I am also finishing my last year of university! Congratulations! I touched on this in my post too, and I discussed how grateful I am to have taken this course in my final semester of my undergrad. I feel like it was a perfect way to tie together all of the knowledge I acquired throughout my degree, as it has taught me how I can convey this knowledge to others.

To answer your question- yes! I absolutely want to continue my journey as a nature interpreter. Whether this is in a workplace setting or not, I definitely want to use what I have learned throughout this course to help people around me find a connection with nature. As you mentioned, the invisible backpack reading offered important lessons as to how we can check our privileges as nature interpreters.

It’s important to remember that not all of our audience will come from the same background as us. Inclusivity is so important in nature interpretation, and by unpacking our own invisible backpacks, we can make nature interpretation a more welcoming environment for everyone to enjoy.

I really liked how you said that you tried to connect with your audience on an emotional level. I think that this is something that can often be overlooked in nature interpretation. Nature interpretation is about so much more than just spitting out facts! Not only do we want to inform our audience about nature, but we also want them to establish a connection with nature and find things they’re passionate about. Adding an emotional aspect to interpretation is so important.

I resonated with a lot of what you said in your post. Again, I want to congratulate you on finishing your undergrad. Such an accomplishment! Good luck with all your future endeavours :)

Unit 10

As this semester comes to an end, it is great to be able to reflect on this course throughout these past few months. When I first decided to take this course, I did not think that I would have enjoyed it as much as I did. It was nostalgic to be able to reflect on many of my own personal experiences and tie it in with all the things we have learned throughout this course. I also developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for nature interpretation. It is a more complex topic then I originally anticipated it to be.

The most valuable thing that I have learned about nature interpretation is the importance of taking into consideration the learning capabilities of others and their experiences, to best deliver information to them. I originally thought that a nature interpreter would be someone that you will come across at a conservation park but it goes beyond that and focusses on teaching rather than a specific career (Beck et al., 2018). I love to share my love for nature with other people and although I do not see myself in a position of teaching in a traditional sense, I would like to teach those around me in a more casual manner. Specifically, to the younger generation of my family! I believe that teaching the next generation of kids will be very important for our environment. Implementing these teachings with my younger cousins and kids one day can help the effects of climate change by having them be the change that we need for our planet. Being able to share my experiences with my family can trigger that love for nature within them and can make them more inclined to want to protect the environment that they grew to love so much!

A reading that I enjoyed in this course was the “Helping teachers unpack their ‘invisible knapsacks.’” I think I appreciated reading it so much because it gave me a chance to reflect on the privilege that I experienced in my life when it came to nature. It is something that is easy to take for granted but creating that open conversation creates more inclusivity which is something that I never considered before. This leads me into my personal ethics since I believe that inclusivity is important in all aspects, not just nature interpretation. Understanding and acknowledging struggles or privileges that others may have allows them to feel included. It creates a positive and safe space for individuals to have open conversation and it is something that I personally strive for. When it comes to nature interpretation, everyone should have equal opportunity to access all that nature has to offer. Whether it is to simply enjoy the outdoors or to educate themselves on the surrounding environment, every race, gender, age, etc. should have the same opportunities. As a nature interpreter, accessibility should be a top priority.

As someone who has a love for animals and actively works with them through the animal shelter and wildlife rehab centres, I found that compassion is a huge part of my personal ethics. Animals are an important part of our environment and wildlife can be over looked by many, but they play vital roles in our ecosystem. Through my work at the shelter and wildlife rehab centres, there is a fulfilling feeling when you get to help an abandoned litter of raccoons or an injured rabbit recover and have successful releases. Showing compassion towards these animals fuels a drive to help them to get better. I love sharing my experiences dealing with these animals to help raise awareness for the importance of donating or volunteering for wildlife rehabs, if possible. Without these facilities, they will not be able to save the hundreds of wild animals that they rescue every year. Through teachings, I would love to educate the public on exactly what amazing things these places do and it is an approach to nature interpretation that best suits me. With my compassionate attitude and passion for this topic, this can be a great aspect to teaching. I believe that having a true love for something that you are teaching will help the message come across better to your audience and allow them to better connect with the lessons.

To end off this post, I wanted to take a moment to answer the questions that were posed to us every week within our material. Those questions are who am I as an interpreter? Who is my audience? And how can I make this experience meaningful? As I stated already in this post, I enjoy educating people on the wildlife aspect of nature. Through my teachings, I can help people to recognize the importance of supporting local wildlife rehabs to continue saving wildlife. Teaching style is important to consider as well and now that I have the knowledge from this course, I make sure that I can teach in a way that caters to everyone’s learning needs. My audience includes a wide variety of people and can be for anyone who wants to learn more about our native animal species and how they can help. To make their experience meaningful, I can connect with them on an emotional level through sharing my own stories about my work with these amazing animals. A few cute baby raccoon photos also never hurt to create a better experience!

With this being my last year in university, I am glad that I chose to take this course to end off my last semester. It has taught me a lot of things about the different aspects of nature interpretation and how I can apply it to my life and interests. Evaluating my personal ethics in this final post were a great way to end off this final blog post. As I close this chapter on my undergrad, I will take these lessons and reflections with me as I continue on my journey with nature interpretation.

A question to end of is, do you see yourself continuing in nature interpretation after the completion of this course?

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world – Chapter 1. (1st ed.). Sagamore Publishing.

I definitely resonated with what you said about your parents suggesting teaching as a career path for you, as my parents have said the same. I also don't know if this is what I want to pursue, but I have thought about using my scientific and environmental knowledge in other ways.

I think we are lucky to live in a time where teaching and education are beginning to extend outside of the classroom. Outdoor schools and environmental camps are becoming so much more common. Guelph actually has an outdoor school, where the learning objectives are centred around engagement with nature and environmental awareness. As nature interpreters, these institutions could be a way for us to spread knowledge that we are passionate about!

One of the most important takeaways from this course is the concept of the invisible backpack, like you mentioned. Privilege is such a complex topic that is relevant in any discipline. Today my roommate in Guelph, Alex, said something to me that reminded me of how easy it is to take things for granted. He said:

"Back in Seeley's Bay where my parents live, we have a huge glass window at the back of our house looking out onto the water. When we first moved in, I felt so lucky to wake up every morning and look out onto the water and see all the wildlife. Over time, it stopped feeling so special. Now that I'm back in Guelph and I don't have that view, I realize just how much I took it for granted."

Something as simple as a view out your back window can be taken for granted. Learning to appreciate our surroundings and the nature around us, whether it's one tree or an entire river and forest, can help us recognize our privilege, and help us share these privileges with those who might not have them.

The Guelph Outdoor School. (n.d.). Retrieved March 24, 2023, from https://www.theguelphoutdoorschool.com/ 

My Future as a Nature Interpreter

I entered this class not knowing what to expect; “nature Interpretation” was a term I had never heard anywhere. If I’m being completely honest, I still did not really understand what nature interpretation was for the early portion of the course - I struggled to understand the concept. Here in Unit 10, I now know not only what nature interpretation is, but how I fit into it.

