Susan Procopio

Nature Interpretation ENVS*3000

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Thank You!

I would like to thank all my readers and followers for participating in this Tumblr blogging experience. I have learned so much from my peers and I am grateful for all of our shared opinions. I believe I will take the knowledge I have gained from this course and will be able to apply it in the future as I continue to interpret the world through my eyes.

Happy Holidays and God Bless.

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Interpretation: Not For the Weak-Hearted

When we went around the room on the first day of class, discussing our experience with interpretation, I didn’t have much of an answer. In fact, my answer was somewhere along the lines of “honestly, I don’t even know what nature interpretation is, and I’m here to find out”.

Over the course of the semester I’ve learned some solid foundations to help me figure out just what nature interpretation is. I’ve learned the basic principles of planning, running, and evaluating a walk. I’ve learned about how to balance risk to make sure that a program isn’t too boring or too scary. I’ve been able to, on multiple occasions, see professionals in the field interpreting nature and setting an example. The funny thing is, if you were to ask me today what nature interpretation is, I still don’t think I’d be able to answer. This isn’t however, because I’ve learned nothing. This is because I’ve learned one very important thing: nature interpretation can be done an infinite amount of ways. Interpretation is as much an art form as anything; the art of grabbing an audience’s attention and holding it through a presentation, ensuring each member walks away with something.

This leaves me to consider where I fit into the world of interpretation. I think that I bring a very specific view of the field with me, and as such have broken my ethic as an interpreter into three fundamental principles:

1)      Let people be free to discover on their own. In my opinion, the best way to learn is through experience.  Someone once told me that “experience is a bitch of teacher, but it’s a damn good one”, and as I consider this, I begin to realize how many of the lessons that I will never forget are ones that I learned from experience. Because of experience, I know that if a mountain bike trail is marked as “professionals only”, one should probably listen to it or risk some serious wipe-outs. Because of experience, I know that reef sharks are only going to chase you if you run from them: the best thing to do is stand your ground. Because of experience, I know that some of the best stories come from times when you had no plan, no idea, and no direction. This is something that I think everyone should experience, and as much as I can teach people facts and lessons about nature, few of them will truly grasp my point until they learn it from experience.

(What do you do with a single free day in Victoria? Follow vague directions to a local knowledge spot and climb out over a 200+ foot drop into a gorge of course. No plan, no idea, no direction - just four guys and a goal)

2)      Life begins outside of your comfort zone. Contrary to what we spoke about in class, I’m a firm believer that people should be constantly challenged, and that the best way to experience nature is to constantly put yourself in a state of discomfort. When I’m home for the holidays, I’ll often go for walks through the forest near my house. Its easy to get to and a good way to spend an afternoon. Last year, however, I decided I didn’t want to do that anymore because I’d grown up in that forest and it wasn’t new anymore. Instead of walking the same trail, I ended up bushwhacking and doing some off-trail exploring. I ended up in waist-deep snow. I found an abandoned hobo camp. I tracked a deer for 40 minutes, trespassed on in a farmer’s field, and still couldn’t find it. And best of all, I got hopelessly lost. I found myself in a very uncomfortable position: I had no idea where I was and was running out of daylight. Now, before I go any further its important to mention that this forest isn’t massive; I knew I could walk in any direction for under two hours and figure out where I am (I’ve been briefly but genuinely lost in an expansive forest before and its not something I’m eager to do again – see section 1). However, trudging through the snow trying to find something familiar afforded me two benefits. First, I began to notice little things in the environment that I hadn’t before in my desperate attempt to find something familiar. And second, I felt more alive than I had in a long time. All I had was myself and my skills to rely on. I trusted myself to find my way home, and I felt powerful when I eventually did. I do my best to do things that make me this kind of uncomfortable as often as I can - from illegally climbing through gorges in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia, to snorkeling with sharks and stonefish on the Ningaloo Reef, to boating into polar bear territory to collect firewood in the Cree Nation of Wemindji, to something as simple as walking through the Arboretum at night and trying not to jump at the shadows. The times in life when I am most exhilarated, and the times when I grow the most, are the times that I am deliberately uncomfortable. This is something that I think people need more than ever in a time when so much of our society and technology is focused on keeping us comfortable (read: numb).

(”What do you mean we’re going past the stop sign? Isn’t that illegal?” “Yes it is, Calder, but you won’t believe what’s down there!”)

3)      Give no quarter. There are obvious exceptions to this one, but as a general rule I believe that most people are capable of that which they think they are not. Last year, I underwent surgery to fix a foot that had been broken for two years. While this surgery fixed the break itself, it didn’t fix the chronic pain that accompanied it, and since March I’ve lived in near constant pain. Despite this, I continue to live my life the way I did before the surgery, and before the break. It takes some more teeth-gritting, some extra care, and a lot of Tylenol, but I have been able to meet (and exceed) my limitations despite this injury. I’m now a part of a gold-medal winning Quidditch team, I run 8 kilometres almost daily, and I’m in the best shape of my life. I have had the good fortune to realize that my injury can’t hold me back, and as an interpreter I think this is an important concept to pass on. Anyone and everyone can be outdoorsy, in most cases the only thing holding people back from going on a hiking trip, jumping into a lake, or climbing a mountain are their own perceived limitations that stop them from trying in the first place.

(A fracture of the 5th metatarsal - broken for over two years…)

(…and 8 months later, a regional gold medalist) 

If I had to sum up my ‘style’ as an interpreter in a single word, I’d choose “unforgiving”. My ideal program is one that promoted experiential learning that will make you uncomfortable and realize the only thing holding you back all along was yourself.

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts Calder. First of all, congratulations on becoming a regional gold medalist! Quidditch has always been a fascinating sport to me. I really enjoyed reading your blog and thought your three fundamental principles were very thoughtful. I entered this course with a similar perspective as you; knowing little about nature interpretation. I appreciate your point about nature interpretation being accomplished in an infinite number of ways, and that you compared interpretation to art form. This is a great analogy.

You seem very sure of yourself throughout this post and have fairly specific views on the topic. However, as you continue to develop and grow as an interpreter, you may notice a shift in your morals, principles and beliefs. Your preferred interpretive approach, which has a focus on pushing limits and exploring outside one’s comfort zone, is both an intriguing and risky method.

I am so pleased to hear you find it thrilling to explore nature with no plan, ideas or direction. I believe our past life experiences have a deep influence on our current beliefs and ethics. To give you a little story of my own: when I used to be MVP on the senior cross country team in grade 12, most of my practice routes winded through forest trails. My route was marked with tape (similar to the tape used in your Jane’s walk on survival strategies). One afternoon after class I was held up in a tutorial and had to start the trail alone. Soon into my run I noticed some tape marks were missing. I got terribly lost for a few hours, to the point where I started yelling names of my team members in case someone would hear me. Before that point, I had heard that if lost in the forest, follow the river, but I couldn't find a river. This was a terrifying moment in my life. This made me realize that nature is indeed “unforgiving” (as you mention in the context of interpreting style), and from this experience, I tend to take a more cautious approach towards my adventures and thus interpretation. Contrary to your enjoyment of wondering in forests, I find it quite scary. It proves that God has created us all differently, which is much more exciting than everyone being the same.

Perhaps it would do me justice to participate in an interpretive walk guided by yourself, to change my perspective on free-style exploring into a more positive experience. With reference to Csikszentmihalyi’s Characteristics of Flow, my grade 12 “lost in the woods” experience was far onto the anxious side, however I believe that the more we practice being at the boundaries of the flow, the more we become accustomed/ comfortable. I believe that your technique for interpretation will undoubtedly appeal to other adventure seeking people. As long as you have the appropriate audience, your approach can positively change someone’s perspective on nature. All the best interpreting in the future and I hope your foot holds up!

-       Susan Marie Procopio

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Hey everyone! I can’t believe this semester is already over, I don’t know about you guys but it went by in a blink of an eye for me.  For the last week, I will leave you guys with a beautiful picture of the sky and its clouds.   

For me, the sky is just a reminder of how simple things can have such a large impact on us. Just gazing up at the sky bring a smile to my face, it is present everywhere we go and plays such a large role on our day. The sky has way of casting emotions and feelings over everyone that is in the presence of it.  

