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[lrenvs3000w24]

Privilege in Nature Interpretation

The concept of privilege plays a significant role in shaping individuals' relationships with nature, influencing access and opportunities to engage with the environment, and many other factors in life outside of nature. My working definition of privilege is advantages or opportunities unrelated to personal achievements or abilities but simply due to one’s background, social status and other factors. My definition is similar to the $100 race video in the courselink notes for the week, which highlighted disparities based on factors beyond the students accomplishments and actions.

Growing up in a big city with a single, hardworking mother, my early experiences were marked by limited access to nature. The inability to take time off work for zoo visits or nature excursions was a reality for many from lower-income backgrounds. Economic barriers, as outlined in the textbook, contribute significantly to this limitation (Beck et al, 2018). Additionally, people are faced with other problems, for example not having a car or money to pay entrance fees or food expenses like the textbook mentions (Beck et al, 2018). I remember when I was younger my mom would try to take me to a theme park once a year but I knew that meant I couldn't ask for anything inside because the entrance fee was already expensive. I also knew that we would most likely leave the park for lunch or bring our own food to munch on. Again this isn't the case for everyone but now that I am older I know that I was privileged enough to go as not everyone had that chance. 

Reflecting on my own journey, it wasn't until I moved to Canada that I had the opportunity to travel and explore nature. The privilege of my parents being able to take time off work and afford travel expenses opened up new horizons for me. This newfound ability to explore different places, cultures, and environments played a pivotal role in shaping my character and fostering a love for exploration which some don’t experience ever or until later in life.

The textbook’s emphasis on cultural barriers is also noteworthy. The ethnicity theory suggests that cultural preferences, shaped by factors such as history, family structure, and values, impact participation in outdoor activities (Beck et al, 2018). An example the textbook gave was camping, which might be perceived as an activity reserved for the affluent by urban minorities. This perspective highlights how cultural barriers can influence interpretations of nature-related activities and I can relate to that. Coming from a Hispanic family, we have never been camping, I have but with friends. When I have brought up camping to the family they look at me weirdly as if they could never do that and couldn’t know how. 

Communication barriers, particularly language barriers, further contribute to disparities in nature interpretation. The lack of bilingual interpreters, printed materials, and signs in languages other than English limits access for non-English speakers. The experiences of Hispanic visitors to National Forests in southern California, as discussed in the textbook, exemplify the challenges posed by language barriers. I lived in California for 13 years and go back pretty often and I have never once been to any of the beautiful national forests. I also don't know anyone in my family who has gone especially my family members that don't speak English. Additionally, this past year my aunt was looking to travel abroad and asked me how hard it would be for her as she doesn't know English which shows how limiting this can be.  

The last thing that the textbook talked about that I find extremely important is lack of representation. Personal experiences, such as my grandparents' tendency to visit areas with a larger Hispanic population, reflect a desire for familiarity and comfort. I have also felt a tendency to choose things related to my culture in different aspects of my life. So I wish to be a part of the representation in the Latin community. In conclusion, acknowledging and addressing these barriers is essential for creating inclusive and accessible environments for all individuals to connect with nature.

I am curious to know if any of you have dealt with any barriers in the nature world and how you as a nature interpreter would overcome them.

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

[tkaur09]

Hi Lainey, 

Hi Lainey, 

I enjoyed reading your post! I agree with many of the points you’ve made specifically around those surrounding economic barriers as they play a significant role in our ability to access nature. These limitations often prevent us from sharing experiences with those who have the financial means. I am glad that you now have the opportunity to experience nature in its true form. In addition, I agree that communication barriers can play a role in enjoying nature. Specifically larger tourist attractions for those who aren’t able to speak English. I too have many family members who do not speak English and would have a difficult time experiencing these places without having me there as an interpreter. I feel that this is also the case for many non-English speakers as they too would struggle with the same obstacles. Moreover, I have seen the difference in experiences between those living in first-world countries vs third-world countries first-hand. When speaking to my parents about their experiences with nature growing up I see that it differs greatly from mine. For example, the fact that I am able to swim in lakes and visit beaches without having to worry as much about polluted water or other health hazards. I think that living in Canada plays a crucial part in the way we interact with the natural world. Overall, there are many limiting factors that can prevent us from enjoying nature to the fullest, many of which link back to privilege. Thank you for sharing!