The first concept that resonated with me was that of an “invisible backpack” (Gallavan 2005). I have always known I live a privileged life, but as silly as it sounds, writing about it for this class made me realize how many things I take for granted. Looking solely at my experiences with nature, I’ve had the opportunities to go camping at least once a year, as well as live in a house with a backyard, have pets, trips to the zoo as a child, and so much more. All of these experiences have led me to where I am today - studying environmental sciences in University, which is YET ANOTHER PRIVILEGE! I won’t go into detail on what I need to unpack from my invisible backpack, as I did that in a previous post, but the reason I’m writing this is simply to acknowledge that my audiences in whatever setting may not have had the same opportunities I have had, which might make it harder to use my experiences as topics to relate on.

Here's a beautiful park my family and I walk to a few times a year. This particular morning there were a couple feathered-friends on the water :)

I strongly believe that nature is healing to everyone on earth, and even though I have met many people who ‘absolutely hate the outdoors’, nature appreciation can be as simple as enjoying the sunset, or loving rainy days. Reaching audiences of different age groups, from different places, with different interests creates the need to look further than one's own experiences when presenting information or knowledge of nature.

As I develop as a nature interpreter, I would say my personal ethic is similar to my mentality and beliefs going about my life day to day; trying to make more kind and respectful decisions, considering myself but also those around me. To touch briefly on the invisible backpack concept once more, after completing these blog posts, I now understand how I must change my voice to appeal to more audiences. I also know how there are many different mediums I can use to share stories and information about nature, and how some may appeal to some demographics more than others which is important to take into consideration (Beck 2018).

Growing up, I knew I wanted to pursue a career working with animals. This later developed into a passion for the environment as a whole, and I ended up deciding on environmental sciences as a university major rather than zoology, which had initially been all I ever wanted to do. At a young age, and up until today, I’ve never known what I wanted to do with this desire to work within nature.

My parents have mentioned that they think I would make a good teacher because I am a very patient and passionate person, which I never gave a second thought to be quite honest. But I do think it is a path I would enjoy - I love working with kids, and I get a lot of joy out of explaining the concepts I’ve learned about. When I’m studying concepts for tests I like to get someone who doesn’t know the material to quiz me; I’ll compress what I know into the most useful information and explain it to them to help them understand it, which really helps me for some reason. I grew up with a younger brother, and he would always be interested in whatever I was interested in, so he would ask me a million questions about animals and whatever else I was interested in at the time. The one big difference between us was what we excelled at; I was quite good at maths and science, whereas he struggled with them. When he struggled with a math unit, or science concept, I loved sitting down with him and working through it. We have a 5 year age gap, so it was honestly a nice refresher to go over these things again years later. I would find myself teaching the concepts the way I wanted to be taught them, until a couple years into helping him when I realized his learning style is different from mine. This was a good experience as it allowed me to understand different learning styles, which is yet another topic covered in this course!

While teaching does sound exciting, I am not sure it is what I would want to do for a career. I think it is a wonderful way to spread the love of nature (if that were the field I ended up teaching in). I do however feel the responsibility to use my passion for spreading knowledge within whatever field I enter after post-secondary. I believe that passion is important in any job; even as I worked minimum wage fast food jobs in high school, I would go about my day with a positive attitude, as I’ve always found that a positive attitude makes my entire day better, even if I’m faking it, it soon becomes genuine.

Following this course, I strive to be more aware of my audience in all aspects of life, which will allow me to be more inclusive. My final thoughts on this course are all positive. I have enjoyed creating all of my posts because they honestly feel like a break from my busy schedule sometimes - which I’m sure many of my peers can relate to. I would absolutely recommend this course to others, especially to those not in environmental sciences, as I feel like they can learn a lot from this experience as well. Thanks to anyone who read this post, this one was a lot of fun, and I'm honestly a little sad this is the last one as I've been enjoying writing these. Good luck with your future endeavours everyone! :)

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks.” Multicultural Education (San Francisco, Calif.), 13(1), 36–36.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018c). Chapter 7: Serving Diverse Audience. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a better world. (pp.105-123) Sagamore Venture.

Looking Ahead

This is my last semester of my undergraduate degree. I have switched majors three times, going from a BA in English, to International Development, and finally to a BSc in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. I have spent the last five years studying and taking courses from all of these disciplines, and I truly feel like I have accumulated vast amounts of knowledge from all three areas. And out of all the courses I have taken (trust me, there's a lot), Nature Interpretation was by far the most inspiring and meaningful, and I'm grateful to finish my degree with this course in my final semester.

As someone in STEM, I'm used to looking at facts. Whether it's completing my own experiments, or reading other's research, I am drawn to conclusions and results. I'm lucky that I have been given the resources to understand scientific literature and apply these facts to the world around me. Five years ago, in my first year as an English major, I don't think I would be able to say that. Learning the ins and outs of Nature Interpretation has allowed me to fully grasp how important this is, but it has also allowed me to gain an appreciation for scientific accessibility. Nature interpretation offers a pathway of accessibility to scientific information that otherwise might not be readily available. Nature interpreters have such an important role in the scientific world, as they are the ones who convey the science to others. This exchange of information allows for collaboration that could improve society's relationship with the natural world. This course has made me appreciate this, and I'll carry this appreciation with me after I graduate.

Reminding myself of the importance of accessibility in STEM helps me to establish my personal ethics. I know how it feels to be so interested in a topic and yet know nothing about it, and feel like it's too difficult to learn. I am lucky that my university education has helped me in this aspect, but I know that not everyone has this opportunity. Reaching as many people as possible to spread scientific awareness of our natural world is important to me, and I hope that as an ethic this will remain an important part of my life and career. Learning about the importance of nature interpretation has established this ethic in the foundation of who I am as an interpreter.

As I enter this next chapter of my life post-graduation, I have to remind myself of my responsibilities as a nature interpreter going forward. Outside of university life, I will have the opportunity to reach more people and share more knowledge and experiences. I am looking forward to working jobs and volunteering in spaces that give me these opportunities.

I talked about the responsibility of keeping STEM accessible, but there is more to the story. I am privileged to be able to go outside and hike in nature, or to buy a plane ticket and travel to a new location. I know this privilege does not extend to everyone, and it is my responsibility to help others establish these connections with nature in any way that they can. I want everyone to find a space in nature that they can connect with- something that is special just to them.

My childhood best friend, Maya, works as an educational guide in Ontario. She often tells me stories about high school students that she takes on guided hikes, who have spent so many of their teen years inside, partly due to COVID and partly due to technology. It makes her so sad to see these teenagers bored by nature, and unable to connect with it, as they would rather spend time on their phones. I feel sad as well. And I feel like I have a responsibility to help that generation form connections with nature. We were all teenagers once, and teenagers are stubborn, but I haven't given up hope. When people like Maya and I, and you (my fellow nature interpreters) work together to help people experience the natural world, I think we can heal the world around us by forming connections.

