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Unit 10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability

If I were to be totally honest with myself, the only reason I took this course to begin with was to fulfil a credit required to earn a certificate of environmental conservation when I graduated. There were very few options as to what credits I could take, and this one was available so I jumped at the chance. But I could not have been more lucky in taking that chance. That is because from the start of my university career I have consistently asked myself ‘what if I went the other way?’ I ask myself this because when I graduated highschool I was at a pretty big crossroads. I had spent my years in highschool volunteering as a student journalist in addition to taking the required science credits to go on one of two career paths: that of the scientist or that of the journalist. I of course took the route of the scientist, but again, what if I had gone the other way? This thought persisted, and as a result I have always valued the chance at learning how to integrate what I learned in science with that of communication, unfortunately I haven’t had as many chances to build these skills as I would have liked. Enter: this course.

In taking this course I unknowingly received the perfect opportunity to do what I’d always wanted, interpret what I’d learned in my zoology major and gain the skills to present it to a larger audience. Over the course of this semester I have learned way more about nature interpretation than I could have predicted, and I am definitely leaving this class a better communicator than when I began. So then, what have I learned?

I think one of the most important things I learned within this course was the importance of ethics while communicating. I’ve always tried my best to consider my audience when creating a project, but at the end of the day I am just one person with one point of view. Something that stood out to me while taking this course was the emphasis placed on privilege and the part it plays in experiencing nature and the lack of opportunities faced by those who lack it. In my own personal ethic I have always strived to be empathetic, honest, and responsible for my actions. But, what this course has allowed me to do is see the ‘invisible backpack’ described by Gallavan (2005) that many people carry with them. In considering my own code of ethics I need to be responsible in not making assumptions about certain groups, and know that not everyone has had the same opportunities as I have. Like many people I have felt the guilt of having these opportunities when others don’t, but rather than continue to think that simply feeling bad about my place in our society is enough, I know I have to strive to do better and make personal goals for myself. In other words, in order to be a good communicator I can’t just provide for one audience, but all audiences. It is so easy to tell people that if they want to experience nature then they should just go outside and touch the grass as they say, but this is not as easy as people think. There are hundreds of invisible barriers people with privilege who perceive their norm as the cultural norm simply cannot see. Economic barriers, cultural barriers, communication barriers, and so much more. It is learning about these barriers, and working with the people who face them that we can find ways to overcome them and provide less privileged people with interpretation catered to their needs rather than the same run of the mill experience that may be equivalent to others experiences, but not nearly as impactful.

I mentioned before how I once wanted to become a journalist rather than a scientist, and how I am still striving to be a better communicator. Communication is a broad term that has many different definitions. If I wanted to communicate with someone, I could do so using visuals, or music, or writing, or even through dance. Over history, different cultures have found different ways to interpret nature and communicate lessons learned from it to the next generation. For me, my skill set lends itself to utilising writing as the best approach to nature interpretation. Not only am I more confident in the written word, I am creative as well, or at least I try to be. Both the textbook and Strauss (1996) describe the importance of anecdotes and imagery to engage the audience. I know that throughout my life the lessons I have remembered the most were the memorable ones that had a great story behind them. It's part of the reason I can recount twenty hours of lore for major sci fi franchises and yet can barely remember my first year chemistry class. What sticks with people are experiences, and if you can engage people with nature through an immersive and creative experience, they will take that lesson and repurpose it for themselves.

Next year I plan to take a year off science and pursue a graduate certificate course in creative writing. I am in no way giving up science, but what I am doing is trying something new, and something I have always wanted to do. I have learned that influencing people to learn science through media such as fiction and other forms of creative writing can be just as impactful if not more so than discovering the facts in the first place. I hope to one day use what I have learned in this class and the rest of my undergrad to not only continue to be a responsible scientist, but a scientist who can communicate creatively with the next generation and inspire them to consider not just their own needs, but everyone's needs when it comes to nature.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018b). Chapter 5: Guiding Principles of Interpretation. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. (pp.81-101) Sagamore Venture.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018c). Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audience. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. (pp.105-123) Sagamore Venture.

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

Strauss, S. (1996). The passionate fact : storytelling in natural history and cultural interpretation. North American Press.

sdrenvs3000w23

Hey Emily!

This is so funny - the internal debate you discussed between the sciences and journalism was almost identical to what I experienced in my later years of high school. I always had a passion for creative writing, and I've always been incredibly opinionated and I like to get my ideas out there.

I think it's funny how we both ended up here, in our fourth years of a biology-focused science degree. I guess our brains work in similar ways!

I fully agree with you - I took this course kind of mindlessly. No final exam, counts as a restricted elective - It was kind of the perfect scenario. What I didn't realize, like yourself, was how much these weekly blog posts have made me miss creative writing, and how useful the course content would be to prepare me to become someone who can share facts and information about the natural world in an engaging way.

I think these skills are so beneficial because they have made me feel more comfortable engaging such a wide audience - I can tell you feel the same way too! This course has also allowed me to look deeper at the concepts that have shaped my own personal paradigms, and acknowledge the privileges I have and the biases I need to work to overcome.

I'm happy that this course pushed you to pursue a creative writing certificate! When my brother finished his degree in business, he also pursued a certificate in something he was passionate about - culinary arts. These two backgrounds worked so beautifully together, and I have a feeling the same will be true for you!

Best,

Sam

mpenvs3000w23

Me as a nature interpreter

In this week’s Ares reading, Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give up Hope by Jacob Rodenburg, the line “If I had a job description, it would be simply this: to help reveal wonder and cultivate awe.” really stuck out to me, and I immediately got out a pen and paper and wrote this down. Jacob Rodenburg is the executive director of Camp Kawartha and The Camp Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre, located in Ontario, Canada. As I mentioned in several of my previous blog posts, my experiences as both a camper and a counselor at my summer camp (also located in Ontario, Canada) have been very formative in my development as a leader, sense of self, scientist, and global citizen since this space has encouraged me to cultivate my curiosity, embrace my leadership, and live my values. I think the core purpose of any youth educator, especially in an outdoor nature educational setting (such as summer camp), is to do exactly what Rodenburg said: to explore the wonder in the world and just keep exploring and pursuing what brings us joy and fulfillment. After reading this article, I decided to share the wisdom of this statement with my greater summer camp staff community in our WhatsApp groupchat.

The WhatsApp message I sent my summer camp staff regarding Rodenburg's article.

