Discovering Biodiversity

[vsenvs3000]

My Personal Ethics, Beliefs, and Approaches Concerning Nature Interpretation.

Each and every person has their own ethics, beliefs, and approach to life, and these are just a few of mine when I think about nature interpretation.

My current personal ethic as a nature interpreter is that I believe the individual is just as important as the whole. By this I mean that even the smallest organisms in nature are as important and have equal intrinsic value as the largest organism. In my mind, if I stick with this outlook while leading interpretive tours people will find a new sense of importance in nature.

Based on my personal ethics explained in the previous paragraph I’m sure it comes to no surprise that my biggest belief when it comes to nature interpretation is that it should be more than just providing information to a group of people about their current environment (Beck et al., 2018). I believe that the point of nature interpretation is to provide your guests with an experience and leave them with the desire to learn more and provoke deeper thinking causing them to question nature around them for the rest of their life (Beck et al., 2018). By doing so, this may cause people to change certain habits, challenge social norms, and even support the fight for the environment (Beck et al., 2018). I think If you are able to evoke change in just one person through just one nature interpretation program, you have successfully fulfilled your purpose as a nature interpreter.

As nature interpreters we have many responsibilities. The first that comes to mind is education. We are responsible for teaching individuals both young and old about the environment around them while trying to instil (in a limited amount of time) that nature is much more than just forests, mountains, and animals. When it comes to education, I think the most important type of people we are responsible for is the educating of children. I am a strong believer that teaching young people the value and importance of nature early in life will truly benefit them in the long run. For one, nature provides countless opportunities for discovery, creativity, problem-solving, stimulating deeper thinking, improving cognitive development, as well as contributing to improved physical and mental health (Beck et al., 2018; Poppell & Monroe, 2018). Most importantly, the young children we teach today are the future and hopefully, these teachings will translate down to future generations and create change in the world.

A photo of a young children learning about nature…in nature. 

Outward Bound.  (2020). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.outwardbound.org/blog/pursuing-career-outdoor-education-instructor/

I have found with my own personal experiences in the role of nature interpreter, that the approach that is most suitable for me is storytelling (Beck et al., 2018). While working in Costa Rica I taught people primarily about the local insects (mainly butterflies) and I found that on these tours I loved telling my own personal stories for a couple of reasons. I felt it made me appear like more of a friend rather than a teacher. This made my guests feel more comfortable with asking me questions which created a personal relationship between me and them. While writing this, the story that comes to mind that I used to tell was about the tarantula hawk wasp.

During our tours most interpreters would quickly speak about the tarantula hawk wasp being the second most painful insect sting in the world, and then move on to our golden orb weavers that had their webs above the heads of the guests. However, I usually spent a little extra time after explaining the lifecycle of the wasp to tell my guests about my first encounter with a tarantula hawk wasp. My story went a little like this;

“Earlier this year I was in the rainforest of Ecuador, 6 hours from the nearest city. It was my first morning at Yanayaku Biological Station, 2100 masl. I woke up early with the excitement of venturing deep into the rainforest that day to find some cool bugs. Trying not to disturb my sleeping roommate on the bunk beside me, I took my headlamp and began to dig through my backpack for a change of clothes when I saw something literally running toward me along the floorboard. I shined my headlamp at it and saw it was an iridescent insect with orange wings. Thinking it was just a simple wasp I left it alone, changed my clothes and went down the dining area. This is where I found my professor sitting on a chair in front of a dirt mound. Curious, I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was observing a tarantula hawk wasp burying its recently paralyzed tarantula. I then told him I had just seen one in my room. He then tells me that its sting is second to the bullet ant and that I needed to go find it quick! I ran up to my room to find my roommate awake and I told her what I saw and that we have to find this bug immediately! After searching for an hour, we gave up. We could not find the wasp and we just hoped it found its way out through a crack in the wall. I soon forgot about the hawk wasp but on the day we were packing up to leave, I picked up my backpack from off the floor and the hawk wasp fell out of my backpack strap!”

Me with the female tarantula hawk wasp I caught in Costa Rica.

The reason why I think this approach suits me is that I am very loud, excitable, and expressive (in person) and because my stories are not ones you hear every day. 

If you would like to learn more about the tarantula hawk wasp… here is a good link…https://www.aboutanimals.com/insect/tarantula-hawk/

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Poppell, K. & Monroe, M. C. (2018).  Why is exposure to nature interpretation important in early childhood? University of florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr394

[lsenvs3000-20]

Hey!  I really liked reading your blog post as it was incredibly insightful and articulate.  Based on the way you write it’s clear to see just how passionate you are about nature and nature interpretation!  

I couldn’t agree more with your ethic, the individual is absolutely just as important as the whole.  It still boggles my mind that tiny organisms such as springtails and isopods can have such a great impact on the ecosystems that they inhabit.  By breaking down mould, fungi and other forms of decay, they’re a lot like nature’s cleanup crew, keeping the environment clean and “healthy” so to speak.  Just like if we didn’t have people cleaning up all the waste we produce, the amount of disease and illness in our communities would likely increase.          

Based on how you told the story of finding a tarantula hawk wasp in your room, I’d say the method of using storytelling in nature interpretation suits you quite well!  Reading that excerpt really made me feel like I was right there,  watching that scene unfold.  After reading that your roommate was still in the room with the wasp I immediately thought, “Oh no!  Someone get the wasp or your roommate out of there!”  I was on the edge of me seat!  So cool that you were actually able to catch the wasp to safely remove it.  By recounting an interesting story like this, you definitely made me want to learn more about the tarantula hawk wasp and I’m sure your tour groups felt the same.  

Overall I thought this was a great post and I’ve genuinely enjoyed following your blog throughout this semester.  Good luck on your future endeavours and I hope you find even more cool bugs! 

Luke    

[vsenvs3000]

Hey Luke! 

Thank you for the kind words! That’s so funny that you bring up springtails and isopods, I was actually think of them while writing that part of the blog post! I’m glad my story telling translates that way by just through text, I usually use hand and facial gestures to help out my story and I was worried people would read it and not get the same energy. The tarantula hawk wasp is definitely an interesting creature and super cool to learn about! 

Thank you Luke, I enjoyed following and reading yours too! Good luck with everything you do, I hope you continue with your passion for music and continue to educate people about nature. You seem very skilled at both and I wish you all the best! 

Vic 

[btenvs3000-20]

My Role in Nature Interpretation

This course has taught me many things about myself, nature and the endless possibility that is nature interpretation. Nature interpretation has given me a little bit more hope and acknowledged that the field we are in is a difficult path to take. It pushed me to think more creatively and from different perspectives in order to include all audiences. I think that is one thing we do not always think about: inclusion. Nature is ideally the most universal thing in the world as it does not matter who one is, they are still able to enjoy, learn and grow from it. I found this week’s blogpost quite difficult because it forced me to think deeply not about one thing, but about the commonality of everything I do as a whole and its relation to the way I interpret nature and how I want to share it with others. My personal ethic as I develop as a nature interpreter is drawn from the belief that nature can be construed in an infinite number of ways by an infinite number of people. For this post, I will focus mostly on the comparison between children’s views on nature versus an adult’s. “That environmentalists need the goodwill of children would seem self-evident- but more often than not, children are viewed as props or extraneous to the serious adult work of saving the world.” – Richard Louv When I read this quote in Week 11, it made me almost sad. It is true, children are often dismissed or devalued when it comes to environmentalism. For example, Greta Thunberg, who has dedicated her young life to making a change in the planet, has been repeatedly belittled by certain adults. In her case, I believe it is because she is seen as more of a threat by them, but for other children, it is because they are thought to have invalid thoughts. 

Greta Thunberg taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greta_Thunberg.    I was once given a speech by a man whose career focused on nature interpretation, and “play.” He said, “Kids aren’t stupid, they just know less,” and that has stuck with me. While a child’s brain is not yet fully developed, they are not stupid; this would insinuate that they lack intelligence or common sense, when instead, they have simply not been taught it yet. The “play” aspect of his work was also so interesting to me. He told us that the older we get, the less we play. He then had us do an activity where he brought out a box full of nature: sticks, leaves, straw baskets, animal toys, and he told us he would be giving us no instruction. We, all being in our twenties, just sat there for a second; we honestly didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t even remember the last time that I did something like that, something without purpose simply for the enjoyment of it. Within ten minutes everyone was doing something. He said that this is how children are, they need no instruction because they have not grown up yet in a world that requires instruction for everything. This outlook on life should be something that is valued, not diminished. 