Maya and I, 2019

When I think about how I will approach my role as a nature interpreter, I think it comes down to encouraging people to find out what fascinates them. I want to encourage curiosity and for people to be eager to learn. I want to bring people outside and show them just how much we depend on the natural world so they can connect and develop their own fascinations. What I'm interested in may have no impact on someone else, but maybe it will spark an inquiry elsewhere. When people are curious, they observe their surroundings more in depth, and are constantly coming up with thoughts and ideas. From a nature interpretation standpoint, curiosity could allow people to actively engage with the natural world, instead of just being in it. By approaching interpretation as a way of fostering this curiosity in people, I hope to spark creativity in those around me.

When people are encouraged to learn more about their natural surroundings, they are also more confident in their ability to conserve them (Merenlender et al. 2016). This is an important step towards environmental conservation, and this confidence can be achieved at any age. While it is important to start teaching people about the importance of our environment at a young age, we should not neglect those in high school or older, as it is not "too late" to spark their interests.

In conclusion, I hope that I am able to use my personal ethics as a route to actively pursuing my responsibilities as an interpreter. Throughout this course, I have been able to reflect on what being a nature interpreter means to me on an individual level, and it boils down to these three points:

I want to be someone who conveys scientific information in a way that is accessible to people of all ages/ backgrounds

I want to encourage curiosity and spark interest in others, in the hope that they will find something they are passionate about and pursue it

I not only want to share information and experiences with others, but I also want people to share things with me. We all have so much to learn from one another, and every day we interact with new people. I want to learn from these interactions.

I have truly enjoyed reading everyone's blog posts this semester. I have learned a lot, and have much to reflect on going forward. I wish you all good luck with your schooling and future endeavours!

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 

Your post reminded me of a really important memory I have, which was the first time I ever saw a shooting star. I grew up spending lots of time at the cottage, and looking at all the constellations was one of my favourite things. However, I was never lucky enough to witness a shooting star. I would spend hours sometimes staring at the night sky, and it was so annoying when the person I was with would point up and say "there's one!" Except I was always too late.

That changed in 2019, when I went on a road trip with my boyfriend to Silver Lake Provincial Park. We didn't get to our camp sight until late at night, and decided to head down to the water and look at the stars. I can still picture it in my mind, as the Milky Way was so bright that night, and I could see the stars reflected off the water.

In that moment, my boyfriend and I both saw a shooting star fly across the sky, and I was speechless. I only saw it for a split-second, but it left me in complete awe of the night sky.

Since that night, I have seen a lot more shooting stars. Back in December, I was lucky to witness a meteor shower in Newmarket. That being said, shooting stars never cease to amaze me.

The next thing on my bucket list regarding the night sky is to see the Northern Lights. Living in Southern Ontario, there aren't many opportunities. But this is my fifth and final year of my undergrad, and after graduation I'm hoping to get a job in Western Canada, and my fingers are crossed that I'll get to see the Northern Lights then.

Unit 09

Since we don’t have a specific prompt this week, I will write about something I find amazing in nature which is the night sky. As a reminder, I have spent four years working seasonally in Algonquin Provincial Park and am looking forward to going back for my fifth year. Something I love to do in the summer is walk down to the staff docks at night and stare up at the night sky. I remember one night vividly when my friend and I were down at the docks and saw many shooting stars very clearly, the most I had ever seen. Throughout this post, I have included some pictures of the night sky that I took last summer on Canoe Lake. So now, let’s talk about shooting stars!

Shooting stars can be defined as “a piece of rock or metal that burns very brightly when it enters the Earth’s atmosphere from space, and is seen from Earth as a bright star travelling very fast across the sky” (Shooting start definition and meaning, n.d.). Shooting stars may also be termed meteors. Generally, meteors become visible when they are approximately 97 kilometres away, and some large meteors can be heard and be brighter than the planet Venus; these are referred to as fireballs (Dobrijevic, 2022). ‘Normal’ meteors travel through the atmosphere at a speed of 48,280 kilometres per hour and reach extreme temperatures of 1648°C (Dobrijevic, 2022). Meteors are common with approximately two to seven meteors being visible to observers every hour of the night (Reddy, n.d.). Additionally, it is possible to have dozens to hundreds of meteors in the sky and when this occurs, it is termed a meteor shower (Dobrijevic, 2022). Meteor showers are more common at specific times of the year and can be predicted. Furthermore, meteor showers are given names based on where they appear to be originating from; specifically, which constellation (Dobrijevic, 2022). For example, meteor showers that originate from the Orion constellations are named Orionids (Dobrijevic, 2022). For viewing purposes, it is recommended to look out for them during pre-dawn hours from a location facing the direction of Earth’s orbit (Dobrijevic, 2022). As well, hopefully, the shower occurs on nights when the moon is less bright as this makes the meteor shower more noticeable (Dobrijevic, 2022).

In historical times, meteors and anything else seen in the night sky created superstitions and were most commonly associated with gods and religion (Dobrijevic, 2022).  For example, shooting stars were thought to be sent down by angels as a gift to Earth (Dobrijevic, 2022).  However, others believed shooting stars was how gods displayed their anger (Dobrijevic, 2022). These superstitions lasted for a long time in Earth’s history because most scientists simply did not think that stones could just fall from the sky. Oftentimes, scientists simply ignored accounts of this happening (Dobrijevic, 2022).

I hope you learned something new from this post and would love to know what you find fascinating in nature!

References

Dobrijevic, D. (2022, August 11). Meteor showers and shooting stars: Formation and history. Space.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.space.com/meteor-showers-shooting-stars.html.

HarperCollins Publishers Ltd. (n.d.). Shooting star definition and meaning: Collins english dictionary. Shooting star definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/shooting-star.

Reddy, F. (n.d.). Meteors and Meteor Showers. Astronomy.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://astronomy.com/observing/observe-the-solar-system/2010/04/meteors-and-meteor-showers#:~:text=Under%20a%20dark%20sky%2C%20any,of%20the%20inner%20solar%20system.

Fireflies

Since I was a child, there has always been one aspect of nature that never ceases to amaze me, and that is bioluminescence! One example of bioluminescence is fireflies. Fireflies are a type of beetle in the family Lampyridae, and are known for being able to emit light.

Fireflies regulate their light by controlling how much oxygen gets to their abdomen. This allows them to send out signals! These signals can be used to attract mates, as each species of firefly has a species-specific light code. It reminds me of morse code!

Fireflies and humans have a complex relationship of their own. While humans are always in awe of fireflies and their abilities to emit light, recent research suggests that this light could help humans in the way of medical research. The enzymes responsible for firefly light can be used to detect the presence of certain DNA, and has even allowed for the development of new antibiotic strains (Lewis, 2016).

Fireflies are also used to detect possible contamination in our food products. Common bacteria, such as salmonella, can be detected by the activation of Luciferase, the enzyme in fireflies (Andrews, 2012).

Another fascinating animal is the angler fish. I'm sure a lot of us remember this fish from Finding Nemo, and it's hard to believe it actually exists!

Like fireflies, these fish use the light to attract mates, but it is not the only use. Angler fish are predators, and use the light to attract prey in the darker areas of the ocean.

Are there any other examples of bioluminescence that you find fascinating? I would love to hear them!

