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Hi Max, I think your post this week was great! I think you bring up a really interesting perspective, that nature interpretation can include talking to people in everyday interactions. When I think about nature interpretation, I always think of planned activities with a trained or professional guide, but I think you are totally right that interpretation can be present in our day to day lives as well. I think this raises an interesting question of whether a random person discussing nature should have the same responsibilities as a professional interpreter. I think there are a few obvious differences, like that amateur interpreters do not have the same safety responsibilities, because they are not leading a group and just talking to someone, but I think most of the other responsibilities could be the same for professionals and regular people having a chat. For example, I think we all accept the general social responsibilities of creating an inclusive and accessible environment, and I think most people agree that we should try to only spread accurate information. However, some responsibilities may be less clearly required for normal interactions about nature. For example, is it our job to inspire people in regular chats? Do we need to motivate people towards conservation? Is it every person’s responsibility to learn and incorporate multiple perspectives just to share a fact with a friend? I think these are all quite interesting questions, but I am not sure if I have any compelling answers for them. Overall, I think your idea that any conversation about nature can be considered a form of nature conservation is really interesting, and a perspective that I had not previously considered.

Unit 10 (Final) Post

As we approach the end of the semester, it feels nice to take an opportunity to reflect on all that we have learned about both nature interpretation and ourselves throughout the duration of this course. The concept of nature interpretation, which once felt quite abstract, is something which I now feel much more comfortable discussing, as I now understand that it is one of the reasons I so greatly enjoy talking about the environment and science to others.

The thing that has always stood out to me when having nature interpreted for me, or when interpreting nature myself, is the feeling of awe, getting a renewed sense of wonder about the world and all of its inhabitants. I love the experience of learning things that make me feel as if my understanding of the world has become even just a bit clearer, discovering more and more about how interconnected each natural occurrence and process truly is.

When I engage in nature interpretation, whether it be making posts on social media or simply speaking to people, my primary motivation is to ignite that feeling of wonder in them, not only because it is a wonderful feeling, but also because I know it deepens one's reverence for the natural world. Like stated by Beck et al., "by gaining more knowledge about the cultural or natural resources of an area, [one's visit] becomes more meaningful", and I think encouraging the development of people's connection to the planet is currently more important than ever (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 42).

In the modern day, people have become increasingly disconnected from nature, both physically and mentally. It is a common sentiment for people to have that climate change is not an important issue to them as, "they will be dead when it happens", and aside from this simply being untrue, it saddens me to realize how little attachment some people feel towards our planet and the animals which live upon it. An important aspect in interpreting nature for me is to help inspire people to connect with nature, to show them that there is something to care about, not just for future generations or other species, but for themselves too.

I believe that feeling of awe is a great catalyst in developing a respect for nature and its beauty, as who could listen to the stories of how the animals in a fossil ended up immortalized there, to listen to the strong waves crashing against a rocky shore, or to see a vast forested mountainscape without feeling as if there is something there worth protecting. It is my hope, and I believe also my responsibility, to encourage people to feel a sense of wonder towards nature, and to help them understand why some people feel that it is so important to protect it.

"One of the key features of interpretation is to promote stewardship of our cultural and natural resources", says Beck et al., and I do believe this to be true, as it is one of my goals to encourage stewardship and conservation efforts with my nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 96). I hope that with technology, we can work on encouraging interconnectedness, to share the beauty of nature with others and to inspire change, rather than letting it continue to drive us apart from each other and the natural world.

Reference

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

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Hey Jody, I think you had an excellently written and interesting blog this week. I totally agree that each person should focus on creating their own bond to the world around them. However, I found your idea of preservation is quite different from mine. I agree with you that preservation efforts are extremely important, but you mention that we should be preventing nature from changing, while I think that change is one of the fundamental aspects of nature. I see both the abiotic and biotic aspects of nature as constantly changing and rearranging in different ways, and I think conservation efforts should focus on preserving that ability for things to shift in a natural and unaccelerated or altered way caused by human interference. I do not believe we can or should try to preserve things as they are, because everything is already changing without our involvement. However, I think your sentiment is really meaningful, because the way that people relate to nature is generally to specific aspects of it that they recognize or relate to. This means that as things change, people either lose the ability to appreciate it, or adapt their appreciations. However, we generally do not see or experience much of that change, because they happen on such massively long timescales that we can generally barely perceive them. Unfortunately, human involvement has started to speed up or directly change many of these long processes, to the point where we can notice them and alter the aspects of nature that people build appreciations for.

Final Blog: Beliefs of a Nature Interpreter

Hey everyone, welcome back! This will be my final blog post and I just wanted to take a quick second to thank everyone for reading my thoughts and ideas and I wanted to say it was a wonderful time! I really enjoyed seeing all your opinions about my thoughts and I hope to see them one last time in this post! Stay strong, protect the natural world around you, and keep exploring! As always I hope you enjoy my thoughts and pictures.

Nature is such an important part of everyone's life, and must be preserved at all costs. However, to some nature is more than just an escape. It’s a calling. I believe that every little thing in nature is worth saving, protecting, and maintaining its beauty. In the class content it said, “we can create nature-rich communities where kids feel a deep and abiding love for the living systems that we are all immersed in” (Hooykaas, 2024), and this quote really stuck with me because I believe that every person in this world should be given the ability to establish their own special bond with the natural world around them. I believe the preservation of nature should be of the utmost importance because if the natural world changes too much there may not be any of the same things that we hold dear left to explore, and without it so many people would be left confused and unsure where to wander. I believe it is also extremely important to teach others, especially the younger generations how very important it is to maintain the beauty of what can occur when humans do not manipulate the environment. I also believe it is important to not interfere with natural occurrences that you might stumble across no matter how disturbing, awkward, or sad it may be. For example, last summer I came across many different animals doing various things from water snakes mating to a garter snake eating to a family of beavers building a damn under a dock, of course I tried to take pictures if I could, but not a chance would I get too close or startle the animals due to the slightest chance of it messing with their routine.

This is a collage of a few things I’ve witnessed while out exploring nature. Top left is a shaggy mane mushroom, top right is a member of the beaver family that was creating a dam, bottom left is a garter snake attempting to eat an earthworm, and the bottom right is a very large wolf spider that was just hanging around.

Being an nature interpreter is a role that must help others explore aspects of nature that they wouldn’t have thought to look at. Nature interpreting is so much more than simply a job. As I said before it’s a calling, a passion, a craving for exploration, and bringing what is unknown into the light for other people to be in the know. Nature interpreters have some of the largest responsibilities for the future. They hold the responsibility of being storytellers for future generations. They won’t just say facts about nature because that is not what gets people, more importantly kids, interested in the natural world. Kids are interested in video games and have simulations of nature, however, it is the responsibility of nature interpreters to tell exciting and eccentric stories that get them wanting and willing to go out and experience it for themselves (Boeckel, 2015). It is also the responsibility of the interpreter to be well-prepared, insightful, and communicate efficiently and in an appropriate manner depending on the audience that they are attending to. It is also the responsibility of the interpreter to, while telling the stories, make sure that everyone who is listening knows how important even the smallest thing in an ecosystem is all the way down to the small twig/branch the kids may want to pick up and play with. 

This was a location that we visited called Overhanging point (name is kinda self explanatory) during a guided hike. This was carved out by glacial ice movement.

