Angelina Campbell's Nature Interpretation Blog

This course has taught me a lot about the wonderful things to unwrap while interpreting nature. While I’d always had an appreciation for the natural world, this course has allowed me to step back and see things that I hadn’t before. Specifically, my relationship to nature, and how I can strengthen that relationship in order to give our environment the respect it deserves. From this course, I plan to continue to work on this connection and utilize the tools that I have gained in doing so. Taking in to account all that I have learned it has truly opened up my mind on what type of interpreter I intend on being. I was interested to embark on Unit 4: Nature Interpretation through Art and Planning for “All” Scenarios, particularly for my interest in art and specifically my own mode of art through sewing and fashion design. I think it could be really rewarding to combine my interest in nature interpretation and love for fashion that could positively benefit the environment.

The morals and ethics that I have inherited throughout my life consist of passion, creativity, honesty, courage, being dependable and most importantly treating others how I would want to be treated. I’ve developed these behaviors from the consistency of expectations brought on my parents throughout my childhood. To be thoughtful, responsible and honest was always instilled in my home and will stick with me forever. Not only my parents, but other family members, friends and employers have all introduced rules of living that I have whole-heartedly adopted. I think the morals and ethics that we have are often not, and should be, applied to nature. It’s important in respecting the planet, to treat the environment like the living being it is. Through reflecting on this I have thought a lot about what I can do as an interpreter to achieve this sort of approach.

The approach I am drawn to in terms of interpreting nature would be that of interpreting nature though art. As previously stated, I enjoy creating fashion through sewing, in which I am constantly exploring environmentally-friendly approaches. This weekend I invested in the needed materials in order to naturally dye my pieces. The process can be done with dried up flowers, fallen bark or leaves, and even different spices. My plan was to use a natural linen I purchased and dye it using a variety of dried flowers that would otherwise go to waste from a bouquet my mother received for her birthday. This idea got me thinking about the interpretation aspect of this project. I’ve always loved the idea of giving something a new life, such as upcycling old clothing or in this case, giving dead flowers a second go. It wouldn’t be intended to interpret nature in this case as something to be utilized, more so something to inspire fashion and creativity, to display the true colors of nature. This idea has me really inspired and excited to work on, which I plan to treat as a sort of summer project. I think this would be a truly desired career for me, making a sustainable fashion brand, given the amount of devastation that is continuously cause by the fashion industry and particularly ‘fast fashion’. As mentioned in a passage of At the heart of art and earth: an exploration of practices in arts-based environmental education by Jan van Boeckel, “Arts-based environmental education can engage us with natural phenomena in unfamiliar ways and makes space for the unforeseen”. I think the replacement of toxic dyes in the fashion industry with natural products will open doors of nature interpretation and sustainability in fashion that as it stands haven’t been fully opened.

Photo of different swatches of fabric dyed with various natural ingredients, found on https://mygreencloset.com/magic-of-natural-dyes/

Photo of different shades achieved by natural dyeing, found on https://www.seasaltcornwall.co.uk/blog/09/2018/how-to-make-natural-dyes/

Another approach that would correspond with my interest in building a sustainable fashion brand would be conversation and advocating for the environment. Through social skills I can implement a relationship with other interpreters who have a similar cause in order to truly bring knowledge to the public. It is important as an interpreter to connect and engage participants, which I feel equipped to do so. Finding the right approach to appeal to an audience of different learning styles while still keeping interest is something I will hopefully succeed at as an interpreter.

I am very grateful for the knowledge I have gained from this course and the lessons I intend on taking with me in my future career. This course has truly strengthened my relationship with nature and I hope to continue on this path.

Thank you all for a good semester! Abby

References 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Arts in Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a Better World (pp. 215–232). Sagamore Publishing.

I found your final blog post very interesting to read. I am similar to you as I found that this course taught me a lot about nature and how to showcase what we have learned about our natural world. My knowledge and understanding of what nature interpretation is and how to utilize it has improved significantly. One of the things I found very important about nature interpretation is to always try and develop a connection to what you are interpreting. This is mainly for your audience to be interested and attention, as they most likely will find it relatable. I love how you mention your passion for fashion and trying to utilize it in nature interpretation. This is a perfect example of how to get your audience interested and develop a connection.

My personal ethics are very similar to yours. Some of the personal ethics that we share are; passion, honesty, and treating others how you would want to be treated. A lot of my personal ethics comes from my parents teaching and guiding me on how to be a good person. It is great how you mentioned that it is important to use these personal ethics in nature interpretation. I believe showcasing who you truly are is the best way for people to feel connected and interested in what you are interpreting.    

