Ethan ENVS*3000

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)

My favourite part of your post was how you mentioned being bothered by the idea of working for a mega corporation. This really resonated with me because I often struggle with deciding what is ethical to do for work. I sometimes find myself judging others for where they work if their company that has largely negative environmental impacts. I can battle with myself about this in my head like a game of ping pong. Is the individual worker responsible for the overall environmental impacts of the company? What if the worker had no other choice? Is the worker trying to improve the practices of their company? I really try not to associate an employee as being evil, even if I think the company as a whole is evil. Personally, I am not interested in working for a company that does not align with my core values. I also know that this is an extremely privileged take, because so many people around the world are grateful for any work at all. Since I am fortunate to be in this position, I will choose a company with goals that I agree with. A career takes up so much of your time and energy, so I think it should be for a employer that you can get behind.

When I think about my ethics as a nature interpreter the first thing that comes to mind is protecting the people I’m interpreting to. The level of risk to the people you are interpreting to varies depending on the form of nature interpreting you are engaging in. However, there is always risk and this is important to keep in mind. When I began this course I mostly imagined the positives of educating a group of people on nature. However, my view was rocked when I read the story of the Timiskaming Tragedy. I was devastated reading about how these children died while on a camping trip. I was especially struck by how this trip had been completed several times successfully and how these boys were familiar with camping and the outdoors. This really made me think about how nature interpretation is putting people at risk. I recognize that everything people do requires risk. However, I still think that we have to weigh the importance of our interpretation versus the risk to the people involved. Furthermore, I recognize that peopIe are not regularly dying during nature interpretation  believe we have a duty to our audience to assure that we have taken the necessary precautions and that we know basic first aid. In this way we can help prevent unnecessary injury and allow people to enjoy nature with minimal anxiety (for the learner or the interpreter).

As I have mentioned before, I am incredibly passionate about environmental conservation. Conservation is the main reason I am interested in nature interpretation. From a very young age I have been excited to learn about the beauty and intricacies of nature. I have always been enchanted by its strength and its delicacy. When I learned about nature I also learned how our actions are impacting it. When I learned about how people were destroying the earth I knew I had a responsibility to the planet and so do all other people. If we are hurting the planet it's our responsibility to clean up our mess. This has drove me to take action in protecting the planet. It has become a part of my personal ethic. Of course, my experience is not reflective of all people’s. Not everyone that learns about nature will shape their lives around protecting it. However, I feel that a nature interpreter should discuss conservation alongside the beauty of what their audience is seeing. In this way, they may be able to convince people to take a greater role in conservation. As discussed in the Merendlander et al. paper, citizen science and individual efforts can greatly improve conservation efforts. In order for things to improve we must all work together to change our ways and protect the earth. As such, I believe that as nature interpreters we should be discussing protecting the environment alongside other aspects of nature. If we don’t we may have no nature left to interpret.

Another aspect of nature interpretation I consider very important is teaching in a way that accounts for the various backgrounds people may come from. The paper, “Unpacking your Invisible Backpack” discusses multicultural learning. They define this as celebrating the different backgrounds people can come from and rejecting hierarchical understandings of knowledge. Unpacking our invisible backpack requires us to consider our privilege. As teachers, we must consider how different aspects of our personhood such as our sexuality, race, and class give or take away power in our society. In doing so, we can acknowledge the advantages we have been given over others from birth. 

I believe it is important for a nature interpreter to remember that growing up in an environment that encourages going outside and appreciating nature is a privilege. I can often struggle to understand when people don’t want to be outside or go camping. However, I now realize that I have been fortunate enough to have been taken on camping trips and have people encourage me to care for the outdoors. For other adults, they are only just beginning their journey with nature. Being empathetic to their experiences is key in helping them find love of nature. Making them feel insecure about their experiences will only drive them away from these fulfilling experiences. When I think about my personal ethic, I think about how some people have been kept out of natural spaces because of discrimination. This makes me want to assure that my nature interpretation is a welcoming space where people are not intimidated to ask questions. 

I really liked how you touched on the importance of keeping the people around you safe during interpretive programs. That is obviously hugely important, but I'm realizing it is not something I've considered enough. I know that there are several wilderness safety courses that you can take so that you can be an official guide. I think it's something I should consider, not just to take care of others, but also to take care of myself in the wilderness. In high school, we had a class called Outers. It was unique to my small high school, and part of the class involved going on multi day canoe trips. At the start of the year we had to complete the swim test, which involved jumping into a cold Georgian Bay at our local boat harbour. In order to go on the trips you had to complete this test, which although was a fun day for everyone, it was also super important for our safety. There were people who didn't pass, so they couldn't go on the trip. I look back and think that if I was tasked with ensuring the safety for a bunch of young teenagers, I would be stressed to say the least.

