Nature Interpretation

Weekly Blogs for ENVS 3000

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Blog 10: Reflecting as an interpreter

Throughout this course, it’s been amazing to read all the different backgrounds each person brings from all over the world, that each brought us here, writing these blogs. I think it goes to show how strongly nature can really bring people together. Whether you’re in a science major or not we all feel some sort of bond with the outdoors we’d like to extend to others. In a month I’ll be graduating with a degree in Environmental Biology and I’m excited to see where it will take me. I think the writing and personal reflecting I’ve done throughout this course will surely help me in the future. I believe that the ethics and beliefs a person carries with them constantly evolve throughout life the more you learn, which has happened even to me during this last semester.

First off, I really enjoyed watching the video of David Susuki and Richard Louv discussing the importance of connecting with nature. A takeaway from the video is that it’s important to remember that nature can be found even in the most urban areas. We don’t have to travel to national or provincial parks to believe we are more connected than other people, it all depends on your perception of what’s around you. They said to think of what you can do in your own yard and neighborhood to appreciate what’s there. This could be starting your own little garden or collecting indoor plants, putting out bird seed or attracting pollinators etc. Even in a concrete jungle there are always ways to connect.

This is a picture of the greenhouse thats actually on uog campus attached the the Bovey Building! I’ve gone here many times this semester just to take in the beauty of all the plants. Its open to anyone I highly recommend taking a look if you havent.

This is another spot affiliated with uog on college ave across from the arboretum. The trial gardens in the summer and early fall are a beautiful place to see the colours of nature. 

I believe that nature truly has healing abilities and that everyone should have access to it. Studies have shown that spending just 20 minutes outside in nature can decrease stress hormones (Loria, 2019). This can range from a variety of things like a walk to just tending to your garden or plants (I think this is why I accumulated so many house plants during covid lockdowns). Nature can heal both mentally and physically by improving sleep, reducing depression, cardiovascular disease and obesity (Loria, 2019). I’ve become aware though that not everyone has the privilege to access nature for many reasons. I am very grateful for the fact I grew up with easy access to fun outdoor experiences, but I will agree it created a sort of ignorance to those with the opposite. Thats why its important as an interpreter to consider this. Each person brings along a personal set of experiences, interests, knowledge, ability and personality (Beck et al., 2018). I think to be a successful interpreter this must be acknowledged on the job, and to treat everyone the same regardless of past experiences.

I also believe that we should leave nature just as pristine as when we found it.

“Even a wounded world is feeding us. Even a wounded world holds us, giving us moments of wonder and joy. I choose joy over despair. Not because I have my head in the sand, but because joy is what the earth gives me daily and I must return the gift.” -Robin Wall Kimmerer

I think this is also a responsibility we have as a nature interpreter. While nature is there for us to enjoy, it is also there for the next people. This is why many parks have the “leave no trace principle” when camping or being a tourist. Interpretation involves the individual seeing the beauty or understanding the significance of the resource (Beck et al., 2018). Understanding the significance of all nature’s resources means we must develop a sustainable relationship in order to properly respect them. From a consumer level in our lives this can mean only buying essentials at the grocery store to reduce extra waste, and living a less materialistic life. As I’ve gotten older I’ve learned the importance of only buying what I really need, as everything requires energy and resources to produce. Being a good interpreter means practicing what you preach on or off the job.

The approaches that are most suitable to me as an interpreter would be through art or technology, since both of these can come in so many different forms. With digital advances, interpretation occurs via websites, blogs and social media among other technologies” (Beck et al., 2018), and has become a much easier way to interpret information across large scales. As I mentioned in one of my earlier blogs, my favorite way of sharing nature is through photography, which is a combination of both technology and art. This is a way of sharing to people that may have physical, temporal or economic barriers that may prevent them from ever seeing what’s in the photos. I’ve learned and remembered more from watching online nature documentaries and photos than I have from what’s around me. Although, there is a dark side to technology that pulls us away from nature. As mentioned in the notes, children spend more time inside on their devices than they used to in the past. Richard Louv mentioned that the more high tech our lives become the more nature we need. Using technology to connect with each other and nature is a way we can utilize it in a positive way. As interpreters, we have the responsibility to use these tools in a way that is enthusiastic and engaging. Not only this, but we must consider that everyone learns different ways, so using these to adhere to visual, auditory and kinesthetic learners creates the most successful approach.

Thanks to everyone I’ve connected with through these blogs!

-Reilly

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing

Loria, K. (2019). The Healing Power of Nature. Consumer Reports. Retrieved March 24, 2022, from https://www.consumerreports.org/health-wellness/healing-power-nature-outdoors/

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

Phenomenal post! I can tell you put actual thought into your writing which reads seamlessly. Kudos!

You were able to remind me that nature truly is everywhere, you do not have to go to the edges of civilization to find the “real deal”. I constantly find myself looking into dream camping/nature trips which may include the tops of mountains, the depths of ancient forests, or in the middle of the ocean. Knowing that such jaw-dropping vistas and exotic fauna exist in far away regions makes it very easy to take what you have around you for granted. I try to make it a point to explore what is around me every so often. As you pointed out, even a limited amount of time in nature can provide a large boon to your health.

The idea of “leaving no trace” is such an important one. Both to keep a clean and healthy environment but to ensure that the environment is fit to continue for generations to come. It is hard to overstate how devastating a lot of anthropogenic impacts can be. If we end up disregarding the fragility of what we have worked towards we stand to lose a lot of valuable and immeasurable natural elements. As novel nature interpreters we should work to stress both the beauty in nature, what we gain from it, and how delicate it can be.

Immaculate post! Have a good summer!

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Last Post for This course

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual (Hookaas, 2021)?