Your approach to using art to interpret nature sounds amazing, and can’t wait to see what you may do in the future. I also believe the topic of conservation and protecting our environment is so large and very important to us. This is an amazing approach to use in interpretation.    

Great Job!

Picture originally posted by Earth Eclipse

When writing this final post, I can appreciate that I learned a lot about nature and different interpretation methods throughout this course. I have done a lot of self-reflection and realize some of my personal beliefs and morals when it comes to nature interpretation. I realized that specific interpretation methods are not for me, and I think that’s ok because at least I can say that I have tried them. I feel that trying different audiences on different audiences was part of helping us understand what does and doesn’t work based on our personalities. In my understanding, ethics are my moral principles that direct my behavior or the actions I take. I believe that my ethics rely a lot on leaving nature alone and not causing much disturbance. I firmly believe that I must support the survival of life on earth. It means when we observe nature, we don’t disturb the ongoing processes in each ecosystem. This is essential in terms of a lot of ecosystems being destroyed on earth and soon leaving behind a residue of what once was. The necessity to protect nature and its ecosystem is apparent nowadays with all the waste of energy and resources, growth of garbage, and ecological damage by industrialization. In an ecosystem, each organism has its role to play. Consider a small puddle at the back of your home. In it, you may find all sorts of living things, from microorganisms to insects and plants. These may depend on non-living things like water, sunlight, turbulence in the puddle, temperature, atmospheric pressure, and even nutrients in the water for life.

I believe that nature is beautiful and very mentally refreshing. Nature has kept me sane through this pandemic, as I’m sure it has for a lot of others. This makes me wonder why nature has this effect on us. Thinking back to my nature walks this week, I noted the sounds you hear, the wind, the birds, the leaves on the trees. They all embrace you with open arms. I love feeling all five of my senses being heightened when I walk. I feel the wind, and I smell the fresh air; I hear the birds’ sweet sounds. I love thinking of nature as a way of medicating the soul. I can almost feel it slowly healing me and bringing me to a happier place mentally. With all that nature is providing us, it is essential to give gratitude towards nature. Have you ever asked yourself if what you believe in is true? It is essential to understand your life depends on your beliefs, so make sure you only choose the best. 

The picture took by my sister at Sylvan lake. 

Time has come now to realize that the beauty of nature is very precious. Nature’s natural state of love, joy, and pride is the essence of life. With that being said, thinking about the responsibilities, I feel as though we should all be responsible for taking care of our surroundings. For example, A walk in the park is highly relaxing and peaceful and offers numerous health benefits. While it’s great to take the time to stop and smell the roses, it’s not a good idea to stop and pick them! Every park has a unique and complex ecosystem. Taking flowers or native plants changes the park’s ecosystem and prevents them from generating new seeds for future plants. Another responsibility is to spread awareness about the existing issues and promote their effect on our mental well-being. Letting others know the benefits of nature and making them more aware of the disturbances they might be causing. The best approach to the issues is to talk about the new concepts with my friends and share them with my family.  From writing blogs, and making podcasts, I got the chance to explore my comfort level and bring out the nature interpreter in me. I believe that knowing your audience is an important task that everyone faces. It is vital to understand your audience’s values, attitudes, and beliefs as it will allow you to anticipate and plan your message accordingly to connect with your audience deeply. I also take part in various clubs where I can promote these ideas. I love sharing new ways to improve mental health because it’s such a stigmatized issue, and it should be taken seriously. Most people have done well in this pandemic, but many have suffered detrimental damage from being indoors all the time.  This is why I will continue to promote nature walks and take care of the nature of this planet.

The picture was originally posted on Unsplash.

I want to incorporate some approaches into my responsibilities as a nature interpreter are using different learning styles.  This includes making a poster for visual learners or making a podcast for auditory learners. Even encouraging people to go on nature walks with me for people who prefer kinesthetic learning activities. This would allow me to educate a wider group of people. Another approach that most suitable for me is to combine humor with knowledge about the environment, highlight the issue, create a lasting impression, and grab attention from a wide range of people. According to research done by Stephan Schmidt’s article, humorous sentences were better remembered than non-humorous sentences. It is essential to keep these approaches in mind when spreading knowledge to others in the future.

All in all, spending time in nature is a great way to get out and explore nature. As long as we remember not to disturb the natural surroundings, the nature parks will be around for future generations to enjoy. Without nature, I’m not sure we would survive. 

Thank you for reading my post! I hope you all have a great rest of the semester. 

