Interpretatio Naturae

Ryan Kruger's Natural Interpretation Blog

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Disclaimer:

This blog was created for ENVS 3000, 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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Unit 10: Who I Am!

Before I explain my personal ethic as a nature interpreter, I think it is time to address the elephant in the room…How on earth is this semester coming to an end already!! I hope I am not the only one utterly shocked that we have made it to Unit 10. This semester has flown by, and I have enjoyed sharing my opinions and stories with you each week. It has been so delightful getting to learn so much about everyone! It's funny because this is a Distance Education course, yet I feel I have learned more about my peers than in an in-person class! Taking the time to write these posts has never felt laborious to me, as I enjoyed sitting down and connecting what we learned in the readings to what I value and believe.

That being said, I will disclose that when I first enrolled in this class, I had yet to learn what nature interpretation and being a nature interpreter meant. I was heavily surprised when the core assignments for this course revolved around the blog and podcasts. I'm not too fond of tests and quizzes and much more prefer assignments, so this was a breath of fresh air for me! I also found that these types of assignments were very refreshing and enlightening, and kept me engaged.

Some of my favourite new photos from my camera roll. United States Botanic Gardens in Washington (left), Moss growing along the stone in Pennsylvania (right)

As we approach the end, I feel as though I have grasped the vital messages to be understood from this course and I have developed my personal ethics regarding nature interpretation. The first belief I will be sure to include is my passion. Being passionate about the topic you are explaining to your audience is key. I believe this is one of the most influential topics of being a successful interpreter. It is never ideal to be listening to someone who evidently does not enjoy what they are talking about. This will not only not engage the audience but can dampen the joy of someone excited to learn. A positive deliberation, however, will cause the audience to feel more comfortable and as Beck et al (2018) state, it is more probable that they will listen. I want to be able to transfer my passion to others to spark their interest. Therefore, my priority will be to speak passionately and/or excitingly express the topics to be a successful interpreter.

Secondly, integrity and honesty are two significant factors that I will bring to nature interpretation. I wish others to know I am trustworthy as integrity is a big factor. As someone who has grown up with technology and social media so accessible, I believe it has caused two opposing outcomes; 1. People who believe everything they see online is accurate or 2. People who think everything is fake. With such a grave difference, it is essential to be skeptical of what we see because it is easy for anyone to display a fake persona with untrue facts. With this in mind, I hope to build the trust of my audience so that even if they did question what I was saying, they would find no fabrication, and they would know I value honesty. As an interpreter, honesty and integrity are fundamental, and along with passion, these beliefs best describe my personal ethic as a nature interpreter.

Along with that, a major responsibility that I would hold myself accountable for is inclusivity. I want to build an environment where no one is left out, and everyone has the same opportunity to enjoy and learn. When we discussed “barriers” in the textbook readings and shared our privilege, this was the most eye-opening aspect of the semester. I truly grasped the extent of it once I was able to take a step back to understand my privilege. Barriers, as we have learned, are present for many and they can be disability-based, economics etc. (Beck et al., 2018). Understanding this aspect of nature interpretation inspired me to ensure I will do my best to eliminate all types of barriers and have options for each learning style. This means I must be cognizant of all possibilities, for instance if there are visual aids, different hearing options, accessibility of sites, prices etc. Including aspects that cause these elements to vanish will help me to encourage inclusivity. I wish everyone to experience nature interpretation and see what it offers. Increasing the number of people in your audience increases the chance of stimulating individuals and creating new passions. In the environmental/conservation sector, bridging the gap and involving more people helps for great advancements (Merenlender et al., 2016). This study area is complex and costly, so having a larger team of individuals fighting for the same beliefs can lead to great things. As someone who has gotten to experience nature in many different areas, this has been how my passion has grown. Being immersed in the environment helps people to build a connection which is vital for an interpreter to accomplish. I also believe that it benefits everyone to experience nature interpretation as a community. As we all occupy the same planet, it is advantageous to grow fond of it and understand how to preserve it. Therefore, if these barriers are non-existent and everyone can be included, the connections made with the audience would be vast, and the number of conservationists will likely increase!

Overall, this course has helped me to discover who I am as an interpreter and what I stand for. Key aspects that I had not thought about prior to this course have helped me understand my beliefs. I have learned that to become a successful interpreter, I will make sure I am passionate about the information I deliver. I will be trustworthy and ensure inclusivity throughout this process.

Thank you all for a great semester! I have had such a great time learning about you all and sharing my stories. This has only increased my interest in nature, and I hope it has done the same for you!

Good luck with your future endeavours!

I started these posts talking about sunsets, so it only feels fitting to add one more picture for the final post :)

Literature Cited

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture.

Merenlender, A. M., Crall, A. W., Drill, S., Prysby, M., & Ballard, H. (2016). Evaluating Environmental Education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1255–1265. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12737

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Hi Alexia,

I’m glad someone else mentioned how quickly the semester has come to a close! We are rounding the corner to Week 11 already! Truth be told I’m blown away thinking back to the scrambling to write that first blog post in Week 1, and now, here we are. I am really glad I got to read your post here before we ended the semester though. 

I don't have a fully formed idea on what nature interpretation really was either before I enrolled in this course, but I too was instilled with a passion for interpreting the natural world, which was helped by my love of nature and biology. Your pictures from Washington and Pennsylvania show that you have a similar love for plants! Love it!!!

It was really nice to see someone else mention integrity and honesty, as well as the responsibility to offer an inclusive environment to enjoy nature and practice interpretation. I agree that these concepts are vital to being a good nature interpreter, and I really appreciate what you said about eliminating as many barriers to entry as possible in order to open interpretation up to anyone who wants to take part in it. 

I also really liked how you mentioned the importance of increased research and emphasis on this inclusion in nature and natural interpretation as we look to the future. 

Overall, I am really glad to have been able to read your posts this semester, Alexia, and hope that you keep that passion for nature and the world around us. 

Best of luck as we close out the semester, and in the future,

Ryan  

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Unit 10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

Who am I as an Interpreter?

Well, here we go everyone… my last post for the semester! What a bittersweet moment this is. As grateful as I am to be completing this semester, I thoroughly enjoyed the creativity involved in writing these blog posts so it will certainly be missed. 

So let's dive in, shall we? Prior to participating in this course, I didn’t fully understand the amount of hard work and effective communication it takes to be an environmental interpreter. In all honesty, I barely knew what the term ‘nature interpreter’ fully meant in itself. Reflecting back on readings, I feel that many beliefs and responsibilities emerged from myself as an interpreter. I’ve been able to dissect the concept as a whole, understand how I fit into that role and figure out who I am as a nature interpreter. 

So who am I as an interpreter and what do I believe in? When reflecting on my ethics as an interpreter, I believe they coincide with my personal ethics outside of interpreting. I value understanding, accepting and most importantly being kind to other individuals. I believe each of these concepts are key points and responsibilities of being an interpreter, and are necessary to be an effective one.

Image taken of myself (fall 2022) in the Arboretum at the University of Guelph.

The purpose of environmental interpretation is to help individuals understand the natural world and help people create a positive, lasting sustainable relationship with the environment (Youngentob & Hostetler, 2018). As an interpreter, I believe that this is our main responsibility and to effectively fulfill this, we are responsible for knowing and understanding our audiences. First and foremost, it's important to acknowledge that there are different learning styles that individuals have. Incorporating different teaching styles in presentations is important to address visual, auditory and tactile learners. As mentioned in past blog posts, this can be done through the use of visuals, captivating story-telling or hands-on activities in presentations. Having this variety in presentations has proven to be the most useful, meaningful and the most interesting for learners (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 110). It is also very important to know our audience's age range. By knowing who we’re talking to, we can figure out how to talk to them. Conveying messages in an engaging matter is a very important and valuable skill, and adults and children are engaged in different ways. These are all responsibilities I have as an interpreter, and to consider each of these factors when trying to convince and engage an audience of the importance of our natural world.

Figure of the main learning styles: visual, auditory and kinesthetic (tactile).

