Yamil's Nature Blog

A portal through the lens of my interpretation of nature.

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Music in Nature

Hey guys, GrassLover here. As someone who loves music, I can’t wait to get into this week’s question, “Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?”.

First off, let’s start out with “music in nature”. The first thing that pops into my head when asked this question is definitely birds. Like c’mon, that’s their whole THING. There are so many freaking birds out there and each of them has their own unique song, sometimes more than one. Whenever you go out into nature, you may not see birds, but you sure as heck will hear them. I could sit here all day and talk about all my favorite birds and their songs, but I’ll give you a short list of my favourites that I think are really musical: winter wren, eastern whip-poor-will, wood thrush, white throated sparrow, and american woodcock (that one is just kinda goofy). I can definitely see these songs being influential in some styles of music. Outside of the obvious birds, there are many other animals that can produce melodys. Things like frogs or cicadas may not be as melodic as birds, but the loud droning noises they create can definitely constitute as some sort of music, it is all about personal preference. The ambiance of the outdoors also contains many songs, the rhythmic swaying of trees in the wind or of a rushing waterfall are other things that come to mind when thinking of music in nature.

When it comes to nature in music, I believe that there are multiple ways this can be interpreted. Let us start with the more literal way nature can be found in music. Many sounds of the natural world can be “sampled” and included in musical compositions. Sampling is when an artist records a particular sound, and incorporates it or at least a select part of it in their music. Examples of sounds from nature that could be sampled by an artist include more melodic things like bird songs, to more rhythmic sounds like rocks hitting water or the footsteps of deer. Regardless of what specifically is sampled, nature can be brought directly into and become a part of music. 

In a less literal fashion, nature can be found in music similarly to the way it can be found in visual arts, via its impact on the artist. A few units ago we talked about how individuals can express the way they interpret nature through their art, and music is no exception. Experiences in nature can inspire an artist to create a piece of music just the same as they can inspire an artist to create a painting. In music it may be more difficult to determine exactly where that inspiration came from (it is far more evident in visual arts, where the subject of the piece is displayed clearly to be viewed), but the inspiration is still there if you listen closely (or just ask the artist haha). 

So that’s all I have to say on nature interpretation and music. Interested to see what songs you guys pick that remind you of nature!. Until then this is GrassLover signing off.

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Hi GrassLover,

 Let me just start by saying that I really enjoyed the pacing and style of your writing. Birds are the first thing we all thought about when we saw that blog post prompt. I enjoyed listening to the songs of the birds that you listed. I love birds but I don’t know much about birds in North America and southern Ontario, so your list was a good first step. I totally agree with you that the entire ambience of nature in many ways contain songs. I think that the sound produced by swinging trees in the wind is truly majestic. I remember I was once in a high mountain in my home country (the DR), and I was hiking up to the peak. It was a really cloudy day, so the forest was filled with fog everywhere. The trees were in a spotted arrangement due to recent fires in the area, and the wind was really strong that day. The howling sound that was produced by the wind hitting the trees was almost frightening (very in theme with a Halloween weekend blog post). I also enjoyed your point about how nature can inspire music in both a literal and a less literal way. Sampling nature sound is something you mentioned that many artists do. I was intrigued by this and I started searching for famous songs that contain nature samples. I found this top 10 list detailing the use of the sounds in the songs. Some of them are very “unique” to put it lightly. This is all to say that artists are inspired by nature in many different ways. Inspiration comes in many shapes and sizes. Check it out if you are interested!

I’m interested in knowing your response to what song takes you back to a nature landscape and why? I’m sure you would have a great answer for that! Thanks again for your post.

