Clémence Interprets Nature

Hello all!

This final blog post was such an amazing way of reflecting on how this course has change the way I view nature interpretation, and how I approach the communication of information in general. I am definitely someone who learns best by doing, I like to touch things, or see them in action! I learned this during one of our first units, when discussing how to teach to the different learning types and the difference between tangible and intangible elements (Beck et al., 2018). The reason I am bringing this up again is one component of the prompt we were given: Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. The answer to this is deeply entwined with the rest of the prompt, but I’ll return to that later. The biggest ethic I believe in when it comes to nature interpretation is that everyone deserves the opportunity to understand the nature that they are surrounded by. This does not mean that that we should all have access to the same free online resources, though it does help, but instead that we are all given the chance to learn in a way that aligns with our needs.

 *Photo taken by me of my two friends crossing a frozen lake in Garibaldi Park, BC*

I started a program at UoG in 2014, graduated with a general Science, and went to Fleming college for Arboriculture, before returning to UoG to upgrade my degree. I learned that all of the book-reading in the world won’t help me retain knowledge the way that listening to a respected instructor, or physically applying my knowledge does. If I had been taught this at a younger age, I might have approached my education differently. This is why I deeply believe that we need to expand public resources surrounding environmental education so that it is not only given to those who can afford a college education, or courses from a private institution. Physical learners need to be given attention just as their counterparts are: starting in early childhood and throughout their developmental years. We need to break down the stigma that those who don’t retain well from intangible learning aren’t smart.  

 *Photo taken by me during a mushroom hunt and information share with my coworker in Coquitlam, BC*

So many of the people that I know who are in outdoor or environmentally central trades/professions stumbled into it later in life, usually due to the many physical faucets that this field has. They are some of the most well-educated people I have ever met, without spending much time at all in a classroom! My beliefs within nature interpretation are that by focusing on diversifying teaching methods we are able to connect more people to our cause. Opening up learning to everyone, despite their location, background, financial position, abilities, or personal beliefs would create a wonderfully inclusive culture around one thing that every human being shares: a reliance on the environment.

*Photo taken by me of a coworker pruning trees in White Rock, BC*

Our responsibilities as nature interpreters are to make this inclusivity possible, to be open to conversing with people, showing them what we know, whether or not they hold the same views as us. We should not argue with anyone, or try to change their minds, because everyone comes to love this earth in their own way, from their own place, as discussed between David Suzuki and Richard Louv in the video we were provided (Suzuki and Louv, 2012). All we have to do is open the door, and hope that they walk through on their own.  

 *Photo taken by me of a coworker pruning a tree in Langley, BC*

I am an arborist by trade, which means that I climb trees in order to identify diseases or hazards within them, prune for aesthetics and/or safety, and am often involved in tree removal. I entered this trade from a place of environmental consciousness, believing I was going to become a “tree doctor”, who identified issues and fixed them, only removing living trees if it was absolutely necessary. This is not the reality of my profession. I have seen many more trees cut down for urban development or due to unwise planting decisions than I had anticipated when I first began my career. I realized early on that people don’t see the benefit in their trees, such as reduced energy bills due to shading their houses on hot days, the way that they act as a sound barrier for roadways, the decreased likelihood of lawn flooding due to their roots up-taking water, and so much more. All they see are extra leaves to rake off their lawns. My coworkers often don’t see trees, especially big ones, as living beings, but instead as a fun challenge to kill that you can brag about later.

*Photo taken by me of a coworker removing a tree in Surrey, BC* 

Through this course I’ve learned that we are all interpreters for each other, we’ve all seen and learned things that others haven’t. Sometimes by listening to other people’s experiences we learn about things we’ve never encountered, and sometimes our own piece of knowledge can help other’s connect the dots on how something works. At my job most of the people I work with don’t understand tree biology but have many more years of practical experience than I do. So when they remark on how a growth on a tree, that I probably never would have noticed, is “weird” or “cool”, I get the opportunity to explain the probably cause of it, and why the tree responds to certain stimuli the way it does. I hope that eventually this mutual enlightenment leads to a deeper appreciation for trees in both of us.

 *photo taken my me, of a cool tree graft found in Victoria, BC*

In conclusion, this course hasn’t changed the way I see nature, instead it has shown me different ways to communicate my own view with others, and the value of listening to their response. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to learning or interpreting, and, since we are all both interpreters and students, we need to have patience with each other, and try to see through the eyes of others. Only through connection to each other can we communicate our passions.

*Photo of my dog and I frolicking in Tofino, BC*

My questions for you are: have you realized through this course that someone in your life was a nature interpreter for you, and you never noticed? How have you been an interpreter for others before this course, and will your methods change now that it’s over?