As an individual it may seem difficult at times to think that what you say has an impact on the overall scheme of things, but there are many things that one person can do that can change and pull so many more people in. As it says in the textbook, find a way to articulate your ideas and points in a relevant, creative, and caring manner because that is what draws the attention of others (Beck, Cable, and Knudson, 2018). There are many ways to engage groups of people, and some effective ways are: holding interactive presentations for specific topics, creating a podcast that can appeal to younger and older audiences with many games such as guess the bird call, or guess that animal by the description, guided hikes are also a good tool to pique the interest of the more outdoorsy type of person, and sometimes even simple blogs like this one is an effective tool for getting ideas across to a very significant amount of different people. I know from personal experience that the two most effective ways to reach me with different information is an interactive presentation, or a guided hike. These two speak to me the most because I find them the most useful for engaging people. Guided hikes are a very nice way of exploring the wilderness because not only do you get to be out in nature, but you are able to hear the backstories of all the caves, rock formations, or anything that you may come across during the hike. However, each person has a different way of engaging with nature.

That’s all I have on my mind for now, and I hope everyone enjoyed my thoughts this time, and I hope you have all enjoyed my previous posts too! I had a wonderful time sharing my opinions and thoughts over the past months. I am looking forward to everyone's replies and ideas of their own. 

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., and Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore Publishing. 

Boeckel, J.v. (2015). At the heart of art and earth: an exploration of practices in arts-based environmental education. Envir. Edu. Research. 21 (5), 801-802. https://doi-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/10.1080/13504622.2014.959474

Hooykaas, A. (2024). Unit 10: Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/858004/viewContent/3640024/View.

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Who Am I as an Interpreter?

Hey everyone, welcome to my last blog post of this course! It has been a pleasure reading all the different ways people relate to nature and interpret it to others, and I can’t wait to see how everyone describes their beliefs, responsibilities, and unique approaches for this week’s blog.  

I have multiple core beliefs that guide how I approach nature interpretation. One belief I have is that we are all a part of nature. We like to categorize ourselves and our inventions as separate from nature, but we are direct products of nature, and operate by all the same rules as any other species. We influence the environment around us and we as a species can have large impacts on nature, but we are also influenced by the environment and can be equally impacted in turn.

Another belief I have is that nature is not necessarily our “responsibility”, but we should still protect and improve it for our own benefits. There are many services provided to us by our ecosystems and we could not survive on earth without the abundance of nature around us. I think that we get our fundamental needs met by the environment, and that our mental or non-physical growth can be significantly improved by our integration with and appreciation for nature. I also think it is important for everyone to develop their own connections to nature and their own sense of appreciation for the world around them.

I view nature interpretation as a way to share knowledge or spread a certain message. We can provide narratives to a collection of facts, which lets us influence other people’s perspectives and understanding. I think that everyone has unique experiences and perspectives that they can contribute to how we interpret nature, and each person should work on fostering and spreading whatever messages they resonate with.

I think that nature interpreters have a few main responsibilities. The most obvious one to me is to provide accurate information. The point of nature interpretation is to interpret nature, so providing false or misleading information is not a great way to fulfill those responsibilities. In addition to providing accurate information, I think it is also the role of a responsible interpreter to integrate multiple viewpoints into their interpretation to avoid biases and include more diverse sources of knowledge. Providing this variety can provide a more complete picture of nature, while also providing representation for a more diverse audience (Hooykaas, 2024). Another important responsibility is to ensure accessibility. Providing interpretive activities to people with disabilities is both a legal and moral responsibility of nature interpreters and should be a significant consideration of planning and executing any activity (Beck et al., 2018). Finally, to ensure that people have positive experiences, nature interpreters are responsible for the health and safety of their activities. Planning for nature interpretation should always include assessing the risks of a given activity and avoiding or reducing any possible safety risks before beginning the interpretation (Hooykaas, 2024).

As an individual, I think I can cater to a variety of learning styles, since I utilize them myself to varying degrees. I have an auditory learning style, which includes learning by listening to things like lectures, discussions, podcasts (Hooykaas, 2024). I enjoy listening to educational content in my spare time or while I do work, and I listen to tons of different online lectures, educational podcasts, and discussions/debates about politics, philosophy, and science. I also sometimes have a visual learning style, which includes using visual aids such as diagrams or graphs (Hooykaas, 2024). Whenever I learn something new or try to work through a problem, especially with difficult concepts, I try to visualize what I can in my head to help my understanding or I will physically sketch it out to give myself a visual aid. For example, whenever I write a paper, I make sure to write out all my main points as bullets so that I can move everything around afterwards and organize my work in a way that makes sense to me while I can see all my points laid out on my screen. However, my most effective learning style is as a tactile learner, which is learning by experience (Hooykaas, 2024). My favorite and most effective way to learn anything new is to have a specific goal and then to immerse myself in an activity and figure out what I’m doing through physical experiences. For example, I will spend a lot of time learning new scales or theories for music by watching videos, listening to recorded lectures, or reading articles on the subject, but I never fully grasp the concepts until I pick up an instrument and start trying to put those theories into practice. I find that I can build a surface-level understanding and retain information, but until I work through something on my own, I can’t fully integrate the new knowledge into my understanding of the subject. Since I use a diverse set of learning styles, I can make the content I interpret reflect those styles and ensure the activities are digestible and engaging for wider varieties of people (Hooykaas, 2024).

Another approach to nature interpretation where I think I could excel is with cultural or religious approaches, especially pertaining to Judaism. I grew up as a modern-orthodox Jew, and my whole family is Jewish and quite religious, so I have a strong understanding of how Judaism can shape people’s worldviews and environmental ethics.

Here I am at my Shul in 2014 taking pictures for my Bar Mitzvah.

Since I grew up immersed in the Jewish community, I can relate to other Jewish people from both a cultural and religious standpoint and can interpret nature to others through this shared lens of Jewish perspectives. Places of worship can potentially be excellent at motivating communities to organize politically and take environmental actions, but environmentalism is not currently a significant objective for religious communities in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) (Caldwell et al., 2022). However, Jewish places of worship in the Greater Toronto Area are some of the most environmentally active places of worship and are most likely to directly frame their actions as environmentally oriented compared to other faith groups (Caldwell et al., 2022). This encourages the idea that connecting to Jewish groups can potentially be a promising avenue for interpreting nature and environmentalism.

Works Cited

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 7: Serving diverse audiences. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 127-159). Sagamore Venture.

Caldwell, C., Probstein, N., & Yoreh, T. (2022). Shades of green: environmental action in places of worship. Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences, 12(3), 430-452.

Hooykaas, A. (2024) Unit 02: Teaching learners, ENVS*3000. University of Guelph.

Hooykaas, A. (2024) Unit 03: Risk versus reward in interpretation, ENVS*3000. University of Guelph.

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Hey,

Excellent post this week, your descriptions of walking through the forest were immersive, and I found myself really interested in your story. I think it’s really cool that the best visual cue of hair ice fungus isn’t even a part of the fungus itself. This kind of reminds me of turquoise elf cups (not sure if that’s the official name), which I also only find very rarely. I usually can only tell they are around when I see old logs with a bluish tinge, but very rarely ever actually see the fungus peeking out. Similarly to the hair ice fungus, turquoise elf cups look cool and are hard to find, usually needing very specific condition

Here are a few of the turquoise elf cups I found, where you can see some of the blueish colour on the log too.

Here are a bunch of the actual turquoise elf cups I found on that same walk growing one log over.

However, I think it’s way cooler that the hair ice fungus is actually pushing ice out through the wood instead of its own fruiting body. I would love to see that in person, and I can definitely understand why it was such a memorable experience for you. I wonder if there are other fungi that do a similar process but in larger scales or on live trees. For example, there could be ones that push larger ice out of tree lenticels, or maybe the Exidiopsis fungus creates ice differently in different tree types. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this in all my future late-winter hikes, thanks for sharing such a cool species of fungus.

