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This blog was created for ENVS*3000, University of Guelph.
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Unit 10 :) 🦋☘️🐢
The past semester along with the blog posts have taught me alot about being an interpreter in nature, specifically. The blog post prompts in particular have made me unlock the level in my brain regarding how I view nature, and how it has impacted me in my life. I have learned a lot about myself, but as an interpreter, I would say that I believe in respecting nature and what it has given us as people. Now, I know that may sound so generic that anyone can say it easily because we all love nature ( hopefully), but as mentioned in my earlier blog posts, it's not about liking it or not, but appreciating the actual beauty and this gift we have that a lot of people look down upon. The past blog prompts have made me delve even deeper into the idea of being a nature interpreter, because this can be done in so many ways, from music to art, and more.
I personally have never had a great connection with nature growing up, because I enjoyed the comfort of staying in, away from the scalding heat or extreme cold temperatures. I would see people outside going for walks in any temperature, and it would shock me why people would put themselves out like that. I would be in awe, but growing up my perspectives about nature kept changing, and eventually led me to my current program. My parents are one strong pillar behind my enthusiasm and role in the nature interpretation part of my life, because they would always encourage us to go out in nature, and appreciate and love what god has given us. From a small walk, to a far away trip to a beautiful ocean, any of this made my parents make it a teaching experience because they would tell us about the small things within what we saw outside. The plants that we would see would make my parents teach us about them, like herbal remedies, and how some plants could be used medically. I slowly have begun since then to appreciate what we have in the outside world, even though it is being damaged. By damage, I mean climate change, and this is something that has been on the radar for so long because it is getting worse by the moment.
My favourite place to visit in the summer with my parents is the beach. It has opened so many learning opportunities for me, because it grew my love for nature even more! (NatGeo)
I see my role as an interpreter is to appreciate nature and love it, and to take care of it as if it were our own home. I believe that every leaf, blade of grass, rock, is to be appreciated, and respected because it is what builds the earth, and makes it a home for other animals that we also need to respect and care for when the opportunity comes. I see it my responsibility to get other people to love and respect the outside world. It is not something to run away from or pass and not care about, but something to respect. There are a variety of ways to help encourage oneself and others on how to love and appreciate nature, and make it feel like your own home rather than something boring. This has been showcased through the blog post prompts we have had, like through art and music. My favorite one was music, because nature being incorporated in sounds and rhythm is something very interesting to me. It can make one appreciate the naturalistic sounds more when you hear it in famous singers' songs. It can make one realize that nature can be that beautiful that is being used in some famous songs with millions and millions of views. This is one way nature can be loved and appreciated more in my opinion. What's great about these prompts we have had over the semester is that it can open more doors in one's mind and knowledge about the deeper side of things, like nature in this situation. It is so much more than what we see, it's delving more deeply, and understanding it from an artistic or creative lens almost.
The approaches that are the most suitable for me as an individual when it comes to nature interpretation is getting people together to appreciate what we have in the outside world and the environment, and to make them appreciate nature as much as I do or other people that share their love for nature. I obviously am not referring to a forceful way, but in a nice way where someone can learn something. This can be like joining community center programs like helping clean up a certain place in your neighborhood. Another example is a program to plant plants around your city, and this can be something for all ages. Having youth based programs or getting togethers are a great way to appreciate and love nature, and in a fun way because that's how it's supposed to be. Overall, there are just so many ways one can imagine in order to connect, appreciate, respect, nature and make it as their own. I have learned so much in this course, especially the blog prompts allowed me to do, and I never thought there was so much more to nature and outside world in a critically thinking manner.
Good luck everyone with your future endeavours :) 🦋🌊
Beach. Education. (n.d.). Retrieved March 26, 2023, from https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/beach/
Hi Fatima!
Reading your post made me feel like I can truly connect with you as a nature interpreter! I strongly agree that throughout this semester, these blog prompts have been extremely thought-provoking and made us look deep within ourselves. I also had a hard time connecting with nature when I was younger too. I live in a very urbanized city so it was hard to really view nature. I am also a homebody myself so going out requires a lot of mental strength. Your post goes to show how people also play an important role in our views of nature. As nature interpreters, it is always our goal to get people to connect with nature, whether it be through telling our stories or even sharing pictures. Your parents also seem super cool! Herbal remedies are a topic that I find extremely interesting and would love to learn more about it! I also found my favourite blog prompt is the one in which we interpret nature through art. These are ways in which we can appreciate nature through unorthodox methods. It was one of the blog posts that truly meant a lot to me and I will never forget it. I now realize that I try to look for nature in everyday mundane things. If you truly look, you can find nature in almost anything you do! I like how your approach is to gathering people. People truly help us make nature a better place and learn to love it more
I really liked reading your post, Fatima! And I am super glad this course meant a lot to you just like me!
Personal Ethics as an Interpreter
Every time a semester’s closing is near, it always amazes me how fast the weeks and units passed by, and working through this course has been no exception. It feels like just last week, I was scanning over the course outline, making note of each week's focus and theme, as well as documenting assignment due dates. Additionally, it feels like my personal perception and understanding of nature interpretation also developed and changed very quickly from the beginning of the course to where it stands now. My goal throughout this post, is to highlight the ways in which my personal ethic as a nature interpreter has shifted throughout these past 10 weeks, by touching upon the specific themes and subjects explored throughout the semester that have had the largest impact on my development.
(Throughout this final post, I've included some of my favorite photos I've taken of nature, as a reminder of ultimatley what we're all trying to preserve and protect.)
After reflecting on my past posts, a trending theme that I’ve touched upon often has been a change in understanding and perception of what it means to be a nature interpreter. Whether the theme was music, art, or technology, week to week I began to notice and reflect on my own experiences as a nature interpreter in the work field so far, and began to realize just how stuck I must have been in both a physical and mental routine. Why wasn’t I thinking of including more non-science based curriculum in my program planning? How could I not have seen the obvious similarities between planning and interpreting an arts based program and a nature based program? Teachers college was always mentioning “cross-curricular planning” and ways to pack in as many expectations as possible in creative ways.
(Burk's Falls, Ontario)
While sitting with these thoughts for some time throughout the course and especially for this week’s final post, I realized that at the time of my teacher’s college experience, I was generally not enjoying my classes and the content I was being presented with. There were a few reasons why I started to really drift away from wanting to be a traditional “classroom” teacher in the public system (lack of teacher support, high student class numbers etc), but the main one at the time was the sedentary style of learning, over controlling rules of child led play, and lack of outdoor time. It is through this dissatisfaction that I discovered outdoor education, environmental interpretation, and forest schools. The lack of nature inclusion in my programming may have been the reason why I’ve failed to consider bringing other curriculum and subject areas into nature interpretation, but I’m glad that I’ve gotten there now by working through this course, and I hope to bring in new subjects and ways of learning into my practice. This is one way in which my personal understanding of what it means to be a nature interpreter has changed.