There is an annual Jewish summer camp in person weekend-long conference for summer camp staff members across North America called Cornerstone by the Foundation for Jewish Camps (FJC). Cornerstone is such a valuable education space since it acts as a melting pot for the ideology of Jewish summer camps across the continent, and so much institutional and anecdotal knowledge is exchanged among the participants. Each participant signs up for a series of workshops to participate in during their weekend at the conference to learn skills and activities transferable to their jobs at their respective summer camp. Last year, I signed up for an activity about science and wonder. My key takeaway from this program was extremely inline to Rodenburgs words: it doesn’t exactly matter what you are teaching or how invested the participants are — your job as an educator is to give children the tools they need to explore the world for themselves, appreciate the wonder in any way they can, and celebrate them for their discoveries instead of shame them for their neurodivergence. This program inspired an activity I ran for my summer camp community this summer that I have linked here. This activity embraced the idea of using nature interpretation and exploration as a form of self care and avenue for discovery. Magnifying glasses were given to all the campers for if they got bored at any point during the activity so they could always keep investigating the world, even to the small details in the blades of grass beneath them. This activity was composed of (i) a nature-themed check-in reflexive activity, (ii) a game where they were encouraged to act out nature and empathize with its components, and (iii) a game to observe their surroundings through trust and touch, without their sense of sight. (iv) This activity concluded with one-on-one discussions reflecting on their experience observing nature, applications for self-care practices, and what it was like to search for and embrace the wonder in the world, from small blades of grass, to forests, to whole ecosystem dynamics.

Me explaining my takeaways regarding nature interpretation from Cornerstone to my greater summer camp staff community.

My personal ethic as a nature interpreter resides in the belief that there is no one way to engage with the world and ourselves. This is a very individual process that is constantly evolving and changing. I think providing each other with support, co-creating safer spaces, and building personal connections allows us to feel empowered to explore the relationship between ourselves and nature. I believe that with love and care we can foster an environment that enables youth to grow, discover, and care. Afterall, I believe effective learning is unable to happen when we don’t feel safe and cared for. Therefore, as a nature interpreter, it is my responsibility to actively evaluate my privilege, make nature-based education accessible to as many people as possible, and emphasize positive relationships among individuals that push us to grow and challenge ourselves. We have our comfort zone, where we are not challenged. We have our danger zone where boundaries are violated and not respected. And somewhere between these zones, we have our learning zone, where we are pushed to try new things, reflect with ourselves, and question the status quo in a safe and consensual environment. It is my role to find the learning zone of those around me and provide them with the support and guidance to navigate this zone. For example, this can include learning about tick safety and the increasing population and range size of ticks due to global warming caused by climate change, while giving them the proper tools and advice to enjoy nature while being tick-safe. This can also include sitting together by the water with a guitar and writing a song together about the nature around us. Music can feel like a very vulnerable task, so in this case my role would be to help guide the musical framework and celebrate contributions made by the group.

The approaches most suitable to me as an interpreter stem from foundations of mutual trust and respect. I am a strong believer that we need a space that values trust, respect, and kindness in order to share our thoughts and ideas in a meaningful way and can be further built and inquired upon by the group. I feel most connected to nature when I am in a forest or ravine and I investigate the tree species around me and the sounds of birds chirping nearby. I have lots of questions about the life history of the organisms I see around me and make hypotheses about why some species may predominate in an area versus others. I share these thoughts with those around me, not to provide them with answers, but to awaken a space where curiosity is valued and celebrated and to care enough about nature enough to want to further inquire about it. I am also passionate about using nature interpretation as an avenue for self care. I encourage others, either by themselves or with me, to play guitar by the water and ground themselves in one thing they hear, one thing they smell, a thing they can touch, a thing they can taste, and something they can see. Nature interpretation is of immense value to me and I have been so grateful to see my relationship with nature and as a nature interpreter grow over the past several years. I am filled with warmth and gratitude in knowing that I have the opportunity to be outside at summer camp with the purpose of helping children learn and grow in their relationship with nature and themselves.

Soaking in the nature beauty and wonder of the summer the with the summer camp staff the evening before the kids would arrive for another intense and rewarding summer.

sdrenvs3000w23

Hey Melanie!

I really enjoyed reading your post - I have to say, that quote stuck out to me too! I think the idea of "revealing wonder and cultivating awe" truly encompasses the magic of nature interpretation, and I think it's what brought all of us to this course in the first place - we have felt how amazing it is to experience nature, and we want to be able to provide the same experiences and feelings to as many people as possible. That's even why I chose my environmental science major!

I think your ethic on teaching is incredible - it's definitely really important to build a safe space for people to learn, and to find the sweet spot between pushing them out of their comfort zone without making them feel unsafe. This is where the best, and in my experience, most fun learning comes from!

I also believe that trust and mutual respect are crucial for a learning environment to flourish. I talked about this a bit in my post, but I try, as a nature interpreter, to learn as much from those around me as they do from me. This makes learning a two-way street and opens up the knowledge pool so much bigger than just what I know personally. I also feel as though if they know that I respect and value what they say, they will also respect and value what I say.

As for your activity, that looked so fun! I love the use of tactile learning and the reflection strategies implemented throughout! I wish I could go back to camp and relive those experiences :)

Best,

Sam!

Who am I as a Nature Interpreter?

This week's blog prompt provided me with a much-needed mental reset. I think it's so important after twelve weeks of this course to sit back and look at how much of my personal ethics, beliefs, and paradigms have changed based on the information I've interacted with not only in this course, but in my other personal, professional, and academic ventures.

I look back to the version of myself at the beginning of this course - I was writing my blog posts in my room with the snow falling and seasonal depression in full swing, with almost a sense of bitterness for (at the time) the current state of the natural world. I was dreading the time I spent outside which, in turn, was reflected in some of the posts I was writing - a longing for times when the weather was warmer, days were longer, and I could enjoyably spend time outside without what felt like 10 layers of clothing. I look back to that person and I am excited for her. Through my own personal reflections and posts this semester, as well as through reading all of your lovely posts, I feel like I have developed an unconditional love for nature - one that exists when it rains, shines, snows, or hails. One that prevails through the cold, gusty winds of an Ontario winter. One that can have gratitude for all that the natural world provides us, even when it might not be providing for me directly.

This unconditional love for nature has shifted me so much as a nature interpreter because I think it's so common for people to become frustrated with nature. Rain on your wedding day. Snow in April (the list goes on). I think once you experience this unconditional love for nature, it becomes easy to explain all of the important components of these processes to your audience and get them to feel the same way about nature, too.

I believe in and preach interconnectedness. We are not above nature, we are within it, and with everything in nature, we have the potential to destroy the peace and shift the equilibrium. I believe in the idea that we have begun to disconnect ourselves as a western society from the natural world, and in order to reconnect, we can't feel as though we are above it. This includes treating outdoor spaces like a home - cleaning up any trash laying around, making sure everything is in the right place, and leaving it the way you found it - not making a mess. This is a concept that I will continue to integrate when I interpret nature in the future, and try to really drive home to my audience.