Children playing in nature taken from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/jul2017/outdoor-play-child-development

“We can create nature-rich communities where kids feel a deep and abiding love for the living systems that we all are immersed in. Eventually, children will learn even to go beyond sustaining and to engage in acts of regeneration. That is where true hope resides.Eventually, children will learn even to go beyond sustaining and to engage in acts of regeneration” (Hooykaas, 2020). Such a large focus in our world right now is sustainability, and while sustaining is good, regeneration might be better. This ensures new life and growth within our planet. I believe it is my responsibility to allow people think with a more child-like mindset during nature interpretation but also to make nature accessible to everyone. Accessibility means to acknowledge that people learn and experience life differently, so by incorporating different art styles, digital media, social media, etc. (Beck et al., 2019).

My responsibilities in nature interpretation are largely to be able to sustain it for future generations, and hopefully to better it. By spreading knowledge and getting people to care about nature we are creating an emotional tie and awareness. When one cares about something one is more inclined to take care of it.

There is not a single approach that I would say is “most suitable” to me as a nature interpreter. I would argue that most people do not learn in only one way. I think connecting on multiple levels is what makes nature interpretation so special. Sometimes playing music while being outdoors is when I feel connected, and sometimes it is when someone is telling me a story. 

Some of my most memorable connections with nature were made on interpretive walks. These were when someone who was incredibly knowledgeable about the area took us around and pointed out things that we would probably have never noticed on our own. When I was in Ecuador, we were taken on a night walk. This is one of my most amazing memories. As soon as we were silent, we could hear all of the creatures that normally do not come out in the daytime. We even saw multiple blue poison dart frogs and a baby corn snake hanging down from a tree. When someone has a connection to nature in a different way than you, such as living in that environment versus visiting it, it can be so eye-opening to listen to what they have to say.

Baby corn snake taken from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/384143043208130686/. 

Blue poison dart frog taken from https://moonlightelder.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/food-tree-frogs-eat-bugs-like-crickets-or/. 

Overall, I would say that the work of a nature interpreter is never over. There will always be more to discover, teach and learn. The ways that these messages are conveyed, however, may change with the times; even nature will continue changing with the times.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing.

Hooykaas, A. (2020). ENVS*3000 Nature Interpretation Week 11 course notes. University of Guelph.

[vsenvs3000]

Hey there! Thank you for sharing your beliefs, firsthand experiences, and your overall role as a nature interpreter. I agree with you, this week’s blog post was difficult to talk about because we have to incorporate so many deeply personal aspects of our values and thoughts. I really enjoyed that you focused this week’s blog post on comparing children’s views and adults’ views on nature. The first point you made about Greta Thunberg really struck a chord with me. It is disguising that adults, who are supposed to be individuals that children can look up to for guidance, belittle a child who only wants to help. I wish people would understand that nature is important and it’s not there for us to abuse.

I totally agree with you that people do not learn all the same way, however, I do think each nature interpreter has an approach that they are most confident in using, which may translate to that approach being the most suitable approach for them. Knowing how and when to use certain approaches is vital for any nature interpreter, and being able to connect on multiple levels takes lots of practice and can create a very special experience for the individuals included. It is really great that you have the opportunities to experience nature interpretation in different ways and know that you can connect with nature through different approaches! I wish I had more experiences like that!

I loved how you ended your post, and I agree with what you said, “the work of a nature interpreter is never over”, I really like that. Overall, a great post! Very thought provoking and touched on some major topics! Awesome job!

[mrhenvs3000-20]

My personal responsibility to nature

Today, I sit down in a silent room and think about myself as a nature interpreter.  I learned a lot in this course, and I thank my professor and university for offering something different from all my past experiences. The projects that I have done in this course are challenging because they make me think outside the box. I came into the course with just a love for nature, a love that started when I was a child going on camping trips with my family, but I come out of it interested in working as a nature interpreter.

A photo of people enjoying camping and nature. Similar to what I used to do as a child. Moments like these are priceless. Retrieved from https://www.anyrgb.com/en/free-image-ybbnsy

As I develop as an interpreter, I believe that I have a responsibility towards nature. I have a responsibility to protect nature, show and spread its beauty to everyone. People in our day and age are missing out on nature. People are always busy with life. Busy making more money and buying bigger things. Our lives are short, and we must enjoy nature and our planet while we can.

I believe it starts at a young age. As a child I developed my love for nature when I used to go camping with my family. Our children are the future and if they don’t care about nature and our planet then we are in trouble. Our world moves into becoming more urbanized and the emphasis on nature is becoming less important. We have less connection to nature than people before us and our children will have even less. This trend will continue if we don’t take action now as nature interpreters and show the importance of nature to our children. We must take our children outside and let them enjoy outdoor activities like camping, hiking and climbing. We must take them on nature walks and allow them to wonder and ask questions about nature. Dr. Richard Louv mentioned in one of the videos in our lectures that we are animals, and we need nature for our health. I truly believe that and think that everyone should experience nature in some sort or form. Whenever I feel down or depressed, I go for a walk or a run through nature, I feel peace and calmness when in touch with nature. I have a responsibility to spread this knowledge to people around me. I need to inform people about the benefits of taking some time off and going out in nature. We need to stop and contemplate away from the busy lives that we live. Enjoy the little things outdoors, it’s good for our health especially mentally.

My personal experiences must be translated to a larger audience and I have a responsibility to do so. As nature interpreters, we must continue to fight for nature educational centers. We must be alongside any programs that exposes people to nature especially children. I think that a large number of people don’t realize the importance of nature and these programs showcase that importance.

People making gardens and showing children the importance of nature. Programs like these are wonderful and it our responsibility as nature interpreters to be involved in such programs. Retrieved from https://friendsoftheearth.uk/nature/importance-nature

We have explored many concepts throughout the term. The two that stands out to me as I think today are privilege and technology. As nature interpreters, we are privileged when it comes to nature. We are receiving the education that nature is important. We are realizing how important it is to humans. Some people grow up not experiencing nature at all and sometimes it’s too late. Ones humans grow older, their minds are set on what’s important in life and if they don’t grow up loving nature, it’s hard to change their mindset. No matter who you are or where you come from, nature always has something to offer. I consider this realization a privilege. Therefore, we are privileged to be learning about what nature has to offer. This knowledge can be translated into helping nature in the future. As I mentioned, the world is becoming more urbanized and technology is taking over our lives. The need for people to focus on the preservation of nature is never been more important.

This brings me to the second concept that stood out to me during the term which is technology. I think of technology is a double-edged sword. We have discussed in lectures and readings the positives and negatives of technology. Technology can keep us inside our homes. Nowadays, you can do everything from the comfort of home and there is no motivation to go outside. This can make people more stagnant. People will be encouraged to spend their free time at home, they will watch movies, play video games, use their phones for hours and never think about going out and enjoying the outdoors. This is a huge concern when it comes to technology. Technology can actually turn people away from nature if used incorrectly.  

A photo encouraging people to work and stay home. Notice that ‘DREAM’ is also written to convince people that this is the dream. Making money wile working from home. Photos like these make people want to stay home even though they don’t realize it. Retrieved from https://quickmarket.co.uk/ad/work-from-the-comfort-of-your-home-and-earn-money/

On the other hand, technology can actually be the answer to more people experiencing nature. Technology allows us to see beautiful natural places in photos or videos which will in turn motivate us to go out and experience these places. I know myself; I would research beautiful areas and see images of them before I travel. Seeing a beautiful natural environment motivates me to go to it. In that sense, technology is helping me experience more nature. Technology also helps preserve nature. It has many methods of preservation but one way that I think is very important is GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Plants can actually be modified to be more resistant to climate change for example. That means they can live longer under harsh conditions. This will preserve nature and allow us to enjoy it for longer time. Our planet needs more plants and technologies are vital for a better future. Therefore, technology can be helpful from these aspects.

Photos like these inspire me to go to them. This is located in Jamaica, a country that I would like to visit for its natural beauty. Retrieved from https://www.iberostar.com/en/inspiration-guide/travel/nine-natural-wonders-you-cant-miss-in-jamaica-nature-caribbean/

As a nature interpreter, I’m privileged to know the importance of nature and I must use my knowledge and transfer it to the people around me. We are key in saving nature, knowledge alone is not enough. Interpreters translate this knowledge and make easy and accessible to everyone in society. Whether you’re into nature or not, interpreters can help.