Personal Ethics 

One main value I try to keep in my life is respect. As an interpreter, I can integrate respect into my lessons by teaching respect for our surroundings. Helping others to see the beauty that nature has, but also to know how to treat it well will help people become environmental stewards, and to share how they respect nature with others. It is important to preserve the earth we have today so that not only we can enjoy it, but our future and offspring can as well. I also have a great deal of respect for the individuals that are teaching me, and being respectful is a key aspect in being a great student/learner.   I also recognize that I have the obligation to be respectful to the people that I am teaching. Being aware that everyone comes from a different background and upbringing and that we all have different things in our invisible backpacks will help me to create an inclusive atmosphere in my programs, and to insure a safe learning atmosphere that people can thrive in.    

Beliefs

 For me, I truly think that knowledge is power. It doesn’t matter if someone is an expert at something the moment they learn about it, or if they excel at a skill that they have been practicing. As long as people are learning, that’s what counts! And as an interpreter, I believe my job should be to educate people as much as I can, but also accept that everyone learns differently and at different paces. If I am not able to get the point across that I originally intended, that’s more than ok! Learning to go with the flow and assess the audience is an important aspect of interpretation as well. Knowledge is such a key component to an individual, there are so many topics in this world to focus on and there is always something to spark someone’s interests. Knowledge on a topic show that you are passionate and care about something, 

Responsibilities 

As an interpreter, I think that I would have many responsibilities. One very important thing would be insuring that everyone in the programs safety. Throughout the semester, we have examined different forms of risk and how to prepare for them. Being aware of the surroundings and any dangers that could emerge is always something to be thinking about and prepared for. Another important responsibility I would have is to make sure everyone is enjoying the program. One way to do this would be trying to achieve a balance between my audience’s skill set, and amount of challenge in order to achieve flow with what we are doing. It is important to have back up plans incase certain individuals are not comfortable in the original one.  

Approaches 

In the end, I think that that most important thing is that people have a positive experience with nature, if this is achieved it is safe to say that the interpreter has done a good job. Everyone takes away something different from interpreters. Whether it is facts, stories or just that they were able to see enjoyable to them.  If I can help my audience to leave thinking “wow, nature is amazing!” then I think I’ve done my part. The experiences people take away from a nature program will shape what they do with nature in their lives in the future and influence their experiences. If people enjoy what I have to share, that will have a longer lasting influence than if all they take away are facts and information. I think that nature interpretation is about teaching, but more importantly, creating joy and inspiration with the content you share. 

 I’ll leave you with a question to think about: 

Do you think the principles/values/ethics that make a good interpreter could be applied to other aspects of our lives? 

I would love to hear everyone thoughts about this, feel free to share!

Hope everyone enjoyed this class as much as I did, good luck with exams!

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Hi Savannah, thank you for sharing your thoughts. It can be challenging to synthesize all our ethics, beliefs and responsibilities into a single blog post, but I believe you did a great job piecing together your ideas to formulate some principles.

Respect for nature is undoubtedly an important foundation as a nature interpreter, as it motivates our passion, drives us to protect the environment, and encourages us to educate others. You alluded to the “invisible backpack” discussed earlier this semester, which I agree is important to ensure inclusivity.

I really like your belief that as long as people are learning, that's what counts! When I was a swimming instructor and lifeguard at my local community center throughout highschool, I recall teaching a class of students who were 7-8 years old. A pair of twin boys were in this class who differed in swimming ability. My main role was to correct their swim strokes, as well as educate them about swimming safety. Although only one of the brothers passed the level, they both improved in their stroke techniques, as well as learned about how to be water smart. This experience demonstrates that not everyone will learn the same way or the same amount. It also demonstrates that a job can be well done, as long as students take home even the slightest bit of information.

In response to the questions you asked, I believe that the ethics, principles and values that make a good interpreter can be applied to various aspects in our lives. This may be through personal initiatives for conservation; leaving no trace activities; or sharing interests on social media with others.

Thank you for this photograph of the sky. It is a wonderful way to conclude to our discussions. I believe that taking a few moments to look up at the sky is a great way to refresh our thoughts. Humans, as terrestrial beings and with eyes facing forward, live a 2D life. However, looking up at the space above us and the mystery of the sky, display’s our world in a different light. All the best continuing to grow as a nature interpreter and happy holidays!

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I’m Not Lost, Just on my Way

When I began this course almost four months ago, I had a limited understanding of nature interpretation. I truly believe this course has profoundly changed my outlook on life. As a minor example, I used to get an icky feeling near cemetery’s and felt that they were simply places of sombreness. However, after our lab at the Guelph Cemetery, my perspective on this aspect of death was suddenly given light. As another example, after our musical lab with James Gordon, I was inspired to write lyrics of my own. In fact, just two weeks ago I registered for my first guitar lesson, and am already able to play a few chords. I believe that I was “gifted a spark” in many ways throughout this course; not just in nature.

Upon entering this course, I had expectations to learn about effective nature interpretation. These expectations were exceeded, as I was not only given instructions on how to effectively interpret, but was also given the opportunity to practice interpreting to my peers. My presentations throughout this course provided me with a greater understanding of my preferred interpretive techniques, and my own opinions and beliefs. Below I have broken them down into the categories of personal ethics, beliefs and responsibilities. However, the information in these sections are not confined to one category, and in fact have much overlap.

My Personal Ethic

In terms of my personal morals and standards, I believe that honesty is pivotal. Being honest in the stories shared, being genuine in my excitement, and being truthful in my opinions are all essential for a developing nature interpreter. Another standard that should be valued as a developing interpreter is safety. I believe that interpreters should ensure that their activities are relatively safe; the content in discussion is appropriate; and that the participants do not feel forced to participate in any activities.

Csikszentmihalyi’s Characteristics of Flow, discussed earlier this semester is relevant here, as interpreters must maintain flow, where the participants are neither anxious nor bored. As a developing nature interpreter, I intend on making the audience fully aware of the dangers of my presentation, but do not want to scare the participants. At the beginning of the semester, Chris mentioned that interpreters should avoid discussing personal fears, such as that of bugs or deep water. This should be avoided because revealing these negative thoughts may affect the opinions of the audience, cause fear, or worst of all, take away a potential spark.

In addition, an important personal ethic of mine involves respect. Analogous to the Golden Rule in world religions, which states “do to others what you want them to do to you”, I believe interpreters should treat audience members in the same way they would like to be treated (Islamic Networks Group). For instance, when the audience is asked to give input and share their ideas, their contributions should be respectfully considered and acknowledged, just as I would want.  

A photograph of the Golden Rule in world religions (Islam Networks Group).

My Beliefs

As a developing interpreter, I bring a variety of beliefs to the ways in which I interpret. I believe it is important to give people both time and space to process information, and to have few to zero expectations going into the interpretive walk. This will allow for a less structured program, encourage free flowing ideas and support unexpected detours. I also believe that it is perfectly okay to say “I am not entirely sure” in response to a question. Accepting that we can never know the answers to all the questions in life is truly liberating, and exhibits our human condition.

I also believe that preparation is important, but only to a certain extent. From my experience, usually the less rehearsed presentations flow more naturally, and the unexpected detours resonate most with the audience.

My Responsibilities

As both a 21-year old University of Guelph student and as a developing nature interpreter, I am aware of various responsibilities I have because of both moral and academic obligations. These responsibilities can be both easy and challenging to fulfill. An important responsibility of mine is conducting myself in a professional manner. The gift of professionalism presented by Beck & Cable, is helpful in proving to the audience that the guide is equipped and knowledgeable (Beck & Cable, 2011). I believe I have an important responsibility to ensure that the information I present is accurate and from reliable sources. Ensuring that information is accurate is morally just and imperative.

As a final responsibility, I believe that I have a duty to “leave no trace”, and to be a steward of the land. By interpreting nature following a “leave no trace” policy, may enlighten others about the significance of leaving the environment as it was originally, and may spark some interest in conservation.