[yahenvs3000f21]

The connection between nature and music

There is music in every aspect of nature. From the sound of the wind, to the crack of the leaves, to the songs of the birds. Nature uses music for a variety of reasons, ranging from communication (whale songs) to finding mates (bird songs). Grey et al. 2001 suggest that following the prompt that songs are any rhythmic repeated utterance, then humpback whale songs are strikingly similar to those composed by humans. Singing whales use rhythm, they mix in percussive or noisy elements into the songs, the tone and timbre are similar to human music and they even repeat refrains in order to form rhymes! From personal experience, I can share that whale song are breathtakingly beautiful. During a trip to Costa Rica with my family, I had the opportunity to listen to whale songs whilst we were out diving. At first, I was confused by the sounds, as I thought it might’ve been a boat passing over us. However, as I started to listen closely, I realized that what I was listening to was actually a whale song. It was beautiful, a performance that I will never forget (the same cannot be said about some human composers). This is all to say that music is all around us in nature. In my opinion, one of the most meaningful things to do whilst out in nature is to listen. There is a sort of “silence” that is unlike the crowded noisy mess that is the city. But there are still sounds all around if you are willing to listen attentively. In my country, the Dominican Republic, we have a weird tradition of naming birds by their song. For example, the common name for the Vireo altiloquus here is Julián Chiví. On the other hand, nature plays a huge role in music. Every culture has music. That music was all inspired by the sounds in nature. To this day, nature still is highly influential in music. Many of our instruments are made out of resources from the environment. The sounds of nature are often sampled and used in songs. Moreover, nature is used as inspiration. Hearing a bird song can inspire the melody of a song. Nature also inspires artists by its beauty and allows them to release stress and focus. For all these reasons, nature is highly intertwined with music and its production.

One song that always takes me back to a nature landscape is “Dime si lo ves” by Pavel Núñez. This song is very dear to me as it was one of my father’s favorites. During one of my hikes up Pico Duarte (the highest mountain in the Antilles that is found in the DR), we were in the main camping ground sitting around the campfire when someone took a guitar and started playing music. They played music all night, but when they sang that song it was really special. Music has a way to heighten the emotions of nature and the beauty that surrounds us.

Gray, P. Krause, B. Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science. 291. 52-54.

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Week Five Free Written Blog!

I cannot believe we are more than halfway done our fifth week of the fall semester! I remember walking to my seminar on campus three years ago thinking to myself how fast the next three years would fly by just the way high school did, but surprisingly, it felt quicker.

I have found week 5 and 6 to always be the most intense weeks of the semester. This is the time when we have midterms, essays due, and must work the hardest on group projects. On top of that, I am applying to law school and graduate programs and volunteering. This may be the most important year of my life as I need to continue networking with peers and professors, maintain high grades, and ultimately choose my career path which I will be immersed in probably until the day I retire.

With all this stress, I have not been enjoying nature as much as I want to. The last time I stepped outside was Monday morning, and that was just to sit in a car to come back to Guelph after the Thanksgiving weekend. Fall is one of my favourite times of the year because the leaves on the trees turn to a beautiful array of reds, oranges and yellows, and the air becomes cooler and crisper. I feel that this time (especially at the peak of its beauty) goes by so quickly, and I have not had the chance to enjoy it! As written in chapter three of our textbook according to Aristotle:

“leisure time is the resource of true citizenship, that individuals should be able to use leisure time well. Leisure is better than work and is its end”.

While hard work is crucial in achieving academic and professional success, so is leisure. Leisure does not suggest laziness, rather to me, means to engage in other hobbies, learn new things to help you grow as a person and to enjoy life. For example, maybe you find leisure in art, books, podcasts, athletics or even just a walk in the Arboretum! “Pleasant experiences seem necessary to maintain a high quality of life. They increase self-reliance and self-esteem, improve mental and physical health, and alleviate anxiety” (Beck et. al, 2018). This is important for all of us to remember, as we are all in the same boat with the stress of school. I have made it my goal for these next two weeks to go on at least a twenty minute walk daily. Hopefully once the craziness dissipates, I can enjoy longer walks or take up my hobbies. This is a healthier break than scrolling through social media or watching Netflix because let’s be honest, most of us do this every few hours without realizing! I hope that you are continuing to enjoy nature (especially while it is still warm outside), and if you have fallen off-track the way I have, get back into it! Take a few minutes every day to get away from your computer and immerse yourself in something you love! Best of luck on your midterms and assessments!