When I mention that it is in my ethics and moral code to accept other individuals, I mean this in terms of the spectrum of diversity. As an interpreter it is my job to help other humans create a lasting relationship with their environment, and this should include all humans regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, finances, religion, health or physical condition. A valuable lesson I learned in my interpretation journey is the role that privilege has in nature interpretation. As an interpreter it is important to unpack our invisible backpacks, as mentioned by Peggy McIntosh (1989). By doing so, we can acknowledge the privilege that we have and understand that audiences may not hold that same amount of privilege. On a similar note, it has been recognized that there is a large lack of attendance from minorities in nature interpretation parks and this is a result of economic, cultural, communication, knowledge and fear barriers (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 133). As an interpreter I believe it is my responsibility to acknowledge these barriers, and to practice inclusive interpretation. Inclusive interpretation involves advocating for the reduction of economic barriers, the inclusion of minority populations, reducing communication barriers and by supporting the inclusion of staff diversity (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 134-137). By accepting, including and celebrating cultural differences, not only is this morally just, but this can help me as an interpreter to serve everyone more effectively.

Drawing of diversity audience taken from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Finally, kindness is a huge part of my personal ethics, and is a quality of mine that I value most and I think it very important to bring this into the world of environmental interpretation. There are a lot of negative things actively happening in this world and many tourists and audiences look to nature interpretation programs to take them away from all of the chaos. Using kindness as a tool to grab audiences and talk to individuals can leave a lasting and positive impression on interpretation programs. By leaving this kind of impression, people will feel more motivated to have a positive and sustainable relationship with the environment, which reflects back on the definition and purpose of nature interpretation programs. 

Image of me in August 2022 in Algonquin Park, Ontario, handling juvenile spotted and blue-spotted salamanders.

Moving forward from my personal ethics, I think a major responsibility I have as an environmental interpreter is to discuss the importance of history with my audience. Interpretation plays a significant role in maintaining the integrity of the past. By sharing historical tales and artifacts, we are able to remember these stories of the past. Now, why is it important to tell the tales of history? Well, as Turkel (2006) describes in their article, one motive for learning about the past is the desire to influence the present and the future (Turkel, 2006). By understanding stories of tragedy and hope from our past, we can use these teachings to make a more sustainable and inclusive future. 

So how will I approach my role as an interpreter with the ethics and responsibilities I have discussed? I think it is important to remain positive, and give life to what I am speaking about. Beck et al. (2018) pp. 83 describes Mills’ ‘formula’ which involves appealing to the imagination, and giving life to facts. By doing so, audience engagement is guaranteed while also keeping myself motivated and passionate to continue guiding others. This will ultimately fulfill my duty as being an environmental interpreter and encourage future generations to feel passionate as well. 

Thank you everyone for joining me on this nature interpretation journey! I leave off on this note, it is our duty as individuals that are passionate about environmental science to educate humanity on the importance of our earth and the history behind it to provide a more sustainable future. 

Signing off, and wishing everyone the best in their studies and future careers! Don't forget to appreciate the little things in life :)

Image of BIOL*4410 (2022) Field Ecology Course participants admiring moose sighting.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Venture.

McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12.

Turkel, W.J. (2006) “Every place is an archive: Environmental history and the interpretation of physical evidence,” Rethinking History, 10(2), pp. 259–276. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1080/13642520600649507. 

Youngentob, K.N. and Hostetler, M.E. (2018) Environmental interpretation: How to communicate persuasively. Available at: https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW182 (Accessed: March 20, 2023). 

Images taken from:

Do You Understand the Most Common Employee Learning Styles? - HR Daily Advisor

One obstacle that many instructors—whether they’re in primary schooling, advanced graduate education, or training in the workplace— run into

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Hi Catherine, 

I was really happy to have read your post this week. I agree, I really enjoyed the process of writing these blog posts this semester, and as much as I am happy to be closing out the semester, taking the time to sit down and write these posts has been more enjoyable than I thought it would be at the beginning of the semester. 

I think your breakdown of what it means to be an interpreter, and how you fit into that role was really insightful, and I’m glad you shared your thoughts. I think your emphasis on kindness, understanding, and acceptance of other people is a great way to start off, as these are, in my estimation, undervalued in day to day life. 

I think the way you translated the necessity of those things into concepts such as individual learning styles shows a great understanding of what it takes to be a good interpreter and educator. Awareness of one’s audience is vital when acting as a nature interpreter, and I think you hit the nail on the head when you said “By knowing who we’re talking to, we can figure out how to talk to them.” As I think we’ve all learned from doing the podcast aspect of this course, different age groups require differing strategies to share similar information.

You explained the simple yet underappreciated concept of accepting all people as they are, and the crucial importance of this approach, really well. I think that acknowledging that, while it would be incredible if all people were treated equitably, we unfortunately aren’t, is a really important part of being an interpreter, and a well adjusted human being. Acknowledging the different barriers people face in order to meet you where you both find yourselves in really important to having meaningful and fulfilling interactions. 

Kindness is a truly underrated trait, and I’m glad you mentioned it. Leading with kindness, especially in natural interpretation but also just generally in life is, in my opinion, a really useful and fulfilling strategy.

I’m glad you chose to end on a note about remaining positive and looking hopeful toward the future. The role of interpreter is a teacher, a steward, a guide, and a student, all at once, and I think you really embody all of those roles. 

Thank you, Catherine, for sharing your thoughts and I hope that wherever you go, you continue to be led with the ethics you’ve written so wonderfully about here. 

All the Best,

Ryan

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Unit 10: My Ethics as an Intepreter

So here we are, finally rounding out the end of the semester, the last round of blog posts. This course has given me the opportunity to analyse and reflect on many different aspects of a topic I had a lot of intuitive understanding of, but one which I had not given much serious thought before now. I was also able to learn about several topics I had never considered before, and learn from a variety of different points of view through all of your posts. Of course, this week’s prompt is just as thought provoking as ever. 

In considering my personal ethic as a natural interpreter, I was forced to analyse the ethical views I hold in all aspects of my life. As a human being interacting with other human beings in this thing we call a society, I value things like honesty, responsibility, integrity, empathy, and above all, respect. These are important character traits that I try my best to embody in my own life, and hope that others offer to me. They are also important traits when acting as a nature interpreter, both for my own interpretation and as a group interpreter. 

As interpreters, we all bring certain biases into our interpretations. To be human is to be incapable of objectivity. Because of this, the next best thing is to be conscious of these personal biases, and let them affect my interpretation as little as possible. In a previous unit, we did a bit of reflection on our unconscious biases and unpacked our ‘invisible backpacks’ to get a better understanding of where each of us are at as we each come to the table as interpreters. This exercise was a good reminder of some of the parts of my identity as an interpreter which cloud my interpretation. No matter what, by virtue of the fact that we are all individuals with unique lived experiences, I will have inherently different points of view, which I have to make sure I am conscious of as I present various elements of nature and the world around us through an interpretive lens. 

Some of the things which influence me whether I like it or not are things like the circumstances of my upbringing, my education, my gender and my ethnicity. These are things which play a role in how I view the stories I will be sharing as an interpreter, and they have the potential to alienate my audience, or help us connect. There are many other factors which will influence my effectiveness as an interpreter. For instance, I have a strong inclination toward enjoying the outdoors, and get a sense of fulfillment from being in nature and learning about the various processes which make up the world around me. I conduct my interpretation through a naturalist lens, informed by my study of biology and general interest in pretty much all aspects of science. This offers me many advantages in explaining certain concepts and offering an interpretation consistent with our modern understanding of the world, but it also has the potential to alienate or just plain bore some people.

Respect is, in my opinion, the most basic and important ethics and character trait to reflect on. Respect for the environment we are interpreting, respect for the people I am helping in interpretation, and their respect for both of us are crucial elements of effective interpretation. It almost goes without saying that without this basic respect, nothing really meaningful can come of any interpretation which is done. From this basic understanding, all the other ethics come fairly naturally. 

Honesty comes with respect, and it is a vital part of building interpersonal relationships, and being an effective leader. Part of my role and duty as an interpreter is to be honest and truthful with my audience. A blog post that I began to write and which slowly morphed into a couple of thousand words’ worth of rambling focused on the HBO series Chernobyl. This 2019 miniseries focuses on the cost of lies and the value of the truth when disaster strikes and people’s lives are at risk. Eventually I may finish that essay (?), but at least I get to reference it here, along with the excellent show which inspired it.