[vsenvs3000]

Hey there! I loved reading your post, thank you for sharing your beliefs on nature interpretation and the concepts in the class that stuck with you most. It is always interesting to see which parts of the course made an impact on people especially if they are different from your own.  You really get to see that there are so many different ways nature interpretation can be and will be used by future interpreters.  For example, I never thought of technology as being anything but good for the world of nature interpretation because it can be used as an important tool for learning. But the more I think about it, I have family members that will watch nature documentaries instead of going outside to actually experience it because “it’s too much work to go out and walk”. You really brought this to my attention. I have been trying to brainstorm some ways to change their minds about going outside instead of just watching nature from their couch. So far, I haven’t come up with many, can you think of any ideas that might get them off the couch?

Also, I totally agree with you, teaching children at a young age about nature and giving them firsthand experiences in the natural world around them is vital! I too spent a lot of my time in nature at a young age and often find my outlook on life and my opinions on certain things to be very different from my peers who spent their childhood without much connection to nature. In addition, there are also many other benefits to exposing children to nature early in life such as; increased creativity, stimulating deeper thinking, improving cognitive development, as well as contributing to improved physical and mental health (Beck et al., 2018; Poppell & Monroe, 2018). Just based on these alone, nature should be considered as an essential part of a child’s upbringing.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Poppell, K. & Monroe, M. C. (2018).  Why is exposure to nature interpretation important in early childhood? University of florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr394

[vsenvs3000]

My Personal Ethics, Beliefs, and Approaches Concerning Nature Interpretation.

Each and every person has their own ethics, beliefs, and approach to life, and these are just a few of mine when I think about nature interpretation.

My current personal ethic as a nature interpreter is that I believe the individual is just as important as the whole. By this I mean that even the smallest organisms in nature are as important and have equal intrinsic value as the largest organism. In my mind, if I stick with this outlook while leading interpretive tours people will find a new sense of importance in nature.

Based on my personal ethics explained in the previous paragraph I’m sure it comes to no surprise that my biggest belief when it comes to nature interpretation is that it should be more than just providing information to a group of people about their current environment (Beck et al., 2018). I believe that the point of nature interpretation is to provide your guests with an experience and leave them with the desire to learn more and provoke deeper thinking causing them to question nature around them for the rest of their life (Beck et al., 2018). By doing so, this may cause people to change certain habits, challenge social norms, and even support the fight for the environment (Beck et al., 2018). I think If you are able to evoke change in just one person through just one nature interpretation program, you have successfully fulfilled your purpose as a nature interpreter.

As nature interpreters we have many responsibilities. The first that comes to mind is education. We are responsible for teaching individuals both young and old about the environment around them while trying to instil (in a limited amount of time) that nature is much more than just forests, mountains, and animals. When it comes to education, I think the most important type of people we are responsible for is the educating of children. I am a strong believer that teaching young people the value and importance of nature early in life will truly benefit them in the long run. For one, nature provides countless opportunities for discovery, creativity, problem-solving, stimulating deeper thinking, improving cognitive development, as well as contributing to improved physical and mental health (Beck et al., 2018; Poppell & Monroe, 2018). Most importantly, the young children we teach today are the future and hopefully, these teachings will translate down to future generations and create change in the world.

A photo of a young children learning about nature...in nature. 

Outward Bound.  (2020). [Photograph]. Retrieved from https://www.outwardbound.org/blog/pursuing-career-outdoor-education-instructor/

I have found with my own personal experiences in the role of nature interpreter, that the approach that is most suitable for me is storytelling (Beck et al., 2018). While working in Costa Rica I taught people primarily about the local insects (mainly butterflies) and I found that on these tours I loved telling my own personal stories for a couple of reasons. I felt it made me appear like more of a friend rather than a teacher. This made my guests feel more comfortable with asking me questions which created a personal relationship between me and them. While writing this, the story that comes to mind that I used to tell was about the tarantula hawk wasp.

During our tours most interpreters would quickly speak about the tarantula hawk wasp being the second most painful insect sting in the world, and then move on to our golden orb weavers that had their webs above the heads of the guests. However, I usually spent a little extra time after explaining the lifecycle of the wasp to tell my guests about my first encounter with a tarantula hawk wasp. My story went a little like this;

“Earlier this year I was in the rainforest of Ecuador, 6 hours from the nearest city. It was my first morning at Yanayaku Biological Station, 2100 masl. I woke up early with the excitement of venturing deep into the rainforest that day to find some cool bugs. Trying not to disturb my sleeping roommate on the bunk beside me, I took my headlamp and began to dig through my backpack for a change of clothes when I saw something literally running toward me along the floorboard. I shined my headlamp at it and saw it was an iridescent insect with orange wings. Thinking it was just a simple wasp I left it alone, changed my clothes and went down the dining area. This is where I found my professor sitting on a chair in front of a dirt mound. Curious, I asked him what he was doing and he told me he was observing a tarantula hawk wasp burying its recently paralyzed tarantula. I then told him I had just seen one in my room. He then tells me that its sting is second to the bullet ant and that I needed to go find it quick! I ran up to my room to find my roommate awake and I told her what I saw and that we have to find this bug immediately! After searching for an hour, we gave up. We could not find the wasp and we just hoped it found its way out through a crack in the wall. I soon forgot about the hawk wasp but on the day we were packing up to leave, I picked up my backpack from off the floor and the hawk wasp fell out of my backpack strap!”

Me with the female tarantula hawk wasp I caught in Costa Rica.

The reason why I think this approach suits me is that I am very loud, excitable, and expressive (in person) and because my stories are not ones you hear every day. 

If you would like to learn more about the tarantula hawk wasp… here is a good link...https://www.aboutanimals.com/insect/tarantula-hawk/

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Poppell, K. & Monroe, M. C. (2018).  Why is exposure to nature interpretation important in early childhood? University of florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr394

[lsenvs3000-20]

A Plea to Save the Apis Apicultural Centre

Dear board of directors,

I am writing on behalf of the Apis Apicultural Centre in regards to the closure of our establishment due to insufficient funding.  I feel as though our centre is not only essential in maintaining the pristine and surreal natural beauty of Cambridge Ontario, but it also plays a vital role in the conservation of local honey bee populations.  

Since its establishment in 1973, the Apis Apicultural Centre has been providing the community with a place to learn about the practice of apiculture, as well as one of Earth’s most important pollinators.  Guests have loved the experience of dawning a bee suit and joining one of our apiarists/nature interpreters. This offers a more immersive way of learning about how bee colonies function, how they convert pollen and nectar into honey and the role bees play in maintaining good environmental health.     

As stated by Wals et al. in 2014, environmental education is extremely important as it aids in the restoration of many ecosystems.  This is one of the reasons why the Apicultural centre is so important.  The main goal of our centre is to educate the public on the important environmental role which bees play, this being pollination.  Pollination is essential for the survival of many native wildflowers as well as numerous crops which we humans depend on.  If bee populations continue to decline, our production of food would be greatly limited and we may risk losing some incredible species of flowers!  By teaching people about the extrinsic value which bees have, the public gains a much deeper appreciation and understanding of how important these little guys are, as well as a better grasp of the issues at hand (Beck et al. 2019).  Many of our guests (myself included) have even started their own bee gardens!  These are gardens that are filled with flowers which bees love, which aides immensely in the conservation.

A bumblebee visiting one of our many bee gardens!

Furthermore, our facility ensures that everyone who visits is included and welcome.  By this I mean that any child or adult who wants to learn a thing or two about bees has the option of doing so.  This is of great importance to us we’ve found in the past that younger individuals are not considered when it comes to educating the public on the environment and other environmental issues (Gallavan, 2005).  

All in all, we feel as though our centre is an important part of the community which also doubles as a beacon for conservation.  

We sincerely hope that this letter changes your mind,

The Apis Apicultural Centre 

[vsenvs3000]

Hey there Luke! I really enjoyed reading your letter! It is simple, concise, and gets your position across very well. I also agree with all the points you brought up in regard to how education through nature interpretation is incredibly important. 

I thought it was clever to begin the letter by diving into the background of the centre, it gave me a sense of how long it has been a part of the community which gave me a feeling of nostalgia. It made me have a soft spot for the centre without even learning its important contributions yet. I thought this made your letter very strong from the beginning. In addition, I liked that you added a personal picture and not a stock photo. By doing this you added a personal aspect to your letter. Which in combination with your emphasis on the education provided by the centre and its impact on guests, made the letter even more impactful.

A part that stuck out to me in your letter was you mentioned you have a bee garden yourself! I have experience working with and teaching people about bees, but I do not have my own bee garden!  I was wondering if you have any advice on where to start. Also, do you have your own bees? If not, would you want some of your own someday?

If I was on the board of directors, your letter would definitely change my mind about closing the facility.