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

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Hi Lauryn,

 Thanks for sharing your feeling throughout this stressful part of the semester. Your point about the importance of leisure time really resonated with me. I feel that one of the hardest things that I had to understand in my first year of university was the importance of taking a break. It was especially hard for me during my first winter (since I’m from the Caribbean and 20 degrees for us is cold weather!). I felt that I spent most of my time in classes or studying, and when I was not doing that I was still in my room (because it was so unbelievably cold outside). I feel that I missed out on so many opportunities for exploring and going on hikes due to this fear of being unproductive. However, somewhere along the line I realized that it was essential for me to go out and do things that I enjoyed. We are so scared to have “us time” because we feel like we won’t have enough time to review course material. This used to affect my sleep a lot, where I wouldn’t go to bed until I was done studying. Having good time management and setting up concrete deadlines has helped me a lot with this. No matter how busy we might be, taking those 20-30 minutes off can have an immense boost to our energy and productivity. I now find that working too much for too long without a break makes me more unproductive than taking that break. Nowadays I have been going for runs a couple of times a week. I feel that running is the best of both worlds for me. It's time where I am able to feel productive and work out, but at the same time, it’s a break from studying. Going on runs is a time where I can reflect and give my brain some time to soak in all the material that I have taken up throughout the day. I think that it is a great idea for you to have that goal of going on a daily 20-minute walk. I hope that you are able to fit that into your schedule more regularly. Also, good luck with your application to law school and graduate programs, that sounds so awesome!

[yahenvs3000f21]

Nature, the best stress reliever

I wanted to use this opportunity of no prompt for this week’s post to talk a little about how important it is for me to have time to disconnect. I’m a very anxious person, and I have tried almost everything there is to deal with it. Nothing has ever helped me as much as going out and explore nature. I feel like we live such a busy life, we are so distracted by the day-to-day affairs, which can be a lot to deal with sometimes. During the pandemic lockdowns, it was very clear to me how much I was missing that ability to disconnect. And I mean truly disconnect, go out into nature and be present to experience it. Doing this gives me peace, gives me perspective, allows me to have the time to think, time to reflect. I don’t know what it is about being in a remote place that is so much more powerful than anything else. No amount of exercise or meditation can achieve the level of serenity and reflection that connecting with nature has. Going out to explore nature also gives such a rush. Those feelings are completely unmatched by any other activity.

I was thinking a lot about this during this week. In my last post, I shared some pictures of me and my mom canyoning during the break. I didn’t know how much I needed to disconnect and go out and have fun in nature until we were there. When we got to the waterfall and got under it a feeling of joy rushed through my body. I was smiling up a storm. I couldn’t believe how good the water was. It wasn’t too cold, and it wasn’t too hot, it was just the right temperature. I just started floating and took it all in. Being back home in the DR and not being able to be in Guelph to start taking in-person classes has been quite stressful (even though the university has made a good job in ensuring the experience is as seamless as possible). With exams right around the corner, this was just the break I needed to re-center and refocus for the rest of the semester. Let me know what your favorite place and/or activity to relieve stress is!

I also wanted to finish this by admitting and reflecting on the fact that being able to have these opportunities to disconnect and explore nature is an extremely privileged activity. I am lucky enough to be able to have opportunities like this throughout the year. I recognize that these opportunities are possible due to my privilege of taking days off. I am also privileged enough that my mother was able to take a day off to spend it with me. And I am also privileged to have the financial means to pay for a guide and for the transportation to the river that made it all possible. It is important to always recognize how privileged we are.

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During the break my mom and I went canyoning in Arroyo Santa Cruz, San Cristobal, Dominican Republic. Here are some awesome pictures of our trip. It was an amazing experience and a unique way to disconnect before midterms start!

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Interpreting Nature through Art

As an individual who has always been passionate about the arts, I find this week’s question very inspiring. Naturally, I have always been drawn to the arts, specifically the visual and performing arts. I find that being able to portray a message or a story through pieces of work such as paintings, sculptures, or pictures is a very unique talent. Visual art pieces can come in so many different ways and can be interpreted differently by each person. I think that visual art interpretation is a very special area of interest for people because the story/message that the artist is trying to demonstrate can be understood in different way by each person admiring said art piece. 