The Spectrum of Environmental Ideologies

Environmental ideology is a way people think about the natural world to justify their actions towards it. An individual’s environmental ideology is a product of their values, attitudes, and actions towards the environment (Morgan, 2011). One practical way to order environmental ideologies is on a spectrum that represents a range of beliefs and human relationships with the natural world (Morgan, 2011). 

A photograph of the spectrum of environmental ideologies. Retrieved from: https://prezi.com/bpas6kvdke5c/spectrum-of-environmental-ideologies/

                 Left: Human-centered AND Right: Nature –centered 

On the left side of the spectrum, which is anthropocentric, the natural world and all its resources exist solely for human use. These resources are to be exploited and not be restrained or limited in any capacity. The left middle section, has a focus on conservationism, where resources are to be conserved for human use and enjoyment (Morgan, 2011).  

On the middle right, these ideologies are more radical and move to a deeper questioning of the root causes of anti-environmental attitudes and behaviour, such as domination and exploitation. They are interested in animal rights and land-based ethics. On the far right, transformative ideologies are the focus. Here, nonhuman entities (plants, birds, invertebrates) have value that goes beyond utilitarian, scientific, aesthetic, or religious worth to possessing intrinsic value. On this side of the spectrum, humans are considered part of a biotic community (Morgan, 2011).

My ideologies resemble those close to the middle right section of this spectrum. I believe that environmental exploitation needs to be evaluated and limited for only essential resources. This ultimately positions me on a more nature-centered side, where I believe that it is our duty to protect nature. This spectrum is an accurate indicator of where I stand with my opinions on the environment, which consequently influences the way I interpret to my audience. These ideologies also affirm my moral responsibilities to leave no trace, and be a steward of the land. Where do you lie on the spectrum? And how does your environmental ideology affect your methods as a developing interpreter?

An image representing an anthropogenic lifestyle covering an ecocentric lifestyle. Retrieved from: https://permaculturenews.org/2017/04/12/people-really-care-environment/

Suitable Approaches

Interpretation can be accomplished in many forms, such as through music, art, writing and much more. I have many years of experience film making, public speaking and as a member of the debate society. Through these experiences, I have gained many interpersonal skills, public speaking skills and have an aptitude to think on the spot. I believe that speaking out loud to an audience is an interpretive approach that best suits my interests, skills and experiences. 

In order to select suitable approaches for interpretation, I had to reflect on what worked well for me during my Jane’s walk presentation. Interacting with the audience by asking questions, made me less nervous as a presenter, as well as gave me an idea of how engaged my audience was, allowing me to gauge whether I should elaborate further or to move on to another point. In terms of Beck and Cable’s gifts, I would like to approach interpretation in the future with a focus on giving the gift of wholeness, because I enjoy larger concept webs and the connectivity of information (Beck & Cable, 2011). I value this gift, because I believe it is important to discuss regional and global wholes, to bring the context of our discussion to other regions and to different scales.

Self as World and World as Self: The Eureka Effect of Interconnectedness. Retrieved from: https://fractalenlightenment.com/36352/issues/self-as-world-and-world-as-self-the-eureka-effect-of-interconnectedness

A final, yet critical, suitable approach for future interpretation would be to ensure that the locations I am interpreting interest me, and that I am passionate about the topic of discussion. This will make it easier to interpret with enthusiasm, which will in turn capture more interest.

Conclusively, I believe all that was mentioned above effectively synthesizes my beliefs, insights, ethics, personality and opinions that I have developed over the duration of this course. This course taught me more about myself than I anticipated, and has also highlighted some areas to improve on as an interpreter. Although I still have much to learn, practice and experience, I am not lost in my path as an emerging interpreter, but simply on my way.

An image of an open road, to demonstrate that I am on my way as a developing interpreter. Retrieved from: https://www.mikkolagerstedt.com/blog/2013/6/19/on-my-way

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

Islamic Networks Group (n.d). First Principles of Religion: Treat Others As You Would Like To Be Treated (The Golden Rule). Retrieved from: https://ing.org/first-principles-religion-the-golden-rule/

Morgan, N (2011, September 9). Environmental Writing. Retrieved from:   https://writingeco.wordpress.com/2011/09/09/chapter-2-a-spectrum-of-environmental-ideologies/

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Reflecting on Louv and Suzuki

Recently in lecture, our class watched an interview between Richard Louv and David Suzuki, who are two individuals who have made significant contributions in environmental education throughout their lives. A number of topics discussed throughout the interview resonated with me. One of the first questions asked was “What is the definition of nature?”. I was unaware that this term could be defined in so many ways; with some definitions being vague and others quite specific. Nature is in fact a large subject area, which can be analyzed from both a microscopic level and on a global scale.

I believe that an educational course strictly about nature should be considered for implementation in grade schools, to educate youth about nature’s vastness, and to teach them that nature is a large umbrella term, that is not always black and white. I struggle with my own definition of nature, however believe it is anything that is naturally occurring, such as weather, plant growth, human development etc. How do you define of nature?

A photograph of nature. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TGlc0Fufgk

Urban national parks were mentioned throughout the interview on numerous occasions. This led to a discussion about cities not being designed to include nature. This is concerning because nature, which was initially stripped from a region for urban development, may attempt to regrow. In addition, nature that is placed in urban areas for aesthetic purposes may suffer, because their environment may lack substantial growing space, nutrients, air quality, sunlight or water conditions. This made me reflect further on the Jane’s Walk about nature’s challenges growing throughout the University of Guelph campus, and has inspired me to keep my eyes peeled for more evidence of this in large cities such as Toronto.

A photograph of a map of Rouge Park, which was Canada’s first national urban park. Retrieved from: https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/canadas-first-national-urban-park

On a more interpretive note, David Suzuki mentioned that humans are impatient animals, who want to fit as many activities and experiences into their lives, often forgetting to live in the moment, contemplate and absorb their surroundings. As an undergraduate student with large aspirations to travel the world, go to music concerts, experience food, learn other languages, join sports, adopt animals and much more, I find myself “one of these humans”, who should consider dedicating more time to simply pausing and taking-in my surroundings. I appreciate Suzuki’s comment about nature taking time to reveal its secrets. I have also experienced this and believe that the more time spent in a natural element, the more people begin to understand it’s power, intricacies and awe.

A photograph of a woman “absorbing” her surroundings. Retrieved from: https://blog.rnareset.com/the-breath-of-life/

As we near the end of this course, and I am left with the skills and information I have learned. I believe this interview in particular has taught me about the preciousness of time and the importance of ceasing every moment.

As mentioned in this interview, “one trip won’t do it, but it might”. This philosophy is a great way to carry throughout life as an interpreter, knowing that your stories, enthusiasm and words have the potential to change people’s lives in a single moment. Thank you for reading and I would be interested in hearing other thoughts.

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Movie Trailer: Leave No Trace

Hi everyone, I thought I would share this movie trailer with you all called “Leave No Trace”. In class we discussed “Leave No Trace: A Backpacker’s Oath”, which shared techniques we can use when hiking or camping in nature to minimize our impacts on the environment.  

In this movie, a father and daughter live an isolated and mysterious life in Forest Park, which is a nature reserve in Oregon. It appears they live in the woods, using minimal resources and attempting to hide their tracks from authorities. I thought it was relevant to our discussions earlier this semester and would love to hear more about the film and how it relates to what we discussed in class if anyone has more information. Hope you enjoy the trailer.

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Tree tattoos

Picture a forest. What does it look like? How big is it? What types of trees are in it? What animals live there? How long has it been growing?

When you think of the forest, think of all the power that would be needed to take it down. The energy and force required to dominate more than just a few square kilometres is hard to imagine. But one thing in particular can do it in a more dramatic and sensational way than anything else. Wildfire.

Wildfires vary in their characteristics just as much as forests do. Their size, intensity, temperature, whether they reach the canopy or stay on the ground, the amount of smoke, the amount of damage. But before wildfire begins, the stage must be set. The recipe:

Forest fuels: dead and decaying plant matter and low lying trees.

Dry conditions: the longer since it has rained, the better.

Some wind: too much wind will blow out a flame before it even begins. Once a fire starts, high winds aggressively spread the fire.

