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Hey Brooklyn! 

Great final post this week to finish off this class and the final semester of your undergraduate degree (congrats by the way)!! I loved how you thought about what you would want from a nature walk and the feelings you should have, then turned them into how you would want your audience to feel as you are working as their nature interpreter. 

When starting off this class, I was honestly a little intimidated by our classmates. Everyone seems very into nature and the communication side of science. I am not that type, but as time went by I got more comfortable. I never thought of it this way, but nature truly is one of the only places left on earth that you can go and do not have to fear being judged. There’s no racism, no sexism, no one cares about how your dressed or how nerdy you really are. It’s just you and nature. 

The Finale

Nature is universal. She hoists no flag of hatred. The supreme triumph of parks is humanity. …Sometime it may be that an immortal pine will be the flag of a united and peaceful world. -Enos Mills.

I feel that this quote from The Gifts of Interpretation ties into this week’s blog prompt nicely. This blog being the last one of the semester, brings a feeling of finality which I also feel in this quote. “Nature is universal.” As I develop as an interpreter, I would want that idea to be a primary factor when people think of interpretive programs. Just like we learned that the Nature is for everyone even if a person doesn’t consider themselves the ‘out-doorsy’ type. What makes a good interpretive experience in my opinion is making sure the audience can enjoy the time they spend learning something new about nature. So, when the audience will be people who would like to know more about nature but without the swarms of bugs or mud, then planning a walk through a well maintained park or city green space would be more appealing and likely bring more enjoyment to the audience. Through the lectures and lab sections of this course I was able to determine that part of my personal ethic is making sure that audience is comfortable with the type of nature that they will be in. It’s easy to mentally check out during an activity if the whole thing is planned around something that brings you discomfort.

A photo I took while walking through the Arboretum.

“She hoists no flag of hatred.” Nature is a space where you can feel at peace and unjudged. I believe that it would be my responsibility as an interpreter to offer that place where people can enjoy nature in their own way without feeling out of place. This course in particular felt like we were able to be the nature nerds that we all are and express how we see the world through these blogs. From the responses to other posts it is clear that everyone in the class accepts the other students and wants to actively engage in discussions about topics that they are excited about. I think it is really important for people to know that there is a place where other nerds can get together and discuses their interests and learn new things that other people are excited to tell you about. Part of my personal ethics would be to encourage that idea of acceptance and foster an environment where everyone feels unjudged and can enthusiastically talk about their passion without worrying that others might find their interests in nature weird.

Another photo from the Arboretum.

“Sometime it may be that an immortal pine will be the flag of a united and peaceful world.” My personal ethics and what beliefs I bring forward as an interpreter is that no matter the differences between people, everyone can be brought together through the nature. There are so many aspects of nature to enjoy that there will always be something for everyone, even if they don’t exactly like the dirtier side of nature. It can be a place to bring people together and it has already shown to be doing that. Wit people becoming more environmentally conscious there are more environmental clean ups happening or tree planting endeavors. These events bring like minded people together and also reaches out members of the public who might want to be involved but don’t yet know how.

Inclusivity, unjudging, community, hard working, inviting. As an interpreter, these are some of the ethics and beliefs that I would bring forward. These are things that I would want to experience as someone who is interested in getting more involved in interpretive walks, tours, or learning about nature in general. It is difficult to put yourself out there and gain new experiences in something you don’t know, so for an interpreter to put forward a sense of inclusivity and acceptance regardless of prior knowledge in the field, it would make becoming involved easier. These approaches are what would draw me to any sort of program, so that is the kind of atmosphere that I would want to make for others so that can feel the same sense of ease and peace when starting something new.

The trails behind my home town in the winter.

As this semester comes to an end and I realize this is my last ever semester as an undergraduate student I get to think about all of the experiences that have led me here. Every lecture, lab, and project, I feel that I have gotten important information about science and the environment and I’ve become more and more invested in the topic. And because I am so excited about science, I tend to want to tell anyone who will listen about it. Since taking this class I feel that I have gained so much knowledge about how to do that without overwhelming someone with the technical side of it. Through the readings of the fifteen gifts of interpretation I am more aware of how to get someone engaged with new information and to offer the same spark that I have to someone else. I’m happy that this class was one of the courses I decided to take in my last semester as it has given me knowledge and experiences that I can use as I move forward in life and in my career.

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I think it is amazing that you have grown up in a family that appreciates the land and the resources it provides for you. I have always wanted a wood stove in my house and have made it a personal goal of mine to have one when I am older. Not only does this help you realize all the amazing things the land provides for us, but it also teaches you hard work, as you have to cut wood throughout the year to prepare to make it through the cold months.

Throughout my childhood I witnessed development taking over my hometown and the GTA expanding to my area, unfortunately. My backyard used to be a giant field with a forest on the other side that I often explored. This is no longer how it is. My backyard is now a subdivision with million-dollar homes in it, blocking my access to the forest in which I used to play in. I honestly believe that when they developed this land my relationship with nature took a hit and I no longer had a place to connect with the outdoors.

From reading your blog post and reflecting on mine, it seems we have taken similar tools and “gifts” away from this course. I also believe that an interpreter with passion is far better to listen to than someone who is obviously just there because it’s a job and that is what they are tasked to do. Passion makes it 100x easier to listen and become involved with the information you are receiving. Good luck on all of your future nature interpretation experiences. 

The End of the Beginning

     Throughout the semester, I have had the chance to sit down and truly dive into my own development as a nature interpreter. It has made me question what I know and forced me to look at what I believe in. After all, is that not the point of interpretation? Taking what you know and believe and sharing it with others. 

     Beck and Cable (2011) insist that “Visitors are more likely to listen to someone who brims with enthusiasm, who is passionate about the place, and who is fired up about his or her work.” I agree whole-heartedly with this assertion. Who wants to sit and listen to someone talk about something they don’t really care about? On the other hand, an interpreter who can actually convey the true passion they have for a topic through their programs makes you wonder what makes it so special. It engages an audience to learn more and, in the end, it may be contagious. My ultimate goal as an interpreter would be for people to leave just a little more passionate about a topic. If everyone was at least a little bit passionate, then it would contribute to a grander appreciation and respect for Nature as a whole. 

     The passion I hold for the environment stems heavily from my own beliefs. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, my upbringing has had a heavy influence on my love for nature. I had the privilege of growing up in a household that highly values nature and the services it provides for us. We derive food directly from the forest and rely on the products of these ecosystems to heat our homes. This lifeline between my family and the environment instilled in me heavy respect for nature at a very young age. Natural ecosystems provide so many indirect and direct services that benefit the well-being of humans. I witness this first hand due to my upbringing, but I feel that a disconnect has developed between people and the environment in modern times, especially in increasingly developed areas. Some of our backyards may no longer be lush forests or sparkling rivers, but it’s essential we remember the benefits a FULLY functioning natural environment provides. I believe that no matter where you grew up and how much exposure you had to the environment it’s never too late to learn about the environment and be an advocate for its conservation. 