Related specifically to my personal ethic as a nature interpreter, it is one first and foremost about the audience. This includes designing and facilitating programs that connect with the audience, considering barriers to program access, as well as reflecting on personal privileges. As Beck et. al (2018) mentions in Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audiences, we as interpreters must understand and reflect on why people don’t attend nature interpretation programs in order to create access to a wider, more diverse audience. Although I currently work for an ngo which provides programming for marginalized groups, I’ve worked for various organizations in the past who do not share the same mandate. At times, especially depending on confidence and years of experience, it can be easy to get stuck in routine without feeling like it’s one’s place to bring up issues surrounding inclusion and access. From now on, I hope to take my commitment to inclusion beyond just inclusive lesson planning, and instead take it upwards to management and those who are the decision makers. Although reasons for why nature interpretation experiences includes certain audiences over others, the barriers which cause this are deeply ingrained throughout society, and ultimately starts at privilege. As Gallavan (2005) describes, educational institutions have been designed to reinforce the practices and beliefs of privilege. Although certain aspects of privilege can sometimes be easy to overlook, something as simple as not knowing certain programs are available for public access can be a result of privilege, and must be addressed.
(Lake of Bays, Ontario)
Understanding, reflecting, and addressing privilege will also allow me to follow another personal ethic of nature interpretation practice related to the audience, which is relationship building and connection. One of Tilden’s (1957) Principle’s of Interpretation mentioned by Beck et. al (2018) that has stayed with me throughout the course is "Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being displayed or described to something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile (Figure 5.3)". One of my own personal goals of nature interpretation is to foster a connection, understanding and appreciation for nature, in order to spark environmental stewardship. In order for a program to be successful and achieve my goal, I must first take time to understand and connect with the audience. Whether it’s younger school aged students or adults, gaining attention and understanding first and foremost comes down to connecting with content. Relating to content is somewhat of a broad overarching topic and can include language, culture, learning style, hobbies, age etc. Although the list can be long, it can sometimes take just a few minutes of chatting and getting to know the audience, or doing some research ahead of time, to create that spark. And you can tell when it’s happened.
For example, I was once teaching a water science program in a remote community in Manitoba, which was an area I was unfamiliar with. Although the core takeaways were set for my lesson on watersheds, I took some time prior to the lesson to walk around and explore the area around the school and I saw what looked like pelicans overhead! I was somewhat in disbelief, as I had only associated pelicans with topical destinations, seeing many on the beaches when my family would travel south in the summer. When discussing wildlife in the classroom during the lesson, I asked students if they had pelicans in their area, and told them that I had no idea pelicans came this far north. They lit right up. They were thrilled to share information about something that reflected their area and home, and shared various stories about areas where you can find large populations of pelicans nesting. After that moment I had noticed a shift in attention, and a willingness to participate in activities. Acknowledging someone’s familiar is the first step towards achieving one’s goals as an interpreter, and making your program more meaningful for your audience.
(Gwillim Lakes, British Columbia)
I’m extremely grateful for the opportunities for reflection on my own personal interpretation practice that this course has provided me with. Although the saying may seem overused, this course has truly taught me that you never stop learning, even after you’ve been trained and practicing a job for years. Although the field of environmental science can be very doom and gloom at times, it is through education that I feel hopeful that society can shift perspective and begin to heal the ongoing destruction to our home. Without an understanding of the importance of various aspects of nature that keep all beings safe and healthy, we as a society cannot move forward. And so, the role of a Nature Interpreter is critical more now than ever.
Citations:
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.
Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their "invisible knapsacks". Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36.
Hey!
I really enjoyed reading your post! It was very personable and allowed me to connect with you through it! I truly understand how you feel like you have been limiting yourself in including more non-based science courses in your learning. As a Bachelor of Science student, I do feel like that has been one of my regrets. This course taught me that there are so many ways we can learn things, whether that be through art, literature and music. But our regret should not stop us! We can always pick up new things and learn them, just as nature interpreters do! We should approach this world with curiosity so that we learn many things. I strongly agree that it is a nature interpreter's responsibility to acknowledge the privileges that we have otherwise it causes great barriers to the learning of others. Thus, we must act empathetically and be inclusive. It is extremely refreshing to hear that through your work experiences, you have understood the importance of being inclusive. Not everyone shares the same background and it is important that we acknowledge that to truly connect with our audience!
Reading about your work experiences is also extremely refreshing. It demonstrates how connecting with people is also important when it comes to being a nature interpreter. It also shows how we are all still learning many things about nature and the species within it. Through connecting with people, we can hear their stories of nature and their "sense of place" to continue to build an unbiased and objective perspective about nature!
I loved reading your post and your pictures are super cool!
Unit 10: Nature Interpreter and Ethics
It's hard to realize this is the last of our blog posts. I recall having doubts about this course and constantly questioning whether it was the right choice for me. I would frequently ask myself questions like "who am I as a nature interpreter?," "have I ever interacted meaningfully with nature?," and "do I deserve to be a nature interpreter? " This week's blog post challenged us to characterize our ethics, beliefs and approaches to interpreting nature, and I find myself reflecting on the questions from that past more now.
Initially, I believed that nature interpretation was only focused on protecting the environment, but this semester has solidified the idea that nature interpretation is how we all actually interact and connect with the rest of the world. As nature interpreters, we play a critical role in helping people understand and appreciate the natural world. As such, we have a responsibility to provide accurate and unbiased information and to promote conservation and sustainability. I now truly beleive that nature interpreters should include a deep respect and appreciation for nature and a recognition of the interconnectedness of all living things. I believe that it is essential to protect and preserve natural areas for future generations.
In terms of responsibility and ethics, nature interpreters have a responsibility to educate people without bias about the natural world and foster an appreciation for it. We must also convey the importance of conservation and the need to protect our natural resources. In doing so, we must respect the natural history that comes with it. Beck et al. (2018) demonstrate how history plays a role in comprehending and navigating the present. The history of lands and nature is what allows us to make a deeper connection with the past (Beck et al. 2018). We are also able to understand past mistakes and learn new preservation techniques. Nature interpreters must also be mindful of and respectful of the cultural and spiritual value that various groups of people attach to the natural environment. Indigenous peoples, for instance, take pride in imparting their knowledge of the land to future generations. These cultures have a lot of knowledge about the topography, spirituality, and medicinal benefits of the land as a result (Cable et al, 2018). Therefore, it is the duty of nature interpreters to be aware of any potential effects that their interpretation may have on these groups and to make sure that it is respectful and inclusive.
To perceive the natural world ethically, we must respect it, work to be honest and precise in our interpretations, and develop empathy and compassion for all living things. By doing this, we are upholding a set of values and principles that govern how we engage with the rest of nature and the people who come to enjoy it. To put it another way, I think that being an ethical nature interpreter entails acting with integrity and respect towards the natural world and the people who visit it to encourage awareness, wonder, and preservation of our planet's biodiversity.