[vsenvs3000]

A Letter to Save Outreach Programs – The Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory

Explore Waterloo Region. (2020). [Photograph]. Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. https://www.explorewaterlooregion.com/listing/cambridge-butterfly-conservatory/

Dear Board of Directors,

I am writing to you today on behalf of the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory in regard to the possible shutting down of our school outreach program due to lack of recent funding. I believe that these educational programs that are brought to schools across the GTA are a vital asset to everyone involved (Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory, 2020).

Today, children's lives are disconnected from the natural world and their experiences are predominantly mediated through media and visual images (White, 2004). Children are losing the understanding that nature exists in their own backyards and neighborhoods, which is further disconnecting them from knowledge and appreciation of the natural world (White, 2004).

These school outreach programs use an untraditional teaching approaches bringing different aspects of nature directly to the students, acknowledging that each person is unique in terms of learning style, making these programs very impactful and a positive, memorable experience to the students (Beck et al., 2018). By having these programs in which nature interpreters inform young minds about environmental importance through interactive programs, we are able to stimulate deeper thinking, improve cognitive development, as well as contribute to improved physical and mental health of your future generation (Beck et al., 2018; Poppell & Monroe, 2018). In addition, the use of nature interpretation has countless benefits that are beyond teaching children about their surrounding environment, the importance of every single living creature a part of this world (Poppell & Monroe, 2018). According to the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE), environmental education teaches children how to investigate their environment, and how to make intelligent, informed decisions about how they can take care of it (Poppell & Monroe, 2018; NAAEE, 2015). This type of early childhood environmental education is a holistic concept that encompasses knowledge of the natural world as well as emotions, dispositions, and skills while improving children's knowledge about the environment and therefore, developing a caring and positive attitude towards the environment (Poppell & Monroe, 2018; NAAEE, 2010).

I understand that these types of programs are expensive to run but the experience that these nature interpreters provide for these young students can be life changing. When I was younger my mother knew I was intrigued by nature, specifically insects. So much so that we spent most of our days exploring my backyard and other green spaces around our neighbourhood. At least 2-3 times a year we would take a special trip to the Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory specifically to learn from the nature interpreters about different insects. Just from these few visits every year with these hands-on interactions with insects and nature interpreters I am now graduating with a Bachelor of Science, majoring in biodiversity pursuing a career in entomology with a background in nature interpretation. Without these experiences I think I would be lost in regard to finding my true passion in life. I was fortunate enough to have my mother to encourage me to explore my passions, most children are not that lucky. By taking away these programs you are taking away the opportunity for a child to discover their true passion in life.

In conclusion, the cancelling of this impactful and important program would be detrimental to the youth of today. Guided, hands-on learning is a unique experience needed in a growing child’s life to create individuals who are aware and educated in important global matters. 

Kindest Regards,

The Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory 

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. (2020). Outreach programs. https://www.cambridgebutterfly.com/outreach-programs/

NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education). (2015). What is Environmental Education?http://www.naaee.net/what-is-ee

NAAEE (North American Association for Environmental Education). 2010. Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs: Guidelines for Excellence. Washington, DC: North American Association for Environmental Education.

Poppell, K. & Monroe, M. C. (2018).  Why is exposure to nature interpretation important in early childhood? University of florida. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fr394

White, Y. (2004). Young children’s relationship with nature: It’s importance to children’s development and the earth’s future. White hutchinson leisure and learning group. https://www.whitehutchinson.com/children/articles/childrennature.shtml

[kwenvs3000]

The Next Steps in Nature

Although it is hard to know anything for certain, one thing I know for sure is that nature interpretation is significant. Being a nature interpreter is an important role in society. Previously, as much as I loved the possibility of a career in nature interpretation I did not consider it as important to society as I now do today. As explained in the textbook, nature interpretation benefits so many aspects of our world from individuals and society to management of the environment (Beck et al., 2018). Nature interpretation contributes to so many aspects of society from education, recreation, and health to individuals and the community (Beck et al., 2018). 

There are many things I still wonder about in regards to nature interpretation and and my role as a nature interpreter. One of these is how to get my foot in the door for a role as a nature interpreter. How can I take all the concepts I am learning in this course and obtain the opportunity to apply them in a significant way? Through taking this course I have been inspired to potentially teach others through nature interpretation in the future. This prospect seems far away and hard to achieve. Lately I have been wondering how I can get started and the lecture material from this week was able to point me in the right direction. A great place to look for more information is through the Interpretation online resources found on the course website as mentioned in the lecture. I was so excited to learn about some of these resources such as Interpretation Canada and the Interpretive Guides Association as well as ones outside of North America like interpretation in Australia and Europe. 

Interpretation Canada: https://interpretationcanada.ca/

Interpretive Guides Association: https://interpretiveguides.org/

Interpret Europe: http://www.interpret-europe.net/feet/home/

Interpretation Australia: https://interpretationaustralia.asn.au/

I find inspiration to learn more and follow a path towards nature interpretation by thinking of ways that I could use my passion for nature together with my passion for helping others. I am so excited  to see how I could use interpretation as a tool to reach those who would benefit the most from being surrounded by the beauty of nature. I have heard of many ways that people have used nature as a tool to help others and I would love to do the same. An example of this that I found while researching was the special needs inclusion program at the Columbia outdoor school in British Columbia (Special Needs, n.d.). Here, they specifically made a program to allow children with disabilities to enjoy the education center and learn and grow from it (Special Needs, n.d.). I hope to be able to be a part of something similar one day.

The way that I ignite and get fired up for nature is by thinking about the intricacies of every aspect of it. When I think of how perfectly every part of nature, from the smallest single-celled organism to the beauty of a golden sunset works together to maintain this life on earth I am astounded. Each living thing is designed to live in and thrive in its environment, and is different from every other living thing on the planet.  It makes us wonder how all of this beauty can possibly exist, but it does. Whenever I tell others about nature, I get so excited because discovery in nature never ends, and this is why I love it so much.

An example of one of the amazing feats of nature that gets me fired up is the perfect creation of a beaver lodge, how can a small creature create such a wonderful home?

References

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Special Needs Inclusion Program. (n.d.). Retrieved November 09, 2020, from http://columbiaoutdoorschool.com/special-needs

[vsenvs3000]

Hi! Thank you so much for sharing your love of nature interpretation! I have to say, I couldn't agree more with your first statement, I even said the exact same thing in my blog post this week, nature interpretation is so important, and this course has really shown me that.

A part of your post that really spoke to me was when you mentioned getting your foot in the door in regard to making nature interpretation as a full-time career. I think it’s like any job, it is who you know, but I agree with you, at first glance it seems that nature interpretation is a difficult field to get into. Personally, I discovered that there are many volunteer opportunities that can help you get started.

For myself, I found my nature interpreting my job through a slightly unconventional way…through tinder. I matched with a guy who loved insects and of course we met for a beer. He told me about his recent trip to Costa Rica and how he was going back in a week to work as a nature interpreter! I expressed to him that I would love to do that as a job and a few months later I received a call from the gardens in Costa Rica and they offered me a position on the spot. With COVID I was only there for a month but they offer 10 week internships and I would highly recommend it. I met a lot of interesting people, got to travel solo, and I learned a lot about nature interpreting! Here is the link if you want to take a look!

http://www.monteverdebutterflygarden.com

[vsenvs3000]

Nature Interpretation and Me!

With anything, even nature interpretation,  there is always a level of uncertainty. However, what I do know for certain is that nature interpretation is very important. Before this course, even though I was a nature interpreter myself for a while, I never really considered my role as a nature interpreter to be significant in today’s society. As mentioned in the textbook, Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage, nature interpretation contributes significant benefits to individuals and society through educational, inspirational, and recreational experiences as well as promoting healthy communities (Beck et al., 2018). This is just one example in which this course has truly shown me that nature interpretation is vital in today's society especially since the environment and climate change are in the forefront of everyone’s mind (Beck et al., 2018).

Despite this realization, there are still a lot of things I wonder about, concerning nature interpretation. However, the most prevalent concern is how I can incorporate the different interpretative styles and strategies into my own interpretations while maximizing their effectiveness based on my audience and topic. Chapter 8 and 10 of the textbook described the different techniques nature interpreters use to present information to the general public such as music, theatre, and dance (Beck et al., 2018). After reading these chapters I found myself reflecting on my own personal experience as an interpreter and realizing I didn’t really explore these different techniques because of my mentors at the time. Now I am wondering which techniques I would actually use when in an interpretation role and how to effectively execute them. Whether it be through social media, a podcast, and/or in person interaction, there are so many strategies to take into consideration and I feel like it would take years to perfect just one (Beck et al., 2018). The amount of different techniques is amazing and yet overwhelming. Seeing a professional interpreter perform any one of these techniques or multiple techniques at once would really help me understand how to best combine and use these strategies.

