Amanda's Guide to the Great Outdoors

My biggest ethic, as both an interpreter and an individual, is to put conservation first. Since the most impactful way to go about wildlife conservation is to preserve wildlife habitat (Wildlife Habitat Canada, 2018), I try to support this whenever I can. I take pride in being a member of both Trout Unlimited Canada and Ducks Unlimited Canada, where my contributions help improve the quality of local waterways, and Canada wide wetland habitat. As someone who enjoys the outdoors and wants to see it intact for future generations, I feel it is my responsibility to pitch into conservation efforts. 

Another personal belief I share is that one of the best ways to ensure the future of our natural resources is to get the next generation of kids involved in outdoor activities. I think Rodenburg (2019) did a good job explaining this by saying that the true hope resides in creating “nature-rich communities where kids feel a deep and abiding love for the living systems that we all are immersed in.” One great program that I was lucky enough to take part in is the Ducks Unlimited Canada Wetlands Centre of Excellence program. Here, we would take grade 4 students from surrounding schools and give them a tour of Luther Marsh, while teaching them all about the importance of wetlands. 

“Critter Dipping” at the pond to show students what kinds of macroinvertebrates are present in wetland ecosystems. Photo from Ducks Unlimited Canada (2022). 

Chapter three of Beck et al. (2019) discusses an assortment of benefits and values that nature provides. Of these, education, recreation, inspiration, individual growth and even health values are given to both individuals and society. However, what this chapter doesn’t mention are some of the more tangible benefits that nature provides in the form of natural resources. As someone who grew up in a more rural area, my experiences with agriculture, forestry, hunting, and fishing have all led me to appreciate nature’s ability to provide food and resources, and to develop a strong ethicacy for sustainable harvesting. 

From an agricultural perspective, I always grew up around farming, but not actually on a farm. I have however worked in agronomy as a Crop Scout for FS, where I took soil samples and assessed crop growth and health. This gave me a solid foundation in agriculture practices, which I can use to better understand what sustainable agriculture looks like. As someone that does most of my hunting on farm properties, I understand the importance of having a healthy environment around the fields, and prioritising more than just yield. The thing I’m most passionate about in agriculture is applying fertiliser responsibly. If you apply the right amount at the right time, you can maximise yields without any nutrient loss to the environment. Following the “4R’s” of nutrient stewardship (right rate, right source, right time, right place) can allow you not only to save money on fertiliser by not wasting it, but can minimise the environmental effects of agriculture, and help farmers harvest their crops sustainably. 

The “4R’s” of nutrient stewardship. Image from 4R Nutrient Stewardship (2017). 

I can also look at the theme of harvesting sustainably from a forestry point of view. Forests obviously hold a special place in my heart as someone that tries to spend as much time in nature as I can, but also as someone that wants to live in a house, I realise the need for harvesting wood. This is not a new problem for interpreters, and controversial issues like whether or not to harvest certain forests have been going on for years. In chapter 16 of the textbook, Beck et al. (2019) suggest not challenging your clients viewpoints on such topics so as to not alienate anyone you’re interpreting for. My personal take on this is that there is a happy medium to be found, where harvest can occur, but on a sustainable level. This can be done by emulating natural disturbances (Spence and Volney, 1999). For example, in a Northern Ontario Jack Pine stand, wildfires are fairly regular occurrences, so clearcutting followed by replanting does a good job mimicking that effect while providing us with lumber. In a Southern Ontario hardwood stand however, a more appropriate method of harvest would be a selective cut, targeting a few of the declining or diseased hardwoods. In some cases, clear cutting patches in uniformly aged timber stands might even increase biodiversity through habitat heterogeneity and edge effects (Hamm and Drossel, 2017). By creating niche potential for species that benefit from both young and old growth stands, species evenness and diversity would be expected to increase. If anyone is interested in learning more about what factors might make a tree get cut or retained, I would recommend checking out the Ontario Tree Marking Guide at this link: https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.net/documents/2807/guide-treemarking.pdf.

On a more personal level, I think the role I play as a nature interpreter would be an ‘ambassador’ for the outdoors. As an ambassador, I believe it is my responsibility to introduce as many people to the outdoors as possible, and to bridge the gap between environmental education and scientific education as expressed by Wals et al. (2014). If the next generation of kids grows up loving the outdoors as much as I do and I imagine all of you do too, they will be more likely to go down a similar environmental science related path, and continue bridging the gap. In order to introduce new people to the outdoors, I think it’s great to take people out hiking, hunting, or fishing when they normally wouldn’t. 

One example of this that I think is an odd but interesting concept is Delta Waterfowl’s University Hunt program. Here, students at participating universities can enrol in a wildlife management based course that covers topics on conservation and sustainable harvesting. Students of scientific backgrounds with little to no hunting experience are encouraged to enrol, so that the future of scientists and policy makers have a good idea of actual in the field practices and animal behaviour (Delta Waterfowl, 2020). 

Students going on their first hunt, as part of Delta Waterfowl’s University Hunt program (Delta Waterfowl, 2020). 

