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[skenvs3000w23]

Your blog was very insightful, and I definitely agree that this DE class has been more engaging than an in person class surprisingly. I also agree with your personal ethic, and believe that being passionate about your topic is greatly important as an interpreter. Your audience can always tell whether or not you truly enjoy what you speak about. For example, I have had professors in my undergraduate journey that make the course feel like a drag, and that makes the class more difficult to take in my opinion. When professors are able to dive into the course and provide excitement through teaching, it inspires us to learn more.

Diversity and inclusivity in nature are extremely crucial and I like that you brought that point up. Overcoming barriers in general is not an easy task, and it is something that should be focused on more, because everyone should have an equal chance in experiencing nature as you mentioned. It has been shown that children that are able to develop connections with nature early on in life, tend to care more about it (Kerr, 2022). Scientists at Wild Animal Initiative confirmed that having a significant connection with nature as children, even if its simple interaction with a squirrel for example, later inspired them to take on careers that support animal welfare (Kerr, 2022). Therefore, it is important that everyone gets an equal opportunity to indulge in the wonders of nature, because it can inspire everyone in unique ways. 

Kerr, C. (2023, March 10). An inclusive view of nature can foster inclusion for diverse researchers, too. Wild Animal Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.wildanimalinitiative.org/blog/inclusive-view-of-nature 

Unit 10: Who I Am!

Before I explain my personal ethic as a nature interpreter, I think it is time to address the elephant in the room…How on earth is this semester coming to an end already!! I hope I am not the only one utterly shocked that we have made it to Unit 10. This semester has flown by, and I have enjoyed sharing my opinions and stories with you each week. It has been so delightful getting to learn so much about everyone! It's funny because this is a Distance Education course, yet I feel I have learned more about my peers than in an in-person class! Taking the time to write these posts has never felt laborious to me, as I enjoyed sitting down and connecting what we learned in the readings to what I value and believe.

That being said, I will disclose that when I first enrolled in this class, I had yet to learn what nature interpretation and being a nature interpreter meant. I was heavily surprised when the core assignments for this course revolved around the blog and podcasts. I'm not too fond of tests and quizzes and much more prefer assignments, so this was a breath of fresh air for me! I also found that these types of assignments were very refreshing and enlightening, and kept me engaged.

Some of my favourite new photos from my camera roll. United States Botanic Gardens in Washington (left), Moss growing along the stone in Pennsylvania (right)

As we approach the end, I feel as though I have grasped the vital messages to be understood from this course and I have developed my personal ethics regarding nature interpretation. The first belief I will be sure to include is my passion. Being passionate about the topic you are explaining to your audience is key. I believe this is one of the most influential topics of being a successful interpreter. It is never ideal to be listening to someone who evidently does not enjoy what they are talking about. This will not only not engage the audience but can dampen the joy of someone excited to learn. A positive deliberation, however, will cause the audience to feel more comfortable and as Beck et al (2018) state, it is more probable that they will listen. I want to be able to transfer my passion to others to spark their interest. Therefore, my priority will be to speak passionately and/or excitingly express the topics to be a successful interpreter.

Secondly, integrity and honesty are two significant factors that I will bring to nature interpretation. I wish others to know I am trustworthy as integrity is a big factor. As someone who has grown up with technology and social media so accessible, I believe it has caused two opposing outcomes; 1. People who believe everything they see online is accurate or 2. People who think everything is fake. With such a grave difference, it is essential to be skeptical of what we see because it is easy for anyone to display a fake persona with untrue facts. With this in mind, I hope to build the trust of my audience so that even if they did question what I was saying, they would find no fabrication, and they would know I value honesty. As an interpreter, honesty and integrity are fundamental, and along with passion, these beliefs best describe my personal ethic as a nature interpreter.

Along with that, a major responsibility that I would hold myself accountable for is inclusivity. I want to build an environment where no one is left out, and everyone has the same opportunity to enjoy and learn. When we discussed “barriers” in the textbook readings and shared our privilege, this was the most eye-opening aspect of the semester. I truly grasped the extent of it once I was able to take a step back to understand my privilege. Barriers, as we have learned, are present for many and they can be disability-based, economics etc. (Beck et al., 2018). Understanding this aspect of nature interpretation inspired me to ensure I will do my best to eliminate all types of barriers and have options for each learning style. This means I must be cognizant of all possibilities, for instance if there are visual aids, different hearing options, accessibility of sites, prices etc. Including aspects that cause these elements to vanish will help me to encourage inclusivity. I wish everyone to experience nature interpretation and see what it offers. Increasing the number of people in your audience increases the chance of stimulating individuals and creating new passions. In the environmental/conservation sector, bridging the gap and involving more people helps for great advancements (Merenlender et al., 2016). This study area is complex and costly, so having a larger team of individuals fighting for the same beliefs can lead to great things. As someone who has gotten to experience nature in many different areas, this has been how my passion has grown. Being immersed in the environment helps people to build a connection which is vital for an interpreter to accomplish. I also believe that it benefits everyone to experience nature interpretation as a community. As we all occupy the same planet, it is advantageous to grow fond of it and understand how to preserve it. Therefore, if these barriers are non-existent and everyone can be included, the connections made with the audience would be vast, and the number of conservationists will likely increase!

Overall, this course has helped me to discover who I am as an interpreter and what I stand for. Key aspects that I had not thought about prior to this course have helped me understand my beliefs. I have learned that to become a successful interpreter, I will make sure I am passionate about the information I deliver. I will be trustworthy and ensure inclusivity throughout this process.

Thank you all for a great semester! I have had such a great time learning about you all and sharing my stories. This has only increased my interest in nature, and I hope it has done the same for you!

Good luck with your future endeavours!

I started these posts talking about sunsets, so it only feels fitting to add one more picture for the final post :)

Literature Cited

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

Merenlender, A. M., Crall, A. W., Drill, S., Prysby, M., & Ballard, H. (2016). Evaluating Environmental Education, citizen science, and stewardship through naturalist programs. Conservation Biology, 30(6), 1255–1265. https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.12737

[skenvs3000w23]

Hi!

I loved reading the various elements of your post. It really dove into the importance of protecting our environment, and promoting sustainability. I believe that we all have a personal responsibility to take care of our environment, not only for us but our future generations as well. Everyone should look at what their carbon footprint is on the environment, as it can guide them to lead a healthier lifestyle. Your carbon footprint measures the emission of greenhouse gases produced to support your lifestyle and different activities (youmatter, 2020). If we step back and view the bigger picture, our personal carbon footprint might be having more of an impact than we think it is. Its important to understand your carbon footprint as it lets you understand the impact of a person's behaviour on global warming (youmatter, 2020). For example, even eating meat increases our carbon footprint, because it is very carbon polluting, especially if it is imported (youmatter, 2020). It is hard to calculate someones exact carbon footprint, although there are many calculators online. However, we can examine our day to day lives and reduce activities that may be causing more harm to our environment. For example, taking a walk instead using your car to go somewhere local (i.e less than 10 mins away) is more ideal. Eating local foods and raising awareness on the carbon emissions animal products produces can help as well. Overall, as citizens of the earth, and as nature interpreters, I always believe it is our job to protect it for our future generations.