Now with all those ingredients, a forest is in prime condition for an ignition. The ignition typically comes from one of two things: human causes (campfires, cigarette butts, intentional lighting) or lightning. After an ignition, how long it lasts and how far it goes depends on many different factors: the type of forest fuels, the density of the forest, the boundaries the fire encounters (forest breaks, water sources), the weather, the temperature, etc.

Why do we care about recreating an accurate record of fire? Wildfires are a significant part of our earth’s story. Fire has major impacts on our society and our ecosystems. For example, British Columbia this summer had the worst fire season on record. There were days that the sun wasn’t visible through the smoke, even in cities kilometers away from the nearest fires.

This map shows the hundreds of fires that were reported over the 2018 season.

Having information on historical wildfires will guide us in knowing how to best manage (or not manage) them in the future, and give us an understanding of our changing climate. Wildfires are monitored and tracked quite thoroughly these days, but they weren’t as well recorded in the past when humans had less technology and resources to do so.

Luckily, trees have a wonderful method of growth, that creates a ring each year, visible when you look at a cross section of it’s trunk.

Like humans, when trees are wounded, they react through biological strategies. Humans develop scabs to cover the injury while new skin develops, protecting it from infections. Eventually, we grow new skin and sometimes are left with a scar. This process happens with trees, and creates a history- or a chronology -of  when that tree was damaged. Scientists can decode this history, finding the approximate year and intensity of fires, by looking at tree rings and recording where there is younger wood and scars from fire. It’s like if each scar on your body was labelled with when you got it and why it’s there; the scar above my left eyebrow from a cycling wipeout in 2016, the mark below my knee from an aggressive shrub this summer.

Quick facts about fire scars:

It’s not always clear what is a scar and what isn’t, sometimes scars are confused with weird growth.

Hardwoods and conifers have different reactions to injury: hardwoods use chemical defenses, while conifers use both physical and chemical resistance. Some conifers will even grow extra cells after they are injured to produce this resistance (which is usually in the form of resin).

What season the fire was in can be determined from the tissue that is scarred; the position of the scar in the ring of that year can tell us an approximation of when the fire occurred. Trees also grow different types of tissues at different times of the year, early wood in the spring and latewood in the fall.

Scars aren’t always visible from the outside; the smaller the injury, the more likely you can’t see it from the exterior of the tree.

The power of abiotic things on forests are awe-inspiring. Massive, powerful, resilient forests clash with incredible forces of nature, and these battles are documented by the survivors. It’s our job to piece together the clues of damage and learn the story of what happened.

[smpenvs30002018-blog]

Hi Kenzie, thank you for sharing your thoughts about wildfire and the power of nature throughout this blog post. I appreciate the title of this post, “Tree Tattoos”, because a tree’s history can be seen through various physical features such as tree form, rings and scars, analogous to way a tattoo is placed on the skin and remains. A number of years ago, I learned that tree rings can estimate the amount of rain fall in a given year based on the spacing between the rings. When the rings are further apart, that indicates a wet year, which resulted in significant tree growth. This is very fascinating. 

I was very surprised to learn about the local impacts of the forest fires taking place in western Canada. When you described the smoke being so thick that was the sun could not be seen, I was immediately reminded of volcanoes. After a volcanic eruption, large sums of volcanic gas, aerosol droplets and ash are forced into the atmosphere (Volcano Hazards Program, 2018). This affects clarity in the sky, as well as climate. In fact, the eruption of Mount St. Helen in 1980, led to the release of 10 million tonnes of carbon dioxide within only 9 hours (Volcano Hazards Program, 2018). Similarly, forest fires also release carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

In your post, I was surprised by the map displaying the location of hundreds of fires reported over the 2018 season. I was unaware that forest fires can occur so often in a given region. Forest fires are evidently just one of many ways we can see the power of nature. 

To end on a more positive note, nature’s resilience and similarities to the human body are quite fascinating, as you mentioned when explaining biological strategies and scars. In addition, many cases forest fires are in fact helpful for resetting succession and giving other species a chance to thrive in an environment. Ultimately I thought this post was very interesting. Thank you for sharing.

References:

Volcano Hazards Program (2018). USGS. Retrieved from: https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/vhp/gas_climate.html

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The Road Not Taken

I thought I would take a few moments to gift you all this poem written by the talented American poet, Robert Frost. This poem is titled “The Road Not Taken”, and goes as follows: 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

 I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.

A photograph of Robert Frost.  https://www.loa.org/writers/271-robert-frost

A photograph of diverging paths in a forest. https://www.pinterest.com.au/pin/557672366338773639/?lp=true

I believe this is a beautiful and well-crafted poem. The message within this poem offers some valuable advice about life. Throughout our lives, there will be many times when we reach a crossroad, and are required to make decisions that will undoubtedly shape our future. These crossroads can be in many forms, such as:

- Choosing to quit your job or stick with it until your contract ends

- Choosing to take a semester off to travel or to stay enrolled in your courses

- Choosing to get trendy brown shoes or a vibrant red pair that you like

- Trying out for a sport because of your friends, or joining the choir you enjoy

Frost shares his experience of taking the road less traveled. This poem asks us whether we should go with the mainstream or choose a path where we may walk alone. Frost explains that going against the grain can be rewarding in the end. Not following in the steps of others may allow for personal growth, may provide us with an opportunity to stand out from the crowd, and may give us time to be alone and reflect. I would love to hear how others interpret this ambiguous poem.

References:

The Road Not Taken (2018). Poetry Foundation. Retrieved from: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken

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A Walk to Remember

Much like my fellow classmates, I was not excited about the weather on Saturday, November 10, but I was excited to see everyone’s Jane’s walks. Everyone did an amazing job, and I dare say I learned some new things! I’m glad I stayed until the end of the day, for Group 2’s walk on ethnobotany in the Guelph Arboretum (which is the walk I’ll be debriefing in this week’s post). To me, this walk had numerous gifts mentioned in Beck and Cable’s ‘The Gifts of Interpretation’ (2011), but particularly the gifts of spark, technology, and passion.

Source: (Wild Carrot, Illinois Wildflowers, 2017) 

At one of the stops we were taught the difference between wild carrot and water hemlock; one is a yummy vegetable and the latter is a poisonous plant. Wild carrots are also called Queen Anne’s Lace, as the flowers are lace-like, and have a purple/red floret. The interpreter at this stop told us the story of Queen Anne sewing lace and pricking her finger, and this story was very effective in helping me understand the difference between the two plants.

The gift of spark: The interpreters related ethnobotany to the group through provoking memories we may have with the subject. At the last stop at the maple grove, I recalled a personal experience tapping maple trees at a friend’s cottage every year when I was much younger. This was triggered by the interpreter’s story of her own experience tapping maples, and through surveying the audience on whether they have had similar experiences. Most Canadians have had some form of exposure to maple syrup, making this a very effective spark for interest in the subject.

The gift of technology: The interpreters also incorporated technology into the interpretive program with photographs on a tablet. This incorporation of technology did not take away from the friendliness of human interaction (the way full integration of interpretive technology can) but was an easy way to show pictures of plants being discussed, and in a sustainable way as well! The technology was engaging, dependable, and revealed something we could not have seen without its help, covering the three elements needed from technology.

The gift of passion: Lastly, the gift of passion was clearly present in all the interpreters. A passion for the resource, people, and inspiring others is an essential ingredient for effective interpretation. The passion of an interpreter can lead to excitement and engagement in the students, which was evident throughout the walk.

From Csikszentmihalyi’s characteristics of Flow from the gift of Joy, I would add the incorporation of other senses into the characteristic of Involvement. It would have been interesting to see samples of the plants that were spoken about to see/smell/touch. The purpose of the walk was to teach 11th graders how to survive in the wild and providing real life examples of what should and should not be eaten would be super helpful.

Overall, it was a walk I would recommend to a friend, and don’t think the hot tea at the beginning of the walk didn’t go unappreciated!

Reference Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Hi Julia, thank you for sharing your thoughts about the nature walk which was focusing on ethnobotany. I also chose this interpretive walk to debrief on and would like to start by mentioning the title of your blog post “A Walk to Remember”. Indeed, this presentation was a memorable part of our day on November 10th, and turned out to be very informative and engaging.

