Nature Interpretation with Annika

Despite what one’s relationship with nature may be, we all have a responsibility to educate ourselves and others given the current state of the environment today. Over the years I have developed stronger and deeper beliefs that I bring to my own nature interpreter practice. I believe the best way to educate others is to lead by example. My girlfriend being a vegan artist and focusing a majority of her work on animal and environmental issues, I have learned so much from her. She never tries to enforce her beliefs on me and slowly over the years, I have started following in her footsteps. I may not be vegan but I have made an active effort to be more mindful of the food I am eating and the waste I am producing. I feel that this type of influence is very powerful and is the type of influence I would like to have on others. Let people be inspired by you, answer questions when people have them in a kind way, and I am more than confident that there will be positive results. In her art, she uses shocking visuals to invoke emotion whether it’s a painting of animals being poached or sea life tangled in garbage. In Chapter 5 of the textbook, it is discussed how tangible evidence like this can be very effective in pushing intangible meanings (Beck, Cable, & Knudson, 2019). As a nature interpreter and photographer, I want to incorporate this philosophy into my own work and use it as an effective tool in influencing those around me. Seeing these terrible things happening to the environment and its inhabitants is much more effective at invoking change in us than simply hearing about it in the media. I remember when the Australia forest fires were happening and I first heard about it, I did not really think too much of it at first. Then I started seeing actual tangible evidence of the disaster and it was shocking to say the least. I think understanding and knowing how to use this skill makes a more effective nature interpreter.

Painting by my girlfriend, Maria Melito 

Another belief I have is that one of the best ways to connect with nature and appreciate it is to participate in it. Going for walks, hikes, and spending time in nature in other ways can motivate us to care for the environment in whatever ways we can in order to protect it. Sometimes I feel lazy and would rather put off going for a run or hike outside, but when I actually push myself to do it, I have no regrets. The same goes with studying or having a meal outside. My most memorable moments have been going for spontaneous hikes in unknown trails. It gives me a thrilling sense of adventure and . Making an active effort to be outside with nature can really help others start to appreciate the environment around us even more.

I think its also important as a nature interpreter to identify your audience and what kind of learning might work best for them. I am personally a visual/kinaesthetic learner but that is not the case for everyone. For our podcast 1 assignment, It was very important to understand that our audience is children and that spewing facts non stop would not be interesting for the demographic. Instead, we had to change the way we presented our information. We added in music, sound effects, dumbed down our sentences a bit to make it easier to understand, and used lots of relatable examples. To be more specific on that last bit, in one instance where we were discussing pesticides making honey bees unable to work, we used an example of humans being too sick to work. Real world connections like that make it easier for a younger audience to grasp what is being said easier. This all can be challenging but an effective nature interpreter needs to identify who their audience is and change how they present information to ensure that it is most effectively absorbed.

As I said, I believe that each of us has a responsibility to seek out resources and educate ourselves on nature. Although most of us could say we understand that morally we should be doing more to protect nature, the majority of people continue to take part in activities that damage it with the foods we eat, our waste, etc. With finding resources that resonate with us whether it be a documentary, art, or educational programs, we become inspired and that’s what creates the drive to change.

I think it is very admirable that you have learned so much from your partner!  I too am vegan and a very passionate animal rights and environmental advocate (although not through art, the painting of hers that you attached is heart-breakingly beautiful!), and I hope to have the same affect on my partner as she clearly has had on you!  I completely agree that being too preachy or trying to force your beliefs onto others is never an effective way to inspire change, and that is something that I constantly evaluate about myself.  

As Beck et al. (2018) outlined, I absolutely think that showing shocking visuals is a very powerful way to make people care.  I’ve worked in wildlife rehabilitation, and it only took seeing one skunk come in with a McFlurry lid (the tapered plastic tubes) stuck around its neck, suffering from a raging infection and starving to death for me to swear off using anything similar ever again.  If I hadn’t seen this skunk, I likely would not feel so strongly about that today.

A remarkably less-gory photo of the skunk that came into care stuck in a McFlurry lid.  This was a few weeks into healing so the wound looks significantly better, but you can imagine the initial damage.  Photo via SOH.

However, wildlife rehabilitation is not a field that everybody (or even many people) will pursue, and the people who do choose to go into that profession likely already care about the harm being caused to wildlife. Being able to use mediums like art or photography make that experience, that shocking imagery, accessible to many people.  The Australian wildfires had a very similar impact on me as it did yourself, but if those devastating photos and videos did not exist, we both would likely not have thought too much about it.  

A photo from the Australian wildfires that I remember hitting me particularly hard.  It is much easier to ignore a tragedy when you are able to separate it from the individual animals (hearing that x number of animals are affected is much less heart-wrenching than seeing a kangaroo running for its life).  

I hope you have a lovely rest of your semester, and I’m sure you will continue to be a great nature interpreter in the future!

Cheers,

Annika

P.S.  Thank you for adding the Learning Styles & Tips for Teaching infograph to your post!  That is great information, and I always forget that many people learn best by reading and writing, instead of the most notable three (visually, auditorily, and kinaesthetically).

References:

As described in my first blog post, camp gave me the opportunity to connect with nature as well as facilitate that connection for others. Spending my summers with people who truly cared about the environment and had a profound respect for the natural world allowed me to not only strengthen my relationship with nature, but also begin my journey as an environmental interpreter.

Camp Hurontario 

This journey continued as I learned new skills and embarked on new adventures. For example, in my second blog post, I discussed my passion for creating educational resources. This passion emerged after my participation in the development of an online open access physiology textbook for the University of Guelph. During this project, I learned about accessibility, science communication, and effective teamwork; all of which have strengthened my abilities as an interpreter.

This is an interactive drag & drop activity I created for the physiology eBook. I got tripped up doing my own question in the video :)

Most recently, and most importantly, this course has opened my eyes to different forms of interpretation (art, science, history, music, technology, etc.) and has given me the opportunity to reflect on my abilities and vision as an environmental interpreter. As I continue to develop as a nature interpreter, my personal ethic is to utilize the tools available at my disposal to the best of my ability in order to strengthen people’s relationships with nature, and ultimately, allow them to question their biases and change their actions if necessary.

The beliefs and values I hold as an interpreter stem from the knowledge I have gained in my childhood, my university education, and this course in particular. My many years at camp taught me about environmental stewardship (i.e., responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices). Through my university education I learned about climate change, scientific communication, and the importance of building awareness. Thus, these beliefs are something I will inevitably integrate into my interpretive programs, resources, etc…

ENVS*3000 gave me the opportunity to reflect on my relationship with nature, explore my ideal role as an environmental interpreter, and learn about the different mediums used to interpret the natural world. Before this semester, I wouldn’t have thought of art or music as interpretive tools, however, I now realize their massive potential when it comes to interpreting nature, or anything really for that matter. For example, interpreting nature through art can not only bring people closer to the natural world, but can also alter their opinions and be a driver for effecting positive change (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 215–232). I think art can be very powerful because it is open to interpretation. This allows people to create meaning with what they are visualizing by connecting their current emotions with feelings and thoughts of the past.