Ice Hair Fungus

Picture this. You’re out hiking on a trail following the Atlantic ocean, it’s a cold November morning and your hiking companions have scurried ahead of you. You’re trying to catch up but also, keeping your eye out for late winter chanterelles under the canopy. Things keep distracting you. The sky is clear with wisps of clouds, the trail is relatively easy and one you’re familiar with. It snakes passed small rivers, ambles through a mix of deciduous and balsam fir woods. Every fifty metres there is a break in the trees and a rocky beach is exposed. The air smells faintly like wood stoves, seaweed and firs. Usually you would be on the beach with the rest of your companions looking for treasures from the sea but as you clamber up a set of wooden steps you see a stick beside the path. It has what looks like a crystal on it. It catches your eye but you pass it. It takes a second for your brain to register what it was and you turn back to have a look. You stoop and pick up the stick. You can’t really understand what you’ve found. It’s a contradiction. It looks like white hair. It could be plastic. It could be cotton. Maybe ice, maybe mould. It is wispy and catches the sunlight. Congratulations, you’ve found the elusive hair ice fungus.

Hair ice fungus grows on bare rotting wood of a deciduous tree, not on bark. It is incredibly rare to find in the woods because it only occurs when several environmental factors are just right. There needs to be the right amount of moisture, atmospheric conditions and temperature. And there has to be a secret extra ingredient – a fungus called Exidiopsis effusa. (Baker, 2023) 

You can see a time lapse video of it growing here:

Each icy thread is only 0.02mm in diameter, that’s really thin which is what makes the whole structure look so delicate. In 2015, Dr Christian Mätzler linked this phenomena to Exidiopsis fungus. The width of each ice thread coincides with the diameter of the tubes in the dead wood and is formed by a process of exudation. His team learned that, under certain conditions, a process called ice segregation occurs. (Baker, 2023). Picture an icy playdough squeezed through an icy wet rotten wooden press to make the most delicate strands of ice imaginable.

You run and show your companions. One of them reaches out to touch it and the fragile ice hairs instantly melt. You are enthralled and want to bring it home with you, but you know that leaving it in the woods is the ecologically sound thing to do. You snap a picture and for years to come every time you are on that trail you will remember it. The delicate, simple and fleeting beauty laying on the side of the path. 

References:

Albisser, E. (2015, July 23). Timelapse video of growing hair ice. [Video]. Youtube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cRngAm8uqA

Baker, N. (2023, May, 13). Hair Ice Fungus. Discover Wildlife.  https://www.discoverwildlife.com/plant-facts/fungi/hair-ice-facts

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How Nature Inspires Me

I think that the coolest thing about nature is that it improves our mental health and ability. Spending time in nature can improve memory, attention, concentration, impulse inhibition, and mood (Bratman et al., 2012). In children and teenagers specifically, nature can improve self-esteem, stress, resilience, depression, and quality of life too (Tillmann et al., 2018). I find that this idea of nature improving mental health translates really frequently to my own life. Any time I am outside, especially when the weather is nice, I almost instantly feel way better and more energized. I have recently started taking a bit of a longer route on my way to the bus stop in the morning because I get to walk through the park along a river instead of next to a busy street and plaza. I find that just this small amount of time in nature at the start of my day has an overwhelmingly positive effect on my mood and motivation for the rest of the day. I think it is incredibly cool that a 5-minute walk through a park once a day, as part of my normal commute, can have such positive effects for me.

One of my favourite aspects of how nature can boost my mental health is by providing me with a sense of inspiration. Whenever I feel like I am out of ideas for creating art or music, I look for the first opportunity I have to get outside and go for a walk through a local trail. During the spring, I love getting excited over seeing all the leaves starting to emerge, and the first signs of green grass or warmer weather. The spring tends to instil me with a sense of anticipation that makes me feel excited for the upcoming summer and inspires me to start thinking of what types of music I want to write once the semester ends, or what sorts of art I want to draw once it gets warm enough to sit and draw outside. Once the summer and warm weather hits, I generally spend the most amount of time out in nature. Everything in the summer seems so vibrant and alive, and it encourages me to go for long walks or sit in the sun and enjoy the weather and the sense of wellbeing I feel from nature in the summer. This feeling inspires me to want to create as much as I can and fills me with the energy to do that. I find that the summer is generally my most creatively productive time, and most of that is directly fueled by having the opportunity to be in and appreciate nature.

A tree frog enjoying the vibrancy of summer with me.

Once autumn starts, I generally begin slowing down, but I usually get more of a sense of urgency from seeing the weather start to change and the natural landscape start to morph into winter. I still love heading outside during autumn because the new colours of the trees, the abundance of cool mushrooms to find, and the general feeling of nature are really cozy and calming, despite the urgent feeling of constantly needing to be outdoors. Autumn tends to inspire some of my weirder but more relaxed music, and some of my coolest nature-inspired art. While I don’t get outside as much in the winter, I find that when I do, I always feel really fulfilled afterwards and my motivation for the rest of the week is significantly improved. The cold and darkness of winter can be brightened by the stark white snow and incredible views of winter hikes, and the positive feelings imbued by nature can shine even when the sun is barely out.

Works Cited

Bratman, G. N., Hamilton, J. P., & Daily, G. C. (2012). The impacts of nature experience on human cognitive function and mental health. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 1249(1), 118-136.

Cox, D. T., Shanahan, D. F., Hudson, H. L., Plummer, K. E., Siriwardena, G. M., Fuller, R. A., ... & Gaston, K. J. (2017). Doses of neighborhood nature: the benefits for mental health of living with nature. AIBS Bulletin, 67(2), 147-155.

Tillmann, S., Tobin, D., Avison, W., & Gilliland, J. (2018). Mental health benefits of interactions with nature in children and teenagers: A systematic review. J Epidemiol Community Health, 72(10), 958-966.

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Hey, I really enjoyed reading your post this week. I like your description of music stirring the soul, I feel like this is an accurate description of how music seems to influence me. You mention that the sounds of nature often give inspiration to musicians, which I really agree with. Most of my favourite music takes at least some influence from nature and much of the music I like making myself is directly inspired by my time in nature. I also like how you mention that animals and humans both use music for communication, I wonder if that could be part of why we as humans are so naturally inclined to music. Also, I checked out the songs you mentioned by Nujabes, and I agree with you that they really seem to reflect the feeling of immersive calm found in nature. The cricket samples seem so naturally integrated into the music, which I think is a great example of how blurry the lines between nature and music can be. I also really like that jazzy hip hop sound with a nostalgic, cozy, soulful twinge which sounds like an expanded instrumental version of some songs I really like by Outkast such as the song Jazzy Belle and other songs in the album ATLiens or songs from the album The Love Below, especially songs like Vibrate or Love Hater. Overall great post, I look forward to seeing what you write about next week.

The connections of Music and Nature

Hey guys welcome back to another weekly blog post, this week I am very excited and I have been waiting to talk about this and it's about music and nature. Two things that I have a strong passion and love for. 

Both music and nature are such strong forces that can evoke emotions, they stir the soul and translucent the boundaries of human perception. This blog post I want to delve into the connection that music has with nature and how that nature can resonate within the notes of music. 

Nature itself can be seen as music with its symphony of different sounds with different origins. From the rustling of leaves as the wind brushes through them, or the sound of raindrops that hit ground, and even the beautiful world of animal singing. With the sounds of the birds chirping and squirrels calling. All aspects of nature come together to produce sweet harmony and build the most tranquil orchestra. It's through these beautiful sounds that musicians often find inspiration, and seek to produce music that shares the same emotion. 