References

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Chapter 6: How people learn. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. (pp.105-111). Sagamore Venture.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 2: Teaching Learners [Course Website]. University of Guelph Course link. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2583079/View

I really enjoyed reading your final blog in this course! I am also very grateful to have learned so much about nature, and different ways to approach and deliver interpretation. I'm happy that you opened up and mention that not all interpretation methods are for you. I think honesty and openness is a great trait for an interpreter to have. This is because I found that an audience can tell if their interpreter is telling the truth, or if they are lying. As a result, this affects the way an audience views an interpreter, and may not be interested.

I believe as well, that my ethics are based on my moral principles, that shape who I am as a person. The survival of nature and wildlife on Earth is very important and is a great concern for many people in nature interpretation. I do believe that one of the main reasons I took this course was to develop great interpretation skills so I can help motivate people to help the environment we live in. I love how you mention that nature has kept a lot of us well balanced. I think it is because nature allows us to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, instead of being stuck indoors. To answer your question I do believe that it is important to be grateful for the natural world around us because without it we most likely wouldn’t be here.    

Having the responsibilities to take care of our surroundings, and to spread awareness of current issues happening with nature, is very important in interpretation. I like how you mention approaching interpretation with a variety of learning styles as everyone learns differently.

Great job!

The most incredible thing about nature is a daunting question to answer since nature is so vast and complex, but one thing that has always fascinated me is the Great Barrier Reef. Located in the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia, the Great Barrier Reef is the largest marine landform in the world, the perimeter is about 2300km (“Great Barrier Reef | Geography, Ecology, Threats, & Facts | Britannica,” 2021) which is as long as 207 professional football fields! Despite covering just a small portion of the Earth’s surface, coral reefs are crucial for atmospheric and oceanic chemistry, which make them important mediators of the effects of climate change, and of course in terms of global biodiversity; did you know that coral reefs are home to at least 30 animal phyla? Most other surface habitats on earth host less than 20 (Birkeland, 2015)! 

The Great Barrier Reef is home to approximately 300 species of coral along with other unique marine species like anemones and sponges, and the more common sea creatures like crabs, lobsters, and fish, of course, many in amazingly bright colours, unlike the fish we are used to seeing in the Canadian Great Lakes (“Great Barrier Reef | Geography, Ecology, Threats, & Facts | Britannica,” 2021)! One creature, in particular, has been incredibly damaging to the reef systems. Can you guess the culprit? Hint: it isn’t humans…this time. If you guessed that a starfish may be to blame, you got it, specifically the crown-of-thorns starfish. This sea star even looks menacing with all its spines that cover its body which is made up of anywhere from 10-20 arms (“Crown-of-thorns starfish | echinoderm | Britannica,” 2021)! The meal of choice for these creatures is living coral, and in conjunction with a decline in natural starfish predators, like large sea snails, populations of the crown-of-thorns starfish are booming, threatening the lush corals of the Great Barrier Reef (“Crown-of-thorns starfish | echinoderm | Britannica,” 2021). This invasive species is just one of many obstacles threatening the health and longevity of the Great Barrier Reef. 

Coral bleaching is one of the biggest threats to the Great Barrier Reef, and this time humanity shoulders some of the responsibility for this because of the relationship with climate change. The reason I bring humans into this equation is because of the reasons for the warming waters. As we continue to pollute the atmosphere with greenhouse gases, the ambient carbon dioxide levels rise along with atmospheric temperatures (Haerri, 2020). With warmer air comes warmer surface water temperatures, and corals are very sensitive to temperature fluctuations. When the water temperatures rise above the tolerable threshold for these colourful algae that live within the coral, they evacuate their habitats leaving corals vacant and bleached (Haerri, 2020). The problem arising when the algae disappear is the result of the symbiotic relationship that exists between coral and its algae. Corals are not heterotrophs so they cannot synthesize nutrients for themselves, seemingly problematic for an immobile creature, but enter algae, specifically unicellular dinoflagellates which can undergo photosynthesis, providing energy for themselves and the corals in which they live (Haerri, 2020). 

Ecotourism: a mitigation strategy for human-based impacts on the Great Barrier Reef!

Aside from the obvious beauty and wonder provided by the Great Barrier Reef, why is it important to protect this particular landscape in a world with seemingly larger problems to work out, most obviously the problem of the COVID-19 pandemic. Well, not only are coral reefs the source of 25% of marine biodiversity (Haerri, 2020) making them one of the most important ecosystems in the world but they have immense power to regulate ocean chemistry and are a source of income and goods for millions of people in the world (Birkeland, 2015). A great solution for the issue of climate change and coral bleaching as well as the overall health of the Great Barrier Reef is through the involvement of ecotourism with a focus on eco-efficiency initiatives (Zeppel, 2012). It is well known that tourists will pay for proper interpretation be it through safari trips, city walking tours, or any other method where an expert shares their knowledge about a particular topic unfamiliar to the tourists (Beck et al., 2019). In recent years, Australian tourism operators have begun offering climate change workshops to improve the knowledge held by marine tourism industry workers so they can better advocate for the wellness of marine ecosystems that are suffering and share that with visitors (Zeppel, 2012). I think this is a fantastic avenue to ensure people who are visiting a landscape of such wonder truly appreciate all that it has endured. Additionally, it can serve to show tourists how they might make a difference in their own lives to prevent further deterioration of this ecosystem and others just as important and beautiful that are scattered across the earth. 