Just like how nature interpretation through art can elicit emotions and allow audiences to notice something they may have never expected to see, nature interpretation through music can spark a very similar reaction. Ultimately, nature and music are intimately connected. Music is found in the natural world and the natural world is found in music (Gray et al., 2001). As William Shakespeare once said, “The earth has music for those who listen”. Thus, these learning experiences have opened my eyes to the wide range of tools that can be used to interpret nature. In accordance with this realization, I will continue to be open minded as an interpreter and utilize these mediums to enhance the overall experience for my audience.

As a creative, tech-savvy, and social individual, I feel as though many different approaches are suitable for me as an interpreter. Creativity becomes important when interpreters are tasked with incorporating art, music, and history into their programs. Additionally, creativity is extremely beneficial in terms of scientific communication. For instance, it is through storytelling about science, experts argue, that science communication both shapes culture and formulates meanings that determine our identities (Joubert et al., 2019).

Being tech-savvy has its advantages when it comes to nature interpretation. Technology can compete with nature; however, nature and technology can also have a symbiotic relationship (Hookyaas, 2021, Unit 8). For example, studies have found that watching Planet Earth brings viewers joy and markedly lowers anxiety (Simpson, 2017). Furthermore, creating effective online learning resources that cater to a multitude of different learning styles, abilities, and people is very difficult without some sort of background in technology. Thus, even though nature and technology are sometimes viewed as enemies, taking advantage of technology in the right way, by striving for a perfect balance, can enhance our relationship with nature.  

Lastly, being social and talkative is important when leading an interpretive program. However, this also includes being flexible, adaptable, and having strong interpersonal skills. Flexibility and adaptability are crucial as an environmental interpreter. As mentioned by Beck et al. (2018) in chapter seven, “it is important to be flexible as no two groups are alike”. For instance, if an interpreter sees something of interest that is not in the plan, they should adapt so that visitors have the opportunity to witness the event of the moment (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 127–161). Furthermore, participants might steer the conversation in a different direction, however, I now feel better prepared for that possibility. Moreover, interpersonal skills are sometimes called social intelligence and refer to the capacity to interact effectively with others. Potential uses in interpretation may include brainstorming, sharing, discussing, cooperative learning through groupwork, and social awareness (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 105–126).

Being adaptable (like this chameleon) is an important skill as well as an effective approach when it comes to interpreting the natural world 

I am grateful for this course as it has steered me towards an area of interpretation that I am passionate about: designing and developing learning resources for students and people of all ages. Such a role might entail creating physical textbooks, eBooks, online activities, program plans, environmental curriculum, etc…

As an environmental interpreter specializing in curriculum design and knowledge translation, accessibility is imperative. Consequently, inclusivity is a responsibility I must take very seriously in future interpretive positions. Privilege is unearned and unasked for. It provides invisible advantages that are readily available to dominant identity groups (Gallavan, 2005). In terms of nature interpretation, privilege (or lack-thereof) can be a huge barrier. Many people may want to participate in nature interpretation programs but are unable due to real or perceived barriers (Beck et al., 2018, pp. 127–161). Addressing and overcoming these barriers creates an environment where inclusive interpretation is possible, and thus, interpreters should strive to make nature interpretation accessible for everyone.

Accessibility is a dynamic concept; it takes many forms and means different things to different people. When designing and developing resources, I will follow accessible practices in order to create inclusive learning experiences. For instance, incorporating podcasts into text-based resources allow people who are visually impaired to listen to the content. Additionally, editing fonts, colours and learning object descriptions can transform a learning experience from exclusive and inaccessible to inclusive and accessible. Learning about privilege and accessibility this semester was a really rewarding experience for me because I knew that I could make a difference and create a more level playing field in the future.

Everybody has a preferred learning style. Whether it be visual, textual, auditory, hands-on, or a combination of multiple (Hookyaas, 2021, Unit 2). As an environmental interpreter looking to specialize in curriculum design and knowledge translation, catering to different styles of learning is imperative. To effectively uphold this responsibility, I will utilize and incorporate the different tools available to me in order to produce the best experience possible for all learners. For example, multimedia such as images, videos and interactive content can augment the experience for different types of learners.

Most importantly, a responsibility I have as a nature interpreter is to never give up. As poetically stated by Jacob Rodenburg, “Being an environmental educator in today’s world feels like you are asked to stop a rushing river armed only with a teaspoon” (Rodenburg, 2019). With the immense array of global issues on our minds, such as climate change and habitat destruction, environmental interpreters must not give up, no matter how discouraging or difficult it may get. “The aim of interpretation is not agreement but understanding” – Donald Davidson.

Thank you all for a great semester! Jacob

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References

Rodenburg, J. (2019, June 17). Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give Up Hope. CLEARING. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300. 

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). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). How People Learn. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a Better World (pp. 105–126). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Serving Diverse Audiences. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a Better World (pp. 127–161). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing. 

Gallavan, N. P. (2005). Helping teachers unpack their “invisible knapsacks”. Multicultural Education, 13(1), 36. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A137921591/AONE&u=guel77241&sid=AONE&xid=9fe2f151

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001, January 5). The music of nature and the nature of music. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/291/5501/52.full. 

Hookyaas, A. (2021). Unit 08: The Role of Technology in Nature Interpretation. CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2594169/View. 

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 02: Teaching Learners. CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2583079/View. 

Joubert, M., Davis, L., & Metcalfe, J. (2019). Storytelling: the soul of science communication. Journal of Science Communication, 18(05). https://doi.org/10.22323/2.18050501 

Simpson, F. (2017, March 9). Nature programmes reduce stress and increase happiness. London Evening Standard | Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/nature-programmes-like-planet-earth-ii-reduce-stress-and-increase-happiness-research-shows-a3485136.html.

Media Credits 

Media #1: Tumblr GIF

Media #2: https://camphurontario.com

Media #3: Video created by me 

Media #4: https://www.gageproducts.com/environmental-stewardship

Media #5: https://www.adam-eason.com/how-to-be-more-open-minded

Media #6: https://www.reddit.com/r/Chameleons

When it comes to childhood experiences shaping our current relationship with nature, you and I are in the same boat.  While I never had the experience of going to camp, I was still very lucky that much of my childhood was spent outside, in some capacity or another.  

A photo from one of many lovely summers spent on the lake, featuring a particularly lovely hat. Photo by L. Vree, c. 2008.

I think your post touches on a very important concept: accessibility in academia.  It is no secret that academia is incredibly elitist, and that unfortunately causes a significant disconnect between academics and everyone else.  This disconnect takes many forms: many research articles come at a hefty price unless you have access through an educational institution (which often comes at a much heftier price!), and the scientific jargon that is used in these articles is near-impossible for me to understand, let alone someone who is not in the sciences.  In fact, this over-complicated ‘pseudo-intellectualism’ is exemplified by the Sokal affair, where Alan Sokal submitted a hoax article to a journal that readily accepted it because, even though it was a sham, ‘a) it sounded good, and b) it flattered the editors’ ideological preconceptions’ (Weinberg, 1996).  The Sokal affair signified the elitism in this community: the editors of the journal would rather accept something that had no actual substance, was over-complicated, and flattered academics, than an easy-to-understand, accessible, substantial article.