Looking at the definition of music and the question “Do other species show musical language and expression?” (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), it really makes you realise that music can be found anywhere you go. Other animals use music for various other things, like communication, which humans also do. This just shows that music can be used and interpreted in so many ways, and the beauty of it all is that you don’t have to be the one to compose in order to convey your feelings and share with others. 

One artist that has resonated with me and no matter the song it always takes me to a beautiful natural landscape, and feels calm and at peace, is the late Seba “Nujabes” Jun. Nujabes created a musical legacy for himself with his ability to incorporate numerous different genres of music into hip-hop, namely jazz, creating beautiful melodies accompanied by masterful beats, all in order to mirror the calm and immersive qualities found in nature. Nujabes was able to blur the boundaries between the urban life and serene outdoors, transporting the listeners into a different world. A prime example of his ability to do this is in the album “Modal Soul” namely the 10th song on the album titled “Modal Soul” with the mixture of funky drums, and the light piano in the back, it makes you feel like you’re in a forest surrounded by fireflies dancing at a festival. Not only does he sample actual sounds of nature like the sounds of the crickets in the background of the song titled “Light on the land”, in the songs he has vocals in, the artists use nature as a way to reference things such as death. For example in the song title “Luv(sic) Part 5) the artist Shing02 talks about how fast death can come stating “Till death do us apart, and it did. Come sudden like clouds, and it hid my sun”. Sadly this Nujabes passed away at the young age of 36, and the previous lyric is referring to his death. However, to this day his music lives on and will continue to touch the hearts of the listeners and help them connect with nature. 

Thank you for reading this week's blog post. I was very excited to talk about music and even more excited to talk about my favourite artist Nujabes. If you know Nujabes and listen to his music what's your favourite song for me its “Peaceland” which is linked at the bottom. But if you haven’t heard of Nujabes, give his music a listen and let me know if there is an artist you think is similar. 

Hooykaas, A. (2024). Unit 7: Nature interpretation through music. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/858004/viewContent/3640021/View 

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link-gale-com.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=fb9366a8

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Nature in Music/Music in Nature

I think that music is very common in nature, and the more you look for it the more examples you can find. The obvious example of this is in the various melodies found in bird calls. However, many other things can make equally beautiful sounds. Walking around in Guelph, the sounds of toads and frogs calling add a bass-like musical drone or rhythmic beats. The crickets and cicadas provide more of a treble-y synth-like sound that I have spent multiple hours trying to recreate for my own music. The groaning of swaying trees can provide even more interesting sounds. Even the rustling of grasses and leaves can have a really lush sound that fills out the musical landscape similar to how people tend to add or leave in white noise in musical recordings to make them sound less empty. Some of the abiotic elements of nature can also be musical. The wind can literally whistle or function like a rising or falling synth effect as it changes intensities. The sound of moving water can also provide interesting heterogeneity to the background sounds.

Nature is also an essential part of music. Every human culture has some form of music, which seems to indicate we are naturally inclined to make and appreciate music (Gray et al., 2001). Similarly, a very common feature of good music is that it has an “organic” type of sound. This can either come from the sounds used and the production style of the song, or from the song structure and melodies or rhythms used. I find that I tend to like music that sounds more organic and has many imperfections and variations in the sounds used which can give a very warm quality to the music. Generally, this warm organic sound comes from using more analog equipment and real instruments instead of working digitally and using synthesized instruments, but many people will actually edit their digitally recorded music to try and emulate that analog warmth. This organic sound can be heard very easily in the sound quality of some of my favorite albums such as Pure Guava by Ween or this unreleased demo by them:

The vocals in this song are extremely warm and buttery, while the acoustic guitar and analog synth sounds add to the warm natural sound - the song also uses lots of natural imagery in the lyrics to add to the warm sunny vibe

However, another way to incorporate that “organic” sound can be through the actual structure or melodies of the song. This is a frequent part of improvisational music such as Jazz, Psychedelic Rock, or Klezmer music. Here is one example of this that I really enjoy and has a mix of both the organic sound quality and the organic sounding melodies and rhythm:

This recording sounds very warm and organic which is supported by the organic melodies and rhythmic and melodic variation throughout the song

Music can also be a great way to interpret nature to others (Beck et al., 2018). Music can be used to translate the emotional aspects of nature to an audience or to provide information in a memorable way (Beck et al., 2018). Well-made music can make nature interpretation more immersive and enjoyable for people and is a great way to translate and spread desired messages (Beck et al., 2018). Overall, we seem to naturally enjoy natural sounding music about nature :)

A song that immediately reminds me of being in nature is a song I made this past summer titled Hippy Dippy.

I used some of the warm and natural techniques to give this song an upbeat and sunny feel

During the summer I went for a series of long walks by myself through a local trail and tried to be mindful of the warmth and vibrancy of nature in the late summer. I then tried to translate those feelings into a song that I made for my partner. Listening to it both reminds me of them and of the warmth of the sun in August, the lush greens and yellows of open fields, and the vibrant colours of wildflowers. I get a similar upbeat feeling to walking around in the sunlight in summer when I walk around and listen to this song in the winter even when it’s cold and grey.

Works Cited

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, 226.

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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Hi Vanessa, I really like your way of analyzing this quote using Rome as a case study. I definitely agree that historical significance comes from the stories or cultural identity provided by those objects instead of the merit of the objects themselves. I think that in addition to stories and cultural significance, historical objects and stories can also provide important lessons to instruct our modern thinking and conduct.

I found it insightful that you mentioned how collective memory is a valuable way to preserve history. I think that without collective recollections or knowledge of history, we are unable as a society to utilize the value of lessons learned from past events. Even if we have the historical significance recorded somewhere, if most people don’t know or care about it, then the knowledge will not be used to its full extent. Maintaining the lessons learned from history is part of why interpreting history is so important. Without people to translate historical events in a meaningful way to the public, the lessons we learn from history are unconvincing discreet events that don’t seem to provide us any benefits. You did a great job of emphasizing the importance of the issues with ignoring or forgetting history. The experience you had in Rome sounds very impactful for shaping your understanding of how important history can be on our current situation and possible futures. I am excited to hear your thoughts on future blog posts, have a great reading week!

Blog 6: A Journey Through History

As I wandered through the ancient streets of Rome, Italy, I was struck by the palpable sense of history that enveloped me. Each cobblestone pathway seemed to whisper tales of past eras, inviting me to delve deeper into the rich tapestry of human experience. In Edward Hyams' profound reflection, "There is no peculiar merit in ancient things," he prompts us to reconsider the value we attribute to the relics of the past (Hyams). Drawing from my immersive experience in Rome and insights from scholarly sources, this blog post seeks to unpack Hyams' quote and explore the enduring significance of history, using my journey through Rome as a lens.

Hyams contends that integrity, not age, is what truly matters, challenging the idea that merit can only be attained by antiquity. This struck a deep chord with my memories of my time spent in Rome, where the enduring buildings and relics served as witnesses to centuries of human history. A framework for comprehending the interdependence of the past and present was offered by Beck, Cable, and Knudson's debate on the function of interpretation in fostering personal identities through historical narratives (Beck, Cable, & Knudson, 2018). As I marvelled at the Colosseum's magnificence, I understood that its significance came from the stories it told and the cultural identity it represented, not only from its antiquity.

Coherence and unity in historical interpretation are crucial, as Hyams emphasizes honesty as the foundation of merit. This idea is supported by Fleischner's definition of natural history, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining the integrity of environmental narratives by deliberate attention to the world outside humans (Beck, Cable, & Knudson, 2018; Fleischner, 2002). As I thought back on my interactions with local naturalists and citizen scientists in Rome's parks, I realized how important their work is in preserving the integrity of natural ecosystems and encouraging a closer relationship with the natural world.