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing

Birkeland, C. (2015). Coral Reefs in the Anthropocene. Coral Reefs in the Anthropocene, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-7249-5_1

Crown-of-thorns starfish | echinoderm | Britannica. (2021). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/crown-of-thorns-starfish

Great Barrier Reef | Geography, Ecology, Threats, & Facts | Britannica. (2021). In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Barrier-Reef

Haerri, S. (2020). Unit 7: Climate Change Biology: Coral Bleaching. Lecture Notes Retrieved, March 18, 2021

I found your blog post very interesting to read and was very intrigued about the Great Barrier Reef. I agree with you that this question was very complex to answer and required a lot of thinking, about what was the most amazing thing about nature. I always heard of the Great Barrier Reef being a magnificent natural part of our world, but I never realized that it is the largest marine landform. So that was really cool to know, and I am always intrigued by learning something new about the world of nature. I love how you mentioned climate change alongside coral reefs. I found that humans always need a motivator to start making a change, and unfortunately the destruction of coral reefs because of climate change is one of them. It is crazy how coral reefs are a habitat to a minimum of 30 water species, and I couldn’t imagine how many species would be affected by climate change that lives in the Great Barrier Reef. 

I thought that human impacts on coral reefs were the only way that they could get damaged. I never thought that starfishes could be very destructive to coral reef ecosystems and that they were considered invasive to the Great Barrier Reef. I really hope that humans can start making changes to prevent coral bleaching from happening, as this is very depressing to hear. I believe that if people are taught more about how much destruction the Great Barrier Reef is getting and understand the consequences, we would have a better chance of saving it. 

Great Job!

Take Me Home Country Roads, one of the top hits of the 70s and a still well-known and beloved song today. Its the classic road trip, camping, and getting back to nature song loved by many since 1971.

(John Denver, 2013, 03:15-05:21)

As much as I love this country classic, it isn’t the only song that brings me back to nature, nor is it the only way music and nature are connected.

Music is defined as vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony (Merriam-Webster, n.d.), and can be created by humans, animals, and even nature itself. For example, humpback whales use rhythms like those found in our own music and can even create musical intervals!

Humpback whale creating music! (Oceania Project, 2008)

Other animals such as birds and frogs also use sounds containing rhythm or harmony to communicate and express. Music in nature is everywhere, from the songs of birds to the drums of our ancestors it surrounds us and connects us. My favorite part when reading The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music was the description of the connection one gets from learning and understanding the meaning behind musical sounds of our own species and others (Gray et al., 2001). It adds a deeper more meaningful link between those that may appear so different.

This connection is so powerful that nature is often brought into music, even today. Whether it’s incorporating nature in music (such as babbling brooks in meditation music), discussing it (like Big Yellow Taxi by Joni Mitchell), or trying to bring you back to it (Cowboy Take Me Away by The Chicks), nature has been in music before we’ve even been involved. Many indigenous communities see the environment as part them and their culture and I can’t help but believe this includes music. While we don’t know when humans started making music, I would think it was early on. Wouldn’t you want to try and create or mimic the sounds and music around you? Or do you think it’s more complex?

I’ve always had a deep connection with music. As someone with anxiety, music has always been my escape. It can be hard to ignore constant negative thoughts, but with music your mind is focused on the sounds and rhythms, so I often surround myself with it. Since being in nature is another love of mine, many of the songs I listen to are usually connected to this. A personal favorite of mine is The Wind by Cat Stevens. Despite it being about examining spirituality and fate, this song always brings me back to my grandparents’ cottage, where we would spend time on the lake, take hikes in the forest, and enjoy it without anxieties. It’s a song that brings me happiness and peace.

(Yusuf / Cat Stevens, 2018, 03:15-05:21)

That’s the power of nature and music. They can elicit powerful emotions, create connections, and provide a means of communication. After all, why do you think music is one of the main forms shared across mass media? Music came from nature and it’s why, I believe, that many of us have such rooted connections to them, that can influence us in different ways. For instance, what do you think of when you hear John Denver and Cat Stevens? Does it remind you of nature or something else?