Blog Prompt:

Interpret (through this blog) the most amazing thing you know about nature – get us excited. This is your blog – you audience isn’t out in the field with you so bring the field to your armchair reader

Hey everyone!

Today's prompt is rather interesting but I feel as though I can take this time to be a little insightful. Have you ever taken a walk through nature and realized that everything has a rhythm? The trees are growing in their own way and doing their own thing, whilst squirrels are running up and down on them. Mosquitoes are quickly and annoyingly nagging in your eardrums and frequently trying to nibble at your arm. The birds are just flying and communing with one another while chirping and singing their songs. When it rains, the earthworms come out and go about their business. Everything in nature has its own rhythm. However, one of the most amazing things I know about nature, even more than its rhythm, is its ability to teach us life lessons. There are various seasons in nature--summer, fall, winter and spring. In our own lives, it can feel like that as well. In the spring of our lives, we may be experiencing new growth--opportunities and relationships etc. In the winter, things can seem dry and cold, it may feel dreary, dim and lacking life. In the summer, things may feel vibrant and exciting, as things may feel warmer and life feels great. In the fall, things may feel chilly, and the trees are losing their leaves but this is a time of great harvest. What we can learn from nature is how to navigate these seasons of life. We need to know how to embrace the change. In some years, the changes between each may seem shorter or longer but they adapt nevertheless. So, the amazing thing I've learnt about nature is that no matter what season of life you're in, even if it feels like all my leaves have fallen off like the trees in the winter and things are difficult--hold on, keep going because my spring and summer is coming. I hope this wasn't too cliche and teeming with hallmark or Instagram quote motivation.

Have an amazing day and an even better week!

Don't worry, your post is not too cheesy! I really enjoyed this read. You have a very unique perspective, I quite liked how you compared the earth's seasons to seasons in our lives. It's totally true, a lot of my life experience is linked to what the season is. It can be hard, such an now as we approach winter and the days seem to end sooner. A lot of the things I do and feelings I experience depend on the time of year. This really shows how influential nature is to humans, even if we spend a lot of times indoors. The season still affects us there too. This makes me imagine what life is like in more temperate parts of the year, where weather would remain more steady throughout the year. I wonder if my thoughts and feelings would remain more constant throughout the year. It's fascinating how a simple walk through nature can offer such a profound perspective on life. Nature's rhythm, as you describe, is a masterpiece of synchronicity—trees growing, squirrels frolicking, birds singing—the orchestration of life playing out.

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.!

This is a challenging one for me as I am quite boring in the sense that I do not really listen to music, so my knowledge of it is poor. However, I can appreciate a good song or piece of music when I do listen to it.

Music can be found in nature anywhere. This includes all the sounds that we hear which can be animals like birds communicating to each other or monkeys chattering. You could also say the rustling of leaves is music. They are all natural sounds that together make up a song. It may not be your typical song that is played with a piano or drum and bass, but it still creates a story or message for your ears.

I am sure there are countless songs and pieces of music that are about nature, but as I mentioned before, I am unlikely to know many. Personally, the type of music I listen to are film soundtracks. When music is played in a TV show or film while showing natural landscapes and events happening in the natural world, I immediately connect the two if I listen to it again. Think of a show like Game of Thrones that has a great soundtrack and great cinematography. There are many scenes that are set in the snowy northern mountains and the music they play has a slow ambiance, often with a cello. This means that if I listen to pieces of music similar to that then I envision the stunning snowy landscapes.

To answer the follow-up question, the song that I connect nature with a lot is 'Into the West' by Annie Lennox. If you search it up, you will find that it was used in Lord of the Rings, which shouldn't be too much of a surprise after reading this blog. There are many mentions of nature in this song such as 'the distant shore', 'white gulls call', and 'a pale moon rises'. It is a calming song that reminds me of the nature, particularly in the films where there are the stunning landscapes of New Zealand shown, which I suppose is like a fantasy version of a backpacking trip.

Unpack this quote:

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

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

It's cool to hear that someone else will ponder upon the same types of questions as I would. I totally get what you're saying when you wonder who was here, who built this, why is this the way that it is, particularly in the colonial context of Canada. There's so much rich history to imagine that has likely been covered up. I also like to imagine how ecosystems have morphed over time in response to anthropogenic impacts. I think through learning the history of the land we are better able to realize how powerful our destruction has been. This links back to the quote to say that the past so strongly influences the present, and it can't be neglected. I think comparing our current world to the past will tell impactful stories to influence people today.