In the same way I preach not being above nature, I also do not feel above the people I am presenting information to. I have always felt that absolutely every single person I meet, on any day, in any place, of any age, has something valuable to share that I am currently unaware of. This could be a new fact about nature, a new perspective on the world, or a story that could change the way I see natural spaces. For this reason, when interpreting, I want to make my audience feel as though it is a two-way street. I am there to share information about the natural world and the space that surrounds us, but also absorb information from them as well. This would likely make the sessions feel more like conversations, and less like presentations. This not only allows me to learn, but it also opens up the space for there to be many more interpreters!

Being an interpreter comes with many, many responsibilities. If you're out in the field or accessing natural spaces, it is absolutely crucial that you take the proper precautions to make sure both yourself and the people you are leading have the least risk possible. This means knowing your route, being aware of any potential risks, such as water bodies, steep hills, etc., and packing appropriate resources in case of an emergency (think light snacks, water, first aid kit, etc). It is also your responsibility to create a safe learning environment where no one feels discriminated against based on factors such as age, gender, race, and sexual orientation. Finally, it is important to acknowledge the land you are presenting on, and discuss the history of ownership in order to educate the people you are with on the origins and historical use, and how the land ended up the way it is now.

For me personally, I adore nature, and I want to share fun facts, cool science, and history about the natural world at any point I get. I always aim to create a safe space for the people I am educating no matter what, and to be mindful of how my personal experiences in the natural world may vary from those of others. It is also important for me to gain the trust of those I am educating, as I want them to believe in the words I am sharing with them. I, in addition, would love to feel that same trust for them and have our learning be two-way and multi-dimensional. I want to learn as much from them as they do from me, because everyone always has information worth sharing, and it allows for all those in the group to hear perspectives from different paradigms. It is important for me to acknowledge the privilege I have growth up with, being constantly surrounded by the natural world and being able to develop this connection with it from such a young age. Being able-bodied. Being able to access parks and natural spaces. I want to encourage those I am interpreting to to also look in their own privilege backpacks and see what they are able to unpack, and see how their experiences could be different from others.

Overall, I have learned so so much this semester about my own personal paradigms and relationship with nature, and I truly feel as though these reflections have made me feel far more comfortable taking on a role interpreting nature to those who may not have that inherent connection, and to help them build that unconditional love for nature that I developed.

etenvs3000w23

MUDSKIPPERS!!

After four years of being a zoology major, it is very difficult for me to come up with just one thing that excites me about nature. I could talk about my thesis, which studies thermal tolerance in ants and how it has made me realise how incredibly diverse just one family can be in the animal kingdom. Or I could talk about cryptid species and how before DNA barcoding we had no idea just how many species there actually were as it turns out in many cases what is thought to be one species is actually ten that look the same. Or I could talk about the incredible work done at yellowstone park and how the reintroduction of wolves changed the very geography of the park due to how much the natural dynamics of the ecosystem changed. I could go on and on, but instead, I’m going to talk about something I learned very recently in one of my other courses I took this semester. So, did you know that many fish can breathe outside of water??

I cannot believe I went my whole life not knowing this, but it turns out there are many fish that not only come onto land for brief periods of time, but come onto land for most of their life. And yet they are still considered fish. These fish are referred to as “amphibious fish” and like other amphibious animals such as frogs and salamanders, they breathe on land not through gills but through lunglike structures or cutaneous (skin) respiration.

My favourite amphibious fish has got to be the mudskippers, which live almost their entire life out of water in the muddy flats in the low tidal areas of Japan. I like them primarily because of how strange and bizarrely cute they look, but because they also have some super interesting behaviours, which can be seen in this BBC Earth video narrated by David Attenborough:

There are many species of mudskipper, but all of them maintain moisture by rolling around in the wet mud or digging holes for themselves to keep shelter from the sun. Their fins are very strong and rigid compared to other fish, and that's because they not only breathe on land but they walk on land too! Their protofeet pulls them along the mud flats, where they feed, mate, and maintain their territories. Something else super interesting is their eyes, unlike most fish, mudskippers are able to do a type of blinking very similar to amphibians and mammals. They have a water filled sac right beneath their eyes that allow them to periodically pull water to moisten their eyes. Their vision is excellent on land but terrible underwater as a result of their lifestyle. Perhaps their most bizarre behaviour is the fact that they can not only walk but jump extraordinary heights as a mating display to attract their partners.

The mudskipper fascinates me because it is such a strange and unusual creature full of fun facts to talk about. It is the perfect case study for why I got into studying nature in the first place, which is to say that I got into nature because it is super cool and exciting to learn about. That, for me, is the key to the importance of interpretation, if you can find something fun in what you are learning, you will never forget it, and you’ll never want to.

sdrenvs3000w23

Hey Emily!

Let me start off by saying I LOVE the enthusiasm here! YAY MUDSKIPPERS! I also struggled to determine what to write about for this week's post - 4 years of an environmental science degree has proven to have provided its fair share of "oh my gosh" moments about nature, but I'm so happy you landed on this piece of information to share!

What the 3.75 years of my 4 year degree failed to inform me of, however, is the fact that there are fish that spend some, or most, of their lives on land! This was completely new information to me - but it's so cool! I'd be super curious to know more about what the benefit of them evolving this way would be - I'm predicting that they exist in water bodies with low oxygen levels, and they often have to come to terrestrial systems in order to meet their oxygen requirements, but this is truly just a surface level guess!

I think a lot about how wildly diverse organisms on this planet are, and this is just another perfect example of being constantly amazed by all the biodiversity on this planet, and how intricate and connected all of these different species are. I talked about this in my original post, but I feel like I had a similar moment when looking at the various fruiting bodies of different fungal pathogens. They might have similar ecological purposes, such as degrading cellulose or lignin, but they look wildly different to the human eye!

I'm curious to know what course you took to learn about amphibious fish? I'd definitely be interested in expanding my knowledge on that specific subject, as it's something I've never explored on a personal or academic level.

Unit 9 - Nature is COOL!

Okay, I'm going to be 100% candid with you guys - this post intimidated me. I mean, after 3.75 years of an environmental science degree, I feel like I have learned so many insanely cool facts about nature that it's almost impossible to key in on one specifically. That's why I figured I'd use this space as a way to highlight a few of the times throughout my undergrad that I've sat back and thought "wow... nature is COOL!".