What is a carbon footprint? A carbon footprint definition. Youmatter. (2020, February 20). Retrieved from https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-carbon-footprint/

Unit 10 Blog – Nature Interpretation: Personal Ethics & Beliefs

In our final concluding blog for this course, I find myself going back to the beginning, not the beginning of the course, but to what started me on my decision a year ago to take time off from a career in finance, to study environmental science at this university. Having worked in corporations for over 27 years, I have seen first-hand, how difficult it is to convince executive leads, board members and shareholders on the relevance and urgent need to become more sustainable, to care about the environment. Especially, when at times, I helped model the trade-offs of investment in other competing initiatives, with far higher immediate returns. During that time, we have come a long way, and many of those same companies now have ESG strategies (Environment, Social, Governance), and have even hired small teams to lead the way forward in becoming more sustainable. At the same time, many of those corporations have grown 5-10 fold or more, the growth of these companies, along with the emissions, waste, resource use and pollution generated, cannot be covered off with their new (at times) tepid sustainability goals. Now…these companies are not solely to blame, there is a demand fueled by population growth, global world development, and by increased consumerism in developed countries.

My reason for studying environmental science, is the same fuel for my personal ethic: More is needed, and until we change the minds of governments and corporations, and most importantly, the voters, consumers, employees, and shareholders, we will not succeed. My personal ethic is this: We all have a responsibility to learn, to teach, to engage others to see the scientific truth about our world and we are running out of time. To do this, we need to engage humankind to understand why it is important to protect nature, and why nature is so important to all species. Tim Merriman writes, "We still need to help the world’s decision-makers understand the vital importance of the effects we have on the Earth’s atmosphere and ocean, and we must continue to help all people understand how individual behavior contributes to both the problems and the solutions.” (Beck, at al., 2018, pg. 459) As per the Stockholm Resilience Center, we have the left the safe operating zone for 6 out of 9 of our planetary boundaries. (Stockholm Resilience Center, 2023). When I read this a year ago, I was shocked, and panicked and felt helpless against this. At the time, however, I did not understand how much is being done by so many globally to reverse the tide. I had heard about the Paris Climate Accord, and although a positive step, it was not going to be nearly enough. At that point, I hung my head thinking once again, politicians are going to get this wrong. In November 22, under COP-27 (The 27th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), more was done, and funds committed to help vulnerable nations as they become the first to feel the ravages of climate change. I am more hopeful, and I believe that the world has woken up to climate change. However, there is still much to do and to turn the tides of public neglect, disregard, or negation of the seriousness of the situation, we must not only open their hearts but also create a path of possibility that has us all believing that we can make a difference and that we can bring our home back from the brink.  

Stockholm Resiliency Center 2022

Nature Interpretation for me, is one path to bring people into nature, with a feeling of safety. To let them see and appreciate not only the peace, beauty, and awe of it, but to understand the importance of it and the threats to it. This would be my focus or first responsibility in interpretation. To do this, it is also an interpreter’s responsibility to know the subject matter, and to engage the audience, while ensuring that everyone’s needs and pre-existing beliefs are considered. Nature must be inclusive, to be reflective of the world we live in. Richard Louv writes, "Interpretation enriches experiences, advances physical and mental health, benefits the environment, promotes cultural   heritage, enhances community welfare, and recognizes the importance of diversity, equality, sustainability, science, and truth" (Beck et. al, 2018, pg. 476).

My approach would be to balance between finding ways to engage through humour, fun, and instilling a sense of adventure, but tempering that with the goal to engage children and adults to understand the importance of giving back. In Chapter 21 of our text, there were many examples of how we can become more involved even just in a small way, by understanding our own localities. Enos Mills wrote, “"A nature guide in every locality who, around his home or in the nearest park could show with fitting stories the wild places, birds, flowers, and animals, would add to the enjoyment of everyone who lives in the region or who visits it.” (Beck et al., 2018, pg. 458).

In listening to the interview with Richard Louv and David Suzuki at the AGO, a few other thoughts were enforced. One, many people, by choice or circumstance have become very disconnected from the natural world, seldom leaving the comfort of their homes and screens. To reach these people, more must be done to build urban parks, or reach out through technology to get their attention to get out and “smell the roses”. Two, as David Suzuki said, we have really become time machines (and not in a good way), we control our time slots and fill them up, but that is not natural. As he speaks, “Nature needs time to reveal her secrets.” He speaks to the need to just spend time, whatever time watching and immersing ourselves. I think a disconnect from nature hurts humans, we need nature to remind us of where we came from, we need nature to help us rebalance and breathe. We need nature to feel awe, to really be inspired.

In closing, I go back to the beginning, we must appreciate the home we have, and live with an eco-centric mind set, while understanding, that we have a job to do to keep our home for future generations. Stan Lee in Spider Man wrote, “With great power, comes great responsibility”.

References

Beck, L, Cable, Ted T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Natural & Cultural Heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing. 2018

Stockholm Resilience Center (2023). Planetary Boundaries. Stockholm University. https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/planetary-boundaries.html

Richard Louv and David Suzuki at AGO. https://youtu.be/F5DI1Ffdl6Y

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The Final Blog

While writing blogs and general learning throughout this course, I have developed a newfound appreciation for nature. Before this course, when I explored nature I simply saw nature as a pretty view. All the components in nature did not seem as important, because I saw the bigger picture. When diving into nature interpretation, I realized there is a lot to value about nature and its many aspects, and that it is not just a pretty view. As an interpreter there are many values you should uphold, and I have learned a lot through this course on how I should proceed in the future as a nature interpreter. Acknowledging who I am as an interpreter throughout the semester, and how to convey my experiences and my ideas while keeping my audience in mind are skills that are crucial as a nature interpreter. 

 I believe my personal ethic is to not only prioritize the protection of our natural world, but strive to find ways to sustain it, and conserve it for future generations. Throughout the course, I have found ways to change my thoughts over nature, and view nature from ethical aspects. The working definition of environmental ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies environmental values, and tackles issues surrounding the societal values of nature (Minteer, n.d). The ethics of nature are complicated, because not everyone cares about nature in the same ways. My personal ethic regarding nature involves caring for nature in the same way I would want it to care for me. Having access to clean water, land, air, is something that nature has given us. Having access to greenspace for my mental wellbeing and physical well being is also something nature has given us. Therefore I feel that it is always my ethical duty to find ways in which I can give back to nature, while trying to conserve it for future generations.

My personal responsibilities when it comes to nature are a direct reflection of how I value nature. Some personal values I feel that I should uphold as an interpreter are honesty, transparency, and being humble. Providing honesty to myself and my audience guarantees interpretations that are not biased. Additionally honesty will provide transparency that allows audiences to trust my interpretations, and feel free to develop on them even further. Being humble is one of the most important qualities I think everyone should acquire as a nature interpreter. Having an ego is not helpful in interpretation, because your opinions are always formulated based on previous experiences. For example, I can never claim that an interpretation I made in nature was from my mind wholeheartedly, because ym past experience influences the way I view things. Accepting that others' opinions are just as valuable as yours, and being humble in interpretation allows you to grow as an interpreter, which is why I think it is so important. Being open to different interpretations of nature not only betters me as an interpreter, but it can help to enhance my own opinions. When interpreting nature it is important to accompany the learning goals of your audience and address their opinions with humility (Beck et al., 2018). 

My belief is that nature is a gift to us all, and the fact that we were given a platform like Earth to thrive on is a privilege. Speaking of privilege, diving into what's in my personal backpack, and the different privileges people have in their backpacks is a concept that is important to me when it comes to interpretation. Being able to realize how I can use what I have in my backpack to further my connection with nature, and help others develop theirs too. As an interpreter using the knowledge and privileges I have grown up with can help to strengthen my relationship with nature. For example, sharing the experiences that I have in my backpack may help my audience to connect and share their own experiences. 