Responsibility is another crucial element of being a good environmental interpreter. I feel an inherent responsibility to be a good steward of this Earth, and in my role as an interpreter, I have that same feeling of responsibility to instill that sense of stewardship through my interpretation and storytelling. I also feel it important to have a sense of responsibility towards those I am leading in interpretation, both in terms of their physical safety, and ensuring that they are receiving accurate, measured information, and hearing as many well reasoned points of view as possible.

Integrity goes hand in hand with honesty, but in my mind encompasses a general sense of not only being truthful, but also having that sense of responsibility and duty to what is true and what is right, even when no one is around to see. It means not being compromising in one’s ideals, while at the same time not being afraid to change one’s mind when new information is provided. This is, in my opinion, the trait which ties the rest together, and is especially important in education.

Empathy is, if you ask me, an underrated virtue. It invokes a sense of emotional vulnerability, but I find that it also aids one in understanding and being receptive to other people’s feelings, and one’s own. I think if more people were more empathetic, there would be far fewer problems in the world. I also think that when considering nature interpretation, or any kind of education, empathy is crucial to being a good teacher and understanding a student's needs. 

As we close out the semester and look to the future, there is a lot to think about. With each passing day, I feel more and more that we now stand on the precipice of several monumental changes. Anyone reading this now has already lived through many of them, both good and bad. The 24 Hour news cycle, the Internet, climate change, social media, the pandemic… “we didn’t start the fire!” 

It is not inconceivable that a person alive right now will set foot on another planet. It is extremely likely that they will be doing so in an effort to help our species find refuge from an increasingly inhospitable home. As nature interpreters, we must do our part, working in classrooms and board rooms and recording studios and maybe even in the stars, to work ethically, with respect, integrity, duty, honesty, and empathy, to offer truthful and meaningful lessons about the world around us.

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Unit 9: Nature is Amazing!

Choosing one topic of interest within nature is very difficult, as I've learned about so many interesting facts and fields throughout my time in my program, and my life outside of school.

I've been very interested in the wine industry for the last couple of months, and I've been enrolled in a wine tasting class, so I think I'm going to share how interesting this industry is, and how very connected it is to the field of environmental science.

Grapes have been used in wine making over other fruits as they are one of the only fruits with a high enough sugar content to convert yeast to alcohol in the fermentation process, however other fruits can be used for wine making.

A brief history: Vitis Vinifera is the globally-preferred grape variety for quality wine, however it's viability to be grown varies around the world. This variety is very susceptible to pests such as the grape phylloxera, an aphid-like species that destroys the vines of grapes, and have causes problems for vineyards for a long time. The wine industry found a way to solve this - by grafting these ideal wine grape plants with the more robust roots of North American-native grape variety - Vitis Labrusca (this grape is not preffered for its flavour, but its roots are immune to the phylloxera).

Now that pests and diseases are less of an issue due to this grafting process, winemaking around the world can fluorish!

As most people know, wine from different parts of the world will have different flavours. Wines from grapes in colder climates will tend to be more acidic and have lower alcohol content, whereas wines from grapes in warmer climates will have a higher sweetness and alcohol content. This makes sense once you realize why this is happening - in warmer climates the grapes are able to ripen faster, therefore producing more sugars as compared to colder climates.

Here's where the amazing nature part comes in; aside from just climate, other factors of the surrounding environment can influence the taste of a finished wine. Many vineyards take pride in the type of soil/substrate the grapes are grown on, as this influences the taste!

This is a vineyard in Southern Rhone, called Chateau Neuf-Du-Pape. As you can see the ground is made up of rocks; which are called "pudding stones". These stones make the vines work harder to find water due to their excellent drainage (harder working vines tend to produce complex flavoured grapes).

This example, as well as other characteristic regions around the world all provide something called 'terroir' in their wines. Terroir is essentially the marriage of climate, soil and grape variety, which creates a characteristic flavour profile for the wine made here only created by this region.

I am so interested in how this works, how the type of soil can change the final product of something like wine, how the tastes can come through after the whole fermentation process!

I'm sure there are reasons that this happens, I'd love to learn more, but it's kind of exciting to view it as a bit of a magical thing that I don't know the details of.

Anyways thanks for reading this post if you've made it this far. Wine is cool! Nature is cool! Have a great day :)

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Hi Thomas, 

I’m glad you mentioned how difficult it was to choose a topic right off the bat. I can say that it definitely took me a sec to choose one thing to focus on, and my time in my program didn’t make that decision any easier either.

I was really intrigued by the topic you chose! Wine is such a cool subject, not only because it tastes good, but because the history and significance across the globe is astonishingly wide-ranging. I really liked how you broke down the process of growing grapes and making the wonderful elixir that is a glass of wine, both from an agricultural and scientific point of view, since the two are so much the same thing. 

I also really appreciated how your passion for this subject was super clear in your writing about it. As the minute details of the soil and fertilizer can still be seen after the fermentation process, your love of all the intricacies that go into turning grapes on a vine into a bottle at your table is just as plain to see. 

I’ve recently gotten into wine in a very minor capacity, and am developing my preferences. I am a big fan of some South African wines like Nederburg, they have a lovely shiraz. I would love to hear any of your recommendations for some of your favourites! The pictures were also wonderful aids, especially the first one.

Thanks for sharing, I think I’ll have a small glass now and see if I can taste the terroir!

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Unit 9 - Making Sense of Natural Interpretation, and the Big Bang

Take a deep breath in. Hold it. While you’re holding it, think of your favourite dinosaur. Stay with me on this. Stegosaurus, Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus. Or maybe you’d prefer a Mammoth or Smilodon, anything you might have seen in an Ice Age or Land Before Time movie. Choose something and keep thinking about it. What did it look like? What did it sound like? What did it smell like? You can breathe out now.

What did you think of? Whatever it was, when you drew in that breath, or at least breaths like it, there is a reasonable chance that some of the atoms in the air were shared between you and your prehistoric friend. The same goes for any historical figure you can think of. Because of a lovely little thing called the law of conservation of mass, the same can also be said on some level about pretty much everything that has ever existed. Ever. 

As far as we understand, from roughly the instant after the Big Bang about 13.7 billion years ago, to today, there has been the same amount of stuff, being used over and over and over again in different forms. The particles that went on to make up the atoms that make up everything that came after, everywhere.  

Just think of that. The stuff that makes up everything you can see and have ever seen, everything shown in the Pale Blue Dot from my last post, everything there has ever been, has been floating around, colliding with and bouncing off all the other stuff, making up quite literally all of the things, since the literal beginning of time. Even the electrons travelling through the circuits, and the photons travelling from your screen and hitting your eye. It could just be me, but I think this is absolutely incredible. To think that this process has been rolling on, slowly accumulating and creating all of the amazing sights and sounds you have described in your posts, it just blows my mind. 

You might think that the fact that we, a product of this process, are able to understand, through a lot of trial and error, that this is what has been and is continuing to happen would be cool as it gets, and I wouldn’t blame you for that, it’s a lot as it is, but what’s even cooler is that we can actually see the event that did made it all. The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation is the residual imprint of the initial expansion of the universe, which takes the form of a little bit of radiation lingering around at all times. The wavelengths are mapped to the visible spectrum in the image below.

 

Looking at this picture, I can’t help but think about how absolutely astonishing it is that we are even able to understand what we are looking at, and what it represents in terms of the continuity between then and now. As I look to the future, both in terms of my life, and in terms of the planet I share with every other thing, I have a renewed sense of connectedness and duty. We as humans are the only ones who are able to understand our predicament. As the Beck et al. text makes clear, this week and in several prior readings, the role of an environmental interpreter is not only to educate and engage people for the sake of interest, but also for the sake of conservation. This is not a purely altruistic effort either. We live in this system, and it’s in our best interests to keep it going as well as we can. 

It’s been really great reading through everyone’s posts this week!