No matter their background or expertise, nature interpreters must also provide a secure and welcoming environment for all participants. In other words, it is our duty to acknowledge our "privilege" and "unpack" our "invisible knapsack". Privileges act as barriers that cause certain people to avoid connecting with nature, especially those that are underprivilaged (Beck et al., 2018). By being aware of your audience, you may adapt your interpretation to meet their needs and prevent any issues with privilege (Beck et al., 2018). We must take down any barriers and accept any privileges we may have; otherwise, we won't be able to close the gap between individuals, their community, and nature.
In terms of approach, I believe that nature interpreters should approach their work with a combination of enthusiasm, curiosity, and humility. We should be eager to learn and share knowledge, and we should be open to different perspectives and approaches. we should also strive to communicate effectively, using a variety of techniques and strategies to engage their audiences. We need to understand that as much as we are teaching, we are also learning new things. We must educate and learn by incorporating interpretative approaches from the cognitive, emotive, and kinaesthetic areas so we can further our knowledge (Beck et al., 2018). In order to engage and motivate others to value and comprehend the natural environment, it is equally critical that we are passionate about what we do and provide the appropriate enthusiasm. When an interpreter is passionate about the material they are presenting, it can generate a contagious energy that inspires others to be engaged with the material. Being excited enables people to create great moments and share them with others. Humility is also important to me in nature interpretation because it allows us to approach the subject with an open and receptive mindset, and to recognize and acknowledge their own limitations and biases.
Overall, I owe a lot of gratitude to this course. It allowed me a great opportunity to understand and further my love for nature. I initially was scared that I was taking this course knowing that I don't have any experience in nature. I am just a person from Toronto that is surrounded by tall buildings and smoke in the air. I've learned from this course that nature interpretation is more about getting in touch with nature than it is about studying it. I came to understand that there are other ways to interact with nature outside of going on walks, such as through literature, movies, music, and art. My enthusiasm for nature has reignited because of this course, and also given me the opportunity to build my understanding of what a nature interpreter is!
I look forward to reading what everyone has to say, and I hope your experience with is course is similar to mine!
Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: for a better world. Sagamore Venture.
Sense-making of Nature Interpretation
As a wildlife biology and conservation major, I found this topic to be the most difficult to pick a topic for so far! I knew from the get-go that I would initially choose an animal and interpret all the fun facts I knew about it, but choosing the actual species proved to be a difficult task. As someone who has experience working hands on with a variety of native and exotic species, I have a good amount of baseline knowledge as well as fun facts ready for use. For these reasons, I decided to choose to write about my knowledge and experience caring for raccoons! I worked last summer as a general wildlife care intern at a wildlife rehabilitation and will be returning this summer as a staff member in the raccoon nursery. Between the months of last May-August, we had admitted and taken care of around 250 raccoons ranging from orphaned litters of babies to badly injured adults. While most people who live in cities or even in rural areas consider raccoons as a pest species, they are funny creatures that deserve respect as well. Educating the public on their role within the environment and how to help their species as a whole is a great way to bring awareness. We do private tours of the facilities as well as open houses on every Saturday so the public can come in, see how we operate and learn some information about protecting native wildlife. One of the best ways they can do this is by slowing down on sections of roads that are known to be highly trafficked areas for wildlife crossings. This helps reduce the number of animals hit by vehicles and in turn can reduce the number of orphaned raccoons.
My job as a wildlife care member is to feed, clean, vaccinate and medically treat any raccoon that is admitted to us. Depending how old they are when they first come in, they are either fed 3 or 4 times a day with a specific powder-based formula that acts as their mother’s milk that they would be usually eating in the wild. Once they grow older, we supplement their diet with a kibble-based dog food, provide them with cooked egg for protein and some form of meat, typically a ground beef. This mimics their diet in the wild so that once they're released, they can find similar sources of food that give them the same nutritional content. Once they are old enough to move outdoors, they begin living in one of our outdoor enclosures to start being introduced to the natural habitat and climate. One of my favourite parts of raccoon rehabilitation is watching the sweet babies turn into the typical angry raccoon or when they ‘wild up’ as we call it. Although this can seem sad as your favourite creatures no longer enjoy your presence and consider you their mother, it is an indication of a job well done. If an animal doesn’t wild up and consider humans a threat is typically not able to be successfully released and therefore your job was not completed properly! Although it may seem sad to see them go, they are always better off living their lives in the wild where they belong which to me makes it a redeeming process.
Hi,
I wanted to start off by saying I really enjoyed reading your post! It was super personable and I learned a lot from you! Since I do live in a major city, it is extremely common for us to view raccoons as scary and dirty animals, when I truly think that can be cute sometimes! Taking care of a raccoon also seems like a difficult job but it looks like you have managed well! I had no idea that raccoons can even eggs and ground beef, its crazy to think they can have similar diets as us. What was the most challenging part of caring for them? Did they panic easily? And how did you protect yourself in case of anything? I think being a wildlife rehabilitator is super awesome but a super tasking job too, so kudos to you! The idea of "wild up" is really interesting to me as it may be a reflection of how the animal is now healthy enough to act within their true nature and rehabilitate into their natural habitat.
I find wildlife rehabilitation to be an extremely rewarding job with difficult responsibilities, so you are an amazing person for what you do! Overall, I loved reading your post as it was extremely cool to read and I learned a lot!
Unit 09: Sense-Making of Nature Interpretation
When I was younger, I lived with my grandma for a period of my life. She was often sick and had little energy to spare, but she loved gardening. Although frequently ill and lacking in energy, she adored gardening. Grandma always trusted me to take care of her garden, so I had to pick up her hobby whenever she was too ill. In fact, I discovered that gardening was quite difficult and stressful. I didn't find myself loving this passion of hers because flowers are quite delicate and difficult to maintain. Yet as time went on, I discovered how much I cherished tending to her plants! My favourite plant to look after was a philodendron hederaceum that I gave the name Sofia. Throughout my plant learning, I gained a significant amount of knowledge that allowed me to have a beautiful plant collection in my house!
When it comes to taking care of plants, there are a lot of requirements that follow. When I first took up this hobby, there were many things I was not knowledgeable about. I thought each plant had the same schedule and water routine and required the same amount of sunlight. However, this is false and can be highly detrimental to do. Different plants require different amounts of sunlight and watering. Even the same plants have different watering schedules during different seasons. For example, philodendron hederaceum requires indirect sunlight while baby rubber plants require shady environments. Philodendron plants also require watering every 10 days in the winter, 5-7 in spring and 2-3 times in the summer. I found this super interesting while I was learning about my plants!
