Interpreting the Natural World with Janieka

When this course began, I was in the dark about the whole concept of nature interpretation. Unsurprisingly, I assumed it would mainly entail developing increased awareness and mindfulness when spending time outdoors. I figured this course would help me learn to share those experiences with audiences from all kinds of unique backgrounds. My role as an interpreter before ENVS*3000 focused on topics surrounding my studies as a science student. Being in university has a way of making school the primary lens through which you perceive the world; at least, that has been my experience. As a result, when I look at the world around me, it is easy to recognize the ecosystems at play and the unique interactions happening within them that are essential no matter how small. As a science student in my final year of study, the natural world’s complexity is evident, and for me, this is one of the most humbling thoughts to entertain. It is crucial as an interpreter to be mindful of the natural world’s sheer magnitude, something often overlooked by the anthropocentric society we are immersed in. 

In nearly any situation, humanity has a way of commanding attention, but learning how the complex systems at work in nature genuinely are, makes it clear that it really is a delicate balance. It can also be an eye-opener for many to realize humans are not as pivotal to Earth’s well-being and function as we are conditioned to believe. Humans have less control over the world than we would like to admit. Although the environment is plagued by the seemingly infinite number of challenges resulting from human activity, the wilderness will and always should stay out of our control. As interpreters, it should be our role to help others recognize the power and knowledge found within nature and the positivity it can bring to our lives when we do our part to care for it and maintain its integrity. When we care for the Earth, it cares for us by healing our psyche and fostering our physical well-being.

Photo by Lukasz Szmigiel on Unsplash  

My development as a nature interpreter is heavily influenced by my personal morals and the belief that good interpreters should share the knowledge and power nature offers. The things most important to me that define my personal ethics as an individual and as an interpreter are respect, integrity, and the value knowledge holds. As interpreters, our primary role is to share the knowledge we have with others so that they may achieve the same benefits we do as a result of forming a meaningful connection with nature. Additionally, I think it is our job to teach others how we know to be respectful of the environment in sustainable ways to maintain the integrity of our natural surroundings. When discussing my development as an interpreter, my mind automatically jumps to my future role as a science teacher. I am starting my Bachelor of Education this upcoming fall to teach high school science, a clear showcase of my priority to share the invaluable knowledge that exists in the field of science with others. 

I have always loved sharing what I have learned with people around me, even if it’s just a remarkable fact I learned in class that week with a friend or even my mom. The key here is how significant knowledge and learning is to me, and I think this goes hand in hand with honesty, integrity, and respect, morals by which I try to live my life. While these factors are those by which I guide the actions and decisions I make in my life, they are also the ones I focus on when interacting with the natural world around me. Being respectful is one of the most important things to keep in mind when getting out and experiencing nature, especially to maintain the integrity of the ecosystems and the organisms that rely on them. Connecting back to my future as an interpreter through the role of science teacher, I can share these ethics with the students who enter my classroom and show them the importance of the environment and how they can personally maintain nature’s integrity. 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash  

Continuing my role as an interpreter through teaching science introduces a variety of responsibilities. First and foremost, teaching youth to respect the environment and do what they can to improve nature’s conditions whenever possible. Environmental stewardship offers benefits to the domain directly, but it also provides an outlet for individuals to connect and spend time outdoors. I believe nature holds so much power, be it in terms of psychological relief from stress or anxiety or a physical escape from the hustle-bustle we are affronted by in modern society. I believe it is a gift to be shared, and that is our responsibility as teachers and as interpreters of the natural world. As mentioned in Rodenburg’s article (2019), today’s youth simply are not getting outside to experience nature the way many of us did as kids, even though that really was not so long ago. In a world that has been rapidly developing new technologies for even more convenience, people are beginning to forget to slow down and appreciate what is around them, and children are not exempt from this. It is so important to foster the connection between humanity and the environment to avoid “nature deficit disorder,” a term coined by Richard Louv in the textbook (Beck et al. 2019) to describe the detachment between humanity and nature. 