I chose two gifts in common with you; illumination through technology and a spark. Their use of technology was very well executed, with no technical difficulties. It opened a new world of nature that was not present in the arboretum to the audience, by sharing photographs and online resources. In addition, I believe they truly gifted a spark to many members of the audience because they chose colourful and interesting species to discuss, kept the audience engaged through their use of enthusiasm, and were able to reach a common ground with the audience.

I was interested in your choice to discuss the gift of passion. As I reflect, I agree that the guides did demonstrate a passion for the content and activities they were facilitating. This made it easier to remain engaged and interested.

As a last point, I appreciate that you connected the ethnobotany nature walk with Csikszentmihalyi’s Characteristics of Flow, because their presentation kept me in a healthy medium, which was not anxious nor boring. Being able to experience the content in a unique way, through our senses, prevented me from feeling bored. Overall it was a very well conducted interpretive walk, and I am pleased we had this opportunity to be participants and share our thoughts.

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Reflection on Indigenous People of Guelph

First off I would like to say that I very much enjoyed your interpretive Jane’s walk. I really learned a lot from your presentation and I found it very interesting. The three gifts that I recognized in your groups presentation was the gift of story, target programs and professionalism.

The Gift of Professionalism

I found that your group was very informative in a respectful way and made the audience, especially me, reflect on things around campus which we have not really put much thought into. Which I find is very important in an interpretive walk. It was also very interesting how you guys talked about moon cycles and womanly things. It was a great connection of nature interpretation, with the sky and stars, and the science of our bodies.

The Gift of Targeted Programs

One of the main things I will take away from your group was the smudging ceremony. I have heard of them and seen them, but I have never participated before. It was a very beautiful and special part of your presentation which I am very glad you incorporated. I also really enjoyed how each stop had an exact purpose with a purpose which led into the gift of story.

The Gift of Story

I also really enjoyed how the group discussed some things around campus that I had not known about, such as the peace pole. I, like many around me at the time, was very shocked that we have passed by that spot many times and have never realized that the peace pole was right there. I also like how you guys further explained about the languages around it and went into detail about how peace poles are located globally and represent peace among all men and woman no matter the differences.

Lastly, I enjoyed how you incorporated Remembrance Day and how it was the following day, and summed up your presentation with us standing in front of the War Memorial building. It brought some great history on what it was like to be First Nation, Inuit or Metis in that time period and connected it to the exact timing of what is going on presently.

I would also like to say that one thing I wish you mentioned is more stuff on how we can get educated further on this topic. I for one did not know that we had an aboriginal research center and I would like to know more about what they do there and how other people can get involved. If you guys read my post I would love to learn about more ways on campus or off on where I can get educated further on your topic! Great work though, thank you!

Powwow at Waterton Lakes National Park after the big Kenow Wild Fire.

I wanted to end this post in saying that your walk also made me reflect on these topics that you spoke very nicely about and made me think about my own personal experiences. The two pictures that I have incorporated in this post are taken by me from my experience going to a powwow in Alberta this summer. I had the privilege to speak with some of the people who participated in the ceremonies and traditions and I feel that your presentation represented this topic very very well. You talked about history, traditions, customs and the beauty of their beliefs and I really enjoyed how you presented it.

Powwow at Waterton Lakes National Park after the big Kenow Wild Fire.

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Hi Marie, thank you for choosing my group’s interpretive walk presentation to write about this week. I am so pleased to hear you enjoyed the presentation and that you found the content interesting. I was fascinated to read about the gifts that you chose, as they were very similar to the one’s we selected to write about in our reflection assignment.

From the perspective of the presenter, all the interpretive techniques mentioned in your post had to be carefully planned and rehearsed prior to the day of presentations on November 10th. Professionalism was a definite priority for our group, and I believe is essential for effective interpretation. We tried to ensure that we were respectful, informative, organized, as well as professional in our body language, gestures and speech.

I really enjoyed the photos you posted throughout your blog post from the Powwow you attended in Alberta. Western Canada has a more mountainous landscape than Ontario, which may be reflected in the indigenous people’s cultural stories and practices, as they differ from region to region.

In your post you were mentioning that you would be interested in learning more. It would be my pleasure to connect you with some resources so you can research further independently. Here are a few:

1. At the Heart Lake Conservatory (in Brampton) there is a medicine garden that is open for visitation. This document covers some history and traditions, explains the set up of the circular garden, and explains the uses of different plants you can find in the garden: http://www.trca.on.ca/dotAsset/149974.pdf

2. The UofG Aboriginal Resource Website. You can check this website regularly to learn about campus events hosted by ARC: https://studentlife.uoguelph.ca/aboriginal/arc

3. Territorial Acknowledgement on Campus: https://studentlife.uoguelph.ca/aboriginal/territorial-acknowledgement

 4. History of the Attawandaron Territory: http://archaeologymuseum.ca/the-attawandaron-discoveries/

I believe reflection after a presentation, both as a participant and presenter, is an effective way to allow information to sink in, discover new things about the presentation that were not evident at first, and to develop interpretive skills for future use. Thank you for sharing your thoughts Marie.

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A Debrief on Ethnobotany

On Saturday November 10th, I had the unique opportunity to be a participant on various interpretive walks across the University of Guelph campus. I experienced these interpretive walks from two very different perspectives; as a presenter and participant. One of the many interpretive walks that stood out to me while I was a participant, was the presentation about ethnobotany. In all honesty, I was not aware of the term or meaning of “ethnobotany” before the presentation and thought the presentation was very well conducted overall. Throughout my undergraduate degree so far, I have only visited the arboretum a total of 4 times, mostly just for fresh air, paying little regard to the types of species present, or how these plants can be applicable to humans, such as in the production of medication.

Objects in everyday society and the plants used to create them. https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/ethnobotany/

As a participant, my experience consisted mostly of listening, trusting and keeping an opened mind. I was diligent in listening to the information and research they prepared, I had to trust their direction in the activities they facilitated (mindfulness in nature), as well as put aside any preconceived notions. As a participant on this interpretive walk I felt enlightened by the end. Despite being the last presentation of the day when everyone was tired, I was surprisingly engaged and interested. Did others experience this interpretive walk in a similar manner?

In a textbook titled “The Gifts of Interpretation”, authors Beck and Cable outline fifteen guiding principles for interpreting nature and culture, in the form of gifts which interpreters give to their audience. In this interpretive walk about ethnobotany, the gifts of Illumination through Technology, Professionalism and a Spark were all central (Beck & Cable, 2011).

The Gift of Illumination through Technology: This group was especially unique from the other walks because of their incorporation and use of technology. Throughout the duration of the presentation the guides held up a portable tablet to show photographs to the audience. Technology in nature presents an interesting juxtaposition, in the sense that nature is supposed to be a place away from the active, cyber and urban lifestyle we live in, yet nature can be interpreting using technology. Technology can reveal very exciting things about the world (Beck & Cable, 2011).

A computer tablet, similar to the one the guides used throughout their interpretive walk to share photographs with the audience. https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/8/21/16179414/at-t-primetime-tablet-release

These digital photographs allowed the guides to bring certain species of plants and trees to the audience for educational purposes. One of the activities was solely based on images from the tablet, which helped the audience distinguish dangerous physical features from safe physical features in carrot plants. In addition, one of the guides shared a phone application that students could download that may help with identifying tree or plant species, as well as help people connect with others through nature. Technology use in nature interpretation is continuing to develop through the use of the internet, satellite imagery and GIS, interactive computer exhibits, as well as the designing of interpretive websites (Beck & Cable, 2011).

The Gift of Professionalism: As an audience member, I was able to sense that the guides were well prepared and had rehearsed their presentation multiple times prior to November 10th. It was evident that the guides put a lot of time and effort into making the presentation well organized. The guides clearly knew the direction they were heading in, and also knew a significant amount of information about the stops throughout the arboretum. They appeared to have control over the entirety of the presentation. In addition, the body language of the guides was confident and they used gestures when appropriate. They also had an effective speaking ability with loud voice projection and clear, non-convoluted sentences that the audience could easily follow. Therefore, this walk had an impressive level of professionalism from start to finish.

