Last Blog! - 10
Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?
Throughout this course, I have learned a lot about my personal ethics, beliefs, and responsibilities as a nature interpreter. As I grow as a nature interpreter my personal ethic is deeply rooted in the appreciation and respect that I hold for nature. My growth in this area and the 5 years I have dedicated to learning about the environment allow me to offer my unique perspective on interpreting nature. This provides me with the commitment to keep educating and continuously foster a deep relationship between people and the environment. As I progress as an interpreter I like to keep Beck et al (2018)’s definition of interpretation in the back of my mind. They defined interpretation as a unique process made to inspire and inform people about the relationship between culture and nature, which can be communicated in a variety of ways (Beck et al., 2018). Keeping this in mind allows me to remember my basis of interpretation in nature, always inspiring curiosity, encouraging environmental stewardship, and continuously promoting sustainability. Additionally, I want to show people how amazing nature is the beauty, the science, and the wonder of all the elements it has to offer, inspiring other people the value nature as much as I do!
As an environmentalist, I have many beliefs when comes to nature, but to spare you some time I will just run you through my top five. Firstly, I believe that nature holds intrinsic value, meaning that beyond the ecosystem services it provides for humans, ecosystems, species, and natural landscapes are still worth preserving. This can also be known as subjective intrinsic value meaning nature should be valued in and of itself independent of its utility (Sandler, 2012). Second, I believe that nature and humans are deeply connected, just in the context of this course we have learned various ways in which nature is incorporated into our lives, through art, music, and culture. Not only are we connected to nature through aspects that intertwine culture and nature, but through human health and well-being as well. The University of California demonstrated that people who spend lots of time outdoors can experience lower cortisol levels, reduced muscle tension, and lower blood pressure (Ways, 2023). This presents the deep connection between humans and nature that some people may not even realize exists. The third belief that I have is that cultural and Indigenous knowledge matters. Traditional knowledge provides valuable insights on how humans can create sustainable relationships with nature. The more we understand this knowledge, the closer we become to creating sustainable relationships with the environment. The fourth belief I have is that nature should be accessible to everyone, meaning no matter your age, race, ethnicity, gender, experience, or ability everyone should have to opportunity to engage with nature. Lastly, with this in mind, I believe that positive environmental change is possible. This can be difficult to believe at some points especially when it feels like our environment is doomed due to everything going on in the world. But I believe people like me and you can empower and promote the implementation of sustainable solutions to create environmental change!!
Now that you know a little bit about my beliefs you can understand what I feel my responsibilities are as an interpreter. I’ll briefly run through some of them with you! My first responsibility that I recently learned through creating the first podcast is providing accurate science-based knowledge while also trying to make it engaging for the listener. This could involve tailoring the communication process to target different learning styles to better communicate facts. Along with this comes the responsibility of acknowledging the uncertainties in environmental science. Science is always evolving it can be difficult to know every aspect of nature and how it works. Admitting uncertainty can foster curiosity and innovation, which can be especially beneficial for children (Lamnina & Chase, 2019) as they desire knowledge to fill these gaps. Lastly, I feel I have a responsibility to promote sustainability and empower action. As an interpreter one of my main jobs is to educate while educating I’d like to promote sustainability by setting an example for other people. I can do this by living a sustainable lifestyle and teaching others how to do the same! In a similar way I hope this empowers people to make changes to their everyday lives, respect nature, and teach was to contribute to conservation initiatives.
As an individual, I know that I have specific learning styles that allow me to stay engaged. These learning styles are mainly tactile and visual, I believe I benefit most from experiential learning. Meaning, that in order for me to be an effective interpreter I would rather be immersed in nature creating interactive demonstrations. This also helps support visual learning as often seeing the real deal right in front of me allows me to engage and explore additional aspects. Using these styles of learning can help me become a better interpreter and explore the many wonders of nature.
As this is my last blog post, and I reflect on my growth as an interpreter I see I have made some great advancements in the way share my unique perspective. There is still a lot to learn and I am grateful for what I have learned throughout this course!
Thanks for keeping up with my blog this semester!
Amelie
References
Lamnina, M., & Chase, C. C. (2019). Developing a thirst for knowledge: How uncertainty in the classroom influences curiosity, affect, learning, and transfer. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 59, 101785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2019.101785
Sandler, R. (2012). Intrinsic Value, Ecology, and Conservation | Learn Science at Scitable. Nature.com. https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/intrinsic-value-ecology-and-conservation-25815400/
ways. (2023, May 3). 3 ways getting outside into nature helps improve your health. Cultivating-Health; UC Davis Health. https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/3-ways-getting-outside-into-nature-helps-improve-your-health/2023/05#:~:text=Nature%20can%20improve%20physical%20wellness&text=Studies%20also%20show%20that%20being,lower%20rates%20of%20heart%20disease.
