Ems Nature Takes

Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?

Hey! For our final blog post, we were asked to write about our personal ethic as we develop as nature interpreters.

I’m currently in my final year of university, and I’m beginning to look for jobs. And for the first time in my life, I’m looking for career jobs, instead of part-time of summer positions. So needless to say I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about what jobs I ideally want, what jobs I’m willing to do, and what jobs I’m not willing to do. Our course readings for this week mentioned a fear of a desk job being a potential motivating factor for pursuing a career related to environmental interpretation. That one did admittedly resonate with me a bit. My last job was more or less of a desk job, where I worked as a research assistant in a lab. And even though, on paper, it was closer to what I want to do as a career, I didn’t enjoy it very much. I missed working in the service industry, I missed the high-energy, social atmosphere, I missed getting to work with my hands and see the results right in front of me. Spending most of my working hours not only indoors, but in a dim lab staring at a laptop just made me irritable. So I’d love to find a job in the sciences that’s more hands-on and active, but I’ve realized I’d happily move away from research if I can’t find a job in that field that lets me move around.

Every week or so I get an email from the university describing job opportunities. It hasn’t been very useful in finding jobs, but it sure has been useful in helping me figure out exactly what place/companies/fields I am not willing to work for. There’s always plenty of decently paying opportunities working for mega-corporations like PepsiCo, and the like, as well as their countless subsidiaries. I know now that I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I worked for a place like that. I would much rather go just about anywhere else, including back to the service industry. I might have a less prestigious career, but I care about having a job that I enjoy doing and that I see as important. During my last job, it was difficult to get up and go to the lab in the morning when I couldn’t really see the effects and importance of the research that was being done. I know that whatever I end up doing, it needs to be relatively active, and even better if I get to spend time outdoors as part of it. As long as I’m still able to spend my free time outside, that much is negotiable.

I wanted to go into more details about my beliefs/motivations/self-assigned responsibilities. First, the rather apparent role of nature in mental health and our current culture around it. Not that I have enough space to go into all of my thoughts on that, but I’d like to include a few of them here. One, on mental health being treated like an individual problem, when it really should be recognized as a systemic one. Even if people admit that it’s systemic, the “solutions” and treatments that are currently popular tend to be highly individual. Take mood-regulating medication, go to eternal therapy, isolate yourself from others in the name of self-improvement. In general, mental health has been both commercialized and capitalized upon. Like I mentioned, I don’t have the adequate space to go through my thoughts on the systemic causes of mental lack-of-wellness. But as I’m sure many of us are aware, spending time outside and spending time with other people (or even both at the same time!) have been shown time and time again to be beneficial to human well-being. Honestly, I don’t think we need more research in that area. We already know, and as much as I like numbers, more statistics aren’t going to save us.

So for me personally, all that means that I don’t want to have a job that drags down the health of other people, or my own. I would love to have a job that helps remove some of the barriers that have been put up between nature and people, which I don’t think should belong in different categories in the first place. But an important caveat for me is that I don’t want my career to be a constant fight. I’m quite tired of war analogies. There’s less of a point in destroying something if there’s nothing better to work towards. I don’t want to dedicate my life to fighting climate change, because I’ll make myself miserable and make everyone around me a little less happy. That’s not to say I don’t care, but I do think that a bunch of sad and lonely people aren’t going to bring about much positive change. Like the video with David Suzuki and Richard Louv mentioned (I think it was Richard Louv who mentioned it), it’s hard to make change if people don’t have any sort of positive idea of a future to look forwards to.

So to summarize as neatly as I can: If I end up doing something related to nature interpretation, I want it to get people excited and help people feel more connected to the world around them.