Andrews, J. (2012, March 21). Pathogen Detection System takes a cue from Fireflies. Food Safety News. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2012/03/pathogen-detection-system-takes-a-cue-from-fireflies/ 

Lewis, S. (2016, July 21). How fireflies are beautiful - and useful. ideas.ted.com. Retrieved March 13, 2023, from https://ideas.ted.com/how-fireflies-are-beautiful-and-useful/ 

Funeral for a Friend is a great song, and it made your post stand out to me. Another Elton John song that could relate to this weeks topic is Indian Sunset. The difference here is that instead of incorporating natural sounds in the instrumentals, the lyrics describe the natural scenery of the song's setting:

"Where the red sun sinks in the fields of hills of gold

And the healing waters run

Trampling down the prairie rose

Leaving hoof tracks in the sand"

This song is a form of nature interpretation, as it tells a story through the music and the lyrics. I encourage you to give it a listen!

On another note, I also took BOT*3050 last semester! I wonder if we were ever in a lab group together?

I relate to your feelings about the Dairy Bush. I'm going to be honest- I was a bit disappointed when I found out we would be doing our labs here. I thought it would be boring, as it just looked like a bunch of shrubs in a field. It wasn't until I had work closely in this field identifying plants that I found the beauty in all the diversity. It's nice that those labs reminded you of Wildflowers by Tom Petty, and it's such a nice feeling when nature can connect us to art forms like music.

Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

The very definition of music is subjective. It is simply a series of sounds put together that we deem has beauty. Even within what is commonly socially accepted as music, there are conflicting opinions on what music is considered beautiful and masterful versus obnoxious and distasteful. 

Music in nature is all around us. From the way raindrops hit our glass window panes and create ripples in the river, to wasps and cicadas buzzing around flowers and tall grasses, to wolves powerfully howling in the distance. There is beauty in these sounds because the very essence of nature and biological processes drives all life, joy, and perception of beauty that is possible on earth. 

Nature, by its very essence, is inherent in all aspects of music. For example, the metals used to make brass instruments are mined from the earth, and we use wood to build pianos, guitars, and violins. This wacky species of primate that pretends to dissociate itself from nature, called Homo sapiens, spend years mastering these instruments and playing them with their friends. And the anatomy of our ears interpret these little vibrations that we perceive as sound, and we decide whether or not we like what we hear. Although many of these sounds are not observed in the wilderness, they are still a result of ecosystem services and natural processes. Countless songs incorporate recordings of ecological processes commonly found in nature such as birds chirping in Blackbird by the Beatles and powerful winds blowing in Funeral for a Friend by Elton John.

Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour cover photo featuring a piano surrounded by diverse flora.

I have a very strong relationship with both music and nature and frequently observe the synergistic interactions of these two very special and intimate parts of my life. I grew up taking piano lessons, played the alto and tenor saxophones in my school bands, and now am very passionate about playing the guitar. One of my favourite aspects of the summer is playing my guitar outside at parks, on camping trips, and at my summer camp, both with others and on my own. Listening to the sounds around me and taking in my surroundings while playing music is a very healing selfcare practice for me. It helps me prevent burnout when I am stressed, gives a safe avenue to explore my feelings when I am distressed, and is an important opportunity for me to reflect on myself after an intense experience. 

Wildflowers in the field adjacent to the Dairy Bush

During my BOT*3050 Plant Functional Ecology field work periods last semester, we spent ample time in the old field adjacent to the Dairy Bush. On one of the lab days, we were learning about how to determine the optimal plot size for vegetation sampling and we needed to identify all wildflower species present in the 16m2 plot. This activity forced my attention to the intimate details and anatomy of the gorgeous variety of white, purple, yellow, and green of wildflowers present in the old field. Even walking up the steep hill to reach the pathway through the old field, I remember taking in the zoomed out landscape of their field with shockingly vivid and diverse colours. This experience always made me think about the song Wildflowers by Tom Petty and caused me to bring this song into my regular repertoire of music I commonly listen to. To this day, I still listen to Wildflowers roughly once a day and think of the beautiful colours and fantastic biodiversity in the old field adjacent to the Dairy Bush.

Wildflowers by Tom Petty lyrics

Music & Nature

The first thing I think about when prompted by the connection between music and nature is whale songs. While I have never heard whale songs in person, listening to recordings of them underwater feel so surreal to me. In "The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music," they discuss whale songs. I learned that whale songs have similar aspects to human music, including rhythm, phrases, themes, and intervals. I didn't know there were so many commonalities between human music and whale songs, as whale songs can sound so distinct. If you're not sure what whale songs sound like, check out the YouTube video below from Oceania Project.

The article mentioned above makes an important point about the relationship of music in nature- it can give us clues to our own evolutionary history. The article states that the similarities between whale songs and our own music may indicate that we adapted whale "music" into our human lifestyles, and were not at all the inventors of it (Gray et al. 2001). This is a grounding reminder that humans are not the centre of the world, and that there is a lot we can learn from the animals we share this planet with.

Thinking about nature in music reminds me of the album cover for Supertramp's "Even in the Quietest Moments." The artwork, featuring a piano front and centre covered in snow, set on a wintery mountainside, intertwines nature in music in a compelling way.

Even In The Quietest Moments- Supertramp

I have already discussed the relationship of art and nature in other blog posts, and while I do want to admire this beautiful artwork, I want to ask you all to listen a song with me from this album.

The title track "Even In The Quietest Moments" starts with 20 seconds of bird songs, before the instruments even begin to play. Even once the birdsong fades away and the instruments become prominent, the mix of guitar, saxophone, oboe, and other instruments leaves the listener with such a peaceful and natural sounding melody. While the birdsong is a more obvious integration of nature into music, I think that skilled musicians can create pieces of music that connect us to nature through their instruments, and "Even In The Quietest Moments" is one of those songs.

My parents are big fans of Van Morrison. Their first dance song at their wedding was "Someone Like You". Growing up, I have clear memories from my childhood of waking up Saturday mornings at our cottage on Lake Muskoka to the sound of Van Morrison's album "Moondance" playing on the CD player downstairs. That album, combined with the birds chirping outside my window and the sound of water from the lake lapping against the shore, became an instrumental part of my childhood. I'm now 23, and we don't have our cottage anymore, but we still have that CD player and that album.

One song in particular has stuck with me throughout my life, and is a continual reminder of how lucky I was to spend my childhood summers with my parents at that cottage. I feel like I grew up on Lake Muskoka, and I will always feel a special connection to the natural landscape of that area. It's where I learned how to fully appreciate nature and it's importance to my life, and I haven't forgotten those lessons. "Into the Mystic" will always transport me back to those summers, and I keep a copy of this CD in my car for those days where I want to feel just a bit nostalgic.

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

Unfortunately, I’m sure there are a lot of stories similar to the one you told about your job site previously overlooking indigenous history. It seems that indigenous knowledge is so often overlooked when it comes to history. You’re right when you say this happens at the cost of the integrity of the site, and I think this is something that many people don’t realize.

Maybe a lot of our classmates have similar experiences, but I remember in history class in elementary school, there was no mention of indigenous culture. When we talked about the “history of Canada” it was always about the European explorers who settled here, but there was almost no mention of indigenous societies or culture. As I have become more educated about indigenous history, I realize that so much is left out. This jeopardizes the integrity of the stories my teachers told us about Canadian history. I hope that schools are now more aware of this, and don’t exclude indigenous history in teachings.