Throughout the course we have looked at 3 main questions: Who Am I as an Interpreter, Who is my Audience, and How Can I Make This Experience Meaningful?

These three questions definitely encompass what I believe I should think about as a nature interpreter, which is why I would like to examine them further in this post.

Who Am I as an Interpreter?

I am a student at the University of Guelph, who started this course with a basic interest in nature. Presently, I feel that I am an environmental enthusiast, trying to take the experience I had in this course to further live it with nature. Through making podcasts about nature and interpreting different species in nature, I am able to connect to nature at deeper levels to serve different audiences. 

Who is my Audience? 

I have developed skills over the semester that allows me to connect with different audiences. Having the element of diversity in nature interpretation lets me cater information to the specific audience I am serving. As mentioned, the nature interpretation field has become more “compartmentalized”, due to uncertainty present in the world, which leaves everyone with little guidance (Hooykaas, 2020)

Therefore, it is important that we consistently find different ways to serve our audiences. In this case, my audience would be people of all backgrounds and ages that want to learn more about the environment and wildlife.

How can I make this experience meaningful?

I feel that I can make my interpretations meaningful by sharing my own experiences as I have through blogging this semester. Having the privilege of experiencing nature in different ways, by going to the beach, or visiting my local creek, or taking a hike, is something I can share with my audience, and hopefully they feel comfort in sharing their own as well.

Overall, I had a wonderful time reading your stories and interpretations over the semester. Seeing everyone connect with nature, and show different ways they have connected with nature was beautiful and has inspired me to explore nature more this summer.

Hope you all have a great semester ahead!

References

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

Hooykaas, A. (2020). ENVS 3000 Unit 10: Nature Interpretation's Role in Environmental Sustainability [Courselink Content] https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306935/View

Minteer, B. A. (n.d.). Nature news. Retrieved from https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/environmental-ethics-96467512/ 

[skenvs3000w23]

Hi!

I liked reading your unique approach to this topic, as we all usually think of humans as a negative factor when it comes to the development of nature. I do think that even though humans are innovative as you have explained in your blog, we tend to do more damage to nature than we realize, and act too late when it comes to damage control. We have the resources and minds to consciously share our land around the world with other species, yet we are selfish. I think humans believe that the earth belongs to them, but we do not realize that all of the natural species were present on earth long before we were present. Humans are an extremely complex species, and we have the ability to innovate at very large scales, so why should we not use this ability to help conserve the platform earth has given us to thrive?

Science has shown that 100% of global warming has indeed been caused by humans since 1950, due to greenhouse gases, and other human activities (Hausfather, 2017). This causes an increase in land temperatures, which ultimately causes our oceans and bodies of water to warm up as well. Natural climate change due to volcanoes and solar activity actually counteracts global warming, as it results in a slight cooling (Hausfather, 2017). Even though there are other factors that could be blamed for global warming by politicians and other officials around the world, human activity is one of the biggest enemies of nature. In the future, radiative forcing, also known as factors that affect the amount of energy that remains in earth , will continue to increase due to carbon dioxide levels if greenhouse gas emissions rise (Hausfather, 2017). This does not provide a good outlook for human health or environmental health.

Although I do agree that humans are one of the most interesting species to step foot on earth, we are also dangerous to ourselves. If we spent more time on finding ways to respect the natural environment while creating our own, it would serve us positively in the future.

References

Hausfather, Z. (2017, December 13). Analysis: Why scientists think 100% of global warming is due to humans. Carbon Brief. Retrieved from https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-why-scientists-think-100-of-global-warming-is-due-to-humans/ 

How does nature amaze me?

Oh, where do I start. For me every little thing about nature amazes me! From pigeons having built in magnetic compasses allowing them to return home, to solar gases accumulating around the poles creating the borealis, nature amazes me. 

To answer the question “what’s the most amazing thing you know about nature” we first need to determine what precisely nature is. The Collins dictionary of the English language defines nature as “all the animals, plants, and other things in the world that are not made by people”, whereas the Britannica dictionary defines nature as “the physical world and everything in it”. By these definitions everything on this planet (not made by people) is nature, including humans ourselves.

I don’t know if people have stopped to think about it, but us humans are remarkable creatures, despite all our flaws and imperfections. From our ability to solve complex problems, bringing stuff into exitance with our hands, to innovating and adapting our environment to our liking, us humans are the most amazing thing I know about nature.

One of the most amazing things about nature created humans, is our ability to think critically to solve complex problems and create tools to help us. Although beavers may build damns, and termites build underground colonies, these pale in comparison to what us humans are able to accomplish. To localise economies we build cities, super complex, and efficient systems to conduct human daily life. We have figured out that oil from dead dinosaurs can be made into fuel to power work (power mechines). We study the human body and almost doubled our live expectancy adding 35 years to our lives (Boudoulas et al, 2017).

Humans are incredibly adaptable. Throughout history, we have faced numerous environmental changes, from ice ages to droughts to pandemics (shout out to you for surviving Covid-19).  Despite these challenges, humans have managed to survive and thrive in a variety of different environments, thanks to our ability to adapt and innovate. Whether it’s building warm homes in the arctic, cultivating crops in the desert, to developing vaccines to fight deadly diseases, humans have shown time and time again that we can overcome even the most daunting challenges.

Think about your life today, compared to life we’d have to live if we weren’t this creative, adaptable, and innovative. Instead of waking up in a safe, warm cozy bed at a time you decided the night before, you may have woken up naked under a tree on the cold dirt. Sleep deprived from worrying about getting eaten, and covered in insect bites, you begin your search for food. Instead of heading to a job that earns you money to purchase items from someone (who can make them better can cheaper than you), you try tirelessly to catch a rabbit with your hands (remember in this universe we aren’t innovate enough to make tools). In your search for food, you come across a pack of wolves also searching for food, you try running but they catch you. You die at the age of 14, the cycle ends.

Although most people may have interpreted this week’s prompt as to that animals or landscape amazes you, I decided to really ponder about what part of nature absolutely astonishes me. Although Niagara Falls is cools, venom from the copperhead or salicylic acid from the willow tree complexes me. Us humans really are the one part of nature so complex, innovative, productive, and creative that nothing other than nature itself amazes me more.

Boudoulas, Konstantinos Dean, et al. “The Endlessness Evolution of Medicine, Continuous Increase in Life Expectancy and Constant Role of the Physician.” Hellenic Journal of Cardiology, vol. 58, no. 5, 2017, pp. 322–330., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hjc.2017.05.001. 

Breslin, Gerry, et al. Collins Dictionary. HarperCollins, 2012. 

Corbeil, Jean-Claude, and Ariane Archambault. Britannica Visual Dictionary. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2010. 

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Amazing things in Nature!

Nature continues to amaze us daily, by constantly adapting to the changing world around us. One amazing thing I know about nature is bioluminescence, it’s one of the most eye-catching things I have seen myself. While vacationing, I had the privilege of seeing bioluminescence on the beach while in the Caribbean. The water lights up beautifully as you run your feet through it, and the mechanisms behind how the water lights up is even more interesting. The bioluminescence we see is essentially a chemical reaction produced by living organisms, and involves luciferin (the light), and luciferase (the catalyst) (Bedolfe, 2012). The luciferase combines luciferin with oxygen to oxidise it, which creates oxyluciferin, and photons. The light we see is the result of the chemical reaction usually occurring in the organism, but it does not always occur inside it (Bedolfe, 2012). When I ran my hands through the water and disrupted the waves, the organisms present, called dinoflagellates, produce light as a defense mechanism (Aguilera, 2015). Here is a picture below of bioluminscence in action at night!