Ryan

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7. Nature Interpretation Through Music

Although asking where is music in nature and where is nature in music may appear as straight forward questions, there is much to dissect. Nature and music heavily influence one another, they are constantly overlapping, and building off each other. For me, answering these questions involves both subjectivity and objectivity. On one hand I have a clear understanding of where I notice music in nature and nature in music. However, then there are areas where I cannot distinguish where is music in nature and where is nature in music because of how interconnected music and nature are. I believe there are areas where both music can be seen in nature and nature can be seen in music simultaneously. One example where I see the two concepts/questions co-existing is at the Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre located in Morrison, Colorado.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMYyj49Ft/

TikTok User: makaylasutton Performer: Zach Bryan Location: Red Rocks Park Amphitheatre, Morrison, Colorado

Venues and locations such as this one creates opportunities for music to exist in natural landscapes, while also allowing nature to be incorporated into a musical experience. Their mutual existence provides this extremely impactful and novel experience that can move people in ways that may not be achievable without either factor. For me, these kinds of interactions hugely impact the way I value concerts; I feel far more inclined to spend money on an experience that feels all-encompassing. I am the most present when I can turn my face up to the sky and take in my surroundings, whether it be a starry night, a clear blue day, or torrential downpour, while being exposed to the organic nature of live music that creates the most synergetic, synchronized experience.  

All over the world ancestral and indigenous groups have developed musical practices and ceremonies that provide varying meaning and importance to each group. Majority of indigenous and ancestral groups have a close relationship with nature, often viewing themselves and nature as part of an extended ecological family that shares ancestry and origins. There is a perceived relatedness to each other and all natural elements of an ecosystem that is honoured, respected, and celebrated (Salmón, 2000). The ceremonies and practices that take place to honour, respect and celebrate this close relationship often take place in nature, incorporate nature, and/or are heavily influenced by nature. For example, Inuit ceremonies and celebrations tell stories, mimic nature, and celebrate events such as the first successful hunt of a young boy or the birth of a child using drums made from caribou skin. In addition, another cultural practice is Inuit throat singing which replicates the sounds of nature, such as a flock of geese or the Qamuti gliding on ice (Stepping Stones, 2019). This serves as another intersection where both music can be found in nature and nature can be found in music.

There are so many ways to perceive where is music in nature and where is nature in music. Music in nature can be seen through animals and the ambient sounds of different biomes. Whales, birds, and humans have many similarities in structure in the songs they use to communicate such as rhythmic variation, pitch relationships, permutations, and combinations of notes (Gray et al. 2001). In The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music there is mention if songs can be defined as “any rhythmic repeated utterance,” if so then I consider the sounds of waves crashing on a beach or the sounds of a storm to be an example of music in nature (Gray et al. 2001). Similarly, to indigenous songs and music, nature can be seen in music through folk singers and poets in all cultures. There is expression of the relationship between man and nature, and traditional ways of co-operation with nature through this art form (Sahi, 2012). In addition, nature can be seen in both modern and traditional music through the integration of natural sounds (Sahi, 2012). For example, the intro to a song I love called, Short Change Hero truly sets a scene for the rest of the song; you can hear thunder and wind from a storm, and the rustling of dirt and gravel underneath someone’s feet as they walk. Although both music and nature are beautiful on their own and both can be seen in one another, nothing may be more impactful than the connectivity between the two and what it can do for life on earth.

The song Candy by Paolo Nutini is a song that I connect to in many ways; I think the main reason why I feel such a strong connection to this song is because of the feelings and memories it evokes. I listened to this song on my first solo trip out west to British Columbia, a place I have a deep love for due to my previous trips and family ties. This was my first time going alone; I was coming out of a time where I felt like I was facing so many tests to see if I was strong enough to be there for myself and trust that I was ready to face whatever was thrown my way. At the time it was the freest I had ever felt, I believed that nothing could stand in my way. This was the song I listened to as my plane took off from Toronto during sunset, it was the first song I played when I left my hotel for any adventure on the west coast, and it was what I listened to when I was admiring and reflecting on the beauty of British Columbia. However, the core memory I associate it with was when I was hiking the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountain range. I had never experienced anything like it; although it was not the top of the world, it felt like it. It was late August, so the air was still warm, but the mountain breeze was crisp and the freshest air I had been exposed to. I don’t know how many times I listened to this song when I was up there, but every time I hear it, I am flooded with memories and feelings from that trip to the mountains.  

This is a photo of me at the top of Blackcomb Mountain 

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science’s Compass, 29, 52-54.

Sahi, V. (2012). Using folk traditional music to communicate the sacredness of nature in Finland. In Mallarach, J.-M. (Ed.), Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe Workshop Proceedings (129-132). Bundesamt für Naturschutz.

Salmón, E. (2000). Kincentric Ecology: Indigenous perceptions of the human–nature relationship. Ecological Applications, 10(5), 1327–1332. https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(2000)010[1327:keipot]2.0.co;2  

Stepping Stones. (2019). First Nations, Métis and Inuit Music and Dance (Chapter 10). Alberta Teachers’ Association Walking Together: Education for Reconciliation. https://legacy.teachers.ab.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/ATA/For%20Members/ProfessionalDevelopment/Walking%20Together/PD-WT-16j-10%20Music%20and%20Dance.pdf

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Hi Laura,

Thanks for your post, it has some really interesting insight I hadn’t considered. I think you’re absolutely right, that there are times where the line between nature and human conceptions of music blur, and we are left to experience elements of both at the same time. I think the Amphitheatre you linked to is a really cool venue, and I agree that I think a show at a venue like this would be really interesting and enjoyable, because it would be an experience just being there. I also agree with how you highlighted the magic inherent in live music. 

Whale and bird songs can be truly incredible, and I also appreciate the ambient songs such as waves crashing on a beach, or the wind brushing through trees. The way music can truly surround us is inspiring and I am glad you mentioned how when music and nature come together, the result is more than the sum of its parts. I also appreciated how you highlighted both traditional and contemporary ways in which nature and music have been incorporated with one another, it really helped to highlight the link they share.

I loved the song you shared, and I thought it was really cool to hear about the experiences you associate with it. You’ve not only turned me onto a new song, but made me want to breathe the rocky mountain air for myself. Exploring the beauty of our country is something I always appreciate, and hearing about your experience has made me want to see even more of it! 

Thank you again for sharing, keep seeing what’s out there!

Ryan

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Unit 7 - Music in Nature

I got about a hundred words into this post and had to start over. I was taking it a little too seriously, and overthinking one of my favourite topics until it wasn’t fun anymore. I actually take music very seriously. It’s important to me. I need it like I need water. I find they have similar restorative properties after a long day. Playing and listening to the music I love has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. But, the most important thing about music for me is that it’s fun! 

For me, when I think about music in nature, my first thought is the kind of thing investigated in the essay by Gray et al. (2001). Whale songs, bird songs, and most germane to our particular point of view, human made music, are all examples of the natural world creating music. The species Homo sapiens has been on the planet for about a quarter of a million years, and I am willing to wager that for at least most of that, we and some of the other hominids were humming to themselves, and maybe singing around a campfire, telling stories and making music. 

This display is not so different from that of the whales or birds mentioned in the Gray et al. text, plus a myriad of other species that use sonorous calls to communicate. Wolves howl, bees buzz and dance, horses whinny, other primates make all kinds of vocalisations. The difference, I think, is that those calls and songs are mainly utilitarian. As far as we can tell, only us humans make music because we like it, because it’s pretty. That being said, a bird’s song having utility doesn’t make it any less lovely, and some of their songs are truly beautiful, so nice in infact that I have written this post listening to some of them.  Music can also be found in nature in less obvious ways. Water flowing in syncopated rhythm down a stream, the wind making the pine needles sound like a snare being played with brushes, even the steady 1-2 march of… a march. If you are listening for it, music is there.

Nature can be found in music in all kinds of ways. Like I said, wolves howl, but so does Warren Zevon in Werewolves of London. Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov composed Flight of the Bumblebee to mimic exactly what it says, and my roommate spent enough time in elementary and high school practicing this section of Sleigh Ride that he got startlingly good at it. As the lesson for this unit mentions, there are plenty of artists and music traditions that incorporate nature into their music. Indigenous cultures specifically have taken cues from the natural world in composing the songs which have been passed down generation to generation. Given that music seems to be in our nature, it is unsurprising that nature is in our music.