Reading about the way you included indigenous history in your tours is hopeful, as I’m sure a lot of people in our generation would do the same as you. You’re right- those conversations are a small step towards reconciliation, but a step nonetheless! I hope the people that were an audience to your tours were receptive and understanding, and passed along the knowledge you gave them.

Indigenous local and traditional ecological knowledge is an important part of the natural history of nature interpretation. It will take a lot of initiative and steps to fully integrate it into schools and education, but I am hopeful that we will get there.

Integrity and History in Interpretation

“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)

Historical interpretation can go hand-in-hand with natural interpretation in many situations. As we have discussed in ENVS*3000, effective interpretation often involves crafting a story that unifies the themes and messages an interpreter is sharing. Now what if that story aims not only to illustrate the natural history of a place, but also the cultural history that is connected there.

I believe that integrity is a highly important quality for all people to possess, and interpreters are certainly included. Going along with the description of integrity presented by Edward Hyams, to me integrity refers to the stability of character and consistently following one’s morals. 

This week we were prompted to reflect on a set of questions that relate to historical narratives we share, emphasizing what we choose to share in our stories and, crucially, what we don’t share through these stories. What is made explicit and what is left open to interpretation?

I have had the privilege to work as a historical interpreter in a national park during the past two summers, so I feel like I have some insight to share in this regard.  I learned that at my site, the historical narrative that is shared with visitors has changed a lot throughout the years, in a way that reflects different values than what was prioritized in the past. In the past, much of the historical interpretation that was delivered to the visitors focussed on European centric (or colonial) history, and that this place was “discovered” by some railway workers. This implied that they were the first humans to interact with this place, and it ignored the long history of indigenous culture that is tied to the landscape. Telling the story this way benefitted people who wanted to remain ignorant on indigenous culture and heritage, at the cost of the integrity of the site. To refer to Hyams’ quote, ignoring the indigenous history of this site while implying some railway workers were the first to find it is like riding a train and believing there no train stations because you can’t see any out the window.

When I worked at this site, the focus of the history we told had shifted to be looked at through a wider lens. I would often frame my tours and conversation by acknowledging the longstanding history of indigenous people in the area and at this site. I would also normally discuss how protected parks have a history of excluding indigenous people from their land and have played a role in the process of colonialism that has dominated North America for centuries. While conversations like these may be a small step towards reconciliation, I think they are important for preserving integrity as an interpreter. To interpret a history truthfully and ethically, the full scope of the story should be addressed even if the specific story being shared only covers one chapter of the history. Integrity means choosing to include all parts of a whole, and history should be shared with integrity.

That's all for now,

See you next time

History and Nature Interpretation

"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

As stated in this weeks unit, natural history is about creating a story based on evid ence. This can be tied into the previous quote by Edward Hyams, as the past can never be "done with," and is an important part of human culture and is important for storytelling.

Natural history is a key component of nature interpretation, as it allows us to form connections and develop deeper understandings of our natural surroundings. Natural history can tell us how certain species evolved into what they are, or how certain landscapes came to look a certain way. We need to consider the natural history of all natural things around us in order to fully appreciate our surroundings.

Natural history does not have to be only scientific either- it can rely on local and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to form a storyline. TEK does not come from scientific experiments or research, but rather from a deep relationship with the landscape that takes place over many years, as people change and evolve with the landscape and experience things together. We need to remember to include this type of knowledge when we think about natural history.

This relates back to the part of the quote about integrity. "... 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..." Understanding the importance of past events to the present tense can allow us to pass these stories of natural history on, without losing their integrity.

I now want to draw on some of the key questions discussed in this weeks unit:

What story is being shared?

Try to think about a piece of natural history that relates directly to you. Maybe it's about the land that your childhood home is on?

2. What is included?

What animals lived near your childhood home? Were there any trees in your yard? Did you live close to a park or forest?

3. What is ignored?

Maybe there weren't any trees in your yard; maybe they were cut down. How does this change the landscape?

4. What is implied?

What do the species of plants and animals tell you about the ecosystem and environment near your home?

5. What is specified?

How can you create a story of natural history based on your answers to the previous questions? What does it tell you about the landscape?

It is clear that the past plays such an important role in our present understanding of our surroundings. Using the past to relay our interpretive thoughts on nature is an important part of making connections. Like the train station from Hyams' quote, nature exists as long as we continue to tell its stories, and this is what nature interpretation is all about.

Hi Tiana,

I've spent some time thinking about your question of the ways we can help species on Earth in relation to climate change. I think a lot of people feel like climate change is something out of our hands, and it's large corporations or government officials that need to be making big changes. While this is true, it can make us as individuals feel so small and helpless- I know I have felt this way before in response to our changing climate. However, there are still many things that we can do to help our climate. No act is too small!

Here is a list of some things that individuals can do:

Produce less waste- instead of using ziplock bags to store food, invest in some reusable Tupperware that lasts longer and won't end up in a landfill. This includes buying a reusable coffee mug and taking that to coffee shops instead of using disposable cups. Also, a lot of places (like Tim Hortons) will offer you a discount for bringing your own cup!

Mindful eating- I'm bad for buying fresh vegetables only to forget about them and have them rot in my fridge. I started making a weekly plan for my ingredients and meals to ensure that nothing gets wasted. This has helped me to remember what I have in my fridge, and I end up wasting almost nothing.

Educate yourself- this one relates to the topic of science and nature interpretation. Educating ourselves on certain species at risk or ecosystems allows us to understand their importance on this planet. An example of this could be learning what species in Ontario are at risk . This information can then be shared and spark inspiration in people who want to protect these animals.

These are just the first things that popped into my head, and are things that I try to practice in my daily life. I know there are so many ways to help protect our planet and it's many species, and I would love to hear what other people have to say.

Nature Interpretation through Science (week 5)

In week 5 in ENVS 3000, I was able to freely write about what I have learned. When looking over the lecture notes I decided to watch the video by Kitty and Jenny.  In the video, Kitty and Jenny are walking through the Arboretum and observing animal signs. These animal signs help to recognize different things that are being looked at in nature. Otherwise known as biodiversity sheets. The biodiversity sheets allow researchers to see what species may have made certain marks in a tree and if certain trees are essential habitats for specific species (Hooykaas, 2023).

Furthermore, Jenny and Kitty talk about how they can recognize when signs are left behind by humans. They stress the importance of humans leaving positive marks in nature. Sometimes these marks may be large, but they can also be small. This intrigued me and I did some research on what some of these positive marks could be. One positive human sign in nature could be reforestation. This can be beneficial as it allows for the growth of biodiversity, air filtering, carbon sequestration, and the linkage of habitats (Anderson, 2021). Another smaller form of human signs in nature would be to take a different pathway to avoid intruding wildlife in its natural form.