Picture: One of the Arboretum gardens after a snowstorm

On the same note as working towards something rather than solely working against, I have a book recommendation for anyone looking for a sci-fi story with a positive outlook: Monk and Robot by Becky Chambers (and its sequel)

I enjoyed reading your post :) and learning about your personal ethics and role with nature interpretation. Like you I chose to study the environment for the rewarding high energy and social atmosphere opportunities. By engaging in fieldwork, participating in conservation projects, or simply sharing insights with fellow enthusiasts, there's a vibrant sense of community that accompanies the study of nature. I think It is great you have developed a sense of where you want to take your education in order to fulfill your career goal of finding a job you both enjoy and one where you get to see the importance of your work. By proactively shaping your educational journey, you're not merely acquiring knowledge for the sake of it; rather, you're intentionally building a skill set and knowledge base that directly contribute to your envisioned career. Being a co-op student myself has been an invaluable aspect of my educational journey, providing me with the opportunity to explore various roles within the environmental field. Through these experiences, I've had the chance to immerse myself in different laboratory settings, gaining hands-on exposure. While I have enjoyed my time working in different laboratory settings these experiences have also confirmed my desire to pursue a career in conservation and restoration. My aspiration is to enhance the accessibility and inclusivity of nature education, making it available to a broader and more diverse community. To achieve this vision, I would like to implement a multifaceted approach that addresses various aspects of educational outreach. For one I can focus on creating educational materials that are not only informative but also culturally sensitive and inclusive. Recognizing the diverse backgrounds and perspectives within the community, I would develop content that resonates with individuals from various cultural, social, and economic backgrounds. Like you I also believe there is great importance in educating people about the natural world through a positive lens. This approach recognizes that fostering an optimistic and constructive connection with nature is not only enlightening but also important in cultivating a sense of responsibility and stewardship. By presenting information about the natural world through positive enthusiasm, we have the opportunity to inspire curiosity and wonder. Moreover, approaching nature education with a positive lens is empowering. It instills a sense of agency in individuals, motivating people to become active participants in conservation efforts. I appreciate that there are teaching opportunities that invite people to be part of the solution to take better care and understand the environment rather than just instilling fear or focusing solely on environmental challenges.

Emily

As I've studied more in this program, my personal ethics have also grown as a nature interpreter. I didn't have the same strong ethical beliefs going into this class as I have now. My values and obligations towards nature have been rediscovered as a result of taking this course. I did have personal ethics about nature before taking environmental science classes and learning about nature interpretation, but they are more stronger and more varied now. My environmental ethics were very much what you may have heard before this class; I didn't litter and I was concerned about recycling, but now they go far deeper. Even while I still think those things are significant, my knowledge has grown to include a greater comprehension of how humans affect the environment. 

While advancing my nature education, I have grown more conscious of the ethics of accessibility and inclusivity in the environment and in nature education. Many more people will become aware of their effects if environmental education is made more widely available. In communities where there may be a lack of natural knowledge, nature interpretation ought to gain more traction. Everyone should also get the chance to enjoy the outdoors and learn about the natural world.

As a nature interpreter, I also think it's critical to provide accurate, fact-based information. The public is assisted by interpreters in understanding the scientific and financial foundations of resource management (Beck et al., 2018, p.12). As interpreters of nature, it is our duty to stay up to date on scientific and practical issues pertaining to the natural world. As a nature interpreter, my ethics have developed to place a high priority on sharing what I know about the natural world. I had no idea how crucial it is to educate people about nature interpretation and the reasons why protecting it is so vital until I took this class. In my opinion, encouraging conservation and environmentally friendly behaviours is crucial to protecting ecosystems, and biodiversity, and minimizing the effects of human activity on the environment. One of the most exquisite things that nature has to offer is biodiversity.

Additionally, because of the special connections among species, the diversity of plant and animal life would diminish the wonder and allure of the natural world. By protecting them, we can extend the lifespan of the distinct and varied ecosystems. Ecosystems depend on biodiversity in order to function, despite their own diversity. We depend on ecosystems for clean water, air, and pollution control as well as climate regulation. Not only are they necessary for survival, but they are also a crucial first step toward establishing a connection with your surroundings. Human-caused carbon footprints have harmed the ecosystem. Some people may not be aware of their carbon footprint or the influence that humans have on the environment if they had little environmental education or were not raised in an atmosphere that emphasized preservation and conservation. That's why educating others about nature and how to perceive it is one of my personal ethics. 