Finally, I’ve talked before about the late great Stan Rogers, and specifically about his song Northwest Passage. Here performed by his son Nathan, the song like many of Stan’s lyrics tells the story of the Canadian landscape. In this case, he wrote it after driving across the Prairies and thinking of the many explorers who “discovered” the land we now live on. It puts in my mind pictures of the explorers mentioned in by name, Kelsey, the Franklin Expedition, Fraser and Davis (by way of the bodies of water named for them), but it also brings to mine the real first people to travel across the land.

I wonder what it looked like when they arrived, what they thought as they travelled further and further across the landscape, from the frozen tundra, the rolling plains, the cliff faces of the Rockies and the Canadian Shield, across the thundering river now known as the Saint Lawrence, and further down across the Americas. How different were their lives? How were they similar to us? I can’t be sure, but I like to think that while they walked across land that had never been tread before, they probably hummed or whistled a tune to themselves.

[fbenvs3000w23]

On the Importance of 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 find this quote relates well to another from chapter 14 of our textbook:

"We are deceiving ourselves if we think that when we stand in front of a case of medals, or guns, or photographs of mutilated bodies, we are looking at the past. We are looking also at the present and the future. If interpretation is to be a source of social good, then it must recognize the continuity of history and alert us to the future through the past.” –David Uzzell (Beck et al., 2018)

The first portion of the first quote says: “there is no peculiar merit in ancient things…”. Here, I assume “ancient things” refers to historical things, being circumstances or objects, that no longer exist in today’s society. Additionally, I define “merit” as the quality of being particularly good or worthy. Thus, “ancient things” in the first quote parallels the use of “medals, guns, or photographs” in the second. And “merit” could be understood to relate to the second quote’s description of “source of social good”. Therefore, “there is no peculiar merit in ancient things…” can be understood as that the worth of historical artifacts is not the items themselves.

The next part of the first quote: “… but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole…” correlates with the part of the second quote: “If interpretation is to be a source of social good, then it must recognize the continuity of history…”. Here “integrity” encompasses the importance of acknowledging “the continuity of history.” So now we have the worth of historical artifacts is not in the items themselves but in the acknowledgement of the lessons, pertinence and impacts they continue to have. Interpreting history helps us understand how to better navigate present and future challenges; moreover, it provides us with context to help us better understand the feelings, trauma or subjugation of certain groups of people. As the first quote states, to ignore these historical happenings or act as if the “past is done with”, is akin to “believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.”

There are many examples that aptly exemplify this concept. One that is important to me, is the treatment of indigenous peoples by white colonizers. Many non-indigenous people are quick to put the subjugation and mistreatment of these people in the past, however these communities continue to feel the impacts and trauma from this part of history. Just because we may believe something is in the past, does not mean that it is for everyone. When we interpret historic items and occurrences while upholding the integrity of historic contexts, we become advocates for social justice and responsible citizenship.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Venture.

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Hi Faith,

I really appreciate your point of view on this quote and the way you linked it to an equally thought provoking excerpt from the readings. I like the parallels you drew between the “ancient things” described by Hyams and the imagery Uzzell invokes. I agree with the overall take away that the merit in artifacts is not in their utility, but in the stories their very existence tells us. At the end of the day, it’s just stuff, but the ways that stuff can inform us about so many things is what gives them their value. 

You really hit the nail on the head in how you summed up what Hyams means by “integrity”, and the “continuity of history” is a great way to draw attention to the fact that history itself is a series of events that build off of one another. Your highlighting of the importance of the context history offers for many of the troubles we face today is also awesome, and I totally agree. An understanding of the historical context of any number of events is as important as checking your blindspot when changing lanes.

Finally, I appreciate you mentioning the continuing need to educate people on the magnitude of the struggle and generational pain of indigenous peoples the world over. Like so many uncomfortable truths which have been swept under the rug through time, it is important that we grapple with them and have informed conversations, bolstered by knowledge of the context history gives us, so that we can continue to progress as a society and a species. 

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, it was really great to be able to read them!

Ryan

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Unit 6: The Importance of 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.”

I don’t think the importance of learning from and understanding history can be overstated. Possibly because I find history genuinely interesting, possibly because I know the old cliche about those who fail to learn from it, I find that learning about history, either in broad strokes or in specifics, can be a very informative and enlightening, but also humbling experience. A knowledge of history can at once demonstrate humanity’s greatest triumphs as well as our darkest moments, and offers us important insight as we look to the future. 

In this excerpt, Hyams raises an important point about the nature and purpose of the modern study of history - to reveal the truth of events as they happened, from a minimally biased perspective, with proper context for both the contributing factors and runoff effects, so that we can understand the story of history as completely as possible. This is the meaning I am taking from Hyams’ allusion to integrity. He ascribes merit not to individual objects - cups, bowls, bits of cloth, scraps of paper - but to the power they hold as pieces of the truth, pieces of that story. As referenced in the Beck text, and in similar fashion to a Starfleet officer, the first duty of any natural interpreter is to the truth. Maintaining the integrity of the true story of what happened, to the best of our abilities, is vital not only to educating ourselves on the past for its own sake, but also preparing ourselves for the present and the future. 

Of course, the quote makes clear that just because something is old doesn’t necessarily make it valuable, but when seen through this lens, it very much does. The very fact that we are able to look at an artifact, be it 70 or 70 000 years old, represents innumerable coincidences, choices, and conscious efforts that resulted in the object, you, and the two of you coming together. When considering natural history specifically, the implications of that happenstance are increased exponentially, and the accuracy of Hyams’ sentiment is underscored. Our connection to history through the sharing of objects, stories, and experiences is an essential part of the human experience, and allows us perspectives which would otherwise be lost to us. 

The second half of the quote helps to demonstrate a key point in what a lack of understanding of history. It also brings to mind imagery of a part of one of the darkest periods in human history, and one I have a connection to. As the Beck et al. text references, the efforts made to ensure the events of the Holocaust are never repeated and never forgotten. An entire branch of my father’s family was exterminated in concentration camps because they happened to be Jewish. Many like them were packed onto rail cars, as many as could possibly fit, and sent to their deaths. Never forget is what they’ve been saying ever since, but since the Shoah, there have been several genocides across the globe resulting in the deaths of millions more, and an even more recent rise in antisemitism. It is our duty as interpreters and as stewards of the planet in the coming years to be conscious of the past so as we attempt to navigate the future.  I’m choosing to close off with an excerpt from Carl Sagan’s Pale Blue Dot. I first watched this video when I was probably 12 or 13, and it has informed much of my outlook ever since. I highly encourage you to give it a listen if you’re feeling particularly existential, and consider this dot, our home, the setting of every moment in our history.

[lrmenvs3000w23]

Zoos, to support or not support? (Unit 05)

            Growing up, I loved going to the Toronto Zoo with my family. As a child, I saw it as a fun and innocent experience that was also educational. Obviously, at that age, I was unaware of the ethical concerns regarding zoos, and the constant debate on whether they should be allowed or not. As I got older, I began to understand the ethical implications of keeping wild animals in captivity, regardless of if it is for educational purposes or not.

            So, I began to raise the question to myself, would ever go back to a zoo again? Now, I am aware that zookeepers and the staff that maintain the zoos, for the most part, care for the animals immensely. But, I still question whether this justifiable enough to support the continuation of zoos as a business. After all, these animals were never meant to be stuck in captivity for the rest of their lives.

            However, on the other hand, I understand the curiosity of the human nature. As a kid, I loved watching Zoboomafoo, and I was so excited to see a lemur in person. I guess you can say its scientific curiosity in its earliest forms. That’s the great thing about zoos, you don’t have to fly all the way to an animal’s native habitat to see them and study them. We have talked about barriers to learning and education in this course, with financial barriers being a big one, not everyone can fly to Madagascar to go see a lemur. 

            When I am speaking about zoos, the main picture that appears in my head is that of lions, frogs, otters, polar bears, and other terrestrial organisms. However, one thing I can adamantly say I am 100% against is keeping large aquatic mammals in captivity. Simply put, there is no realistic way to accommodate animals such as orcas in captivity, in a way that is human. Their territory is simply too wide. I saw a video recently about the last remaining orca at marineland in Niagara, and it is simply heartbreaking to witness. Again, I’m sure the caretakers of marine animals care deeply about what they do, but I find it hard to get behind.