I will be honest, I struggle to write any piece of work without any prompt or question. I suppose the first thing that comes to mind is my recent trip to Algonquin Park.

As a British student, driving through Canada was amazing. It made me fully realise how ridiculously big this country is, but also stunning in terms of its nature and small towns in between the long roads.

Arriving at Algonquin Park, the surroundings were great to see. The lake outside our motel and the autumn trees complemented each other excellently. Despite the continuous rain we had on the trip, this does not take away from the fantastic views that we experienced. I am aware though that the scenery would have been even better without the rain as the visibility would have been higher, but I still greatly appreciated it. I felt this was only a preview of what beautiful landscapes are out there. I am excited to see a white Christmas in North America as this is very rare in the south of London.

I have often been asked what are my favourite countries, climates and landscapes I have witnessed. I have always said snowy mountains like in Norway, or coastal cliffs in Croatia or Spain, but I think Canada's lakes and highlands will rise up there when I visit more places here.

It's super cool to hear your perspective as a student from overseas. I'm curious what brought you to Algonquin Park. Were you recommended to visit it by a Canadian? If you liked Algonquin, I would also recommend you go visit Killarney Provincial Park, another park in Ontario. I have to say I personally like it a tad more than Algonquin. Although it looks like you stayed in a motel, so I'd recommend you go for the full paddling and camping experience next time.

What's great about Canada is that there are so many parks to visit, both national and provincial. Just keep in mind that the distances to travel can be pretty far. If you've never been camping, there are a bunch of parks that offer camping better tailored for beginners in front-country sites. Some places even offer to let you stay in small hut called a yurt, and it can be quite enjoyable, although I'd call it glamping (glamourous camping). I hope you're able to visit more of this big beautiful country.

Blog 4: Who are you to interpret nature through art? How do you interpret “the gift of beauty”?

I really like the idea that art captures a moment in time. It is very romantic in a sense. If the art is shared with younger generations, then the story is passed on. Granted with this notion, one must be careful to pass along the correct version of the story and not warp any details. If this were to happen then the art and its story will change, thereby making it inaccurate. However, this is likely to happen as different people will interpret the story in a unique way depending on their personal experiences. I have always enjoyed listening to people tell stories. I grew up visiting museums and historical sites. My favourite parts were the immersive experiences where interpreters would be dressed in historical garments. It was a different way of learning, but it was so engaging and easy to enjoy as a child. The way they interpreted art appealed to all age groups and increased people’s understanding of the work. Initially I didn’t realize it but after careful reflection, I now understand these experiences taught me so much.

I grew up creating art. I played piano, sang, drew, and painted; but the form of art that stuck with me the most was photography. I loved listening to my grandfather tell me the stories surrounding each photo. Thus, one of my favourite memories was when I received a little point and shoot camera from my grandparents for my birthday. This was how I truly began to interpret nature though art. Whether it was a camping trip or just a family outing, I took my camera everywhere. I look back at these photos and suddenly I am seeing the world through my 9-year-old self’s eyes. My love of photography has led me to create art in this form. I am also passionate about the environment and its inhabitants, so a lot of my art reflects that. I tend to capture the beauty of nature but there are also photographs that illustrate the perfectly imperfect aspects of its beauty.

In my eyes, nature is art. I see beauty in all forms of nature. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Thus, every individual will interact with nature and its beauty in a different way. My goal as an interpreter would be to try and open visitor’s eyes to nature’s ‘gift of beauty.’ Art often portrays a message from the perspective of the creator but everyone who views it will have a slightly different perspective on the piece. To truly comprehend the gift of beauty I believe we have to go back to our roots as creatures of Earth. We should slow down and appreciate the natural art of the world around us. By the same token we are part of the natural world and I’d like to think that we, as humans, are art.

You've touched on some really great stuff here. I gotta say, your last little paragraph is super poetic.

I can totally relate to growing up and visiting lots of museums and historical sights. I like to say that my family never went on vacation, but we did travel. My parents would always ensure that trips would come out educational in one way or another. Through this I have visited a lot of fantastic museums and I have seen exhibits presented amazing, and others not so much. The worst exhibits are the ones which are just a giant blob of text, no one wants to read all that. But the good exhibits, the ones where I actually learned something, always had something in common. They were in some way artistic.

I too really enjoyed photography when I was younger. Photography allowed me to capture the things in nature that stood out to me, and share it with my family. I think I would try to share with them the beauty I saw, but maybe I wasn't the greatest interpreter back then. I know that many people enjoy nature drawing, but anything I drew would always look worse than if i just took a picture. I'm curious how much you still do nature photography. Perhaps you could share some pictures on your next blog post.