“Ecosystem services word concepts banner“ - Retrieved from Colourbox

     To me, nature is also something much more than a physical necessity for survival. Countless studies have found that nature has a positive impact on our mental health and helps to uplift our spirits. Within minutes of exposure to nature, we can have a significant reduction in stress hormones (Huynh et al., 2013). I got to experience this just last weekend. Despite a busy workload, I had a chance to travel home to Kawartha Lakes to go hunting with my Dad. On Saturday I spend over 5 hours sitting in a tree stand in -17°C weather. In spite of the cold, I came out of the day refreshed, less anxious and overall less stressed. Sitting immersed in the forest, simply watching the world exist around me was like a reset button. I felt one with nature and I wish everyone could experience being able to simply enjoy the beauties of nature and the benefits it brings. 

These two photos were taken exactly 8 hours apart from the same tree stand on Nov 17. There is something special about watching the sun first peak over the tree tips AND watch as it makes its final flash before disappearing beneath the horizon - Photos taken by me

     As time has gone by, I find my own personal ethics and beliefs have bled into how I conduct myself as a nature interpreter. I feel I have a responsibility to share my knowledge and passion with others. Interpretation is much more than just laying out the facts for people. The National Association for Interpretation defines interpretation as “a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the inherent meanings in the resource” (Beck and Cable, 2011). What better way to cultivate these connections than weaving together a story?

“Stories entertain us. They create community. They help us to see through the eyes of other people. They show us the consequences of our actions.

They educate our desires […] And stories acknowledge the wonder and mystery of Creation.”

Scott R. Sanders’ summary of the power of stories (Beck and Cable, 2011)

     Creating a story that not only shows the beauty of nature but informs people of the risks and issues can create an entertaining environment to enhance learning. I found that enjoying an experience and positive association with a program helps to increase the retention of information. I found this especially true in our labs. I enjoyed the improv lab, and I can look back on it and remember the games we played. Therefore, I am able to look back on the hidden lessons that were embedded in the material, such as the importance of focusing on prominent features that define a landscape in our ecosystem guessing game. 

“Share your story It is written wooden letters“ - Retrieved from Colourbox

     The question to consider now is how do I approach my self-identified responsibilities? How do I share my passion as an interpreter? As I look back on this semester, I feel I have been able to cultivate skills that will bridge the gap between an audience and myself. The most valuable approach I have taken away from this course is the ability to adapt interpretation to suit a message and/or target audience. Not every audience and topic should be dealt with the same way. Being able to think on my feet and come up with solutions and new approaches to interpretation on the fly are valuable skills when working in very unpredictable conditions. And the one thing I think everyone can agree on is the fact that nature is a dynamic landscape. Every day can bring new challenges. It was great to practice these skills, such as in the improve lab or our Arboretum guided walk. It’s also important to adapt to the times and the methods to best reach an audience. In this course, I have learned first-hand how to interpret several mediums. Our blogs and podcasts have opened my mind to new ways to deliver a message to an audience, and I look forward to further developing this in how I conduct my own social media. 

“ People media connections abstract scheme” - Retrieved from Colourbox

     In the end, I am walking away from this course with more skills and knowledge than I entered with.  Every person has their own “invisible knapsack” (McIntosh, 1989), and as I leave, I realize that I suddenly have more tools in mine. What I carry in my own knapsack will continue to help guide me in my growth as an interpreter.  

References:

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

Huynh, Q., Craig, W., Janssen, I. and Pickett, W. (2013). Exposure to public natural space as a protective factor for emotional well-being among young people in Canada. BMC Public Health, 13(1).

McIntosh, P. (1989, July/August). White privilege: Unpacking the invisible knapsack. Peace and Freedom, 10-12.

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Don’t worry, be happy.

Some may say that this course is a “bird course” but for me, it definitely was not. I was told by a student who graduated a couple years to take this class because it was easy and he loved it. Of course it was easy for him though, he is the most outgoing person I have ever met. But for a very introverted and science-based person, this course turned out to be one of the hardest ones I have taken in my undergrad degree thus far. I struggled for many weeks, going back and forth between whether I was going to drop this course or not. I even made an appointment with the program councillor and looked into overloading for a semester because I was very serious about dropping Nature Interpretation. But I am no quitter, so here I am, finishing off this course. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the lectures and going to the labs, but the assignments were way more difficult for me that they should have been. This class has taught me so much about myself and the type of learner that I am.

One thing that I will carry with me from this course is the idea of privilege and the invisible backpack. We cannot deny that some of us were born with a head start in life because of the things we were provided with and had no choice over. When meeting someone new, you have no idea what their history is and how it has shaped them into the person that they are today. Something that really hit home for me was that not everyone has the privilege to participate in nature walks, or go on hikes, or go back country camping where you have multiple portages on the way to your campsite. Life is unfair, and I would love for EVERYONE to be able to have these experiences. Something that I mentioned in my previous blog post about privilege was that the Northumberland County Forest, a place where I typically go hiking when I am home in Cobourg, has a trail that is wheelchair accessible and has benches to take a rest on throughout the trail if you need them. I think this is a great start to allowing a population that wouldn’t normally be able to go out and enjoy nature, to do so. We still have a long way to go and I hope to see many advancements in this area in the future.

All aspects of nature interpretation are important, but from the lessons we have learnt throughout the course in lecture and from the textbook readings, I have come up with some aspects of nature interpretation that I think are some of the most important to me. The first is the gift of passion. If you are passionate about your topic, you can get anyone to listen to what you’re saying, whether they’re interested in the topic or not.

“Passion plays a role in influencing visitors. It gives the interpreter a certain charm and credibility. Visitors are more likely to listen to someone who brims with enthusiasm, who is passionate about the place, and who is fired up about his or her work.” (Beck and Cable, 2011)

The second aspect of nature interpretation that I view as being important is the gift of targeted programs. No information should be left out of the presentations, but the way in which it is presented should be different for different age groups. Explaining a topic to children the same way you would to an adult would be too complex for them to understand, so changing it slightly will have a much greater effect.

The third aspect, and one that really stuck with me from our historical tour of downtown Guelph, is the gift of personalizing the past. Learning from our mistakes is something that we are taught from a young age and plays a huge role in how we develop as humans. Some parts of our history are ugly and scary, but we cannot just forget about them and pretend like it never happened. We need to share these past mistakes so future generations can create a world that is better than both the past and the present ones. Our future depends on the younger generations and it is our duty to handle our earth with care.

Although I will most likely never get a job as a nature interpreter, I am glad that I took this course. I now have a much greater appreciation for everyone that works in this field and is able to present material in a way that gets people of all ages excited to learn. Watching my classmates excel and love what they’re learning has been wonderful.

“It’s time to marvel and rejoice amidst the wonders of our cultural and natural diversity. Concurrently, it’s time to share those wonders with others in such a way that we ignite a spark in each of them, a spark that may one day save the world.” (Beck and Cable, 2011)

I leave you with this quote as this semester and this class comes to an end. I am sure many of us will have classes together in our remaining time here at the University of Guelph, but always remember to be happy and love what you’re doing. Don’t settle for a job that makes you unhappy because it pays well. There should be no trade-offs when it comes to your happiness. Now go and be the one to ignite the spark for others. 

Photo taken from Colourbox.

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Great post, Holly!

I too was disappointed that we wouldn’t be walking along the trails during this lab, but when Chris explained that the wind increased the chances of falling branches which could potentially injure someone, I quickly realized that this was the best decision. I thought that this related to our lecture on risk assessment really well and showed our class how it is applied in the world of nature interpretation.