This week I thought a lot about these questions and struggled to clarify my answers. I think I should start with how I see my interactions with the world: in order for me to feel like I am doing the right thing, it must benefit everyone or everything it affects: I would not feel okay if I benefited but everyone else received only negatives. Utilitarianism is the term Byron Williston uses to describe this ethic in his book Environmental Ethics For Canadians.  In order  for me to know whether one may not benefit from my actions or whether it will be sustainable, I ask the simple question – simple in theory – what would happen if everyone did this action? Would there be negative consequences or positive effects? The term Williston uses for this ethic is Universalizability (Williston, 2016).  These terms and the ideas they describe are very important to me, and for the conservation of the environment as well: because it should be seen as an obligation people have to always have a positive effect. These ethics are valuable for a wide range of issues from littering to pipelines for oil. Let me give you an example that’s a bit more meaningful to your everyday life: if you think about the ethical ideas regarding the environment, that means if one person left a Tim Horton’s cup on a bench during a hike, it wouldn’t be too destructive. My obligation as being conscientious and being informed by consequentialism and universalizability says I need to educate hikers that if everyone did that then forest trails would look like unsafe garbage dumps, not beautiful, protected land. In unit 10 of our course and as this course comes to an end, I formed the answers to the questions posed at the beginning of my blog: my ethics are that working as a society and doing what is best for all involved means the audience, visitors, or community can trust me to inform them of the world and to learn from them just as much as I teach.

My beliefs are that change and education do not come from being told lifeless jumbled facts but rather a spark of interest that a knowledgeable person gives fuel to. And that it takes bravery to share as an interpreter, but it takes even more to ask an interpreter for help in learning something new. My responsibilities are to be a safe and open person so the audience can feel comfortable to be themselves and learn: to encourage brave discovery in my audience and to help them understand the world and their place in it. I will take these responsibilities and these ethics and guide my audiences to find answers themselves, so it is them driving and developing their spark. Interpreters have a responsibility to not be conventional teachers, but explorers–and to let the audience have their time to process the information. Freeman Tilden is quoted as saying “the true interpreter will not rest at any dictionary definition” (Beck et al. 2018, p 5).  To give people the tools to work as a group and think as having the responsibilities of a group will let them develop a new awareness outside of individual mentalities that previously have been fostered. My belief is if people understand the full effect of their choices, they will become more environmentally aware. That is what motivates me; that is what gives me hope.  

There are many approaches that I can use to achieve meaning for others, but I think the main technique is the art of the engagement in storytelling and talking to a crowd. Storytelling creates vivid images in the minds of the listener, and helps them grow in mind and spirit (Beck et al. 2018). I have always loved to listen to stories, but when I go to tell them I get bogged down in the details and the enthusiasm is often lost. I have tried to tell people about the environment, but I used fact, not emotion. Now through this course I realized how to use both.  Storytelling can be through podcasts, video, or in-person, but it must use authentic voice and emotions. The approaches that are useful for me as an individual are roving, videos, and even podcasts. I find that when people read something, the immediacy of the topic is lost, if they even read it all the way through. The passion in others and myself feed off of each other and bring life, hope, and change in the hearts of the listeners that can only be conveyed through voice–and I don’t know about you but I am not going to stand on stage and sing a presentation. I would love to know what approaches you plan to use in your future?

Let me just join the rest of the class and say this has been an amazing course and I have loved every minute of it. I have gained so much, from tools to understanding, for my future development. This is my last course of an Environmental Citizenship Certificate program and now I am going to have the knowledge I need to find a career in environment education. Thank you Professor Hookaas. Although I am done my program, I am nowhere near done learning.  I am a lifelong learner and will always say yes to the opportunity to develop new ways of seeing the world, whether it is from academics or professionals or opinionated people I pass on the trails–I love getting to hear about people’s lives. Even if people go to an interpretative talk, they may know quite a lot about the subject or a similar subject. Talking with them instead of at them can create an exchange of knowledge that will help you both in the future. On that note I would love to read what your thoughts are?    

                                                References

Beck, L. Cable, T. Knudson, D. (2018) P 5. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-1-57167-865-2

Hooykaas, A. (2022). Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability. [Unit 10 course reading]. Nature Interpretation Course University of Guelph.

Williston, B. (2016). Environmental Ethics For Canadians. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-901449-1.

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

This is a fantastic post that summarizes the prompt and the course really well! I enjoyed reading about the principle of Universalizability, it is a unique way to look at how the actions of one individual can ripple into an action by a collective. I think that a lot of people will justify their least sustainable habits by rationalizing that their sole impacts will have no effect. While that may be true, not everybody can live by that mantra. It certainly is a train of thought that I have been guilty of in the past.

You described the power of storytelling magnificently and I thought that storytelling was a creative answer for the prompt. Stories certainly have a nuance to them that allows their message to resonate differently with different individuals. Listening to a well-written story allows the audience to immerse and apply themselves to it, likely learning unknowingly. Thinking about it, stories are all around us and we hardly notice unless we sit around somebody reading a book in a rocking chair. Lots of modern mediums of media such as movies and games can tell a story and convey just as strong a message as a literal conversation. I would agree with your point that some methods of delivery are better than others though (you also won’t catch me singing on stage).

I enjoyed that all your ideas revolve around the theme of connectivity, definitely an important factor for interpretation! Great work and enjoy the summer!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 9 - A Final Look at Individuality

In true finale fashion, we bring the discussion this week unto ourselves. After delving into several topics revolving around the facets of interpretation, perhaps self-reflection is the hardest investigation to undertake. Looking in the mirror, I feel as though my ethic reflects experiences I have had and even my personality.

 What beliefs do you bring?

First and foremost, I believe that every human has the capacity to both learn and want to learn about the natural world. The trick in modern interpretation is turning that capacity into a willingness, a willingness that is hopefully persistent throughout generations. How do I think this is best conducted? Well, I don’t think I have a perfect answer, if I did, I would solve a lot of problems beyond interpretation. However, I believe the most universally effective method is exposure to the world outdoors. Raw experiences in the untamed wilderness are understood beyond borders, languages, and emotions. Arguably, there is nothing that sparks the imagination more than the unknown of the natural realm. To best interpret, before you incorporate social programs and conservation groups, you need to build a base in pure experience for your audience.

I also believe that interpretation may not be the best way to bind an audience and nature. I don’t mean for that statement to come off as contrarian or definite, but I do believe that as flexible as interpretation is, there are more important things to translate to an audience. What I mean by this is that interpretation is largely a luxury, and it is important to recognize that. Indeed, interpretation is vital and can serve great purposes, but there are things that are more important, and I think that should be reflected in an interpretation.

 What responsibilities do you have?