Thank you to all of my classmates and our instructors, you’ve all taught me so much this semester!

Katie the Treehugger

*Photo of my dog and I looking forward to our next adventure!*

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

Awesome post! To answer your question, I realized that one of my profs last year was actually a nature interpreter!

He is loved by many students, and some go as far to say that his lectures aren’t even lectures at all, but inspirational speeches instead. With this prof, lectures were a refreshing break from the information overload that other classes gave us. You mentioned earlier in your post that some of the most educated people you’ve ever met were those that spent a lot of their time outdoors for their profession. Well, my old prof was likely one of them. He never failed to encourage us to visit the Arboretum, and how the atmosphere there gives you a break from the stress of exam.

He also went out of his way to bring us there himself on a “field trip”. While many students went out on their own to fill in the worksheet given to us, some decided to stay with the TAs and prof, who they spent their time demonstrating the biodiversity one could find in the grass.

As for myself, I realized that I was an interpreter when I excitedly told my friends about the results of monkey behaviour experiments (particularly the one where scientists taught them to use money, only to have the monkeys discover the concept of prostitution). The hilarious results of many experiments I described got them to realise that animals can also be despicable creatures in the funniest ways.

I want to start off by saying thank you guys for the great semester!  This course has been one of my favourites I have taken in my undergrad.  I am so grateful to be able to have these discussions with my peers to help make the time through Covid not feel so alone.

I remember being thrilled when I first found out we were making a Tumblr instead of just posts on a discussion board.  Probably because in 2014 I was on Tumblr all the time so it took me back to looking at my old posts I used to make on my personal account.  I was also excited that this course was going to let me be able to take all my passions and put them together. I get the scientific aspect that most of my courses are but I also get to take my passion for writing, poetry, photography, and the arts in general.  This balance let me continue to learn about myself and grow as a student.  It also allowed me to look into future career paths including not only nature interpretation but potentially scientific writing.

For this week’s prompt when it comes to personal ethics and nature interpretation, I wanted to first look at some of my own ethics in general.  That includes the following traits:

Loyalty

Empathy

Respect

Honesty

Equality

Humility

Selflessness

Integrity

These qualities I use in everyday decisions including the actions I make.  These are extremely important to look at because they help shape your leadership role whether that is through school, work, or a simple interaction. Through these qualities, my leadership type would be a mix of the Visionary leadership style as well as the Servant leadership style (Indeed, 2021).  This means when looking at the Visionary leadership style my qualities of optimism, innovativeness, being magnetic, risk-taking, and being strategic can help bring change by inspiring others and earning a deep-rooted trust (Indeed, 2021).  

On the other hand, when looking at the Servant leadership type my qualities of personally caring about others, excellent communication skills, and empathy can help those around me feel personally fulfilled and raise morale (Indeed, 2021).  Being aware of your leadership style is crucial.  It allows me to be self-aware of my strengths when working with others and to be mindful of my weaknesses that come with them. For example, when looking at the Visionary leadership style I know I think “big picture.”  I now know to be careful to not skim over small details that I could potentially miss and balance not only my future-orientated goals but my current ones (Indeed, 2021).  Also, when looking at my Servant leadership style I now know to now burn myself out with others’ emotional needs and am also learning to be more authoritative (Indeed, 2021).

What is your leadership style? Watch this YouTube video to figure it out!

So you might be wondering, what does this have to do with nature interpretation? 

As I mentioned before, figuring out who you are as a person is important when looking at nature interpretation (Hooykaas, 2021).  Your strengths, weakness, and problem-solving skills make you the person you are today.  It essentially helps you figure out the question, “Who Am I As an Interpreter (Hooykaas, 2021)?” It not only helps with that question but also how to lead depending on your audience (Hooykaas, 2021).  Even though I know my “go-to” leadership style when it comes to different situations, I should be able to adjust it depending on what the problem is.  By also being aware, I can understand others’ leadership styles to be able to make a more cohesive team experience.

Have you ever had a time where you needed to change your approach to a situation because of someone else’s problem-solving approach?

So let’s take my personal ethics and apply them to nature interpretation and working in the field.

Cait’s Guide to Ethics and Applying Them to Real Life:

Loyalty: I will take pride in my work.  I will work as hard as I can and work to the overall success of my place of work.  I will always put my best work forward.

Empathy: I will take others’ concerns and thoughts into consideration.  I will actively listen and ask questions about others’ problems.  I will not make presumptions about others.

Respect: I will treat others with kindness.  I will encourage others to express their opinions and viewpoints.  I will listen to what others have to say before expressing my own viewpoint.  

Honesty: I will keep my word and deliver on my promises.  I will keep to my commitments.  I will take responsibility for my actions. 