One of the most fascinating courses I've taken here at the university is Apiculture and Honey Bee Biology. Throughout the entire semester, I found myself continuously amazed at how complex and intricate honeybees are as a species. For one, they're kind of feminist icons. All working bees are female, and males truly only carry the biological role of reproduction. This means that all the sweet, sweet honey you see in grocery stores is created entirely by girl power!

Another really cool fact about bees is their communication skills. Bees are able to communicate SO MUCH information, entirely through dancing. If a foraging bee finds a huge field filled to the brim with pollen, they can make their way back to the hive and perform a dance to the rest of their colony indicating the direction, distance, and fruitfulness of the patch! This is especially incredible to me given the fact that I can barely make it to work without my GPS directing me the entire way!

Last semester, I took Forest Health and Disease - a course entirely based on fungal pathogens in forests, and man oh man was I pleasantly surprised by the content. I originally took it as a way to fill a restricted elective, but I ended up finding such a deep appreciation for fungal fruiting bodies. Every Thursday morning, we would take a walk in a different woodlot in Guelph and check out all of the various fungal pathogens visible to the human eye. This (understandably) filled my camera roll - check out some of highlights above.

This opened my eyes to how diverse the natural world is if you know what to look for, and how complex and integrated every organism is. Where someone may look and see deadwood, I can now see the fruiting bodies of different wood rotters, tell you if it prefers cellulose or lignin, and how long (ish) it's been infecting the deadwood for... cool, right?

I also found it fascinating how different fungal species can look. Whether they're dense, white, and round, or yellow, small, and slimy, they are all under the same taxonomic kingdom. This level of diversity is so wildly huge, it absolutely never fails to amaze me!

I'm curious to know - have any of you had any course content here at the university that has made you stop and say "wow, nature is so cool!"? If you have, drop it below! I'm always looking to expand my running list!

acmenvs3000w23

Nature Interpretation through Music

Hello Everyone,

I thought this was an interesting topic to read about. Music plays a role in many of our lives and it’s interesting to see it from a different perspective. Music is all around us in every possible crack and crevice. I use music to get away from the daily hustle and bustle. It clears my mind and just lets me relax. Now to think where music is in nature the answer is its everywhere. Whether you’re in the boreal forest listening to sparrows, warblers, chickadees, and others chirping along to the rustling of wind in the Sahara Desert to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where humpback whales produce sounds to communicate. We cannot escape it. Gray et al. (2001) discusses the many forms of music used by different species and how everyone has their own sort of way of showing it. Some are obvious like humans and birds but others such as whales are difficult to interpret. Gray et al. (2001) mentioned that the song structure used by whales is similar to ABA form which is also used in many differing songs by humans. We also have other forms such as AABA, ABAB, AAB and others. Furthermore gray et al. (2001) talks about a universal music that is waiting to be discovered. Imagine if we could discover this universal music. It would open so many possibilities. What would be the first thing you would do if there was a universal music?

Now let’s talk about where nature is in music. Mallarach (2012) mentions on page 130 that folk singing performances may offer the community with new strengthened meanings with links to the surrounding nature. The music is being performed to specifically connect individuals with nature. The nature is the reason the songs were made in the first place. Mallarach (2012) further goes to explains on page 130 that specific messages can be placed within songs to better communicate to the audience. These folk songs and many other songs from around the globe are created to show meaning and to remember the beauty and sacrifice that the land and nature has gone through. Songs hold scaredness. The ways these songs communicate towards the audience changes people views. Different instruments, vocals, pitches, and other music terms presented can alter a song and change where meaning is placed. In what ways can different instruments, forms, rhythm, and others alter that way a song is perceived?

I live in a small town in the country so really any songs related to country music bring me back to natural landscapes. I just imagine the times where I was working outdoors, helping my parents, or going on a road trip. It was always country music. Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Tim McGraw, and many others. They just have a certain vibe that makes me feel at home. Driving down the road windows down country music blaring basking in the sunshine just admiring the open landscape, different crops, and the beauty all around me. What are your favourite types of music?

Aaron

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

Mallarach, Josep-Maria (ed.). Spiritual Values of Protected Areas of Europe: Workshop Proceedings. Bonn, Germany: Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, 2012. 170 pp. ISBN: 978-3-89624-057-6.

sdrenvs3000w23

Hey Aaron!

I really like how you discussed the sounds of nature being a form of music itself - I definitely agree! I find when I'm out in nature, whether it be hiking or camping, I love turning off my phone and listening to the sounds of the birds chirping, water running, or the tree branches swaying in the wind. If I had absolutely any musical talent at all, I'd be incredibly influenced by the sounds of nature in my production. Even when I was away for reading week, I constantly found myself grounded by the rhythmic sounds of the waves from the ocean crashing in on shore.

Nature is definitely extremely prevalent in nature, too. From folk songs to modern pop, I've been seeing more and more references to the climate crisis and the beauty of the natural world in my Spotify suggested music (the algorithm knows me too well, I guess). I used the space in my post to discuss Lorde's album Solar Power being a perfect example of the theme of nature showing up in music - incorporating concepts related to climate change, environmental grief, and embracing the beauty of the natural world. This, to me, was one of the first large scale pieces of work by a mainstream artist I was exposed to that touched on these themes, and it was incredibly exciting for me to see this brought to so many people.

Do you have any songs or artists you love that incorporate similar themes into their music? If so, drop it below so I can give it a listen!

Nature Interpretation and Music

Nature and music coincide a lot. Like, all the time. Whether it's artists being inspired to write music about stunning landscapes or changing climates, or using sounds of nature in their songs, such as the crashing of waves or birds chirping, so much of the music I listen to have strong natural influences.

Perhaps the most predominantly nature influenced piece of music I find myself constantly gravitating towards is the album Solar Power by Lorde. Inspired by her trip to Antarctica, the album acts as both a love letter to the natural world, and a cry for help due to the impending damage being done by the climate crisis.

The album consistently houses sounds of nature, like the sounds of the cicadas in Oceanic Feeling, which she describes as being a perfect embodiment of the sound of summer in New Zealand. The entire song is heavily influenced by the sounds of the cicadas and the crashing of waves, and the lyrics pay homage to youthful summers spent with her parents back home. Towards the end of the song, she begins to think about future generations, and asks the question of whether or not if she had children, they would be able to have the same experiences in nature as she did growing up, claiming them to be the closest thing she has ever felt to a religious experience. The song acts as both a beautiful testament to the natural world, as well as a humbling wakeup call to the fact that we are rapidly destroying the planet - so fast that even the next generation may not be able to experience its beauty.