As a nature interpreter your responsibilities are numerous, but overall, you must ensure the interpretation does not indefinitely ruin the natural world for the audience. This may come off as a no-brainer, but I think one bad experience has devastating potential. Think in the shoes of a hesitant audience member for a moment. Despite your reservations, your family has convinced you to participate in a partially interactive nature course in a provincial park. The course is an objectively awful experience, your caution was proven to be warranted, and you wasted time and money. Do you think this disgruntled audience member will take the messages in the course to heart? Do you think they will think about related natural topics in a positive light? Do you think they will take their kids, arguably the more vital demographic, to an interpretation event any time soon? Interpretation has upside and it has downside, it is on you as the interpreter to make sure you leave guests with at least a neutral to positive experience.

As an interpreter you will be exposed to an innumerable variety of guests, it is on you, disregarding the difficulty, to cater to all audience members. Primarily, catering to all kinds of guests is professional, expected, and polite. But, if you don’t cater as best as possible you lose valuable potential listeners, listeners who may act. If you lose those who can understand what you preach, then why interpret in the first place? Catering can be done in many ways such as literal translations to building accommodations. Currently, the internet and modern technology offer a plethora of ways to connect and cater in an interpretation setting. To ignore the potential methods to connect with your audience is akin to ignoring the issues the environment faces.

Also, it goes without saying but safety is a sizable responsibility too!

 What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

When it comes to what I look for in an interpretation, I would stress both levity and entertainment to the highest extent. Most people spend their day being lectured to, working an insufferable grind, or live under a kind of duress. Nature is their escape as it is mine, so make it an escape. I know that I will ALWAYS appreciate a joke mixed into a serious topic, a little levity can go a long way. A joke is especially appreciated if it comes from an unexpected place, like an interpretation. When something is entertaining it has special properties, such as instilling the desire to want to live the experience again as well as the ability to ruminate in the brain for extended periods of time. For me, I want to enjoy both the message and the presentation, if you can nail both of those aspects, I know that I will be satisfied.

Additionally, in the same vein as having an interpretation be entertaining, I prefer if an interpretation can avoid sounding pretentious. The last thing I want when spending my own time in participation is to be talked down to. The interpreter should understand that all audience members have an understanding of the natural world and that there is no one way to interpret. An interpreter that overextends boundaries to drill in a point is simply not interpreting. I enjoy nuance in my interpretation accompanied by a relaxed interpreter who plays with the ideas of audience members. Ideally, if you don’t suffocate me with material, and give me space to breathe, I am sure that I will absorb more of message.

 Individuality in nature interpretation is a unique topic and raises some intriguing points about how best to interpret. It is in our nature as humans to project ourselves into everything that we do but is that a good or bad thing in nature interpretation. Who is to say? Throughout this course we have learned the intricacies of interpretation and one of the main takeaways I got is that interpretation is ever-changing. It truly is an evolving discipline that sees a highly variable number of approaches and definitions. Overall, I think the future of nature interpretation is a bright one. I’d like to say that writing these blogs has been a nice break from the typical slog of the semester and have been a genuine creative outlet; thanks for reading everyone!

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Mudpuppies and Walking Trees

There are so many amazing and interesting things about nature, so it was very difficult to settle on one thing, so I decided to talk about both a plant and an animal that I find very fascinating. 

Firstly, I thought I’d talk about the mudpuppy, an aquatic salamander, which I had the opportunity to observe first hand here in Ontario. You may have heard of the axolotl, the endangered aquatic salamander from Mexico. Mudpuppies are very morphologically similar but are actually very distantly related. They both possess the unique feature of external gills, but the mudpuppy does not undergo metamorphosis and the they occupy very different climates.

A picture of a mudpuppy taken by my mom on “Mudpuppy Night”, showing off its red external gills it uses to breathe.

Mudpuppies are nocturnal amphibians, hunting for their prey at night. Despite being cute little salamanders, they are carnivorous and like to eat things such as small fish, insects, and worms. As I mentioned before, mudpuppies have external gills which protrude from the sides of their faces. They rely mostly on these gills for gas exchange, however they also have lungs which they use mainly for buoyancy. You may be wondering why they are called “mudpuppies”, and the reason is that they are known to “bark” or squeak in such a way that they sound like dogs! This is why they are sometimes called “waterdogs”. The thing I found most surprising about the mudpuppy is that they are active in freezing cold waters throughout the winter. They prefer areas with highly oxygenated water, such as at the base of dams or waterfalls. I was able to join a group of researchers that guide an interpretive “Mudpuppy Night” in Oxford Mills (near Ottawa), where you can see dozens of mudpuppies in their natural environment. We had to go out in winter gear and hip waders, using flashlights to spot the little salamanders hiding under the ice and in rock crevices.

I also wanted to mention the “walking tree” (Socratea exorrhiza), a kind of palm native to Central and South America, which I was able to see on a trip to Costa Rica many years ago. On a guided hike, our interpreter told us about a tree that is able to “walk”- not the same way or speed we do, but they are able to slowly move in a direction of their choosing over a long period of time. They grow their roots in the direction they want to go (usually towards a better patch of light), and the roots behind them slowly lift off the ground and into the air so the tree can continue to move.They can walk up to 20 metres per year, or up to 2-3 centimetres a day.

A walking palm tree, with its many roots it uses to displace itself.

References

Common Mudpuppy. (2022). In Wikepedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_mudpuppy

Gruber, K. (2015, December 16). Trees that can walk up to 20 m per year. BBC Trave.. https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20151207-ecuadors-mysterious-walking-trees

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

Really great post! I enjoyed how niche it was; your interest in these two organisms was almost infectious. Reading about the mudpuppies was almost like reading about an animal that shouldn’t exist. An animal that can persist in the cold, underneath ice, with delicate external gills sounds like a case study of what doesn’t work. Yet it does, and because of it we can once again be blown-away by Mother Earth. I also found it interesting that they are distantly related to Axolotls despite sharing a deep resemblance. It is almost criminal how underrepresented amphibians are in our cornucopia of charismatic fauna. Salamanders and newts are so intriguing, and it seems like frogs consistently steal their thunder. I have only seen a wild salamander / newt two or three times, but I would like to go out herping some time soon.