It is our responsibility as nature interpreters to encourage the moral preservation of the natural world while also encouraging people to have a personal connection with it. This is a crucial duty because nature interpreters should promote respect for the natural world in order to motivate conservation efforts and moral behaviour in relation to the environment. If someone is motivated to take the time to enjoy the outdoors, they could come to respect sustainability and conservation as well. As interpreters of nature, it is also our duty to adjust to changing requirements and learning methods. We need to be adaptable and change with research and education. Our knowledge and methods may need to change when new insights into sustainability and nature are discovered.

There are many useful methods for interpreting nature that might be used to encourage people in the future to cherish nature. Children love to utilize their imaginations and are frequently entertained by stories; they also enjoy believing that a forest is magical. Anybody, but especially kids, can be inspired to be creative when they hear stories told aloud in the outdoors. Engaging in hands-on activities is another captivating approach to encourage someone to get inspired and involved with nature. Approaching nature interpretation as a return to childhood is another way you can inspire children to become involved with nature. Whether you take a child on an adventure with friends and show them the pileated woodpecker, or you give them the tools they need to make healthy decisions, when on a hike with friends. Or something else, you are offering a spark to be fanned and developed (Hookyas, 2023).  My parents encouraged me to explore with nature and utilize my imagination when I was little. Playing in the mud, the trees, or the creek was one of my favourite ways to pass the time when I was a child growing up in a house surrounded by forests. There were so many levels to the forest to discover, and I frequently figured out a method to mark my favourite locations with groups of sticks and pebbles so I could find them again. This did, in fact, ignite a spark in me that motivated me to mature and pursue my education in nature. This is why I relate to the perception of nature as a return to childhood.  

I really enjoyed reading your post learning about your motivation and growth as a nature interpreter in this course :). Like you I feel like the course has made me much more aware of the specific types of barriers individuals often face when trying to connect with the environment. I share your enthusiasm for the transformative power of nature education and believe that everyone, regardless of their background or location, should have the opportunity to connect with the natural world. It is important to work to bridge this gap by actively bringing nature-knowledge to communities that lack access. Initiatives such as community workshops, outdoor education programs, and mobile nature labs can play a pivotal role in making environmental education more inclusive. By engaging with local communities, understanding their unique challenges, and tailoring nature education programs to suit their needs, we can break down barriers and foster a deeper appreciation for the environment. This not only enhances ecological literacy but also promotes a sense of stewardship, empowering individuals to become advocates for the planet. Together, we can work towards a more sustainable and interconnected world, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive through a meaningful connection with nature.

As a kinesthetic learner I get really excited for hands-on learning nature experiences. It is definitely inspiring to experience ecosystems to fully appreciate their beauty. I loved hearing that your parents were your motivators as a child to go out and enjoy the environment with your imagination. You are so right that using imagination and storytelling can create a powerful foundation for cultivating a lasting appreciation for the outdoors. It's heartening to reflect on the impactful role such early experiences can play in shaping our connection with the natural world. When I was younger my family would take me camping. Having this opportunity to enjoy forest ecology in a positive light was significant to my growing adoration for the environment.

 As I progress with my ecological studies like you I hope to encourage others to spend time outside and learn why there is a big community working to preserve the environment.By sharing the wonders of the natural world and highlighting the interconnectedness of ecosystems through restoration initiatives I hope to instill a greater sense of responsibility and stewardship for the public.

Emily

When asked to think about what sets humans apart from the rest of the animal kingdom, what springs to mind? Is it the ability to love, or to create art? Or maybe it's the ability to dream? When it comes to the latter, we humans aren’t as singular as we’d perhaps like to believe. You can tell a person is dreaming when they enter a sleep phase called Rapid Eye Movement (REM). As the name suggests, this phase is characterized by rapid movement of the eyes. But what about insects: most don’t have moveable eyes, so does that mean they can’t dream? Until recently we didn’t really know, but one study took a closer look at sleeping jumping spiders and changed all of that [1].