Hyams emphasizes the need to comprehend and conserve historical narratives when he states that integrity requires knowledge of and remembrance of the past. Upon visiting Rome's museums and archaeological sites, I was astounded by the care with which ancient items and the stories they told had been preserved. This concept was echoed by Miller-Rushing et al.'s consideration of citizen scientists' contributions to natural history documentation, emphasizing the value of collective memory in historical interpretation (Beck, Cable, & Knudson, 2018; Miller-Rushing et al., 2012).

Hyams's moving illustration of a train station serves as a timely reminder of the mistake of ignoring the past. History transcends time to influence our present and future, just like a train station survives after it passes by. This comparison struck a chord with my travels to Rome, where the streets were alive with the echoes of long-gone civilizations, serving as a constant reminder of the influence of the past on modern culture.

Edward Hyams' quote challenges us to reevaluate our perception of history and its significance. Through my journey in Rome and insights from scholarly sources, I have come to appreciate the timeless wisdom embedded in historical narratives. True merit lies not in antiquity alone but in the integrity, coherence, and enduring impact of historical interpretation. As interpreters of history and environmental narratives, we bear the responsibility of preserving and sharing these stories, ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to resonate with future generations.

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing. Fleischner, T. L. (2002). Quoted in Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing. Hyams, E. (n.d.). "The Gifts of Interpretation." Retrieved from [insert link here]. Miller-Rushing, A. J., Primack, R., & Bonney, R. (2012). Quoted in Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing.

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Understanding the Value of Interpreting History

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole, and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things. …. To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.” (Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

To understand this quote, I have decided to analyze it in three distinct sections.

“There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity, and integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole,”

To begin with, I disagree with the premises presented here and how they are being used to build an argument. I agree that there is no inherent merit to historical relics, but there can be merit to integrity. However, in this instance, integrity is defined as maintaining the parts of a whole. This seems misleading since most people think of integrity as honesty or strong moral character, but they are using an alternate definition of integrity and then claiming it has inherent merit because of that. For example, if I said “wow my neighbour is so evil, he keeps beating his wife” most people would be shocked and agree that person is evil. But what if I meant that he just beat her in Mario Party three times in a row and not that he physically harmed her? This would really change the context, and people would probably disagree that the man is evil, because I was using a different definition of the word “beat” than what makes sense for my argument. I don’t that think “integrity” can be assumed to have merit while using the definition of maintaining the parts of a whole. Therefore, I don’t think they provided a good argument for why historical study has merit. I agree that there is no inherent merit to ancient things, but I think that we do derive a ton of benefits from studying those ancient things and learning from our past while appreciating how we arrived where we are currently. In my opinion, the merits of studying history should stand on their own without relying on a weird interpretation of integrity.

“If these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things.”

I do agree that weaving together separate things or events in history into a cohesive narrative is a great way to improve knowledge or context of historical events and make them easier to relate to (Beck et al., 2018 – pg. 326). Independent names or dates or places are hard to recall or relate to, but combining these names and places into a story can make details more memorable and deepen people’s feelings of connection to those events (Beck et al., 2018 – pg. 326). Understanding historical context can also add a lot of meaning to people's perspectives of an area (Hooykaas, 2024).

A beautiful example of the interactions between nature and history in Jerusalem.

“To think, feel or act as though the past is done with, is equivalent to believing that a railway station through which our train has just passed, only existed for as long as our train was in it.”

I interpret this passage as conveying the importance and effects of history. Even if we forget about a historical event, the effects of that event may still affect us, and the event itself still happened and exists for others. However, as we stop sharing stories and forget parts of history, we may lose our understanding of how real those events were. An example I see of this currently is through the rise of antisemitism and antisemitic rhetoric in our current culture. Despite the holocaust ending just under 80 years ago, many people seem to have forgotten the horrors that arose from the normalization of antisemitism and have started using the same types of justifications rebranded for the current world. I have witnessed many former friends spreading misinformation about how Jews control the banks, the media, or the governments, and it feels concerningly normalized for people to spread that harmful sentiment or harbor general dislike for Jews. Sadly, this rhetoric has real-life consequences and as of December of 2023, antisemitism has been responsible for 53% of all hate crimes reported in Toronto (Lautenschlager, 2023). My former high school, a Jewish school, recently had a bomb threat, a “pro-Palestine” protest took place at the entrance to a known Jewish neighbourhood where my partner lives (there are no political establishments where they protested, it is just a Jewish residential area), the bus stop next to my local synagogue was spraypainted with a swastika, and it is standard practice for every synagogue, Jewish community centre, and Jewish school to have armed guards at the entrance because they are so often targeted by hate crimes. Seeing this increase in anti-Jewish sentiment has really opened my eyes to how quickly we can forget the importance of history and how crucial it is to remember the lessons of the past. I hope that we can reflect as a society about how we treat ethnic minorities, especially with our current treatment of Jewish people, and create an inclusive environment to set an example for future historians to learn from.

Works Cited

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.

Lautenschlager, T. (2023). Antisemitic incidents make up 53% of reported hate crimes since Israel-Hamas war began: Toronto police. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/hate-crimes-data-toronto-police-1.7064086

Hooykaas, A. (2024) Unit 06: Nature Interpretation through History ENVS*3000. University of Guelph.

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Hi Zeina,

I really enjoyed your post this week. I visited Iceland too in 2021, and I really agree that it had some of the coolest landscapes I’ve ever seen. The feeling you got of the beauty and power of nature were evident throughout the country, and I can very much understand your sentiment. I also agree that nature can be very unpredictable. I think that as humans, we like to create little categories for everything and investigate the reasoning behind whatever we see, but this can be misrepresentative of the chaos of the natural world. I personally enjoy learning all about how we classify things and why we do, and whenever I head for a walk outside, I find myself making comments about what type of plants I find or what kind of life strategies they might have. However, I also notice that things are never as neatly defined as we make them out to be. Many plants make hybrids with other species and blur the lines of our categories, and nature in general seems to be a whole jumble of variation that we arbitrarily define, especially as we delve into narrower definitions or species. Even our general definitions tend to call on a set of related ideas that somewhat embody whatever we want to convey because nothing is every as clear as we define it. For example, we all intuitively understand what a chair is, but we don’t have any clear lines we can draw for its traits: How tall is it? How many legs does it have? What differentiates a chair and a table? What material is it? Two chairs can have totally different answers for each question but still both be easily recognizable as chairs. I think that similarly with nature, we all intuitively understand and appreciate what we see even without a narrow definition for it, and we should all take time to appreciate the beauty of nature’s chaos without always looking for a box to put it into.

Here are some sheep I saw appreciating Reykjadalur Hot Springs Thermal River.

Embracing Nature's Unpredictability

As I sit down to write this week's blog post, I find myself reflecting on the boundless inspiration that nature offers us. With no specific prompt this week to guide my thoughts, I am drawn back to vivid memories from my trip to Iceland in 2018. A journey filled with beautiful landscapes, breathtaking adventures and a deep appreciation for the wild beauty of nature.

One experience that really stands out to me is the hike I took to the Reykjadalur Hot Springs Thermal River. It was about an 8-kilometer round trip, and the scenery was absolutely stunning. As I followed the winding trail, with towering mountains and steaming geothermal vents all around me, I felt a deep connection to the natural world and its timeless beauty.

However, Iceland's beauty extends beyond its hot springs. While exploring this captivating land, I had the opportunity to visit Gljúfrabúi waterfall, a hidden treasure tucked away in a moss-covered canyon. Standing in front of the waterfall, surrounded by mist and sunlight was breathtaking.