Another song on the album that is thematically centred around the climate crisis is Leader of the New Regime. The song, while short in nature, is based on the idea of seeking environmental refuge in a remote part of the planet after the rest of the world has been destroyed. She opens with "wearing SPF 3000 for the ultraviolet rays" implying the destruction of the ozone layer has reoccurred. The rest of the song touches on what she brought to this island she has taken refuge on, acting as a commentary on late-stage capitalism and it's role on the destruction of the Earth. The song finishes with the looming question - "won't somebody, anybody, be the leader of the new regime?", implying that in order to prevent this scenario from occurring, we need someone to take large scale climate action now, and it seems as though it's a plea for someone to step up and fill that role as soon as possible.

Have any of you guys listened to this album and picked up on different themes relating to the natural world and climate change?

obenvs3000w23

Nature Interpretation Through History

Unpacking this quote is not an easy task. Hyams packs a lot meaning between words and uses metaphors that may be interpreted differently depending on your background. In a way, this alone encompasses the true meaning of interpretation. My understanding of this quote is likely very different to that of someone with very different life experiences to me.

Hyams defines integrity by keeping together the parts of whole, and by the effort to do so when the parts are not blatantly obvious or accessible. This often relates to “ancient things” or stories of history. The only way to learn and adjust our interpretation of today’s world is by learning from the ancient things. My mind immediately goes to an environmental disaster that occurred in Ukraine in 1986, known as the Chernobyl Disaster. At the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine, a nuclear reactor malfunctioned, causing explosions that took the lives of at least 4,000 people in the Soviet Union, including my Great Aunt. There is no merit in this event. It is a disaster whose effects are still being felt by people and the environment today. There is merit, however, in the mercy that the world showed Ukraine during the immediate aftermath of the event. There is merit in the relief efforts and there is beauty in the way that nature can fight toxic events like Chernobyl. To combat the radiation in the soil and ponds that were killing all life forms, sunflowers were planted due to their ecological ability to remove the harmful elements.

This event affected my interpretation of nature and of life. I think the sunflowers represent finding light in the darkest times. I also cannot help but think about my family. This disaster occurred in 1986, and my parents immigrated to Israel in the late 1970’s, after years of trying. If this had just taken them a few more years, they would have had endure the radiation poisoning that affected their entire town. It adds perspective to my life and makes this quote even more meaningful to me. I think Hyams would classify the teachings of Chernobyl as brave acts to maintain integrity.

The second part of this Hyams’s quote struck a chord in me. Perhaps it was the subject of the metaphor being a railway, but I can’t help but think of another ancient thing that effected my family and millions of others, the Holocaust. “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.”. This is so incredibly powerful. If we collectively leave the past in the past, we will have no idea where we are going in the future. Furthermore, we leave nothing for the next generation to learn from. If the railway stops existing when our train gets off it, what about the incoming trains? What will guide their path? This reminds me of a quote by George Santayana which states “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”. this is a quote that has been spoken by figures throughout history such as Winston Churchill and author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. We must acknowledge to past as we move forward to help us navigate this world. We cannot maintain integrity without holding onto the parts of the whole.

What does this mean for nature interpretation? Our generation is living through a climate crisis. The time to act on it is now, and we must look to the past to guide us but think about the future in doing so. We must represent nature through literature, music and art so that the parts of the present can be preserved for the future.

Beck, L, Cable, Ted T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Natural & Cultural Heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing. 2018

sdrenvs3000w23

I really, really enjoyed reading your post.

Before writing my post about unpacking this quote, I really wanted to try and stay off the course Tumblr so that I could have a fully personal interpretation, and man am I glad I did that. I think your interpretation of this quote is so incredibly different, yet so interesting at the same time. Personally, Chernobyl may have been the last thing to come to my mind when reading and trying to unpack this, but the way you tie it in to the way the world acted globally makes so much sense, and is such an excellent depiction of merit and mercy.

Additionally, the second component you discussed, relating the railway station and the train to the holocaust was also something I would have never personally considered, but an example that I think fits so well. I think the idea of passing down stories and information, no matter how beautiful and charming or sad and horrific they are, is vital to the preservation and maintaining integrity. This example specifically always makes me feel as though Germany has done an excellent job of taking accountability for their actions and carrying that burden, which is the opposite of how other countries (cough, Canada and Indigenous peoples) handle their tarnished histories.

"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'm going to be candid - this blog prompt intimidated me. I think I've spent 15 minutes reading through this quote, over and over, trying to determine the right words to say.

It's interesting - I guess there is no inherent merit to old things. It's why some pieces at an antique store could be worth 50 cents, and others could be worth thousands - there are plenty of external factors we place on things that make them worthwhile.

I like the way this quote continues. Merit in integrity. I've contemplated what that means to me for some time, but I keep coming back to the same idea - if something is truly worthwhile, especially if it's ancient or has been around for a long period of time, and is still in full integrity, it means that someone, or many people, have exhausted time and energy into the preservation of it for some reason, whether this reason is apparent or not. When something is maintained to its full integrity over years, decades, or even centuries, and spans across many people and generations, it becomes seemingly obvious that this thing has a merit of sorts to many different people.

The second half of this quote, to me, considers the idea that even though we may not interact with something the same way we may have at its origin, doesn't mean that we can't build profound, intimate relationships with it. Just because it may not currently be an essential part of our livelihoods now, doesn't mean that we can't build an understanding of how it once impacted us our our ancestors.

I think this quote is especially beautiful when applied to nature. Obviously, nature has been around for quite literally billions of years, and has always been attempted to be preserved and maintained to some degree. It is the most ancient thing that we have, and some systems still operate with complete and full integrity. When the second half of the quote is applied, it makes me realize that even though we don't interact with the landscape in the same manner that our ancestors did, doesn't mean that we can't build new, different, and equally profound relationships with the systems and landscapes we exist in today, shaped by the paradigms we have built from being alive now. This not only maintains, but in my opinion, adds to the integrity of an "ancient thing" - it combines the perspectives and opinions on a specific thing across generations, adding more value each time it is perceived or interpreted.

I'm curious to know what you all think - did you interpret this quote in a similar way, or have I just been looking at CourseLink for too long?

apenvs3000w23

A Rainy Day...

Before I start, let me paint the picture of what I am doing at this point in time. So here I am, sitting at my desk at the time I have allotted to complete this blog post. I am on my computer staring at a blank word document for what feels like forever. It's raining outside, so I feel comfortable and a bit more reluctant to complete this task. Cars are passing by, but I haven't heard a single soul outside yet, which is strange because it's 1pm. I am reflecting on the fact that throughout the entire day, I always have what feels like 1000 different thoughts in my head at once that don't let me have a moment of silence. But right now. With all the power in the world to talk about anything I wish, my mind is blank and quiet.