The “walking tree” is unbelievable. If you were to tell the average person that a tree locomotes to pursue better growing conditions, you would be looked at like you were crazy. What really blew my mind was how fast they move, 2-3 centimetres a day is ridiculous. Their external roots reminded me of mangrove forests and their importance. Mangroves act as natural flood barriers holding back the incessant tide from crashing to shore, essentially saving the value of Floridian properties. In addition, they desalinate the water around them, creating habitats for a handful of bizarre creatures that can live in partially salty water. You did an immaculate job of showcasing some organisms that have a rich life history that is largely unknown. I look forward to reading more!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 8 - A Deeper Dive than Usual

My long internal reflection on this week’s blog prompt led me to the conclusion that I do not know as much about nature as I previously thought. It was almost humorous how much I struggled to think of something I know. However, something in nature that I have always found to be interesting is the deep-sea. The bizarre life that exists in the absence of light and ocean currents is fascinating and often awe-inspiring. Perhaps what draws me the most to the abysmal depths is how little humanity knows and understands about it. Despite the oceans covering the vast majority of the planet’s surface, about 80% of our waters are unexplored (NOAA, 2021). That statistic becomes even more pronounced when considering the cold and unforgiving depths that humans cannot reach without special equipment to protect from the immense pressure (NOAA, 2021). It is in these bleak and gloomy bowels where the most alien life persists, away from the influence of human society (for the most part).

(Hall, 2018)

In the “twilight zone” and below, light does not reach the waters, leaving the aquatic life entangled in endless darkness. Swimming further down yields the same dark results for thousands of kilometres, it only gets colder, darker, and more pressurized (Hall, 2018). So how can anything live here? One of the many fascinating adaptations animals may have is bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is the organic production of light, and it can be extremely colourful and come in mind-boggling patterns. Seeing pictures of a profoundly colourful sea jelly or sea cucumber with strings of light emanating off it is almost a hallmark of the deep-sea. This light production may be used for luring prey, distracting predators, or signalling (Hall, 2018).

(Hall, 2018)

Of course, such inhospitable conditions do not lead to food being readily available and it is because of the environment that lots of deep-sea creatures scavenge for food (Hall, 2018). An exception to this food scarcity is the rare whale fall, an event when a literal dead whale falls to the ocean floor. The result of this cyclical event is a feeding frenzy that involves all types of consumers. The complete consumption of the whale will take months and involve opportunists that can smell the rotting flesh from afar and slow-moving bone eaters (Hall, 2018). Contrary to what you may be thinking, life of all sizes is able to live at these depths. Large animals such as frilled sharks, goblin sharks, colossal squids, and small creatures like crabs and brittle stars partake in different stages of the feast (Hall, 2018). Imagining a large affair where all types of animals viscerally devour a whale in stark contrast to the usually quiet deep-sea is one of the reasons why I find the environment so riveting.

There is so much more to be said when discussing the watery abyss. It is easy to see how deep-sea creatures may have inspired so many mediums of art. It truly represents an untapped source of knowledge, and it can drum up emotions of fear and uncertainty. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), unless you are James Cameron you won’t be able to experience it first-hand.

 References

Hall, D. (2018, April). The deep sea. Smithsonian Institution. https://ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/deep-sea/deep-sea

NOAA. (2021, February 26). How much of the ocean have we explored?. National Ocean Service. https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html

[rjsenvs3000w22]

Blog 6: music & nature as one in the same

Where is music in nature? To me the answer is everywhere. We often listen to music when we’re taking time for ourselves and wanting to relax, and the sounds of nature have the same effect. There’s a popular quote by George Santanaya saying, “The earth has music for those who listen”, with the important part being those who stop and listen. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind, rain dropping, birds singing, cicadas humming, thunder rumbling ect is all part of the symphony of the earth. Not all notice these noises, but they are constant and everywhere in varying degrees. This reminds me of the saying “it’s like music to my ears’’ which people normally say when hearing something they like that’s not traditional music. When I think of this, I picture myself on an empty beach listening to the waves crashing on shore, as I consider that a form of music. What comes to your mind?

After reading this weeks content I read the paper that published the quote shown in the notes called The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music by Gray et al. They answered the question of whether or not other species show musical language and expression by explaining how whales and birds use similar musical techniques as humans (Gray et al 2001). They have the ability to memorize and recognize musical patterns, showing they use music to share and interpret information just as we do.

Where is nature in music? With this I think of either turning natural sounds into songs, or songs that mentally take people back to natural locations. A good example of one of these was provided to us as DJ Ecotone. He creatively took nature sounds and turned them into a modern style of music that would appeal to kids. His passion started with recording bird calls and then adding beatboxing to connect others with nature as the birds had done to him. Even the recordings of nature sounds have been shown to improve peoples mood and mental state. Sometimes when I’m stressed I’ll go on Spotify and listen to playlists that combine nature sounds with classical music to relax. It always works to help calm me down before an important exam or presentation.

A song that takes me back to a natural landscape would be “A Horse with No Name” by America. 

I was 13 in the back of my grandparents car driving through the deserts of Arizona when my Grandpa thought it would be ironic to play a song about being in a desert. Although, we ended up listening to the entire album 3 times in a row by which point we were all very sick of it. Now everytime I hear that song I think about looking out the car window into the deserts of Arizona and the vast and flat landcape.

-Reilly

References:

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.

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

Great post! I think you really connected the dots between nature and music and placed your own interpretation on it. Your point that not everyone hears the music around them is really fascinating and I would agree with it. Music as a term is quite loose and I think that it takes a certain mindset to not only recognize sounds in nature but to connect it to music. With the complexity of sound in the natural world you would have to imagine that humans will continue to draw from nature when making music throughout the future, constantly innovating and interpreting sounds and patterns as they listen for them.

It was really interesting that you said you will listen to music that incorporates natural sounds to help you destress. Even though it is anecdotal I think your experience and the experience of our classmates is proof that there is a connection to natural sounds and health. Perhaps in the future this connection would be explored further. I almost think there is a stigma with consulting nature when it comes to health. I know that in my experience hearing subtle tranquil sounds of a quiet environment have always helped me unwind. Maybe one day that relation will be explored outside of retirement homes.