Anyways, I know I went over a lot of topics in this post and would love to hear your guys feedback so I can further talk about some of these points! What do you guys think is the best way to promote conservation? Is it getting the youth involved or something else? Are you guys for or against cash crop agriculture? Do you guys think encouraging university students to go on their first hunt is as good of an idea as Delta Waterfowl does? Any responses and viewpoints are welcome as I am passionate about this topic and am sure you all are too!

~Nathan

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., and Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage. Van Haren Publishing.

Delta Waterfowl. (2020). Delta Waterfowl University Hunting Program. https://deltawaterfowl.org/deltas-university-hunting-program/ 

Ducks Unlimited Canada. (2022). Luther Marsh WCE. https://wce-education.ducks.ca/index.php/en/wce-3/item/45-wellington-heights 

4R Nutrient Stewardship. (2017). What are the 4Rs? https://nutrientstewardship.org/4rs/ 

Government of Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. (2004). Ontario Tree Marking Guide. Queen’s Printer for Ontario Printed in Ontario, Canada. https://dr6j45jk9xcmk.cloudfront.net/documents/2807/guide-treemarking.pdf 

Hamm, M., and Drossel, B. (2017). Habitat heterogeneity hypothesis and edge effects in model metacommunities. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 426:40-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtbi.2017.05.022 

Rodenburg, J. (2019) Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give up Hope. Clearing Magazine.org, https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300 

Spence, J.R., and Volney, W.J.A. (1999). EMEND - Ecosystem Management Emulating Natural Disturbance. Sustainable Forest Management Network, G208 Biological Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta. ISBN 1-55261-028-4 

Wals, A.E.J., Brody, M., Dillon, J., Stevenson, R.B. (2014). Convergence Between Science and Environmental Education. Science, 344(6184):583-584. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1250515 

Great post! I also share your belief that getting youth outdoors is the key to continuing our appreciation and protection of the natural world.

As a leader with Girl Guides of Canada, I have had the opportunity to see what a difference it makes to children when they explore a new natural area for the first time. The look of wonder in their eyes as they admire the flowers, the awe when they hear their first owl hoot, and the excitement of locking eyes with a doe and her fawn (from afar, of course!); all of these moments show just how valuable these experiences are.

It’s hard to understand why urban spaces need to be cleaned up until you’ve experienced the pristine conditions of an untouched forest or meadow. These experiences bring meaning to our actions to do better for the world and inspire youth to continue caring for the environment.

As a young member, I remember these feelings to this day. I remember my first time sleeping in a tent and being woken up to the sound of crickets and frogs. I remember the first time I ever saw a hawk pick up a mouse. Terrifying? Yes. But also majestic and beautiful? Absolutely. These experiences shed a new light on the simple yet complex ways of life for the animals us.

During the past three months, I have learned a lot about nature interpretation, and what I would personally bring to the table as a nature interpreter.

Going back to the blog post about privilege. I think privilege plays a big part in all of our experiences in life, and thus also should translate into the way we interpret nature.  By recognizing our own innate privileges, we can develop programs of interpretation that are equal and fair for all.

Speaking of my own privileges, as a South Asian woman, I’m automatically part of two minority groups in western society. However, there are a variety of other factors that make me privileged and have thus impacted my experiences relating to nature interpretation. For example, I am proficient in English, able-bodied with no disabilities and health complications, of middle socioeconomic status, and have had the ability to get post-secondary education. As an interpreter, I would recognize these privileges and bring forward my personal (and what should be universal) ethics of equality and fairness, to develop a nature interpretation program that serves everyone including those with disabilities, low-income individuals, and those of minority groups.  

“The Wheel of Privilege” From The CIHR Institute of Gender and Health

There is an innate need in all of us, to know our place and role in the natural world and in the story of human history and culture (Beck et al., 2019). Thus, as a nature interpreter it would be important for me to make sure that everyone is able to fulfill this innate need regardless of their race, religion or socioeconomic status.

This means not just focusing on the environment and its beauty and special features, but also recognizing their deeper importance in relation to the rights of indigenous peoples, civil rights, and other issues. It also means catering interpretive programming towards certain underserved populations. Part of this includes reducing the barriers individuals may experience when trying to access interpretive programming. This can include, lack of knowledge, economic barriers (lack of transport), language barriers and cultural barriers (Beck et al., 2019). Cultural barriers consist of the differences in participation, based on cultural preferences related to factors such as family structure, and values.

As an interpreter, my responsibility would be to make the interpretive experience more inclusive by trying to eliminate these barriers. For example, to tackle an economic barrier like the lack of transport, I could coordinate the scheduling of programs with the availability of public transportation (Beck et al., 2019). To reduce cultural barriers, minority populations can be  personally invited and included in programming (Beck et al., 2019). This would require building trust and credibility within minority groups. To reduce language barriers, brochures, and information packages can be multilingual. As part of a minority group, I can appeal to those within my own community and help eliminate these language and cultural barriers. However, I would need help to appeal to other groups and their languages and cultures. Thus, I would need to gather tools like videos, brochures, and pamphlets in other languages. I could also ask a fellow nature interpreter of a minority group to act as a liaison for communication.