It's amusing to me that no boundaries were set for this week, and I have the chance to be creative, but I am at a loss. When I really think about it, I am a bit fearful! Why can't I decide on one thing? Am I too reliant on others or my phone? Can I not think for myself? But then I take a step back and remind myself that we are in a challenging part of the semester. I have assignments like no other, midterms coming up, and my body has been wrapped in stress for far too long. So? It's okay that I couldn't think of something right away. I'm tired, and school has been a lot.

So instead of talking about things that stimulate the brain, let's talk about how powerful weather, seasons and conditions are to us. Because as I look outside on this cold rainy day, all I want to do is stay inside, close my school work and watch a movie. The act of leaving my apartment right now feels like the largest chore. It is so funny because yesterday it was 6 degrees Celsius and sunny, and I was so upbeat and wanted to stay out the whole day.

However, today, my day started completely different because I woke up to the sound of rain. I think that's pretty powerful, don't you think?

I don't know about you, but when the sun started setting at 4:30pm in late November to December, I was struggling. As someone who likes to get things done during the day, trying to get work done when it is dark felt impossible. My roommates and I found each other getting ready for bed at 6pm and would only realize once we checked the time. We felt so tired, and it ultimately affected all of our work patterns and mental states. Seasonal depression is so real. It's hard to stay so upbeat when the day ends so early. Nowadays, the sun is setting at 5:30pm, and things are starting to feel much better. Although I am still anxiously waiting for the warmth of summer and those long summer months when the day doesn't end until 9pm.

I guess I am trying to say is that sometimes you must take a step back to see how often we are affected by nature. It's okay if you wake up feeling down on a cold rainy day with no intention to move. Seasons and weather are so powerful! It subconsciously affects us every day without us even knowing sometimes.

Here is a picture that was taken at 9:07pm in June.

sdrenvs3000w23

Amen to this post. Seriously.

Everything you said is a perfect reflection of my life right now. Yesterday, when the sun was shining and it was 6 degrees, I found myself heading to campus early, reaching out to friends I hadn't spoken too in a while, and getting a fun iced coffee from Starbucks rather than my classic black drip at home.

I've always said my life is a pathetic fallacy - the weather influences my mood so heavily, it's truly insane. I find my mood so influenced by the weather that it even played a major factor in determining what university I wanted to go to (UBC was a top contender, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to handle the perpetual gloom that is a Vancouver winter).

In months like these, I find myself constantly looking back to my camera roll, reminiscing on memories from the summer when the sun was shining and my skin was sun kissed and times were just simply better. It helps keep me motivated to power through the winter gloom, the cold air, and the rainy skies, because I know that soon enough, I'll be able to feel the warmth from the sun on my skin, be able to drive my little punch buggy with the top down, and get to sit outside on a patio.

In times like these, what keeps you motivated to power through and stay motivated? (please send tips my way... I could use all the tricks I can get my hands on).

dralh

Disclaimer

This blog was created for __________, University of Guelph.

The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of the University of Guelph.

The University of Guelph is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by this blog.

Unit 5 Blog

Hi friends!

I wanted to use this "free post" to talk a bit about my experience being a nature interpreter in the workplace (in a very unconventional way!)

Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to move out west to Vancouver and intern with the apparel company Aritzia in their sustainability department. Over the course of the four months I worked there, I was met with so many questions and so much interest from the other interns in my cohort about what exactly sustainability in fashion means, the type of work I was doing, and what steps they could take individuals to reduce their impact with respect to their clothing.

Coming from an educational background (I was a tutor for kids aged 3-18 for 4 years throughout high school and the start of university), I loved this experience to have meaningful, educational discussions with people from different backgrounds than myself on a topic I was incredibly passionate about.

Because most of the internships were based around business, very few of the people I worked with over the summer had a scientific background, and even fewer had a background in ecology or environmental sciences. Though a lot of my colleagues had very little formal scientific education, they were incredibly eager to learn about the ways in which their fashion choices impacted the natural world!

I found myself often taking long lunches, lost in long conversations about topics ranging from the impacts of textile dyes on aquatic biodiversity and aquatic system health, to the microfibres that are released during the washing and drying of garments that can't be filtered out of standard laundry machines and can bioaccumulate in waterways. I loved discussing the projects that I was working on, such as reducing emissions across an entire supply chain (all the way from the raw material extraction to the efficiency of lightbulbs in stores) to changing the chemistries used to make garments waterproof to make them more sustainable and safer on people and the planet!

All this being said, I think that there are opportunities to be a nature interpreter even when nature isn't around. Though I was situated in the heart of downtown Vancouver every day (fortunate enough to see some pretty stellar views of the North shore mountains from my desk, but still pretty far from any actual nature), I still found myself constantly educating my peers about the natural world and sustainability (and even the bees we kept on the roof!). These conversations can be fun, spontaneous, and done over a coffee or lunch - not just out in the bush!

As I get closer to the end of my degree (and likely a 9-5 in an office), I like to keep this experience in mind. Nature education can exist everywhere, any day! It truly just needs interest and someone passionate enough to educate (and if anyone is interested in sustainability in fashion, feel free to drop any questions below!)

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Unit 04 Blog

Art is one of the most powerful mediums that can simultaneously deliver one or multiple strong messages to the public. Its nature of being open to interpretation makes it a unique form of interpretation. Art is a broad topic encompassing numerous forms of expression, such as literature, visual arts, film, and music. All of which ultimately depends on the audience to give it its meaning. In our textbook, it was noted that Mills said, “People are out for recreation and need restful, intellectual visions, and not dull, dry facts, rules, and manuals. (Beck, 2018).” The quote emphasizes the importance of the method of presentation and how stimulative display of interpretation should be the aim. Everyone interprets nature through art, constantly and subconsciously. Perhaps the reason for this is the natural instinct in us as humans to seek purpose and beauty in our lives. No matter the reason, we all have the right to “pursuits happiness,” and one of the ways is through connecting with nature (Beck, 2018). So, photography and painting of nature, at moments of strong emotions, are the most common ways people capture memories; a photograph of a sunset may be related to a memorable family time. In my opinion, everybody has the power to interpret nature through art, as we are all spectators of the same world, after all. Hence, I would argue that art can be viewed as an isolated, magnified, small piece of nature filled with symbolism. A well-known example would be “The Starry Night” by Van Gogh. The painting is a reflection of the scenery outside of his windows. However, besides the emphasis in the painting on the sky, the painting symbolizes his emotions that were evoked by the view --- depression.

Although this example is quite pessimistic, it highlights my point that nature is intertwined with history, science, culture, etcetera. Thus, interpreting nature through art can illuminate the few key points one wishes to interpret. For example, our podcast assignment in this course is also a form of art. We interpret a topic in nature and present it with a message, such as pollution, endangered animals, and invasive species.