Now, as I reflect on Iceland's recent volcanic activity and the state of emergency declared in the Reykjanes Peninsula, I am reminded of the unpredictable nature of the world we inhabit. The same forces that shape majestic landscapes and create natural wonders can also disrupt and challenge our lives in unexpected ways. This event serves as a vivid illustration of how nature can disrupt and reshape our lives in the blink of an eye.

The eruption, the third in the area since December, has caused a new 3km-long fissure to open, spewing streams of lava high into the air (Armstrong & Casey, 2024). The resulting smoke from the lava flow has been visible in the capital city, Reykjavik, about 40km away (Armstrong & Casey, 2024).

Yet, amidst the chaos and uncertainty, there is a sense of wonder at the sheer magnificence of nature. The sight of molten lava spewing from a fissure, the distant glow of smoke against the sky, it's a reminder of the beauty and power that coexist in the natural world.

Nature's unpredictability extends beyond volcanic eruptions. From sudden storms to unexpected wildlife encounters, we are constantly reminded of our vulnerability in the face of nature's whims. And yet, there is also a sense of resilience and adaptability that emerges from these experiences.

As I think about Iceland's recent volcanic activity and what it means for our connection with nature, we must learn to accept the unpredictability and appreciate the beauty it brings. We can treasure our past adventures and eagerly anticipate new ones, recognizing that every experience, whether calm or challenging, allows us to learn, explore, and connect with the world.

References 

Kathryn Armstrong & Ian Casey in London. (2024). State of emergency declared in Iceland after volcanic eruption. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-68237327 

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How Nature is Interpreted Through Jewish Culture

Hey everyone, for this week’s topic, since I’m Jewish, I decided I would talk about how Judaism relates to nature and interprets the environment.

There is an important concept in Judaism called bal tashchit (Hebrew: בל תשחית). This is the idea not to destroy or waste unnecessarily and refers anything natural or manmade that may still be useful in some capacity (Neril, 2024). This comes with a strong sentiment to only use natural resources as necessary, and make sure not to overexploit them (Neril, 2024). It also further applies to wasting food such as leftovers that get left in the fridge, or extra food left on a plate after getting full (Neril, 2024). The idea is that nothing should be wasted, and we should make sure to be mindful of how and why we use things, especially natural resources around us.

Environmental considerations can also be seen in many Jewish holidays and practices. The most obvious example of this is the holiday Tu Bishvat (Hebrew: ט״ו בִּשְׁבָט). Tu Bishvat is the name of a date in the Hebrew calendar which is considered the first day of spring in the land of Israel. The entire holiday is based around celebrating the plants native to Israel, and people normally celebrate by making sure to eat Israeli fruits and talking about the trees or plants of the region. This breeds a sense of appreciation for what we get from nature and celebrates the start of spring and the return of greenery. There is actually a common practice in Israel that every seven years all farming is stopped for a full year to give the land time to rest and recuperate from the strains of farming (My Jewish Learning, 2024). It is believed that environmental issues are actually symptomatic of moral degradation, and that we have an obligation to take care of the land around us (My Jewish Learning, 2024). Another holiday that celebrates nature is Sukkot (Hebrew: סכות). Part of this holiday involves taking four species native to Israel: lulav (palm frond; Hebrew: לולב‎), etrog (citron; Hebrew: אתרוג‎), hadass (myrtle; Hebrew: הדס‎), and aravah (willow; Hebrew: ערבה‎) and incorporating them as part of prayers during the holiday. These specific species are used to display and appreciate the natural beauty of the plants Jewish culture developed around. Jewish practices have many aspects emphasizing nature, and appreciation for the environment is vital to Jewish culture.

One way that Jewish environmentalism is currently expressed is through kibbutzim (Hebrew: קיבוצים). A kibbutz is a type of secular Jewish commune established in Israel that is traditionally based on agriculture. People living in kibbutzim tend to be very environmentally oriented, both because of their agricultural livelihood and because the people who choose to live in them are very left-leaning politically (they are choosing to live in a socialist or communist commune) which tends to accompany environmentalism. I stayed on a kibbutz with my partner’s family for a few days during a trip to Israel, and I had the chance to experience the way they interact with nature first-hand. The kibbutz itself was very green and covered in fruit trees and edible plants despite being in the middle of a desert. The people there also seemed to really appreciate interacting with nature. I was given a tour of the kibbutz, where at almost every spot they mentioned some aspect of the nature there with a ton of excitement. I also noticed that the family I was staying with did not even have a garbage can, since their only waste was either compostable or occasionally recycling, which they had a little blue bin for. Most of the food they ate was either grown there or bought from a local farm. They made sure to show me (very proudly) where they grew their fruits and veggies, where they kept their cows, and how they made their own bread. They also had me come out a choose what herbs I liked from their garden to make tea. There was an abundance of solar panels, and everyone seemed to walk or bike everywhere within the community. Every aspect of life there was extremely focused on being environmentally sustainable and with great appreciation for nature. After staying there for just a few days, I found myself significantly more appreciative of how feasible and enjoyable living sustainably feels. Overall, Jewish culture has a significant emphasis on appreciation for nature and this is generally expressed through environmental practices and celebrations of the nature in the land of Israel.

A famous waterfall I visited (Ein Gedi) in Israel near the kibbutz I stayed in.

Works Cited

Y. Neril (Feb. 6, 2024). Judaism and environmentalism: bal tashchit. Chabad.org https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1892179/jewish/Judaism-and-Environmentalism-Bal-Tashchit.htm

My Jewish Learning (Feb. 6, 2024). Jewish teachings on nature and the environment.  https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/traditional-jewish-teachings-on-nature-and-the-environment/

My Jewish Learning (Feb. 6, 2024). Jewish views on nature and the environment. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/nature-the-environment-101/

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Hi Jody,

I Found you post this week to be very insightful. I think it is very interesting that you feel connected to nature in a totally different way than I do. I tend to appreciate things primarily from an artistic or musical lens, and then physically, and least of all spiritually. It is quite cool to see that you have a totally different way of connecting to nature and it really highlights how unique each person’s relationship with environment can be. I think your description of spiritual connection is very compelling, and next time I am in a natural setting I will try to quantify how I care for my surroundings and what they mean to me. You mentioned that if someone is more connected to nature in one way, it tends to mean they are less connected in other ways. While I find this is true for myself currently, I think that improved any one of these connections would also deepen the others. For example, I find that if I go out and physically interact with cool plants or animals around me, it inspires me to want to create art and music about my physical connections. Similarly, if I make art about nature, it forces me to think deeper about my understanding of nature and my spiritual connection to it. I agree that many people tend to lean most on one form of connection to nature, but I think that all three are positively connected and can improve each other as you grow and learn. I really enjoyed your post this week, and I look forward to seeing what you have to say in the future.

Also, your dog is super cute.

Blog 4: The Natural Art of the World

Hey everyone! Welcome back, today we’re looking at nature in art and the beauty of nature. Enjoy the reading and the pictures!

Nature comes in many different forms; the physical which is the tree’s, plants, animals, water and the physical stuff you can touch, the spiritual which is what the physical things mean to you and how you care about them, and there’s an artistic form too which can range from pictures to paintings to dances to stories to songs, all of which are beautiful in their own way. Every person and thing on earth has a different level of connection through each of these forms of nature. This triangle of form connection acts in a way that if someone is more connected to nature in a physical way they are not as connected to nature spiritually or artistically. Most people are mixes of two of the three forms, but usually they lean more strongly to one of them. For me, when I am interpreting nature on a hike I am most connected with nature spiritually with physical, but my lowest form of connection is artistically. I’ve never really been one to sit down and listen to music or look at paintings of different things, however, I will gladly look at pictures of things people have found or seen out in nature. 