Jumping spiders are unique among the arthropods in that they have moveable retinal tubes (aka. eyes) [1]. In baby spiderlings these eye tubes can easily be seen through the temporarily-translucent exoskeleton [1]. It's this translucence that allowed a team of Harvard researchers to track the way the spiders’ eyes moved during sleep [1]. Notably, they observed spiders twitching and curling their legs during periods of increased eye movement [1]. In vertebrates these twitching movements are directly associated with REM sleep - it's like when you accidentally kick your partner because you’re dreaming about tripping on the sidewalk, but for spiders. To the delight of bug enthusiasts everywhere, the results suggest that these spiders do in fact have little spider dreams. 

This finding has fascinating implications for the way we study sleep in all animals, regardless of their place in the tree of life. Since the last common ancestor between humans and spiders was a relative of the modern sea squirt (pictured below), we’re now left to wonder whether it had dreams. In that case, it would mean that almost everything that came after it dreamt as well. An alternative explanation is that dreaming could have just evolved separately in two distinct lineages… ones with completely different brains. Vertebrates (like us) and invertebrates (like spiders) evolved parallel to each other in many ways, and the evolution of the brain is one of them [2]. There’s so much diversity in invertebrate brains; that even one species can dream in a way similar to us is incredible [2].

Either explanation of the origins of dreaming has major implications that ripple outwards and leave us with questions about nearly every animal species on earth. If jumping spiders dream, do other species of spiders dream too? What about other bugs? And what are they dreaming about? I’ve often had that question about my cat when I’ve spotted her snoozing on my couch, but now I find myself musing about it whenever I see a snail in the grass, or a spider hanging out in its web. When you stop to really consider how these animals experience the world, you find yourself arriving at the realization that we’re not so different from them after all. 

© Nick Hobgood / Creative Commons (Original)

References

Rößler, D. C., Kim, K., De Agrò, M., Jordan, A., Galizia, C. G., & Shamble, P. S. (2022). Regularly occurring bouts of retinal movements suggest an REM sleep–like state in jumping spiders. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 119(33), e2204754119. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2204754119

I really enjoyed reading your post :) and had a lot of fun contemplating what I think makes humans unique from the rest of the animal kingdom, as it is not as simple as it may appear. My original thought was the advancement of our brain. In the evolution course I took, it was fascinating to learn about the environmental and social contexts that inspired brain development. I have been curious since then about how this is occurring within other species' lineages. In the far future, will other species experience situations that advance their brain in a similar manner to Homo sapiens? What context will it take, and why did it happen on a quicker timeline for humans?

Now, learning that jumping spiders have movable retinal tubes and are able to dream, this leads me to believe other species lineages will eventually or have already started an evolutionary path that will lead to similar brain activity as humans have.

The most exciting thing about the natural world for me is the unknown, and the context you have provided me with is truly fascinating. I would also love to learn more about how the findings you have presented relate to other species currently. Like you, I often wonder about my pets and the types of thoughts they may be experiencing. Is it more survival-based, such as eating and sleeping, or do their differentiating personalities suggest they have more complex thoughts? Exploring what that may mean is something I would love to delve into further.

Blog 7: Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

As a follow-up (focus on the above two before you tackle this one), what song takes you immediately back to a natural landscape? What is the context? Share it with us – I would imagine many of these ideas may have similar underpinnings of a campfire, roadtrip, backpacking journey, etc.!

From my experiences, music is very prominent all throughout nature. If we look for it hard enough, I believe we can find music in any part of nature. The most obvious place is in animals like whales and birds who have songs of their own, but upon closer inspection music is abundant in many other natural places. From the gurgle of a brook to leaves rustling from a breeze there is no question that there is a natural music to the world around us. When I get stressed, I like to venture into the forest behind my house and listen to the sounds of nature. This allows me to slow down and return to my roots as a creature of earth. It is moments like these that truly make me believe that nature is filled with music.