To engage with the audience and create a positive experience that can improve their “leisure times,” “The Gift of Beauty” is a crucial principle during interpretation. According to Mill’s formula for nature guides, appealing to the audience is on the topic of the list. What other ways can better appeal to people if they come out of the “guide” with a refreshed and uplifted view of life? The gift refers to the enthusiasm, education, happiness and positivity one typically gets through the interpretation. In contrast, the principle points out the elements interpreters should consider when interpreting. Lastly, in my own experiences, an example of a time when I received the gift of beauty would be after I watched the movie “Wall-E” as a kid; I became more mindful of minimizing waste, especially environmentally harmful items such as plastic and batteries.

References

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

The Van Gogh Gallery. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2023, from https://www.vangoghgallery.com/painting/starry-night.html

sdrenvs3000w23

Hello!

I really enjoyed reading your post - you brought up so many different ideas regarding art and nature interpretation that I hadn't considered before!

I like what you mentioned about art being open to interpretation making it an important piece of nature interpretation. These factors play so well together, and can make a moment or experience in nature, like a picture of the sky or a sound of a bird call, change meaning depending on the person consuming the art or media.

In addition, I really liked your analysis of Van Gogh's Starry Night. I think I tend to forget that the person who creates art, in any medium, also applies their own experiences and paradigms to the content they create, and this influences the way we as consumers and interpreters interact with art. As you stated, the influence of history, science, and culture is so wildly prevalent in art, primarily because art is such a strong reflection of the world we live in, whether that's a reflection of the social and economic states, political tensions, or scientific debates going on at the time of production. It's interesting that, for this reason, as an interpreter of nature based art, it is important to consider the background of the artist or creator, and understand their personal paradigms and connections with the piece to accurately interpret their work. This, to me, seems like a vital component of being a good nature interpreter, as it helps to illustrate the entire picture of what is going on in a specific piece of art.

Unit 4 - Nature and Art

In my opinion, absolutely anyone is entitled to, and should interpret nature through art. Art is inherently meant to be consumed, and once a piece is created and put out to the public, it is then available for everyone and everyone to view, ponder, interpret, and grapple with.

One of the great factors about nature interpretation through art is that it exists in a multitude of different mediums, including film, photography, painting, sculptures, music, and writing, just to name a few. This creates an extremely broad space of nature interpretation in art, allowing it to be not only accessible but interesting and exciting to an extremely wide variety of people, regardless of age, gender, and lifestyle.

Last week, we had discussed how privilege ties into nature interpretation, and I read many posts discussing how being able-bodied is such a massive privilege when it comes to existing with nature, as it allows us to experience the natural world in the most immersive way - physically existing in it. I think it's incredibly important to identify art, especially in forms such as photography, music, and paintings, as a crucial way in which people who are not able-bodied experience and interpret nature. Consuming nature-based art can be an incredibly profound experience for those who are unable to physically go out in the natural world and experience it first hand due to physical disabilities or illnesses.

In addition to the interpretation of nature through art, this week's content also discussed the "gift of beauty". This, to me, reflects the idea that nature is so incredibly and inherently beautiful and complex, that it can be seen as a gift that we are able to experience and interpret it in our daily lives. To me, it almost places nature and natural systems above humans, as something to preserve and protect, whereas historically it has been seen as a resource that can be used and exploited for personal or financial gain (page 41).

The concept of the "gift of beauty" is something that I have thought about quite a lot. Oftentimes, experiences in nature have felt almost otherworldly to me - almost the closest thing I have experienced to religion. I am always humbled, amazed, and incredibly grateful that I am able to wake up every day and exist within and explore the natural systems around me. The concept of the "gift of beauty" perfectly encompasses this feeling that I have always had, but have not quite been able to express until now.

A perfect example of this feeling was right here. This photo was taken at the top of the first peak of the Stawamus Chief hike in Squamish, BC. I remember finally breaking through the tree cover, looking around, and being so grateful to be in my skin, and to be surrounded by such incredibly beautiful landscapes (and the little chipmunk on the right who also hiked up!)

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Unit 3

To begin, I think that it is important to define the word “privilege” before diving into the question. I believe that the word privilege describes a person or a situation that is appointed an advantage or set of advantages due to their luck, wealth, family, etc. With that being said, those who are privileged tend to view the world and nature in different ways than the average or unprivileged person does.

In the context of nature specifically, people who are privileged have a different sense of nature and the way that they interpret it. For example, someone who is able to travel every so often definitely has a larger palette of what they have seen. This goes from hiking the most beautiful mountains, walking down tropical trails, and even swimming in the most exotic waters. These are a few examples of extreme privileges, but others can be as simple as living near well preserved areas and forests. I, myself, consider myself to be quite privileged in the sense that I am able to take nature in with all of my senses. By this, I mean, I have 20/20 vision which allows me to see my surroundings; I have my sense of smell which allows me to breathe in the fresh or not so fresh aromas of a hiking trail; I have full hearing which allows me to listen to the sound of waves crashing or branches snapping below my feet; I have two legs and arms which allow me to feel bark on the tips of my fingers or sand between my toes; lastly, I have my sense of taste that would allow me to taste fresh maple syrup from a tree or dirt if I were to trip and fall. Also, I have been lucky enough to travel and see amazing parts of our world from other provinces in Canada, down to the tropics, and across the ocean to different parts of Western Europe.

To circle back to the role that privilege plays in nature interpretation, I believe that we are all privileged in a sense to be living in Canada and having nature around us. I read a post that was titled “Exposure to nature is a privilege, and a pathway to environmental care” which I believe to be so true (Scott, 2022). Being surrounded by greenery and wildlife is a fascinating thing, and we are fortunate enough to live in a country that encourages environmental acts. Especially Guelph, we are run by a Green party that respects diversity and ecological wisdom that ensures individuals are doing their part in respecting nature.

All in all, I believe that nature interpretation is dependent on many factors that are not just privilege related. There is a combination of factors such as age, place of residence, personality and interests that combine together to allow for individuals to interpret nature. In conclusion, the way people interpret nature is personal and unique in comparison to others.

Scott, M. (2022, February 23). Exposure to nature is a privilege, and a pathway to environmental care. Earthbeat. https://www.ncronline.org/news/earthbeat/exposure-nature-privilege-and-pathway-environmental-care

sdrenvs3000w23

Hello hello!

Wow - your post truly opened my eyes to so many different forms of privilege that I hadn't considered before. When it comes to existing within nature, being able-bodied is such a massive privilege. I never truly thought of the challenges associated with the lack of accessibility in green spaces, because, nature is inherently difficult to access. Thinking back to hikes that I have been on or places that I've been to in the natural world, I truly don't think I'd have close to the same number of experiences if I was not able-bodied.