The game that Chris created amazed me with the fact that it works for EVERY age group and as you said, gives the gift of targeted programs. I am definitely someone who doesn’t like to be put on the spot or pushed out of my comfort zone, but I actually really enjoyed this game and it got me engaged in a conversation with a classmate I had never spoken to before. Chris’s game is very effective for every age group and will continue to be for the rest of his career.

This lab showed us how the concepts we have learned in lecture throughout the semester can actually be applied to nature interpretation. Chris had a walk all planned out for us but had to change it last minute due to the less than ideal weather conditions. The game that he made for all ages and shared with us probably encouraged others to think of how they could create a similar game for their nature interpretive jobs and experiences.

I agree on the fact that I would have liked the gift of passion to be expanded on more. Chris has so much history in the profession of nature interpretation and I would have liked to hear stories of his successes in teaching students, but also success stories of nature walks he has led than he may have had to improvise. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Holly!

Katrina

Debriefing the Gifts from the Arboretum!

          Throughout this course, we have been exposed to a variety of interpreters that each have their unique approaches for sharing the information they are passionate about. In terms of the lab activity that I connected the most with, it would be the walk in the arboretum that we did with Chris Early. Throughout this lab period we experienced a variety of interpretive hurdles that include, cold and wet weather along with high winds that limited us going into the forest. Chris demonstrated the unique teaching or adaptive skills that he has. When we were limited to the open areas due to the winds, I felt a little disappointed that we were not going to be able to experience a more traditional “interpretive guided walk”. However, Chris was able to use this limitation and change the perspective to create an advantageous learning opportunity. He introduced us to a bird calling game, where participants learnt some common bird songs and eventually had to find their mate using only their hearing.  

          After reflecting upon that lab, I realize that the disappointment I originally felt (feeling like we missed out on a traditional “interpretive walk”) is no longer my feeling about the entire lab period. I feel now that we were able to experience a truer representation of how interpretive programs never go as planned. Throughout this course along with the textbook, the idea of adaptability has always come up. However, it was not until this lab and the demonstration that Chris Early gave us, that I truly appreciated the ability of one to think quickly on their feet and adapt to changing conditions.  

          I noticed throughout this lab that the main point of the walk was not to demonstrate a perfect interpretive walk. It was to show a variety of teaching techniques and how to take a less than ideal situation (such as the weather) and change the program to fulfill the program outline. I feel that I learnt a valuable lesson surrounding the importance of being prepared for your program. This preparedness is not only in creating a plan (or guide), but in knowing the information that you would like to present in enough depth to be able to adapt to the changing conditions that could restrict your program.  

          Overall, this arboretum walk with Chris Early demonstrated a variety of tools and techniques along with characteristics that each interpreter could benefit from having. I learnt that there is no perfect interpretive walk, and the true beauty in connecting people with nature is in the mutual experiences that occur when in nature. I will try to incorporate the lessons that I learnt in this activity within my own nature interpretation walks for work and when sharing my passion for the environment with friends and family.  

          In terms of the “gifts” that were referred to in the textbook, this experience provided me with quite a few. In particular, the gift of targeted programs was demonstrated through the ability of Chris to share his bird calling game to us and to his usual audience of younger children.  Chris explained that when it is used with younger groups, it is an opportunity for children to connect the sounds they hear frequently outside to the reason that birds call (these being for reproductive reasons or even for warning calls). Thus, he was able to express the importance of the game to us (as university students) being less on the information that we receive and more on pushing us out of our comfort zones. Then, for children it is less for pushing them out of their comfort zone (kids are more willing to participate in activities) and more for connecting the sounds they hear in nature to an experience every time they will hear those bird calls again.  

          The second gift demonstrated in this lab period was the gift of passion. It was evident throughout this lab period that Chris has a passion for sharing his knowledge and experience of the outdoors. As mentioned in the textbook, this passion is something that makes for a very effective interpreter. Which, I believe his effective interpretation resulting from his gift of passion translated very well into the interpretive walk that we received in the arboretum. It was especially demonstrated when we participated in the impromptu short interpretation of an object that we found nearby. Chris gave constructive criticism along with being encouraging towards every person who presented.  

          The third gift that was demonstrated clearly was the gift of spark. This gift to me is essentially the ability of the interpreter to provide a spark of interest or curiosity within the program participant. While this gift may have been a little bit easier to give to this group of participants (since we all signed up for the nature interpretation class), I think that he provided valuable information on the reality of being an interpreter while inspiring others to pursue this rewarding career pathway.  

          To conclude, I feel like the gift presented in this lab that could have benefitted with some development would be the gift of passion. While it was evident that Chris is very passionate towards his career in nature interpretation, I felt like it would have added to the lab period to hear some more personal experiences that Chris has had. While it was difficult to be excited to share knowledge in the cold and wet weather and get others to be excited to learn, I feel that Chris did a great job at being encouraging. Like I mentioned, I think this gift could have been developed further throughout the activity by having Chris share more personal experiences with watching other nature interpreters he has mentored develop. This could have added another layer of understanding and passion within us as newer developing interpreters to learn from the mistakes or successes that Chris has experienced as a mentor with other developing interpreters.

I wonder, did anyone else feel like they could have benefitted from hearing about other interpreters development stories?

References

“The Gifts of Interpretation” by Larry Beck and Ted T. Cable. 3rd Edition, Copyright 2011.

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Hey Eryn!

Like you and most of our classmates, I too watched and loved the TV show Zoboomafoo as a kid. Honestly, I don’t remember watching too much TV when I was younger, but this is one show the definitely sticks out in my mind.

I have never heard of the show Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures, but from what you have said in your post, it would be a show that I would love to watch. In grade 12 I took a philosophy class and wrote my final paper on if zoos are ethically acceptable. This is such a touchy subject and can be looked at from so many different perspectives. I have always had an interest in conservation biology, but this semester I have realized my true passion for it. I am taking Climate Change Biology (ENVS 3010) currently and I can honestly say this might be one of my favourite courses that I have taken so far. If you haven’t taken it yet, I highly recommended it as from what I can tell, you would probably find it very interesting. Just to warn you though, the topics can be very sad and our future can be frightening to think about in terms of where our climate is potentially headed.  

The last TV show is also one I have never heard of but it sounds very interesting to me! Thank you for introducing them to me…I know what I’m going to be binge watching over Christmas break. Great post!

Katrina

Scientific Heroes: Thank you for making some animals less lame (to a kid)

Growing up, I only had access to three cable television channels geared towards kids. Three. That was it. Kind of hard to fathom considering the sheer number of things available to watch nowadays. Anyways, getting to the point, one of those channels was PBS Kids. I’ve been an animal lover for as long as I can remember, so when a nature show popped on, it normally didn’t take much effort to convince me to watch it. However, I was also the kid who really only loved cute animals, so if they didn’t feature something cute looking, you can bet that I was less than excited to watch.  The only exception to that was if the other two channels had something I’d be even less enthusiastic to tune into. So, despite not always liking what specific animal they might have been talking about, the following “scientific heroes” at least helped me to learn something cool about all the fascinating creatures of Earth.