The Gift of a Spark: In order to effectively spark an interest, interpreters must relate to the audience on some level, which requires the guides to know the audience in some capacity (Beck & Cable, 2011). At the beginning of their presentation, the guides mentioned that they were not making any assumptions about the invisible backpacks of their audience members, which is an effective way to ensure that they are tailoring their interpretive walk to the average person in their audience.

Part of gifting a spark is capturing interest which can be done through many measures such as by using movement, noise, bright colours, or pointing out unusual objects (Beck & Cable, 2011). The guides were able to maintain my interest throughout the duration of the presentation, because many of these techniques were used such as their choice of speaking about a unique tree with red colourful flowering, their samples of tea and maple water, and their use of hand gestures. Passion and enthusiasm for the topic was clearly demonstrated by some of the guides, which inherently made me more attentive. 

An image of a tea sample. https://www.dhgate.com/product/5000-x-2oz-60ml-mini-paper-tasting-cups-white/427827759.html

Ultimately, this presentation succeeded in sparking my interest in ethnobotany, as I continue to be interested in learning more about plants and their connection to everyday items we use and consume. I am also motivated to try more mindfulness and meditational activities next time I am in nature.

Future Improvements to achieve the Gift of Wholeness: As Beck and Cable state in their text, telling the whole story about a site is near impossible due to the amount of information and size, thus interpretation should be a “focused whole” (Beck & Cable, 2011). Therefore, it is important to focus on a particular topic and area, and ensure all the aspects of the walk are connected to one another. For the future, I recommend that the guides try to make the stops flow between each other more smoothly. It would have been helpful to have segways between each stop, and for there to be a sentence at the end of every stop explaining how it relates to the overall theme of ethnobotany.

In the text, Ann Lundberg suggests that a theme should be turned into a thesis, so that a point of view can become more important and so students can be given information to make their own opinion about the topic (Beck & Cable, 2011). The presentation was quite information base, and can be improved by talking about larger implications of using a certain plant to allow students to make an opinion. As a final note, regional wholes and global wholes, could have been improved by speaking about various species beyond the arboretum boundaries, and where these species, such as the willow tree, can be found around Guelph or Canada.

A screenshot of Guelph and neighbouring cities (top image), compared to a screenshot of the arbortetum at the University of Guelph (bottom image). These images helps to iterate that it might be useful to discuss species in the arboretum in context with other places in Ontario.

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this presentation and believe all the guides grew as nature interpreters. I hope to further research the topic independently and use the knowledge I now have in the future.

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

[joenvs3000-2018-blog]

The Buzz about Bees

    You’ve surely heard some slogan along the lines of ‘save the bees’ in the past several years. There are lots of issues causing colony collapse in the European honeybee (Apis mellifera), and scientists are still trying to pinpoint the exact factor causing this issue and how to best address it.     Something you don’t hear too often is that Colony Collapse Discorder (CCD) is a problem for the European honeybee, but technically they are an invasive species here in North America. They were brought here only several centuries ago, as they are one of the most popular bees to farm. There are over 800 native bee species in Canada, and 400 in Ontario, which are also really struggling, but don’t have too much awareness since they don’t produce products (eg. Honey, wax, propolis, etc).      Did you know that a single colony of the invasive honey bee can outcompete up to a thousand native bee colonies for habitats? Most native bees die off in late fall, and only the queen bee survives the winter. She must find a suitable habitat all alone and begin laying eggs for her colony. However, the invasive honeybee overwinters as a colony, and is able to establish itself faster in the spring. It then gets first pick for the best habitats. All of this happens when an inexperienced beekeeper accidentally allows their colony to split and move out of the bee box and into surrounding trees! But hey, I’m not just here to give you the bad news. There are things you can do to help!

1. Set out a shallow plate of water with rocks in it as landing zones; bees get thirsty too! 2. Don’t use pesticides on your lawn; embrace the natural beauty of native species like clover and dandelions which are great for pollinators, and don’t have to be mowed/pulled out/chemically removed. Not to mention pesticides kill important organisms in the soil and end up in our water – yuck.

3. If you have a green thumb, try creating a pollination garden in your yard. You can plant pollen rich plants (but make sure they’re native species, like Asters, buttercups, marigolds, violets, etc). All types of pollinators, like hummingbirds and butterflies, have been suffering in recent years. Here’s a link to a guide on trees and shrubs that will attract pollinators throughout the year

4. Buy/build nesting boxes: unlike the bee boxes or honeycombs you may have in mind when you think of bees, you can create boxes that look like this:

(Insect hotel, 2015) Here are some instructions on making a bee-utiful nesting box of your own! It’s a pretty fun project, and the native bees will be super thankful!

Are you familiar with our native Ontario bees/do you see them often? Do you have any other ideas on aiding native pollinators?

I shall leave you with a joke: What do you call a wasp? A wanna-bee!

[smpenvs30002018-blog]

Hi Julia, thank you for sharing your thoughts. I was amazed at how much I learned throughout this post. I thought I would begin by answering one of your questions. To be honest, I am not entirely familiar with native bees in Ontario, however do see honeybees fairly often and would be interested in learning more about the various bee species that exist throughout North America. In fact, next semester I plan on taking the UofG course titled Apiculture and Honey Bee Biology, which I may suggest for you to consider as well.

I have never heard of a Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) before, which encouraged me to do a bit more research myself. CCD occurs when majority of worker bees in a colony disappear, leaving few nurse bees behind with an abundance of food to eat and care for immature bees and the queen (Colony Collapse Disorder, 2018). From my base knowledge on bees, worker bees are the largest contributors to honey production, and ultimately have an important role.

I was very surprised to learn that one invasive bee can have such a troubling impact on the habitat of thousands of native bees. This made me reflect on the saying which goes “everyone can make a difference”, meaning that one vote, or one like on social media, or one person can truly make a change, however in this context, a change is usually for the better.

 This blog allowed me to further appreciate the importance of bee keeping responsibilities, as they have to ensure that their bee boxes are kept separate from surrounding tree habitats. This blog post quite empowering because it shared strategies and actions I can take to help, as opposed to just learning about the issue. Overall, wonderful post Julia.

References:

Colony Collapse Disorder (2018, April 26). United States Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved from: https://www.epa.gov/pollinator-protection/colony-collapse-disorder

[smpenvs30002018-blog]

A Mysterious Island

This past month, a good friend of mine bought his very first cottage, located in South Frontenac Ontario, on a stunning and peaceful lake. He shared some photographs of the lake, the long stair case leading up to the cozy house, and the path of trees on either side of his drive way. My eye was particularly drawn to a mysterious island that was just a few hundred meters from his dock.

Below is a photograph of the mysterious island. This photograph was taken on the dock facing south:

After inquiring about the picture, my friend mentioned that there is in fact little information on the island, other than the fact that it is government owned.

Something about this small island in the distance excites me. Are there any animals on this island? How did this island form? How similar are the tree species on this island to surrounding pieces of land? Are neighbours allowed to visit the island?

My excitement led me to do some research, where I learned that small islands are often referred to as islets, and that lake islands are often referred to as eyots. This mysterious island may in fact an islet or eyot, rather than an island. Does anyone have some more information about the proper term used to describe this island?

At night, I can imagine this island looking quite spooky. After sunset, it might resemble something of a black blob, floating between the starry night sky and moon reflecting water. After I spent a long time trying to analyze and interpret this mysterious island, I have realized that what makes it so mysterious is the lack of information there is about the island and how inaccessible it is to visit. Its darkness and the unknown species on the island, as well as all that is hidden behind the outer trees also contribute towards its mysteriousness.

Islands are in general fascinating systems because they are isolated and separate from other pieces of land and are surrounded by water. Residents living on this lake, could likely canoe, boat or even swim over to the island if they wanted to explore. This is something I would be interested in doing if I have the chance to visit this summer.

Perspective is also important to consider when interpreting this island. I only see the north facing side of the island. Perhaps the south side of the island looks remarkably different, and has an open patch of land around the bushes and trees. Comparing this island to surrounding landscapes, it is evident that the tallest tree on the island is in fact quite small, compared to the trees that are on neighboring landscapes. This is potentially because the of the rooting system. The roots may have a lot of access to water, but limited access to nutrients and soil, ultimately influencing the type of plant growth.