In addition to visual art, works of performing art are also a very large part of almost everyone’s lives. I think that a lot of people do not realize that music is a form of art. I think that a large majority of people use music to help them get through a traumatic, or to brighten their mood. I don’t know a single person who doesn’t use music in their life frequently. I personally do not think that I could live without music as it has always been a big part of my life. Typically, artists write songs to portray emotions or experiences that they may be going through or have happened to them in the past. I believe that music can be interpreted different ways by each listener but overall it has always been a strong form to portray a message or story.

In relation to Nature, I think that both visual and performing works of art are very  popular here as well. As a person who loves the outdoors and the arts, I often find myself photographing clips of scenery I see on hikes. The environment is a very common theme that people tend to capture in a physical work of art, many marvellous paintings have been created from scenes outdoors. As well, there are many sounds in the outdoors which serve as another form of art. My interpretation of art is focussed around the beauty of the outdoors. Let’s be real, no part of the environment is non-photogenic. From piles of leaves on the ground, to clouds above trees on a mountain side, everywhere you look, there are stories all around that can be captured. Perhaps there is a family of insects that once lived under that pile of leaves. Maybe you are out for a walk in the mountain side and see a family of bear cubs. Obviously, this might be a frightening experience at first but I think that this is a really neat experience to have as you get to see and interpret the different stories in the nature around you. Mother Nature has created a physical work of art for us, Earth, as well as a form of performing art, such as the sound of birds and insects in the forest, or even wolves howling at the moon. In summary, I feel that the ‘gift of beauty,’ Earth, is a marvellous work of art that can be appreciated and interpreted through many different lens. 

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Hi Robby,

Thanks for sharing your perspective! Your post has made me look at this week’s question through a totally different lens. I am not at all an artistic person (even though I appreciate art). So, reading your opinion of how we interpret nature through art was a change of pace. I completely agree with your point that visual art is very interesting because everyone can input their own opinions into the art piece. I think that our own life experiences and biases shape how we all interpret art differently. I also really enjoyed your point about music. Music is the piece of art that I consume the most on a day-to-day basis. The emotions and meanings behind each piece can completely change your mood. That’s why I always listen to different kinds of music depending on how I am feeling or how I want to feel. Art is so subjective and is always up for interpretation. I found it really interesting that you not only concentrated on the visual aspects of interpreting nature through art but mentioned sounds. When I was writing my post for this week, I was only thinking of nature being interpreted in art in a visual aspect (paintings and photographs). Your point regarding the sound made me realize that there are so many different ways to experience nature. There truly is nothing more calming than the sounds of a stream.

I really enjoyed reading your post. I also saw the pictures that you posted, and they are really good!

[yahenvs3000f21]

Interpreting the beauty of nature through art

I think we are all able to interpret and experience nature through art. Museum and art curators need to have knowledge and a deeper understanding of art and its artist. They often organize art around a central theme and try to give perspective about any particular piece. However, we don’t need necessarily need any prior knowledge or background in order to appreciate art. Artists express feelings and creativity through their work. Their work might have been inspired by emotion. When interpreting art, we try to understand ourselves what it might mean or what the artist might be trying to communicate. Self-reflection could lead us all to find very different meanings behind many different art pieces. And usually, no one answer is correct, art is always up for interpretation. Nature plays a very big role in arts. It often acts as a direct or indirect method of inspiration for artists. That is why I say that we are all able to interpret nature through art, because we are all able to interpret nature. A view of a valley might cause very different emotions and thoughts to each of us. We don’t need any expertise in order to appreciate nature, thus I don’t think we need any expertise to experience nature through art.