Equality: I will include everyone.  I will identify and prevent any unconscious biases.  I will be aware of any indirect discrimination.

Humility: I will apologize when I am in the wrong.  I will acknowledge other’s limitations and strengths.  I will appreciate other’s contributions.

Selflessness: I will learn to let go.  I will practice giving things I want for myself to others.  I will get out of my own head.  

Integrity: I will be respectful during conflict.  I will be a positive example.  I will practice accountability.  

This code of personal ethics allows me to bring my own set of guidelines to the nature interpretation field.  By doing this I have a certain amount of responsibility to uphold.  If I did not uphold these guidelines it would ruin my self-esteem, self-worth, and self-image.  Not upholding your personal ethics, in general, makes you question your morals and who you are as a person.  It is important under all circumstances to remind yourself who you really are and do what is best for your own being.

Have you ever had to go against your own morals?  Why did you have to? How did it make you feel?

All the best with the rest of the semester,

Cait :)

Here’s one last picture of me at Lake Laurentian Conservation Area!

References:

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 10: Nature Interpretation’s Role in Environmental Sustainability [Course Website]. University of Guelph Courselink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2597605/View

Great post! Your question definitely gave me a lot of thinking to do.

One of my moral codes is to try to reserve judgement, as you don’t know what a person has been through before you get to know them. This helps me see people in a more positive light instead of being put off by their flaws.

However, sometimes I have to accept that reserving judgement and staying by someone’s side does more harm than good.

My friend group and I had to cut contact with an old acquaintance due to the overwhelming toxicity they brought with them. This person had their own issues, but no matter how much support we tried to offer, it never seemed to be enough. This person just seemed to enjoy putting us down and playing the victim card a lot. While I can’t say that my friends and I were perfect towards this person either, we had to accept that too much is too much.

I felt like I let this person down and abandoned them, and that I let my negative judgement get the best of me.

After talking to many of this person’s ex-friends, I found that they had similar feelings. We all soon realized that guilting us into thinking we abandoned them was also a manipulation tactic that this acquaintance often used.

To me, the most amazing thing about nature is how much we truly don’t know about the universe, and even just our planet alone. There is so much that cannot be explored and/or studied due to human limitations. We continue to discover more and more previously undocumented species every year, and there is still much more to be discovered. As well as species being discovered, there are also hundreds of species going extinct each year due to human activity. The current rate of extinction is over a thousand times faster than the estimated natural rate of extinction (Lees, 2015). This number also doesn’t account for undiscovered species, and it is likely that many species have gone extinct before they can even be discovered by humans.

Of course, the first thing that may come to mind when you think about the unknown is space. There is nothing more mesmerizing to me than looking up at the stars and thinking about all of the planets, stars, and even entire galaxies that exist outside of our reach. I often think about what’s out there, how everything came to be, and of course, the age-old question: is there life out there? In my opinion, the universe is far too large for us to be the only life there is, but that’s a whole other question for another time (and thinking about it too long gives me an existential crisis).

It’s estimated that there are billions of galaxies in the cosmos. Photo retrieved here. 

Deep-sea life is another example of how much that we don’t know about the natural world of our planet. There have been many technological advances made to allow us to explore further into this territory, but there are still many limitations that we face when it comes to the study of deep-sea marine life due to the fact that it is so expensive and difficult. Even though the ocean covers over 70 percent of the planet’s surface, 80 percent of it is still unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2021)! You can’t tell me that that’s not intriguing!

There is a lot that we don’t know about deep-sea fish and animals, and much of it cannot be uncovered without conducting behavioural experiments, such as whether or not they can even see colour (de Busserolles et al. 2020). However, these experiments are nearly impossible to conduct due to the high pressure at the bottom of the ocean – the fish cannot be brought to the surface without causing rapid tissue damage and eventually death (without expensive equipment such as pressure containers), and humans cannot withstand the pressure at the bottom of the ocean without being crushed.  I’m sure you have all seen the pictures of the “world’s ugliest fish” the blobfish pulled out of water, but here’s the thing: the fish doesn’t actually look like that. It’s actually the rapid change in pressure causing them to bloat and essentially fall apart (Hale, 2019). Trust me, you’ll never look at a picture of that poor fish the same again.

These poor fish get a bad rep from the pictures spread of them on the internet. I bet you wouldn’t look too hot if your tissues exploded, either! Photo obtained here. 

Overall, there are so many fascinating things about the natural world, but it never ceases to amaze me just how insignificant we are in the scope of the universe. Do you think we’ll ever have the technology to actually explore the unknown, or are some things never meant to be discovered?