This is a picture I took on Flowerpot Island, Tobermory of a lone birch tree on the beach, and thought about how much this tree has been through with all the storms, waves, and ice that lash against it with no remorse but yet it still pushes through and stands strong.

People perceive nature’s beauty through their forms of connection. The textbook talks about the ‘gift of beauty’ and defines it as how it, “should promote the ability, and desire to sense the beauty in one’s surroundings to encourage  conservation/preservation and allow for a stronger spiritual connection” (Beck et al., 2018). I like to think of this as looking at nature through someone else’s views. 

This is a painting done by Mark Nadjiwan (https://www.threetreesart.com/) of dragonflies. I purchased this painting for my mom who's favourite animal is a dragonfly, but also because the story behind it is amazing. It talks about combining western science views with the views of the indigenous peoples. I highly recommend everyone to look at the paintings and read their stories.

There is an outstanding artist that lives in Lion’s Head, Ontario whom I have purchased a few things from because of the beautiful stories that go along with each of the creations. This artist is Mark Nadjiwan. He is an indigenous artist who creates simple but complex indigenous art. He has a website:https://www.threetreesart.com/ which his creations can be found on. Every single work of art he creates has a meaning behind it along with an indigenous story of what entity it is about and what it means to the indigenous. Through the use of these different stories it ties in the many spiritual beliefs from indigenous people in ways that never really would have been thought about unless you grew up learning the stories. I would frequent his stand he set up to read the many stories he had and to purchase the ones that had the biggest impacts on me and the way I see the world. By reading these stories it helped me think about the animals I see everyday in a different way and it gave me more appreciation for them, even the animals that we consider “pests”.

Going back to the idea of the connection forms of nature, sometimes nature can display itself artistically that any person cannot resist to appreciate. For example, sunsets/sunrises are a form of natural painting on the world's biggest canvas. How many people do you know, when walking or driving and you see a sunset/sunrise, that don’t stop and look at all of the different colours for even a second?

This is a picture of my most handsomest puppy (Ripley) with a stunning sunset behind.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed it! Please check in again next week for the next blog!

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Art and Nature Interpretation

When thinking about who I am in regards to interpretation of nature through art, I think of both what my skills and understandings of the field are, and what types of interpretation I personally enjoy. I enjoy viewing and creating art in general, but I especially like art that incorporates nature in some way. I have a moderate understanding the decision-making process in art and how people convey meaning through their works. Much of this understanding of art comes from my partner who is finishing up a studio art degree and is a very talented artist. They mostly create art that includes some sort of nature interpretation and often discuss the reasonings behind their process and decision making with me, which is where most of my knowledge comes from.

Untitled Generator 1, 2023 by my partner Maddy Cohen (@madsc_arts on Instagram)

I also think I have a good understanding of nature interpretation through music. I have enjoyed playing music for most of my life, and I really enjoy learning about songwriting and composition which allows me to understand how people use music to interpret whatever they are interested in conveying. Every small decision made, melody used, or style of production can give insight into what specific message an artist is trying to interpret. Especially more experienced or skilled artists can accurately translate their feelings or understanding of nature through their music in a way that is both easily consumed and understood while also implying deeper meanings. Most of my favorite music includes some sort of nature interpretation. For example, my favourite band Ween has an album based on their time living by the sea and how they interpret the feelings elicited by the coast and the ocean. I also create a lot of my own music, and regularly try translating my understanding of nature or feeling of connection to nature through music.

The Mollusk by Ween

One of my favorite forms of nature interpretation through art is the use of nature documentaries. I find that these give an intimate look into aspects of nature that I would probably never witness personally. Documentaries tend to provide really eye-catching and inspiring visuals, while also weaving together a narrative about what is being shown to deepen the ease of understanding and messaging conveyed in their work.

A picture I drew of how I envision nature on a strange planet

Well-made art is designed to convey some sort of feeling or message, and one really common form of this is interpreting beauty. I tend to think of beauty as a reflection of the appealing aspects of nature, and the things that I see as beautiful are generally heavily inspired by nature or are natural themselves. I definitely agree with the sentiment that interpretation should focus on translating the beauty of nature to an audience (Beck et al., 2018). Showing people how to perceive the beauty around them is a great way to provide people with the gift of beauty (Beck et al., 2018). For example, my partner is quite obsessed with finding cool mushrooms, and whenever we go hiking, they will constantly point out cool ones to me and tell me some interesting things about that mushroom. This has developed into me becoming quite fond of mushrooms too, and now whenever I walk outside, I am constantly noticing all the cool mushrooms around me and feeling excited to find them. Before meeting my partner, I had never really noticed or appreciated this aspect of nature’s beauty, but I now have a great appreciation for it. This shows how passion for a subject and an ability to interpret that to others can provide the gift of beauty to another person.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing

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Hey Grace, I find this post to be very insightful. I particularly liked your point that privilege can affect whether people are able to prioritize environmentalism. I think that this is an important way to understand why people may be more or less open to certain environmentally sustainable practices. Many people, especially in North America, have the privilege to choose to buy an electric vehicle, or eat certain environmentally sustainable foods, or use fewer disposable plastics, or make decisions about many other types of environmentally friendly actions. However, many of these actions are more expensive or not easily accessible to certain people. I think that finding ways to encourage environmentalism in widely accessible and financially beneficial ways could be a great way to encourage people to make environmentally friendly decisions in a way that also addresses some of their more pressing concerns.

I also like that you mentioned promoting more diverse perspectives about the environment in nature interpretation. In Canada especially, we have access to Indigenous knowledge about our local environments that has been cultivated over thousands of years, and yet I rarely see this information represented in nature interpretation practices. I think that leaning on a wider variety of sources for interpreting our environment would not only deepen our understanding, but also provide new and interesting perspectives that may capture more diverse audiences. This representation of ideas can also lead people to feel more inclined to both consume nature interpretation materials and contribute to the field. I think that many people are privileged to always see their viewpoints or ways of thinking represented in how we interpret nature, so they take inclusiveness for granted. However, a lack of representation for people may make them uninterested in nature interpretation or may discourage them from pursuing a career as an interpreter or contributing knowledge to the field.  Thankfully, there has recently been a bigger push to include a diversity of perspectives in most types of interpretation and people seem to be leaning away from using strictly scientific or Western sources of information.

03: Privilege in nature interpretation.

As a white female university student, the concept of privilege significantly shapes my approach to nature interpretation. Privilege, in this context, refers to unearned advantages or benefits that someone may have based on their social identity, such as race, gender, or socio-economic status. Understanding and acknowledging privilege is crucial in the field of nature interpretation, as it influences how people perceive and interact with the environment.

With environmental education, privilege can manifest in various ways that impact both the interpreter and the audience. Being a white individual, I recognize that I navigate natural spaces with a level of ease and comfort that others may not have. My skin color often shields me from racial profiling or discrimination when exploring outdoor areas. This realization has prompted me to reflect on how my experiences and perspectives may differ from those of individuals who face barriers to accessing and enjoying nature.

In the context of nature interpretation, privilege can affect the narratives we share and the perspectives we prioritize. For example, a lack of diversity in the field may lead to a narrow focus on experiences and viewpoints that align with the dominant culture. As a white female interpreter, I strive to be aware of this potential bias and help work towards inclusive storytelling that incorporates diverse voices and experiences. This could involve actively seeking out and promoting narratives that reflect more diverse human connections to the environment.