Hey friends!

As I am embraced by nature's serenity, it is revealing that privilege influences even the most pristine environments. Have you ever wondered about how privilege transcends into our relationship with nature? Today I wanted to deliberate on the role “privilege” plays in nature interpretation and enjoyment. 

I believe it is important to acknowledge that privilege varies considerably from person to person as it is shaped by a multitude of factors. Discussing privilege constructively is important, it raises awareness, questions harmful norms, and promotes diversity and inclusivity.

So what is “privilege”? I believe privilege refers to the advantages an individual experiences based on being in the majority demographic group. It does not deny universal struggle. Privilege brings essential awareness to the benefits that are present when an individual aligns with societal norms and power structures. Did you know that a significant percentage of the world's population does not have the opportunity to enjoy nature? It is important to recognize that individuals who find solace in escaping to the outdoors should be aware of the privilege that enables such opportunities. Experiencing nature without usual comforts and the ability to return to the comforts of home are privileges not all have.

In nature interpretation, communication plays a pivotal role in shaping positive nature experiences by sharing knowledge and exhilaration. Yet, language can unintentionally act as a barrier, inadvertently excluding individuals who aren't fluent in the prevailing regional language. This exclusion can have an adverse effect on one's ability to fully embrace and appreciate the experience. To support a more inclusive approach to nature enjoyment and interpretation, there are several practical steps we can take. To begin, we can create nature programs designed to welcome individuals from all language backgrounds, encouraging people to share their individual perspectives. Additionally, engaging with diverse communities through community outreach allows us to seek input on how to improve accessibility. Listening to suggestions is key to making progressive changes within the eco-community. Moreover, offering interpretation services or guides proficient in various languages can significantly enhance the experience for non-native speakers. Lastly, providing multilingual resources, including information, guides, and materials, ensures that nature-related content is accessible to a broader and more diverse audience, ultimately enriching our collective appreciation of the natural world.

Amid individuals' hectic daily routines, time and priority responsibilities often hinder their ability to spend a moment connecting with nature. Consequently, the shortage of time restricts the opportunities for individuals to fully immerse themselves in the beauty and marvels of the environment. To enhance nature enjoyment for all, despite limited time availability, several strategies can make a meaningful difference.First, offering activities at various times during the day and week to cater to diverse schedules is essential. Next, promoting local nature spots with public access ensures that people can connect with nature without extensive travel and travel barriers. Furthermore, active involvement of minority communities in the planning and development of nature-related activities can ensure inclusivity as accessibility challenges are addressed and overcome. Advocacy efforts should focus on policies that support green spaces and strive for equitable access to nature to allow for equal opportunities to enjoy nature.

I would love to chat about other ideas you all have that can help make nature interpretation more inclusive. Thanks for being part of this week's discussion!

Emily

I love the points you're making here. I also like the little otter you threw in at the end, nice touch.

I completely agree with what you're getting at here. I think you gave a great definition of privilege, it's certainly more thorough than mine. I really like how you mentioned that privilege doesn't deny universal struggle. I can certainly say that this is something I struggle with myself. What I mean is that because I know I am a privileged person in this world, I sometimes feel as though I can't be upset by the comparingly insignificant problems I face. At the end of the day, my struggles may not be about my survival, but it is still important to recognize and deal with them in a healthy way.

I also of course agree that nature programs would be great if they were offered in a variety of languages. I can imagine that this would be quite hard to organize in certain places, such as those more remote. I know that Parks Canada will always look to accommodate visitors in English and French, and perhaps this is enough in many locations, but it probably isn't enough in places with different demographics. Consider Rouge National Urban Park, located on the outskirts of Toronto. I would imagine that visitors speak a vast number of languages considering how diverse the GTA is. Perhaps there are interpretation programs designed to accommodate this, maybe with the use of translators. I would have to look into it.

Looking forward to more of your posts.

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

I'm loving the amount of detail you've given here. You sound like a real scientist ready to take on research. I totally agree with your point about kickstarting change. I feel the same way, by which I would like to focus interpretation work on educating the public about negative human impacts. I think it's interesting that sometimes you could do interpretation for a crowd that is contributing to the environmental issue. For example, something like climate change, where they may actually be a small part of the problem. Other times you could be with a crowd looking at a more localized issue, where perhaps they aren't able to make any changes to help. I think in that sense you really have to tailor your interpretation to your crowd depending on the story you're trying to tell, and what the take home message is.