A pretty iconic photo representing the Sokal affair, if you ask me! Photo via Wilson, 2018.

Your work creating an open access textbook is something that I think is incredibly admirable, as it goes directly against this notion.  Realistically, up-and-coming research and information should be accessible to everyone, not just those with a ton of money to spend (on post-secondary education or the articles directly).  Especially with issues like climate change, science communication is so important – it is all too common that people who do not understand the jargon or the nuances of a study take the results out of context (not always on purpose, often because of the over-complicated language used) and use their understanding to spread false information.  Being able to bridge the gap between the scientific community and those outside of it is so important, and I think that providing educational materials freely on the internet is a great way to start!

I’ve really enjoyed all of your posts this semester and I wish you all the best in the future!  From the sounds of it, you will be a great environmental interpreter, if that is the path that you continue on.

Cheers,

Annika

 References:

Weinberg, S. (1996). Sokal’s Hoax. The New York Review of Books, 43:11-15.

Hey folks!  Today I am going to teach you all about my favourite bird, which is one that I’m sure you are all quite familiar with.  Crows!  Although they may not seem too impressive (they don’t have brightly coloured plumage, or sing loudly to attract mates from afar), they are remarkably smart animals, and I hope to help you gain an appreciation for them too!

American crow, the species of bird that we are lucky enough to live alongside!  Photo by All About Birds.

Crows are a member of the Corvidae family, alongside ravens, magpies, rooks, and even blue jays!  All of these birds are very intelligent – in fact, despite their relatively tiny brains, their intelligence is considered equivalent to that of a 7-year-old human (Andrews, 2018)!  Crows have a higher concentration of neurons than we or any other mammal do, and it shows: they have been documented using passing cars to crack open hard nutshells for them, they can make tools, and they even enjoy playing (Andrews, 2014).  Check out the video below of a crow sliding down a roof using a mayonnaise jar lid as a sled!

A video of a crow using a mayonnaise jar lid as a sled - effectively proving that crows have the ability to ‘play’, or do non-useful tasks just for fun!  Video via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dWw9GLcOeA.

Crows also have an incredible ability to distinguish between and remember human faces.  A study was done out of the University of Washington that involved wearing specific masks while catching and banding a few crows in Seattle (Andrews, 2018).  Those masks were then worn again through the banding areas at various time frames – one walk-through was done two weeks after the initial banding, during which time 26% of crows recognized and held a grudge against the masked people (Andrews, 2018).  Another walk-through was done 15 months later, and that number had grown to 30.4% (Andrews, 2018).  Three years later?  66% (Andrews, 2018)!  This clearly demonstrates that these birds are able to communicate extensively with each other, and that they are capable of passing down their wariness of people with those specific ‘faces’ through generations (Andrews, 2018).  

A slightly horrifying and slightly hilarious photo of the sampling done with the University of Washington in an attempt to understand crows’ facial recognition capabilities.  Photo by David P. Craig.

Although crows’ ability to remember and even hold a grudge against you may seem a little intimidating, it is worth noting that it goes both ways!  Crows remember those that have done nice things for them, and often pay them back (Nosowitz, 2015).  Many anecdotes float around the internet about this ‘currency system’.  One example involves Gabi Mann, an eight-year-old girl who regularly fed the crows in her neighbourhood (Nosowitz, 2015). In exchange, they brought her countless trinkets – sea glass, buttons, paper clips, you name it (Nosowitz, 2015). One day Gabi was out taking pictures a considerable distance away from her home and dropped her lens cap, and sure enough, it was returned to her by her friendly neighbourhood crows (Nosowitz, 2015).  A coincidence, or were they keeping an eye on her?  You tell me, but I definitely lean towards the latter.

Gabi Mann’s growing collection of treasure left for her by the crows in her neighbourhood.  Photo by Katy Sewall.

As is stressed over and over again in Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World, birding is an incredible way to connect yourself to the world around you (Beck et al. 2018).  For me, what started out as simply feeding chickadees out in the Wye Marsh has taken off into a passion for birds that I absolutely cherish.  Do you have any specific bird-related memories, or a favourite avian species?  Or, moving away from birds, do you have a type of animal that you’re passionate about? I’d love to hear all about it!

Thanks for reading,

Annika

References:

Andrews, C. (2014). Video: A Crow Invents A Sled. Good Nature Travel, via https://www.nathab.com/blog/video-a-crow-invents-a-sled/

Andrews, C. (2018). Crows are as Intelligent as a Seven-Year-Old Child. Good Nature Travel, via https://www.nathab.com/blog/crows-are-as-intelligent-as-a-seven-year-old-child/

Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

I personally really love woodpeckers, pileated are the only ones that I could identify off hand, but I just think that they’re super fascinating! My job has me dealing with trees every day, both alive and dead, so we see a lot of different birds. Woodpeckers really stand out to me for their distinctive noise (when they’re foraging) and the way that they gather food. As someone who often has to stab my feet (with sharp spurs) into bark I can truly appreciate the dedication that it must take to piece that with your face…. 

I was watching the video of the crow snowboarding and started to wonder if that bird “invented” sledding for birds, or if it was copying something that it had seen humans do? If it had invented it all on it’s own that would be pretty smart of it, but if it was learning from the behavior of a difference species and adapting our way of “play” into it’s own that would also be super neat! Which do you think it was? 

Some more questions for you: Do you find that your bird watching led to your love of nature, or the other way around? What is your favorite place to go birding?

Thanks so much for your post, I really enjoyed reading it, it was highly educational and entertaining!

Katie the Treehugger

I think it’s so fascinating that your job corresponds so directly with woodpeckers, I can’t say that any job I’ve had relates me to anything quite as cool!  Woodpeckers are super great, and I’m so glad that my post inspired you to learn some more about them!  Some of my favourite woodpecker fun facts are that they can peck up to 20 times per second, their tongues can be as long as 4 inches long, and they peck in rather short bursts because their skulls will overheat otherwise!

Although we will probably never be sure, I wouldn’t be surprised if the sledding crow learnt the behavior from humans!  There have been accounts of crows mimicking human speech, similarly to parrots - to me at least, this suggests that perhaps one crow watched humans sledding, tried it out, and shared it with his crow-pals, similarly to the way that crows in the University of Washington study communicated about the ‘danger’ in that situation.

I attempted to locate a video of crows mimicking human voices but I came up short, so here’s a similar example where a raven (a very close relative of crows) ‘talks’, mimicking the trainer’s voice!

To answer your other questions, I think that my love of nature is what led me to my interest in birds.  Although I always thought that they were neat, it wasn’t until I started working in wildlife rehabilitation and ended up working with/raising the songbirds every day that I fell in love with them, which has carried forward into my current work with birds!  My favourite place to go birding currently is along the Grand River, where if you’re lucky you can sometimes see bald eagles!  Here’s a shot that I got of a juvenile bald eagle (they don’t get that signature ‘bald’ white head until they’re about five and a half years old!) while hiking alongside the river a few weeks ago.