References:

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

John Denver. (2013, April 5). John Denver - Take Me Home, Country Roads (Audio) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vrEljMfXYo

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Music. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 7, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/music

Oceania Project. (2008, June 8). Whale Song. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WabT1L-nN-E&t=30s

I really enjoyed reading your blog about music and nature. I love how you talked about “Take Me Home Country Roads” by John Denver, this is definitely one of my favourite songs of all time. When this song is played it reminds me a lot of when I was a camp counsellor. John Denver’s country song is definitely a song that I connect with nature, particularly at bonfires enjoying the cozy fire. As music can be made up into many forms, coming from all living organisms, I do believe that it is important to never restrict our-selfs in thinking music just comes from humans. 

I love how you used the example of whales using rhythms and can make musical intervals. I never knew of this and found it very intriguing and eye-opening. As discussed in our unit, it is important to include art and information into one when interpreting nature to the public, and you do this very well with your whale example. I do agree with you that the connection we make with music and knowledge is so important and can get people more involved. 

I do believe nature has always been in music for a very long time, possibly going back many generations. Also, everyone in the human population has a cultural connection to music that can be related to nature. As you said indigenous people have most likely involved the environment with their music and have a strong cultural connection with it. To answer your question, I think mimicking the sounds around us might be more complex than we think it is, but I would love to try.       

Great Job!

Thanks!

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

-(Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

GIF from: nitratediva

When reading this week’s quote it reminds me that we may not know everything about the past but we recount memories of historical times through stories, artefacts and past experiences. Although we will never be able to truly know what life was like years back we can use our sense of interpretation to relive past experiences. In nature there are many examples to teach us how people and species lived before us.

GIF from: annamachtart

Egyptian hieroglyphics was used as a formal writing system in ancient Egypt. Hieroglyphics combines logographic, syllabic and alphabetic elements with distinct characters. The use of hieroglyphics rose in popularity around 32nd century BC far before any of us were on earth. Egyptians developed a mature writing system used for monumental inscription, story telling and for people in the future to see. Although we live centuries after this writing was done, we can still today decipher the meanings. Historians recount the images used on tombs, papyrus paper, wooden boards and stone and use them as a reliable way to recount and record information connected with religion, government and record-keeping. Without artefacts from the past it would make it almost impossible to understand what life was like before us.

Image from: https://www.britannica.com/topic/hieroglyph

Another example of records from history developed from nature is fossils. Fossils are formed when a plant or animal dies near a watery environment and its buried in mud and silt. The soft tissues decompose leaving behind the hard bones or shells. This is an example of how we can use nature to tell a story about history and make inferences about how certain species evolved. Fossils help us to decipher parts of earth we may not have been present for and help to tell us things like how old the earth is, what species evolved from other species and more.

Image from: https://aeon.co/ideas/the-missing-fossils-matter-as-much-as-the-ones-we-have-found

Another way to recount the past is through stories and pictures. When I was younger I loved listening to my Grandma’s stories and looking at scrapbooks from the past. Specifically, I liked listening about her time during the war and how she had to flee to Canada for safety. I think it is amazing that only 2 generations back life was so different. I am very thankful to live during the time we do, but also am grateful we can look at history from the past and learn from it.

Image from: https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/accountability-operations-customer-service/access-city-information-or-records/city-of-toronto-archives/whats-online/web-exhibits/your-home-our-city/your-home-our-city-wartime-housing/

Can you think of any other examples of how we learn about the past?

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

I really enjoyed reading your blog post this week about nature interpretation through history. I couldn’t agree more about having the same feelings after reading the quote. I realized that I do not know all of the details of what happened in the past. I found I could read information on certain ancient things and learn more about the historical significance the artefacts may have. In my post I mention how with trees we don’t know how old a tree may be, but with the right estimations, and interpretations success in understanding and presenting the correct historic background may occur.

I found it really cool on how you mentioned Egyptian hieroglyphics. I never knew of this before and was very intrigued on the writing system the people in Egypt used for the future to read. I found your two examples of how we learn about the past very interesting. Fossils and storytelling are both very important parts of understanding our history and without them we would be lost. My grandmother also had to emigrate to Canada because of the war so she can have a better life. My grandmother also mentions about her stories travelling by boat to Canada, and without those stories I would never know my families history.  

An example I thought of that would help us learn about the past was through reading diaries or journals people in the past wrote. These journals can provide information during what was happening during a certain time period, such as the world wars.  

Great Job!

Thanks!

It has often been brought to my attention by friends or peers that they envy the amount of time and activity spent by my family outdoors. I was raised outside, we camp, canoe, hike, run, bike, snowshoe, ski and pretty much are willing to try anything at least once. So I often never think about how abnormal this may seem to some individuals. I realize now that growing up in an active family made enjoying and being outside a habit, but also attitude is EVERYTHING. 