As Beck & Cable (2011) explain interpretation should inspire in people the desire to sense the beauty in their surroundings, they call this “The Gift of Beauty”. I completely agree that through interpretation we are more inclined to appreciate the beauty of the things around us. That appreciation can then lead to emotional uplift (or inspiration for an artist) and encourage resource preservation. Nothing makes us more appreciative than a breath-taking view. Art is one of the ways in which The Gift of Beauty can be expressed. I think we have all seen paintings of sceneries that look as real as being there. And with the rise of social media, we are often bombarded by sights of places from all around the world (we have all awed at those geothermal pools in Iceland!). I think that photography is a very powerful tool for interpreting nature through art. I am not much of a photographer myself, but I enjoy it and appreciate it. My mom is really into photography and she is the one that is always in charge of camera duty. However, sometimes the views are too good to not snap a picture. I have shared a couple of my favorite nature pictures that I have taken over the years! However, just like a photograph can show us the beauty of a landscape, it can show us the destruction that anthropogenic effects have on nature. Photographs are a way for us to also encourage resource preservation. People want to preserve when they appreciate their surroundings, but they also want to preserve when they are shocked by what we humans are doing.

Beck, L., & Cable, T. (2011). The gifts of interpretation: Fifteen guiding principles for interpreting nature and culture (3rd ed.). Urbana, IL: Sagamore.

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Privilege in Nature Interpretation

Hello everyone!

My current and ever changing definition of privilege is an advantage or benefit given to someone based on specific traits. An example of what I mean is white privilege, people are born white and it is something out of their control, but they have an automatic advantage in the society that we live in. In this week’s lesson we learned about how we each have an invisible backpack that we carry. I am fortunate enough that my invisible backpack has provided me with the privilege of being able to experience and fall in love with nature. I am a middle-class white woman that grew up in a stable home, has received a great education, and lives in Ontario. I recognize that these traits have given me an advantage in the world we live in without me having to earn them. 

Because of these traits I have had opportunities to connect with nature and develop a passion for the environment. My parents could afford to put me in competitive hockey and soccer growing up which kickstarted my interest in physical activity and personal wellbeing. This resulted in my love for hiking and being outdoors for both the physical and emotional benefits to personal wellbeing. Many people do not get these sort of opportunities because of things that they cannot control, such as home income or access to such programs. This is where we need to change things in the nature interpretation community, and in society as a whole. Providing equal opportunity for everyone to connect to and find a love for nature is what we should all be striving for. Nature should be something that if you want to connect with and experience fully you can, no matter what race, class, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. However, we simply are not even close to having that today.

The nature interpretation community has a lot of work to do to make it more inclusive. We need to make environmental education programs accessible in low income areas. We need to make nature interpretation programs more accessible for people with disabilities. We need to make spaces where women can feel comfortable being in nature alone. We need to listen to and collaborate with Indigenous communities. These are just a few of many things that need to change in order to make nature interpretation more inclusive. 

A diverse and inclusive community is beneficial to all. More people bring new and exciting ideas on how to make things better. Nature interpretation should not be limited to one way of thinking and by making a more inclusive environment we invite new and improved ways of thinking. Also as more people have an opportunity to love nature, the more people are likely to want to protect it. Our environment is at risk and if people are given the opportunity to care, change will happen.

We all live on this beautiful planet, and we should all have the same opportunity to appreciate it.

Lauren

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Hello Lauren,

 Thanks for sharing your experience and your opinions about the role of privilege in nature interpretation. I wanted to go on a bit of a tangent relating to what you mention about how some people don’t get many opportunities to experience nature programs due to home income or lack of access to these programs. You mention that the nature interpretation community must take action to change this, and so should society. I completely agree with you that changes have to be made by the nature interpretation community in order to make programs more accessible and inclusive to people of all backgrounds. But I think that there is only so much that nature interpreters can do to offer more inclusive access to these programs if society does not change. Nature programs should become cheaper, include more languages and be accessible to people with disabilities. But if society doesn’t change the systematic oppression of people (in particular to minorities), there is only so much that can change. For example, even if programs were cheaper, people of lower incomes might not be able to go due to not having a car and/or not being able to take days off from work. Low income is caused by the systematic oppression of our socio-economic systems. Therefore, even though the nature interpretation community should take the necessary steps to become more inclusive, society must change too. Recognizing our privilege and how this allows us to have opportunities not due to our merit (but just on where and how we are born) is an important first step.