Plants also require a 2-week quarantine from other plants. Initially, I thought this was excessive, but when I had a pest issue with one of my plants, I realized the importance of this rule. The 2-week quarantine ensures that the newly bought plant's pests do not infect older ones in case they may have pests on them. If there is a pest issue, neem oil is your best friend! Although it smells bad, it is extremely effective for removing bugs. Simply spray the leaves of the plants and allow them to sit in the tub for 20 min and you should be good to go!
One winter day, I realized that my plants had stopped growing. I was extremely scared because I thought my plants have died. When I read a forum about this I realized that plants are in fact dormant! This means that in the wintertime, they hibernate! Instead of using their energy to grow, they know to conserve their energy and stop growing until warmer seasons arise! I thought that this was super cool because many know that animals hibernate in the winter to save their energy, but who would have thought plants do the same thing!
One last interesting fact about plants is that you can propagate them! This means that you can reproduce plants from the parent plant to create more. You can do this by either cutting, dividing and replanting a part of the parent plant and placing it in a new pot with soil and then you will have an exact clone of the original plant!
Taking care of plants was something that I once thought was extremely boring, but once I tried it I learned how therapeutic and beautiful plants are. They provide many benefits to us in this world with their healing energy and environmental benefits. I hope that you all have learned something new about my experiences with plants and maybe can give me some awesome tips and facts if you have any!
Salima
Unit 7: Nature Interpretation through Music
This week, we were tasked with looking at where music is in nature and vice versa, which got me thinking about what the sounds of nature mean to me alongside the associations I make between these spaces and different forms of music. I am absolutely obsessed with music in many different forms so this is an important topic of discussion for me. I hope I can shed some light on how I link such a major aspect of my life with natural spaces I love so much.
In terms of music existing in nature, I think such a concept is a key factor in our ability to interpret the environment through auditory means. Many often say that there is music in all things, and this can certainly be seen in nature. Whether one is hearing a bird’s song or something more abstract like the wind blowing through the trees or the droning trickle of a small stream, these natural forces have musical qualities that can’t be ignored. As a child, I suffered from really bad insomnia and still sometimes do today, but often found that putting on a long playlist of forest sounds or falling rain would help calm me and see me off to sleep. I believe these “nature sounds” as they’re often referred to as on streaming services to be an important genre, as while they aren’t created in the same intentional way as more concrete songs, the fact that the environment can produce such beautiful sounds is one of the reasons I find nature so enthralling. Next time you are trying to study and are having trouble focusing, try throwing on some nature sounds. You may find it easier to focus than whatever music you were listening to before.
In terms of nature existing within music, one can obviously point to the sampling of natural sounds for artistic means, but I find songs that don’t do so while still reminding of these spaces much more enjoyable. Upon reading the prompt, the first thing that popped into my head immediately was the soundtrack of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. The developers clearly had quite an appreciation for nature while making the game, as its design and general gameplay loop are heavily focused on exploring vast natural landscapes. The title’s audio design is one of its most well-executed aspects, as instead of trying to drown out the natural sounds of the environments you are in, soft pianos accent the existing soundscape. Due to such a strong pairing of pianos with natural landscapes, I often think of real-world spaces when presented with the soundtrack in its raw form. This leads back to the idea that nature in music can depend on the associations you make between the two. Attached is a picture from the game so anyone unfamiliar can see the developers' focus on natural environments, as well as a link to the soundtrack I am referring to. Another example of this for me would be how my running playlist reminds me of the parks I go through on my summer route. While you can just put nature sounds into your music, I think these personal connections are a lot closer to the other aspects of nature interpretation that we employ to convey why these spaces are so meaningful to us.
I look forward to reading about the connections everyone else has made between nature and music in this round of posts :)
the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tf8LXYMAKg&ab_channel=GamingThemes
Hi!
I wanted to start off by saying that I really enjoyed reading your post! You provided a lot of insightful ideas! I do sympathize with your struggle with insomina as it is something that I am currently struggling with. I found that ocean sounds and cricket sounds at sunset have been particualry calming and grant me a few hours of sleep. I liked how you stated that those should be in their own categories as these are things you do in fact find on streaming services. Nature is extremely grounding that even the sounds it provides allow us to breathe a bit easier. It is so cool that you mentioned the legend of Zelda! I used to play this game all the time and even select her as my character on super smash bros! It so interesting that you brought up the game soundtrack because it is crucial element for a game. A lot of gmaing soundtrack use nature sounds to fully demonstarte the image of nature and allow the player to connect further with the game. That is such a unique idea you brought up! Music also allows us to be transported to a time where we connected with nature the most such as your running playlist. Ariana Grande's album Sweetner also reminds me of walks that I used to take daily when I spent the summer in Amsterdam with my aunt!
Thank you for a great post!
Unit 07: Nature Interpretation Through Music
There are many connections between nature and music. Music can be found in nature in various ways. For example, the sounds of birds chirping, the rustling of leaves in the wind, and the rushing of water in a stream or river can all be considered natural forms of music. Additionally, many indigenous cultures have created musical instruments out of natural materials such as animal hides, shells, and wood, which further reflects the connection between music and nature.
The use of musical elements that mimic natural sounds or inspire natural imagery, on the other hand, can also be used to incorporate nature into music. For instance, composers may utilise musical instruments to evoke the sensation of motion associated with natural events, such as using instruments to simulate the sound of a thunderstorm or a flowing stream. In fact, I noticed that modern artists have also found inspiration in nature, and have incorporated natural sounds such as bird calls, animal noises, and water sounds into their songs. An example of this is from one of my current favourite songs called California by Grimes. She uses the sounds of water crashing on a beach and calming lake streams to evoke the image of the a nice sunny beach day in California. It allows the listener to further connect with the song and provoke an emotinal connection to it as well.
Music is also a common medium for musicians to promote environmental protection. Many artists have used their songs to discuss climate change and how it hurts our earth and the future. An example of this is a song from one of my favourite artists, Lana Del Rey, called The greatest. In her closing line, she states
"L.A. is in flames it's getting hot...' Life on Mars' ain't just a song"
In these lyrics, she is making a direct reference to climate change and how the state of the earth is becoming unbearable. With climate change destroying the earth, there have been talks about moving to mars in the future, and Lana is making a reference to such prospects. Songs that convey ideas like this help to raise awareness of environmental issues.
Beyond these specific examples, music and nature share a common quality of being able to evoke powerful emotional responses in listeners. Just as a beautiful sunset or a stunning mountain range can inspire awe and wonder in people, music can also elicit strong emotions and transport listeners to a different state of mind.