References 

If I learned anything from the first moon landing in 1969, is that if there’s a will, there’s a way. Someone out there is going to be determined enough to create something capable of exploring the unexplored, whether it be the universe or the bottoms of our very own oceans.

However, whether or not we can do it doesn’t mean that we should.

Scientists in Liverpool suggest that our current pandemic is not going to be our last one, since human encroachment on the natural world will only speed up the process of disease contraction and spreading (Gill, 2020).

If we do end up exploring those areas and finding safe ways to extract resources, wouldn’t that just add another item to the list of “habitats that humans have destroyed”?

Of course, we could just send technology instead of ourselves. I’ve seen people use drones to observe lions and whales, for instance! The only issue with this is that replacing humans with technology doesn’t give us the connection to nature that we so desperately seek. If I was told that my job was to look at a screen and observe the adventures that a robot went on, I definitely wouldn’t be interested!

References:

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

Before writing this post about music in nature, I would like to define my working definition of music. Music is an art form where sounds are combined using techniques such as rhythm and harmony to create a song. As discussed in this weeks unit content, music plays an important role in every culture. Songs can be used to provoke thoughts or share a message, and when used properly music can be a powerful tool for a nature interpreter that can also improve their ability to communicate with their audience. To answer where is music in nature, i would say that it is everywhere. Different regions and environments are home to different types of wildlife, and are rich in biodiversity. Animals make different sounds to communicate with each other, such as birds making mating calls. These different ambient sounds can combine to make “music” in nature. A collection of sounds that tells a unique story of the inhabitants of the area. Water traveling through a stream and wind blowing through trees are also examples of ambient sounds that can create music in nature.

A photo of a group of birds I took in Costa Rica. Birds are a great example of a species that uses sound to communicate a message. (Just like music!)

I would say that the answer to where is music in nature and where is nature in music are similar. As discussed earlier, music can be used to tell a story and place a setting for the audience to imagine. By placing sounds of nature in music you can help the audience imagine a clearer picture of the meaning of your music. Nature in music can be used to experience sounds of animals and places that may not be accessible to the person, such as the sound of an animal not native to Canada. This can turn the song into a more educating experience. 

A photo I took in Georgian Bay. What sounds come to mind when you look at this photograph?

Music is another powerful tool for interpreters to use to communicate their ideas and knowledge. as discussed in the unit content, music is a way of communicating that can be very effective to audiences such as learners who prefer an auditory way of learning. You can music to inspire, tell a story, educate others, and raise awareness or draw attention to topics. For me personally I find music to be a very engaging way to learn. You get the opportunity to interpret the song your own way, and music can be a rewarding way to learn, relax and create. The video titled “six blind men” from the unit content was very interesting to watch. After watching I felt that the main message was that everyone interprets things differently and carries their own perspective. That perspective may not be wrong, but its only a part of what the entire idea or song is. This is a great part of music, as it promotes individualistic thinking and allows room for discussion where everyone gains new perspective and insight into the topic. 

A photo of a sunset in Florida.

You mentioned that music is a great way to learn. I definitely believe that that’s true for a lot of people, but I wouldn’t say that it applies to me. A lot of songs use metaphors, which I am absolutely terrible at deciphering!

I therefore mostly use music as a way to set a vibe to different mundane activities such as chores or exercise, without really focusing on the actual lyrics. Because of this, song messages also never really impacted me in any way.

The only songs that have had somewhat of an impact on me are those that gave me nostalgic feelings.

For instance, here is Lady (Hear Me Tonight) by Modjo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vRB1MLGEHSc

When I was in high school, I used to play video games with people I used to be friends with.

I had a wild time with them, since they were funny and always had crazy ideas on what to do in the game GTA V.

Unfortunately, they also weren’t very nice people. I had spent hours telling myself that I deserved to be roasted while playing with them, and that I was just too sensitive to the many, many insults they threw my way.

GTA V has an in-game radio which features many different songs, one of which was Lady (Hear Me Tonight). Many gaming sessions were spent with me driving my in-game car, laughing while trying to ignore the hurtful things my ex-friends said to me.

Graphic created by me. Quote accredited in graphic. 

As a Canadian citizen, from European descent, reflecting upon this quote I am obliged to consider how Canada’s natural history was once shaped so beautifully by it’s Indigenous people- this is something that is very important to me. 

First Nations people fished the Canadian shores with tools such as spears and nets, but also with their traditional knowledge (Pringle, 1997). For generations they passed down knowledge of fish growth patterns and migrations, thus allowing them to maximize the benefits of each catchment. Indigenous people have co-evolved with the landscape (Moola, 2020). They employ techniques that maximize the use and regeneration of natural resources in a way that causes minimal damage to the environment. One technique is “prescribed burning” which is the practice of intentionally setting fire to plants in a way that doesn’t burn it, rather stimulates growth and high yield (Moola, 2020). Another technique is fertilizing their gardens with seaweed they collected from the ocean, because it adds a high source of nitrogen to plants (Moola, 2020). Indigenous tribes have traditional knowledge that is wealth of information about plants and animals, allowing them to harvest and hunt sustainably to support their communities.