Juvenile bald eagle, 2021.  Photo by A. Wilcox.

Thanks again for responding to my post, have a lovely week!

As a marine and freshwater biology student, I find everything in the ocean amazing. One of my favourite shows is the blue planet because I love the way it captures the intriguing organisms and ecological processes that occur in the ocean. I am grateful that through my education, I have had the opportunity to learn about the incredible things that happen in the ocean. It is hard to pick one amazing thing that I know about the ocean, but I am particularly amazed by cephalopods. 

Retrieved from: https://bbcearth.ca/

Cephalopods are a class of molluscs that include octopus, cuttlefish, squid and nautilus. The evolution of cephalopods is very interesting. A snail is more closely related to an octopus than some may think. Which is crazy when you consider how morphologically different these two animals are. Snails are slow moving grazers with a prominent shell and hardly any appendages (the only appendages they possess are their sensory antennae), whereas octopus are highly active pursuit predators that are known for their plethora of appendages (Hakim et al., 2020). 

Retrieved from: https://eartharchives.org/articles/500-million-years-of-cephalopod-fossils/index.html

The most amazing thing that I know about cephalopods is the camouflaging ability of the cuttlefish. These animals have a very unique morphology, they have eight arms that grow out of their head, three hearts that pump blue blood through their circulatory system, and have been said to have an “alien-like appearance”. Cuttlefish have been referred to as the “kings of camouflage” because they have the ability to change the colour, texture and shape of their skin within seconds (PBS, 2007). Their skin is very unique because it can produce both colour and pattern. This is made possible by the specialized layers of skin that contain pigment cells known as chromatophores. The top layers are the pigmented cells, and the deeper layers contain the iridescent reflecting cells. They have up to 20,000,000 pigment cells in their skin, and due to the diversity of pigments in their integument there is no limit to the colours that cuttlefish can produce on their skin (PBS, 2007). They use their camouflage to protect themselves from predators and to sneak up on prey. If this fails, they can utilize another mechanism where they create mesmerizing patterns on their skin to essentially hypnotize their prey. 

Examples of cuttlefish producing hypnotizing patterns to stun their prey.

Cuttlefish have one of the biggest brain to body ratios found in invertebrates, which leads researchers to believe that they are highly intelligent, much like their octopus relatives (PBS, 2007). Early studies have identified that cuttlefish possess a high level of cognitive complexity because they have demonstrated the ability to learn and memorize patterns and mazes (Bowers et al., 2020). We still do not know how smart cuttlefish are because researchers are constantly discovering new things about them. Learning about their ability to hide and form memories is a very interesting field of research, and one that I will continue to follow. 

Retrieved from: https://biologydictionary.net/cuttlefish/

My question to you:

Do you watch the Blue planet? If yes, what is your favourite episode or the most interesting thing you learned while watching the show?

Thank you for reading my post!

References

Bowers, J., Nimi, T., Wilson, J., Wagner, S., Amarie, D., & Sittaramane, V. (2020). Evidence of learning and memory in the juvenile dwarf cuttlefish Sepia bandensis. Learning & Behavior, 48(4), 420–431. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13420-020-00427-4

Hakim, A., Bagaskoro, B., Mashar, A., Farajallah, A., & Wardiatno, Y. (2020). Morphology and molecular identification on octopus (Genus Octopus Cuvier, 1798) caught in Palabuhanratu, Sukabumi, West Java. IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science, 420(1), 12011–. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/420/1/012011

I loved your blog post this week!  We learned briefly about cephalopods in an invertebrate zoology course I took in my second year of university, but after reading this I feel like they deserve their own class entirely!  

Your description of cuttlefish being “alien-like” in appearance is nothing but the truth – they really are bizarre creatures.  I have to admit, I had no idea that they could change the texture of their skin!  Do you know if this is something that is limited to cuttlefish, or do other organisms that are capable of camouflage (like octopuses, for example) also have this ability?

Something that I always found so remarkable about cuttlefish is the fact that they have such an incredible ability to camouflage/turn themselves into countless colours, despite them actually being colourblind (as far as we know).  The True Facts video that I learnt that from compared them to lactose intolerant cheesemakers, which made me giggle.

A rather humorous take on such a bizarre creature.

To answer your question, I’ve never seen Blue Planet myself, but it’s something that I’ve been meaning to for years!  I have recently began watching Spy in the Wild however (they are both BBC Earth programs I believe!) and I’ve really gotten a kick out of that.  On that show, they use impressively realistic remote-control models of various animals with cameras installed on them, and the footage that they are able to capture is incredible!  I would highly recommend giving it a shot if you’re looking for a similar program.

Here’s a clip from Spy in the Wild, showing some of the closest footage ever taken of hippos!  

(Photo of girl with music coming out of her head, taken from https://liveforlivemusic.com/features/10-positive-benefits-of-listening-to-music-according-to-science/)

The way that music plays a role in nature is so vast that you could never narrow it down to any specific topic. When I start to think about how music is within nature I start to think about this fascinating bird called the Lyrebird. As a way of persuading the females to mate with a male, it mimics the sounds around them, this could even be unnatural noises such as a chainsaw or a car alarm. He is trying to make a complex song for these females by copying the other birds around him, as well as any other noise (natural or unnatural) (BBC, 2014).

https://youtu.be/mSB71jNq-yQ

(Video of male Lyrebird mimicing a variety of noised, taken from https://youtu.be/mSB71jNq-yQ)

We may also think of the natural sounds that are created in nature as a form of music. This could be the sound of the trees blowing in the air, the crashing of waves onto the rocky shore or the waves moving within the open ocean. I like to think of the variety of sounds made by the dolphins and whales and how it is used to communicate with others. We see these sounds as kinds of music, usually therapeutic, but they may have underlying meaning within nature itself.

( Photo of waves rolling onto the shore, taken from https://www.freesoundslibrary.com/sea-waves-crashing-noise/)

It is obvious to think about where music may be within nature, but when we start to think about nature within music we start to think about the feelings we may get while listening to the music or the memories that they remind us of. We might also want to think about how the artist was feeling when composing their song concerning nature. A great example of how the artist may interpret nature and put it into their music is Antonio Vivaldi.

(photo of Antonio Vivaldi, taken from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antonio_Vivaldi)

This composer lived from 1678-1741 and is well known for his piece called the 4 seasons. This artist interpreted and expressed through his music the variation through the 4 seasons. Within his 45 minute piece, it goes from a cheerful and delightful spring (which is very well known in various other forms of entertainment such as movies). It then moves into summer which shows a faster tempo while remaining high in terms of tone to demonstrate the beauty and enlightenment during the summer. We head into fall which keeps with a similar tone and progressively lowers the tone of the music trying to depict the falling of the leaves and cooler temperature. When we move in winter the ton changes drastically from spring where it is a more intense and again lower ton as it is not so cheerful during this time. Antonio Vivaldi was able to express how he felt during the season within his piece which I believe is truly remarkable (as I am not a musician or artist in any form).

(photo demonstrating the four seasons, taken from https://www.dkfindout.com/us/earth/seasons/four-seasons/)

What piece of music do you find gives a similar example of an artist interpreting nature?