Privilege also plays a role in access to education and resources. As a university student, I have had the privilege of receiving a higher education that has deepened my understanding of environmental issues. However, I recognize that not everyone has the same opportunities. This awareness influences my approach to nature interpretation. I think it is important that we try to make environmental education more accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic background. 

Lastly, privilege can also impact the way messages about environmental conservation are received. Recognizing that some individuals may face more immediate concerns, such as economic instability or social injustice, can help frame environmental issues in a way that resonates with wider and more diverse audiences. That would require acknowledging that not everyone has the luxury of prioritizing environmental sustainability when basic needs aren’t met.

Overall, privilege shapes how I interpret and communicate about nature. It highlights the need for self-reflection, and the need for work to dismantle barriers for many people who don’t have those privileges.

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Privilege in Nature Interpretation

Most aspects of life are affected by privilege to some extent, and nature interpretation is no exception. I view privilege as things that increases the chance of success for an individual that are outside of or not fully determined by personal influence. Examples of this include birthplace, socioeconomic status, physical traits, and upbringing.

Privilege can affect who is likely to attend nature interpretation programs. For example, where someone was born or currently lives can make it more difficult to attend certain interpretation programs. Someone who lives downtown in a major city may have to travel much further to get to a national park, or someone who lives in a very small town may not have access to public transportation to get them to a program they are interested in. Another factor that affects who can attend is disability. People with disabilities may be unable to access trails or attend long walks. Additionally, disabilities may discourage people from wanting to attend if they do not think information will be taught in an accessible way for them. For example, people with hearing impairments may be discouraged by a lack of text (Beck et al, 2018). One other factor that could influence who is likely to attend a nature interpretation session is personal upbringing. Different people will feel different connections to nature based on how they were raised, and some people may not think of nature interpretation as a fun activity if they were not exposed to it as a child. For example, my parents took me and my siblings hiking very frequently as a kid, and they used to rent out cottages occasionally for part of the summer. This gave me access to explore nature with my family and form very positive experiences in nature as a child, which has influenced my attitude towards nature as an adult. Because of this, I would feel very excited to find a cool nature interpretation opportunity to attend, however some people may not seek that out or may not be interested in it even if they are aware it is happening.

Me as a kid thoroughly enjoying some smores outside.

Privilege can also influence how nature interpretation is delivered. For example, some people may have an easier time getting a nature interpretation job based on a variety of privileges such as where they grew up and what level of education they or their family could afford. Another way nature interpretation could be influenced is from the diversity of sources for nature interpretation material. Certain people may be more likely to get positions as researchers or want to pursue certain subjects. Often, people who know English are more publicized than people doing research in other languages, which can translate to what information is used for interpretation (Hooykaas, 2024). Overall, privilege ha many ways that it influences nature interpretation, and being aware of this can lead to more accessible and effective interpretation.

Works Cited

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

Hooykaas, A. (2024) Unit 3: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation ENVS*3000. University of Guelph.

[dsenvs3000w24]

Hey Tamara, what a great post! I also find it much easier to learn things in depth than just get a few shallow facts and I think that is an excellent way to engage people in your environmental interpretation. I also love the idea of walking around with a guide and learning about what plants I could eat and how I could prepare them. This is something that personally interests me, and I really enjoy foraging wild plants or mushrooms and trying wild fruits when I hike. These also tend to be very memorable experiences, and I think people would feel a lasting impact from your interpretive style. Using raw plants specifically is also a great idea because it would let people experience new things while immersed in nature, which feels much more special than going home and cooking with a new ingredient. I had a great experience like this in the Negev desert in Israel once, when I found wild sage and made tea with it while snacking on some saltbush as I sat in the desert and admired the view. This experience really made me appreciate my surroundings because I felt personally connected to the land after directly benefiting from it in the form of food. It also made the tea taste way more delicious because it felt more rewarding to find the sage on my own and brew the tea in the same area it grew. I also like that you mention including a creative component to your interpretation. I think that would be a great way to keep people engaged in the material and let them learn in a hands-on way. I really enjoyed reading your post and I hope you are successful in instilling people with a sense of appreciation for the plants around them.

2: Environmental Interpreter

My ideal role of environmental interpreter would be plant identification and their uses. I find that for me personally, I learn and absorb information better if it’s more than just a basic fact. I find I appreciate things more when I know more about them, not just that they exist. For the role of environmental interpreter, I think that people would retain what they’re learning more if they can take the knowledge outside of program. For example, I would love to educate people on edible plants, and potentially do some kind of cooking aspect, which would hopefully engage the audience and increase their learning.

This direction would involve me presenting different edible plants that are commonly found in the area, and ways that they can be used in everyday life. With this portion, I would love to do plants that can be consumed raw, so that they can immediately try the plant and see what they think. I would also like to feature plants that are good to cook with, like common sage, which has digestive properties that pair it perfectly with turkey (which is a little heavy on the stomach). So ideally, an indoor component would be required, where as a group, we could apply what we’ve learned together, but there would also be a creative aspect, because they could choose what direction they want to go in!

Hibiscus can be used for so many things, the most obvious is drying out the flowers to make a tea!

This role would require strong identification skills, obviously, engaging communication skills to make the learning fun, and the actual cooking ability to help people if they want help in choosing their cooking direction. Finally, I would need a deep appreciation for the plants in our environment, because if I’m not passionate about what I’m teaching, then there’s no way other people would get passionate.

[dsenvs3000w24]

My ideal Environmental Interpreter Job

My ideal role of environmental interpreter is teaching a course about how to connect to nature through music and art. This would involve me teaching people cool aspects of nature and showing them how to express what they are interested in through their preferred medium. Ideally, this would be mostly music based, since I have much more experience in music than art, but I enjoy talking about, learning, and creating both. I would help guide people on how the decision-making process and formation of their art or music can be inspired by aspects of nature. I would also help people with the technical aspects of translating their ideas into physical works, and how to create things in a way that conveys their ideas well. The nature interpretations aspect could involve walking through natural areas and explaining to people what is happening around them or why some things look or act the way they do. This could also be done indoors through visual aids or physical examples of organisms. These explanations would be geared towards providing people with an understanding of their place in the environment around them and how aspects of the environment interact with them. This could include things like what local forgeable plants or mushrooms are and how to identify them, interesting scientific explanations of local flora and fauna, or what ecosystem services are provided by this environment. I could also show people examples of nature interpretation or connections to nature conveyed through art and music to help inspire them and give them ideas for their own works.

A picture I drew inspired by how cool and otherworldly I think the ocean looks.

This class would take place in and nearby a local forest or other natural area such as the Arboretum, Hanlon Creek, or Speed River. It would likely require an indoor space for parts of the music and art creation, but a lot of the work could be done outdoors as well. Some of the interpretation would also probably be indoors, especially during rain or other weather that may discourage people from attending an outdoor class and damage the art or music tools.

A song I made inspired by my enjoyment of walking around looking for mushrooms

To successfully run this course, I would need a variety of personal and professional skills. I would need strong interpersonal skills to interact positively with people and help them in a meaningful way that does not make them feel inadequate or attacked in any way. I would also need leadership skills to run the course and maintain the respect of the people I am teaching. For professional skills I would need scientific skills, music and art experience, and general workplace skills. The scientific skills I would need include the ability to research and understand the environment and the ability to simplify that knowledge and convey it in an easily accessible format. The music experience would include songwriting, recording and producing music, and instrumental skills. The art experience would include drawing, painting, other unconventional art media, and composition. I would also need general skills such as the ability to present information well, organizational skills, and a strong sense of initiative.