Image Credits: Alvaro Bejarano

An interesting fact I learned while diving more into this topic is that it only takes 15 milliseconds for the dinoflagellates to respond to stimuli! (Aguilera, 2015). It is extremely fascinating to think that the pretty glow I observed in the water was actually a warning from the dinoflagellates. It is also known that high levels of algal bloom are actually harmful to humans, and exposure to these phytoplanktons can cause skin irritation, and cause negative effects on ecosystems (Powell, 2022). There are different colours of bioluminescence that we can see, personally, I have seen a mix of green and blue light being produced. Another event caused by bioluminescent organisms are red tides, which are rare but can be seen more often now due to climate change. Red tides are lasting longer due to temperature changes, water pollutants, as well as severe weather events (Powell, 2022). I have never seen a red tide, but this picture below shows how they can appear to us, and it looks a little similar to an oil spill!

Image Credits: M. Godfrey, 2006

Red tides are made of the same bioluminescent algal blooms that are responsible for the pretty green colours we see as well (Powell, 2022). It is important that we understand the importance of acknowledging events such as red tides, as these are natural warning signs from nature. Humans have a tendency to overlook a lot of unusual events in nature, which eventually can lead to disastrous climate change that is non-reversible. I enjoy seeing the beauty in nature, especially bioluminescence, and to conserve these organisms and keep our algae levels at health levels, it's important to take care of our oceans. Can you name other species that also use bioluminescence?

References

Aguilera, M. C. (2015, May 5). Research highlight: The force behind Nature's light. Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Retrieved from https://scripps.ucsd.edu/news/research-highlight-force-behind-natures-light#:~:text=Dinoflagellates%20employ%20bioluminescence%20as%20a,as%20a%20type%20of%20alarm

Bedolfe, S. (2012, December 26). Ocean stemulation: How does bioluminescence work? One World One Ocean. Retrieved from https://oneworldoneocean.com/blog/ocean-stemulation-bioluminescence-how-does-it-work/

Powell, J. (2022, February 10). Bioluminescence - beautiful or dangerous? Gair Rhydd. Retrieved from http://cardiffstudentmedia.co.uk/gairrhydd/bioluminescence-beautiful-or-dangerous/ 

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Music in Nature, and Nature in Music

There are various ways we can connect to nature, and music is one of the most significant ways. The sounds and sights of nature constantly inspire artists, as well as regular people all over the world. Whether it's the sounds of the waves crashing when you are at the beach, or birds chirping after winter is over, these sounds do not fail to serve as an inspiration. Even the smallest pests in nature, such as insects, and even bees, do not fail to make their rhythmic sounds around us. Nature has many sounds that fascinate people everywhere, and as said, songs are not only for entertainment purposes but can be used to teach and inform people (Hooykaas, 2020).

Many musicians create music that incorporates or emulate these natural sounds. For example Björk, an Icelandic musician uses her influence from nature to create her music (Koseoglu, 2014). She explained the importance of nature, and why we should participate in environmental sustainability (Koseoglu, 2014). Björk also strives to participate in environmental activism, and tries to consistently spread the message of preservation as well as the impact of industrialization on the environment (Koseoglu, 2014). For context purposes, nature in Iceland is one of its national prides, and it serves as renewable energy. 

Another artist, John Luther Adams, composes music that uses direct sounds from nature, such as geophysical events, and seismic activity (Kinnear, 2012). John uses sonification in Alaska to convert real geophysical events in sound and colour signals (Kinnear, 2012). It is fascinating that the sounds that are not even visually apparent to us, such as seismic activity, can be expressed through music. John stated that his song “The Place”, should encourage listeners to become more aware of the “unheard vibrations” of the natural world (Kinnear, 2012).

Personally, when I think of music in nature, it brings me back to the countless road trips I took with my family. It brings me back to the different landscapes we drove by, and how music made those landscapes a memorable experience. Below is a picture taken while on the way back from New Jersey.

We were playing high beat rock songs and singing along, as some of my family thoroughly enjoys rock. Now that I think back to it, the drive through nature threaded perfectly with the music and our windows down, with the hills and bumpy roads made it a memorable experience.

Although I am not a big fan of nature, hearing crickets while being on late night walks in the summer takes me back to great memories I created with my family. Crickets sound awful to me, however talking about their noise while taking a walk on a hot summer night is what made those walks memorable.

I think music is something that we always try to incorporate into our lives, and while in nature, music is always an essential to many of us. Whether we are around the campfire, or having a good day at the beach, music is something that enhances our experiences in nature, which is why we are able to make so many connections through it. For example, a song I associate with campfires while I'm at cottages in the summer is the campfire song from the show “Spongebob Squarepants”, surprising I know, yet a funny correlation.

Is there a specific song that you can relate to a nature experience you have had? 

References

Hooykaas, A. (2020). ENVS 3000 Unit 07: Nature Interpretation through Music [Courselink Content] https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306932/View.

Kinnear, T. (2012, January 11). Voicing nature in John Luther Adams's The place where you go to listen: Organised sound. Cambridge Core. Retrieved from, https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/organised-sound/article/abs/voicing-nature-in-john-luther-adamss-the-place-where-you-go-to-listen/C176C0958452911864D81B19050E1DBB 

Koseoglu, U. (2014, May 29). We are the earth intruders: Images of nature and Iceland in Björk's music videos. Academia.edu. Retrieved from, https://www.academia.edu/699275/We_Are_The_Earth_Intruders_Images_of_nature_and_Iceland_in_Bj%C3%B6rks_music_videos 

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Hi!

Your post was very insightful to read, and I loved reading about your Italy memories. As a personal fan of Europe, going to Italy and experiencing the culture there is something I always aspire to do in the future. I also love listening the nature sounds, like rainfall, but I know that many people hate the rain as it causes a gloomy mood for them. Some days in the summer I would purposely go outside with friends or siblings and play in the rain, and the sounds of the rain brings good memories.

I was fascinated about the bird facts you brought up, especially them using their feathers as instruments. I was not aware their feathers could be used to make these sounds, as I typically just thought of them as pieces on their wings. Through research for my bee biology class, ENVS 2210, I learned that music can actually attract bees at different sound frequencies, which can help enhance your backyard garden! It is surprising how much humans do not know about the natural world around them. Most of the time, sounds that we hear in nature are simply just a sound, we do not think too much into it. However, as you brought up whales, dolphins also use echolocation to survive. Many of these animal utilize sounds in nature to survive, and to protect them we should take the initiative to understand them.

I am excited to read more about your personal experiences with nature in your future blogs!

UNIT 07

I was personally quite excited about this week's blog post! Music is a huge part of everyday life and I love how universal it is. No matter your culture or background, music is a way for people to bond and display their own unique musical tastes. It is said that every known human culture has music and that music can be defined as patterns of sound varying in pitch and time produced for emotional, social, cultural, and cognitive purposes (Gray et al., 2001). I like to look at music as patterns of sound because I think that oftentimes music is only perceived as the music we hear on the radio. However, there is much more to music than the latest pop songs. 

Not only is music a great way for people to interact, but it's also an amazing way to interact with nature. If you were to go on a walk right now, you would be surrounded by various sounds that display the music of nature. The sound of rain, the wind howling, birds chirping, frogs croaking, all of these sounds can be perceived as natural music. It’s unfortunate that people who live close to nature perceive a wider range of sounds than those of us living in industrialized societies (Gray et al., 2001). This reduces the chance for most people to hear and appreciate the sounds that nature produces.