By the same token, nature is a motif in music around the world. “In many cultures, stories, songs, poems, and dances are not just for celebration and fun, but also to teach and inform (Courselink).” Music is within humans. We are connected to our environment. Therefore, that connection and awe of nature often inspires music. I enjoyed reading the article from our textbook, The Arts Provide Another Dimension to Interpretation, as there was a quote which mentioned that “If the songs are not sung and the stories are not told, the land will die.” It was also said that “If the songs are not sung and the stories are not told, danced, painted, or acted, our spirits will die as well.” Humans are very emotional creatures. Something to note about music is that it draws on our emotions, frequently resulting in an impactful and moving experience. Due to this idea, I believe that nature interpretation should include music as it will increase emotional participation. It is something that we need more of in discussions and action revolving around environmental issues like climate change.

Personally, I adore music and I have so many songs that remind me of natural landscapes. In my experience, music has always had the power to create vivid images in my mind. If I’m being honest, I have a whole playlist that reminds me of the mountains. Music evokes such powerful emotions, and this playlist never fails to encapsulate the feelings I have when I’m travelling. Although there are many, the one song that never fails to take me back to the mountain ranges is Sleep on the Floor by the Lumineers. This song is particularly good at drawing me back to the mountains because it reminds me of my trip to Tofino, BC. We drove from Nanaimo to Tofino (a 2.5-hour drive) and blasted the Lumineers the whole time. I grew up travelling and listening to the Lumineers on long drives, so it is only natural that this song reminds me of the natural places I’ve been to (specifically mountains).

I’ve attached the link to the song mentioned (Sleep on the Floor by the Lumineers) as well as some images from my travels that often appear in my head when listening to it.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4pi1LxuDHc

I really enjoyed reading your post :) Like you, I believe nature and music can be found anywhere within each other. You're so right that the intricate relationship between the two may not always be readily apparent. Ecosystems are buzzing with vibrant life, leaving lasting imprints on the world around them. I appreciated to hear how the music created by nature is used as a way to relax and find peace. I also often find myself walking in forests when I need to clear my head so I can immerse myself in the soothing embrace of the sounds that nature composes. 

The lines you quoted from our textbook that you included in your post are very beautiful. Climate change is more often than not projected with a negative tone. I really like your suggestion to use music for an emotional appeal for community support. While different tones can shift the mood of a climate change campaign, having inspirational and uplifting music can evoke hope and positivity when facing the issue.

That's a great song you linked! I’m looking forward to including it in a playlist I'll listen to as I want to enjoy the beautiful natural world. 

Emily 

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

For this week's blog prompt, the first time I read it I didn't fully understand what it meant. I read it again and I felt I had a bit more of an understanding, but I was still a little confused. Like monologues and poetry, I enjoy breaking down a quote into smaller parts and dissecting them individually. From that, each part dissected can be woven together to develop a true in-depth understanding that was originally entailed by the author.

To begin “There is no peculiar merit in ancient things, but there is merit in integrity and integrity entails the keeping of the parts of any whole,…” In this section, I unpacked this as the value that is placed in wisdom or traditions isn’t just due to them being a practice that occurs over a span of time but because of the trust we put in these practices. The definition of integrity is the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles. This definition can be taken into account in understanding this quote as we have a moral principle to be honest in times that involve teaching lessons.

“…and if these parts are scattered throughout time, then the maintenance of integrity entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things…” To lose moral values in situations can cause a damaging effect that can last generations depending on the circumstance. To rebuild the trust that is needed for integrity to be practiced would require us to remember and reflect on the damage that may have occurred in the past due to non-ethical situations.