In my personal opinion, if you ain’t having fun, you’re not doing it right. I’ve taken friends out for beginner hikes often with comments of comparison how they are tired or not as able as I, but like anything you need to train. You can’t hike once and think you are ready to tackle Mnt. Everest. The mindset of “I should be good at things, the first time” is such a plague of our generation. If you are always comparing yourself, you will never be happy and if you aren’t happy you won’t enjoy getting outside.

Some tips and tricks, I have tested and found effective over the years are:

1. Be Goofy: The only thing you are focused on when your being goofy is having fun. You aren’t worried about keeping up with the Jones and you aren’t checking your fit bit every five minutes to see how far you’ve gone. You are enjoying the moment, the laugh and you are making good lasting memories. 

My friend Alanna and I taking pics while skating on Georgian Bay.

2. Investigate your surroundings: Hear a bird call you’ve never heard? See a stream and want to know where it leads? Learning about the world that surrounds you can lead to comfort and entertainment for your brain while your body enjoys its vitamin D. I personally like to do high speed tree identification while I’m running, skiing, biking. Learning about the different trees tells me about the habitat type, what types of animals I could find. Plus trees are so unique and they each have their own story.

.My Partner and the biggest Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) we have ever seen. Which is saying something because my partner is an Arborist by Trade.

3. Go with your pet: Those cold days you want to curl up in front of the fire and never leave your house. I know I have those but I always take my best buddy out for a hike because he deserves it. Pets can be great motivators to go for that extra KM or explore a remote area so he can run off leash. 

Teaching Fin to do Skijoring. This was his first time. He is turning into quite the ski dog these days.

Snowshoeing with Fin. He is such a happy boy and LOVES to be outside.

I call this hill “ problems” and I ask Fin every morning if he wants to go tackle our problems. Trust me its quite a bit steeper in person.

I found your blog post very fun and interesting to read about, I always love hearing someone else's experiences with nature! It is awesome that you and your family are able to do all of those amazing outdoor activities together. My family and I aren’t as involved with the outdoors, but we do try to get out and do some activities together. For example, when I was younger my parents and I would go camping every once in a while with other relatives of mine. During COVID we would dedicate a day or two during the week to go outdoor ice skating as a family which was really fun. 

I found it funny how you mentioned that your friends would complain about being tired, and I understand what they are talking about, as I am a beginner hiker. I agree with you that you must be happy and have fun with what you are doing in the outdoors and expect things won’t be easy the first time. 

I love your pointers on what you can do to change someone's perspective on the outdoors. I believe that having fun while you are doing something is so much more important than worrying about finishing a task. This is because you are liking what you are doing and being apart of the experience, and you will most likely accomplish the task at hand. I found your other two points about investigating your surroundings and going with your pet are great ways to enjoy the outdoors.  

Great Job!

I’m sure you have all heard the famous quote by Irish poet Oscar Wilde, “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life” (Willoughby 1993). When I was younger and heard this quote, I didn’t quite understand it, but I’ve learned to grow to enjoy its concept. This quote emphasizes that what is found in nature is not objectively there – it is just how artists have portrayed it to people through their lens. I think this really reinforces the idea that everyone perceives nature differently and that nature has a different meaning and connection to everyone. I also interpret this quote in an alternative way; I believe aspects of nature can be so beautiful that they appear otherworldly, just like art. Sometimes when out in nature, you’re looking at an image that is indescribable, almost fake-looking like an artist painted it on a canvas. This is one of the many ways that nature interpretation and art are connected.

Photo by me: Kingsville, ON 2020.

There are a few methods of nature interpretation through art that I particularly enjoy. The first is nature portrayed through the art of cooking. I personally enjoy gardening and growing my own food and herbs, along with foraging (sustainably of course) for wild edibles. Cooking with these things is an art form for me because it makes me feel more connected to the environment in which they grew. Not only does it deepen my connection with nature, it really can look like art! I adore edible flowers because they are beautiful on almost any dish and are quite tasty. When reading the content for this unit regarding the Group of Seven, I was reminded of an episode of Master Chef Canada that I watched recently where the contestants had to make dishes inspired by the artwork of the Group of Seven. They had to create three dishes that represented water, air, and land through food. For those who enjoy cooking (or eating!) this is a great way to expose them to nature interpretation on their very own plate!