I personally love listening to rain noises and nature sounds while I’m studying. I find these types of sounds to be really calming and help me listen to something without losing focus on my work. I also think it is important to note how these sounds come into play in regards to the music that we listen to on the radio. Radios are important tools used to reach lots of people at a given time, and are able to influence culture (Beck et al., 2018 (pg. 175)). 

Interestingly, the tone and timbre of many whale notes are similar to human musical sounds (Gray et al., 2001). The famous whistle tone definitely originated from animals and the way they are able to carry notes is very similar to that of humans. Also, similarly to humans, not all bird sounds emanate from the vocal tract - some are produced with “instruments” such as special feather structures, others by the bird pounding on an object with a “preferred” resonance (Gray et al., 2001). It is interesting to read about this seeing the similarities between humans and animals in terms of music. This reiterates the fact that music is universal and can be enjoyed by all species on earth. 

A song that reminds me of a special time in nature is The Nights by Avicii. Anytime I hear this song, I’m brought back to 2018 when I went to Italy for a summer course. I went through a school program and was able to travel with my friends and meet a bunch of new people. As the trip was coming to an end, this song was played on repeat in the bus and on the beach as we were all getting ready to say goodbye to one another. This song will forever remind me of the beauty of Italy and the amazing people I shared that time with. 

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

Gray, Patricia M., et al. "The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music." Science, vol. 291, no. 5501, 5 Jan. 2001, p. 52. Gale Academic OneFile

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Hi, 

Your personal touch to this post made it very interesting to read. I hear things about Chernobyl all the time, and hearing it from your experience made it more enticing. Your reference to sunflowers being the light in dark times is beautiful to say the least. We do not realize the joy nature can bring us in the darkest times, simply seeing the sunset after a hard day makes me feel better. Maintaining integrity definitely requires us to uphold the events of the past, and in situations such as the Holocaust and Chernobyl, acknowledgment is needed. I imagine that the areas these events occurred in may be protected in some ways, but it is important that we educate the future on why they are protected. For example, there may be areas in Germany that were a part of the Holocaust’s history, such as a simple park area, yet people are not aware. Diving into the history of nature is just as important as our regular history, because when we think about it those trees, and those species were never always there. To protect and conserve nature’s history, it is important to learn the significance of its past and most importantly translate its history to audiences as an interpreter. Overall, great post, it provided me insight into the Holocaust and actually caused me to further research into it!

Nature Interpretation Through History

Unpacking this quote is not an easy task. Hyams packs a lot meaning between words and uses metaphors that may be interpreted differently depending on your background. In a way, this alone encompasses the true meaning of interpretation. My understanding of this quote is likely very different to that of someone with very different life experiences to me.

Hyams defines integrity by keeping together the parts of whole, and by the effort to do so when the parts are not blatantly obvious or accessible. This often relates to “ancient things” or stories of history. The only way to learn and adjust our interpretation of today’s world is by learning from the ancient things. My mind immediately goes to an environmental disaster that occurred in Ukraine in 1986, known as the Chernobyl Disaster. At the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near Pripyat, Ukraine, a nuclear reactor malfunctioned, causing explosions that took the lives of at least 4,000 people in the Soviet Union, including my Great Aunt. There is no merit in this event. It is a disaster whose effects are still being felt by people and the environment today. There is merit, however, in the mercy that the world showed Ukraine during the immediate aftermath of the event. There is merit in the relief efforts and there is beauty in the way that nature can fight toxic events like Chernobyl. To combat the radiation in the soil and ponds that were killing all life forms, sunflowers were planted due to their ecological ability to remove the harmful elements.

This event affected my interpretation of nature and of life. I think the sunflowers represent finding light in the darkest times. I also cannot help but think about my family. This disaster occurred in 1986, and my parents immigrated to Israel in the late 1970’s, after years of trying. If this had just taken them a few more years, they would have had endure the radiation poisoning that affected their entire town. It adds perspective to my life and makes this quote even more meaningful to me. I think Hyams would classify the teachings of Chernobyl as brave acts to maintain integrity.

The second part of this Hyams’s quote struck a chord in me. Perhaps it was the subject of the metaphor being a railway, but I can’t help but think of another ancient thing that effected my family and millions of others, the Holocaust. “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 is so incredibly powerful. If we collectively leave the past in the past, we will have no idea where we are going in the future. Furthermore, we leave nothing for the next generation to learn from. If the railway stops existing when our train gets off it, what about the incoming trains? What will guide their path? This reminds me of a quote by George Santayana which states “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”. this is a quote that has been spoken by figures throughout history such as Winston Churchill and author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. We must acknowledge to past as we move forward to help us navigate this world. We cannot maintain integrity without holding onto the parts of the whole.

What does this mean for nature interpretation? Our generation is living through a climate crisis. The time to act on it is now, and we must look to the past to guide us but think about the future in doing so. We must represent nature through literature, music and art so that the parts of the present can be preserved for the future.

Beck, L, Cable, Ted T., Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Natural & Cultural Heritage. Sagamore-Venture Publishing. 2018

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Acknowledging Nature's Past

This quote has a lot of meaning behind it, and although complex, it can be dissected and interpreted in our own ways. Merit can be defined as being worthy or deserving, and merit in integrity specifically, can be interpreted as being honest while also providing a sense of transparency. Maintaining integrity as said in the first sentence means continuously presenting facts to your audience, while sharing your true opinion. As for the last sentence, I believe it means the past just never disappears, just like history and previous facts do not disappear. Even though the “train has passed”, just like an ideology may have passed, the history that lies behind different ideologies still exists regardless just like how that “railway station” stands firm in its position after the train has passed. With regards to nature interpretation, everyone is entitled to their opinions and insights, but it is important to keep in mind that their opinion stems from previous ideas. As said in the textbook, it is important to interpret in a way that accompanies your audience’s learning goals and style, and it is significant to address their opinions with “humility” (Beck et al., 2018). Similar to our backpacks as said in Unit 3, everyone has their own backpack that we must respect, as we all come from different backgrounds. Our individual “trains” will pass through many stations when it comes to interpretation, but we must keep in mind that each station has a past to acknowledge and understand. Diving into different aspects of your topic when interpreting is important, because it provides you more knowledge than you can imagine. For example, Pea Ridge, a national park that honours the US military, now also honours the 1000 Cherokee Indians that fighted for confederacy, as well as the Trail of Tears (C-SPAN, 2012). These stories would not be discovered if there was no further historical interpretation on these national parks, in fact, these stories would most likely be forgotten or not even acknowledged by the future generations (C-SPAN, 2012). The Cherokee Indians fought and allied with the Confederate forces which allowed them to win the battle.

 I would recommend watching the video if you have not already, because it emphasizes the importance of accepting and educating on the past. This further shows us that the land and natural spaces we may be interpreting were not always present which is why it is highly important to appreciate the history of natural spaces. Additionally, when providing interpretation to a wide variety of audiences, finding different learning materials that allow them to successfully understand without difficulty makes you a more successful interpreter in my opinion.When interpreting with integrity, it is important to keep transparency and permit past events to shape your future interpretations. We cannot forget the past when interpreting, because it does not provide the full picture to our audience, and only offers the current picture.

Do you tend to think about the history of different places when you visit?