First, I’ll start with one I’m sure so many people have also grown up watching, which was Zoboomafoo! This television program featured the Kratt Brothers, as well as a Coquerel’s sifaka lemur dubbed Zoboomafoo (whose real name was actually Jovian, sorry to disappoint all the long-term fans). Every episode of this show had some sort of theme related to animals, whether that be baby animals, frightening animals or the importance of play in animal species. As well, there was always a “mystery animal” in each episode, where the brothers would list off some different and interesting facts about the animal. The enthusiasm that the brothers showed while talking about these creatures also helped me to become interested in them as well, even if as a child I didn’t classify them as cute.

The second is a lesser-know, but it was definitely something I looked forward to watching on the weekends: Jack Hanna’s Animal Adventures! This television program was a nature documentary series hosted by Jack Hanna, an American zookeeper. Through this series, I was able to learn so much about not only so many different types of animals, but I also got to see a behind the scenes look at what happened at zoos. This show in particular sparked my interest to visit a zoo when I was younger and to understand the benefits as well as the downsides to them. Jack is also a very big advocate for supporting wildlife conservation, so this might have subconsciously been where I got the idea for my major!

Image 1 (above): Jack Hanna and a cute snow leopard! Image from https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/jack-hanna-returns-to-seaworld-orlando-for-wild-weekend/

This last example is actually one that I discovered in later years but is still one that I watch to this day: Hope for Wildlife! Hope for Wildlife’s TV series documents the efforts by Hope Swinimer to rescue, rehabilitate, and return to the wild thousands of injured and orphaned wild animals every year. Hope has an absolute passion for helping every single animal she can and won’t stop trying to help an animal until she has tried every possible thing she can. I admire her strength and her will to keep persevering, even in the face of some pretty heartbreaking obstacles. Someday I’d love to visit her and see the work that she does in person.

Image 2 (above): Hope and Gretel the Pine Martin! Gretel is one of the ambassador animals at Hope for Wildlife (and my favourite!), which means that when she was rescued, she couldn’t be released back into the wild. Now she helps to teach people about the Pine Martin! Image from https://myhero.com/hfwa_mdss_ca_2011_ul

All of the science heroes I mentioned above all have two things in common: a passion for their jobs and enthusiasm to teach the people around them about wildlife, which I admire as I don’t think I could ever address as large of a crowd as they have. However, if I could influence and teach even 0.5% of their audience about wildlife over my lifetime, I’d be overjoyed to do so.

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Hey Isabelle!

I will admit, before reading your post I did not know much about the different species of turtles we have here in Ontario. The only species that I knew about were snapping turtles and painted turtles. I’m not sure if you have seen this meme, but there was one going around with a turtle ‘tickling’ the other turtles face and its funny now to know that he is trying to seduce her! I know these aren’t painted turtles, but below I attached a video similar to the meme I have been seeing!  

I came into close contact with a snapping turtle for the first time this summer and oh boy, I would not want to have any part of my body within their snapping range! The turtle I came across was laying her eggs along the side of the road one morning, then trying to cross. There were multiple other people that stopped to help, and it was nice to see how many people cared for their safety!

I think it’s amazing that all of the photos are your own and everything you have written is prior knowledge! I hope to find a topic in the future for me that I can learn so much about and have this experience with. Thanks for sharing all of your fun facts about turtles!

Katrina

Turtles! Look closer, they’re weird as shell

Turtles. Wow! They’re one of the first creatures you learn about. They are hugely represented in the media and in stories. Every 4-year-old that you could find to ask would know what a turtle is.

But beyond the look of them and some species names, most people don’t know much else about turtles. We have 8 species of turtles here in Ontario. There are so many facts and so little time (word count) so I will only mention details on a few. I hope you find their weird facts fascinating and get excited about turtles!

1.       Painted Turtle

In Ontario, we have the Midland and the Western Painted Turtle. If you’ve seen any around here, it’s the Midland (as in the photo). The Western lives up above Lake Superior.

The males of these species are smaller than the females and grow long claws that they use to seduce the females by tickling their face. It’s actually the cutest dance move EVER.

2.       Snapping Turtle

Snapping turtles are often misunderstood because they look like they came straight out of the Triassic Period… and because they like to SNAP. They evolved this mechanism to protect themselves because their plastron (the bottom part of their shell) is very small and looks kind of like a bikini. With so many squishy parts exposed, it would be dangerous if a predator flipped them over, so they chomp.

Kind of ironically, the common snapping turtle cannot bite downwards over its tummy, though it can reach 2/3 of the way over its back shell (carapace)!

Also, their eggs are perfect spheres like tiny ping pong balls. Weird.

3.       Stink-Pot

These are more formally known as Musk Turtles. They’re tiny and they love to hide. They also bite and can bit downwards unlike snapping turtles. They’re not the only turtle that releases a musk, but they’re the only one that got named after it.

4.       Spotted Turtle

Spotted turtles are so precious because they have tiny yellow polka dots. When they are young, they have a single yellow polka dot on each skute (lines on the shells), and as they grow older, they grow more spots!

They have been poached extensively for the pet trade. Along with people building things on wetlands, this has caused them to be an endangered species. 

5.       Blanding’s Turtle

Blanding’s turtles have very high up domed shells and a yellow bottom chin and tummy. Their carapaces (top shells) look like army helmets. The males have a black stripe over their upper lip, which look exactly like a fancy mustache.

Other 3: Wood Turtle, Map Turtle, Spiny Softshell.

Before I go, things you must know:

a.       Turtles breathe through their butts… When they hibernate at the bottom of a water bodies, their body systems slow down. They need minimal oxygen, and so these molecules are taken in through their anus.

b.       They have their shoulder blades inside their rib cage… Weird! There are many theories about how and when this evolved. And where exactly did turtles evolve from? That’s the question.

**All photos are my own.

References: I made sure to just use prior knowledge so I didn’t have to write a reference list 😉

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Hey Kate! 

I have always listened to nature and appreciated the sounds that surround me, but I never thought of it as music until receiving this prompt, writing my own blog post, and reading my classmates posts. To answer your question, I have two favourite sounds in nature and those are the sounds of rain on a tin roof and the sound of thunder. Ever since I can remember, whenever there was a thunderstorm my dad and I would sit on the porch to watch the lightning and listen to the thunder until the storm had passed. Even though I am living in Guelph for 8/12 months of the year, I still stop what I am doing to watch when a storm rolls in.

Nature is the most consistent musician, as anytime you go out, I am sure, if you listen really hard, you can hear a song. I love that you related evolution and adaptation to a composer perfecting their song. Nature is naturally selecting for the best sounds until everything fits together perfectly. I also really enjoyed that you started out with Beethoven’s Symphony number 6 and brought it all the way to today with one of my favourite artists, Kacey Musgraves.

Overall this was a great post and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it!! 

Katrina

the hills are alive with the sound of music

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds

That rise from the lake to the trees

My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies

From a church on a breeze

To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls over

Stones on its way

To sing through the night like a lark who is learning to pray

-From “The Hills are Alive” from the musical “The Sound of Music” (1965)

The song goes: “the hills are alive with the sound of music” and that most certainly rings true. Life all around us is singing, and it’s up to us to decide whether we hear it or not. The sound of rain on a canopy of trees, crickets chirping late at night, the buzz of a bee whizzing by my ear, frogs and toads croaking, baby birds learning their songs, it’s hard not to find music in nature.

I’m not very musically inclined, I did piano lessons growing up but quit because I hated practicing (and my parents weren’t big on making me practice!). This summer however, I bought a ukulele at a small music store in the French city where I was living. I’ve tried to be consistent in practicing, but life always gets in the way. I only know 3 or 4 chords, but I can do a couple basic songs thanks to YouTube tutorials.