Where I find inspiration is through my passion for entomology. In my first post on this blog I mentioned that I have been fascinated by insects since I was about 3, and this passion/hobby is really what drives me to pursue nature interpretation. Anytime I find a cool looking bug or my friends ask me to identify an insect they found in their home, I can’t help but be excited!

The way I ignite my passion for nature interpretation is by reflecting on personal experiences. I often look back on my last trip before the pandemic, which was to Costa Rica. While working at Monteverde butterfly gardens, I think about the first couple days there, learning facts about all the local flora and fauna that I would encounter on my nature walks and shadowing other nature interpreters. My third day I was put to work leading my own walks, and even though I was nervous talking in front of crowds I found my audience's curiosity and wonder at what I was teaching, something that really ignited my love of nature interpretation. Whether it's being in the cloud forest of Costa Rica speaking to paying customers or just in my backyard talking to my mom, teaching people about my passion (mostly insects) is so rewarding and is what fuels my love for nature interpretation.

A picture of me at the Niagara Falls Butterfly Conservatory. Even though I was not an official interpreter at this conservatory, that did not stop me from teaching my boyfriend about this Julia longing and the other exotic butterflies we saw. Sharing my knowledge about insects makes me very happy and fills me with excitement. 

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

[cdenvs3000]

Snapping Turtle Podcast

Seeing that there was a podcast done about snapping turtles really caught my interest as I find snapping turtles to be such an interesting, cute species! I think many people have seen snapping turtles out in their natural environments in ponds and such. Here in Guelph there is a turtle crossing sign on Kortright road which I think is so important. From the podcast I learned that turtles are now on the special species list meaning their species has had decreased populations. From another course that I am in, Wildlife Rehabilitation, I have learned that cars are snapping turtles biggest predators. This is something that the guest in this podcast spoke on as well! Snapping turltes try to reach up and bite at the under carriage of vehicles as a car drives over top of them, meaning they tend to have broken jaws.

Raftis, P (2020). Turtle crossing signs to be permitted on country roads. Retrieved on Nov, 3rd, 2020 from https://www.wellingtonadvertiser.com/turtle-crossing-signs-to-be-permitted-on-county-roads/

My first impression of the podcast was that the group definitely had a lot of information to cover, however I don't think this seems to be directed toward children. The initial intro music you used was a nice touch and I think next time you could try to incorporate more of that to break up the conversation within the podcast. Snapping turtles are an animal that children find very interesting so simply having added a little more attention grabbing material would have been a nice addition. I also feel as though the main lessons could have been made slightly more clear as even I had to think for a little about what these lessons were. For children, being educated on a species is definitely interesting, however to ensure that they are fully grasping the information I would suggest highlighting a few points.

Based on what I could gather from the podcast the main objective was to educate children on snapping turtles as they are considered a species of special concern. Educating children on these issues is very important as they are the next generation that can help to make a positive change for our ecosystems. Emphasizing that snapping turtles are a species of special concern and explaining that more in depth could have added more purpose to the podcast. This also allows children to think that they are being involved in something really important, further grabbing their interest! Overll, that was definitely a main lesson that I learned from this podcast. Another lesson learned was that turtles main predators are vehicles. This could have been highlighted more as well, educating kids about how to prevent turtles from being injured on the roads. One other lesson that I learned from this podcast was that snapping turtles can actually grow to be quite large! I always thought that snapping turtles stayed quite tiny, as I have only ever seen small ones. From the guest on this podcast though, I learned that snapping turtles can grow to be the size or weight of a medium sized dog of up to 15 pounds! I think the podcast and the guest offered so much great information but it was somewhat lost within the style the podcast followed. Especially since this was geared toward children I would say that the interview could have been edited in a way to make it less long and like a full conversation.

I think that you had a really great guest that was definitely an expert on your topic. I could tell that the interview portion was from a recorded phone call, which was a different approach than what my partner and I took for our interview. We had our guest record their answers to the interview questions all speperately. I do like the approach you took for this, and I think more of a free flowing conversation would work well for the second, adult-targetted podcast submission.

Overall, your podcast was very educational as your guest was very good, but I think it could have been delivered in a more child friendly way. If you follow a similar format for your adult podcast I think you could do very well!! My main suggestion would be to break up sections with a little transition music or sound effect to highlight seperate components of your episode. Good job to the group and thanks for all the information about snapping turtles!

[vsenvs3000]

I listen to this podcast for the same reason, snapping turtles are such an interesting and very cute species! There is also a turtle crossing sign on Gordon Street right by the Springfield Golf and Country Club! Over the summer I was driving home from work on campus and found a snapping turtle trying to cross the road in heavy traffic. I actually pulled over and picked this adult snapping turtle up (with a towel of course) and ran it across the street to the pond it was trying to get to. I did this because I also took the same class, Wildlife Rehab last semester and I remembered that exact fact about cars being their number 1 predator, so I knew I couldn’t just leave it to potentially get hurt. Yes, it did snap at me once I put it down! Despite taking the wildlife rehab class, I had no idea before listening to this podcast that the turtle I held was actually on the special species list!

After listening to the entirety of the podcast I thought it was more focused on the life of a snapping turtle, but I see where you got the idea that they were trying to put an emphasis on the snapping turtle being a species of special concern. I agree with you, it would have been more beneficial to the listener if there was more emphasis on how the turtles are of special concern if that was their intended theme. I also agree, there was a lot of information to cover in this podcast but I thought the questions were really geared toward information kids would enjoy. On the other hand, I agree that the inclusion of a song or something to break up the conversation would have been a great addition to make the podcast more kid friendly.

Overall, I really enjoyed this podcast and I thought they did a really good job interpreting nature through such a difficult medium. You did an awesome job with the review!

[vsenvs3000]

Finding Out if my Uncles' Story was True - Snapping Turtle Podcast Debrief

Jennings, Cl. (n.d.). Snapping turtle on a road shoulder [Photograph]. Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. https://ontarioturtle.ca/2014/02/snapperhunt/#iLightbox[gallery4457]/0

The podcast I chose to listen to was the snapping turtle podcast, but not for the reason you might think. Yes, snapping turtles are super cool, but the reason I chose to listen to this podcast is because ever since I was little I heard a family story that has always been told.  When my 2 uncles were young, they found a massive snapping turtle in 16 mile creek behind my Nonna’s house.  They go on to explain that this snapping turtle was so massive that they rode down the creek on it. I always thought this story might be exaggerated and therefore, this podcast could give me more information to see if this story was actually true or not.

My initial impression of the podcast was that the music was really fun, and fit the theme of the turtles well! Secondly, there was going to be a lot of information to cover in regards to the “sassy” snapping turtle’s overall life cycle (Love that you called the snapping turtle sassy by the way!). However, I felt the beginning of this podcast transitioned a little quick into the interview. Possibly adding some music between the short overview of the podcast would help separate these two parts well. For children it might be hard to follow the continuous flow of speaking, however, by breaking your podcast into distinct sections, it may help them absorb your information easier. For your next podcast possibly refer to chapter 7 of the textbook, “serving diverse audiences”. I found this really helpful when looking for useful techniques to make the podcast for a specific audience.

The first lesson I learned was that snapping turtles are actually born rather large! The narrator then went on to compare their eggs size to the size of chicken eggs. I really liked the addition of comparisons used throughout the podcast because it gives a real-life example that the children can compare to. The second lesson I learned was how long these turtles can live. Originally, I thought all turtles live over 100 years, but these snapping turtles actually live up to 30 years old. Throughout the podcast that narrator was very enthusiastic and made listening to her speak very enjoyable and engaging. This was really well done and I think it would be engaging for children! The third lesson I learned was that the predator of the snapping turtle is the river otter, I never really thought they had any predators for some reason. I thought asking this question was a great idea because it led your interviewee to touch on a real important topic, people and snapping turtles. Your interviewee mentioned that cars are a really big threat to these snapping turtles and I think adding this small point is really effective. I know if I was a kid this little fact would stick in my brain, especially when i’m in the car with my parents. This would also make me aware of how people can affect wildlife. Adding small facts about the turtle in the podcast while focusing on other bigger ideas is really effective for child engagement.