The video “For the Love of Birds” which is a TED talk was very influential. The talk was about birds’ feathers and how birds are feather-makers. Each and every bird is unique, especially since their feathers come in different sizes, shapes, patterns, and colours. They represent freedom in life due to their ability to fly and conquer gravity. This is truly amazing, and I know many people have considered what it would be like to fly and have that unique freedom (Hooykaas, 2023)

Specifically, I found learning about birds interesting as one of my podcast topics was about birds. Therefore, learning more about how birds are like us and how they are essential in helping our planet was great. The video taught me that birds contribute to cleaning up the environment, getting rid of rodents, and helping plants form fruit. Yet, they face many challenges including habitat loss, being hunted, poisoning, getting stuck in power lines and wind turbines, and mainly climate change (Hooykaas, 2023). As someone who is greatly interested in the environment, I hope to be able to educate others about the challenges that birds face to lengthen their time here on earth. I also have begun to consider the challenges that other species face as well especially due to the earth’s current climate change.

Have any of you considered the ways in which you can help the species on earth in consideration to climate change?

I look forward to hearing your responses! - Tiana

Anderson, C. (2023). What are the benefits of reforestation? Wolf Education and Research Center. Retrieved January 30th, 2023, https://wolfcenter.org/what-are-the-benefits-of-reforestation/#:~:text=Reforestation%20provides%20many%20benefits%20for%20us%20and%20our,%E2%80%93%20reforestation%20supports%20local%20economies%201%20More%20items

Hooykaas, A. (2023). Unit 05: Nature interpretation through science. University of Guelph: Courselink.

Science Communication and Nature Interpretation

While becoming a nature interpreter is accessible to anyone, there are some aspects of it that can advance ones interpreting abilities- science communication is one of these aspects. Science communication can be defined as the practice of informing and educating people about scientific topics, whether this be astrophysics, biochemistry, ecology etc. While there are many scientific topics, the three that I have mentioned all play roles in our natural environment. For example, biochemistry is the study of biological processes that make up living organisms. So, while I know that the human body is comprised of various elements that complete biological processes, understanding these elements and processes can give me such a deeper understanding of what it means to be a human. This is where science communication comes in.

Making science communication accessible and available for everyone is an important task. We're lucky that we have access to such advanced technology where one google search will take me to a ten minute YouTube video where Hank Green teaches me the ins and outs of cellular respiration.

While YouTube videos are a fantastic way to learn about scientific topics, I don't think this is the only way. In previous blog posts, I talked about the privilege a lot of people have of being able to get outside and explore nature around them, regardless of if you live in the city or in the country. I decided to come up with a simple scientific experiment that people could do at home:

Buy some bird seed (or make your own mix) and place it outside your home- somewhere you can watch it.

Once the birds come, start identifying them and keeping track of how many birds come from each species and when. Bird identification can be hard, so taking photos of the birds and identifying them later is a good idea.

Over the span of a few weeks, tally up the totals and see which birds came the most or the least. Were there species of birds that seemed to show up frequently together? Did some birds show up first thing in the morning only? Others only in the evening or after dark?

Think about these questions (and come up with some of your own), and try to do some of your own research on the answers to these questions. Try to come up with your own hypotheses based on the data you collected and see if you were right!

Basic science experiments like this allow people to conduct their own research while encouraging them to look at the scientific aspect of nature. It's so rewarding to understand why certain aspects of nature operate the way they do, and allows us as interpreters to develop a deeper connection and appreciation for the natural world.

Do any of you have an idea for another simple science experiment people could do to try and understand the science-side of nature? Let me know, I'd love to hear it!

Bubo scandiacus, the snowy owl.

You made an important point about asking ourselves tough questions about our relationship with nature. When you asked if spending more time connecting to nature could improve mental/ physical health, it reminded me of last week's blog topic- privilege. While it is easy for some of us to go outside and connect with the outdoors, a lot of people don't have this privilege. For these people, it's possible they could use art to develop this deeper connection. Whether it's spending time contemplating nature related paintings or photographs, or watching movies with beautiful scenery or reading books like Walden, that try to share the power of connecting with nature. Art offers a pathway for people to connect with nature in a different way.

I think this ties in nicely with the 'gift of beauty.' You're right when you said that people are often attracted to bright and colourful things. It takes more effort to search for beauty in things that are darker or more dismal- but that doesn't mean the beauty isn't there. This is what makes it more special to individuals. Just like pieces of art, people will find beauty in nature in many different ways, and it can manifest meaning in many ways too.

Unit 4: Nature Interpretation Through Art

I would like to believe that nature and art play a significant role with one another. Personally, I believe that we all have a unique way of interpreting situations, places, and nature in general. Everyone has the right and ability to interpret nature through art as it is a personal experience that we are able to share with others. As mentioned in the reading, there are a variety of experiences that are able to be had from interpreting nature through art from educational to recreational. 

Throughout my academic career, we have studied both art and nature, but rarely ever focused on the symbiotic relationship that the two share. Many of the most beautiful pieces of art are a reflection of nature and what one see’s and captures through photographs, paintings, movies, etc. Everyone has a specific way of capturing a moment in nature, whether the noises on a hiking trail inspire you to paint something whimsical or watching the sunset inspires you to paint the beauty that you just saw. I also believe that the events that lead to the way you capture nature are very significant. For example, someone you loved has just recently passed, you have been gloomy and down for weeks, but then the most striking sunset appears. Maybe you begin to reflect back on the person that the sunset reminds you of and intergrade that into your work of art. If this is able to inspire or motivate another person to just take a step back and focus on the Brightside of every downfall, I believe that the artist accomplished what they wanted to. It is our job as the interpreter to try and relate these pieces of art to our everyday lives and even ask ourselves some tough questions (i.e. Do I truly appreciate nature? If I spent more time on creating a connection to nature, would my mental and physical health flourish?).

For as long as I can remember, my parents have been collecting paintings of scenery across the globe and decorating our house with them. These can be from places we have visited to places my parents want to visit.

In terms of “the gift of beauty”, I choose to interpret it using my experiences and personal characteristics. Many may view this idea through a religious lens, but mine is a mixture of both science and religion. Nature is something that is so special and like mentioned in last week’s blogs, it truly is a privilege. I find that we relate a number of beauty standards and ideals to the way we interpret beauty in nature. For example, our eyes are prone to being attracted to bright and colourful things, this can be seen in nature with the way the sun reflects onto different surfaces and plants. In addition, many of the items that we consider a “gift” come from nature, whether that be a pearl necklace, a crystal, a slab of wood used as your dining room table, etc. Then again, this “gift of beauty” brought to us by nature may be beautiful and special to you, but not the person that is right next to you.

The Many Art Forms of Nature

Being able to interpret nature through art (whether it be music, a painting, a book, or movies/ photographs) is such a special attribute. It can be easy to form connections to nature when your body is physically in it, but forming this connection through an art form can be more difficult.

Growing up, my parents filled the walls of our house with nature-inspired artwork. Whether it was a scene of wolves running through the forest, or a horse-drawn carriage traveling through a town around Christmastime, being surrounded by these images helped me develop a deeper understanding of the relationship between art and nature. A few years ago, I travelled to Victoria B.C. to visit family, and while I was there I went to the Robert Bateman Gallery. I can't quite describe it, but viewing his artistic interpretations of nature always left me with such a deep gratitude for the natural world and for artists like Robert Bateman who capture it so perfectly. Below is an image of one of my favourite paintings. My parents have it hanging in their house, and I love showing it to friends when they visit and seeing how long it takes them to realize this is not just a painting of grass.