Other than integrating individuals of different cultures and backgrounds, it  would also be important for me to integrate disabled individuals into interpretive programs, as part of my pledge to make interpretation fairer and more equal. This type of integration is better than special programs catered to individuals with disabilities as it focuses on their similarities with other people, rather than their inabilities (Beck et al., 2019). It can also give the audience of the interpretation an opportunity to build social skills and self-esteem as they interact with one another.  

In my experience with interpreters, I often find that they only appeal to one of the three general learning domains. Typically, they appeal to the cognitive domain, which involves using the rational mind to process information (Beck et al., 2019). They do this by presenting individuals with written materials, talks, and exhibits. However, this domain might not appeal to the people that cant connect to the material via talks, brochures, or pamphlets. Thus, as an interpreter, I would try to appeal to other domains as well. This includes the affective domain which relates to one’s feelings and the kinaesthetic (or psychomotor) domain which involves motor skills (Beck et al., 2019). To appeal to the affective domain, interpreters can use discussion, photography, paintings, and music to elicit learning responses. On the other hand, interpreters can appeal to the kinesthetic domain, by incorporating learning through physical movement and participatory activities like hiking. 

Thank you for reading!

Reference:

Great post! I really appreciate how you worked the concept of privilege into this discussion because it is such a key part of who we are as interpreters.

As you stated, understanding the barriers that groups face to accessing nature is the first step to them actually being able to do so. While I am marginalized in some ways, my external and visible identity is one of privilege; one of my responsibilities is to use that privilege to support others who are not in the same position. My invisible identity as a disabled individual also makes me more aware of the invisible challenges others face.

As Brené Brown, the renowned relationship researcher and speaker, says, “what separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.” I am grateful that I have the privilege of accessing a post-secondary education and of being a Canadian citizen. I am also grateful that I have the privilege of having the responsibility to share my knowledge with others.

Many people seem to think that privilege is exclusive to other aspects of life, when in fact everything is interconnected. Privilege plays a role in the opportunities you receive, the knowledge you have, and the ability for you to speak up and make changes in the world. If my privilege can be used for good, to support those without privilege, then that is the kind of person and nature interpreter I want to be.

My long internal reflection on this week’s blog prompt led me to the conclusion that I do not know as much about nature as I previously thought. It was almost humorous how much I struggled to think of something I know. However, something in nature that I have always found to be interesting is the deep-sea. The bizarre life that exists in the absence of light and ocean currents is fascinating and often awe-inspiring. Perhaps what draws me the most to the abysmal depths is how little humanity knows and understands about it. Despite the oceans covering the vast majority of the planet’s surface, about 80% of our waters are unexplored (NOAA, 2021). That statistic becomes even more pronounced when considering the cold and unforgiving depths that humans cannot reach without special equipment to protect from the immense pressure (NOAA, 2021). It is in these bleak and gloomy bowels where the most alien life persists, away from the influence of human society (for the most part).

(Hall, 2018)

In the “twilight zone” and below, light does not reach the waters, leaving the aquatic life entangled in endless darkness. Swimming further down yields the same dark results for thousands of kilometres, it only gets colder, darker, and more pressurized (Hall, 2018). So how can anything live here? One of the many fascinating adaptations animals may have is bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is the organic production of light, and it can be extremely colourful and come in mind-boggling patterns. Seeing pictures of a profoundly colourful sea jelly or sea cucumber with strings of light emanating off it is almost a hallmark of the deep-sea. This light production may be used for luring prey, distracting predators, or signalling (Hall, 2018).

(Hall, 2018)

Of course, such inhospitable conditions do not lead to food being readily available and it is because of the environment that lots of deep-sea creatures scavenge for food (Hall, 2018). An exception to this food scarcity is the rare whale fall, an event when a literal dead whale falls to the ocean floor. The result of this cyclical event is a feeding frenzy that involves all types of consumers. The complete consumption of the whale will take months and involve opportunists that can smell the rotting flesh from afar and slow-moving bone eaters (Hall, 2018). Contrary to what you may be thinking, life of all sizes is able to live at these depths. Large animals such as frilled sharks, goblin sharks, colossal squids, and small creatures like crabs and brittle stars partake in different stages of the feast (Hall, 2018). Imagining a large affair where all types of animals viscerally devour a whale in stark contrast to the usually quiet deep-sea is one of the reasons why I find the environment so riveting.

There is so much more to be said when discussing the watery abyss. It is easy to see how deep-sea creatures may have inspired so many mediums of art. It truly represents an untapped source of knowledge, and it can drum up emotions of fear and uncertainty. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), unless you are James Cameron you won’t be able to experience it first-hand.