Photo retrieved from: https://food.allwomenstalk.com/stunning-edible-flower-recipes-that-are-almost-too-pretty-to-eat/ 

Similar to cooking with wild edibles and plant resources from nature, forming dried herb/flower mixtures for teas, tinctures, beauty products, etc. is a passion that I’ve been getting into the past couple years. When I’m able to create nature-derived mixtures that I can use everyday, it is an art form for me. It’s not only healing, it’s incredibly rewarding to learn new knowledge about the medicinal values of these plants. It allows me to be less reliant on people outside of myself for products like medicines and skincare, and allows me to develop skills I can use for the rest of my life and hopefully share with others. 

Photo retrieved from: https://thenerdyfarmwife.com/how-to-harvest-dry-flowers-herbs-from-garden/?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

When looking at the concept of  “The Gift of Beauty” it’s clear that nature interpretation should create not only a space for people to acknowledge the beauty that surrounds them, but should promote ideas surrounding preserving the given resources (the lands, waters, animals, plants, etc.) (Beck et al. 2018). Nature interpretation through the art forms of creating food and homemade medicinal products reinforces the idea that these plants and their homes must be preserved, otherwise these forms of creation could not exist.

Are you interested in growing food or foraging for wild edibles? Or are there perhaps other “unconventional” art forms of nature interpretation that you enjoy and/or partake in?

-Nicole :)

References

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

I found your blog very interesting to read. Your use of Oscar Wilde’s quote was very insightful and relevant to the topic being discussed. I love how you described the quote, as it took me a while to fully understand it! As we learned this week, it is essential that artists are able to convey a message that nature represents. 

Personally, I am a horrible cook, but I do love gardening and planting new things. I believe that it is extremely important to have a connection to the world of nature you are interpreting or else people may not be interested. I love how you use nature to design beautiful artwork when you cook. The art form I tend to use more to interpret nature is through storytelling with the use of pictures that I have taken. I believe that it doesn’t matter what field of art you chose to interpret nature. What matters is if that art you chose is able to portray the meanings behind it. I also found it really awesome that you create mixes that are made up of different parts of nature. I agree with you that it is important to preserve natural ingredients that help make medicine for people at home. 

To answer your question, I am very interested in growing my own food. For the past few years, I have become more dedicated to growing more plants and vegetables to help me stay healthier. Unfortunately, I am not as creative as you are in having “unconventional” forms of art to interpret the nature I have experienced. However, I wish someday I am!   

Great Job!

Over the summer, with the whole BLM movement the topic of privilege was brought up a lot within my house hold as well as on social media. I believe that this movement was essential to get everyone thinking about what privilege might mean to them as well as how they might be privileged in some ways.

I personally think that the meaning of privilege is the unrecognizable advantage or benefits that a person or group has. Privilege can be found within a variety of domains in life which is why some individuals may not understand that they are privileged.

(Photo of myself at the ice caves that form behind Giant’s tomb island on Georgian Bay, On)

When I unpack my invisible backpack like what was explained within the course material, I quickly realize how privileged I really am (H.A, Lecture notes, ENVS3000 Nature Interpretation, January 28, 2020). I am white, middle class, bilingual, have a Canadian Passport, and attend university. I am fortunate enough that my parents are also very supportive of the decisions I make now that I am a young adult and will help financially when needed. I am forever grateful to my parents for all of the opportunities that they have given me throughout my lifetime and realistically I wouldn’t be privileged in some of these aspects if it was not for them.

(Photo of my parents and I at my high school graduation in 2017)

When I think about how privilege plays a part of nature interpretation I start to think of all of the opportunities that I was given to interact with nature and how that was a privilege. My parents are separated but thankfully they both encouraged my sisters and I to be outside and constantly enjoy what was surrounding us. My dad lives within the Georgian Bay area where we were constantly boating, swimming, four wheeling, catching frogs within the swamp he lived on, snowmobiling and just spending as much time outside as we could. My mom lives up in North Bay, On where we had similar experiences and encouragement to be outdoors, we would always go biking with my neighbours to these jumps (which I did not partake in) but it was within a wooded area and I would spend lots of time looking at what was around me and appreciating it. Growing up north of the big cities allowed myself the opportunity to truly appreciate and enjoy what nature has to offer.

(My dog Boo and I enjoying a nature walk in the backyard of my dads house in Georgian Bay, ON)

My parents always encouraged myself and sisters to take advantage of every opportunity and until we are done school they will help as much as they can financially for those opportunities to happen. I realize that this is a real privilege and that not everyone gets to have this opportunity which is why I try to understand and not flaunt the privileges I have to those I know don’t have the same.

I look forward to the day where I can share my knowledge that I have gained over the various experiences I have had the opportunity to experience and to hopefully share some of those opportunities to others through nature interpretation. I hope that this course will give tips and tricks that will help with understanding and sharing the privilege related to nature and interpretation.