            So, to wrap it all up, is there benefits of creating zoos? For sure, it makes science more accessible to the masses, and creates interest for kids, who otherwise may not have found any interest in science. But, there are certainly moral and ethical dilemmas behind every corner when it comes to supporting these organizations. 

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Hi Liam,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this really interesting topic. I think you are absolutely right to ask yourself about the ethics of the situation regarding zoos, and it’s a question I’ve asked myself several times. I can definitely relate to loving going to the Toronto Zoo as a kid, and it’s one of the places I fell in love with biology and conservation. I also LOVE Zoboo. The Kratt Brothers are icons in conservation and communication, and I am glad to see that the work they did years ago has had an impact on people our age. 

To the real guts of the issue though, I completely agree with you about marine mammals. The cases of neglect and abuse we have known about for so long, which manifests in the health of these beautiful animals slowly deteriorating is abhorrent. On the other hand, I am inclined to advocate slightly for certain zoos. With proper accreditation and care standards, I believe there are ways to maintain animal welfare as well as ethical standards and help in small ways with global conservation efforts. Many accredited zoos, including the Toronto Zoo, tend to keep captive bred animals, with some notable exceptions including Charles, the silverback gorilla who was rescued from Gabon when his mother was killed by poachers. He is now the one of the oldest known living members of his species, and has been invaluable to the global network of captive gorilla breeding programs which ensure there is no need to take animals out of the wild to put them in zoos. 

While there are certainly ethical concerns around breeding animals to live their whole lives in captivity, the guiding philosophy as I understand it is that these animals are representatives of their species, and are raised to act as similarly as possible to if they were in the wild. This is incredibly valuable in terms of allowing individuals to experience these animals which they would never have the chance to see, such as a certain garbanzo bean eating lemur, and helps to increase awareness of the issues these animals and their habitats face. If a zoo is able to do these things, I believe there is a case to be made that they can be considered ethical, but it is a genuinely difficult question to answer for a whole bunch of reasons.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts!

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Unit 5: Science, and the pleasure of not knowing.

One of the things I’ve enjoyed the most about this course so far is the fact that it gives me the opportunity to take an hour or so, listen to a bit of music (usually Elton John), and reflect on a topic which I enjoy - the natural world and our role in it. Sometimes the writing is a little more rushed than I would like (like tonight), and sometimes I don’t fully connect with the prompt, but the process of coming up with five or six hundred words to try and tell a story is always fascinating and rewarding. Having a week where the prompt is a bit of free association is not only a lovely reprieve from studying for midterms, but also lets me reflect on the semester up till now, and look back on what I’ve learned so far.

This week’s lesson finally tackled the part of environmental interpretation that I love the most: the science! While I will always be pulled by the arts as much as by the sciences, when it comes to the natural world, I find that looking at it through an inquisitive, scientific lens to be the most fulfilling. In previous posts, I’ve alluded to figures who have had an influence on me in terms of environmental interpretation: David Attenborough, the Kratts, Steve Irwin, Bill Nye, the Mythbusters, Jane Goodall, Carl Sagan, Jay Ingram, Ziya Tong, Dan Riskin, Richard Feynman, Hank Green… the list goes on for days.

The unifying feature of all of these individuals is their clear breadth of knowledge and enthusiasm for sharing it. In particular, Professor Richard Feynman was famous for his ability to explain complex ideas simply, and the adage about not truly understanding something until you can explain it to a child is variously attributed to him, and whether he was the first person to say it or not, he certainly lived his academic life by this principle. Feynman’s socratic ability to dissect very complex ideas such as magnetism or quantum physics into digestible chunks that can then be further broken down into simpler and simpler questions, such as in this example. In this example too, he makes a very important point about the nature of interpretation. 

The interviewer at the beginning of the seven and a half minute clip asks why magnets repel one-another when in one orientation but are attracted to one-another when one is flipped around. After about six minutes of explanation about why this is both such an interesting and important question, Feynman finally ends up admitting that because the audience doesn’t have a certain amount of prior knowledge in physics, he can’t explain the concepts in any way they understand, meaning that he doesn’t truly understand the concept. This is an important part of being an environmental interpreter - knowing when the audience will be receptive to a deep dive into the details and facts and tangents, and knowing when to split the difference and make a slight simplification or generalisation or admission that, in fact, you don’t know, in order to improve overall understanding.

The last point, the admission that you don't know something, is one of the most important tools an interpreter has. Being able to confidently say that I am not sure of the answer to a question can be a joyful and exciting experience, because it means there is something to discover, and even more questions to ask and answer.

[dzuraw3000w23]

Prompt 4:

First, jumping to the second question of this prompt, how do I interpret the gift of beauty, I would say it is all in the feelings that I engage with while looking at nature. In the textbook, Interpreting Culture and Natural Heritage for a Better World (Beck et al 2018), they define different principles of interpretation and link them to many different feelings or ideas these principles should invoke. The principle that invokes the gift of beauty is as follows, “interpretation should instill in people the ability and desire, to sense beauty in their surroundings—to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation” (Beck et al 2018). This quote really stuck out to me as it put into words the way I feel about experiencing nature; through feelings and a sense of wonder. It is so important for modern humans to connect with nature, not only does this allow our minds a break from the stressors of everyday life, it can create a sense of lust for the future, a future that is not so cement and grim. The sense of wonder that nature can bring is so impactful, that is why I think National Geographic type of documentaries are so widely enjoyed, it shows us just how incredible our own planet is. These documentaries, to me, are art projects just as much as informational programs. The grandness and then the closeness of the cinematography creates a sense of awe when watching (I would highly suggest “Our Planet” on Netflix if you haven't already seen it). This leads well into what I think is the most important part of nature interpretation and the ladder half of what the gift of beauty principle is saying; preservation of resources and species. Humans are so much more likely to care about something if 1, it pertains to them, or 2, it invokes a feeling that they want to investigate further. So when we see a beautiful sunset, a scenic mountain range, or an animal going about its day, we want to hold onto that beauty as an escape from our everyday surroundings.

For me, I interpret nature as art through photographs, recently I took a photo that combined my two favorutite things, a blue sky and clean-line architecture. It was such a simple photo just taken through my bedroom window but made me so feel so pleased. The snow on the rooftop and the bright sunny sky were a great contrast that made me think of winter in a much more positive light than I have in the past. As someone who does not enjoy the winter season, this simple photo made me appreciate its beauty just as much as I may appreciate a blooming flower in spring. That is what I think the best part of nature interpretation is, feeling grateful for the nature around you even when it is as simple as the top of your neighbor's house.

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Hey Darian,

I really appreciate hearing your insights into the nature of The Gift of Beauty, and the way you connected this week’s readings with photography. I also found I had to take the prompt in backwards order, because the idea of the Gift of Beauty is kind of a hard one to pin down. I really like how you put it in terms of nature documentaries. I think that they’re a great way to connect with the world around us, and some of the most impressive habitats and creatures on the planet. While I’m writing this response, I’m starting Our Planet on Netflix. It already has a great tone stressing both the importance of conservation and hope for the future. I am SO happy to be able to say I live at the same time as Sir David Attenborough!

I also appreciate what you said about the “lust for the future”. I definitely feel this drive toward a better tomorrow, and I’m glad you were able to put it into words. 

Thank you for sharing that photo! It was really interesting how you briefly broke down what was so compelling about the shot, and I can see your eye for composition from it alone! I’d love to see more pictures you’ve taken. I also think you really nicely interpreted the scene you composed, showing the stark cold of winter, but also how bright and almost warm it can seem. The contrast of the field of blue with the hard lines and angles is also really interesting. Your final point, that natural interpretation can be as simple as peering out at your neighbour’s roof, made me think a little bit more about this class, and gave me pause to have a quick glance out my own window.

Thank you again for sharing, I can’t wait to hear and see more from you this semester,

Ryan

[rmkenvs3000w23]

Unit 4: Interpretation through Art

To answer the blog prompts for this week’s post, I will tackle them in reverse order.