Eyes in the Grass- Robert Bateman (painting)

I recently watched the movie "The Banshees of Inisherin," and felt quite moved by the cinematography and setting. My grandparents immigrated from Ireland, and I still have a lot of family there that I am lucky to have visited in the past. I have always found the rugged coasts and rolling fields of Ireland to be so beautiful, and this movie did such a special job of capturing the beauty. It left me with feelings of sadness and longing to go back to Ireland, but also with feelings of gratitude. Even though I'm not in Ireland now, seeing its landscapes portrayed in film left me feeling peaceful just knowing that they're there, and that they'll still be there when I get the opportunity to return.

A scene from "The Banshees of Inisherin"

I mentioned before that it can be easy to feel connected to nature when you're physically present in it. Don't get me wrong, this is still such a special feeling and is one I hope everyone can experience in their lifetime. But being able to connect with nature through art can allow you to experience a deeper level of connection with places you may have never physically been. It is inspiring and hopeful to feel connected to a place you are not physically in, and I think it creates a certain sense of longing to travel and experience these things first hand. Just knowing that the Irish landscapes are out there waiting for my return sparks such an excitement in me, and I feel lucky to have this feeling.

The beauty of nature is subjective. One person could look at a landscape and see nothing special, while the next person that comes along could think it was the most beautiful thing they have ever seen. The subjectiveness of nature interpretation is especially relevant when it comes to art, and it is so special that each person can experience the beauty of art differently.

Makayla,

I really like your definition of privilege. I think it includes an important aspect of the term- inheritance. When I think about the privileges in my invisible backpack (white, middle-class etc), these are things that I have inherited from my upbringing. I did nothing to deserve these advantages, and yet here I am with them. The term 'inherited' in your definition is a great reminder of the privileges that we have.

I feel similarly about the privilege of being a traveler and a student, and have similar experiences. While everyone's experience as a nature interpreter will vary, the variance will highly depend on the privileges people do or do not have.

I also took the Global Environmental Change course, and my journey as a nature interpreter has me thinking back to what I learned there. People living in countries like Canada are so privileged when it comes to issues like climate change. Many developing nations have lower emissions than countries like Canada and the United States, yet they're feeling more of the effects of climate change. I remember learning in that class that the emissions produced by developed countries can result in the extreme weather, like droughts and floods, that often hit places with less resources to prepare. This hinders the ability of these developed nations to produce and export goods, and results in a nasty cycle. In Canada, we don't even have to think about these things because our country is not as vulnerable. However, this does not mean we can just pretend these issues don't exist. The first step is to recognize the privilege we have as Canadians, and the second step is to start doing something about it.

Unit 03: Risk versus Reward in Interpretation

There are many ways that privilege can be defined. My working definition of privilege is an inherited advantage that an individual or group of people have that will allow life to be easier for them. Is there anything you would critic about this definition? 

I use the words “inherited” to emphasize Mcintosh points on privilege. Society has historically favored white, heterosexual, middle class, men (Mcintosh in Noel, 2000 p. 115). These characteristics and traits are passed down from parents to kin. Therefore, privilege is hereditary. Privilege is a complex and complicated topic. For some people, privilege is a topic of conversation that makes them uncomfortable. However, it is important that we recognize and discuss the privileges we have or do not have. This will allow us to be unbiased in our interpretations about nature and other topics. Dismissing the fact that we have privileges and choosing not to point them out is a privilege itself. 

In past discussion post, I have discussed that a significant amount of my relationship with nature is through travelling. Travelling can be costly, between the plane tickets, hotel, and food. Therefore, it is a privilege that my family and I have the funds to travel often. Furthermore, Mcintosh pointed out the privilege of being in possession of a visa (Mcintosh in Noel, 2000, p.116), or in my case, a Canadian Passport. A passport prevents me from having to complete extra paperwork or pre-visa interviews. Simply because I have a Canadian passport, I have this ability to enter other countries without any extra steps. As a result of being able to travel and learn about nature in other countries is an extreme privilege. My experience with nature heavily relies on my experiences, many of which those experiences take place outside of Canada. Therefore, my interpretation of nature is very influenced by privileged. 

As discussed in my second blog post, being a university student can be a type of a nature interpreter. However, a university education is a privilege. It is a long and costly journey that not all individuals can afford. It is common to see a financial burned even after graduation from university.  Furthermore, in my post I discussed the Global Environmental change course that I have taken at the University of Guelph and how it changed my perspective of nature. I am able to share the information I learned from this course with others because the privilege I have. Additionally, once I graduate, having a university degree does give me a step up when applying for employment. This is a privilege as I continue my own journey as a student, professional and person.

Privilege is a very interesting topic and plays a part in almost everything we do. It is essential that we keep privilege in mind when interpreting nature and all other topics. 

I look forward to reading your blog post and discussing this topic further. 

Makayla 

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks.” Multicultural Education (San Francisco, Calif.), 13(1), 36–36.

Noel, J. (2000). Notable selections in multicultural education. Guilford, CT: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill. 

Privilege in Nature

The topic of privilege can be a tricky one to grasp, as it can mean something different to everyone. I think the invisible backpack exercise is a great way to look inwards at ones own privilege. Here are some things in my invisible backpack:

I'm a white, English speaking Canadian citizen

I'm educated

I'm able-bodied

I grew up in a middle-class family in Ontario

I recognize that while these are normal parts of my life, not everyone has these advantages. Even though everyone taking ENVS*3000 is enrolled in university, we all have different experiences of how we got here. For some, those experiences might have been more difficult than for others. I think it's important to recognize this.

The relationship one has with nature can also be attributed to privilege. Having read some of my peers blog posts, I've learned that we all had different experiences with nature growing up. Some grew up in cities and urban areas, surrounded by concrete. Others grew up on farms or in rural areas, closer to the natural world. Some of us have been able to travel and explore new places, while others had to stay close to home.

Being able to travel to new places is such a privilege that not everyone is lucky enough to have. Experiencing nature in new environments can help one to develop a deeper relationship with the natural world. I've been lucky to have been able to travel with my parents growing up, and with friends as I got older. I have friends who didn't have this privilege, and I recognize now that traveling isn't something accessible to everyone. I used catch myself feeling surprised when people tell me they've never left Ontario, but I know that this isn't a proper reaction. Everyone's experiences are different.

My best friend Maya and I were fortunate to travel to Greece in 2018, visiting our friend Steve and staying with his family.

Another important factor relating to the role of privilege in nature interpretation is being able bodied. This is something that became very apparent to me during the COVID-19 lockdowns. During quarantine, no one could travel, which means people had to find ways to explore nature close to home. I'm lucky that I am able-bodied and in proper physical shape to go on runs, hikes, swimming, skating, etc. There were a lot of people during lockdown that are maybe disabled or sick, and had to stay inside their homes. I can imagine how disconnected this would make people feel to their natural surroundings.

During lockdown, my family and I spent a lot of time taking our dog, Koda, on hikes.