The conversation technique between the narrator and the interviewee is something that I would integrate into your second podcast because I thought it was really well done and fun to follow! You didn’t just ask questions and put in his answers, you made it sound like you were having a real time conversation with little comments you added. An example of this was when the interviewee mentioned that turtles like fresh fruit and the narrator chimed in and said that the turtles are like her because she also likes fresh fruit. That made me giggle and made it seem like a naturally flowing conversation.

Overall, I thought this podcast had a lot of great information with a lot of kid friendly aspects. I liked that the interview with Matt was the main source of information in your podcast. You picked a real expert on snapping turtles and it was really fun to listen to his first-hand experience with these turtles. This group did an amazing job, I learned a lot about snapping turtles, and realized that my uncles’ story was probably not true! Can’t wait to bring that up at Christmas!

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Serving diverse audience. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. (pp. 127-161). Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

[btenvs3000-20]

Water: Simply Amazing.

There are so many amazing things about nature, it is so difficult to choose only one. Certainly, one of the most awe-striking things about nature remains the topic of oceans and water in general; how large, important, and unknown it is.

As of late, over 80% of the ocean is “unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored” (NOAA, 2018). The idea that such a prominent feature on our planet is so unknown to us is almost terrifying – it is literally 70% of our planet’s surface (NOAA, 2018). Then again, that is similar to why some people are scared of the dark: it is not the dark that they are scared of, it is what could be lurking inside it.

[Earth – Western Hemisphere] (n.d.) NASA/MODIS/USGS from https://phys.org/news/2014-12-percent-earth.html

One question I like to think about is: if we could see everything in the ocean, would we go in? In some areas of the world, such as much of the tropics, the water is already so clear. As you go deeper into the ocean away from the shore, it becomes less obvious what is underneath. I remember going to a friend’s cottage where the lake was black, purely because it was so deep. Although I am not afraid of water, I still prefer to be able to see at least partially what I am swimming in.

[Bora Bora] from https://foundtheworld.com/bora-bora/

[Blackwater Lake] from https://www.ehcanadatravel.com/british-columbia/whistler/pemberton/parks-trails/5103-blackwater-lake.html

I think I have always had a deep appreciation and admiration for water in general. How can something be so beautiful, yet terrifying? It is something that we enjoy at beaches, cottages, and getaways, yet can also cause great destruction to whole populations. I think I appreciate it also for the interesting, vibrant or unusual colours, shapes, and forms of creatures it holds. To believe that an organism breathes something different than oxygen is so normal, but to really think about it is mind-boggling. If the roles were switched and we breathed water, life would obviously be completely different. Half of the things we do on land would be impossible, from using paper to electricity, life would be so altered.

I have mixed feelings on discovering the ocean and its vast wonders. They do say that ignorance is bliss, and if humans were truly meant to know all of its secrets, would we not made to grow up with gills? The reason I say “grow up” is because when we are developing embryos, we actually do have features homologous to other animals’ gills (Miles & Srinivasan, 2020). These features are called “pharyngeal pouches” and never actually turn into full gills.

All in all, oceans are not something I believe we should be terrified of, regardless of the fear I may have instilled during this blogpost. Instead, they ought to be regarded as something we are so lucky to have, something to protect, and overall appreciated as simply something amazing.

References

US Department of Commerce, N. (2009, January 01). How much of the ocean have we explored? Retrieved from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html

Miles, B. (2020, May 02). Embryology, Pharyngeal Pouch. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK557724/

[vsenvs3000]

I really like that you chose the topic of water to write about for this week’s prompt, especially because of the direction you focused on , the fear of the unknown.

For the longest time I have been saying that we only know about 5% of what lies under water, however, it is a little comforting to know that the real number is currently 20%. To me that is still an alarmingly low number when compared to how much is known about something like space.

The question “if we could see everything in the ocean, would we go in?”  is really intriguing and I have been staring at my screen for about 5 minutes trying to think of an answer for myself. It is a tricky question because I never used to be afraid of the unknown. I used to just think of the ocean as just water, but after one experience that all changed. On a family vacation in Florida my dad convinced me to swim far out in the ocean with him. I was nervous because the water got colder but I went with him to try and get over my dislike of not being able to touch the ground. It was at that point, when we were past where most people swim and I could not touch, when suddenly everyone was swimming back toward the beach and started yelling at us…“Sharks”! There were sharks swimming between us (one even nudged my dad's leg), and I can tell you I have never swam so fast in my life. Based on that experience, I would say that my greatest fear now is of what lurks under the water that I cannot see. So yes, if I could see everything in the ocean, I would not be as scared to go in.

Although, I totally agree with you, oceans are not something we should be terrified of and the aspect of them being undiscovered is a huge part of what makes them amazing.  I don’t know if there will ever be a time where the ocean is 100% discovered though.  What do you think?

[vsenvs3000]

The Unwanted Hug

I am going to use this week’s prompt to talk about the most amazing plant I have ever had the privilege of learning and teaching about in the cloud forests of Monteverde….the strangler fig tree. In the ted talk from week 6, Nirupa Rao mentioned this tree and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it since (Roa, n.d.).

I was first introduced to this tree when I was working in Costa Rica. My morning job was to take care of our leaf cutter ant colony and for a month I walked past these large vinyl trees. I had no idea what they were until my boss was checking in on me one morning while I was up a tree collecting leaves for my leaf cutter ants. He mentioned the tree to me and spent about an hour teaching me all about it. I was amazed to say the least, for more reasons than one.

The first being that they are parasitic plants! These fig trees don’t grow from the ground but from limbs of already living trees, their seeds are deposited by birds in their droppings that fall onto their unsuspecting hosts (Roa, n.d.). They grow vines up towards the sun and down towards the ground, stealing vital nutrients away, eventually choking out the original host tree, creating a skeleton of what was.

The second being that the fruit of these trees can only be pollinated with a specific wasp because the flowers of the fruit, the fig, are internal (Kline, 2011). Only the female fig wasp is capable of pollinating these figs and is able to do in such an interesting way.  First a female wasp will enter an unripe, male fig and lays her eggs (Kline, 2011). Once the newborns hatch, they all mate (Kline, 2011). The wingless males die inside the fig while the winged females chew their way out, bringing the pollen from their birth fig to another male fig. Repeating the process of their life cycle and pollinating the fruit (Kline, 2011)! Absolutely amazing!

The final thing that amazed me about the strangler fig tree is that once they have basically killed the original host, a strong hollow carcass of thriving vines is knotted together like a ladder reaching up to the sky remains. This fact made me wonder if climbing one of these trees was possible. To no surprise there was a famous strangler fig tree only a 30 minute walk from where I was working. So, on my day off a co-worker and I hiked in the cloud forest and planned to end the day with climbing the famous giant strangler fig tree. The reason why this one strangler fig tree in Monteverde was so famous is because first, how old it was and second, the original host tree was completely gone. This meant you were able to climb the vines like a ladder up to the top of the tree canopy, allowing you to see straight across Costa Rica. It was one of the most amazing and breathtaking moments of my life if I am being completely honest.

The vines that wrapped around the original tree were only large enough to fit one person, and the top of the tree only large enough to fit about 4 people. I was a little nervous at first because this tree was A LOT taller than I expected, so I let my co-worker go first. It took him about 30 minutes to climb up, enjoy the view and make his way back down. He told me the view would be worth my nerves, and let me tell you…if anyone tells you to climb the inside of a strangler fig tree do not hesitate. Being able to marvel at the beauty of this tree from both the ground, inside its wind vines, and from what seemed like the top of the world is a once in a lifetime experience that cannot be missed.

Below you can find my attempt to capture the most amazing thing I know and have experienced in nature.

The inside of the famous Monteverde strangler fig tree.

Me in the famous Monteverde Stranger Fig tree. If you zoom in close you can see me, to the left of the centre of the tree. The full tree cannot be captured in one picture (Roa, n.d.).

Finally made it to the top of the tree!

The view.

With these pictures I hope I can show my experience rather than take away this experience for you (Beck et al, 2018). If you ever find yourself in Monteverde, don’t let your nerves get you, climb the trees.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Kline, K. (2011, May 20). The story of the fig and its wasp. Ecology Society of America. https://www.esa.org/esablog/research/the-story-of-the-fig-and-its-wasp/

Roa, N. (n.d.). Nirupa Roa: An illustrated kingdom of real, fascinating plants. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.ted.com/talks/nirupa_rao_an_illustrated_kingdom_of_real_fantastical_plants/transcript?fbclid=IwAR0wePCPsoB7W6fgEjKTvhLWaGit_9QSPdoJSWDWHM7iBTExFR9P0cxnNNY&utm_campaign=social&utm_content=2020-10-05&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com#t-56708

[kwenvs3000]

A Natural Artist

I believe that to find how nature can be interpreted by art, we do not need to look any further than at nature itself. For me, the greatest artist is God who put His hand into His creation. In nature we see all art forms present. Music is found in the birds, dance in the bumble bees and painting in the morning sunrise. Even the intricacies of a human body are just so exactly designed that the most talented sculptor could not form it to perfection. This is why I do not think I could ever fully relay all of the beauty of art found in nature through interpretation. The least we can do is give the visitors a small glimpse into it. 