Islands are often associated with luxury or “an escape”. Growing up, my sister had the image of a small island with a single palm tree as her desktop background, shown below.

http://7-themes.com/6925837-palm-tree-island.html

When I see this background image, I feel calm and relaxed. It appears safe to visit and perhaps somewhere I can set up a chair and take a nap. However, when I look at the cottage island above, I do not receive the same feeling, despite them both being small islands. When I look at the cottage island, I see the dark water, abundance of trees, and an earthy surface; I see mystery, uncertainty and abandonment. Ultimately, this mysterious cottage island really spoke to me. I would love to hear any of your thoughts about this mysterious island or islands in general.

[smpenvs30002018-blog]

A White Foggy Blanket

Fog is a beautiful natural phenomenon that has many defining features and characteristics! Fog is fluffy, white in colour, translucent (or opaque in heavy fog regions), slow moving, and can sometimes be associated with a high humidity.

Fog is like a ground-hugging cloud or blanket! This meteorological event is especially unique because it is one of the only weather events that occurs close to earth’s surface. Fog can form and disappear in a matter of minutes, or remain present for up to a few hours.

https://www.deviantart.com/elkaez/art/Japan-Fog-landscape-2560x1600-525333527 

Horror films often use the scary and eerie ambiance of fog to enhance the suspense in their productions. Fog is often associated with cemeteries, night walks, or murder scenes in large fields or forest environments. In fact, movies such as “The Fog”, “The Mist” and “Fog Island” use fog as the main horror scene, as opposed to an additional element. This past Halloween, a few homes in my neighbourhood used fog machines to artificially produce fog to give a scary mystique. Horror films help to demonstrated that fog can be one of the most dramatic weather phenomenon, and can have surprising applications in the entertainment industry.

https://addictedtohorrormovies.com/the-fog/ 

To provide a more scientific explanation, fog is a collection of suspended water droplets in the atmosphere, which is produced by the cooling of water vapour below its dew point temperature or due to air vapour saturation, both resulting in condensation (Erdman, 2013). There are four main types of fog, which differ based on landscape, direction of air movement and water vapour saturation in the air (Erdman, 2013).

Radiation Fog– at night, the ground and hovering air cool down because of decreased solar radiation, causing water vapour to condense creating fog. 

Radiation Fog https://kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/fog/ 

Advection Fog– during the day, warm air moves over cool land, causing the air temperature to decrease, causing water vapour to condense creating fog. 

Advection Fog https://kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/fog/

Upslope Fog– during the day, warm air rises over a cool mountain slope, causing the air temperature to decrease, causing water vapour to condense creating fog. 

 Upslope Fog https://kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/fog/

Evaporation Fog– during the day, additional water vapour enters an air environment that is vapour saturated, causing water vapour to condense creating fog. 

Evaporation Fog https://kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/fog/

Although fog can give a beautiful appearance and is fascinating to learn about, fog can be quite hazardous when it forms in developed regions or on country roads, which may impair driver vision. This past February, in the city of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, 22 people were injured in a 44-vehicle crash caused by low visibility due to fog (Dhabi, 2018). This example demonstrates the dangers that can accompany fog, and the direct impact fog has on people because it forms so close to the surface. Fog affects visibility making it dangerous for aviators and pilots who are attempting to depart or land at airports, and in some occasions can be dangerous for walkers and cyclists who may not be able to see a few meters ahead. Have you ever experienced reduced visibility by fog, and do you have any strategies to help overcome this hazard?

A photograph of the pile-up scene in Abu Dhabi this past February caused by reduced visibility due to fog. https://www.albawaba.com/editorchoice/22-injured-pile-accident-involving-44-vehicles-abu-dhabi-1085164 

A particularly interesting example of fog prevalence in a developed city is in San Francisco, USA. I had the pleasure of visiting this lively and fascinating city with my family when I was in high school, and recall speaking with the locals about their experiences dealing with heavy fog. My father visited San Francisco with my brother on a separate occasion and had the opportunity to walk through the city as a fog front was approaching. When the fog hit, my father described it as “ghost town”, as everyone cleared the streets, and the roads suddenly became quiet while people waited for visibility to improve. San Francisco likely experiences advection fog in the winter, because of the moist air coming from the water. Here is a photograph of the stunning fog formation hovering the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco.

Fog hovering the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, USA. https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/07/10/military-used-san-francisco-fog-for-simulated-germ-warfare-attack-exposing-800000-people-to-harmful-bacteria/ 

In literature, fog can also be used as symbolism or in figurative language. Sayings such as “he’s in a fog”, or “he is feeling foggy”, often indicate that a character is feeling confused or is in a daze. In addition, fog potentially affects the mood and psychology of people. For instance, some mornings when I wake up to a darker sky and see fog in the distance, I have a more gloomy and depressed attitude towards my day. Have you noticed whether fog influences the way you are feeling?  

Ultimately, fog is a fascinating natural phenomenon, which can be viewed from many perspectives, such as from ground level in the far distance or from above in tall skyscrapers. Fog can also be experienced by being immersed in a foggy environment. I encourage you all to pay attention to fog in your everyday lives, and when witnessing the exciting phenomenon to attempt to identify what type of fog formation is occurring. I hope I cleared up some “fog” surrounding this topic and that you might “see” why fog is one of the many things I am amazed by in nature. Thank you for reading.

References

Dhabi, A. (2018, February 6). 22 injured in 44-vehicle crash in Abu Dhabi.Retrieved from: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/nation/abu-dhabi/22-injured-in-abu-dhabi-accident-due-to-fog

Erdman, J. (2013, October 14). How Does Fog Form? Retrieved from: https://weather.com/science/news/how-does-fog-form-20131010/

[stenvs3000-2018-blog]

PROMPT 7. CORAL REEFS:

Have you ever thought about how such little things can make such an impact on your life? Coral reefs take up about 1% of the oceans floor, yet they have a huge effect on the state of the rest of the world. These ecosystems are one of the most biodiverse marine areas on the planet, they are home to thousands of different species and are crucial for many species to survive. Coral provides shelter and is an ideal area for locating food, which is why it is so important. 

Coral reefs are actually animals, not plants, yet they rely on photosynthesis to survive, cool huh? They are not actually the ones going through photosynthesis, however the plants lining the digestive cavity of the polyps do and about 90% of the energy required by the polyp comes from this relationship.  

Humans heavily rely on coral reefs not only for health benefits but for economical stability. Coral reefs are highly valuable to the fishing and tourism industries, and is a great natural resource for things such as food and drugs.

It is very sad to say, but with global warming there is coral bleaching and now up to 80% of the coral reefs are in danger. Coral bleaching is due to the acidification of the ocean and higher water temperatures. 

Here is a link that further explains the process of coral bleaching:

It is quite alarming that this is going on currently and how such a small thing on our planet can have such a huge impact. I am currently learning about this in one of my other classes and I was not really aware of the severity of this. Also, there is a great documentary on Netflix called “Chasing Coral” that i recommend you all check out and let me know what you think!

http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/microsites/biodiscovery/05human-impact/importance-of-coral-reefs.html

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Hi Savannah, thank you for sharing your thoughts, and for your interpretation on coral reefs. I found it very interesting to learn that coral reefs are in fact animals, and that they rely on photosynthesis for energy and food production. About 5 years ago, I first heard about coral reef bleaching and its harmful impacts on aquatic ecosystems. I recall the statistics being less dramatic a few years ago, and was shocked to learn from your post that up to 80% of coral reefs are now in danger. Very saddening. 

Coral reefs remain an exciting tourist attraction in places like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. It is interesting, yet concerning, to think about what kind of condition and appearance reefs will have in the next decade. When I have more time over the Christmas Holiday, I will try my best to watch the documentary you suggested called “Chasing Coral”. It sounds like a film that would interest my family and I.

While reading your post, I was also focusing on your methods for interpretation. You incorporated some detailed photographs that were relevant to your topic, as well included a video to further explain the process of coral bleaching, which is very helpful for visual learners like myself. In addition, you asked thought provoking questions and used terminology and punctuation to emphasize your interest in the subject. “Whatever is written without enthusiasm will be read without interest” (Beck & Cable, 2011). I believe that you successfully interpreted this topic and I appreciate you sharing your thoughts.