UNIT 06
To begin to unpack this quote, I think that it is important to define the word integrity. It can be defined as the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; the state of being whole and undivided. I agree with the quote in the sense of there being merit in integrity and how it entails knowledge, and a memory. However, I so disagree with the portion saying there is no merit in ancient things. That sentence provides ignorance to all ancient items and events that shaped the present we live in. In nature interpretation it is important to have integrity while being both the interpreter and the audience. An interpreter can use integrity to be honest about the location they are exploring, as well as if there are any unpredictable elements to the tour prior to having individuals sign up. For example, upon reading about the northern lights, I learned that there is a lot of unpredictability in terms of actually seeing the lights, making tours difficult to schedule/manage. Personally, as someone who would be part of the audience, I see these types of situations as part of the fun. It is beautiful to see nature in its most raw and unpredictable form. You can never fully know what nature will do or how it will act on a given day, and I believe that if people are expecting a true display of nature for their tour, then they should also expect there to be challenges along the way.
The second part of the quote is particularly important in regards to nature interpretation. History is a very critical part in everyday life, there would be no present day without the past. The textbook regards history as something to remember; to remember not only the happy stories of our past, but also the tragic ones (Beck et al., 2018). There are a lot of memories within nature and how certain areas came to be, specifically areas that can be toured and taught about. Historical events can be taught through public history in general public museums, historic sites, parks, and libraries (Beck et al., 2018). Being able to teach historical events well and properly has become a very honourable profession and a popular and enriching hobby (Beck et al., 2018). I believe we all act as public historians in a sense, by teaching those around us about past events that we are particularly passionate about. There are different ways to go about teaching history, there is first person and third person living history (Beck et al., 2018). This refers to the way in which the teaching is presented. There are also some challenges with interpreting history such as the accuracy of the information, the authenticity, and controversy (Beck et al., 2018). It is important for interpreters to know the information well and to avoid skewing the facts when presenting information to an audience.
In all, I think it is important to be able to absorb historical knowledge about nature and to be able to reiterate it to the best of your ability to really get the most out of the interpretive experience. Not everyone will be interested in every aspect of historical interpretation, but it is key to find a piece of history that you resonate with and to be passionate about inorder to fully appreciate the natural world we live in today.
Work Cited
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. Sagamore Venture.
Hey!
I wanted to start off by saying that I agree to many of the points you stated! I do agree that saying there is no merit in ancient things is a bit ignorant. There are so many ancient artifacts that are extremely culturally significant to many people. Ancient things do in fact symbolize the history and the past of the lands that we live in and the nature that surrounds us. I truly do like your point about how we all act as public historians in a sense because it is valid. We also carry the history of nature within us and share it to people that surround us when we feel truly passionate about it. I do think a challenge with teaching history is the biases that may come into play. Views on history may be subjective and people might want to push certain narratives onto the people they are teaching. That is why it is critical for nature interpreters to teach the history of nature as it is, while maintaining the integrity of the history and land. I do like your point about about finding an aspect of history that we are truly interested in, as it does make the learning and teaching more effective. I wonder what part of history you're interested in! Overall, your post was extremely insightful and brought a fresh perspective on this quote. Thank you!
Unit 06: Nature Interpretation Through the Lens 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)
The significance of integrity and the past's contribution to maintaining it are both stressed in this quotation. Hyams contends that something's merit originates from its integrity rather than from the fact that it is old or ancient. Hyams suggests that maintaining this integrity requires a knowledge and memory of ancient things.
Hyams uses a metaphor to illustrate this point, comparing the past to a railway station through which a train has just passed. The implication is that the past is not simply a place that we have left behind, but rather a part of a larger whole that we are still connected to. The maintenance of integrity, then, requires an understanding of the past and its connection to the present. This is espically prevelent when dealing with nature interpertation. As Beck et al. (2018) states, The interpretation of both nature and history should typically be provided at the same location because history and natural sites are connected. We cannot view nature while neglectaing the history that comes with it as our understanding of it will not be true. When it comes to conservation efforts, climate change or overall environmental conservation, most of what we know about it now comes from studying the environment in the past. Scientists, ecologists and nature interperators require the knowledge of the history of the land in order to understand the present as well as see how the history connects with our lives (Beck et al. 2018).
A further example of how history is connected to nature interpretation is Indigenous-led conversation. When we look at lands managed and protected by Indigenous communities, we can observe how the methods employed are the most effective ways of reducing wildlife loss, habitat loss, and climate change as well as boosting diversity. We cannot look at those lands without acknowledging the history of how Indigenous communites cared and tended to these protected conservation areas with their generational experience. This can also aid further conservation efforts in general as we can implement some of the strategies used in these protected conservation areas. Thus we cannot further our understanding or efforts without looking and learning from the past as well.
Hyams suggests that a disregard for the past is a disregard for the continuity of our existence. By forgetting the lessons and experiences of those who came before us, we risk losing sight of the larger picture and fragmenting the whole. Therefore, to truly maintain integrity, we must hold onto a knowledge and appreciation of the ancient things that have contributed to our present, and continue to see them as part of a larger whole that we are still connected to. The quote encourages us to maintain a sense of historical awareness and memory, as this is essential for upholding the integrity of our world and ensuring that we are connected to the larger whole of human experience. By acknowledging and valuing the past, we can better understand and appreciate the present, and ensure a more stable and coherent future.
Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed). Sagamore Venture
Unit 5: The Healing Powers of Nature
I have always loved the outdoors, even as a little child. With my friends, I would spend the most of my time outdoors simply exploring and playing with animals. In parks, we would have wild adventures, play hide-and-seek, and go a tonne of bike rides. My affinity for outdoors began when I was a little child, however growing up seemed to have dimmed my love just a bit.I recall that anytime I was feeling bad as a child, I would take a stroll with friends or sit beneath one of my favourite trees with them and talk forever. But as you become older, you can no longer afford that luxury.
Although I had a healthy upbringing, some experiences that I faced as a teenager/young adult greatly affected me. I struggled with my health a lot which also impacted my mental health. Going outdoors was harder than ever as it took a lot out of me to step outside, both physically and mentally. Living in Toronto does not help as well as I am surrounded by buildings more than I am with nature. I noticed that I truly did lose touch with my love of nature which was something that I loved about myself when I was younger. As my health worsned, I was couped up inside majority of the time reading. In our previous blog post, I mentioned how books were my favourite form of art in which nature could be interpertated. This was because books allowed me to envison and live through those pretty descriptive words of nature. They provided a scenery of the natural world in which I could paint in my head and find some sort of relief. I often find myslef escaping into the scenes that these book provide with their descriptive words and it sort of became a coping mechanism for me. Although that may sound depressing, it was not as sad as it seems. Sometimes life throws many unexpected things your way, but you got to keep on moving!
I vividly remember staying at grandma's house when I was at my worst, both physically and mentally. She had many plants that she would take care of and a garden of flowers to tend to. She would often teach me how to care for the plants and the differences in how you would water each plant and the amount of sunlight it would require. The way she would handle the plants was so delicate that it would often make me cry. When my grandma fell ill, she only trusted me to care for her plants, as I was the only one who knew her routine. At first, I was skeptical but as I started to tend to them, I noticed a change in my mood. I realized that caring for plants was extremely healing and it felt nice to be able to take care of something too. My grandma was an amazing person and she is one of the people who helped me through my tough times. I still take care of many plants to this day. It is super healing to tend to them and it truly did reawaken my love for nature. I soon came to the realization that appreciating nature is not only about spending time outdoors but also caring for the things that make the natural world so pretty, such as plants.