Emily

References:

BBC. (2014, April 21). Travel - An Australian bird that mimics the sound of a chainsaw. http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20140416-an-australian-bird-that-mimics-the-sound-of-a-chainsaw.

I really enjoyed reading your post this week.  Birds, and every aspect of the natural world really, are so incredible, and there is always so much more to learn about them!  I had no idea that Lyre Birds even existed, let alone that they were capable of such a range of vocalizations.  

The point that you brought up about the sounds that dolphins and whales make stuck with me, and I did some more research into it. As it turns out, whales, by definition, sing!  They break their songs up into different phrases, the same way that human composers do, they reiterate certain themes over and over again, as is seen in essentially all the music we listen to, they add percussive elements, and they even form ‘rhymes’, in a sense (Gray et al. 2001).  When you hear about these similarities, it is impossible to argue that music and nature are not interconnected.  

A video of whale songs, I was shocked at the range of sounds they can make!  Via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WabT1L-nN-E

I also really appreciated your comparison to Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons – you are absolutely correct in that the composition perfectly embodies the emotion associated with each season.  An artist that this made me think of is Ludovici Einaudi, an Italian pianist and composer.  I made this connection due to Seven Days Walking, seven volumes of piano-based music that follows Ludovico’s journey as he went on walks through the Alps.  Themes in certain tracks are repeated through the volumes and the works can easily be picked apart into individual phrases – musical elements that I’ve learned mirror the songs of whales.  

Ludovico Einaudi’s first track from the Day One (the first of seven volumes).  This piece contains themes that carry on throughout the rest of the collection, and is one of the songs I frequent when studying! Via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7oNS6IPpp4&list=OLAK5uy_mPmS47mn7INxtbbnSoszuM80hv7Y40YFQ

Thanks for the great post, I hope you have a great week ahead!

Annika

 References:

Thinking about the topic nature interpretation through history makes me think about my passion for the ancient cultures I learned about while I studied Latin and classical civilizations in high school. The Latin language was presented to us through the story of a fictional wealthy family that lived in the city of Pompeii and described their daily life, community events such as gladiator fights and many more amazing insights into the lives of these ancient people. At the end of the first of two years of Latin I would take, we arrived at one of the most famous natural disasters of all time, the eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius.

When the volcano Mount Vesuvius (in the background) erupted (79 AD), Pompeii was covered in ashes that created a buried moment in time. This ashy photograph allows us to look into the life of its civilians. Credit: E+ - GETTY

The class was never as quiet as we were while our teacher read to us about the strange clouds that turned to the madness of raining volcanic rock and boiling ash. Because the winds blew towards Pompeii that day instead of the Bay of Naples, ash rolled down the volcano and smothered the city of Pompeii.

The eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Although, this natural disaster was catastrophic for the communities that surrounded the volcano, it’s the reason these communities were so well persevered in time and what allowed modern day historians to interpret the lives of the people of Pompeii. Whereas the boiling ash that flooded Pompeii encased everything including its citizens, other surrounding cities such as Herculaneum, were farther allowing residents to escape. The distance also allowed the ash to cool down before entombing Herculaneum which allowed for artifacts made of organic matter like wood to be perfectly preserved. Pompeii and Herculaneum are frozen memories that allowed people like myself to become passionate about this part of history, thanks to the natural disaster that preserved them. I think this is what Edward Hyams meant when he said, “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.” There is so much integrity to these buried cities because of the memories they hold.

A comparison of Pompeii now and what it would have looked like the year the eruption occurred. Credit: East News, Mark Vauran/flickr

Edwards Hyams also wrote “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.” I interpret this as history has laid the track of our trains course and alludes to the fact that history likes to repeat itself. Although, superficially, it may seem that our society is different than those that were buried in Pompeii or Herculaneum, at our cores we are quite similar. For evidence, I invite you to compare the graffiti found in Pompeii and Herculaneum to some that you might have read on a bathroom wall or alleyway somewhere:

Examples of graffiti found in Pompeii and Herculaneum that don’t sound very different from things people today might write on walls! (Heaphy, 2011). You can explore the graffiti yourself by following the next link! (http://ancientgraffiti.org/Graffiti/)

In 2018, a piece of graffiti was found which read “On Oct 17, he overindulged in food”, was a key piece of evidence which ended the debate of when Mount Vesuvius erupted (Killgrove, 2018). Although letters state an August eruption, the clothing and produce found indicated an autumn eruption period. As this fragile piece of graffiti was unlikely to be preserved for long under normal condition given it was written in charcoal, this allowed historians to determine that Mount Vesuvius must have erupted on Oct 24, 79 AD. I think it’s incredible that we are still learning things about these cultures all thanks to a natural disaster that preserved these moments in time.

I love knowing that one man’s feast led to this key piece of evidence that allowed science to determine the date of the Mount Vesuvius Eruption in 79 AD. Credit: Parvo Archeologico Di Pompei. 

References:

Heaphy, L. (2011). The Bawdy Graffiti of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Retrieved from Kashgar.com.au

I loved reading your post this week!  You are a wonderful storyteller – your description of the atmosphere in your class as you were told about the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, along with your use of photos and maps made me feel like I was right there with you!

I find (and based on your post, suspect that you may feel similarly) that hearing about individual’s stories, or in general the more anthropological aspects of history captivates me much more than simple facts about the event in question.  The graffiti that you provided made me strangely emotional, I think that it’s incredible that people who lived so long ago, who seem so far removed and unrelatable, left marks on their world that prove them to be just like you or me.  I’m sure that I’ve seen similar graffiti on the bathroom stalls in the Bullring on campus.  

One of the things that makes me realize how similar we are to those that lived in Pompeii is food - this loaf of bread for example, which was found along with nuts, fruit, and eggs is crazy to me - I eat those almost every day!  It is these aspects of history, the ones that focus on the humanity of the past that intrigue me the most (Museum of Artifacts, 2018).

I also really appreciated that you included the piece of graffiti that helped historians date the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.  The fact that an ordinary person’s mark on the world was instrumental in uncovering some of the mysteries surrounding the tragedy is something that really stuck with me, and excites me about what will be uncovered next!

(As an aside, my favourite piece of graffiti that was found at Pompeii would be “Health to you, Victoria, and wherever you are may you sneeze sweetly” – what a bizarre declaration of love!)

Have a wonderful week,

Annika

 References:

LaFrance, A. (2016). Pompeii’s Graffiti and the Ancient Origins of Social Media. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/03/adrienne-was-here/475719/

Photo courtesy of: Kenoyer, M. naturewalkweekly.com

During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of chaos and stress that has ensued has been immeasurable; not to mention, the act of quarantining away from friends and family has taken a toll on the entire world’s mental health.

However, I came across an extremely useful solution in this time of global crisis: walking.

Walking is so simple, yet so understated. Specifically, the act of walking through nature. Throughout the entire pandemic, I made a decision to walk everyday. Not only did the physical activity help shape my physical health, but my mental health tremendously as well. 