Also, that’s a solid song choice. Even the guitars remind me of the time that I was in the American Southwest. Good work and I look forward to reading more!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 7 - Music and Nature

Music exists everywhere in nature and not just in the chirping of birds or the singing of whales. Music itself is a system of patterns that incorporates elements like pitch, timbre, melody, bass, and evocation of emotion. While I doubt you will find an entire orchestra or Iron Maiden concert while on a hike in the woods, you can certainly find facets of what makes the music we know today. In my mind, the grooves in the wall of a fjord or the desolate feeling from an underwater cave can produce ideas or sounds in the minds of those who truly try to listen. Even the scale of something can create music in the most unlikely of places. For example, in a lot of nature documentaries an imposing cliff face is often accompanied by swelling brass or a tense chase between a lion and an antelope is accompanied by high strings and a thrashing tempo. Of course, the many sounds produced by nature are music in their own right. The hooting of an owl or an oak tree dropping acorns are music for all who enjoy the natural world and all it has to offer. Music is an art and as such it is abstract, it is up to those who listen to find the entertainment that surrounds them.

Just as music is everywhere in nature, nature is everywhere in music. There are countless stories of composers struggling to come up with a riff or bassline until they step outside, and it finally hits them. There are examples of literal sounds of nature being sampled into songs which can be used effectively to drum up emotions, but I also think it can be more nuanced than that. My favourite use of nature in music is that in lyrics or song titles. Before you even hear the solo in Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird you just know from the title alone it’s going to be liberating. The artists call on the audience’s understanding of birds to create an idea of what the music will sound like before they hear it. Gordon Lightfoot’s Summer Side of Life cleverly uses descriptive words to relate things in the summer like “ripe” or “green” to the somber subject matter of the song. Nature in music can also be used to convey a message. Roger Payne famously made an album of whale sounds in hope to promote conservation efforts. Everyone likes to say that “there are no original ideas” and I also think that applies to music as there has been an extreme amount of inspiration and sampling from nature in songs we listen to today.

The song that immediately takes me back to a natural landscape is Black Water by The Doobie Brothers. The song paints a detailed picture of a Southern vista and lifestyle both through the lyrics and instrumentation. The song has a very laid-back feeling to it and effectively immerses me into the song. I also listened to it a lot over the summer when driving to my job out in the boondocks, so I have personal connection with the song and nature.

To answer the debate in the material this week, Rocky Mountain High is John Denver’s best song.

[nzenvs3000w22]

Merit in Ancient Things - Unit 06 Blog

“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)

This quote, albeit slightly confusing at first, offers a lot of great insight into why it is important to study history from a nature interpretation perspective. What I get from it is that there is no integrity in forgetting about the past, and it would even be an injustice to ignore it. In order to fully respect the environment, we need to look back at its history, and the history that unfolded in it. 

The textbook states that “A good costumed interpreter (whether in first or third person) has to combine the skills of a host, a storyteller, an entertainer, an expert, a psychologist, a guardian (of the site and its artefacts), a tour guide, a stand-up comedian (when and if appropriate), a therapist and a counsellor.” –Marc Wallis, Director of Past Pleasures (UK). I think if we are really thinking of it,  a historian should be added to that list. Going back to earlier topics in this course, interpreting nature through history helps us find our “sense of place” as observers. What I mean by this is that when walking through the woods, one feels a much stronger intimate connection to the land if they can picture what has happened there before they came through. This could go back as short as the night before when a whitetail deer walked the same trail as you and left a track for you to see, or in the long term where the first pioneers of the area might have walked through the same old growth forest you’re in now. 

The railway analogy makes me think of the Mississippi river and the original Lewis and Clark expedition that first went up it. They were the first settlers to explore up the river and a large portion of the States as a result. All along the way, they were able to make discoveries and document new species. They were also able to find untapped resources that today would make any sports person want to go back and witness, like catching 9 catfish totaling 300 pounds in a day! Today, the Mississippi river is heavily travelled and fished, but still carries the rich history of its pioneers. Anyone on the Mississippi today would be doing this history an injustice if they just ignored it and took the river at face value. Like the train tracks, the river itself exists long before and after it is used by any one person, so it should be respected and valued to both honour the history, and preserve it for future generations. 

I’d love to hear what you guys think this quote means to you, or how you interpret it!

Nathan

Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition: https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/item/lc.jrn.1804-08-25

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

Your interpretation of the quote was quite interesting, and I thought you did a good job of conducting some deep analysis. I particularly enjoyed your emphasis on the importance of remembering history. Relating the forgetfulness of the past as an “injustice” is a colourful way to portray the crucial nature of some past events.

Connecting the context that history provides to the environment is an intriguing idea. Reading your examples made me think of the many times I have been hiking in Algonquin. Of course, without knowing the history of Algonquin the average hiker can have a great time taking in the sights. However, since I have learned the history of Algonquin being a railroad hub at the turn of the century, walking along the abandoned railroad beds makes the hike significantly more enjoyable. It makes me wonder if current interpreters use selective history today, only talking about the history that makes listening to the interpretation more pleasant.

Interpreting the second part of the quote as a sort of modern-day warning was something I hadn’t thought of. Implementing this ideology may be a good way to scare people into preserving a resource that is taken for granted. I think that interpreters should tell people of “what was” and what caused it to be what it is currently. Doing so may spark motivation to engage positively in the surrounding environment as a method to possibly bring an area back to the “glory days”. Really well done post and I look forwards to reading more!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 6 - History and Interpretation

“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)

When attempting to deconstruct the above quote I think it is important to recognize that it is meant to be interpreted, leading to many possible conclusions on the meaning. The ambiguousness of the wordplay lends to the author’s favour, allowing personal connections to relate with the writing. In my mind, the ultimate objective of this quote is to emphasize the importance of interpretation of history and how interpreters can weave stories out of the past. Unravelling the quote itself provides insight into why an interpreter should see the significance of history.

Breaking down the first component of the quote, I believe the author is alluding to the power of interpretation. Without interpretation a relic is just that, a relic. A relic or an old structure by itself is not particularly worth discussing. However, how the owners of the relic treated it or what they did with the relic can be fascinating and important, even relative to modern times. Exploring the how or why something is the way it is can provide stories from a bygone era, giving interpreters a look into the past. By investigating the integrity of something from the past, interpreters can construct a vision of life from that point in time. The ability to extrapolate history like this is an incredible tool that is essential in educational purposes. Recreating authentic experiences from history can translate memories and feelings to audiences despite living however many years later.