Pictured: A member of a native tribe in California practises prescribed burning to enhance crop yield and reduce the risk of dangerous fires. Source: NPR

As Europeans colonized Canada, they faced many challenges in terms of harvesting resources. Settlers didn’t know the difference between poisonous and safe berries, they struggled to produce high yield crops, and hunt native animals. Many indigenous tribes shared traditional knowledge with colonizers, allowing them to prosper (Moola, 2020). For example, many modern day pharmaceutical companies have exploited important medicinal plants in the Canadian Boreal forest that were cultivated by Indigenous tribes (Moola, 2020). Colonizers did not have the same understanding of sustainability as Indigenous people. In 1885 the Canadian Ministry of Agriculture stated “Unless the order of nature is overthrown, for centuries to come our fisheries will continue to be fertile” (Pringle, 1997). Even renewable resources were seen as something that could be fully exploited without the consequence of depletion. We now know that this is not true. As the Canadian population grew, demands needed to be met. A modern day fishery operator in Newfoundland stated “What we have here today, is a legacy of having to find fish and having to find places to process it”. Our ability to exploit resources is better than ever before. Technology has changed, and nature has co-evolved with it.

Pictured: a fishing boat with a large net captures a school of fish. Source: CBC News

As discussed in class, nature is dynamic (Beck et al, 2018). And so what this quote means to me, is that its important to understand that nature didn’t always look like it did today. In Canada’s natural history, it was much more pristine. That being said, it won’t always look like this either. It is ignorant to believe it will, especially while we still face issues like climate change, pollution, and the exploitation of non-renewable resources. We must keep history in mind if we want to learn from our previous mistakes of over-fishing. The decimated fisheries are a legacy of our ignorant colonial mindset. Indigenous people played a huge role in shaping Canada’s natural history. It was not until colonization that so much pressure was put upon natural areas here. We must be more in touch with historical traditional knowledge so that we can live more sustainably, protecting the future of Canadian nature.

Doig River Tribal Members pointing to the K’ih tsaa?dze Park sign. This is one of the only Indigenous Protected Areas in British Columbia. Source: David Suzuki Foundation 

Can you think of historical examples of things that are now banned, that were awful for the environment? (Eg. like a doctor telling you to smoke cigarettes, but for nature). Can you think of some ways to live more sustainably in your own life?

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Ed: 1. Sagamore Publishing.

Moola. (2020). Personal Communication: GEOG*3210, Management of the Biophysical Environment.

To answer your question, I’ve always been told not to feed wild animals. While this may seem like not much of a “historical” issue, I learned that this was something that many people struggle with... even in the 1970s! In fact, the state of California released a law which outlawed the harassment of animals, defining it as “an intentional act which disrupts an animal’s normal behavior patterns”.

The food given bad for the animal’s health (such as having a lack of nutritional value), causing them to experience growth stunts and weakened bones. This increased feeding rate also allows the animals to reproduce at much higher rates, causing them to over-populate the area. So now, animals are not only fighting more with each other to compete for limited resources, but they also become a health hazard to us, as we are more exposed to diseases and droppings coming from them.

Here’s an article with more info on the matter if you are interested: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/7/16/20694767/san-francisco-bay-area-bird-feed-squirrel-feeding-ban

By now, many of you are probably aware that I am the “odd one out” as I am a Psychology: Brain and Cognition (PBC) major that is taking Nature Interpretation (ENVS*3000). However, while I may not possess a strong background in the environmental sciences, I believe my background in psychology allows me interpret nature through a unique lens. Thus, my goal this week is to elucidate the significance of psychology in the environmental sciences, especially within the context of nature interpretation.

Before I delve into nature interpretation through psychology, it is important to shed light on the field of environmental psychology. The term “environmental psychology” is best defined as the study of the interrelationships between people and their physical surroundings (including built and natural environments, the use and abuse of nature and natural recourses, and sustainability-related behaviour) (Spencer & Gee, 2009).

As a matter of fact, environmental psychology is littered with concepts and theories that aim to bridge how and why we act the way we do in relation to our environment. However, the main concepts and theories within environmental psychology tend to fall into (Ackerman, 2020):

1. Geographical Determinism

2. Ecological Biology

3. Behaviourism

4. Gestalt Psychology

I’d encourage you to check out the article below in order to learn more about the significance of the above-mentioned concepts and theories (Ackerman, 2020).

https://positivepsychology.com/environmental-psychology/

The “brain” coral being juxtaposed against a marine biologist to signify the importance of environmental psychology (Tchompalov, 2017).