However, it was not until recently that I decided to shift my walking location into a more nature related landscape. I was frequently walking on the track near my house or throughout various neighbourhoods before, but now try to incorporate a nature surrounding while walking. 

Photo taken of a storm drain during a walk I was on a couple weeks ago. Photo courtesy of me. 

I am fascinated by walking, especially in nature, because of the shear amount of benefits it has for mental health. 

For example, a studies have shown that just by surrounding yourself in nature for 20-30 minutes reduces cortisol levels, the stress hormone, by 10%! (Morris, 2019). Furthermore, immersing yourself in nature can also help deal with anxiety and depression, as well as season affective disorder (SAD) (How nature benefits mental health, n.d.) 

Another photo taken on a walk in a trail near my house. Photo courtesy of me. 

To compound on that fact, walking for an hour itself can reduce major depression by 26% (Robinson, n.d.). 

Therefore, combining the two: walking and nature, only makes sense to combat the COVID-19 lockdown situation. 

Although the photos I provided may appear doom and gloom, much like our current global status, I felt stress free and happy. I was out walking, getting my blood flowing, and immersing myself in nature. 

As soon as I transitioned into walking throughout various trails and forests, I could tell a difference in my daily routine. I was much less anxious, had more energy in my daily routine, and was not so pessimistic about our current situation as a planet. 

I find the concept of walking so intriguing because everyone does it; humans have done it for centuries. Yet, something so simple, can yield such massive health benefits. 

Gif courtesy of rosesofthetwilight

I have encouraged my family members to do the same, and they too have felt the benefits of the simplistic task. 

I decided to share the following studies and personal experiences on my blog this week to exemplify a change that you too may partake in to relieve some emotions during this time. It has greatly helped me reflect on my life and manage some of my own feelings as well. 

To conclude this blog, I hope that everyone else is in good health during this precedented time, emotionally and physically. 

Some questions to ask…

1) Has anyone taken up any hobbies during the lockdown? Mine specifically would be walking in nature!

2) Have you felt any rewards/benefits of walking in nature? I would love to hear your findings as well. 

Thanks for reading! 

-Sean

References

How nature benefits mental health. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/nature-and-mental-health/how-nature-benefits-mental-health/#:~:text=Nature%20and%20mental%20health%20problems,with%20mild%20to%20moderate%20depression.

Kenoyer, M. (2017, October 17). Nature walk weekly. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from http://naturewalkweekly.com/index.php/2017/10/17/9-reasons-to-take-a-walk-every-day/

Morris, N. (2019, April 04). Walking in nature for 20 minutes every day can reduce stress. Retrieved February 10, 2021, from https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/04/walking-nature-20-minutes-every-day-can-reduce-stress-9109861/

I, like yourself, have been making an effort to incorporate walking and hiking into my busy schedule, and it has served as a testament to all of the studies done on the affect that walking through a forest has on your mental health.  Being able to go on regular hikes has also allowed me to get back into photography, which is something that I am so grateful for.

A photo of an Eastern Screech Owl I found on a recent hike.  Photo by A. Wilcox, 2021.

As ridiculous as it seems, making time for photography has done wonders for my school/work/personal life balance.  Although I normally struggle to justify taking time away from school when things get hectic, being able to go out with my camera and knowing that I might be able to use the shots that I get for various volunteer positions helps me to rationalize to myself that I deserve a bit of a break, which directly benefits my mental health.

Do you think that your new affinity for taking nature walks will diminish when things eventually go back to ‘normal’ or when the dull of winter breaks, or will you try to continue them?  I think living in the northern hemisphere means that all of us are at a higher risk of suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, and if surrounding ourselves in nature is a way to combat that, I think that we should absolutely take advantage of that!  

Have a wonderful week,

Some things are too good to be true. Sometimes, this can be great, and other times, I would prefer things to as too true to be good. What I’m trying to refer to here, and what this blog will be about, is the current, ever-growing infiltration of “sustainability” into marketing schemes - otherwise known as greenwashing. Defined as “the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service”, greenwashing is a tactic being used by numerous corporations around the globe, in the midst of climate change (Chandler, 2017). I learnt about this concept last year in a class I took in corporate social responsibility. This class taught me a lot of things. But most of all, it taught me to dig a little deeper when plucking something off the shelf in the cosmetics aisle, or at the grocery store.

It taught me that “certified sustainable business practices!” could really mean that they just switched their receipt printing to digital instead of printing physical copies, to “reduce” their carbon footprint. Hey, it’s a step! But in the face of climate change, I think most people can agree that a lot more needs to be done before being labelled as “sustainable” – one of the biggest buzzwords of the decade (Arnason, 2013). Part of me does think it’s great that this must then mean that consumers are directed toward purchasing more “sustainable” and “eco-friendly” products or services, however, it doesn’t sit right that a majority of corporations are advertising these products and services within these categories, while no influential action is really taking place. There is a real lack of authenticity across corporations, and a surplus of ambiguity and false labels (Chandler, 2017).

Image by Cogency (2021). Retrieved from https://www.cogencyteam.com/news/2017/11/the-seven-sins-of-greenwashing/

Let me give you a couple examples. One example is the more recent demand for “bioplastics”, like the “compostable straws” sold at the a couple blocks away from me. When I first saw it, I felt a bit better about using that straw. Although research has been able to identify its lesser impact on the environment in comparison to traditional plastic, they still leave a hefty carbon footprint, and still may take up to hundreds of years to degrade (Chung, 2020). But with the added term “bio” in there, the consumer quite easily interprets it as not being harmful toward the environment (I know I did, for a little while). Another example is Tide’s “plant-based” laundry detergent, which was later discovered to include a variety of harmful, toxic ingredients (TINA, 2020). If you’re curious to read about more greenwashing examples, check out link #4 below!

So, I’m not telling you that you must read the fine print and carry out research on each and every label of a product. I just hope that this leaves you with a grain of salt, when eyeing a “sustainable” or “eco-friendly” product or service. It really just might be too good to be true!

During a time when this word is used more than ever – what does the word “sustainable” mean to you?

References

1. Arnason, R. (2013). Sustainability: a big business buzzword. Retrieved from https://www.producer.com/news/sustainability-a-big-business-buzzword/

2. Chandler, D. (2017). Strategic corporate social responsibility. SAGE Publications Inc.

3. Chung, E. (2020). Plant-based? Compostable? What you need to know about bioplastics. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bioplastics-backgrounder-1.5485009

I really enjoyed your post this week!  Greenwashing is so frustrating to me because even though I’m well aware of it, I’m still more likely to buy (and even spend more money) on a product that boasts being ‘eco-conscious’, even if logically I know that it is identical to alternatives.  

The example that you gave of the straws really resonated with me – I’ve similarly been thrilled at the production of reusable silicone straws, before stepping back and realizing that in the fight for banning plastics, celebrating reusable plastics is questionable at best – silicone is still widely considered plastic, is still causing further plastic production, and will also inevitably end up in a landfill where it will take anywhere from 50 to 500 years to break down (Vrachovska, 2019).  

A particularly infuriating FIJI water advertisement, where they claim that ‘every drop is green’, despite selling millions of single-use plastic water bottles every year.