[tkaur09]

Unit 3: Privilege in Nature

When considering the definition of privilege, it can be defined as a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group (Webster, 2024). These advantages can often alter our way of perceiving things as well as  greatly impact how we interpret things. The notion of privilege in an environmental setting allows one to truly connect with nature and the ecosystem around them without a negative connotation behind it. This is especially true for those of the First Nations community (Crampton, 2024). Great landmarks such as Yosemite are considered beautiful parks and attractions for the majority of people however, many us of have had the privilege of living in Canada without having our land stolen from us. We see these parks as an opportunity to better connect with nature and the wilderness around us without taking into account its true origin. To the First Nations community such attractions are often reminders that their home has been taken from them, and used for profit as a tourist attraction. In addition to this, many of us can enjoy a trip to the beach or a visit to the lake by spending time swimming in the fresh waters. However, many who did not have access to swim lessons, as well as a safe environment to learn swimming, may view it in fear as it is an unfamiliar environment to them. The ability to disconnect and enjoy nature in its simplicity is an immense freedom that many may not have. This applies as well to those of lower-income communities who could not grow up in an environment that allowed them to connect with nature in its various forms (Crampton, 2024). Individuals struggling with poverty may not have had opportunities to travel and witness environmental attractions such as large beaches or hike through vast forests. For this reason, they may not feel the same connectivity to nature in these environments that those in a higher class have experienced. When looking at myself, I recognize that I had many opportunities to create positive experiences surrounding nature. I spent my summers in parks with friends and families, collecting leaves off of trees and picking flowers. I also had many opportunities to visit beaches and enjoy the waters by swimming in them. I think each of these experiences has strengthened my relationship with nature and has made me realize that my privilege is what has allowed that. The experience of living in Canada in general has provided me with many opportunities to have exposure to such activities. I realize that my experience with nature for this reason differs greatly from that of my family, who did not have the opportunities that I had due to their financial situations along with the fact that they lived in third-world countries, that did not provide such easy access to nature. Ultimately, each of our previous life experiences differ vastly from one another and greatly contribute to our perception of nature as well as the surrounding environment.

References

Crampton, Liz. “Race and Class Privilege in the Environmental Movement.” News from Pachamama Alliance, 25 Jan. 2024, news.pachamama.org/news/race-and-class-privilege-in-the-environmental-movement.“Privilege Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/privilege. Accessed 26 Jan. 2024.

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02: Discussing my Dream Job

When considering my ideal role as an environmental interpreter, the first aspect that comes to mind is my preference for doing ‘behind the scenes’ work. As interpreters, one objective is to describe our knowledge to the audience while making it fun and exciting. As someone who is not very good at public speaking, I would ideally let someone else take the lead, especially when the communication is verbal. That said, much more goes into environmental interpretation than just the final delivery.

There are a few roles I would take within environmental interpretation, one of them being conducting field work. I would love to be able to go out into a space of nature and understand the different parts that make up the ecosystem. I would seek information that answers the following questions: What are the prominent tree species? What allows them to grow their best? What organisms are vital to the growth of the specific ecosystem? How might the climate crisis effect this space? Through collecting this information, I would be able to put together a cohesive interpretation of the biological aspects of the ecosystem. Furthermore, I would want to select for the higher quality and more powerful information I gathered to share with the audience, or as described in our textbook, I would try and use ‘The Gift of Precision’ (Beck et al., 2018).