I think it's also important to note the privilege of being in overall good health as well. Those who suffer from chronic pain and diseases, as well as those who are on treatments for serious illnesses such as cancers or leukaemia are also likely to have difficulty accessing nature in the way an able-bodied person can.

I also found it interesting how you discussed vision - so much of my personal connection with nature comes from physically seeing flora and fauna, interactions between the two, and the overall beauty of the natural world. For those who may be visually impaired, this type of connection may be completely inaccessible, thereby hindering their experience with one of the greatest parts of the natural world - its beauty.

I agree with you - making nature more accessible to all Canadians is so vital, because once individuals establish connections with the natural world, they typically develop more of an inclination to preserve and protect it.

Unit 3: Privilege

Throughout the readings provided in this week’s content, it is jarringly obvious that privilege plays a massive role in nature interpretation.

Privilege, to me, is a combination of both visible and unseen experiences that shape how the world perceives you as an individual. This could be related physical attributes of a person, such as skin colour, gender (as well as cis and transgender individuals), body type, and more. In addition to these physical attributes, there are often less visible or unseen attributes, such as socioeconomic status, family dynamic, education level, and sexuality just to name a few. All of these differences change and greatly influence the ways in which individuals interact with the world, and how people interact with them.

It is important to note that being close to nature and natural spaces is a privilege. Many people live in areas where greenspaces and natural areas are not easily accessible. Typically, in lower-income areas, there are fewer opportunities for people to access natural spaces (Wen et al., 2013). This means that people, like myself, who are in this course and have the desire to become nature interpreters already have privilege – we have had exposure throughout our lives to the natural world, and have spent enough time immersed in it to develop a connection and interest in it. This privilege is important to understand and acknowledge as we as a class aim to become better at nature interpretation. It is likely that at some point in our future as nature interpreters, we will be sharing ideas and information with individuals who did not experience the same opportunities to connect and cherish nature the same way many of us have, and it is important to learn how to make the information we are sharing fun, interesting, and insightful to those who may not have a pre-existing passion or interest in the environment.

Understanding our own privileges with respect to our connections with nature can also help us break down these experiences and present information that is independent of our privilege. In addition, we can also share information about our experiences with this privilege and help the people we are interpreting to understand their own personal “invisible backpack”. Doing so can help to create a safe, even playing field for all those that we are interpreting to exist and create their own experiences within nature, and will likely make individuals in the group with less exposure to nature feel more safe and welcome. In addition, understanding our privilege helps to in turn discover our personal biases, and understanding these biases can help us eliminate these biases while we share and interpret information to others.

Wen, Ming, et al. “Spatial Disparities in the Distribution of Parks and Green Spaces in the USA.” Annals of Behavioral Medicine, vol. 45, no. S1, 2013, pp. 18–27., https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-012-9426-x.

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Unit 02: Teaching Learners

My uncle lives on the shore of Lake Erie and down the road from his house is an arboretum/biodiversity hotspot called Monarch Landing Nature Reserve. My uncle became good friends with the gatekeeper of the reserve and while visiting my uncle in the summer of 2021 we went to the reserve for a tour. The gatekeeper’s name was also Aaron, and he was extremely knowledge about all the species on the reserve. It was host to 230 species of birds, 73 species of butterflies, Carolinian and rare trees, and plants. On the tour Aaron talked about the different species, how they originally came to Canada or if they were native, the status of the species, which species migrated through the reserve, and overall showed me some cool plants.

I do not think that my future employment will involve interpreting nature in this way however I think it would be cool to volunteer to gain the opportunity to teach people about different plants species in Ontario and how to preserve them. This could be volunteering throughout my career or after I retire and just something I do on the side for fun. I want to be able to look at any plant or tree species and know exactly what its scientific name is and then be able to explains its history is a fun imaginative way that will get my audience excited about nature. Ideally this would be performing nature tours at an arboretum to children and adults.

After taking the What’s your learning style quiz I found out that I am a 45% tactile, 40% visual and 15% auditory learner. Meaning I learn best through experiences and seeing. Taking that into account when I interpret nature for others, I need to consider their learning style and incorporate that into my explanation.

If I were to perform tours, I believe the best way to interpret nature to my audience would be through the story line strategy (pg. 100) (Beck et al., 2018). As well Beck et al. (2018) indicates that interpretation should not be just facts but rather acting as a guide to help better the experience providing the flesh and blood (pg. 83). Beck et al. (2018) provides a list of the 15 principles and there corresponding gifts (pg. 85). Depending on the intended audience these principles must be adjusted to represent the material in understanding ways. Such as with the gift of joy programs can be designed to be targeted at adults, children, and a mix of both so when you start a tour it can reach the audience at all levels. Adjusting interpretation to different ages will be important to learn as well. Asking where, what, who questions to children under 2, when and why questions to children 2-7, focusing on concrete experiences for children 7-11, and lastly for children older than 11 incorporating problems will be helpful (pg. 108/109) (Beck et al., 2018).

Another skill to learn would be multiple intelligences to help engage as many people as possible (pg. 110) (Beck et al., 2018). Many of the other theories Beck talks about are important to learn as well. Incorporating these theories into steps to guide the audience through a story line with the main goal in mind. Overall, this will all take time to learn and could take years to masters before you can apply your knowledge to everyone’s learning style.

Aaron

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

sdrenvs3000w23

Hi Aaron!

I really enjoyed reading your post - that experience up by your uncle's place near Monarch Landing sounded so incredible - almost like a contributing factor to determining your sense of place in nature as we discussed in Unit 1 last week!

I found it interesting to read about your profound experience with Aaron (the nature interpreter), and to compare that with your learning scores. It makes sense that this type of guided, outdoor experience would be so valuable to you, especially since your tactile score was so high.

For me personally, my learning style was very heavily influenced by auditory and visual learning types. The visual learning type is often aided by being outdoors, but for me personally, I find that this can be filled with other distractions, and I don't always retain all of the information being discussed by the interpreter. Understanding and aiding to all of these different types of learning is something that I believe would be rather challenging when acting as a nature interpreter, especially given that we all have our own individual biases and preferences to what makes a good nature interpreter.

I do agree with what you mentioned later on in your post - even if nature interpretation isn't a key component of your career in the future, it would still be really cool to be able to retain information about the natural world to share with friends and family. I personally have always valued my ability to be able to go on walks with other people and identify and share fun facts about different trees, fungi, and shrubs. This is information that I'd love to hold onto going forward, and a skill I'd love to continue to develop in the future.

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