[yahenvs3000f21]

Privilege and Nature Interpretation

The Oxford Dictionary defines privilege as having special rights and advantages that most people do not have. This is the meaning that privilege will have for this post, in particular things to which you do not obtain but are born into (race, social stature). I want to start by acknowledging my background and my privilege: I am a brown Latino man, middle class, highly educated with the opportunity to study abroad, fluent in English and Spanish. I acknowledge that the family to which I was born awarded me with opportunities that others don’t have. Even though in Canada I am considered a minority, due to being a person of color and Latin, I am extremely privileged. I come from a middle-class family which allowed me to attend private education in a school using the American School system. This meant that I was lucky enough to learn English from an early age. I never had to work in order to help my family pay the bills. I am also extremely privileged to pursue higher education abroad, which is paid in full by my mother.

Privilege plays an important role in every aspect of life. We need to acknowledge our privilege and the different opportunities that privilege brings. In terms of nature interpretation, privilege can affect the opportunities people have to experience nature. Not everyone is privileged enough to take days off from work in order to visit a national park. Not everyone is privileged enough to afford the costs of accessing and travelling to an interpretative site. Not everyone has accessible spaces in which to go experience nature. Not everyone has the privilege to be able to travel to different countries and explore (something that I am privileged enough to be able to do). Not everyone has the privilege of knowing multiple languages (interpretative information is mainly if not completely in English). The truth is that we all come from different backgrounds. Nature interpretation must acknowledge and look for solutions to include minorities. Everyone deserves to experience nature. This is not only important for the sites themselves, but for nature interpreters. As interpreters, we can have very diverse audiences and it is important to find ways to relate to different groups of people. Everyone will have a much better experience if they feel included. Therefore, as nature interpreters we need to accommodate the different backgrounds of the people we encounter.

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Ideal Role of Environmental Interpretation

There are many amazing ways to provide an environmental interpretation that allows for any age and learning style to gain new knowledge. My dream role as a nature interpreter would involve orally communicating in the natural environment. I find it beneficial to learn about topics in an environment that submerges you in the ideas. What better way to learn about then nature than being outdoors? I receive information better in labs or fieldwork because I can experience concepts first-hand. I would enjoy being able to provide others with activities and workshops that are impactful and successfully transfer scientific concepts. Connecting with a small group of individuals would be ideal because I can make meaningful connections to help improve everyone’s experience of learning about nature. I believe it is important to create a way that everyone can understand environmental science otherwise, people will feel excluded and misinterpret the credibility of information. Providing opportunities for children and adults to learn and make meaningful connections with the environment is something I strive to achieve.

Discovering and creating workshops that provide knowledge in an interesting and accessible way will require listening to others learning styles and ideas. As we’ve discussed in the reading, everyone learns in a variety of ways. I want to provide multiple components from each learning style to ensure everyone understands. Presenting content in an outdoor environment with visuals, auditory presentation, and tactical activities would provide information in formats each learner can digest.

I love to get to interpret nature in a diverse ecosystem with interesting biodiversity and landscape. It would be ideal to have an environment that is both terrestrial and aquatic to provide more learning opportunities. Exploring different areas and landscapes is so fun, I would love to travel and work in large growth forests and mountain ranges. Although learning in remote areas disconnected from civilization is an awesome way to experience and discover more about nature, I know many people do not have the privilege to travel to locations like these. I think teaching in conservation areas located closer to urban areas is still valuable and can deliver the same information as ecosystems with greater diversity. Providing nature interpretation in locations that are accessible for many people increases your audience and knowledge shared. I have volunteered at a local conservation area and work in a provincial park leading children through nature activities. I noticed when teaching at the urban conservation area I met a diverse group of people that were all new to learning about the environment, while in the provincial park, many people had previous experiences.  

Some soft skills needed for this role are communication and creativity. To successfully inspire others when interpreting strong communication skills are needed. Creativity is essential for discovering new activities and ways to each all ages about the environment. I found it very useful when working as a nature instructor to brainstorm fun and new ideas to engage all children.