One of my favourite ways to learn a new topic, especially on nature, is through the art of storytelling. In the book Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World, they explain how storytelling powerfully conveys information and holds the attention of an audience of all ages and learning abilities (Beck et al., 2018). It is described as the key to effective interpretation (Beck et al., 2018). 

One of the greatest stories I have learnt from, although not specifically nature, was in a place called Shandia in the jungles of Ecuador. Here I visited a small museum where I was told the story of five Christian missionaries whom had been living in this small village and shared the gospel with the entire community. The main message of the story was how they were killed when leaving Shandia to minister to a tribe which at the time was extremely violent. The most amazing part was how the missionaries’ wives had the courage to follow their footsteps and eventually bring the message of the gospel to the tribe which today is a peaceful community. This was one of the most empowering stories I have ever heard. A true story such as this, which brings the listeners to emotion can do amazing things in all forms of interpretation. 

The Napa river in Shandia, Ecuador

The 5 missionaries murdered by Waodani tribe in Ecuador, September 1955 (Anderson, 2019) 

Link to video on this story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-gal-PJCiM

Another art form which draws my attention is visual arts. I have always had a passion for drawing and painting nature. One way that visual arts is unique is the way in which each person can have an individual response to the significance of the artwork (Beck et al., 2018).  I think that visual arts can be a perfect form of interpretation as they surpass any limitations by the viewer. No one needs to speak the native language, be able to read or write in order to view and create their own understanding of a piece of art. Visual arts have been put into practise in nature interpretation for decades. A great example of this is the “Art along the Trail” event at Great Plains Nature Center (Beck et al., 2018). Here, artists set up their easels along the trail and paint to the pleasure of the public (Beck et al., 2018).  

I think that we can give others a look into nature through all of the various art forms that nature gives us. Art can be a tool to build a relationship with the audience, catch their attention and overcome obstacles we come across. 

References

Anderson, J. [andersonjma]. (2019, Jan 8). [Tweet]. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/andersonjma/status/1082829450511896576

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

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There were two things that popped into my mind when you mentioned God. First, the creation story and how it describes God creating Earth in 7 days. I was raised in the Catholic Church and was brought up learning how to interpret stories for underlying meanings. The creation story allows the reader or listener to interpret nature in a different way than those who weren’t brought up within a Catholic background. The other concept that popped into my mind was the way Native Americans use legends to explain how things came to be (Beck et al., 2018). These two different versions of how the Earth was formed both offer interesting interpretive possibilities. It is really interesting to see that storytelling has been used for so long across different belief systems. The idea that faith is a driving force for individuals, and it allows people to interpret things such as nature from a different perspective. I also really like the way you described different aspects of nature such as the “music” that birds and bumble bees create, as it relates to nature’s own art.

I am very similar to you in terms of the style of art we both enjoy learning from, which is storytelling and visual arts. The story you mentioned about the 5 missionaries, regardless of it directly including nature interpretation, is a great example of how storytelling can impact people’s lives. Thank you for sharing this story, I watched the YouTube video posted and it gave me chills just hearing the story. I see why this story has stayed with you all this time. Being at the location where this all happened must have really been emotional!  

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Learning New Tools

In terms of nature interpretation, I am only a competent storyteller at best, as well as someone who enjoys using visual art (painting and photography) as both a tool and a hobby to teach people about nature. However, in this week’s chapter, I find myself feeling like “who I am” in terms of someone who uses art to interpret nature to be somewhat subpar. Beck et al. goes into detail about individuals who use art forms that I have never seen been used to interpret nature. I’m not sure if this lack of knowledge on the different art forms reflects my own lack of diversity in the different strategies or my lack of diversity in the types of nature interpreters I have experienced. Either way, I definitely learned new ways to interpret nature this week.

A picture of me leading a nature walk through the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens. Using storytelling as my art form.

The first art form that really stuck out to me while reading this chapter was the use of theater. I am not a fan of theater at all and I was even cringing at the thought of having to read about theater. However, I was blown away by one particular aspect, Lee Stetson. I have never heard of Lee Stetson or the character he portrays, Jon Muir, however, his dedication to theater is really inspirational (Beck et al., 2018). I decided to look into who John Muir was and discovered he was a naturalist and conservationist, which most of you probably already were aware of (Wood, n.d.). Upon learning this and learning that a professional actor who has had the opportunity to play other major roles chooses to play America’s foremost naturalist and conservationist for the last 37 years is amazing (Beck et al., 2018)! In addition, I also thought that Stetsons belief that interpreters do not need dramatic training to do what he does is refreshing (Beck et al., 2018). Hopefully, when quarantine is over and I am finally able to fulfil my dream of going to Yosemite, I hope to see Lee Stetson preform his meticulously researched character.

The second art form that really stuck out to me was visual art, mostly because it is my favourite type of art (both drawing and photography)! In Nirupa Rao’s ted talk, she mentioned how her art was able to help document trees for the Nature Conservation Foundation and also be used to create children’s programs to help them learn about local fauna. I think visual art is the most perfect way to interpret nature because it can mean many different things, you don’t need to speak the same language to understand (Beck et al. 2018).

There are thousands of interpreters that use art as tools in their nature interpretation and just learning about 2 of them has really inspired me to expand my imagination when it comes to using art in nature interpretation.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T., and Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Urbana, IL: Sagamore – Venture Publishing LLC.

Wood, H. (n.d.). John Muir: A Brief Biography. Retrieved October 13,2020, from https://vault.sierraclub.org/john_muir_exhibit/life/muir_biography.aspx

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The Decline of the Music Industry

As of recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how dissatisfied I am with the music industry.  Now to be fair, I think about this off and on for most of my waking hours, which I’ll admit is a tad hyperbolic, but I’ve given this subject much more than I usually do.   Recently, the CEO of Spotify, Daniel Ek, made a statement that in order for bands to stay relevant on the platform, they must release new material at least every 3-4 months.  

Hearing this, honestly upset me.  In the past few years or so, it seems as though artists are putting much more work into their singles, rather than albums as a whole.  With this new expectation for the continuous release of new content, I fear that the music scene is going to be composed of even fewer great albums, and even more boring carbon copied singles.       

Nowhere to me is this more evident, then when listening to the radio.  I don’t know if it’s just me, but anytime I don’t have an aux chord and I’m forced to turn on the radio, every radio station I turn to cycles through the same 10 generic singles.  It almost seems as though whether a song is good or not holds no value when a station is deciding what new songs to play.  What now seems to be the most important attribute, is whether a song is catchy or not.  Furthermore, I don’t think I’ve heard someone talk about “the album of the summer” or anything else along those lines, these days, it’s all about new songs that can be added to a playlist.  

For me, this is a terrible shift, as I’m someone who loves the album format.  They just make sense!  In my opinion they give songs a sort of place.  Whether that’s in the form of a seamless transition from one song to the next, or reoccurring themes that take place throughout the album.  This level of cohesion creates an experience similar to that of a movies soundtrack.

Now forgive me if this sounds too pretentious, but as someone who’s been playing and writing music for over a decade, the thought and ingenuity an artist puts into an album or song is something I appreciate greatly about an album or song. 

My band from high school playing one of our first gigs back in 2013.

All that being said, although the music industry is diluted with all sorts of not so great music, there are still many bands putting out great albums.  They may not get as much recognition or exposure as other artists, but in the long run, the effort they put into their craft will be remembered.

Okay, rant over.  What are some of your guys favourite albums or artists?  It may not be your cup of tea but a really interesting jazz/metal band called “Imperial Triumphant” put out a pretty stellar album called “Alphaville” this year and I haven’t been able to stop listening to it.

With cool costumes like these, how could you not want to check them out?!

Photo retrieved from https://www.revolvermag.com/music/how-imperial-triumphant-got-mr-bungle-and-meshuggah-members-wild-new-album on September 30th, 2020. 