So, what exactly does environmental psychology have to do with nature interpretation? Environmental psychology is all about the interplay between an individual and that individual’s environment. Whereas nature interpretation involves developing a personal relationship with nature and its cultural landscape. Therefore, when relaying environmental psychology into nature interpretation, it can be observed that that the concepts and theories of environmental psychology often directly influence nature interpretation. In short, geographical determinism, ecological biology, behaviourism, and Gestalt psychology are the factors that allow an individual to develop a personal connection with their environment; thereby allowing that individual to develop “a sense of place” (Beck et al., 2018, p. 10).

This video is from a trip I took with some friends from elementary school. I remember feeling instantly uplifted as I realized the influence that my environment had on my psychological well-being. Niagara Falls, ON – Video taken by Agam Verma.

What does nature interpretation through psychology entail? Similar to how nature interpretation through science allows us to look at nature through a scientific lens (Hooykaas, 2021); nature interpretation through psychology allows us to look at nature through a psychological lens. More specifically however, nature interpretation through psychology entails being mindful of the influence that nature has on your psychological well-being. According to Seymour (2016, p. 6), the ability or inability to “access” nature severely impacts the homeostatic mechanisms that contribute to an individual’s psychological well-being. Thereby revealing that nature is a major contributing factor in shaping an individual’s actions (Wals et al., 2014).

I would like to end off by asking you:

How do you feel that the ability to interpret nature has influenced your psychological well-being?

This photo was taken on a walk I recently took. I remember feeling very overwhelmed and literally “dropping” everything to go on a walk to clear my mind. Guelph, ON – Photo taken by Agam Verma.

As I mentioned, my background in psychology has allowed me to interpret nature through a unique lens. This has allowed me to not only appreciate nature for its aesthetic value, but it has also allowed me to use nature as a tool to improve my psychological well-being. Moreover, I am now able to combine my background in psychology with what I am learning in Nature Interpretation (ENVS*3000), to better understand the human-nature relationship!

References

Ackerman, C. M. E. (2020, October 12). What is environmental psychology? PositivePsychology.Com. https://positivepsychology.com/environmental-psychology/

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 05: Nature interpretation through science [Course website]. University of Guelph CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca

Seymour, V. (2016). The Human–Nature relationship and its impact on health: A critical review. Frontiers in Public Health, 4, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2016.00260

Spencer, C., & Gee, K. (2009, February 1). The roots and branches of environmental psychology. The Psychologist, 22(2). https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-22/edition-2/roots-and-branches-environmental-psychology

Tchompalov, V. (2017, November 14). Pinky & the brain coral [Photograph]. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/ZEpxoNzKfcc

When I go on a walk after having a bad or stressful day, I am reminded that no matter what happens to me, life goes on. 

If I performed poorly on a midterm, or got in an argument with someone, the birds won’t drop dead from the trees. The water in the creek will never stop flowing. The annoying, pesky mosquitoes will never leave me alone and not try to suck my blood. My life, and what happens in it, has little to no significance in the grand scheme of things.

Or, as my mom likes to say, It’s not the end of the world.

If our lives are so insignificant, why should we stress so much about the ways in which we failed? When I go on a walk in the woods, I come to realize that it is what it is, and that my next step is to fix my mistake or to find ways to prevent it from happening in the future. 

If you’ve studied evolution like I have, you also come to realize that, no, plants and animals are not perfectly adapted to their environments! Our professors taught us that, if anything, they are just barely able to survive in it!

Here is an article talking a little bit more on the issue, if you are interested!

https://www.science.org.au/curious/earth-environment/why-evolution-isnt-perfect

If no organism is perfect to begin with, why should we berate ourselves for not being perfect? I thought making mistakes made us human. We shouldn’t be putting so much pressure on ourselves if we were never supposed to be perfect to begin with! 

Beauty is often something we attribute with nature. I mean if you ask someone to name something beautiful without thinking they probably would say flowers, or the ocean, or maybe a sunrise. Nature has an innate beauty that we all seem to organically appreciate. To me that’s the “gift of beauty,” it’s the unspoiled natural state of the world in which we feel. It’ the inherent emotions that the natural world can make us experience in it’s raw state. I think that’s why nature and art go so well together. I mean you can look at a painting of a winter forest and your body can feel the cold or hear the crunching of snow. Art is an incredible tool that an interpreter can use to entice an emotional response, and the best part of art is that it’s subjective…

Personally sunrises always make me stop to reflect. There’s a sort of stillness that they always express for me. (Photo by me)

Now I’ve been pretty excited to talk about this subject. I love art…well that’s a bit vague, what I love is drawing. I think since I could hold a pencil I was sketching. In school I would often tune out of class in order to doodle something on my worksheets (much to the chagrin of my teacher who was just trying to teach me what a noun was). What I eventually learned was that I had found an outlet. I would express myself though pencil and paper whenever I could, and more often than not, I found my expression was of the wild world I loved so much. Through my own passion, and how people would react to them, I personally found the importance of visual story telling.