Beck et al. (2018) defines The Gift of Beauty as instilling in the audience “the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings - to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation.” (pp. 85) This is a bit of a tall order, but it is also a key feature of enjoying nature, and getting people to care about it. For some people, many of us in this course included, there is an inherent beauty for nature as it is. We enjoy walks in the woods, hiking up a mountain, spending the day on the water, or on the trails, for the fact that we get to be out in the fresh air, surrounded by beautiful scenery as much as for recreation, if not more. I know personally, being in nature offers me a genuine sense of calm and security, the closest I get to spirituality, and makes me appreciate my luck in living in a place and in a time where I can have these experiences. To me, The Gift of Beauty is the ability to share that feeling with others by meeting them where they are, in this case through art.

In reflecting on the readings and on the prompt for this week’s post, I began immediately to think about how the topic impacts me and my chosen art, music. On top of being my favourite kind of art and media to consume, it is also one I have some measure of talent in. I sing, play a few instruments, and really enjoy performing. As long as I can remember, I have been singing to pass the time. In high school, I taught myself to play the ukulele, then the guitar and the bass, as well as the harmonica. I also played the tuba for six or seven years. More than any of that though, I have enjoyed listening to music, and above all, music that tells a story. As discussed in Chapter 10 of the Beck et al. (2018) reading, there are several ways in which music, as well as other interpretive arts, can tell stories and share messages relevant to natural interpretation and conservation, specifically through traditional folk music and more contemporary, youth based ensembles.While those certainly have their place, my mind went immediately to Stan Rogers. 

Stan Rogers grew up in Hamilton, Ontario but spent summers with family in Nova Scotia. From his experiences in the Maritimes came his love of celtic and folk music, as well as his first album, Fogarty’s Cove, which contains songs inspired by the region, specifically Rogers’ most famous recording, “Barrett’s Privateers”. Two later albums, Northwest Passage and From Fresh Water, were similarly inspired by the prairies and northern Canada and the Great Lakes respectively.

The title track of Northwest Passage is my favourite of Stan’s songs, and tells the story of the singer “driving hard across the plains”, harkening back to the Franklin Expedition and several other “explorers” involved in settlement of what is now known as Canada, and making specific mention of geographic features such as the Davis Straight, the Beaufort Sea, and the roaring Fraser River. While this song does omit any mention of the first peoples of the land and speaks to a wider issue surrounding the cultural fascination with those who “discovered” this place, it and many more of Stan’s songs engage the listener with a whole host of emotions, references, and points of view about the area most of us call home. If I were to use music to engage with my audience about environmental interpretation and conservation, to share The Gift of Beauty, I would want to do it in a way which emulated Stan’s sincerity, eye for detail and sense of humour, combined with messages that make the environment a character in the story, and give voice to those whose stories have not been told.

[mfevs3000w23]

The Role of Privilege in Nature Interpretation

My working definition of privilege relates to the unearned advantages that individuals and groups have as a result of the social biases and norms within society concerning attributes like race, gender, sexuality, class, ability etc. As Gallavan (2005) highlights, the construct of privilege has become embedded and institutionalised in social systems like education and schooling, but also often remains completely under-acknowledged and assumed by many of us in society. Yet, education and interpretation practices and activities can serve as a vital window of opportunity to recognise privilege and engage individuals and groups in critical conversations concerning the dominant values and politics that prevail within our society (Gallivan, 2005).

Arguably the first and most important step in addressing these social inequalities and ensuring social justice is to explore our own ‘invisible knapsack’ and acknowledge how this has influenced the opportunities made available to us (McIntosh, 1989). Indeed, those of us born into privilege are not actively encouraged to engage in self-reflection concerning these unearned advantages and how this impacts others within our local and wider community (Gallavan, 2005). Within my own ‘invisible knapsack’ I recognise that I am a white, middle-class, healthy, English-speaking, highly educated woman. I grew up in a small, safe village with my parents who have supported me throughout my education and working life. Both of my parents had well-paid jobs, so me and my brother never had to worry about there not being food on the table and had the opportunity to go on family holidays and engage in hobbies outside of the home. I also have a British passport, which has given me the opportunity to travel outside of my home country, including studying here in Canada for the year. These things I have not earned, but I have been given as a result of simply where I was born, who my parents are and the secure and supportive environment they provided me with. My privilege has in turn shaped my relationship with nature, providing me with direct access and experiences within the natural world and a high-quality education to help enhance my understanding of it.

Hence, this is why understanding privilege as an environmental interpreter is so integral; it shapes how and to the extent that individuals and groups experience nature. Beck et al., (2018) suggest that central to ensuring inclusivity and accessibility within interpretation programs is to make efforts to understand, relate and connect with your audience. More specifically, as interpreters, we must strive to understand not only why people attend programs, but also why some people do not (Beck et al., 2018). Some groups and individuals want to participate, but they encounter real or perceived physical, social or psychological obstructions when trying to do so (Beck et al., 2018).  Underserved populations within interpretation vary depending on the context of where you are but can include demographics based on race, age, ethnicity etc. Beck et al (2018) propose five key reasons why more minorities do not attend interpretation programs or facilities; economic barriers, cultural barriers, a lack of knowledge, communication barriers and fear. They suggest a number of ways to achieve improved inclusivity within interpretation programs that can overcome these barriers. This includes the direct involvement and invitation of minority populations to interpretation programs, potentially through local organisations, clubs and groups (Beck et al., 2018). Increasing staff diversity by hiring more minority staff members who can act as a liaison for ethnic communities can also not only address cultural barriers but also reduce fears of discrimination and exclusion (Beck et al., 2018).

Privilege and the accessibility of interpretation programs also impact those with physical disabilities (Beck et al., 2018). Interpretation experiences involving outdoor activities may be inaccessible to some individuals, whilst verbal or written communications by the interpreter may be inaccessible for individuals with impaired eyesight or hearing. Indeed, some of my friends who have a physical disability have experienced difficulty accessing certain lecture rooms and extra-curricular activities whilst at my home university. Even in this formal educational setting, there are prevailing physical barriers to ensuring inclusion and accessibility. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic occurred, online platforms to deliver our lectures were utilized, which helped overcome these barriers. This highlighted to me how technology can offer a wealth of opportunities to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of interpretation, not only for those with a physical disability but also individuals and groups encountering language and other communication challenges.  

It is vital that interpreters recognise and cater for the diverse audiences that they serve and explore different means of relating and connecting with them (Beck et al., 2018). This involves not only reflecting on our own privileges as an interpreter but also making an effort to understand the beliefs, values, interests and potential barriers faced by specific underserved groups and demographics. Ensuring inclusivity and accessibility within interpretive programs is central to establishing a comfortable and safe learning environment and facilitating engagement in environmental interpretation activities.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.

Gallavan, N.P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks”. Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36.

McIntosh, P. (1989). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12.

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Hi Mia, 

I really appreciated how you got right to the point with your definition of privilege, and specifically how you mentioned it being an unearned thing which is advantageous because of social bias. I also appreciate that you highlight the largely under-acknowledged nature of privilege, as well as the role education can play in fixing that problem.

Acknowledgement and awareness of one’s own privileges is extremely important. As we have all been unpacking our invisible bags this week, I have been very interested to both hear a bit more about people’s lives and experiences, as well as refreshing and illuminating to reflect on the different lenses through which others are aware of their own privilege. I liked the way you rendered down your various privileges, many of which I share, to the simple facts of where one is born, who their parents are, and the environment in which they were raised. I agree that those forms of privilege have also been very influential in my own relationship with nature, and that is something I think it is very good to always be conscious of. 

I am glad you outlined this specific section of the Beck reading, as I think it is probably the most important part, as well as something I remember hearing about prior to this course as one of my first interactions with the concept of privilege in a day to day sense. Realising that my fundamental understanding and relationship with something I hold so dear, the natural world, has been so influenced by more than just interest, and access, which are already important privileges, but also economic opportunity, and the degree to which I feel comfortable and secure when out in nature was really eye opening. 

Finally, I really really liked how you summed up the importance of reflection and being aware of your audience’s “beliefs, values, and potential barriers”, as well as the emphasis on an engaging, comfortable, and safe learning environment. 

Thank you so much for sharing your insight, I am excited to hear more from you over the course of the semester!