Conducting field work that is accurate and that is of high quality requires a well-rounded set of skills. While there are endless skills that would be beneficial to this role, the ones that stick out to me the most are attention to detail and critical thinking. One would need to have a good eye for the intricate details that come together to form what we call nature. This could include correctly identifying species that look similar, such as the Austrian pine and the red pine. Attention to detail may also include accurately observing animal behaviours, such as not confusing two squirrels for fighting when they are just playing. With the information gathered from having good attention to detail, the next step is to analyze the data and draw conclusions. Using critical thinking skills, one would need to synthesize all the knowledge into a cohesive piece that could subsequently be shared with others. What other skills do you think would be essential to this role?

On the left is an Austrian pine tree needle, and on the right is a red pine tree needle. While there are several ways to distinguish the two trees, bending the needles is common. The Austrian pine will bend, and the red pine will snap.

Ideally, I would begin my endeavours as an environmental interpreter in a space I am familiar with, such as Etobicoke. Once I have mastered the foundational skills, I would be interested in expanding my knowledge to other places around the world. It would be incredible not only to see but also to research areas like Iceland, Australia, Indonesia, and more.

Thank you for reading this week’s post and see you next week,

Kiera

References

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

[ejenvs3000w24]

Hey Kiera, 

The position you’re trying to pursue does sound like a dream job! Although different from the career I intend to pursue, I found that we shared very similar outlooks to interpreting nature for others. I too am not the biggest fan of public speaking, but that is something I’m working on. Thankfully, I find I speak better to others when I’m passionate about the topic. 

For context, I just finished my program in landscape architecture, and so, my ideal role is tailored to interpreting how the natural environment and the built environment can be mended through thoughtful, sustainable designs. I found it quite interesting how applicable the questions you asked could be suited for so many different careers, including mine; of course, careers that use some form of interpretation as communication. I too have to ask myself: What are the prominent species on this particular site? What opportunities or challenges do I initially see that would benefit or harm newly added species? 

You mentioned how you would prefer to interpret nature through conducting field work; which made me think about how similar that is to one of the first stages of designing any landscape. This phase is known as the “inventory and analysis” phase, and it is essentially what you have described, seeking important, hidden details that allow one to understand the environment they’re working with. To my understanding, this is what our textbook refers to as “Genius loci”; “how distinct an environment (genius) is, illustrates the significance of that place (loci) (Beck et al., 2018). 

I think as an environmental interpreter, this is such an important aspect of knowledge to gain/learn prior to engaging with visitors. As you mentioned, it does take time to get the "eye" for seeing important details; details that could provoke deeper thinking and appreciation, but are lost to visitors passing by because they lack the foundational knowledge to understand the interconnected systems at play. Thanks for sharing, see you next week:)

Side note: Admittingly, I didn't know about that I.D trick for distinguishing Austrian vs Red pine, thank you lol! I won't forget that.

References:

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

[tkaur09]

Hey Kiera, 

Thanks for sharing! You bring up some very interesting points about the role of an environmental interpreter role in regard to fieldwork.I think that fieldwork is a great way to apply many of the skill sets learned in previous biology courses to our everyday lives. In particular, I feel that many of the labs we complete as science students can be beneficial and provide a great foundation for some of the studies you may conduct in the future. Moreover, I feel that the ability to analyze information and curate questions is a great trait to have as an interpreter. As you previously mentioned it allows you to make comparisons between different species of plants and determine whether or not there are any differences of significance. Moreover, asking such questions allows us to reflect on our knowledge and strengthen any gaps that may be there. I also agree that being able to take that information and apply it to a larger scale, such as asking whether or not it plays a role in climate change is important as well. I think that organization would be another important trait that allows for all of your information to remain organized and easy to follow. I think conducting research in other parts of the world would be an incredible opportunity and something that I too find very interesting. Overall, I think you are already on the right track and have many great ideas that would work well in practice, best of luck with your goals!

[tkaur09]

Disclaimer

This blog was created for ENVS 3000 - Tara Kaur at the University of Guelph. 

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

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