 References

Hall, D. (2018, April). The deep sea. Smithsonian Institution. https://ocean.si.edu/ecosystems/deep-sea/deep-sea

Your discussion of the different lifeforms seen in the depths of the ocean brought back a memory of the scene in Disney’s Finding Nemo where Dory and Marlin come face-to-face with a lanternfish of some sort.

Upon conducting some research of my own, I discovered that it’s not a lanternfish at all, but an anglerfish, Oneirodes eschirichtii (DisneyWiki, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution [WHOI]). In particular, it is a female given that they are the only ones who possess the glowing bait portrayed (DisneyWiki, WHOI). Additionally, they are significantly larger than males, unlike many other species where males tend to be bigger and flashier (WHOI). The light comes from a symbiotic relationship between the fish and the bioluminescent bacteria in its esca, or bulbous appendage (WHOI).

Now, how realistic is the portrayal of this fish in the movie? Here’s a picture of what anglerfish ACTUALLY look like:

You’ll notice that the teeth are much smaller and the esca is much less prominent. Also, anglerfish are only 18 cm long while clownfish grow to a maximum of 11 cm, so the size difference is not nearly as drastic as it is made to appear (Oceana, LiveScience).

These fish are rarely sighted by humans, probably due to the fact that they live much deeper than any SCUBA diver can go – the record for a human diver is 610 metres while anglerfish live at least 2000 m below the surface of the ocean, in complete darkness (Hyper Textbook, Oceana). Given their rarity and depth, it is hard to predict how human behaviour will impact them (Oceana).

References:

https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Anglerfish

https://twilightzone.whoi.edu/explore-the-otz/creature-features/anglerfish/

https://oceana.org/marine-life/deep-sea-anglerfish/

https://hypertextbook.com/facts/2005/MichaelCalamera.shtml

Hey everyone, welcome back from a week break! As always its that time of the week so lets get into it!

Today’s guiding questions are, “Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?”

Music is an art that many people favour whether it be because it makes you feel something or it is simply for relaxation, music has an oddly strong power. Biologically, we respond to different types of music differently and it triggers different emotions within us. Different types of music appeals to different people or different parts of a person. A song that brings me into nature, almost immediately, is Wonders by Klingande and Broken Back. I like when songs convey a story and this song immediately brings me to a forest edge where one can run freely and explore. The lyrics start off by asking “should we ride to the north until the south, to the western wonders burning all desires”. For me this paired with a deep drumming and whistling background makes me thing of a forest adventure with each drum beat being a step and heartbeat. Looking at it the whistling may be inspired by bird sounds to add to that sense of submersion. It also mentions some elements of love which can also be interpreted as one talking about their relationship with nature or it still works the same as if talking about a relationship with a person. I like to think of a girl running through the forest looking up at the dappling light through the trees and her friends closely behind her. The wonders she is experiencing is the love of a solid relationship with nature - a comfort and adventure that is beyond words. Embarrassingly enough, on road trips when this songs play I feel completely in my element.

The songs of nature can also be assessed and can create an unreal atmosphere. What I mean by that is that all sounds of nature can build a symphony. In the simplest example a series of bird tweets can create music. More complex, each tweet, tree rustle, and every footstep can be a sample in a song. Gray et al. (2001) mentions signing of humpbacks being similar to music that humans produce. Despite their range of octaves they regularly chose to use intervals and in similar or the same scales as human scales (Gray et al., 2001). Each artistic choice whales makes brings it closer to the way human compose music. I believe in the times when humans were more connected to the land, they learned from and adapted habits from nature. Therefore, it shouldn’t be much of a shock that there are similarities, yet it is still present. I think the shock for me comes from an amazement of animal intelligence and complexity. Not that I think that they are unintelligent however, the world just amazes me sometimes. Building off of that idea, I wonder if the reason music is so different from culture to culture could be a result of the varying types of animals near by. For a different yet similar reason Neanderthals were proven to be fond of music in a display of flute made from animal bones (Gray et al., 2001). This made me think that music could also be limited depending on what animals and plant materials that were available to use to make instruments. Overall, music can bring one closer to nature by creating a feeling or using natural sounds, or nature itself can be the music.

- Tamia N.

I want to start off by saying that I love the voice of your blog posts! I’ve never heard the song Wonders but I can imagine the sensation of drum beats feeling like footsteps beneath you and heartbeats in your chest. For me personally, songs like Ho Hey and Ophelia by The Lumineers make me feel the same way, like I’m skipping and dancing through the outdoors, completely free. Maybe it’s the uneven rhythm of the songs, but it reminds of the perfect imperfections of nature that give it its beauty.

You brought up some really interesting points about how local wildlife and resources could play a role in the type of music that develops in different cultures. An example that immediately came to mind for me is how drumming is a sacred part of many cultures in Africa and in North American Indigenous communities. I find this interesting given the stark differences in wildlife. In both areas, drumming is used for rituals as well as communication (1, 2). Traditional drums are made from animal hides stretched over a wooden frame (2). Thus, the location in which is being made and the local wildlife will impact the sound and the cultural significance of the drum (2). This helps to build a stronger cultural connection to the land as it is the ‘reincarnation’ of the animal’s spirit (1).