The last part of the quote states: “…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.” To forget the past or to reject a scenario because it had occurred in the past would be denying ignoring the circumstances that had occurred and resulted in our everyday experiences. Our knowledge of ancient things is a collection of the human experience which entails lessons that highlight the good and bad that has occurred in the past.

Honestly going through the Unit 5 page, scrolling down to see no prompt, I was surprised but thankful (lol)! I feel like it's also more difficult in a way because now I actually have to think about a topic to write about (not complaining though!). I've hit the mid-semester burnout at this point, especially being in my last semester of undergrad (like ever!). Applying to grad school while also being in a research course and four other courses on top is more hectic than I thought. On top of that is life being life and throwing more stuff at you. The weekly blogs and convos have been a little harder to do as it gets busier but the interesting/creative/open-ended prompts help. To anyone reading this, I also wanted to stress the importance of personal check-ins and maintaining your mental health during these times! For me, I've been relaxing/unwinding/coping by binging copious episodes of Narcos on Netflix. I'm obsessed with Pedro Pascal at the moment. Anyways, whatever self-care looks like for you, even if it's just giving yourself time to do nothing, is so important to do!

I wanted to spend the rest of this post talking about something that interests me and I'm passionate about! I always love telling people about this because they always get so shocked and don't believe me. Did you know goldfish can get super huge outside of their fishbowls? When in an environment with unlimited resources and space to grow (e.g., lakes and/or ponds), goldfish can grow to the size of a football (the ones i've seen at least) but they can get so much bigger! This happens when people release their pet goldfish into bodies of freshwater like lakes or ponds. I worked as an Aquatic Science Technician for fish species-at-risk this summer and I've encountered quite a few of them. This is definitely not a good thing, as they're becoming quite the invasive species - but it's so absurd and strange I can't help but be excited. Here's some pictures of me with one we found this summer :) I was absolutely elated.

I really appreciated reading your blog this week :) Like you, I was thankfully surprised to have a moment to write about anything we wanted to share. I am sure you have been putting in a lot of effort to stay on top of your studies to continue with your academic career, which can definitely become stressful and exhausting at times. It's great to hear about how you ensure you maintain self-wellness, and I'm excited to check out Narcos the next time I want to unwind. I adored reading about your points on goldfish. It serves as a great reminder for myself and others that success can be achieved when we take the time to find a balance between chasing after our goals and supporting mental wellness. (I've heard the opposite can happen with certain shark species when kept in a fish tank - they will stay small but may also face certain issues over time)However, it is unfortunate that goldfish may become invasive species, potentially disrupting ecosystems. Your insights on goldfish have been both enlightening and enjoyable to read.

Good afternoon everyone,

Being a healthy and able university student who lives in Canada, I come from parents who support me and are fairly wealthy. I would say that based on social and cultural advantages, I would be considered someone extremely privileged. I am a Caucasian female who lives in arguably one of the best countries to be born into, we have free healthcare; safe drinking water at our disposal – I mean seriously… we have so much of that stuff we poop in it –; the right to vote; education open to all; the list goes on and on. So yah… I think I won the jackpot and I’m sure the majority of you reading this could likely say the same.

I think to be privileged is about having opportunities or advantages because you fall into certain societal and/or cultural categories. Being someone who would be considered privileged and well-off, I have struggled with a lot of guilt about being given so much when there are millions of people with so little. Aside from the generic benefits of being privileged, I think it gives a wonderful opportunity to use it for the greater good. Because I don’t have to worry about things that underprivileged people are consumed with, I can actively pursue my education, be more sustainably conscious, and I can help others more freely. Amidst a climate catastrophe, it is easy to say that we as consumers need to be more careful in what we support and buy, but there are many people who simply may not have the means to make more sustainable choices. I think this is a wonderful attestation to how uplifting others will ultimately uplift us all. The more education and opportunities we can give to those who lack it, the more chances they have to make sustainable choices. When looking at the impact of nature interpretation on getting people to care for their planet, I believe it highly valuable for all (and should be inclusive and easily accessible for all demographics); but if the standard of living isn’t high enough for those listening, then I worry that audiences won’t be able to fully implement their existing or newfound values of nature preservation into their day-to-day routines.

