want to sell myself short because I pride myself on being a good person but being good and aware are two different things. I do pay particular attention to the people around me and apparent sociocultural difference, but they aren't always that apparent.

If you were to open up my invisible knapsack you would see that I am White and Status-Indian, middle-class, educated, English and French speaking, heterosexual, and female. If you dug a little deeper you would see that I played sports my whole life, financed by my parents, I have a passport, and have paid my way through university with scholarships and full-time employment. To quickly reflect on my own privilege, my mom is White and my dad is Status-Indian, with that demographic alone I’ve been given opportunities. Due to the colour of my skin, I have a societal advantage. Historically my dad belongs to a minority, but even then, my dad hasn’t been faced with the same level of oppression as other people belonging to the same culture – my grandfather was a railroader, who provided opportunities for my father on the railway, which has translated into me having a very good job on the railway, providing me with the abilities to pay for my own education.

Privilege playing on nature interpretation is something I never thought about, anyone can go outside for a walk, but going for a walk and receiving cultural and natural history at the same time isn’t as accessible. In the video we watched this week, one I’ve never seen before but won’t forget, the educator asks some pretty hard-hitting questions to which learners have to acknowledge their own privilege and the non-existent privilege of the people in their surroundings. Questions along the lines of “Step forward if you never wondered where your next meal was coming from?” or “Step forward if your parents have provided you with the opportunity to play sports that gave you scholarships?” – if I was partaking, I would be stepping forward for both. However, a lot of people didn’t have the opportunity to move at all. If people are unaware of where their next meal is coming from, they most likely don’t have the means for extracurricular park admittance or even transportation funds. This can be challenging for less privileged people to attend nature interpretation programs. In this case it would be beneficial for managers of programs to create new ones that are able to bring nature to them wherever they may be. Possibly roving interpretation would work best, where interpreters can bring small audiences’ educational information on local culture and natural history or anything else in nature that might spark their interest.

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Hi Kennedy!

I agree with what you mentioned ‘Underserved and less privileged people experience additional challenges from the ignorance of others’ because it’s true. They are automatically mistreated for not having these privileges. As you mentioned sometimes we do it without realizing it. As I read through some of our classmates blogs I notice that we all have different privileges. For example, you have the privilege of not only speaking English but also French. Like I have the privilege of not only speaking English but Spanish as well. It is pretty hard-hitting that things we take for granted are things that others don’t have. We have the privilege of having free healthcare while many countries don’t. We find it mind blowing that others don't have the same privileges we have. I enjoyed what you have written and it is true we need to make nature interpretation programs more accessible than what it is now. Nature shouldn’t be a privilege.

Natasha Garces

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Privilege in nature interpretation

When I hear the word privilege I automatically think “white privilege.” It is something we see everyday along with socio-economic privilege, gender privilege and many others we might not even notice. It sounds bad but the word  privilege to me means having something/ advantages that other people don’t have that help you progress or at least make it easier.  Privilege is having the opportunities others may not have.  I always knew I was privileged but I never really understood it to an extent. I will admit I have taken many of my privileges for granted and I am always reminded truly how privileged I am thanks to my parents. They have always reminded me of the many privileges both my sister and I have and to make the most of these opportunities.

Some privileges I have are ;

Financial; I come from a middle class family, I never had to worry about making ends meet or wondering where my next meal came from. My family travels every year for vacation.

Racial; I am latina, even though sometimes there is some sort of discrimination I believe that I am privilege because the latin community is such a welcoming community and we help eachother out.

Communication: Being bilingual (able to speak both English and Spanish) is such a privilege because I am able to speak to two different groups. Being able to express myself and understand  two languages is a privilege since I am also able to help others when there are language barriers

I would never have linked privilege to nature until this unit, I have always thought of privilege to be social, economic, racial..etc.  However as I read through and watched the videos I realized that nature is a privilege. Even though  what occurred in 1978 in the waters of Lake Timiskaming was tragic, these boys had the privilege of going and spending 3 weeks being one with nature which is something I never had. I began to understand that I was taking for granted my privilege of being able to go out and enjoy nature, to go on a hike or on a boat ride. Being in Nature shouldn’t be a privilege to begin with, It seems absurd that not everyone can go out and connect with nature. Nature not only helps us physically but also allows us to connect spiritually. Last week’s blog post on our ‘ideal role as an environmental interpreter’ we mostly talked about how we would accommodate different learners but we never talked about how we would for people who didn’t have the same physical privileges as many of us. This is really eye opening because not everyone has the same ‘Nature privilege’, people with disabilities don’t have the same nature privileges as me. I don’t have the same ‘Nature privileges’ as those who climb Mount Everest.

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My Dream Job

If I could snap my fingers and make it happen, I would be the head of a wildlife conservation facility, one that specializes not only in wildlife rehabilitation but also in the education of the public.

There would be a multitude of different learning opportunities for those who work there and for those who visit. They would have the option between going through a small mini-lecture on how to best watch for wildlife and protect them as an everyday person, and what steps they should take if they see any wildlife in trouble. This would be the best form of learning for an audio-visual learner, who likes best to have the information relayed back to them through lecture form with accompanying slides (Courselink, 2022). I would also love to have all this information displayed on a website for the public to find and read so that even if they are not able to make it up to the facility order to come to look around and learn what they can do to protect the wildlife, they still have the option to learn.

I am an active learner, so my favourite way to learn things and to teach things is through hands-on experiences. On days that I am not going out to rescue wildlife, I would love to conduct tours in which people can see what kind of animals we rescue, how we care for them, what knowledge goes into the care needed for them, and why all this work is done. Throughout this tour, I would love to have people of all ages help me with small tasks and show them things they can do on their own if they ever find wildlife in need of help.

The experience that I wish to give others would be similar to the time I stumbled upon a small honeybee farm along the Forgotten Highway in New Zealand, and I was able to speak with the head beekeeper, who showed me numerous different things about the honey-making process, and even let us get up close and personal with the beehives!

Now, I know what you are thinking, all the ideas sound great, but they all seem to be things that have been done before. From reading “Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World”, I know that flow learning can be quite a successful tool when used correctly, and it allows you to teach your audience while having a fun time with your audience. My dream would be to start the tour with something that really catches your eye. For example, I would love to start off every tour showing off our best animals on-site and allowing people of all ages to get some hands-on experience, either feeding, grooming, playing or whatever that animal in that time would need! Of course, this can only be done with safe, non-threatening animals, and only done if the audience is aware of certain safety precautions needed around certain animals. I would then narrow down the tour to specific information, showing people exactly what we do and what they could do out in the field.  I think giving them this experience, will really spark inspiration in many people to continue learning about wildlife and doing their part to save them.

All these things would be a part of my dream job in nature interpretation because nothing could be better than sharing my knowledge and experience with our beautiful wildlife.

Works Cited:

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

Courselink (2022). Unit 02: Teaching Learners

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Hi there!

I would be the first person in line to see your tour, It all sounds amazing. I am an active learner myself and I personally found the activity you had in mind so appealing and attention catching. Just reading about it makes me really excited and wanting to book a tour ASAP. I find that with your past experience doing some of these things it not only helps you engage and truly understand what your trying to teach but you can also change the way you deliver the material to each group. Some interpreters teach what they have written down and don’t stray from it because they don't have the personal touch that you can give. You can give that extra mile in getting everyone to truly understand and appreciate nature. To be honest even your other methods in order to teach auditory and visual learners caught my attention too. 

I really hope you achieve your dream job because it sounds like an amazing experience not just for you but for the people who come for your knowledge and experience. 

I of course would be one of them:)