With that in mind, I took some time to reflect to when we were asked what we thought our roles as interpreters could be. I gave some thought about to my passion, and if that was the real way in which I wanted to express myself as an interpreter. The answer was complicated to say the least. I mean I really do love expressing nature through art. However, to me there is also something very personal about art. When you express art you make yourself vulnerable, you open yourself up to criticism. You may look at something proudly, and then begin to see the “cracks” in your art, you may be afraid that people will judge you based off what you produced.  Like most fear, most of it is irrationally self inflicted…But then again, what if it isn’t? That’s a scary thought. I mean if you put everything you had into a piece of artistic expression, and then someone tears it down what does that say about you? Is your message weak? Are you not good enough? That’s where my apprehension comes for saying I want to be an interpreter who uses art to express a message Am I willing to risk ridicule? But then there’s the flip side, what if the risk pays off? What if I show that nature is something, we can experience any number of ways? Isn’t that what being an interpreter is all about? I don’t have easy answers for any of these questions. Perhaps that’s the journey I need to take as an interpreter, to discover what expression I can make to reach others, and what I am willing to risk in doing so.

One of my art pieces I made a few years ago. I always have an apprehension sharing personal creations, but perhaps the best way to inspire others is to share what inspires you

PS. I think a great example of visual story telling is something National Geographic created called the “Photo Ark.” It is a catalogue of animals shot very basically, but they have a bit of information about the animal. These photos express both common and endangered species. It is a great way to show the diversity of life on our planet and inspires people to look more into them. Check it out here

As a fellow person who likes to draw (although probably not as well as you can!), I’ve also had to struggle with my dislike for criticism. I currently have many drawings hidden away that will probably never be shown to anyone else other than me, as I feel like they could have looked better.

However, I keep telling myself that one day, I’ll be able to show them to someone once I’ve significantly improved. I really enjoy scrolling through artists’ Instagram or DeviantArt accounts to see the progress they’ve made since they first posted. It’s like I’m following a storyline or something, and someday, people might be able to see mine! In the meantime, though, I’d much rather spare myself from any criticism when I can already see the major flaws in my drawings. Showing these would only add salt to the wound!

It’s easy to think that people ought to be thoughtful or respectful when commenting on someone’s art, but the reality of things is that they have the right to think and say whatever they want. This only discourages me from putting myself out there. One day, I hope to have enough confidence to laugh at past drawings, or acknowledge them as stepping stones to the improvement of my skills. 

However, here’s one thing I’m actually proud of, in response to the awesome rhino you drew.

           This week’s blog post is prompted by a rather challenging topic that has rightfully garnered much discussion in recent years. It presents a somewhat uncomfortable and unpleasant conversation that most people are unwilling to have with themselves. The reality of privilege discrepancy is playing a huge factor in many societal and cultural constructs around the world today. The fact of the matter is that most people tend to ignore or portray a sense of  ignorance when the idea of privilege discrepancy is raised.  Whether it is situational carelessness or an aspect of discrimination and limited opportunity they have yet to experience; many people may not even know what privilege is. This in itself is a component of privilege.

           In this blog, I would like to highlight a working definition of privilege by unpacking my “Invisible Backpack” in hopes of shinning light as to what privilege looks like. Additionally, I want to provide a key example as it relates to nature and the outdoors. Furthermore, I would like to discuss the role privilege plays in nature interpretation which is thoughtfully and thoroughly discussed by Beck et. al in their book Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage.

           To start, my invisible backpack holds many attributes that I try to remain humble about. I was born into a white, middle class family, raised in Canada. With both parents owning their own successful veterinarian practice, I didn’t have to worry about food on the table, additional money to help pay for bills, or limited opportunity. I am forever grateful for the life my parents provided to me as I have access to higher education and schooling at university. I have worked multiple jobs that are related to my program with little hardship in finding placement. This is privilege. Where I am afforded comfortable living and particular advantages to the everyday life others are not so fortunate. The world we live in today is inherently driven by societal factors in which some are not free from prejudices. The discrimination and limited opportunity cast onto underrepresented population demographics directly correlates to the privilege discrepancy and oppression experienced by so many.