References

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

(Beck at al. 2018)

C-SPAN. (2012, May 2), National Park Service Chief Historian Robert Sutton on Historical Interpretation in Parks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ9DM-MoTXA&ab_channel=C-SPAN

Hooykaas, A. (2023). Unit 3: Risk Versus Reward in Interpretation. [Courselink Content]. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306929/View

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Hi,

Your post was very relatable on many levels. We go into university at a young age in most cases, and even though we have 4 years to reach a conclusion for ours careers, it is still very confusing. It is astonishing to digest all the changes we go through our educational career, and the impact it has on our future. For example, I told myself I always wanted to be a surgeon, but here I am in my last year of university and medical school is something I have no interest in. I believe that interpretation is a skill that can help in many jobs, however I do not see myself in a career that directly uses interpretation. Everywhere we go, we are always interpreting things as humans in an attempt to understand them. All of us come up with unique interpretations. I think diving into a career that directly uses it could be quite rewarding, as you have the opportunity to share knowledge with others and educate them. Interpretation also makes life easier for others, such as interpreers often have the ability to simplify complex concepts.

In this economy, career decisions often are based around the amount of money you can make. When I first rented in Guelph, prices were around $400-$600 for decent place, but now its $700-$1000+ for an average place. Sometimes, the career we love may not reward us moneywise, but then you think will I be happier doing what I love or having money? Career choices in this day and age are difficult, and COVID has done nothing but complicate it further.

Very insightful post, great job!

Life and Interpretation

Like most of you I have been struggling with coming up with a topic for this blog post without a specific prompt. I have been looking at life recently as many of us have as we approach the end of the school year with many of us graduating and looking into what we want to do for our careers.

This course has challenged me with multiple ideas of nature, science, interpretation, and the ways nature can be expressed but also the limitations that come from it. I have never seen myself in an interpretation role but I see through the ideas so far how it can be applied to many aspects of different careers. I’ve been thinking of careers as an environmental technician or consultant type jobs. I also am exploring options completely outside the environmental field which is interesting as I have spent 4 years doing this to potentially leave it completely.

As I think about my potential options, I can relate the topics we have are exploring to many different aspects of life. Starting with recognizing privilege I can see how this applies to every aspect of life as we can use this to help humble ourselves and approach different situations with different mindsets as we all are coming from different walks of life. Finding are sense of place can be used to help guide our careers and path as feeling in place we can make decisions for ourselves and be at peace with them. This also helps us recognize where we want to be in life and spend are days. Appreciating art including all the arts forces us to look at life from a different perspective but also allows us to connect more deeply with areas in life through a different appreciation. Risk vs reward is big one to consider in this idea of life choices. Do we choose that job for the money or for the enjoyment? Is it a risk to leave my current employment for a new one that may or may not be more enjoyable? What is the right choice? How much are willing to risk for something new and leave are comfortable state? All these questions, thoughts, choices can relate to our course topics and the topics can be used in the outcomes of what we do to better ourselves and better our careers.

Well even after thinking through all these points I am left with nothing better than were I started. I think about these tools we have learned but I have no application for them yet. What am I going to do after school I have no idea, I’m sure ill figure it out eventually but we’ll see when that time comes.

Now a question for the readers, How do you see yourself applying the different concepts of interpretation in your life or careers, either in a direct interpretation job or something that is outside of that scope?

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Unit 5: Nature Interpretation

In this discussion post I wanted to take a further look into the different ways we all interpret nature as different individuals. As a biological sciences student, I frequently overlook the fact that not everyone has the same background in science. Sometimes we believe that our knowledge gives us an advantage, but we fail to recognize that others may view things differently. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs, and after viewing the TED talk in Unit 5 by Wachira, I began to think that perhaps knowledge should be translated so that everyone can understand it. Despite the fact that not everyone has the same educational background, there should not be much difficulty in interpreting and exchanging knowledge. Every person will interpret nature in their own unique way. We develop stronger bonds with nature as a result of our experiences in it and how we relate them to our everyday lives. Wachira used a unique approach to teach the audience about birds by drawing parallels between them and humans. The comparison of our behaviour and that of nature, reveals much more similarities than differences. We typically have a greater appreciation for nature when we stand back and engage with it on more intimate levels that make sense to you on a personal level.For example, appreciating the beauty of the male long tailed widowbirds in breeding season, as they change their looks to impress female birds. Even if we know very little about a subject, we can nevertheless make an effort to respect and care for our surroundings. Wachira spoke about how despite having little biological knowledge as a child, he was able to collect friends and help a sick bird. No matter how much knowledge we have, citizen science is still necessary in order to support species conservation and restoration in their natural habitats. Because we are all unique in our own ways, people may identify with the individualities exhibited in birds. We put in hard labour and effort, exactly like Weaver birds do to create their nests, hence their names. Humans cuddle and touch to express affection, just like parrots.

The most interesting take away for me from this TED talk was that we also share the feature of infidelity with birds, a great example is the African Jacana (bird). Although it probably is not the best feature to share, it is rather funny that birds cheat on their partners too. We frequently overlook how similar we are to the people around us and how quickly and at what varied levels everyone absorbs new information. Nature would be more appreciative of us if we educated each other in a way that enables us all comprehend the meaning of nature and the significance of maintaining it.

Wachira, W. (2017). For the love of birds [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/washington_wachira_for_the_love_of_birds

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Hi!

Your post was very insightful, and brought up some rally great points. I like that you referred to the fact that realizing the beauty in nature could further encourage resource preservation. I definitely feel that when we find something beautiful in life, we try everything to make sure it does not escape from us. Perhaps education or opening the eyes of political leaders would help them see the beauty in nature, and why taking actions against things such as climate change is important. Realizing the purpose nature serves to us should make us want to take care of its beauty in the same way. As a nature interpreter, having close experiences with nature makes you feel more connected to it. Do you think you ability to make rope for example, allows you to feel a more purposeful connection with nature? Having the ability to create tools with nature is impressive and in one way it is like creating art out of art. I would love to learn how to make rope, or attempt different bird calls next time I am out in nature and your post really inspired me. Thanks!

Unit 4: Using Art to Interpret Beauty

No matter who you are, there is a way to interpret nature through art that speaks to you. Whether it's movement, music, visual art, fibre arts, or storytelling, there is a way to grab the attention of everyone through art-based activities.

I find it hard to introduce art interpretation to both myself and others. There is usually an expectation of talent or perfection that comes with attempting art in any space. To avoid this, I like to think about normal activities we do that are unintentionally artistic. For example, storytelling. There is an art to storytelling and a simple question can spark this in anyone.

What did you notice on the walk?

What is your earliest memory in nature?

I like to think of times I have sat and traced lines aimlessly in the dirt with a stick I had found, or tried to mimic the bird calls I heard in the distance. But beyond that, my favourite way of connecting to nature through art has been cordage. I was taught by a good friend and mentor of mine the art of using natural fibres to create rope and cord. He taught me how to harvest dogbane, cedar bark and grasses to make a strong rope that can be used for a variety of crafts and practical situations. The process of collecting and creating within nature makes room for reflection and gratitude, as with all forms of art.

In Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World, there is a set of outlined gifts and principles (Beck et al. 2018). The gift of beauty is defined by the principle that nature interpretation should "instil in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings" (Beck et al. 2018). I agree with this, my interpretation of beauty is a gift nature has given to us. The beauty of the sight, smell, touch, taste, and sound of nature is a gift. Nature interpretation allows us to fully realize and appreciate these gifts in all aspects. Finding beauty in the usual and the mundane, as well as the exciting and grand.