In what other ways do you think wildlife impacts the development of music in different cultures?

References:

Ugobude, F. (2020, September 20). The importance of drums in African tradition. The Guardian: Nigeria. Accessed from: https://guardian.ng/life/the-importance-of-drums-in-african-tradition/

When I think about the connection between music and nature, two of the most beautiful things in the world, one big question comes to mind.

Did the music of humans and the songs of animals evolve separately, or was the first inspired by the latter?

Maybe it's the scientist competing with the psychologist in me, but I've always wanted to understand this relationship better.

Music in Nature:

There are so many species that use sounds and songs to communicate. In addition to the birds and whales that are commonly discussed, here are a few more to check out:

FROGS AND TOADS: The singing toad choir from Harry Potter is not entirely fictional or magical. Frogs and toads make very unique sounds that create an orchestra. Some of their sounds are musical, while others imitate other animals. For example, the 'peeps' of a spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) can sound like the jingling of bells from a distance. The different pitches of male American toads (Anaxyrus americanus) calling for a mate create a melody of sounds.

ELK: The North American elk (Cervus canadensis) is one of the most vocal ungulate (hoofed) species. Their sounds can range from squeals to barks to whistling roars. Some even refer to it as the sound of a bugle, making them a true instrument in the chorus of nature.

Nature in Music:

When I think of how nature is reflected in music, the first thing I think of is Antonio Vivaldi's The Four Seasons. This is a set of violin concertos that reflect each of the seasons. Check out this clip to see them condensed into only a minute! Throughout the four pieces, the musical representations of birds, storms, the frigidity of winter, and more are displayed.

I think it would be really cool for someone (with better editing skills than myself) to rearrange a song with animal sounds in place of instruments. Across the animal kingdom, some animals make sounds ranging from bass to soprano. This could create an exciting sound that really brings nature into music.

Songs that Take Me Back to Nature:

Thanks to many summers spent at summer camp and the cottage, camp songs always transport back to the calm of nature. Some songs, like Alice the Camel, take me back to the amphitheatre at Camp Wyoka where we had our nightly Girl Guide campfires. I have fond memories of other songs, like one about loggers on a river, that take me back to the beach at Balsam Lake where I went to many evening campfires and interpretive programs as a child. Unfortunately, I can't remember this song, nor can I find it anywhere, so it may just be a memory now. I enjoy listening to folk-pop songs when driving long distances along the highway through natural areas. Maybe it's the common themes of being together, coming home, and exploring, but they always make me super excited to get to wherever I'm heading.

Elliott, L., Gerhardt, H. C., & Davidson, C. (2009). The frogs and toads of North America : A comprehensive guide to their identification, behavior, and calls. Houghton Mifflin.

First I just want to say how much I enjoyed your post this week. It might sound dramatic but music and nature have always been the two most important parts of my life. I rely on them so much for my mental health, as there hasn't been a moment where being outside listening to great music hasn’t helped make my day better. I basically live with my earphones glued to my head. With that being said, I loved your take on the “origin” of music. I wrote about a similar topic in my blog post, as I was also curious about whether the sounds of nature inspired our own music. I wonder if there truly is “music” in nature, or if it is just our human minds applying our own conceptions onto the sounds that creatures create. I like to think it's the former… Life is a lot more fun and colorful if that’s the case.The sounds nature makes most often have a strict purpose like attracting a mate or sending out a warning. I wonder if there are any non-human organisms that make sounds purely for the pleasure of listening to how it sounds. Definitely something worth looking up!

The interconnectedness of nature and music has the potential to be such a great tool for nature interpretation, especially with such creative ideas like the one you mentioned about turning Vivaldi’s four seasons featuring nature as the musician. I really hope someone out there with better audio/editing skills takes this challenge on!

Researchers conducting a study at the University of Vienna have found that parrots are able to detect the beat of a song and will dance to it.

Researchers at Colorado State University monitored how kenneled dogs react to different genres of music; classical music provoked a sense of calmness and rest while metal music provoked agitation and shaking. The researchers noted a similarity between this behaviour and the feelings expressed by humans in response to the same music.

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 (Beck, Chapter 7)

This quote from Edward Hyams is quite provocative as it makes you think about the significance of history. What I received from this quote is that historical events, artifacts and stories aren’t special because of their age, however they are significant because they add pieces to the puzzle of time, making it more complete. To me, this means that we can look at the present, and look at the possibilities that the future brings, however if we don’t acknowledge the past, we aren’t seeing the whole picture. The “integrity” mentioned refers to this sense of wholeness that history offers, and I would argue that this integrity acts as a foundation for our success as humans.

Everything in the past has led us to today, with incredible scientific and health advancements, world religions, wars, etc. Regardless of whether we acknowledge them or not, they still happened, and each event has consequentially led us to the present moment. This is why history holds power, because understanding the past can shed light on why things may be the way they are, therefore providing a better understanding of the present and the future. This “understanding” that history can provoke is the merit that history holds; it is representing the significance and good that can come from understanding history and applying the lessons you can learn from it.