The second part of the quote relates to how the perception of time is often skewed, and that the events of the past intertwine with the ongoings of today. It is very easy to think that the happenings of the past are in the past, never to be revisited again. I am guilty of such thinking. Nevertheless, what happened in history influences every aspect of living in the present and even though a critical event may have happened a long time ago we still feel the reverberations. Being able to understand where we are in the grand scheme of things allows us to place ourselves on a point in the relative scale of time and human history. In doing so we can learn from mistakes of the past and realize what steps we need to take to accomplish our future goals.

So, what can we takeaway from this quote? First and foremost, this quote is an excellent example of interpretive writing. The author pulls out all different types of meanings from a wide variety of individuals, the evidence of this being our separate ways to unpack the quote in our blogs. Additionally, interpreters have an important role in contextualizing via the events of the past. Accurately depicting and learning from history may be imperative for learning about something in the present. Finally, using a narrative based in the past is an efficient way to interpret as it can drum up strong emotions and personal connections.

[jsenvs3000w22]

Chapter 5: How Trees Talk to Each Other

This week we have a free-write to talk about anything that is on our mind lately. For me, I had a difficult time thinking of what to write about this week. I’ve found myself losing my grounding in the monsoon of school, work, responsibilities, and global and political grief. It's been a genuinely challenging time in my life, and I’ve been trying to actively find ways to connect to nature, even in light of personal responsibilities and the ever-growing to-do list. One way I’ve tried to do this is by sitting down and reading about the things we learn in class, for myself. I used to read for pleasure all the time, so starting that habit up again has been my way of bringing nature to me and reclaiming some of my mental space for learning again. I’ve been reading about Suzanne Simard, a scientist and Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia who studies mycorrhizal networks. I am sure some, if not most of you, have heard of her research or at least seen her Ted Talk "How Trees Talk to Each Other" (with over 5 million views). I have been reading her book, “Finding the Mother Tree”. I have linked below a few resources of hers like her website and a link to one of her TedTalks.

While researching her doctoral thesis over 20 years ago, ecologist Suzanne Simard discovered that trees have the ability to communicate their needs and send each other nutrients through a network of fungi in the soil. Since then she has pioneered research into how trees talk, including how these fungal relationships help trees send warning signals about environmental change, search for kin, send biotoxins and how they transfer nutrients to neighbouring plants before they die. The mycorrhizal fungus connecting trees underground provides the host plants with nutrients, such as phosphate and nitrogen. The fungus will send out tubes called hyphae, which weave into the tips of plant roots. These hyphae create what is called mycelium, which links plants together through these root connections. Roots and fungi combine to form what is called a mycorrhiza. Trees are connected underground to sometimes hundreds of other individuals, sending excess carbon, water, and information through the network. An example of such a network can be seen here. Seedling establishment can be aided by older plants with extensive root systems because seedlings can quickly tap into a larger resource pool than they would be able to access on their own. This research revolutionised the way we understand forest dynamics, intelligence, communication, and our definition of community. Forests are not aggregations of isolated individuals, but are instead complex and adaptive networks of information. They are worth protecting, not only as resources but as genetic reservoirs, biodiversity hotspots, and mitigators of climate change.

Suzanne’s Website: https://suzannesimard.com/

TedTalk: https://www.ted.com/talks/suzanne_simard_how_trees_talk_to_each_other?language=en

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

I greatly appreciate you talking about the difficulty of coming up with something to write about this week. You would think that a “free” prompt where you write about almost anything would come easy, but I guess I don’t have a lot going on in my cranium. Additionally, I commend your use of the word “monsoon”, I think it is an apt way to describe how a lot of us are feeling.

Anyways, the topic of mycorrhizal associations is fascinating, and it sounds like the book you are reading is quite interesting. When learning about these underground networks of communications that accomplish so much it can really put into perspective how intertwined environments are. For me, I think the most intriguing factoid regarding mycorrhizal associations is how little we know about it. These relationships may go far beyond simple chemical reactions, creating dynamics that we have yet to discover. Further knowledge of these relationships in forests can provide us with information on how best to conserve forests, save species, and maybe even further our understanding of agriculture and medicine. Very cool stuff!

You reminded me that I should take up casual reading again, hard to understate what a good book can accomplish. Thanks for sharing!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 5 - Nature Interpretation through Science and Other Thoughts

I quite enjoyed the readings this week and found myself surrounded by a multitude of questions about the time and place for scientific discussion. Nature interpretation through science is undoubtedly important, but is it always the most efficient at conveying a point? No, probably not. Is it the most important aspect to translate to an audience? In many cases I think it is. This dichotomy of when and how to interpret is a challenging one that would benefit from the interpreter knowing the audience. In the case of your typical citizen concerned about the environment, some level of science can help them understand underlying mechanisms that contribute to environmental processes. However, if you speak too much on science you may risk losing the “interpretive” part of interpretation, turning a conversation into a lecture. I also believe that science can be an enthralling and intriguing subject to learn about. A presentation that compromises both elements of science and artistic ambiguity is likely the best approach (as unsatisfying as that may be).

In my personal, completely anecdotal experience, nature presentations that explored science in fun and interactive ways were most likely to stick around in my brain. I even had a quote featured in a local newspaper when I was 9 while attending an exhibit raising awareness about declining snake populations. I said “I love wildlife. I love the snakes because I have a pet snake at home” (Spiteri, 2011). All of that is still true and I tend to attribute my current interests in science in the natural world to these exposures I had when I was young. If a nature interpreter can use science to inspire the youth, they may cause a chain reaction of interest in the natural world. Science is certainly a powerful tool and when used properly, without scaring people off, can change the narrative around environmental issues.

A particularly strange phenomenon that we are witnessing grow in the past five years or so is the mistrust of widely accepted science. Whether it be targeted towards vaccines or the legitimacy of climate change, even the term “science” can garner a broad and largely untargeted vitriol. Granted, the science that relates to things incorporated with nature interpretation are, at least in my mind, largely uncontroversial, I wonder if science may be riskier to use in interpretation in the future. I think that for whatever reason science has become more associated with condescending elitism instead of the result of meticulous work by the educated. I also think that a lot of people enjoy being contrarian just for the sake of it, hiding their motives behind “skepticism”. Regardless, being able to accept science as fact may be an important goal for interpreters in the future if they wish to convey their message.