The best musicians are consistent in their practice, rehearsing until they get it just right. Nature is the most consistent musician in my opinion. Barring any irregularities (mutations, etc.), nature consistently exhibits the same patterns, like a composer repeating the same bars of a song hundreds of times before they get it just right. We could even stretch this analogy and say that when nature suddenly changes, it’s the composer rewriting that bit of the song, so it flows better. For example, take evolution and adaptation. Plants and animals gradually change over generations, as nature perfects each process and each aspect of their genotype and phenotype. The composer is changing a note here and there to create something that sounds different but ultimately works better in the song.

Nature is infused in our art and language. For example, the use of onomatopoeia in literature. For those of us who haven’t touched literary devices since grade 12, onomatopoeia is the formation of a word, as cuckoo, meow, honk, or boom, by imitation of a sound made by or associated with its referent (Dictionary.com), like a babbling brook. Nature has so much pull in our language, it only makes sense that it influences our music as well. Take Beethoven’s Symphony number 6 for example. He wanted to portray a mid-summer’s day from start to finish, and he did it without any lyrics! Moving forward into the 1970s, artists like Joni Mitchell penned songs about climate change and urbanization. Even in the present, we hear songs about nature coming from artists such as Kacey Musgraves (Oh, What a World). The rhythms of nature are surrounding us, and it up to us to make those songs known.

Image 1: A waterfall in a forest, retrieved from Colorbox. I can almost hear this photo!

My question to you is what is your favourite sound in nature?

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The Polar Bear Poster Child

With technology advancing and the burning of fossil fuels becoming more prominent in our daily lives, our greenhouse gas emissions have reached a harmful rate. We are seeing changes in precipitation, dramatic increases in temperature, and higher chances of extreme weather events. Arctic sea ice is melting earlier than before and is decreasing at a rate of 12.85% per decade. This effect of climate change has lethal consequences for one of the most well-known arctic mammals, the polar bear.

A video of a starved polar bear, captured by Paul Nicklen. 

I can confidently say that I am sure you have all watched this video before. The polar bear has become the poster child for the effects of climate change on wildlife, but there are so many additional species that are threatened or endangered that most people don’t know about. Here’s a few:

1)    Peary Caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi)

Image taken from Nature Canada. 

The Species at Risk Act (SARA), introduced to Canada in 2002, has this subspecies of caribou listed as endangered. Because this species can only be found in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, it is Canada’s job to protect our current populations. This caribou feeds on arctic vegetation, which is only available for a few months of the summer. During this short period of time, if the females are able to gain enough weight, they would ideally be able to reproduce annually. This rate of reproduction is all dependent on the severity of the passing winters, which vary from year to year. Multiple harsh winters in a row can wipe out an entire herd, whereas multiple mild winters in a row can reduce the caribou’s ability to travel from island to island and lead to a decrease in foraging ability. The warmer winters can lead to population growth, but with limited foraging the population will eventually take a hit. This reduction in population size decreases their genetic diversity, increases the rate of inbreeding and will therefore make them more susceptible to extinction. Other risks for this species include predation, habitat competition and hunting.

2)    Blanding’s Turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)

Image taken from Wildlife Preservation Canada.

The Blanding’s Turtle is another species that is listed as endangered under. Approximately 20% of the global abundance can be found in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia. You can find these turtles in lakes, streams, marshes and swamps, as they prefer shallow water with lots of vegetation and nutrients. Females leave the water and look for nesting sites to lay clutches of 3-19 eggs every 2 or 3 years. Natural predators of this species include coyotes, skunks, foxes and racoons raiding the nesting sites. The real threat to the Blanding Turtle comes from increased human activity, as wetlands become more developed and increased traffic heightens the risk of vehicles striking and killing them. 

3)    Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)

Image taken from the government of Ontario’s website.

The Gray Fox has been listed as a threatened species under SARA and a 2015 assessment from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC). This species of fox is part of the dog family (Canidae) and can be found in Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec. This nocturnal species feeds on small rodents and vegetable matter, making it easy to inhabit both deciduous forests and the outskirts of cities. The Gray Fox disappeared from Canada during the European settlement and did not return until the 1930’s and 1940’s, as the US populations expanded their ranges northward. Sightings of this fox species is very rare and due to this, the explanation for the decline in its population is unknown. The predicted threats are vehicle collisions, canine distemper, rabies and predation from larger predator species.

I have just told you about three endangered or threated Canadian species that most people don’t know about, but there are still so many more! You may feel like you have no impact on them, but every little bit helps! So, if you see a Gray Fox report your sighting to The Ministry of Natural Resources or if you see a turtle trying to cross the road, help it along in the direction it is travelling. You have an impact and your actions can make a difference!

References 

Berrigan, M. (2018, October 15). Blanding's Turtle. Retrieved from https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/blandings-turtle/.

Leishman, C. (2018, October 15). Gray Fox. Retrieved from https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/gray-fox/.

Peary Caribou. (2018, October 15). Retrieved from https://naturecanada.ca/discover-nature/endangered-species/peary-caribou/.

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Hey Katie!

           I am not artistically talented in any way, so capturing nature with the camera on the back of my phone is the way to go for me. I usually don’t try to get all the good angles or get super into it, but the pictures I get are still very rewarding for me and usually end up as the screensaver on my phone. I too have never worked as an interpreter, so this class is pretty intimidating for me. Seeing our classmates thriving in this setting and loving being put on the spot is something I wish I could relate too, but I love listening to them sharing their experiences and thoughts with the class. I have learnt more from our classmates in this class than I have in any other class.

I think a nature walk led by someone with little to no knowledge about interpretation but is passionate about the topic would be as rewarding as someone who does have experience as an interpreter. Listening to someone speak about a topic in which they have so much knowledge on and care so much about will get anyone interested and want to know more.

Katrina

Also, please tell your mom that her pictures are stunning.  

B-E-A-utiful

A photo taken by my mom this weekend at the cottage. (I asked her to send me a photo of a flower because she loves taking photos of flowers, and she sent me 63 photos)

I believe that everyone is qualified to interpret nature through art. Although some people may interpret things in different ways, everyone has that one thing in nature that they love. Whether it be close-up photos of flowers (that’s what my mom stops for) or animals in the wild (what I stop for), everyone has something that peaks their interest. Even if you have no experience and no knowledge about interpretation, you can still be an engaging interpreter if you can personally connect with something around you.

I think for me, photography is one of the best ways to capture the beauty of nature. Since photography is both easy to do and yields rewarding results, I believe that photography can help to spark interest in nature. In my personal experience, giving a child a camera automatically sets a little light off in their heads where they think it’s a competition to get the best photo or the perfect flower for the photo and I think that this is a great way to get kids interested in nature. We discussed in class that one of the nature parks in Niagara Falls awards points to kids with photos of certain things. I think that photography is a way to put yourself in nature and since you end up with beautiful pictures, it is really rewarding.