Now, this is a nature interpretation blog, and at this point you are probably wondering, “How does all of this fit into interpreting?”. Integrating history into an interpretive program is an excellent way to tell stories, which is an awesome tool to grab the attention of the audience and convey natural and cultural messages. For example, telling stories about how a Canadian park would have looked and functioned pre-colonialism would give listeners an understanding of how this piece of land functioned over time. Furthermore, these stories can provide a place with vitality, because now the audience knows that this land, for example, has its own life-story and origins, just like you and me and everyone around us. Understanding the history of a place can literally give it life in the eyes of the audience and allow them to empathize and form an emotional connection with it.

Once the audience understands the roots of a natural site, they will likely try to draw comparisons of how it looks and functions in the present. These comparisons have the power to show the effects that humans have had on the environment. Now that the audience has an understanding and appreciation of the history of this site, I believe they will now have incentive to aid in preserving what remains of this history. This goes to show how important understanding the history of our land is when it comes to addressing the climate crisis.

So, this quote had quite a lot to unpack and discuss. To me, Hyams wanted to convey the importance that history has in understanding the present, and how understanding something’s back story can give it significance. This is what makes history so powerful when it comes to interpreting, because it helps build a connection between the audience members and the subject.

The last thing I’m left wondering about is where does the future fit into this? We can’t know or fully understand the future, so I wonder how greatly this affects the “integrity”. Do you think we even need to understand the future, or is the past and present enough to understand why things are the way they are? Just some food for thought!

Reference:

The past explains the present and the present explains the future.

There are some examples from the past that definitely reflect this impact on the future.

Major events such as the Industrial Revolution or the widespread use of cars has impacted the fight against climate change that we are and will continue to face over the next several decades and beyond.

Colonial actions towards Indigenous people in Canada have impacted their relationship with the government and other bodies, both to this day and beyond until reconciliation can be achieved.

The development of natural parks will allow future generations to be able to enjoy the beauty of nature.

Integrity comes from understanding that every action has a consequence, whether good or bad. Individuals need to think twice about what they are doing, because it is impossible to seen the negative consequences until they come to be the present and it is too late to undo the harm that has been done.

As David Suzuki, an environmental activist, says,

“Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences. It is time to re-examine some of our deeply-held notions that underlie our lifestyle.”

Every decision we make has a consequence, and whether it be good or bad, we must accept that.

Sources:

As I touched on in a previous post, science is almost like a religion to me. I find through understanding the world around me, specifically nature, I unlock a deeper appreciation for life. I believe that my earliest instance of this feeling would have come in kindergarten when I learned about the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly. I remember being shocked and amazed that somehow in the natural world a transformation like this could occur. This feeling has continued all through high school and university as I have learned more about evolution and ecology. This is why I believe that science is a crucial part of nature interpretation: in order to deeply appreciate something, you must deeply understand it. Science is the key to understanding nature. In other words, it is the key to the gifts of revelation and wholeness. The gift of revelation is “reveal[ing] deeper meaning and truth” (Beck et. al., 2018). The gift of wholeness is the presentation of “a complete theme or thesis” (Beck et. al., 2018). These two gifts of interpretation work together to create the previously mentioned deeper appreciation.

There are many specific things in nature that I believe follow this idea. For example, the appearance of patterns and cycles in nature. When we observe a pattern in nature such as the alternating colors of a reptile’s skin or the hexagons of an insect’s eyes, we can appreciate it more by thinking about the fact that this had to be created somehow. Rather than just observing it, thinking about the how and the why can unlock the gifts of revelation and wholeness. It is our job as nature interpreters to guide others towards this. For example, when it comes to an insect’s hexagonal pattern eyes: in some way they provide the insect with an advantage. This trait began as a heritable mutation, which creates variation. The organisms who possessed these traits were more successful at reproducing offspring as a result of some advantage it created. This means the frequency of the trait continues to increase in the gene pool until we observe most insects having hexagonal eyes. Hopefully from this example you can see what I mean. Thinking about simple hexagons has led to appreciating the initial random chance followed by generations of evolution that lead to this observation!

(Fessenden, 2016) Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-natures-patterns-180959033/

This line of thinking is how science became like a religion for me. I can’t help but feel so lucky to exist in the form that I do with all this beautiful nature around me when I pause to think about how it got here and how I got here. Not only did humans evolve from small single cell organisms to be as complex as we are, but we are also lucky enough to have the mental capacity to be able to try to understand it all. I think this is a beautiful gift! Additionally, not only are the patterns beautiful to observe with one example like the chameleon’s tail shown below­ but it is mind blowing to see that they repeat. This independent repetition shows the effectivness of evolution at moving organisms towards being more fit to their current enviornment.

(Fessenden, 2016) Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/science-behind-natures-patterns-180959033/

In conclusion, we can observe things in nature, but a deeper appreciation comes from understanding the science that explains it.