As for things that have recently been on my mind? Lately I have been growing tired of the winter and would like to see an end to daylight savings. Thank you for reading!

 References

Spiteri, R. (2011, March 16). Snakes alive! Conservatory invaded. Niagara Falls Review, 1A. https://www.pressreader.com/canada/the-niagara-falls-review/20110316/281479272928761

[swenvs30002022]

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.

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

Really well done post! I couldn’t stop agreeing when I was reading your thoughts on interpretation of nature through art and your summation of beauty. Art itself is so complex; being able to recognize that it is subjective in nature is so important if you are looking to convey a message. I also appreciated you admitting that you aren’t creatively inclined because I certainly am not. The description of how you use pictures to fuel an artistic outlet was really in sync with the values of nature depiction in art. Typically if I want to capture a natural moment, I also take a picture (due to ease of access). My photos could be described as “hasty” and “pedestrian”, but I really liked hearing your take on how the pictures could remind you of a time and place. When I look back at my pictures, even if they aren’t the most thoughtful, they are completely capable of changing my thoughts or mood.

Sharing photos is a really great way to easily spread “the gift of beauty”. Even if one picture doesn’t resonate with someone, the next one may. You stress how a picture captures a moment that will never happen again. I think that sentiment is a good way to implant the notions of conservation to a viewer. If someone understands that something important and aesthetically pleasing is fleeting, they may be more inclined to take environmental action. Great work with this blog and I look forward to reading more!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 4 - Nature Through Art

Interpreting nature through art is a skill, a likely underappreciated one at that. Nature is by no means linear; it encompasses an unfathomable amount of the planet and it’s systems. Art itself is an abstract concept as it may come in many forms, some more complex than others. Being able to harness an understanding of both nature and art while merging the two can yield some remarkable results. Art inspired by nature has been used for commercial success and interpretive guidance. Nature in art also has profound flexibility in who it caters to. The art may be directed towards a specific locality or environment, or it can include nature as a whole. This flexibility also makes it harder to interpret. Additionally, art can be made for a diverse or extremely specific audience, making a “general” interpretation near impossible.

So, who am I to interpret nature through art? I do not think that you need to be an inherently creative person to take on the task of nature interpretation through art. So long as you are willing to capture an aspect of nature through a medium, I say you are welcome to do so. This idealism certainly helps someone like me who struggles to find my footing in a creative setting but still has a deep appreciation for the natural world. Furthermore, I do not think that my experiences in nature make me any more qualified to attempt interpretation through art. If anything, past experiences may present a bias. At the same time, I also think that in many circumstances the artist creates art that is meant to be interpreted many ways, biases and all. Regardless, being involved in the study of nature and ecology, as we all are, can only help. Aspiring interpreters may even have a unique viewpoint on interpreting nature through art that can only be conveyed by environmentally involved youth.

When it comes to the “gift of beauty”, I think the most important takeaway is to generate a motivation within people to act in favour of the environment. “The gift of beauty” is described as interpretation that can motivate people to see beauty around them and the ongoing perils in the natural world. Attempting to introduce “the gift of beauty” through art is likely an onerous task, as beauty is entirely subjective. Not only is “beauty” hard to attain but being able to instill an understanding and motivation in a listener/viewer requires a rare mastery in interpretation. Through whatever medium you are using, the artist or interpreter must accurately depict environmental duress with enough accuracy and threat of doom that the average audience member is willing to take time and effort to do something about it. Tough. However, if done successfully it can be an incredibly powerful tool. As an interpreter, it is likely invaluable to have the audience care about interpretation and the environment as much as you might. I think it is fair to say that art and the “gift of beauty” are key instruments for interpreters and conservationists.

[hsenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 3: The Realms of Life Brought Together by Nature

My working definition of privilege is someone who has access to opportunities that others may not due to certain life circumstances. In the video ‘Social Inequalities Explained in a $100 Race’, the person asking questions put a focus on the fact that one’s life circumstances are separate from their own personal choices. I believe that privilege has a lot to do with uncontrollable life circumstances that people are born into. 

In relation to nature interpretation, privilege can play a huge role in the amount of exposure a person has to nature experiences. For example, throughout my life I believe the most exposure and direct learning opportunities that I had with nature are when my family and I stay at our cottage 3-4 times a year. This is where I learnt how to swim, start a fire, navigate through the forest, play with frogs, and go fishing. If it wasn’t for my parents, I would not have the opportunity to learn as much as I have about nature through visiting the cottage. However, not everyone has similar life circumstances or opportunities which is why it is important to consider each person’s individual story and experiences that shape their perception of nature. 

The textbook highlights that in order to serve and relate to your audience, a nature interpreter should first put some effort towards getting to know their audience. A few ways to do this is to ask questions and speak with people as they arrive to gather their motivations, interests, and goals of their visit. The most important question being why visitors have chosen to come to a specific location. That way, the interpreter can shape the experience to fit visitors needs whether that be for entertainment, relaxation, a fun group activity, or to see unique attractions. 

Relating back to privilege, each visitor brings their personal beliefs, values, experiences, knowledge, interests, and abilities to their visit. These are all based on the opportunities that the visitor has had access to throughout their life. Therefore, each visitor is different and it is important that as nature interpreters, we don’t assume the knowledge or feelings of others. Rather we shape the experience in a way that can be relatable and meaningful for each visitor and their unique background. This definitely isn’t an easy task however, we can use communication and offer opportunities that allow visitors to connect with nature in a way that is meaningful to them. 

What are some ways that one aspect of nature, such as a waterfall for example, can be interpreted differently amongst a group of visitors from different realms of life?

[omenvs3000w22]

Hello,

Your post summed up the role of privilege in nature experiences and interpretation really well! I think you described an important aspect of privilege in that a lot of time it is caused from an uncontrollable circumstance in someone’s life, giving them an advantage. I think it is because that privilege comes from something uncontrollable it makes it harder for people to identify their own privilege or reconcile with themselves. Ideally, more people would become aware of their privilege so that they may help others or themselves. Unfortunately, it is extremely easy to take even the simplest privileges for granted, something I am certainly guilty of.

I think it is remarkable that even going on trips to a cottage, like you had outlined, can enable a chain of privilege in the natural world. I have had similar experiences with being lucky enough to travel to remote locations while not having to stress about finance or discrimination. A great experience can often distort your sense of reality and outlook on the outdoors.