I think one of the things that stuck with me the most on our lab this week was when Chris talked about how to engage an audience when you don’t have any knowledge on the subject. Chris mentioned that even if you have no knowledge on the subject, if you show interest and share your interest with others, you can engage people. I can personally relate to this strongly and I completely agree. As someone who has never worked as an interpreter, I find this world completely out of my comfort zone. Seeing so many of my classmates thrive in this environment is incredible because all of them seem so confident and are so knowledgeable and when you are surrounded by such incredible people, it’s a bit intimidating. I think that one common ground all of us share is the interest we have in nature. I think that Chris’s comment about sharing your interest really put this course into a different light for me. Since I don’t have experience to contribute to interpretation, I know I can contribute my interest.  

Another photo taken by my mom at the cottage this weekend. 

I think the “Gift of Beauty” as described by Beck and Cable related to me on more of a personal level than I thought it would. They discussed how being an interpreter is about “helping people see beauty beyond the ordinary” and that it “convinces people to become as passionate about your cause as you are” (Beck and Cable 2011). I think both of these quotes represent a different way of looking at nature. To me, these quotes mean that as long as you have an interest in nature and you appreciate nature for what it is, I believe you van be a great interpreter. I believe the first step is being really interested and committed to sharing your interest with others. Everything else, every other skill, will come as time passes.

My question for you:

“Do you think that a nature walk led by someone with little to no knowledge of the area can be as rewarding as an experienced interpreter if they have enough passion and interest in nature?

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Every Place has a History

Ever wonder where the term “hat trick” came from? Or how about where John McCrae, the author of the famous poem In Flanders Fields, was born? Have you ever been to the Albion hotel? Well, apparently so has Al Capone! This is all stuff that I learnt while touring downtown Guelph with Ken Irvine, the education organizer for the Guelph Civic Museum. All of these pieces of knowledge have stayed with me and will forever be in my memory.

Going into the tour I had very low expectations. I thought it was going to be boring, as I am not much of a museum person and when I found out that we would be walking around outside on that wet and cold day, it’s safe to say I was even more unimpressed. BUT I am happy to say that I had a great experience on this historical tour and would recommend it to anyone.

“Story is the umbilical cord that connects us to the past, present, and future.” (Beck and Cable, 2011)

The first “gift” that I can identify from this lab activity is the gift of a story. Ken spent that afternoon sharing the stories he knows about most of the buildings still standing and those that are no longer standing. Now, instead of mindlessly walking around our city, I think of the incredible things that have happened here in the past that have gotten us to where we are today. Beck and Cable (2011) suggest that you “use concrete illustrations to assist the audience to understand and relate to the message.” This method was used on our tour, as we were given a pamphlet with pictures to help us compare how everything looks now to how it did in the past.

Guelph’s City Hall in 1951. This building is still standing today and has been named one of the five National Historic Sites in Wellington County. Image taken from the Guelph Mercury website.

“To be effective, interpreters of history must personalize the past and relate it to the present with an eye towards the future.” (Beck and Cable, 2011)

The second “gift” we received from the history lab is the gift of personalizing the past. Ken did a tremendous job of presenting historical events in ways that would appeal to a group of university students. He often referred to alcohol, which I am sure relates to most people our age. Also knowing that we are in a nature interpretation class, Ken knew that sharing his story of the snake being eaten by a bird during one of his tours would catch all of our attention. Although that story had nothing to do with history, it was a personal story that stuck with many of us. Beck and Cable (2011) say “interpreters play an essential role in keeping that memory alive and in making those memories speak to the issues of today, which is the gift personalizing the past.”

“Historical interpretation allows humanity to celebrate our astounding achievements as well as remember our errant ways. For reasons of both celebration and introspection, we must not forget our past.” (Beck and Cable, 2011)

The final “gift” that I received from the tour was the gift of hope. Learning about the past allows us to reflect what humans have done in the past, both good and bad. From this we can apply what we learnt to better the future. We can continue the good things and hope we correct the mistakes we have made. This is the one gift that I think could have been developed more. To do this, our interpreter could have really emphasized the mistakes made in the past and explained how we have or could improve for the future generations to come.

References 

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Thank you, Shoshanah

As a kid I watched the typical science based TV shows like Bill Nye The Science Guy and Zoboomafoo, but I never had a true scientific hero. I wish I could say I did, but I didn’t. It wasn’t until second semester of my first year at university when I took Introduction to Biodiversity (BIOL 1070), where I was inspired by the professor, Shoshanah Jacobs. I know there are a lot of people who did not enjoy this course, as it can be challenging, but for me it was a pivotal moment in my undergrad.

Coming into university I knew I loved animals and I had a plan to apply to vet school at the end of my undergraduate degree, like 75% of the other students who start their first year in the college of biological sciences. I came to realize how difficult getting accepted into vet school would be and knew that I needed to come up with a back-up plan. If you took the intro to biodiversity class with Shoshanah I’m sure you’ve seen a Rick Mercer video or two, but this one is my favourite.

A Rick Mercer Report video, tagging bears in Algonquin Provincial Park. Video taken from youtube. 

After watching this video in class, I knew I would never be happy if I got stuck working in a lab, looking through a microscope for the rest of my life. I wanted to be outside tagging bears or tracking moose or doing anything along these lines. This is when I decided that I was going to switch my major from Biology to Wildlife Biology and Conservation. Of course, I now know that you can take the Biology major in so many different directions but at the time I didn’t understand that and I wanted a little more structure with the courses I needed to take. Switching my major was probably the best decision I have made with my education so far and I am grateful for Shoshanah helping me realize this. This is no longer my “back-up” plan, this is my goal. 

Shoshanah teaches in a very different way than most professors I’ve had so far. The energy Shoshanah brings to each lecture is insane, as they run around the classroom and gets immersed in what they’re trying to teach you. Even if you have never had a conversation with Shoshanah, you feel as though you have a personal connection with them, and they truly want you to do your best. The tests are difficult, but it’s so you understand the concepts of the course. This class sparked my interest in ecology, conservation biology, and so many other areas of study. Shoshanah’s research interests me as it takes place in the arctic, in rough places where you the beds aren’t the comfiest and the showers are the hottest. 

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Music in Nature and Nature in Music

The online dictionary Lexico defines music as “vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) combined in such a way as to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion.” At first some people may think that music doesn’t exist in nature because there are no instruments or humans singing, but music is so much more than that. In nature, the vocals would be the noises made by the creatures living in the wild and the instruments would be the sounds that our natural elements produce.

I am sure everyone has heard waves crashing on a shore, rain hitting a tin roof, the crickets singing their songs at night or the wind rushing through the trees. At the time you probably don’t even realize it, but this is the way that nature produces music.

“In natural settings we are immersed by nature’s artwork. As Marshall suggested, ‘One looks from outside at works of art and architecture, listens from outside to music or poetry. But when one looks at and listens to the wilderness he is encompassed by his experiences of beauty.’” (Beck and Cable, 2011).

This week’s prompt ties in nicely with that of last weeks, as music is another form of art commonly practiced. As previously discussed, nature is beautiful to look at. But if you close your eyes and listen to your surroundings you will realize that the music nature is creating is also beautiful. Looking at and listening to nature allows you to fully experience the beauty that our natural world has to offer you.

Photo taken by me at Ferris Provincial Park, Campbellford, Ontario. I have grown up swimming in and listening to the Trent River.