Although books and tending to plants may seem unorthodox, these are what made me find my love and appreciation for nature once again. Part of the reason I am taking this course is that I want to learn more about nature and how to care for it too! Although my experiences were tough, I am grateful for them because they helped me be more gentle with myself and the world!
Hey Salima!
Your post this week was very warm and sweet to read! I too reflect on all of the wonderful experiences I've had with nature and how they have moulded me into the person I am today. Especially during the pandemic and points of ill-health, I could almost always count on some form of natural escape to balance out the negatives around me.
Two of the strongest memories I have in relation to the healing aspects of nature as you touched on, are based on the appreciation and conscientious supervision. of nature. The first being my routine morning coffee at the lake with my grandpa; his presence, the tranquility of nature, the sounds, and absence of calendar all seem to tear away at the stressful vigors of life. The second was during a low point amidst my families dynamics; during this period I re-invigorated my enthusiasm for adventure and set a personal goal to do more fishing and to find new spots within my region. That summer, I spent so much of my spare time alone or with friends hiking trails, fishing creeks, rivers, and small lakes and practiced more and more of conservative and ecological techniques to angling. I wouldn't trade a second of any of that time spent, from simple immersion to recreational activity, the power of healing in nature is invisible and yet immediate.
An interesting bridge of information I made while reading your post was, the applications of an "ecological regiment/routine" in policy, health and conservation. You expressed how caring for your grandmothers plants in a time of personal difficulty led you to reconnect and strengthen your bonds to nature and passion for the environment. Do you think that a generalized version of a regiment/routine would be helpful in application towards environmental preservation? Like using community gardening activities for mental health workshops, explaining chemical/waste management as means of extending care to the environment through interpretation, or something large scale like the importance of strict routine and process for bio-remediation sites.
Would love to hear your thoughts!
Hey!
Firstly those ideas you suggested are amazing! I especially like the idea of using community gardening activities for mental health workshops. I feel like this is a great way of implementing environmental preservation while being a mental health initiative. It gives the chance for people to find therapy in another form, instead of the traditional way (although there is absolutely nothing wrong with that). Gardening and caring for plants helped me so much and truly did improve my mood, so it could be beneficial for others as well. It also gives the chance for others to view nature in a different light and promote environmental consciousness!
Thank you so much for your ideas, I think they are awesome. You should send a letter to the mayor hehe!
Moving Forward in my Field
This blog post being a blank canvas is daunting - but I knew immediately I wanted to write about the thing on my mind the most these days, which is what my plans are for the future.
Throughout my time in my program I have often thought about what I will be doing after I complete my bachelor's degree. I'm in a bachelor of science in environmental science, with my major being in ecology. It is hard to think about my path following my degree as my parents are quite adamant they would like me to pursue a masters degree. While a masters degree is a great path to take - it is quite the undertaking, and even though I am already in my fourth year, I am still unsure its for me.
I've been looking for work/volunteer opportunities in my field very often since the end of my first year, and very little of it has worked out, unfortunately. I am only now working towards my full drivers license, which has limited my job opportunities significantly when searching on Experience Guelph in the past. I did work one co-op work term at the beginning of my third year however, and it was a great experience. My parents were kind enough to assist me with travelling when necessary, although I was mainly remote. Since then I have continued my search hoping for more experience as I know it would be very beneficial.
I do think a masters degree is a great option, and might be the most comfortable since I would still be a student, which is all I have known for as long as I can remember - job searching and ending school seems much scarier at this point in my life. I have made friends at my current job and through school, so this change would alter much more than just my status as a student.
I am optimistic for the future, I believe no matter which path I choose I will figure out how to enjoy and better myself. I suppose I just need to accept these upcoming changes and keep my head up as I search for my next opportunity.
On a less serious note, look how cool this picture I took in my botany lab is;
We were looking at the different tissues in plants and we did a cross section of celery. This is a close-up of a vascular bundle, the round dark circle is the xylem, and the light purple around it is the phloem. I think it's cool because it looks like a cartoon spaceship.
Anyways thanks to anyone who read through this post, It was mainly for me to unload a little stress, and I think it helped a little. I am looking forward to the future, and classes like this make me excited about school and the environmental sciences as a whole.
Hey, I absolutely loved reading your post this week! I did a similar post about the future plans I have, which something can be definitely daunting whenever it crosses my mind. I also time to time think about what I would like to do after my bachelors degree, because there are so many things that I have my mind on career wise, either is a medical field or teaching. I understand what you mean about doing your masters and how are not sure of it yet. I feel the same too about medical school which is something I would potentially apply to after my bachelors. Not only is it another 4 years of school, but then there are things like residency, and this all bring up the studying years to a higher number. I am not really sure for it either, even though I am almost done this program as well.
I myself have also had trouble in job searching and finding places to volunteer to get more experience for potential career paths, but I have found not so much of it as well. I am also currently working on my license with the help of my parents!
It can be a struggle with all of this stress that can take over someones mind, but it's nice to take a step back and enjoy and appreciate these moments you have right now, like being a bachelors student. One day you will think back on these days, and realize you did it and achieved your goals, and you will not think for the stress you endured during these days, but what you achieved instead. I hope that made sense, and made you feel better too!
I am glad you are optimistic about the future, and I wish you good luck on finding a great career path that suits you, and that you will excel in!
Good luck!
Hey!
Your post was super relatable! I do think it is a common feeling for people our age and such to be super stressed about what the future has in store for us. I do also think that COVID limited our opportunities as well. The thought of doing a master's program is also super intimidating. Personally, I am suffering from a really long burnout and doing a masters program just does not sound exciting right now. I do think that one has to be super passionate about waht they like to do a masters program because it is a lot of stress and money. I also do know that getting a job with just a bachelor's degree is super hard too, so a masters or grad school kind of seems inevtible. I do sympathoze with basing your identity as a student is comforting because it does give us so much time to figure ourselves out.
I'm really glad to hear that you are still optimistic about your future! Despite how cynical everything sounds, do not ever give up! I do believe that we all have more potential and strength than we believe. That is why it is super important to never lose hope. I always try to remind myself that we do not know the future and that might be scary but it can also be a comforting thought! There are many good things heading our way so let's stay hopeful!
That picture of the celery cell also kind of looks like a planet too!
Thank you for a great post and be patient with yourself!