-Katelyn

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Hi Katelyn,

 I couldn’t agree more with you that the best way to learn about nature is by being outdoors. Even though we all have different ways in which we learn, being out and experiencing nature can help us connect more to the concepts. It can sometimes be difficult to hear or observe natural phenomena from a classroom, but experiencing nature first-hand can help stimulate learning even further. I also think that your point about being able to connect with a small group is extremely important for nature interpretation. A connection with the interpreter can allow for the conversation to be more fluent and open. I feel that people ask more questions and are more engaged when they enjoy the interpreter.

What really caught my attention from your post (besides the beautiful snake you are handling!) was the point you made about the importance of teaching conservation closer to urban centers. I think this is an issue that is largely overlooked and underappreciated. Not everyone has the means and opportunities to go to remote areas. Therefore, nature interpretation must be delivered near cities. Everyone deserves to learn and connect more with whatever natural features surround them. I also think that this ties in to a misconceived notion that we as a society place in what nature should be. We relate the term nature to something that is wild, pristine, untouched by humans. And that isn’t the case. Even though we bring a lot of damage to our environment, we are a part of it just like everything else in it.

Thanks for sharing what your ideal role would be!

[yahenvs3000f21]

My ideal role as a nature interpreter

My ideal role as a nature interpreter would be guiding hikes and herping trips. Attached is a picture of me during a trip with the UoG Wildlife Club to Bruce Peninsula in 2019. That trip has been one of my favorite memories from studying abroad. This was my first time camping in Canada. I was surrounded by a group of people that had different interests and expertise. I learned so much about birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Even though I have always had a keen interest in reptiles, I didn’t know much about the species in southern Ontario. I still believe there is a lot more for me to learn. Since the pandemic started, I have been back home in the DR. For this reason, I feel that I haven’t been able to explore and learn as much as I would want about nature in Ontario and Canada.

I’m mainly an auditory learner. This is one of the reasons I love going on guided hikes, where someone can verbally share their expertise of the area and show off interesting features. I feel that the best nature interpreters are not only knowledgeable but have a passion for aiding visitors to experience the beauty of nature. It is also important to acknowledge that people learn in different ways. Moreover, an interpreter has to adjust and tailor trips depending on the group. The best guided trips I have attended, always have a guide who is personable. Having a good connection with the group can make people more comfortable to ask questions and be more engaged.

The ideal place for me to be a nature interpreter would be a National Park or ecological reserve with a terrestrial landscape with lots of hikes. I’m not sure where this place would particularly be. As I mentioned before, I haven’t been able to explore Canada as much as I would like to. However, I would prefer an environment where hiking is of particular interest. I think that one of the best ways to connect with nature is by walking through the woods. In a hike, you can let your senses run wild, by listening, smelling, and observing the environment around you. The perfect tour would be one where there would be parts where I talk and explain relevant information, but also times where we would just walk and self-reflect. Herping trips would also be a unique experience to get more tactile experiences of the biodiversity that surrounds us.

For this job, one of the things I would have to work on the most would be my knowledge of the area and the biodiversity. Studying is a process that never ends, and I am always willing to learn new things. I would also need strong communication and interpersonal skills. Effective communication can enhance the learning experience for everyone involved.

I am looking forwards to finally getting back to Canada and explore. I would appreciate any recommendations on places that I must visit!

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My Experience with Nature

If we were friends, you wouldn’t believe me when I say I used to hate the outdoors. Every aspect that I now love used to annoy me and gross me out. Going on hikes? Forget it! You wouldn’t catch me out exploring nature unless I was being forced by my parents or on a school trip. 

It wasn’t until Grade 11 when my friends wanted to go on a camping trip, and I wanted to spend a weekend with my friends, where I first learned to appreciate nature. After a grueling 5 km canoe ride in the pouring rain, we arrived at our island to enjoy a weekend of independence. 

For the first time, I got to be truly exposed to nature, and not just a small forest lot by my house, or a crowded park in the middle of the city. I was immersed in old-growth forests and far away from an electrical outlet and traffic. For the first time, I was in the wilderness.

The first morning I sat on the rocks by the water listening to the waves hitting the shore and the wildlife buzzing around me. The quiet setting around gave me a chance to take a breath and relax for the first time in a while. I didn’t have to worry about school or my personal life, I was just sitting there enjoying the scenery around me. Every morning of the trip I started my day sitting on the rocks, relaxing and enjoying a moment for myself. 