Throughout history, nature and humanity have always been intertwined; one can never exist without the other, so nature deficit disorder can introduce various challenges. Perpetuated by modern society, nature deficit disorder can manifest in countless ways that exemplify the physical, social, and cognitive deficits that result from the disconnect with nature (Beck et al., 2019). Teachers have so much power to initiate reform by educating and inspiring their students who will grow up to be the policy-makers, business owners, scientists, teachers ultimately, the future caretakers of the world. The impact teachers can have on their students is undeniable, which is a primary aspect of effective interpreters, which is a significant reason I decided to pursue a career in teaching to make a difference.

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash  

Everyone will have a unique perception of the broad privileges granted by the environment that expresses the individuality between people. As an interpreter, it is vital to focus on the various things that catch different individuals’ attention, providing insight into the unique personal relationship held with nature and their relationships with others and even within themselves. There is a valuable connection between humans and the environment from the deep evolutionary history that forever links the two. Creating a strong relationship with nature and helping others to do so will aid mental wellness by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression, elevating mood and reestablishing attention to the physical health benefits that include promoting cardiovascular health and reducing obesity by staying active. There are many benefits to support the power of getting involved in the environment and building a personal relationship with nature. I believe that to be one of the responsibilities of a nature interpreter and a science teacher.

Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash  

This course provided invaluable knowledge about how to reach a variety of audiences, but more importantly, it allowed me to gain insight into my personal relationship with nature. While learning techniques to improve the way I can share my own interpretations with others has been amazing to prepare me for my time in teachers’ college. The enhanced relationship with the natural world has provided me with much needed benefits and escape from symptoms of nature deficit disorder and many other aspects of nature I had never recognized before this course. I always knew the importance of the environment when it comes to science, of course, and in art based on the numerous art pieces or musical creations inspired by nature. This course expanded my appreciation for the incredible impact nature has had on humanity throughout history, but it is even more important in society today. 

Thanks for a great semester everyone!!

Sierra 🌼

References:

Rodenburg, J. (2019). Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give Up Hope | CLEARING: A Nonprofit Magazine for Environmental Education in the Pacific Northwest. clearingmagazine.org. https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300

Absolutely loved reading your final blog post! At the beginning of the semester, I had a very similar thought to you about what ENVS*3000 was all about! I, too, thought that this course would surround the idea of increasing our appreciation in nature and how to help others gain a connection with nature. 

Your comment about how there is a balance in nature that humans need to be aware of and sensitive to is an important reminder to all. I think teaching others about stewardship is one of the most important aspects of being a nature interpreter because if we don’t get our act together as humans, there will no longer be a beautiful earth for us to appreciate. We need to take action to help conserve our local ecosystems because as you stated, nature and humanity are intertwined, so we too will benefit from conservation of nature. 

Congratulations for starting your Bachelor of Education this fall, with your emphasis in highschool science. Personally, my highschool science teachers were amazing at teaching us about science and nature from a knowledge standpoint but also through their enthusiasm for the topic, allowed us as students to gain a special appreciation for science. 

As discussed in the textbook, using the school-based curriculum to interpret our environment not only enhances the knowledge of students, but also benefits teachers and even others in the school system (Beck et al. 2018, pp. 42-43). 

Thank you again for sharing your beliefs and responsibilities that you will continue to apply to not only your future classroom but also in your everyday life!

Best of luck in Teacher’s College!! 

Janieka :) 

References

As this semester winds down and comes to an end, I have taken the time to sit down and reflect over the past 11 weeks. Not only have I learned so much about nature and nature interpretation, but I have also learned a lot about myself and my role in the natural world. The question that we have been asking ourselves each week, “Who am I as an interpreter?” is very prominent now as I reflect on what I have learned throughout this course (Hooykaas, 2021). Seriously… who am I as an interpreter? 