References

Beck, l., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage. Urbana, IL: Sagamore Venture

I personally find, both in myself and in youth that I’m working with, that an interest in the deeper science comes from an initial sense of intrigue. If something catches my eye, such as the pattern of a plant or animal, it leads me to want to know more. As you mentioned, almost everything in nature serves a purpose, including beauty. Maybe the patterns help in camouflage, or are the veins that carry vital nutrients through the organisms. Maybe being beautiful aids in sexual selection, or draws the attention of herbivores who will help spread seeds. 

Hello everyone, its that time of the week! Welcome back to my blog!

As someone who started out as an artist and studying art before pursuing design art is a powerful way to communicate to people. It is important to note that art comes in various forms, some of which may shock you. As an interpreter it is also a job to help be the medium to communicate the beauty nature provides to others. It’s communication that goes beyond diagrams; it reveals emotion and story. Art is an important medium for communication. Literally, though! Many people have used forms of art to make languages. One of the languages I am currently learning is Japanese. Apologies if I don’t get this exactly right I’m still learning. Basically, Japanese is divided into 3 writing forms hiragana, katakana and kanji. Kanji is the use of Chinese characters, following the rules of Japanese there are two pronunciations; Onyomi (the Chinese derived pronunciation) and Kunyomi (the Japanese pronunciation). Point of this being, a Japanese writing practice sheet I have shows how kanji came from kokotsubun (a hieroglyphic/drawn kind of character) that seems to resemble elements of nature which was then simplified into hiragana. The progression of drawings helped make a base for language and communication. Obviously this is over simplified but it is interesting because a lot of ways I help myself remember kanji is by making drawings from the character pertaining to what they mean. Thus writing and words can be derived from an artistic expression as well as a literal form of communicating.

This brings up a valid point that nature is the basis for art. Many artists draw inspiration from nature and displayed the parts that speak to them in a way that makes sense to them. The group of seven is infamous for Canadian landscapes, but there are eras dedicated to the fascination of life embellished by nature or natural elements such as the rococo, romanticism, realism, art nouveau, impressionism, surrealism. These time periods are often known to highlight human elements but have also showed perspectives of nature alongside the human image. Art has the ability to speak to something deeper. Nature can show insight to new perspectives. Nature has impacted my personal art. You are the limited by your own imagination and creativity therefore witnessing other creative works can expand upon what you know and how you perceive things.

“The Swing”/ Painting from Rococo Art Period/ Fragonard

Coy Fish and The Island/ Paintings/ Tamia Noel

The gift of beauty closely resembles the saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It is the appreciation and embracing the feeling of beauty radiating from ones environment. Everyone takes it in differently but the feelings are still there. The gift part I can see in two ways, it a gift because it is shared with us and it is also a gift because we should be grateful to witness such beauty. I grew up in an environment where perspective of food, art, culture and nature are a blend of different peoples backgrounds. Such is the essence of the Caribbean. When I interpret and view things I think in different perspectives but the one constant is my view of nature. That is not to say that it isn’t influenced by different stories and teachings but some how, even in the darkest tales, there has been a strong display of nature’s beauty. For me, natures beauty comes from its strength while also providing interesting sites to see. It is not something that we can control which I think is why it is so beautiful on its own. Nature owns its strength and beauty and each person takes in its different features. For me I capture each feature through drawing, painting, writing, spoken word, photography and sometimes sculpture. Every form of communication is art, especially when it describes the wanders of our world. I want to try to capture nature as much as I can. Ever since I was little I loved looking at the world and trying to understand it. I found very quickly that nature is art.

What ways do you try to capture nature? What feelings does it invoke when you are creating or capturing art?

Beck, L. et al. Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. 2018. Sagamore Publishing.

Who am I to interpret nature through art?

I believe that anyone can interpret nature through art. Many of us are familiar with the common saying; “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, which fundamentally applies to art and its ambiguity. A painting or drawing doesn’t need to be perfectly symmetrical or realistic to resonate with its audience. If the desired outcome is to convey ideas and emotions, then anyone can create art. It is arguably not just a right to interpret nature through art, but a responsibility, to share our experiences through a variety of mediums and learn from art created by others. Sharing of art is the sharing of emotions and experiences, which benefits us and ultimately serves to help protect our landscapes by elevating understanding and reminding others of its beauty. It also is a universally spoken language, and allows us to connect and share no matter the native tongue of our audience.

The connection between nature and art, for me, is the ability to take a piece of the forest or ocean or meadow, and preserve it so while I am doing homework in my room, or sitting on a bus in the middle of the city, I can be taken back to moments where I felt at peace in nature. Putting paintings on the wall of beautiful Canadian scenery, or even just having a photo album on my phone full of nature photos from my most treasured places, affect my mood. 

How do I interpret the “gift of beauty”?