When given this prompt and thinking about where nature is in music, I immediately thought of the song Bobcaygeon by the Tragically Hip. I know, I know…this song isn’t actually about nature. BUT this song reminds me of nature because one of the best memories I have is singing this song with my entire outdoor education class as we canoed from one campsite to the next. On this trip we did a LOT of singing. Another song we often sang and tried to keep up with was The Rattlin’ Bog by The Irish Descendants, which is attached below. I hope you enjoy this song as much as my classmates and I did.

Although I do not play any instruments or sing (or at least sing well), I have an enormous love for music and especially music with meaning. During our lab, I realized just how powerful music is and how great it would be if people would try to convey messages and emotions through the use of music. 

References

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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How do I interpret nature through art?

Let me get straight to the point, I am not an artsy person. My worst class in high school was art, I strongly dislike all English classes and I do not think too deeply about anything. So, who am I to interpret nature through art? Honestly, I’m not sure how to answer this question quite yet.

There are so many ways for us to connect with the beauty of nature in today’s world. You could go to an art gallery to view the paintings artists have created with inspiration they have received from the outdoors, you could watch a Netflix documentary narrated by Morgan Freeman, or you could simply scroll through your Instagram feed where I am sure you will find something. Connecting with nature is easier for us today than it has ever been in the past. Personally, the way I like to enjoy the beauty that our natural world has to offer is going on a hike through the forest or taking a drive on the back roads of my hometown. Of course, while I am on these adventures, I have to take a quick picture or two so I will always be able to appreciate what I am seeing in that moment. And of course, what is better than capturing a photo of the different coloured leaves that can be seen in the fall?

“Natural beauty is dynamic; it changes through the seasons and the years showing autumn leaves, the snow of winter, spring wildflowers, and verdant summer meadows.” (Beck and Cable, 2011)

Beck and Cable really hit the nail on the head when they wrote this quote in their book The Gifts of Interpretation. Watching the seasons come and go with the changes they bring is something I have always loved and has made me pay attention to the natural cycles of our earth. 

A photo taken by me as I drove through my home town to meet my family and friends for four days of camping over Thanksgiving weekend.

“Some glorious scenes in nature are universally appreciated, such as the Grand Canyon.” (Beck and Cable, 2011).

This quote from Chapter 13 ‘The Gift of Beauty’ immediately made me think of the northern lights, a sight I have always wanted to see and is universally appreciated. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted across travel western Canada and visit the territories. Unfortunately for me, my family does not travel often so this is something I will probably have to wait to experience on my own or with some friends. Not only will I be able to see the northern lights, but I will also be able to see the other natural scenery that landscape has to offer like the mountains and the Pacific Ocean.

The northern lights. Image taken from colourbox.

So again, who am I to interpret nature through art? Someone who is trying really hard to better myself and to improve my skills of interpreting nature. Right now, all I know is that I enjoy taking hikes, spending my summers camping, going for drives on the back roads, and capturing nature through the camera on my phone. I am sure that with time I will learn more about myself and how I interpret nature through art, but for now I am happy with how I am doing it.

References 

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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Hey!

Great post this week, I really enjoyed reading it and watching the attached video. It wasn’t until last week that I discovered this video on Instagram. This first time I watched it, I immediately got chills. I sent it to so many of my friends because it is so powerful and really hits close to home.

Over the weekend a hot topic of conversation for me, and probably many of our classmates, was the upcoming federal election. I was discussing it with my Grandma, and she started talking about “this global warming” that they say is happening and going on about how there isn’t anything the government can do about it. It absolutely blows my mind that some people can deny climate change and think that there is nothing we can do to help our earth. I find older generations are often the ones that don’t believe in climate change. I’m not sure if they don’t have enough information about it, or they are scared by the fact that our planet is changing faster than ever, or a mixture of both. I knew I could debate this topic with her and give her the facts, but knowing my Grandma and how stubborn she is, I wouldn’t be making any progress.

           To answer your question, I think this type of interpretation and the media it is available on is geared towards a younger audience for sure. I would say it is intended for an audience mainly between the ages of 15 to 30, because this is the range where people are interacting with social media the most. Although it is geared towards this group of people, many older adults still use social media and will hopefully have the opportunity to be affected by posts like the video you shared with us this week.  

- Katrina

Power of Provocative Interpretation

               I discovered this video a couple years back and the wildfire issues in the Amazon this past summer reminded me of its importance. It had an immense impact on me the first time I saw it. I have always been very passionate about habitat destruction and the ripple effect it has on not only biodiversity but also humans. After all, people rely on the natural environment for survival too. Insects pollinate the crops we rely on for food, forests and wetlands purify the water we drink, and natural resources provide the basic materials to every synthetic product we buy. I feel as if we seem to forget that even when we are not surrounded by the natural environment, it is what provided all the necessities that we need to survive. Cellphones and buildings didn’t appear out of thin air….they were all built from resources extracted from our earth, often without regard for the overall health of the ecosystem. A trend in current society seems to be a disconnect from nature.

             Rachel Carson once said, “But man is part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.” Human disregard for nature in the great race for progress has had disastrous results, and it doesn’t seem to be improving much. Discussions are silenced and we’re so busy in our own lives we forget about what is happening on a global scale. How do we wake everyone up before it’s too late?  

             That’s where provocative interpretation comes in. Beck and Cable (2001) assert that “interpretation can add an intellectual spice to a basic emotion and motivate further experiences, knowledge, and action.” Provocative pieces can inspire certain emotions and “by disturbing and unsettling an audience, we can wake them from complacency to responsibility and to action” (Beck and Cable 2011). Change starts from discussion and this video inspires just that.

             Another factor that I think makes this video so compelling is it’s ability to connect with both visual and verbal learners. As discussed in class, visual learners attain more when presented with pictures and diagrams, whereas verbal learners rely more on the words and spoken explanations. What really stood out to me was its ability to blend these two styles to appeal to the greater population of viewers. The graphics and unique combination of slam poetry and song create an experience rather than just a simple lecture. The creativity in the presentation really appealed to me, and this form of interpretation of the need for action on deforestation was an eye-opener. As  Beck and Cable say, “interpretation has become a key tool in changing behaviors to address management issues and interpreters are becoming important members of the management team.”

             Change comes from one. The actions of one can ripple across hundreds of thousands of people, and provocative interpretation is one of many successful ways I think that helps inspire change. Take Greta Thunberg for instance. She inspired a movement. A movement only just beginning to take flight from her powerful (and provocative) speech at the UN Climate Action Summit.

(See her speech here)

A strong message goes a long way when it invokes emotion in its viewers.

A question for thought:

Do you think these forms of interpretation and the media it is available on is geared towards a certain age group?

I encourage you to check out more videos by Prince Ea!

References:

Beck, L., & Cable, T. T. (2011). The Gifts of Interpretation: Fifteen Guiding Principles for Interpreting Nature and Culture. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Publishing.

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My Love for our Furry Friends

This week’s prompt for the blog post had me a little stressed, not going to lie. I am not a very creative person so thinking of something to write about was a task for me. This week I have chosen to talk about a job I had for two summers in a row. I worked as a veterinary assistant at Northumberland Veterinary Services in Colborne, Ontario. I have always had a love for animals, but this experience verified that working with them is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

This opportunity started as a co-op placement when I was thinking about applying to colleges for their veterinary technician program. The owner of the clinic convinced me to instead work there in the summer, take other courses to finish off my grade 12 year and go to university to try to get accepted into the Ontario Veterinary College. So, here I am.

Image taken from Colourbox.