Thank you for providing additional resources on things to avoid while shopping, and for reminding us all to look past the too-good-to-be-true promises that you see on products all too often.  

Do you think that the increased public awareness of greenwashing will affect companies’ decisions to follow through on the promises that they are already making?  Do you think that there are specific ways to market actual sustainable products that would prevent them from being confused with products that rely on greenwashing?

Have a lovely week,

Annika

References:

FIJI Water. (2016). Every Drop is Green. https://www.fijiwater.com/

Over the years I have been very conflicted when I am out in nature whether to just purely enjoy the moment or to take photos that I will be able to reflect upon another time. These photo that I take will be at angles or locations that I have interpreted within the moment but once I post that photo to social media, everyone that views it may interpret it another way. This is the beauty of how art influences our interpretation of the environment surrounding us and the feelings that are brought to us in those moments.

(Photo taken by Walter Mason, retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/meandermind/14980090749/)

The relationship between art and nature can be expressed in many different forms based on how the artist interpreted the scenery and how they wish to express this interpretation. One artist that truly appreciated nature and depicted their interpretation is Vincent Van Gogh. He clearly loved the art of nature and wanted to paint it so he was able to remember how he interpreted and appreciated it in the moment. In one of his letters to his brother he wrote “Always continue walking a lot and loving nature, for that’s the real way to learn to understand art better and better. Painters understand nature and love it, and teach us to see.” (Gogh, 1874). The beauty is also that the art work from one artist may change due to changes in their interpretation which is fascinating.

(Wheat Field with Cypresses at the Haute Galline Near Eygaliers, by Vincent Van Gogh in July 1889, https://www.thoughtco.com/greatest-paintings-by-van-gogh-4154730)

With such a large variety of art domains that will allow for the viewer to have a different interpretation and feelings based on the art form. Who am I to interpret nature through art? Well art has not been a major aspect or hobby within my life although I have had the opportunity to interpret the various photographs that my mother has taken and to appreciate the perspective at which she viewed the scenery as when taking the photo. This has allowed me to try to understand the story behind the photo without being told the exact story. I believe this has helped me to interpret the various forms of art that may be illustrating nature and the interpretation of the artist.

(Photo taken by my mom on Lake Nipissing, ON)

When I think about “the gift of beauty” I interpret this as appreciating the art itself and how the artist viewed nature within their eyes. We are able to understand that every individual interprets their environments in a different way which is the most beautiful aspect of nature. It allows each individual to feel a different way which is shown within the art piece bringing out it’s beauty. The world is not black and white which is what is amazing with art and nature in itself. It brings back hope to many individuals of a time where pollution was not a problem to our environment changing the nature and beauty. There are many great feelings that come from interpreting nature in the various art forms but to some there may be feelings of sorrow as they may interpret the beautiful nature art as something of the past due to the increase in anthropogenic pollution.

(Poster designed by Surachai Puthikulangkura, retrieved from https://littlethings.com/lifestyle/surachai-puthikulangkura-eco-posters)

Reference:

I resonated strongly with much of what you discussed in your blog post this week, especially your dilemma on whether to simply be in the moment and enjoy your surroundings, or whether to try to capture it in a photo!  It unfortunately is a balance that I still have yet to master.  

I really appreciated the background knowledge that you provided on Vincent Van Gogh’s perspective on nature – although many of us are familiar with his work, I think I speak for most people when I say that not many think of him as a naturalist!  I think it’s very interesting to look into artists who existed before photography was readily accessible – while we have the option on whether or not we would like to stop to take a photo (which would be about a 10 second delay), not even all that long ago the alternative was to stop for potentially hours to try to capture the beauty in front of you.

A photo that I took this past weekend of a bald eagle I found on a hike.  Without having the camera that I do/being able to capture a reference image, wildlife would be near-impossible to capture.  Photo by A. Wilcox, 2021.

Your post is one of the only that focused on the artist behind the art, which is something that was very refreshing and enlightening to read – even your interpretation of the “gift of beauty” relates to how the artist interpreted the nature surrounding them, which made me rethink my own interpretation of this concept.

Thank you for the wonderful post, have a lovely week!

Annika

References:

The earliest documented examples of art come from 30 000 BP (Morriss-Kay, 2010). Artifacts that display art have been recovered from the later stone age of Namibia, the late late palaeolithic of Egypt and the upper palaeolithic of Europe (Morriss-Kay, 2010). It is unknown if prehistoric art was created to produce aesthetic pleasure, or if it was solely utilized for communication and tools. However, as human evolution advanced there is evidence that art was created for aesthetic pleasure (Conard, 2009). It is evident that most human cultures have an inherent relationship with art, much like they have an inherent relationship with nature. Therefore, it makes sense that nature can be communicated through art.

Ancient cave art found in Algeria. Retrieved from https://edu.rsc.org/resources/style-in-cave-paintings/1541.article

Art has many different forms, and can be interpreted many ways. Each individual has a unique perspective, and will likely interpret art based on this perspective. Who am I to interpret nature through art? Art has always had a major influence in my life. I started taking dance lessons when I was three years old, and to this day dance is still a big part of my life. For high school, I went to Rosedale Heights School of the Arts where I majored in dance. While I was here I had the opportunity to take visual arts, drama, photography and media arts as electives. Going to an art school definitely changed the way that I interpret art. It provided me with knowledge on art history, theory, and perspectives, which has given me a better understanding of what goes into creating art.

A picture of me dancing. Photo taken by my friend Taylor Debattista.

When considering nature interpretation through art, the first thing I think of is photography. One of my aunts is a photographer and travels a lot. Her house is always filled with pictures that she has taken while abroad. When I go to her house, I admire how she is able to capture such beautiful scenery through her art. Art is fascinating because it has the ability to transport you to a location and allow you to view it from the artists perspective. This is why art can be an important tool in nature interpretation. It allows an audience to see nature from different viewpoints. Van Boeckel, (2015) suggests that arts-based environmental education activities help activate the participants’ interest with the natural world.

A photo taken by my aunt in Alaska.

While working at Algonquin, I visited the art gallery in the park. This gallery is influenced by the group of seven and features various types of artwork by Canadian artists. Majority of the art is inspired by Algonquin, yet each piece is unique and looks completely different from the others. This is interesting because it demonstrates how one location (Algonquin Park) can be perceived differently by each individual.

A painting of Algonquin Park by Tom Thomson. Retrieved from https://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/news/2017/celebrating_tom_thomson.php

I interpret the “gift of beauty” as the ability to view nature as art. Viewing nature as art allows one to recognize the beauty in their environment and provides spiritual uplift. Recognizing the beauty in nature generates a greater appreciation for it, and encourages its preservation. It is unfortunate that we as humans can take a pristine environment and transform it into something unrecognizable through deforestation, pollution, excess fossil fuel emissions, and many more anthropogenic processes. As climate change becomes a growing concern, it is important that we acknowledge the beauty of our planet and support sustainable initiatives to prevent further environmental degradation.