My interpretation of the “gift of beauty” is teaching others to appreciate nature to their full capacity. Stopping to take it all in (on a hike, for example) is difficult for some people, and finding this “gift of beauty” can take practice. Teaching someone to use every one of their senses, not only sight, can help them to ground themselves in their setting. Our textbook describes the principle of the “gift of beauty” as “Interpretation should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings- to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation” (Beck et al., 2018). I place an emphasis on the word choice of “sense”, reminding us that beauty is not a purely visual idea. Practicing looking at the vastness of a forest atop a hill, listening to the songs of birds, smelling the freshness of the trees and flowers, feeling the wind blowing through your hair, tasting the crisp air, will provide the most immersive nature experience possible. One of my favourite places to just stop and sense the beauty of nature is at my cottage. Specifically in the mornings, before the lake has woken up, when the water is still and covered in a layer of slowly drifting fog. I take out the canoe and paddle along the shore, where I can hear the sounds of the forest and the drops of water from my paddle hitting the water’s surface, and I just breathe it all in. 

My dog, River, looking out over the misty morning lake.

References:

I understand privilege simply as fancy tools that only some people have that conveniently get them what others struggle to have. Privilege can entirely change a person’s way of interpreting life. Allow me to expand on that statement by outlining my background. I am an international student from Vietnam who came to Canada for school in 2017. Before merging with this society and being exposed to the new standards and ideologies, I grew up pretty much oblivious to the privileges that I had, probably because “privileges” was a topic that never got talked about as much as it is in Western culture. I only realized that I was an extremely fortunate individual compared to my Vietnamese peers slowly after I got used to the new life in Canada. The fact that I can speak English and get to pursue a university education already puts me not two, but more like two hundred steps ahead of those whose parents do not have the financial capability to send them abroad. That too, is a privilege that I have. My parents are the ones funding my education and making sure that I always have everything that I need. Not having to worry about money is a major factor that has made me much more advantageous compared to others. Besides these, having a decent looking appearance for people to look at when they interact with me, is also a privilege that has lately been discussed a lot on social media platforms. These are just some of the tools that I carry in my invisible backpack, which is starting to become more visible to me the more I learn. They help make life so much easier, and they give me so much more time and effort to appreciate other things, including nature interpretation.

For instance, my idea of exploring nature is just a leisurely, casual activity that I can do anytime I want. Information is available to me when I encounter new discoveries, because I have access to primary literature and I can always ask professors and experts in the field, since I am a university student. Not a lot of people realize that academia is very gatekept from the public, judging from how you have to pay to read most published articles. Thus, for some people, experiencing nature can be quite costly and challenging.  Thus, I might be able to interpret more, and appreciate nature in a different light compared to them. Knowing certain things like the risks of being outside, or simply being more equipped for a camping or hiking trip can also help me be much safer than those who do not. Another aspect of being a nature interpreter is socializing, and confidence helps a lot with how well this process goes. Confidence stems from our upbringing, our self-awareness and how we think we look in other people’s eyes and it can be boosted with privileges.

The subject of this weeks blog post is one that is very personal and somewhat sensitive. Privilege, to me, is the unearned advantages that are automatically given to members of certain groups based solely on their membership within the group, which is not optional. As explained in the Courselink text, understanding privilege can be made easier by thinking of it as an “invisible backpack”, a concept introduced by Peggy McIntosh. The contents of your backpack vary depending on your life circumstances, but those with more within their backpack do not often acknowledge that the contents were given without being earned and that the backpacks of the people around them might have less content. 

Now to unpack my own privilege, I am a white, cis, able-bodied woman who was raised in an English-speaking, middle class home by two parents who are still willing to support me financially and emotionally. Because of these privileges I have been able to have many experiences which I am truly grateful for, but these experiences are not those which I have earned. Learning about privilege can be difficult for those who have a large amount of it because it can make them feel guilty that they did not earn what they have or, sometimes, angry that other people believe that they did not “work hard” for it. However, being unaware of privilege is a luxury that only those with privilege have, because those without privilege notice how unfair the world is towards them.

Privilege plays a large role within nature interpretation. To be able to access and enjoy natural areas you need to be able to take time off work, travel to the location, pay for entrance/parking/food, and physically maneuver within the natural area. These aspects and many others are barriers. Some way to increase inclusivity are mentioned within the textbook, including 1) reducing economic barriers by providing transportation or bringing the park to the people through outreach, 2) reducing cultural barriers by personally inviting groups of people to the park, 3) reducing communication barriers by providing multilingual interpretation and varied media forms, 4) provide clear information on where to go, what to do, and how to prepare for visits, and 5) creating a diverse interpretation team trained in cultural sensitivity so that visitors feel represented and safe when interacting with staff (Beck et al. 2018). It is so crucial that this new generation of nature interpreters is sensitive to privilege and culture in order to provide a meaningful nature experience to anyone interested. 

It is also important to acknowledge that in Canada I am interpreting the nature of stolen land. I believe it is essential to listen to Indigenous knowledge holders and make ample space for them within the colonized world. I hope to use my privilege to amplify the thoughts of those who are not being listened to, although I wish we lived in a world where they were heard without someone of privilege repeating it.

Thanks for reading.