It is imperative that you know your own privilege and, as an interpreter, can understand the privilege of the audience around you. Agreeing with what you had written, even though two different people could be looking at the same thing, their privilege can give them very different conclusions. Breaking down barriers, whether they are racial, cultural, financial, or through media, is extremely crucial so that we can create an equal environment for all who wish to be involved in nature interpretation. Great post!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 3 - Privilege

This week’s readings were obviously extremely crucial in today’s social climate and saw me reflect on my own privilege and the inequalities that surround many of our societal systems. While we were asked to provide our own working definition of privilege, I have found that quite difficult as I have been brought up in a privileged environment. Whether it be skin colour, financial status, or geographic location, evaluating what privilege is while being privileged seems like an ironic task. That being said, the consensus is that privilege is an unconscious advantage where someone can afford to benefit from something while taking minimal risks in comparison to others. Privilege evidently plays a role in everything we do, and I think that being able to recognize where it stems from allows us to make systemic changes in favour of equal opportunities for all.

There were many jarring facts in chapter 7 of the textbook but none of them were terribly surprising. The chapter outlines that visible minorities are much less likely to go to parks, that minorities are more likely to be less knowledgeable of park services, and that current conditions in parks discourage a more diverse crowd of people from attending them. Beginning to address these issues is critically important but I have found the more thought you put into it, the more you start to see how firmly established the roots of these problems are in our society. I had started to think of solutions to these problems but realized that my perspective would likely be shrouded in the privilege that I carry. The textbook mentions that reducing economic barriers, removing cultural walls, and increasing interconnectivity will help mend these issues. I would agree that these are good universal starting points. I may also stress that you do not want genuine efforts to help a disadvantaged population to come off as condescending or pandering. Legitimate actions to ensure parks are more welcoming for all will benefit both the parks and those that visit them.

It is hard to overstate the benefits of creating an equal environment in both society and in natural spaces. In the cases of parks and interpreters, educating as many people as possible about the importance of the park is a primary goal. The more people that are exposed to parks, the more likely they are to take the message to heart and spread awareness or act on environmental issues. Unfortunately I think that erasing privilege and making a more equal/equitable society is often swallowed up by political discourse and in many instances the right course of action is obscured.

Currently, nature interpretation is more easily available to those in privileged positions. Additionally, there is a stigma that “interpretation” as a whole is an exercise that is only carried out by privileged individuals. Asking yourself how interpretation can be made more accessible seems to be a great way to get more questions than answers. How can interpreters and parks expeditiously make themselves more attractive for diverse crowds? Does systemic change need to occur for true equal opportunities to arise? What small steps can we do to be better?

[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.

[omenvs3000w22]

Hi Ally,

           I really enjoyed reading your post! It was evident that you put a lot of time and thought into it as you were extremely thorough. I also thought that the comparison between your Tumblr page and your approach to being an interpreter was apt and easy to relate to. Perhaps my favourite part of your blog was your integration between interpretation techniques and mediums used in the modern day like social media or hands-on experience.

           You stressed the idea of catering your pollination workshops to best suit the needs of the listeners/participants. This (at least to me) is a great way to ensure that all who may be in attendance go home with the same crucial information that you are attempting to convey. Furthermore, I also enjoyed that you raised the notion of leaving a lasting impact with the audience. Creating a lasting impact can spark action in an individual in both pollination efforts, and, like you mentioned, anything else that has to do with environmental awareness. In my readings that was an imperative point that you struck home wonderfully. I also concurred when you mentioned that how you conduct yourself can create a world of difference in interpretation. Being happy, as opposed to glum or charismatic as opposed to dull will change perception at a human level, likely making you more approachable for any listeners. It is a lot easier to actively listen to someone if you are on friendly terms. Really great work and I look forward to reading more!

[omenvs3000w22]

Blog Post 2 - Role as an Interpreter

My ideal job that incorporates environmental interpretation would see me using interpretive skills to acquire land for conservation. Such an occupation would likely be a largely corporate position that might entail working across the country given what land is being targeted for acquisition. The responsibilities of the job would likely include meeting parties actively involved in the land, marketing the land to donors who may want to see the land conserved, and coordinating a large effort to conserve a natural area most efficiently. Charismatic and persuasive interpretation would be key social skills used for appeasing landowners and selling the idea of a park to the public.

           When campaigning to establish a park, the large amount of marketing and communication at both scientific and casual levels would require a great deal of impactful interpretation. I would try to cater my own interpretation to the differing learning styles of my audience. This can be done by talking about the environment in a respectful and entertaining manner that would allow the listener to feel as though they are being guided instead of being talked down to. Ideally if I am interpreting to highlight the value of a natural area, I would explain the dynamics of the area and then focus in on specifics, allowing the audience to think open-mindedly, erasing any pre-conceived notions. Furthermore, to avoid potentially boring the audience, I would likely sprinkle in some levity and humour while conveying the most crucial topics. Perhaps most importantly I’d like to be able to translate my own enthusiastic interest in the projects. If I can convince the listeners that there is a deep interest on a personal and broad level, they may be more inclined to lend their support. The end goal of translating an interpretation would be to leave a lasting effect on the audience, an effect that might inspire them in their own time to further pursue the themes passed on in the interpretation.

           A challenge that comes with the desire to reach all audiences is being able to deliver the same message through a variety of learning and comprehension styles. To accommodate as many different learning styles as possible, any pitch or seminar would incorporate a broad approach, integrating audio, visual, and kinesthetic elements. In the greatest possible scenarios, on site tours and guides of the land could be used to break down any potential barriers on people and sell them on an inviting and welcome space. However, one of the largest issues that comes with establishing natural parks is the political issues that may stem from land use purposes. As we have seen historically, there are many different ideas as to how land should be used, and many interested parties will fight for their position. From an interpreter’s point of view, avoiding all conflict would be a priority of utmost importance. Stress from any potentially sensitive issue is likely to weigh heavily on the mind of an audience and distract them from the topics trying to be conveyed in an interpretation. Overall, to best fulfill my role as an interpreter, I want to create a welcome environment that is without hostilities, that caters to a broad audience, and entertainingly conveys my points.