Unit 5: The Healing Powers of Nature
I have always loved the outdoors, even as a little child. With my friends, I would spend the most of my time outdoors simply exploring and playing with animals. In parks, we would have wild adventures, play hide-and-seek, and go a tonne of bike rides. My affinity for outdoors began when I was a little child, however growing up seemed to have dimmed my love just a bit.I recall that anytime I was feeling bad as a child, I would take a stroll with friends or sit beneath one of my favourite trees with them and talk forever. But as you become older, you can no longer afford that luxury.
Although I had a healthy upbringing, some experiences that I faced as a teenager/young adult greatly affected me. I struggled with my health a lot which also impacted my mental health. Going outdoors was harder than ever as it took a lot out of me to step outside, both physically and mentally. Living in Toronto does not help as well as I am surrounded by buildings more than I am with nature. I noticed that I truly did lose touch with my love of nature which was something that I loved about myself when I was younger. As my health worsned, I was couped up inside majority of the time reading. In our previous blog post, I mentioned how books were my favourite form of art in which nature could be interpertated. This was because books allowed me to envison and live through those pretty descriptive words of nature. They provided a scenery of the natural world in which I could paint in my head and find some sort of relief. I often find myslef escaping into the scenes that these book provide with their descriptive words and it sort of became a coping mechanism for me. Although that may sound depressing, it was not as sad as it seems. Sometimes life throws many unexpected things your way, but you got to keep on moving!
I vividly remember staying at grandma's house when I was at my worst, both physically and mentally. She had many plants that she would take care of and a garden of flowers to tend to. She would often teach me how to care for the plants and the differences in how you would water each plant and the amount of sunlight it would require. The way she would handle the plants was so delicate that it would often make me cry. When my grandma fell ill, she only trusted me to care for her plants, as I was the only one who knew her routine. At first, I was skeptical but as I started to tend to them, I noticed a change in my mood. I realized that caring for plants was extremely healing and it felt nice to be able to take care of something too. My grandma was an amazing person and she is one of the people who helped me through my tough times. I still take care of many plants to this day. It is super healing to tend to them and it truly did reawaken my love for nature. I soon came to the realization that appreciating nature is not only about spending time outdoors but also caring for the things that make the natural world so pretty, such as plants.
Although books and tending to plants may seem unorthodox, these are what made me find my love and appreciation for nature once again. Part of the reason I am taking this course is that I want to learn more about nature and how to care for it too! Although my experiences were tough, I am grateful for them because they helped me be more gentle with myself and the world!
Unit 04: Nature Interpretation Through Art
This week we ask, “who are you to interpret nature through art?” although you may read this prompt defensively at first glance, I believe that interpretation through art comes in many forms. The beauty of interpretation is that there is no correct answer. There is a method and a medium for everyone to enjoy, such as music, paintings, theatre, photography, etc. As Beck et al. (2018) state, incorporating art into nature interpretation is helpful for increasing the pleasure and enjoyment of the audience. Information and emotions can be communicated through art forms, making them powerful. Beck et al. (2018) also mention how the utilization of art can permit areas of your mind to open and connect yourself to the interpretation.
I believe this relationship flourishes because of our five senses; sight, taste, smell, hearing, and touch.
They are powerful.
They can have you revisit a single memory from one specific day in 2012 just based on one triggered sense. I believe art taps into these senses in a similar way. Since art can satisfy all senses, it can compel your body and mind to vulnerability. Vulnerability aids in forming connections and resonating with the topic, which is why art used in nature interpretation is so influential.
My favourite form of art for nature interpretation is photography. Taking pictures of what I find beautiful is what brings me joy. It allows me to open up and saturate myself with my surroundings. Not only does it delight me in the present, but I can relive it all later. This may be a biased approach since I have grown up with a smartphone for most of my life. However, when I am surrounded by nature’s beauty, instead of taking it all in, I have been subconsciously conditioned to take out my phone and take a picture. Although this seems upsetting, I like to alter this outlook to have a more positive approach. I remind myself that wanting to take a picture should not make me feel guilty and should not make me feel as though I am not “living in the moment”. If photography brings me joy and I wish to revisit this picture later, what’s the harm?
That is the charming aspect of art. There is a medium for everyone.
In terms of the “gift of beauty,” I believe that the spectrum of “beauty” is vast. This concept is expressed as a person’s capability to observe beauty in their surroundings through interpretation that aids in increasing resource preservation (Beck et al., 2018). I agree with this concept and its premise. Since everyone has different tastes, anything can be considered beautiful! Regarding myself, I coincide with this concept as nature is truly a beautiful gift that we have been provided.
To conclude, I have added a quote from Vincent van Gogh that correlates different methods of art and nature.
“I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?”
–Vincent van Gogh
The photos I have added to this post remind me why I love photography and nature!
Literature Cited
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a
better world. Sagamore Venture.
Vincent van Gogh to Theo Van Gogh : January 1874. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2023, from
ightful,not%20The%20Hague%20and%20Brabant.
Hey!
Your post was super insightful and extremely moving! I loved reading everything about it and how photography is your favourite art form. I really like your point about vulnerability. I beleive that humans are more attached to the emotion that a painting, place or any other art form may bring. Thats what makes things memorable. I do not think that just because you want to capture a moment, that you are not living in the moment. I feel like that is an outdated perspective because you simply want to remeber the moment and how beautiful it was. Although we do have our memories, they can be distorted but images cannot! Photogarphy is such a cool skill to have because I am simply a person who can enjoy images but I do not have an eye for pictures haha. I do agree that the idea of beauty is subjective. It stems from the different cultures and expericnes that we all have, so it is difficult to define such a word. I also wanted to say that your photographs are amazing! Sunsets are one of my favorite things about nature so that image brought a smile to my face! Thank you for such an insightful post!
Interpreting the "Gift of Beauty" in the lens of Nature Interpertation
The interpretation of nature via art is a personal choice because everyone has their own perception of what is beautiful. The beauty that different artists perceive in nature is expressed in various ways, and the meaning of "the gift of beauty" varies widely depending on the individual and cultural environment. While some would see it as a chance to reflect on the wealth and generosity of nature, others could see it as a chance to explore how people and the environment interact.
There is no "right person" who can interpret nature through art. As long as we are all cherishing nature, it does not matter in which form it is in. Art comes in many forms, and once we all find the form that speaks to us, we can truly enjoy nature more!
The capacity for people to see beauty in their natural surroundings, to uplift their spirits and promote resource preservation, is known as "The Gift of Beauty" (Beck et al., 2018). The gift of beauty should reawaken the love that we all have (internally or externally) for nature, It should allow us to sense the beauty that nature has to offer. I strongly agree with this definition of beauty. Whenever I see a painting of nature or stop to take in my surroundings, I am able to truly appreciate the natural world. The gift of beauty gives us all the opportunity to connect with nature and thus wanting to protect it too.