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Nature within Music

I’m so ridiculously thrilled to share my ideas for this blog prompt I can’t decide where to start.

So first, I will start with one of my favourite bands.

 Mumford and Sons are a band that I have loved since they formed in 2007, and I have attended two of their concerts. Each time, I’ll admit I have cried because I’ so in love with their music and their performances are brilliant. They’re a folk alternative/rock alternative group, based out of the UK. Their music is very emotional and natural, focusing on the instruments and how their sound can make you feel. There are some very heavy courses in some songs, but they are often about love or life or living in general. 

(Mumford & Sons song “Believe”) 

Their music always brings me back to when I went to Iceland, as it was basically the soundtrack to the entire trip. My aunt and I rented a car and drove around the entire island during our trip, and 95% of the time in the car Mumford and Sons was playing. Another band we constantly listened to was Of Monsters and Men, who are an AMAZING band from Iceland!! Their music has a very similar feel to Mumford and Sons, but a bit more folk like and less mainstream. Their sound is very unique, I’m not sure how to describe it other than the band very accurately represents the ambiance of Iceland itself. This music enforces my thinking even more so, that Iceland is where I am meant to be, and I intend to try my entire life to attain citizenship there (until then, you can bet I’ll be there as often as I possibly can). I think many of you could relate to the feeling of being somewhere, and your soul, your entire being, is at peace. I really got this vibe from our professor (Amanda) discussing her parent’s property and cabin in class on Monday.

(Of Monsters and Men song “Crystals”) 

I believe this feeling is what nature in music should bring. It should make you feel that freedom or happiness you would experience in nature. Its that feeling of joy, when the hair on the back of your neck stands up and your eyes maybe even get a bit teary. To me, that’s what really good music (in a nature sense) should make you feel, and that’s exactly how Mumford and Sons and Of Monsters and Men makes me feel.If anyone hasn’t listened to either bands I’ve mentioned, I highly recommend it! 

(Remember that feeling I mentioned where the hair on the back of your neck stands up and its essentially pure happiness?? This coast in Iceland made me feel that way.) - Picture taken by myself, 2016. 

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Hi Taylor. I thoroughly enjoyed reading your blog post this week. I really felt your enthusiasm about music shining through. I was beyond excited to hear that you also enjoy listening to “Of Monsters of Men” from Reykjavík, Iceland. In my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to travel to Iceland over march break and have vivid memories of our group listening to “Dirty Paws” and “Little Talks”, from this talented band. I am pleased to hear that you also have fond memories driving across the island with your aunt listening to Mumford & Sons, which is a band that also has some impressive tunes.

I find it interesting how songs we listen to while travelling can especially resonate with us. For instance, when I visited Cancun Mexico with my family a number of years ago, I recall sitting on a beach watching the sunset while listening to Kings of Leon’s “Pyro”. Now, whenever I listen to “Pyro”, I am reminded by that moment down south.

The artists we both have mentioned in this conversation are essentially writers through their composition of lyrics. I found it interesting to read in “The Gifts of Interpretation” that serious and dedicated writers are not easily impressed or satisfied by their effort. An example is writer Ernest Hemingway, who would begin each day by rereading and editing all he had written before that point (Beck & Cable, 2011). I wonder if the music artists we have both mentioned experience this restlessness and desire to perfect their lyrics before sharing.  

The upbringing of the members in the band “Of Monsters of Men” in Iceland may have shaped their writing style. Their experiences growing up in a more barren environment can shine through their lyrics, which might be a reason many people in North America enjoy listening to their music, because it offers insight into a new “world”. This could be a wonderful example of how nature can be present within music. Thanks for sharing your thoughts Taylor.

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Nature’s Grand Symphony and Walt Disney’s Work

Where is music in nature?

Nature has an abundance of sounds from both abiotic and biotic origins, all which help to create natural music. An interesting way I thought about organizing music within nature would be to categorize the sounds into either a base tone or a main melody.

In some environments, base tones could be abiotic factors such as the sound of a waterfall, a steady breeze, the sounds of crunchy leaves, cracking ice, thunder cracks or crashing waves. Whereas, the vocal melody within nature might consist of biotic factors, such as the ribbit of a frog, a bird chirp, a cricket’s hum, or the roar of a lion. I believe that together, all these factors create nature’s grand symphony.

A scene from Walt Disney’s The Little Mermaid depicts this notion, where the wind through the water grass creates a romantic tone in the air, and the surrounding animals make up the melodic component of the song. Despite this scene being from a fictional animation, I believe it sheds light on the true music we might hear while canoeing through a blue lagoon.

“Kiss the Girl” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axZ6mG__ZqU

The sounds in nature significantly vary based on location. For instance, in the prairies, the dominant sound might be that of long grass blowing in the wind. However, in a tropical rainforest, the dominant sounds might be of chirping birds and water dripping on leaves. Even in the stillest and most isolated natural spots, such as a cave, there can be music in the form of dripping water and squeaking bats.

Where is nature in music?

Music in modern day society and throughout history often include elements of nature in many forms, such as through lyrical writing about nature; the use recorded sounds from nature; as well as the physical instruments used to create music.

Lyrics are a creative form of writing, and are typically comprised of verses, choruses, and rhymes. Inspiration, understanding and passion for a topic often result in successful composition of lyrics. A song writer may choose to write about nature because of their personal experiences in an outdoor environment. Freeman Tilden suggests that written work without enthusiasm will be read with little interest by the readers, and potentially little interest by music listeners as well (Beck & Cable, 2011).

From an interpretive stand point, interpretive song writers must appeal and have sensitivity towards all ages. In addition, the careful selection of non-technical language in short sentences and paragraphs, as well as concise writing, encourages the reader to continue reading, which may also encourage a listener to continue playing a song (Beck & Cable, 2011).

To provide another example from Walt Disney, the lyrics in the song titled “Colours of the Wind” from the animation Pocahontas demonstrate great detail and imagery.

“Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest. 

Come taste the sun sweet berries of the Earth…

How high will the sycamore grow,

If you cut it down, then you'll never know,

And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon”

“Colours of the Wind” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvvZ1TEQRB8

These lyrics are sung by the main character Pocahontas, who has grown up surrounded by nature and has much appreciation for the value and interconnectedness of the forest. Information in a song must be interpreted in a manner that relates to the lives of the reader, and in such a way that reveals a deeper truth (Beck & Cable, 2011). When I first listening to this song, I felt that the composer revealed fascinating details about forests, which encouraged me to further appreciate nature around me.

During our lab this past week with song writer James Gordon, I learned about the simplicity of song writing and the importance of collaboration. The lyrics to the song our class composed would have been challenging to write without having had prior experiences in nature. Considering that successful lyric writing about nature often comes from experience, do you think that all music which incorporates nature is authentic?

Another form of nature in music, is seen in music composed for meditation or relaxation purposes. Meditational music commonly includes sounds from nature, in the form of flowing water, rain showers or chirping birds. According to scientific research, natural sounds help with the reduction of our body’s flight-or-fight instinct (MacMillan, 2017). Researcher Cassandra Gould van Praag, PhD, suggests that sounds from nature can help people with high stress levels (MacMillan, 2017).

Nature Sounds of a Forest for Calm Meditation & Relaxation with Birds Singing & Sound of a Waterfall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjqj4TXvMa8

As a final point, nature can be found in music through the very instruments used to produce the beautiful sounds we hear. This is a more tangible example of nature within music, which can be in the form of tree bark used to manufacture guitars, or horse hair used to manufacture string instruments. Nature has given us the opportunity to evolve in musical production.

I hope this blog has given you a new perspective to music in nature, and nature within music. I believe that writing this blog has allowed me to reflect on the sounds I hear when I explore outdoors, and has encouraged me to pay greater attention to nature’s grand symphony.  

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

MacMillan, A. (2017, April 05). Why Nature Sounds Help You Relax, According to Science. Retrieved from: https://www.health.com/stress/why-nature-sounds-are-relaxing