Image 1 - Privilege Cartoon

           A key example I would like to bring to the front involves myself and my roommate. Privilege as it relates to nature and the outdoors is the ability for me, (a 21-year-old male) to feel safe and comfortable going on a nighttime run when it is dark out, whereas my roommate, (a 21-year-old female) feels scared and hindered by external factors that prevent her from these same feelings.

           I would like to close this blog off on the notion that privilege plays a role in nature interpretation too. I don’t think it could be more thoroughly summed up than through the ideas brought on by Beck and the associates in the textbook. It is stated that “Although many people have traditionally enjoyed opportunities to experience nature and culture firsthand, only a fraction of these visitors attend interpretive programs of other special events” (Beck et. al. Pg. 158, 2016). With the capability to be teachers and bring about new audience that otherwise may have been secluded, it is important to seek relevancy by learning what matters most to them and their own interests. People will become more supportive and involved in interpretive sites if they feel more welcomed (Beck et. al. Pg. 158, 2016).

Image 2 - Nature Interpretation Inclusion

References:

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

Images:

Image 1 - https://www.stockholmresilience.org/research/research-news/2020-03-24-towards-a-more-inclusive-valuation-of-nature.html

The example regarding you and your roommate struck a chord with me. On top of women refusing to go out on jogs at night for their safety, I’ve also heard that some also avoid wooded areas. I, despite also being female, always went out on walks in the woods on my own, without being concerned or aware about any possible dangers. I was really shocked when I first heard of how risky that was for women, and it has been on my mind ever since.

Privilege allows you to not have to think about certain dangers lurking in the forest. Some people are lucky enough to consider the woods as a beautiful place to explore. Others who aren’t as fortunate have more to think about. To protect themselves, they are forced to see the woods as the perfect place to get assaulted.

I went a long time without knowing what nature interpretation necessarily was. Even when I selected this course, I wasn’t entirely sure what it was – I thought that it sounded interesting and fit into my schedule, so why not? However, as we delve into this course, I am realizing that this may have been an excellent course for me to take and give me ideas for what I want to do after I graduate.

I am currently in my final semester of Marine and Freshwater Biology, and the graduation clock continues to tick down, but I am still not entirely sure what I want to do as a career. Over the past few years, however, I have been considering a career in institutions such as aquariums giving tours – and I have now come to realize that this is exactly what this course is about! Being an Aquarium Interpreter began as just an idea, but I hope that this course will give me a better idea of if this career path is for me!

As mentioned in my previous blog post, I was born and spent the first ten years of my life in Bermuda, which sparked my interest in marine biology. I would frequent institutions such as the Bermuda Aquarium and the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute (BUEI), whether on school trips or in my own free time. Although the displays and specimens were enough to capture my interest on the subject of the ocean and its organisms, I can still remember some of the tours given to me by interpreters over a decade later. A good interpreter is someone that is enthusiastic and engaging (especially when it comes to children) while also remaining knowledgeable and concise. Although I am not the best at public speaking (hopefully one day I will work past this stutter), if there is one thing that I can talk about, it’s my interests! Despite my impediments, I feel like this would benefit me in the role of an interpreter. After all, I do believe that passion plays a big role in being an interpreter.  

Family looking at an aquarium. Source

Great post! I also chose this course for reasons similar to yours! Later on, it made me realize how much I had already been exposed to different methods of nature interpretations, such as through guided tours and various books! All of these managed to change my perception of various different kinds of animals.

People’s perception of animals can have a huge effect on their conservation! One of my favorite examples of this is the bearded vulture, which had previously been eradicated in the Alps. This was due to the false belief that it attacked lambs and children, causing villagers to hunt them down. Thankfully, they have made a reappearance due to a conservation program to reintroduce them to the region.

Today, as information is more available, people now view them as “cleaners”, as they are the only birds capable of eating and digesting a carcass’s bones (”Reintroduction”, n.d.).

A bearded vulture swallowing a bone. Picture taken by Francesco Veronesi, found in BirdWatching.

I also remember my uncle showing me diagrams which focused on how the bearded would fly up and drop large bones onto rocks in order to make them easier to swallow. Sharing facts such as these give people an opportunity to see animals in a different light. The bearded vulture is no longer seen as a blood-thirsty killer, but rather as a giant, resourceful bird.

Is there a marine or freshwater organism that you are really interested in? How would you describe it to a group of people to get them as riled up about it as you are? Is there a certain method you would prefer to use to aid you in convincing your audience about how great this organism is?

Citations:

Craves, J. (2018, October 02). Why Bearded Vulture's diet is the strangest among birds. Retrieved January 24, 2021, from https://www.birdwatchingdaily.com/beginners/birding-faq/why-bearded-vulture-strangest-diet/