To begin to answer this question, I think it is important to understand my own personal ethics as a nature interpreter. Before beginning the important work of interpreting nature, it is crucial to be able to see the interconnectedness of the natural ecosystem, and to also believe that conservation must be an integral component of being a steward of the environment we interact with. Being able to see this interconnectedness of each aspect of the ecosystem, and how certain aspects complement each other and help each other grow, allows for me to truly understand and appreciate the natural world. I am also better able to define my own approach to stewardship and also my role in interpreting for and educating others. In Beck et al. (2018), the authors discuss the Moral Development Theory devised by Lawrence Kohlberg. From a personal standpoint, I believe that as a child I developed “preconventional morality” by lessons taught to me by my parents (Beck et al. 2018, pp.115-117). As a child, I vividly remember the first time my parents taught us the importance of not picking trillium flowers. The fear of picking these provincial flowers from their natural environment and getting in trouble was engraved into me very young, and it became one of my morals to protect these flowers. Although it is not necessarily illegal to pick these flowers in Ontario, I think this fear instilled into me was beneficial in a way because it allowed me to understand how we as humans can have negative effects on our ecosystems. This was the beginning of my stewardship role. Even though my moral sense of right and wrong in terms of the environment developed as a child, my beliefs in how this could be accomplished, and my own particular role in it as interpreter and participant, continues to evolve.

This is a photo that I took at Wildwood Conservation Area showing the blooming trillium flowers! Taken by J. Droog, 2017. 

As a nature interpreter, I think it is important to have strong beliefs and to carry these beliefs into your role as an interpreter. One belief that I have when it comes to being a nature interpreter is good stewardship. It is important to understand the uniqueness of each individual environment and local ecosystem you encounter because this will allow you to share with others and be able to educate future generations. Without this understanding and appreciation for the environment and nature, it is difficult to truly be a steward of the earth. I also need to learn about the local ecosystem and continue to learn as it evolves, so that I can clearly and accurately translate the story to others.

Another belief that I hold is that it is possible to create and maintain sustainable natural areas for the education and enjoyment of all while still serving the needs of the economy. For example, conservation areas do a fantastic job at preserving and protecting these local ecosystems, both the plant and animal species that reside there, at the same time, these conservation areas also provide us with educational information about nature through signage or even a tour guide per se to help us to interpret the nature around us. Another example of this can be shown through our efforts to preserve natural species, such as pollinators. When we try to create habitats that promote and attract pollinators, not only are we benefiting these insects, but we are also benefiting ourselves. The beauty of the habitat provides us with a sense of awe and quiet, giving both a physical and mental boost, while simultaneously creating an environment where the pollinators can thrive, create byproducts that can be consumed, and ensuring that plants that depend on these insects for propagation can also thrive. As an interpreter, it is my responsibility to ensure that this complete story, and the balance of a healthy, functioning ecosystem, is clearly told.                    

As I continue my journey in becoming a nature interpreter, I have to remind myself of what my responsibilities will entail. Although my time as an undergraduate student is coming to an end, I know that will never be finished learning. I think this is important to realize in any profession, but especially as a nature interpreter my responsibility is to continue to build on my own personal knowledge and appreciation for the natural world so that I can bring accurate and relatable information to the table when I am helping others to interpret. Another responsibility I have in this role would be to instill a sense of connection to nature in others through story-telling, stewardship participation, and nurturing awareness in subsequent generations of people. 

One last point I would like to touch upon when it comes to my responsibility as a nature interpreter is to pay attention using all of my senses, recognizing that everything is connected and that there is a way for everyone to benefit while retaining the integrity of the environment (Beck et al. 2018, p. 405). 

ENVS*3000 has been a beneficial course by allowing me to grow and understand the importance of nature through a different lens. This interpretive blog has allowed for me to express my thoughts and beliefs to my peers, as well as hear the thoughts of my peers which adds to the diversity of my own knowledge and the story I am able to share. Although we may all share different beliefs and responsibilities of nature interpreters, we all seem to have common ethics when it comes to nature and preserving our earth. 