A heavily polluted beach. Photo retrieved from https://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Solutions_for_Ocean_Pollution

References 

Conard, N. (2009). A female figurine from the basal Aurignacian of Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern Germany. Nature (London), 459(7244), 248–252. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07995

Morriss‐Kay, G. (2010). The evolution of human artistic creativity. Journal of Anatomy, 216(2), 158–176. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2009.01160.x

I really enjoyed your blog post this week.  I had not thought about the coevolution of human’s relationships with art and nature, and I think that it is very interesting that much of the early evidence of art that we have (including the El Castillo Cave Paintings) portray animals, symbolizing that the connectivity between humans and nature existed even tens of thousands of years ago!  

I really resonated with what you said about your experience at the Algonquin Art Centre, that the same scenery can be seen and interpreted so differently.  I find this to be especially demonstrable even within the Group of Seven’s own art. Although the subject of much of their art was Algonquin, their portrayals are extraordinarily different – take these works by Franklin Carmichael and F.H. Varley for example:

 October Gold, a painting done by Franklin Carmichael in 1922.

Early Morning, Sphinx Mountain.  A painting done by F.H Varley in 1928.

I am in complete agreement that the current climate crisis warrants an increased need for nature interpretation, an increased need for the beauty of the natural world to be recognized, appreciated, and protected.  Although visual interpretation is not always the best way to determine the health of an ecosystem, it is clear that physically seeing climate change has a greater affect on people than simply reading about it, for example – seeing a starving polar bear is more likely to make people care about climate change than simply reading about its affects on the arctic.  

Do you think that you would be able to use your past education in art history, theory, and perspectives to inform your personal use of art in nature interpretation?

Thanks again for the great post,

Annika

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Carmichael, F. (1922). October Gold [Painting].

After years of sitting alongside my father as he took photos of a variety of wildlife, ranging from moose to birds to salamanders, I was given a hand-me-down camera.  This was a greater gift than I could have possibly imagined, and it has played an instrumental role in shaping my current relationship with nature – I always find time in my busy schedule to get outside with my camera, walking through forests and along rivers for hours in search of the beauty that the natural world holds.  

A photograph of a juvenile bald eagle, found on a hike last weekend.  Photo by A. Wilcox, 2021.

As someone who was without the means to capture such images for many years, I learned to appreciate this form of art from the outside, and it taught me to recognize my ability to use photographs as a way to supplement one of my goals as a nature interpreter – to promote conservation through education.  Social media has proven to be a wonderful way to achieve this, as someone who is merely interested in pretty photos has the chance to learn about the species in question in a way that may inspire a greater appreciation for the biodiversity that surrounds us.

Aside from photography, film is something that has captivated me from a very young age.  Watching David Suzuki’s The Nature of Things inspired my love of various aspects of the natural world, specials that I saw on Shark Week thrilled me, and for a large chunk of my childhood I imagined that I would end up being a crew member on a Sea Shepherds boat, taking down whaling ships (although to be fair, I have yet to totally convince myself that that still won’t happen!).  

An introduction to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, the team followed in the TV program Whale Wars. Clip courtesy of Sea Shepherd’s Youtube channel.

The “gift of beauty”, as referred to in Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World describes the relationship between successful nature interpretation and art.  It details that art should have the ability to spiritually uplift its viewers, that it should garner a certain respect and appreciation for the natural world, which in turn will inspire a desire to conserve the beauty of the outdoors.  This gift of beauty can be seen in various forms of art; ranging from paintings such as those by Tom Thomson, to literature such as How to Catch a Mole: Wisdom from a Life Lived in Nature by Marc Hamer (my personal favourite book), to Netflix’s film Night on Earth.  Although all of these forms of art inspire different responses, they all portray the gift of beauty to me, as they all feed my passion of conserving what biodiversity remains on our beautiful planet.

Spring, French River. Painting by Tom Thomson, 1914.

Something that I have found very interesting while reading my peers’ responses to this prompt is how we all link art to nature interpretation in different ways.  Do you believe that certain forms of art are more effective in getting across the gift of beauty, or do all have distinct merits?  Which would you use to inspire the gift of beauty in others?

Thanks for reading!

Annika

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. & Knudson, D. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Murray, J. (2013). Tom Thomson. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/ 

Sea Shepherd. (2014). Sea Shepherd: A Movement [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soxlqX5U2iQ

I introduced the artist Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun on my blog post this week, and received a comment telling me to look at his piece called “ The Universe is so Big, the White Man Keeps Me on My Reserve”. This painting conveys a powerful message about post-colonialism and aboriginal injustice. Viewers more passionate about social-rights movements may be more inspired by this piece than say Justin Hofman's “Seahorse on a Q-tip” image that awarded him the title of wildlife photographer of the year. This photograph sparked outrage - and in my mind it inspired some of the original/keystone anti-plastic/ocean pollution movements. So, once again I believe different mediums are more effective at conveying different messages, but also the gift of beauty will only invoke spiritual uplift if the viewer cares about the topic. 

“The Universe is so Big, the White Man Keeps Me on My Reserve “ by  Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun. (http://lawrencepaulyuxweluptun.com/larrypic.php?img=db/universe.jpg&title=The%20Universe%20is%20so%20Big,%20the%20White%20Man%20Keeps%20Me%20on%20My%20Reservation,%201987,%20182.9%20x%20228%20cm,%20acrylic%20on%20canvas,%20Canadian%20Museum%20of%20Civilization,%20Hull,%20Quebec.)

“Seahorse on a Q-tip” by  Justin Hofman. (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/photography/proof/2017/09/seahorse-ocean-pollution/)

Thanks for posting! Your questions at the end were very thought-provoking, and I hope I helped answer them. 

Sources:

Thank you so much for your kind words!  I am in complete agreement that different mediums of art are able to communicate ideas in distinct ways, and therefore relate better to specific forms of nature interpretation.  If attempting to portray nature’s raw beauty, I too would choose photography – being able to show people legitimate, un-embellished photographs captures reality in a way that few other forms of art can.  However, I also believe that the emotional side of nature interpretation is very difficult to quantify into images.  For example, if you were looking for a way to visually demonstrate the interconnectivity of humans and nature, which of the following are you more likely to choose to depict this?

This photograph?

A woman in nature.  Photo by Silvia Rita, 2017.

Or this drawing?

Illustration of the interconnectivity of the natural world.  Drawing by Nunzio Paci, 2014. 

Although one may be more of a ‘realistic’ or tangible interpretation of the relationship between humans and the environment, to me there is no question that the drawing by Nunzio Paci is able to better represent this idea.  

I am also in complete agreement that being passionate about the topic on hand is directly responsible for how the gift of beauty is interpreted.  I can say with confidence that someone could show me an absolutely beautiful painting of a car, it could be the best in the world, yet it would invoke no real response in me as cars are not something that I’m interested in.  I think that we as nature interpreters are lucky that nature is so vast; even if someone is completely indifferent to, say, moose, they are likely to find some other aspect of the natural world captivating in some form of art or another.

Thank you again for your response to my post, have a wonderful week!

Annika

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. & Knudson, D. (2018). ‘Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage: For a Better World’. Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Paci, N. (2014). ‘Anatomical’ [Drawing].  Retrieved via https://www.nunziopaci.it/#