There are many ways in which the beauty of nature can be viewed through art. Whether that be through paintings, drawings and music. Although photographs are one of my prevelant art forms that I enjoy nature through, I recently found that books are also one of my favorite art forms in which nature can be apprecitated. Although it may be an unorthodx art from in which nature can be interpertated, poems, novels and literature have such a unique way to describe nature. They use extremly descriptive words that evoke vivid images of nature in your head using imagery. It allows you the chance to create your own image of nature which I believe allows me to connect and appreciate the nature of beauty. For example this is a quote from one of my favourite books, Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami:
"Dusk was taking over. Like a cascade of lace—thousands of thin, soft layers fluttering above countless winking lights far and near. These dots of feeble light reminded me of the port town we lived in for a few years after I was born. Sailboats coming into port from the dark sea on summer evenings. People floating in the waves, little kids losing their minds when they see the white skin of a foreigner for the first time. This is how I saw the lights of home—above the faded signs, atop the concrete telephone poles, under the awnings of the stores, and by the bollards where the ships tied off to the docks—clusters of lights strung from wires and bobbing in the evening breeze"
It is a long quote but when I first read it, I could clearly picture the scenery and all the feelings the author wanted to convey.I had a range of difficult-to-describe feelings when reading about this natural setting, but the author also created a clear picture that allowed me to connect with the emotion. ! I believe that this is an amazing talent as it is difficult to convey nature and emotions so profoundly. Thus, I truly do appreciate nature and nature interpertation through the literature art form.
We all have many ways in which we can appreciate nature through a variety of art forms and I look forward to reading what you all love too!
Beck, L., Cable, T.T., Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Venture.
Risk Versus Reward in Interpretation
Privilege can be a hard word to define, but I would define it as the benefits and advantages that an individual or group has that others do not. However, these advantages are not earned, but are a result of societal systems and biases based on factors like gender, race, class, and sexuality. A lot of the time people who are privileged do not like to recognize or discuss the fact that they are privileged because they do not want to admit they have these advantages.
Privilege plays a big role in nature interpretation by impacting an individuals opportunity to explore nature and the experience they will have. A person who is privileged will usually have more access to nature and will have better experiences with nature. This means that people who are privileged will be more connected with nature and understand it better. A person who is not as privileged will not have same opportunities to connect and experience nature. Some reasons for this may be a lack of finical resources which can mean no personal vehicle to get to certain parks and not being able to afford proper equptiment, or a lack of knowledge of where to go, what to do, and how to prepare.
I would now like to discuss some of the advantages that have been given to me and unpack my invisible backpack. I am a white male, I speak english, I have a Canadian passport, and I was born into a middle-class family with parents who are highly educated and are still married. These are all advantages that I have no control over but they do give me an advantage in life.
Another way that I am privileged is through the opportunities I had to connect with nature growing up. I had these opportunities mainly because I have parents who are so connected to nature. One of the earliest opportunities I had to connect with nature was through my dad. My dad is an environmental scientist and from a young age, I remember going with him to work to help with his fieldwork. This is where he helped me pick up many different skills such as learning how to identify plants and animals. Another way my parents gave me the privilege of connecting with nature was through traveling. My family vacations would often be based around different nature experiences such as exploring the icefields at Jasper National Park, river rafting in Costa Rica, or snorkeling a coral reef in the Dominican Republic. Having the opportunity to travel is something that when I was younger I did not realize how privileged I was to have, but now that I am older I realize how lucky I am to have seen so many different countries and different parts of Canada. Having all of these opportunities helped turn me into the person I am today, and I often wonder how different my life would be without them.
Gallavan, N.P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their ‘invisible knapsacks.’ Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36.
Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore Publishing.
Hey!
I want to say that I enjoyed reading your perspective of privilege in nature interpretation. I strongly agree that privilege does play a part in what we experience and have access to in nature, which causes many of us to have different understandings of what the natural world is. I was fortunate enough to have parents who allowed me the chance to join camps when I was younger, to gain a sense of the natural world. It is super cool that your father is an environmental scientist! You probably have an awesome perspective of nature and definitely have a different understanding of it than I do! Your vacations sound super enjoyable too! It is so nice that you experience places that have a lot of natural lands! When I travelled, it was mainly to cities, so there was not a lot of nature around there. My parents love cities so I am often surrounded by little nature, but I am thankful to them for trying their best by sending me to outdoor camps! I am glad that you are able to recognize the privilege you had in order for you to experience all that you did! We often get so caught up in our lives that we forget to acknowledge all that we have! I loved reading about your experience, and I also hope to go to Costa Rica one day! It is on my bucket list!
Recognizing Privilege in Nature Interpretation
When I consider what the word privilege means, I think of the advantages and benefits that a group may receive that are not earned because of characteristics like socioeconomic class, age, sex, or race. From the perspective of nature interpretation, privilege can have a significant impact on who has access to natural resources and who gets to decide how the natural world is presented and understood. People from disadvantaged groups, for instance, might have less access to nature and fewer opportunities to learn about and interact with it, whereas people from privileged backgrounds might have more resources and opportunities to influence how nature is viewed and managed. Additionaly, those who hold positions of privilege frequently influence the dominant narrative of nature in society, which can lead to the exclusion of opposing viewpoints.
I was really appreciative of my parents growing up and the chance they offered me to learn about the natural world. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to develop my own understanding of the natural world through various resources. In the summer and winter breaks in elementary and middle school, my parents would often send me to outdoor overnight camps with other kids where we would spend the majority of our time playing games or exploring the camping grounds. This allowed me to discover my love for nature and all the things I enjoy about it. I was privilaged enough to have access to outdoor recreational activities, as well have my parents involvement which helped with my nature interpretation. I am also a healthy and physically capable individual which does play a huge part in the privilege that I have from a nature point of view.
When I unpack my "invisible backpack" I can see that because of my parents' involvement, my socioeconomic standing, and my physical health, I am privileged enough to be able to experience these opportunities that provided me with a chance to learn about the natural world. I understand that many people, however, may not have access to these opportunities due to various reasons which cause them to have different experiences and understanding of nature. We all do not engage in the world in the same way, which causes all of us to have different understandings of nature. Someone who faced homelessness will have a different perspective than someone who grew up wealthy. Personally, I am part of a marginalized community and although I was fortunate enough to experience camps and recreational activities I can truly say that I still do not have the same experiences or love for nature as a majority group does.
Additonaly, the dominant narrative of nature in society is often shaped by those in positions of privilege because they have the resources, power, and influence to control the representation and understanding of nature. Individuals and groups with privilege may have more access to funding, education, and media outlets, which can be used to promote their own perspectives on nature and shape public opinion in ways that are not shared by and exclude marginalized groups.
It is important that we all recognize that privilege has a huge impact on the way we understand the world. That is why it is so critical to educate and create programs that are inclusive and free for everyone to join. We also need to recognize the perspective of nature from minority groups because they have a huge impact in how the world is also shaped.