Instead of doing a placement, working at the clinic allowed me to be more hands on with the animals and learn much more about this field. As a veterinary assistant I had to help feed the animals in the morning and afternoon, give whatever meds were required, clean surgical packs, help monitor animals during and after surgery, and much more. Yes, I did get to play with puppies and kittens, but I also got to see the much more difficult side of this profession. I had to assist with euthanasia’s while the family was in the room, saying their final goodbye to their loyal best friend. I had to comfort animals as they passed away because their owners wouldn’t stay for their final moments. On many occasions we had animals come into the clinic through a rescue organization or even with their owners, in horrible condition and I realized how cruel and inhumane people can be. Many days took an emotional toll on myself and the other staff, so we were grateful for the good days and the success stories.

Of course no one can work at a veterinary clinic and not adopt an animal or two, right? Leo came into the clinic at only a month old, on his death bed. He couldn’t move, other than to cry out in pain. As we were trying to help him, we were told to “just put him down.” I promised him that if he lived, he could come home with me. We were finally able to find a vein to put his catheter in and hook him up to an IV. To this day we still aren’t sure what was wrong with him, but he fought for his life and is now spoiled every day. Leo is one of my own success stories. Photo taken by me. 

Meet Darla, another one of my own success stories. My sister found Darla all alone on the streets when she was only a couple of weeks old. She had fleas, worms and was extremely underweight. After a trip to Northumberland Veterinary Services and lots of TLC, Darla is healthy and living her best life. Photo taken by me. 

Taking your animals to the vet can be a scary experience and one that many people often dread. I often interacted with clients in these stressful situations and had to try my best to reassure them that we would do everything in our power to help their sick pet. People were trusting us with their furry friends, and we couldn’t let them down. In many of my classmates’ blogs and during class, we have discussed that not everyone who interacts with nature comes from the same background. You have to read your audience and shape the activities and information you will be giving to fit them and their interests. Interacting with clients meant I had to interpret how they were feeling and what was the best way to go about delivering information to them. Not all pet owners are the same, so you need to adjust the way you speak to them and give them the possibilities they have when it comes to pet care.

Working at the clinic has taught me that working with animals is my true calling, and school has taught me that I will be happy doing it whether I am working in a clinic with domesticated animals or working in nature with wildlife. It has made me a better pet owner myself and has improved my skills of interacting with and interpreting people.

[kbenvs3000-19]

Hey Kyle! When reading this quote for our blog post this week, I also thought about how important it is that we cannot forget our past because we should learn from the mistakes we have made to make our future better. I thought it was great how you tied this lesson in with an important event going on right now, our federal election. I have never been one to pay attention to politics, but within the past year I have found it very important for me to educate myself on this subject. I want to have a say in what is going to happen to our country.

I had never paid much attention to any of the historic buildings or monuments in downtown Guelph before our tour on Thursday. On Friday I was walking to the Sleeman centre and while passing many of the sites that we stopped to talk about the day before, I couldn’t help but share everything I had just learnt. Being a hockey fan and living with other hockey fans, I was so excited to inform my roommates that the term “hat trick” originated here in Guelph. The tour really opened my eyes to the importance of history.

Great post this week!

- Katrina

Past, Present, and Future

While reading this week’s blog prompt and the quote that came along with it, the one phrase that I kept repeating to myself was “history repeats itself.” The quote by Edward Hyams encompasses the idea that we cannot make decisions about our future without considering our past. If we do so, we are making these decisions blindly and we risk the possibility of repeating mistakes that we might have made in the past.  

In today’s world, this quote has become extremely relevant. With the 2019 Federal Canadian Election coming sooner and sooner, we must make educated votes. In order to do so we must reflect on our nation’s history as well as the decisions that past government officials have made and how those decisions have affected us individually and as a whole. Looking at this situation from an environmental perspective, understanding that our government has made mistakes in the past when it comes to combating climate change is important, as we can now compare those past decisions with the beliefs and ideas presented to us by each political party. This is only one example about how reflecting on our past can help us build a better future.

Photo Illustration by Liz Sullivan (https://www.macleans.ca/politics/2019-federal-election-platform-guide-where-the-parties-stand-on-everything/) Canadian Political Party Leaders

In addition to the quotes relevance to a larger scale, It was also interesting to see how it relates to what we have learned in class and specifically to our tour of downtown Guelph this past week. Every time I have walked through the streets of downtown Guelph, I had never stopped to think about the past events or the historical significance of the area I was in. I had only thought about the present moment and what I saw at that exact time. What I usually saw was just another city that seemed boring most of the time. However, as we progressed through the tour and I learned more about all of the significant events that occurred or the important people that have been through the city, my appreciation of Guelph only continued to grow. What this told me is that understanding our past and the moments that brought us to where we are gives you a deeper appreciation of the present moment.  

 “…. 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.”

This part of the quote is extremely insightful, for if I was to only think about the current time in Guelph, that would mean forgetting the steps that John Galt had to take in order to found this beautiful city or forgetting that the term “hat trick” originated in Guelph because of Guelph’s booming hat industry.  

Photo from the Ontario Ministry of Education, via Wikimedia Commons (https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/guelph-in-the-first-world-war) Guelph City Hall, 1920

All in all, blinding ourselves from our past means blinding ourselves from who we truly are. Significant moments throughout our lifetimes or even the lifetime of a city is what lead us to who we are today and without knowledge of the steps we took to get here, we rid ourselves of our identity and our integrity.

[kbenvs3000-19]

The Maintenance of Integrity

“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)

At first this quote confused me, but after reading through it multiple times and googling the meaning of some words, I can now make sense of it. I believe the first part of this quote is trying to say that objects from the past themselves have no particular importance unless they are whole. What makes these objects whole is being physically together and also having the knowledge and history of them. This part of the quote reminds me of the Speed Skating Rink we learned about on our tour of downtown Guelph with our interpreter, Ken. They built the rink in the late 1800’s and it was only in use for a few years before being shut down to make room for the new railway that would help Guelph thrive as a city. This building was unfortunately lost in flames when it was burnt down due to kids playing with matches inside. Although the building is not there physically as a whole and all that is left is the front wall, the history of the rink is still known to this day. A part of this story that really resonated with me was hearing about the soldiers that stayed in this building and carved their names into the wooden beams before leaving for war. Many of these soldiers did not make it back home and potentially the only record of their existence was lost in the fire. These beams with the soldier’s names craved into them would have been an important part of our history and great to have in the museum, but they are gone forever.

This wall is all that remains of the Speed Skating Rink, built for the city of Guelph in the late 1800′s.  Photo taken by Troy Bridgeman for Guelph Today. (https://www.guelphtoday.com/rooted/a-monument-to-lost-possibility-1698016)

The second part of this quote is a metaphor, showcasing how important our history is. It is saying that we cannot just ignore the past because it has already come and gone. We need to appreciate what others have done in the past and learn from our experiences and mistakes. Just because we are done with an object doesn’t mean that it never existed and has no importance.  

Works Cited 

“The Gifts of Interpretation” by Larry Beck and Ted T. Cable. 3rd Edition., Copyright 2011. 

Bridgeman, T. (2019, September). Guelph’s speed skating rink: A monument to lost possibility. Retrieved from https://www.guelphtoday.com/rooted/a-monument-to-lost-possibility-1698016