Ryan

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Unit 3: The Role of Privilege in Environmental Interpretation

In reflecting on the nature of privilege, both after studying this unit and more generally over the past few years, I have noted a few very important things. Firstly, I would argue that almost everyone has a certain amount of privilege, though some vastly more than others. Secondly, some privileges carry much more weight than others. Finally, having certain privileges does not mean that an individual has not faced adversity. 

When thinking about my own privilege, and when discussing the issue with certain family members around the holidays, I often describe it in terms of the “game of life”. Because I am a cisgender, heterosexual man, I get to play life on an easier setting than a little more than half of the planet, right off the bat. Add to that my European ancestry, and the fact that I was born in a country where my parents had to pay more for TV service in the hospital room and parking than for my delivery, which gives me another few steps forward in the $100 race analogy. Those parents of mine were both born in Canada, as were all of their parents. They taught me to speak, read, and write in English, while from Grade 1 on, I went to a public French Immersion elementary school. This gives me the ability to communicate with almost 2 billion people, including most people on the continent upon which I live. These are some of the most basic traits about me, but already there are so many hurdles which I just get to side step as I walk through life. 

If I were to condense my own concept of privilege into a working definition, it would be anything which makes life easier, or just less difficult, for an individual, which is the result of factors out of that individual’s control. Often, privilege isn’t a binary but is rather a matter of degrees. This has a lot to do with the concept of intersectionality, and is extremely important when considering privilege.

In the realm of environmental science and interpretation, I will use my own experience with having a cottage, or not having one, as an example. A quintessential element of life in Canada for many families is going to the Cottage for the weekend. Camp, the cabin, le chalet, whatever you call it, it’s a fixture of Canadian culture. Unfortunately, my family was not fortunate enough to have a second property to use on weekends for four or five months of the year. On the other hand, I am lucky enough to have my Uncle Tom, the same uncle guy who smiling while knee deep in water in my previous post. All his life, he has had an appreciation for nature and the outdoors, and as such, he structured his life so that he could eventually work a beautiful cottage on Lake Nippissing into the plan. From a fairly young age, I’ve been able to spend a lot of time up there, seen eagles fly, moose cross the street, caught fish, and just take in the beauty of the place I get to live. It is my happy place, and it’s at about this time every year that I start to miss it all over again. While not quite a fully furnished house, the cottage has everything you could need to enjoy the natural world without abandoning the comforts of home. 

There are several elements of privilege at play here. First, my uncle was able to buy a cottage. This fact alone invokes issues ranging from the settlement of what is now Canada to my aunt and uncle’s ability to pay for the property. In addition to that, the reason the cottage is on Lake Nippissing specifically is because Tom first visited the lake over forty years ago with some friends from hockey on a fishing trip. That means that Tom had the privilege of having someone in his life who taught him how to skate, how to play hockey, fostered what has become a lifelong love of the game, and then he was able to find a whole hockey team’s worth of people his age who all had similar experience, and many of whom, 40 years later, are able to keep going on this trip every year. All of these factors then become distilled and combined with all the features of my privilege, from the things mentioned prior, to the fact that I have a loving extended family who are willing to foster my interests in the ways they can, to the fact that I have been able to come by the equipment necessary for something like fishing. 

When applying this to my role as an environmental interpreter, it is really important that I check my invisible backpack, and all the assumptions that come with it, at the door before I engage with my audience. I have worked in retail long enough to know that you can’t get every customer, not everyone will be receptive to every aspect of an interpretive walk or experience in nature, and some won’t be receptive to any of it, as presented in the example in Unit 3. Even as we take this course throughout the rest of the semester, we have to remember that the privilege that comes with being here, in University, in this specific course, is that we all likely enjoy aren’t in that last category, and as such we have to be keenly aware of how to approach the situation if a case such as that arises. I think being able to think on your feet, and sometimes be okay with abandoning the plan altogether when necessary, is just as important to the role of environmental interpreter as following exact steps and procedures or trying to present to the audience you want, not the audience you have.

I have been really enjoying reading everyone’s posts, and am excited to hear your thoughts!

Left: Some of the gang on what became known as Lunch Rock, so named because it is where they decided to start meeting for lunch.

Right: Some of the same guys, near the same spot, a few decades later. Apparently, Dinco (right, left in prev) hasn't felt the need for new jeans or a new pair of shoes for all this time.

Edits: Fix formatting issues

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What is an Environmental Interpreter to me?

I think there are many ways one can embrace the role of an environmental interpreter. Although we may all think of them as someone who just interprets the environment there is much more to it. What are the different ways they approach the environment? What observations or ideas make up their interpretation?

Every environmental interpreter has their own unique way of viewing the world around us. I think the relationship with nature should be explored so that it can be articulated in the best way. Exploring the connectivity between yourself and what you observe is key to understanding the environment. The National Association of Interpretation (NAI) defines interpretation as a “communication process” that requires understanding of the resources while creating a relationship emotionally and intellectually (About NAI, n.d). While exploring your purpose as an interpreter it is important to discover the best learning style for yourself, so you can cater to different learning styles. Although a certain learning style may work for yourself, this same learning style may not convey your interpretation of the environment to others as efficiently. Certain skills that I believe are key to being an interpreter is awareness, creativity, and inclusivity. Finding creative ways to broadcast your observations of the environment and your relationship with nature helps your audience to successfully understand the way you connect with nature as an individual. This can also inspire your audience to explore their connectivity with nature at higher levels so they can comprehend it in their own way.

An environmental interpreter may also be responsible for bringing awareness to issues in the environment that others may not recognize. It has been shown in studies that the level of connectedness humans have with nature can help to further alleviate environmental issues, which in turn can increase pro-conservation of the environment (Fehnker et al. 2022). Personally, my relationship with nature may be totally different than someone else's, however the connectivity with nature is what relates us to each other. I connect with nature by spending time outside whenever I feel like I need to take a break from screen time, or need some physical activity. Others may connect with nature to explore different wildlife or plants. 

Environmental interpreters should be able to explore their connections with nature, while encouraging their audience to further explore theirs on a deeper level. Methods such as using mindfulness have been used by interpreters to enhance experiences with nature, and promote a deeper connection (Dussel & Derringer, 2020). To go above and beyond, an interpreter can provide different techniques that will help their audience establish deeper connections. 

Would you be interested in finding different methods to establish a deeper connection with nature?

References

About NAI. (n.d.). National Association of Interpretation. From https://www.interpnet.com/NAI/interp/About/nai/_About/ABOUT.aspx?hkey=6f63cbdc-2744-4b3f-9983-27a9e4f93d4a

Dussler, R., & Deringer, S. A. (2020). Exploring the Effects of Interpreters’ Experiences of Mindfulness Interventions on Their Connection With Nature and Subsequent Environmental Interpretation. Journal of Interpretation Research, 25(1), 26–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/1092587220963556

Fehnker, L., Pearson, D., & Howland, P. J. (2022). Inclusion of nature in self and pro-nature beliefs: utilizing psychological scales in environmental management to Further understand if interconnectedness with nature supports sustainable outcomes - A case study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Australian Geographer, 53(1), 61–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2022.2051682

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Hi Simran, 

I really appreciated your analysis of what the role of an environmental interpreter means. I think you hit the nail on the head when you described how personal and unique each person’s relationship with the natural world is. I know some people who absolutely despise being out in nature, and I know some people (myself included) who more often feel like there is nowhere they would rather be, but along that entire spectrum, each individual’s relationship with nature impacts our role as environmental interpreters. Awareness, creativity and inclusivity are all extremely important aspects of any kind of broad work with the public, especially when conveying information, especially when trying to engage and foster enthusiasm about something as important as the environment and the natural world. 

Conservation and all the related efforts are without a doubt some of the most important causes active today. Due to the unfortunate treatment of the planet on behalf of our species, I think it’s important that we do our part to improve overall environmental awareness, and as you pointed out, that improves with increased natural connectedness. I think you’re right that our relationship with nature, our connection with the world around us, is an important way that we connect to one another. Self exploration and mindfulness are, in my opinion, vital parts to growing as a person, and I’ve found the longer I spend in nature, the easier that self reflection happens. The role of environmental interpreter is certainly a fluid one, with lots of room for change and flow depending on the interpreter and the audience. 

I am super interested in learning about different interpretive methods over the course of the semester, and am excited to hear your thoughts along the way! 

Ryan