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I have loved music since I can remember, playing piano, guitar and drum as well as singing and this request for artist to release new music every 3-4 months also upsets me and seems a little extreme! Music takes time and it can take years to finish a song, pushing artist to release new music seems like it would really rush the process and make them put out something they are not proud of. Which is the opposite of what music is. I totally agree with you on being upset, the thought that my Spotify being filled with songs that are “carbon copies” of each other really puts me off. Just like you, this is the exact reason I don’t listen to the radio anymore, unless it’s all I have to.

I also love the format of albums and the fact that these artists take the time to make sure their songs flow and tell a story. It makes the listening experience so much more enjoyable and gives me a different appreciate for the artist. I was brought up on classic rock, country, the blues, and Elvis. Over the years I have expanded my music tastes to include folk, heavy metal, hip-hop, rap, soca, and most recently EDM. Despite my diverse taste in music genres, there is one band that I have been listening to since 2005 that has gone through various genres as a band. They are a band from the UK called “Deaf Havana” and when I first started listening to them, they were a heavy metal/post-hardcore, screamo band. Over the years as the lead singer and band mates have gone through mental illness, drink problems, loss and just growing up, you can hear their lives through their albums, across the change of genre from alternative rock to folk rock to almost pop-rock, almost like a story. The bands ability to capture their journey through their albums and their precise placement of the songs in those albums gives me goosebumps, its truly inspiring. I think if they were forced to release music every 3-4 months, their albums and songs would not flow together so well and would of really hurt their success as a band.

My favourite “Deaf Havana” Album “Fools and Worthless Liars”.

Photo retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fools_and_Worthless_Liars on October 1st, 2020. 

PS. Sorry my response is a little long, I am very passionate about music and it is nice to hear from other people who are as well!

PSS. I’m really loved your recommendation, especially because it bring it’s the element of jazz in metal! I will definitely be listening to more of their songs!

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The Clock is “Ticking”

Lately, my mind has been stuck on a post I recently shared on Instagram. This image was of an art installation done but Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd which is a very large digital clock in Manhattan’s Union Square as a part of the city’s Climate Week. However, this is no ordinary clock, it has 2 numbers. The first number is called the “deadline” and is the colour red, showing a countdown for how long we have until we burn through the world’s “carbon budget”, based on current emission rates (The Climate Clock, n.d., Machemer, 2020). As of September 29th, 2020, at 9:23pm we have 7 years, 93 days, 9 hours, 37 minute and 5 seconds to take action and try to reduce the amount of CO2 levels released into the atmosphere and to stop the Earth from warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels (The Climate Clock, n.d., Machemer, 2020). The second number is called the “lifeline” and is the colour green.  This is tracking the growing percentage of the world’s energy that is supplied from renewable sources, which is currently at 27.7% (The Climate Clock, n.d., Machemer, 2020).

Photo of the new digital clock in Manhattan’s Union Square taken by Ben Wolf, posted on Washington Post Instagram. 

The reason I have been thinking about this clock is not to admire all the time, care and thought put into this piece, nor the science that has gone behind figuring out (debatably) the most important number in the world. It is the fact that the majority of people who shared this post probably did not understand how important this clock is and what it represents. This clock was created by following the methodology of the carbon clock created by the Mercator Research Institute of Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) that uses data from an IPCC Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C and is NOT a photo opt for Instagram (The Climate Clock, n.d., Machemer, 2020). Its purpose is to try and get the world to realize that we are on a deadline to prevent planet-wide climate disaster. The size of this clock was done deliberately to try and scream to the world what scientists have been trying to get across to people for years. If Earth’s temperature increases by 1.5C, our plant will face extreme weather such as droughts, fires, heat waves, and limited water availability (Sonntag, 2019).

Despite being in touch with the environmental community and always researching about climate change and nature, I found myself realizing I had no idea we had only ~7 years left to fix climate change. I then caught myself being angry at a couple of things. Firstly, angry that we as a population have let climate change get this far out of hand. Secondly, I am angry that we aren’t doing enough about it. Finally, I am mad at myself that I might not be doing enough. Now I have been left questioning … am I doing enough to help make a change?  Am I doing enough to educate people about nature? About climate change? How can I do more to make an impact? Am I doing enough to get our “lifeline” to 100% before our “deadline” reaches 0. (The Climate Clock, n.d., Machemer, 2020)?

Do you ever find yourself asking those questions? If you do, are you able to answer them, because I’ve been having trouble.

What are small things you do to try and decrease your use of carbon emissions? 

References:

Machemer, T. (2020, September 22). Clock in New York counts down the time remaining to avert climate disaster. NASA: Global climate change. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/clock-new-york-counts-down-time-remaining-avert-climate-disaster-180975881/

Sonntag, J. (2019, June 19). Part 2: Selected Findings of the IPCC special report on global warming. Retrieved from https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2865/a-degree-of-concern-why-global-temperatures-matter/

The Climate Clock. (n.d.). See the Science. Climate Clock. Retrieved from https://climateclock.world/science

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Privilege in Nature Interpretation

Becoming comfortable and open to the idea of privilege and what that means in your life, is not an easy process. I am still working on accepting my own privilege and understanding the role of privilege in our world. Although we are all striving for a university degree, our economic, educational, and environmental conditions vary. Some students have unearned benefits or advantages by the nature of their identity and but that does not mean that they are immune to the hardships in life (Ebbitt, 2015). Privilege is different for everyone, but some common privileges include race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, country of origin, language, and/or ability. My privilege comes from the colour of my skin, gender, middle-class upbringings, education, resources to food, access to health care, and familial support. By being born with certain traits and resources, I had advantages growing up that some may not have had. Privilege is not something that I am completely comfortable with but recently I have begun to understand the importance of addressing the imbalances and discussing privilege with others and myself. Having privilege isn’t something that anyone needs to feel bad about, it doesn’t make you a bad person; it just means that you possess benefits that others may not have, and by acknowledging your privilege, you will be able to address it and do something about it.

In order to address privilege in nature programming, interpreters must get to know their audience. Knowing the characteristics and demographic of the audiences will allow the interpreter to effectively deliver content and experiences. Privilege plays a major role in nature interpretation; some people may experience barriers that limit access to nature interpretation programming. Some participants may struggle with physical disabilities, social or psychological barriers that may leave the participant feeling unwelcome or irrelevant. These reasons for non-participation are things that the interpreters need to understand in order to create programming to eliminate these barriers. It is important to adapt programming to make sure that everyone no matter their privilege, feels comfortable and welcomed to join. As a aspiring Landscape Architect, I hope to create spaces that focus on inclusion and engagement. I strive to create spaces that are welcoming for everyone; spaces without barriers. 

I had the opportunity to travel throughout Europe this year and it was amazing to see how different interpreters adapted based on the group they were working with. While on a bus tour of the Highlands in Scotland, there were some language barriers amongst the group; the tour company immediately adapted their programming by providing the individuals with headsets with a pre-recorded audio in their language. This way, the individuals who didn’t speak English were still able to learn and be a part of the entire experience. The interpreter used many gestures and expressions to ensure that the group was constantly engaged, no matter what language you spoke. Being able to understand and appreciate differences between participants can allow the interpreters to serve the group more effectively. Understanding privilege and diverse audiences ensures that everyone can positively benefit from nature interpretation and programming.

Attached is a picture of the bus we toured the highlands in. We participated in “roving interpretation” which is a newer approach to reduce barriers and increase participation. This experience allowed us to be fully immersed in the environment that we were being educated on and sparked amazing conversation and involvement amongst everyone.

References:

Ebbitt, K. (2015, February 27). Why It’s Important to Think About Privilege - and Why It’s Hard. Retrieved September 23, 2020, from https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/why-its-important-to-think-about-privilege-and-why/

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I totally agree with you, becoming comfortable with privilege is difficult and just like you I am not fully there yet. I am still accepting my own privilege and unpacking my own invisible backpack like Dr. Hooykaas explained in this weeks lecture. I like how you mentioned that privilege is different for everyone, I think this is important to reflect on and is especially important to keep in mind when interpreting nature to a group of people. Nature interpretation as well as Landscape Architect are both so unique in their own ways but both really require careful thought to give everyone an equal experience and appreciation of nature.

I also admire how you were very open about your privilege. It definitely has taken me a while to realize how privileged I am but once I did, I have seen how fortunate I am. After this weeks lecture and reading your post I realized I am very similar to you in terms of privilege. My race, gender, education, resources, upper class upbringing, access to free healthcare, support, always having food on the table, being able to play any sport I wanted, not having to provide for my family… the list I made after this weeks lecture went on and on. I know you mentioned it and so did Dr. Hooykaas in lecture, but I can’t help but feel a little bad about the privileges I have. Do you feel the same way?