The definition of privilege can mean something different to everyone based on experiences. To me, privileges are the aspects of my life that give me certain advantages over others. In regards to nature interpretation, being privileged has allowed me to experience things that not everyone gets the opportunity to. I hope that in my role as a nature interpreter, I can use my privilege to create meaningful experiences for those who may not have the same privileges as I. This means making nature something accessible for everyone, regardless of physical or mental health and financials.

Wow, I don't think I've heard the phrase "reduce, reuse, recycle" in years! Growing up, it was such an important campaign in schools and in my community, but now that I'm older it seems like environmental awareness tends to be more focused on habitat conservation, or extremes (like zero waste).

While everyone going zero waste would be amazing, it's also unreasonable. Personally, I know zero waste would be something difficult to achieve, and it makes me feel a bit helpless. Reading your post about recycling reminded me that everyone has to start somewhere, and I have forgotten how important recycling is!

I love how you talked about using your platform as an interpreter to try and achieve a community recycling infrastructure program. People can start recycling by making simple lifestyle changes, such as properly sorting their waste or reusing old clothes or other materials. I like that your chosen topic for interpreting can be something simple, that allows people to branch off into various different environmental protection measures!

Reduce, reuse, recycle is something that has stuck with me as a kid, and I think it's important to remind grown ups why recycling is so beneficial. Personally, I think accessibility is an extremely crucial aspect of environmental interpretation, and I love how you incorporated this into your blog post.

I would love to hear some of your ideas about how to incorporate recycling into kids programs in schools. Raising awareness for environmental protection is an important topic to discuss at a young age, and schools provide a great environment for this.

Describe your idea role of environmental interpreter.

An environmental interpreter can be described as someone who helps other humans understand the natural world (Youngentob & Hostetler, 2003). This can be through positivity and the use of examples in nature. Environmental interpreters must combat the skills and ability of establishing strong connections with the audience and the object of interpretation. Essentially, I would hope that as an environmental interpreter, I can help change the way people think and behave in consideration to the earth.

My ideal role as an environmental interpreter would be to promote the importance of recycling programs in communities. Growing up, I have learned much about the importance of recycling and about the prompt “reduce, reuse, recycle”. I have practiced recycling at my home and at school and believe that community recycling programs are essential. It can allow for sustainability in one’s immediate environment. If a community can invest in a recycling infrastructure, recycling will be more common rather than garbage being put in a landfill. Unfortunately, landfills are a primary contributor to greenhouse gasses in Canada. When garbage decomposes it creates methane which then traps heat in the earth’s atmosphere impacting global warming (Smith, 2022).

A community recycling program would entail individuals taking action to help limit the buildup of trash in landfills. A program should be easy for communities to navigate that way they will be more likely to use it. Another common issue is recycling bin contamination. This occurs when materials are sorted into the wrong recycling bins or when materials are not properly cleaned. Recycling then becomes nearly impossible. It can also cause a devaluation in the products being recycled and can create unsafe work environments for those sorting the products (Rachelson, 2017). This is a large problem and reduces the positive effects of recycling. Furthermore, a recycling program would include the promotion of recyclable products such as reusable water bottles, reusable bags, and reusable containers. I would hope that as an environmental interpreter that people would consider using these reusable products rather than plastic which continues to contribute to waste. Overall, community recycling programs must include envious amounts of information and awareness on the topic. Therefore, community members understand why recycling is so important, rather than just feeling forced to recycle.

As someone who is so interested in protecting the environment, I believe that recycling is an essential step everyone should take. Yet, I struggle to consider how I could inspire everyone. Hopefully one day I will be able to be a part of something or a large organization that greatly considers recycling and promotes it to communities. This would be ideal for me in the future.  

Citations

Rachelson, D. (December 4, 2017). What is recycling contamination and why does it matter? Rubicon. Retrieved January 14, 2023, https://www.rubicon.com/blog/recycling-contamination/

Smith, M. (2022). How can recycling impact a community? How Stuff Works. Retrieved January 12, 2023, https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/green-science/recycling-impact-community.htm

Youngentob, K., & Hostetler, M. (2003). Environmental interpretation: how to communicate persuasively. University of Florida. Retrieved January 12, 2023, https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/uw182#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20main%20goals%20of%20environmental%20interpretation,Interpretive%20programs%20can%20be%20targeted%20at%20any%20audience.

What does it mean to be an environmental interpreter?

Environmental interpreter's are a crucial part of nature and science communication, aiding in public awareness of conservation needs. There are so many different ways people can act as environmental interpreters, whether it's focusing on the conservation of a specific species, habitat, or location. Interpreting can also take place on various platforms- whether it's on social media, at in-person events, or one-on-one meetings.

My ideal role as an environmental interpreter would be to interpret the importance of species at all parts of ecosystems and food webs. A lot of media tends to focus on the larger parts of conservation, such as large mammals like bears, whales, wolves etc. I feel like there is a knowledge gap (among the general public) about the importance of the little guys! By little guys, I'm talking about critters like krill, insects, and even fungi.

As an environmental interpreter, I would love to raise awareness for the species that aren't as popular. For example, did you know that there is a phenomenon called the Krill Paradox, in which krill and whale populations depend on one another to thrive? Whales poop out a lot of nutrients that are necessary for iron cycling. This creates a phytoplankton bloom, which is a necessary food source for krill, and krill are a food source for whales. In conclusion, more whales = more krill, so you can't have one without the other!

Visual depiction of the Krill Paradox from http://stopkillingwhales.com/the-krill-paradox.html

Alongside the topics of what I would like to interpret, there are also a variety of ways to translate information to people. Personally, I am a visual learner- I learn best when I see things laid out in front of me. I love diagrams and flow charts (like the Krill Paradox image above!) I also find that diagrams are a fantastic way of displaying food webs and ecosystem interactions. Even some of the most complex food webs can become easy to understand once they're displayed in a clear diagram, as seen below.

An example of a food web in a marine ecosystem from https://deepmapscork.wordpress.com/2017/04/12/food-webs/

While these diagrams are easy to use in an online format, it can be hard to have such images on hand when interacting with people in person. However, this might be beneficial because (depending on where you are), you can give people real world examples. For example, you could show a group of students a rotting log, and lift it up to see all the different organisms underneath. This would give students the chance to see fungi, insects, and possibly amphibians all at work in the same environment! Interpreting online and in person both have benefits, and it's important to recognize that one is not better than the other. Personally, I would prefer in-person interpretation because it would give me a chance to develop a deeper connection with the content I am interpreting and with the people listening to me.

There are a lot of skills involved in successful environmental interpretation. I think a key skill that I would need to work on is patience. Even though something might make perfect sense to me, there might be other people out there who just can't wrap their head around it, and that's okay! I would definitely need to focus on explaining things to people in a way that they can understand, even if it seems simple to me, and remain compassionate while doing so. At the end of the day, nature is for everyone, and I want to make knowledge about nature and our environment as accessible as possible!

I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone else thinks about their roles as environmental interpreters. It is such a broad role that I'm sure everyone will offer some great ideas.

An owlet moth spotted at a nursery in Southern Ontario.