There is beauty all around us, and it is what allows us to become responsible nature interpreters at any level. As mentioned in the principle it “encourages resource preservation”, when we recognize beauty we don’t want anything to take it away. This ties back to using art as a tool for nature interpretation. All forms of art are beautiful.  If we are able to create beauty from nature, with nature, or in nature, we will feel more connected to it. 

I want to end this post with a few lyrics of a song I like to sing or hear with others in nature. It is from Anthem by Leonard Cohen and I learned it in the first weeks of my journey into nature interpretation:

"Forget your perfect offering,

just sing the songs that you can sing.

There is a crack in everything,

that's how the light gets in."

Reference:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Venture.

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This unit was very nostalgic, as reading about the group of seven brought back some memories from middle school. In art class, we had used the Group of Seven as inspiration to create mini paintings using clay and layering it over each other. Although I do not have my original painting, I recreated the one from Tom Thomson below, called “The Pool.”

Nature is quite often used as inspiration for art, and it creates an emphasis on the different types of beauty present in nature. Art is sometimes able to capture details the human eye may not catch. Oftentimes, it creates the sense of self-fulfillment with reference to Maslow’s concept of self-actualization (Beck at al. 2018). When interpreting nature with art, we create a connection between the two and most of the time it is beauty. Immanuel Kant, a famous philosopher, said that beauty is the one way nature can appear meaningful for humans, and that beautiful nature allows humans to make a purposeful connection (Flodin, 2021). We tend not to look at the uglier side of nature when creating art, but rather look at more appealing things such as blue water, colourful leaves, sunsets, and more.

I also tend to view the more “beautiful” side of nature per se, and I capture the beauty of nature using pictures. As humans, we tend to ignore things like muddy waters, dead trees, ugly insects and more. However, all of these elements make up the nature that we should attempt a connection with.

The gift of beauty is made up of several elements in my opinion, and is not subjective in any way. Both the “ugly” and the “pretty” elements make up the beauty of nature, for example we may see an appealing lake in front of us, but under the lake there may be elements that are not visible which could change the visual appeal. A natural scene that may seem beautiful to one may not look the same to someone else. 

Additionally, the gift of beauty can be further seen or understood by introducing the element of risk. For example, climbing the mountain to see a better view of what is below. Using what is in your “back pocket” as a nature interpreter and adding to your pocket may help to enhance your experience in nature, and reduce the amount of potential lemons (Hooykaas, 2023). In my back pocket, I do not have the fear of heights and have experience rock climbing and tree climbing, which can lessen the amount of potential lemons I may have when exploring as a nature interpreter.

Is there anything in your back pocket that decreases the amount of potential lemons you may encounter as a nature interpreter?

References

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

Flodin, C. (2021). Remembering nature through art: Hölderlin and the poetic representation of life. Intellectual History Review, 31(3), 411–426. https://doi.org/10.1080/17496977.2021.1955490

Hooykaas, A. (2023). Unit 4: Nature Interpretation through Art and Planning for “All” Scenarios [Courselink Content]. University of Guelph. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/791355/viewContent/3306929/View.

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Hi!

I was really able to resonate with your post, as sometimes it is hard to stop and realize how privileged we are comparably to others. The power of be an able bodied young person is a great point to make. The power we have in this age and the obstacles we can look over that someone else, that is perhaps older, or has disabilities cannot. It makes you reflect on all the ways you can use this prime time in your life to get out in nature for example, and take that 10 mile hike. I definitely agree that financial struggles, and accessibility are one of the most important things when we view privilege in a nature context as well. Not having accessibility further discourages us from exploring nature. For example, if travel was required to see a place like Banff, money is also required. Having more green spaces would be ideal for the future, as green spaces tend to also lead to positive mental health (Wood et al. 2017). A wider accessibility to green spaces would benefit everyone physically and mentally.

Overall great post!

References

Wood, L., Hooper, P., Foster, S., & Bull, F. (2017). Public green spaces and positive mental health – investigating the relationship between access, quantity and types of parks and mental wellbeing. Health & Place, 48, 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2017.09.002

Risk vs Reward: Recognizing Privilege

Privilege is a tricky thing to define, as it comes in many forms, however I would define it as an unearned advantage in life. Privilege means not having to worry about as many obstacles in life as others, and this is usually taken for granted.

I consider myself quite privileged. I have a family, housing, easy access to food, and I have been enrolled in a University program for almost 4 years now. I am only in the position I am in because of my supportive family, which I did not ‘earn’ per se. It is very easy to take things like this for granted, but it is so important to recognize that I, along with many others, have a safety net when taking risks - something that a lot of people do not have. Regardless of how independent I am or become, I have my family to turn to in a time of crisis, which gives me yet another advantage that was thrust upon me simply by happenstance.

I always believed that I worked towards my university degree and earned it by getting good grades in high school, and getting a job to make money towards my tuition, but I realise that without the comfortable life I have been given, this would not have been nearly as easy. Without the emotional and financial support of my parents growing up, none of these opportunities would have been possible, even when working my first job at Tim Hortons in high school, my parents very often had to drive me to and from shifts. As well as this, they assisted me when preparing for my interview for that job, as well as multiple others. 

I have mentioned in my previous posts how much I have enjoyed going for hikes, and going camping with family, which I know is what led me to study environmental sciences and ecology at Guelph. However, I only gained these experiences because my parents spent time and money to share their passion for nature with me, not because I worked for it or earned it.

In the field of Nature Interpretation, or Environmental Sciences as a whole, I realize I have an advantage over those who did not attend university, or experience some of the things I was able to do while growing up. Everyone should be able to experience nature freely, and sadly this is not possible for all. Being an able-bodied, young, heterosexual male, I will face little to no prejudice or obstacles when looking for opportunities in this, or any field of work. For example, if I wanted to travel for a nature hike that I think might benefit me, I am able to, which is not the case for many people facing financial struggles, or physical struggles or disabilities.

I truly believe nature can benefit all, but it is true that it is more accessible to some than others. I think that increasing accessibility of things like provincial parks and nature reserves is important to share the passion for nature among everyone. Although we cannot eliminate privilege, I think recognition of our own privileges is extremely important, and is the first step in overcoming barriers in not just this, but all aspects of life.

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The Meaning of Privilege

The concept of environmental privilege may be understood by individuals in different ways. The general definition of privilege is having the ability to experience something that others may not be able to due to constraints in my opinion. In a natural context my definition would be the ability to access the environment and resources.

I myself, am a Canadian citizen, with access to clean water, a heated home, an education and the ability to share my knowledge with others. My family has helped me obtain a high level of education, and sometimes we are able to splurge and travel together, and I am grateful everyday. However, it makes me reflect on those who do not have the privileges. 

Looking at indigenous communities as an example, they do not have access to the same things we do. This has been an issue for generations, a community like Curve Lake First Nation in Southern Canada is surrounded by bodies of freshwater, yet has no access to clean drinking water (Cecco, 2021). Although they were first generation Canadians, why do they not have the same privileges? I definitely think that privilege and rights are often confused, which is why something like clean drinking water is seen as a privilege when it should be seen as a human right. Oftentimes, in day to day life, the fact that we have water as a privilege is overlooked.

The differences between urban and rural lifestyles are extreme, and the privileges that we are entitled to depend on so many factors, like equality. This concept ties into unpacking your invisible backpack, and sharing the experiences you have in your “backpack”, that others may not have in theirs. 