So coming back to my point about using our privileges for the greater good, I still am struggling to figure out just what I can do to help uplift others – especially given the fact that I have the opportunity to do so. Do you guys feel that you need to do something with all the privileges you’ve been given? What are your plans?

Thank you for reading and enjoy the rest of your week!

I enjoyed reading your take on the role privilege plays in nature interpretation. I agree that having privilege is equivalent to an open door with endless possibilities. As someone who is also privileged, I can acknowledge my environmental-related goals are much more accessible and easier to achieve than someone less privileged. I understand that just because one has privilege does not entail it will be used in a manner that will have a positive impact on others. It is not uncommon to feel overwhelmed with possibilities and a lack of constructive plan. I do feel I need to do more with the privilege I have. This is one of the reasons I chose to study Ecology at university. In the future, I would be thrilled to work and volunteer for NGOs and companies whose mission is motivated by the goal of bridging the scientific research gap and the general public's knowledge. As we discussed, not all have equal opportunity to learn about nature. This is why it is a dream of mine to work in restoring nature and also providing education to the public. I plan to constantly analyze how well clients receive knowledge and positively from my position to further develop strategies that will allow for greater access to nature understanding and enjoyment. Like you, I believe privilege should be used for the greater good. I think it's great you acknowledged a privileged person can be more environmentally conscious and this can benefit people as a whole. I would love to hear about how you want to use your privilege to uplift others with respect to the environment. 

Thanks for sharing, I am excited to read your future posts!

Prompt: Describe your ideal role of environmental interpreter. What might it entail? Where might it be? What skills might you need? 

Can you imagine a job where you get to explore the jungle every single day? That's my ideal job as an environmental interpreter! I would love to be in an exciting research and education center in the heart of a tropical jungle. During the day, I'd lead incredible nature walks and share jaw-dropping facts about the plants, animals, and even the miniature bugs that call the jungle home. We'd spot exotic birds, learn about unique plants, and find animal tracks! 

And the excitement wouldn't stop at the jungle's edge. Thanks to the internet, I could share my discoveries with the world! I'd host live streams of bird-watching sessions, virtual reality jungle tours, and online talks on everything you've ever wanted to know about this fantastic place. This way, anyone, anywhere, can explore the jungle without even leaving their home. But that's only part of it; working with local people, conservation experts, and government officials would also be significant. Together, we'd find ways to keep the jungle safe and sound while making it an excellent place for people to visit and learn. 

To do well, I'd need to be a jack-of-all-trades. First, I'd need to know the jungle like the back of my hand—plants, animals, everything. Being able to talk to people efficiently is a must because what's the point of knowing all this stuff if you can't share it in a fun and engaging way? Cultural smarts would also be essential; after all, local communities have lived in these jungles for generations, and there's so much we can learn from them. Basic tech skills would come in handy for all the online stuff, and, let's not forget; I'd need to be fit and ready for adventure because the jungle is as challenging as it is exciting.

I appreciated hearing about your ideal role as an environmental interpreter and your preference for working in forest ecosystems, especially boreal forests. Like you, I am a tactile learner and value interactive learning to support my engagement in activities and enhance my takeaways from experiences. Your ideal interpretation vision excites me. It's evident that you share a genuine connection with nature, and this connection serves as a powerful tool in helping others discover the wonders of the natural world.

I respect your desire to promote a passive learning environment. I appreciate that your goal is to create a personalized experience that is attentive to the current participants. Ideally, I would also like to foster a similar experience that is tailored to the needs and desires of the individuals I am guiding and learning with. As I gain a more diverse understanding of the environment, I am better equipped to cherish the time I spend outside exploring different ecosystems. This enthusiasm stems from my enjoyment of comprehending the importance, as well as the hows and whys, related to nature.