Emily

I enjoyed reading your blog on privilege in nature interpretation and found it very relatable. I agree with you that the Black Lives Matter movement made many people realize what privilege is. I believe that BLM allowed many people to open their eyes to the concept of privilege, and if they have experienced it without knowing. My invisible backpack is very similar to yours, however, I am not bilingual. What is the other language that you are fluent in? 

I love how you added how supportive your parents are of the decisions you make and with financial aid as well. I am very lucky that I have wonderful parents that care for me, are very supportive, and push me to achieve goals. A lot of the privileges that I have come from them, and a lot of the opportunities that I have had, would not have been possible without them. For example, attending university has always been a goal of mine to provide myself a better life with a good job, and if I didn’t have my parents it most likely would not happen.   

I grew up and still live in Richmond Hill, my interactions with nature are definitely less than average. However, when I was a child my parents put me in an outdoor camp two weeks every summer to experience the world of nature and I am very grateful for that. My parents are a great privilege of mine, and I understand others do not have this privilege.

Great Job!

Throughout my life nature has been a consistent theme, yet my passions were ever evolving. I am a very easily influenced person, so when I meet others with passions towards nature, I am quickly on bord. I think that when it comes to sharing knowledge and hoping to make an impact, passion is the key. When people talk about the details and stories and aspects that made them passionate about a certain topic, it is so easy to feed off that passion and reflect it back as your own.

I have a love for all aspects of nature, whether that be flora or fauna, however my passion lies with within the tiny world that is often overlooked in the animal kingdom… insects! However, I am constantly learning new things and thus my interests are constantly evolving. My love for insects began within a university course in which we learned to identify families, we made collections and we learned their life histories. This class was the first stepping-stone to me becoming a “crazy bug lady” (as my friends now love to call me). I believe that this course was so effective in hooking me because of its mix of tactile and visual learning, not to mention how hardcore insects’ behaviour and lifestyles are. The point that this interest became passion was after a field trip to Ecuador, where we explored the rainforest, did experiments and formed collections. Being surrounded by like minded people that were overflowing with knowledge and were capable of answering nearly any question, was the cause of my love. Amongst the students and professors was a local man, named Jose, who knew all about the animals and plants and culture of the land. Jose showed me how you can make a career by knowing your surroundings, and by paying attention to the largest and smallest living things.

This is the station I stayed at when studying in Yanayacu, Ecudaor (2019).

This is a photo taken on my field course in Ecuador at Yanayacu Station. I am on the right and Jose is on the left. This photo was taken after Jose told me how to calm and hold a tarantula (2019).

Jose ran the research station that my peers and I resided in and conducted our research at. He encounters all walks of life, and meets a variety of people, birders, students, professors, doctors and children, all interested to learn about the station he runs and the land that surrounds it. This role that Jose plays in all these explorers lives is a role that I aspire to have. While running the Yanayacu research station, Jose had a variety of roles. He was responsible for the upkeep of the station (hiring employees, transporting laundry ect.) as well as in aiding the researches in any way he could. This required Jose to know about the flora and fauna of ecudor, know their life histories and what is considered normal and abnormal behaviour. He also communicated with people from all sorts of countries, knowing only some of their languages and developing new ways to communicate.

This is a photo I took of Jose as he explained some of the history of the growth in the rainforest

I would love to be in a remote location, purely surrounded by nature, with eager researches coming to explore and learn with my help. I think that a job in a research station would be amazing for learning about not only the land you live on, but also to learn from the people that come to visit. This would require me to be knowledgeable on all aspects of the nature surrounding me, which although a challenge, it is also an adventure. I also think it would allow for times of solitude but also very good communication and interactive skills.

I believe that I am in a similar scenario as you that my interests in nature continually evolve and grow as I learn more about nature and experience it. I love the point you made about passion because I believe when it comes to jobs doing what you love and are passionate about is very essential. I found it very cool that you are interested in the world of insects. For myself, I do not like that part of the animal kingdom, as I am terrified of insects. I love hearing people's different views on certain parts of nature that I do not necessarily have. 

Having a variety of learning styles incorporated into teaching people a topic, is important for everyone to understand and learn. Based on the learning styles used people can either enjoy the topic or not at all, as they are not engaged. I am a visual and tactile learner as well!

Your Ecuador field trip sounds so awesome! You are so lucky that you got to go to a rainforest and experience a whole different world of nature and meet wonderful people along the way. You never really know what you want to do until you experience it, as you did. A research job sounds amazing, learning new skills every day. 

To answer your questions, I never had a topic that lights a fire in me, but I am hoping it will come soon! Something I would want to tell someone is to take care of our natural world as we only have one.