Personally, I think our lifestyle, as well as where we live dictates whether or not we have ample access to nature. For example, someone that lives near a large amount of green spaces and protected nature areas may be more inclined to explore. The privilege of living in areas where environmental spaces are easily available helps individuals build a connection with nature. Growing up, I lived in suburban areas, and the type of nature that I had the privilege of accessing was a local pond, or a conservation area. To compare, another person may be living in an apartment building in a very urbanized area which restricts their access to nature. Additionally, it's hard to seek out time for the things you love, due to hard work schedules, school schedules, financial restrictions and more. I have the privilege of being able to go get a meal from McDonalds when I am craving it, however someone else might not have this. I am always extremely grateful for the privileges I have had and continue to have, as my family always serves as a safety net for me too. Seeing privilege as the ability to attain these different luxuries in life is how I understand it the best.

My question is, do you think privileges can often be confused with general human rights?

References

Cecco, L. (2021, April 30). Dozens of Canada's First Nations lack drinking water: 'unacceptable in a country so rich'. The Guardian. from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/30/canada-first-nations-justin-trudeau-drinking-water 

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Hi! Your post was very insightful, and I agree with your description of what an interpreter should be. An interpreter in general is someone that can help make complex ideas into simpler concepts that people of all different learning styles should be able to grasp. Additionally, mentioning that you are the teacher of the environment is very important, because it helps you realize that people count on you to learn the particulars of the environment.

I also believe that passion is one of the most important things about interpretation, and when you are teaching, your passion about the topic is visible. Especially when it comes to environmental interpretation, having that passion and creativity is important because not everyone has an interest in learning about nature. Knowing that the person teaching you actually has an established connection with the topic is significant for the audience. I also find it hard when I am sitting in class and the professor is teaching the subject in a very dry way, as it also causes disinterest in the course for me.

I think teaching new content in ways that would serve your audience in an exciteful meaningful way would inspire them to further pursue the content. Learning about nature is something everyone enjoy, for example, ecology was my least favourite biology course, but my instructors made it interesting so it motivated me to learn more about it.

I definitely agree that having someone enthusiastic as an interpreter helps the audience tremendously, and enhances the learning experience as well!

Week 2:- Teaching Learners

Interpretation, of any kind, is the process of simplifying complicated ideas, making connections and teaching others about your findings. Nature and environmental interpretation is no different. The main goal of an environmental interpreter is to help people better understand nature with the hopes of aiding in the development of a positive and sustainable relationship with the environment. Overall, as an environmental interpreter, you are a teacher of the environment.

As a teacher, it’s important to not only know how your audience learns but also how you as the interpreter learns and teaches best. Upon completing the learning style quiz in our Unit 2 content, I found that I was 50% a visual learner, 30% auditory learner and 20% tactile learner. This means that learn best by reading and seeing pictures, which is totally true. I love to use flashcards, colour code and draw diagrams or charts to aid with learning. I’ve always known that I am a visual learner, but I’ve never thought about what kind of teacher I am. After pondering this question, I realized that I am also a visual teacher. I begin by trying to explain using words and go on to make illustrations to aid in my explanation. A funny example that came to mind as I was thinking about how I teach and explain, was when my boyfriend asked me to be his girlfriend. I was so nervous and could barely talk, so I drew a diagram to explain that I did in fact want to be his girlfriend.

Another crucial part that comes with the job, is not only being knowledgeable but also passionate about your teachings. I believe that passion really shows through when you’re talking or explaining something. We’ve all had teachers or professors who seem very uninterested in the material they are teaching, which leads to a bland and boring learning experience. I’m sure we’ve also all experienced teachers and professors who are very enthusiastic about the material they are teaching, who are happy to answer endless questions and who are able to explain the topic in many different ways to ensure everyone understands. Though all teachers and professors are knowledgeable about the topics they are teaching, their passion is what sets them apart.

If I was to take on the role of an environmental interpreter, I would choose a location that is rich in animals, plants and breathtaking scenery. The place that comes to mind is Banff Nation Park in Alberta. I got the opportunity to visit Banff for the first time this past October and it was absolutely stunning. I saw so much wildlife such as elk, deer, bears, coyotes and so much more. It was so nice to see so many majestic animals in their natural habitat. I don’t think I could ever get tired of looking at the beautiful views at Banff, which is why this is the area I would choose to interpret. As an environmental interpreter, I would make sure to use lots of pictures and diagrams to aid with the verbal explanations my findings while also ensuring the audience is able to get some hands-on experience when possible. I will also plan for question periods to clear up and misunderstandings whenever needed. With all these techniques in mind, I believe this would make the most ideal environmental interpreter.

Banff National Park, Alberta. Taken October 18th, 2022.

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What is an Environmental Interpreter to me?

I think there are many ways one can embrace the role of an environmental interpreter. Although we may all think of them as someone who just interprets the environment there is much more to it. What are the different ways they approach the environment? What observations or ideas make up their interpretation?

Every environmental interpreter has their own unique way of viewing the world around us. I think the relationship with nature should be explored so that it can be articulated in the best way. Exploring the connectivity between yourself and what you observe is key to understanding the environment. The National Association of Interpretation (NAI) defines interpretation as a “communication process” that requires understanding of the resources while creating a relationship emotionally and intellectually (About NAI, n.d). While exploring your purpose as an interpreter it is important to discover the best learning style for yourself, so you can cater to different learning styles. Although a certain learning style may work for yourself, this same learning style may not convey your interpretation of the environment to others as efficiently. Certain skills that I believe are key to being an interpreter is awareness, creativity, and inclusivity. Finding creative ways to broadcast your observations of the environment and your relationship with nature helps your audience to successfully understand the way you connect with nature as an individual. This can also inspire your audience to explore their connectivity with nature at higher levels so they can comprehend it in their own way.

An environmental interpreter may also be responsible for bringing awareness to issues in the environment that others may not recognize. It has been shown in studies that the level of connectedness humans have with nature can help to further alleviate environmental issues, which in turn can increase pro-conservation of the environment (Fehnker et al. 2022). Personally, my relationship with nature may be totally different than someone else's, however the connectivity with nature is what relates us to each other. I connect with nature by spending time outside whenever I feel like I need to take a break from screen time, or need some physical activity. Others may connect with nature to explore different wildlife or plants. 

Environmental interpreters should be able to explore their connections with nature, while encouraging their audience to further explore theirs on a deeper level. Methods such as using mindfulness have been used by interpreters to enhance experiences with nature, and promote a deeper connection (Dussel & Derringer, 2020). To go above and beyond, an interpreter can provide different techniques that will help their audience establish deeper connections. 

Would you be interested in finding different methods to establish a deeper connection with nature?

References

About NAI. (n.d.). National Association of Interpretation. From https://www.interpnet.com/NAI/interp/About/nai/_About/ABOUT.aspx?hkey=6f63cbdc-2744-4b3f-9983-27a9e4f93d4a

Dussler, R., & Deringer, S. A. (2020). Exploring the Effects of Interpreters’ Experiences of Mindfulness Interventions on Their Connection With Nature and Subsequent Environmental Interpretation. Journal of Interpretation Research, 25(1), 26–45. https://doi.org/10.1177/1092587220963556

Fehnker, L., Pearson, D., & Howland, P. J. (2022). Inclusion of nature in self and pro-nature beliefs: utilizing psychological scales in environmental management to Further understand if interconnectedness with nature supports sustainable outcomes - A case study in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Australian Geographer, 53(1), 61–83. https://doi.org/10.1080/00049182.2022.2051682