This was the first step in my connection with nature. 

It only evolved after that trip, and I explored hiking trails around me, especially the ones in the Niagara Escarpment in the town of Milton (where I live). I frequently visited Mount Nemo and Rattlesnake, exploring the Bruce Trail and sitting on the edge of the rocks looking out at the beautiful views (see attached photos). In only a year, my relationship with nature had completely changed. I had gone from resenting the outdoors to yearning to be outside. 

These day trips offered me a chance to relax and destress from my day-to-day life and remind me to take a moment for myself. My life is very high paced, and I am always moving from one task to the next. When I can go out into nature, I am given a chance to be alone and reflect on my day. 

For me, my relationship with nature is a relaxing one. It relieves my anxiety and gives me a small vacation from my life. If it wasn’t for that camping trip in high school offering me a place of belonging, I would have never fully appreciated nature. I would never have learned to appreciate the outdoors and learn about the different aspects of the wilderness: setting me up to enter the environmental science program here at Guelph, fully in love with every aspect of the natural world around me.

[yahenvs3000f21]

Hi Hannah,

 I find it so interesting how much your relationship with nature has changed. Going from finding things annoying and gross to being an environmental science student. I think many of us have friends and/or family that feel that way. We try to get them involved and they just find everything a hassle. My brother is often this way when it comes to hiking. So, I find it incredible that your trip on high school caused such a drastic change in your relationship with nature, that you decided to major in it. I decided to respond to your post because something you mentioned really resonated with me. It caught my eye when you said that “(your) relationship with nature is a relaxing one”. Nature can help us escape our daily routines, and the stress of our day to day lives. It allows us to disconnect and put our problems aside. However, being out in nature is also a way to connect to the environment and those around you.

In my country (the Dominican Republic) we have the tallest mountain in the Caribbean. Since I was 12 years old, I have been going on trips to this mountain. The first time I went, I felt a deep connection to being out there exploring nature. When we got to the campsite, we sat around the campfire and talked, sang songs, and stargazed. I find that the moments where I have felt most at ease have been sitting there, watching the stars. My mom always says this to me whenever she goes hiking “I rather pay the trip to come hiking than go to the therapist”. And that speaks on how powerful the connection with nature can be.

Thanks for sharing your experience!

[yahenvs3000f21]

The tropical paradise that captivated me

I have been interested in nature for as long as I can remember. I wasn’t really given much of an option. After all, I was born in a tropical paradise. I am from the Dominican Republic (DR), a beautiful island in the Caribbean. Even though I live in the city, the nearest beach is only 20 minutes away. My parents taught me how to love and appreciate nature since I was a child. They showed me how lucky we were to be able to visit such beautiful places, and emphasized how important it was to preserve them. As a child, I understood this at the most basic level. I enjoyed being outside and playing sports, and I couldn’t comprehend why anyone would want to destroy nature. As I grew older, I started to understand that the issue my parents were talking about was much greater. My parents would always take me to beach clean-ups, where I started to understand how deep human impact could be. Somewhere along the way, I realized that even though people knew climate change was happening, only so much was being done to make changes. And that is when I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to fighting for the environment. My parents helped me develop this sense of place in nature. After studying my first year of environmental science in the university, I had a growing interest in how living things are connected and interact with each other and their physical environment. That is why I decided to major in Ecology.

Nature, now, is extremely important to me. It is a place to relax and disconnect, a place to explore, a place to admire. Being born in the DR has shaped my outlook towards nature. We are such a small island, but we impressively have so much diversity and different habitats. If I was to go to the southwest side of the island, I could be on a stunning beach, then drive 2 hours and be in a desert, then drive 2 more hours and be in the tallest mountain in the Caribbean surrounded by a dense forest. It truly is a unique and breathtaking experience. My family and I love to travel, and when we do, we always do it road trip style. Our favorite trips are always ones where we get to explore and experience nature. One of my favorite trips was to Costa Rica, where we went herping on the night of December 31 (priorities, am I right?). Looking forwards to sharing some of my pictures from some of those trips.