Thank you for joining me on this amazing interpretive journey and I am excited to see my fellow classmates excel in the natural world!

Cheers,  Janieka

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

Thank you for summarizing the spirit of what I was trying to share! Passion for your craft and leading by example are two things that I value. I completely agree with you that listening to our peers enthusiasm towards these blog prompts/topics allows for us as the readers to also share this excitement towards these topics. If we infuse our interpretations with our knowledge and passion, we will create increased excitement in our readers as we share our teachings. That is what it’s truly all about. If we can find a way to share nature and help others to interpret in a way that they feel connected, then we have done our job well. I cannot wait to continue this journey and continue to inspire others!

Listening to the radio is one of my favourite things of all time. I love listening to the DJs talk and hearing people call in, and feeling connected to the whole city when I turn the radio on. My go-to station is Boom 9.73, which plays music from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I turned on this station the other night to have some background music to help me focus, and as I listened I realized the titles of the songs I was listening to pretty much described my beliefs and responsibilities as they apply to nature interpretation!

The logo of my favourite radio station, Boom97.3 (Boom97.3, n.d.). 

The first song I heard when I tuned in was “Love Changes Everything” by Honeymoon Suite (a Canadian band!). I believe that love does change everything, and that a love of your work is one of the most important things you can bring to a nature interpretation role. The importance of loving nature and loving what you do was echoed in one of our assigned readings:    

“We can create nature-rich communities where kids feel a deep and abiding love for the living systems that we all are immersed in. Eventually, children will learn even to go beyond sustaining and to engage in acts of regeneration. That is where true hope resides.” (Rodenburg, 2019)

This quote made me think of the pool where I taught swimming lessons for a few years. Although it’s not quite the same as nature interpretation, I noticed lots of similarities between my approaches to teaching swimming lessons and the skills and strategies that we talked about to interpret nature. I did swimming lessons and other sports at this same facility when I was younger, and many of the other swim instructors also did activities at the facility as children, too. We all developed a love of swimming and of the facility from the instructors we had as kids, so we collectively knew we had to pass on that love to the kids we taught. We also had an added responsibility to share our love of swimming and to uphold the facility’s values because the facility meant different things to different people. The pool was part of an all ability sports facility so I taught swimming to people of all different ages, stages, and abilities. For some of the people in my lessons, the pool was their safe place, so sharing my love of swimming helped them feel at home. For others, swim lessons were scary and out of their comfort zones, so being enthusiastic about how much I loved to swim help reassure people that everything was going to be okay.

Music video of “Love Changes Everything” by Honeymoon Suite (Honeymoon Suite, 2016). 

The next song I heard on the radio that evening was “People are People” by Depeche Mode. To me, this song is about respecting differences between yourself and others, and actively questioning bias and prejudice. I believe in respecting others and their choices, and recognizing that people are presented with different choices depending on their circumstances. In the TED Talk “Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career” by Larry Smith, Smith talks about why people don’t pursue their passions. He goes through excuses people make to avoid pursing their passions, but I think he misses a big reason why people don’t follow their hearts: privilege. Lots of people aren’t in a position to be able to pursue their passions or develop their interests due to lack of access to education, lack of money, lack of time, or because of family situations and responsibilities. Also, different people value different things. When Smith spoke about the following excuse

“I value human relationships more than accomplishment. I want to be a great friend. I want to be a great spouse. I want to be a great parent, and I will not sacrifice them on the altar of great accomplishment.“

I was a little confused. I certainly value human relationships over accomplishment, so how is wanting to be a great person a lesser goal than pursuing my individual passions? I personally think that part of being a great friend/spouse/parent is being respectful; actually part of being a good person is being respectful. With respect comes thinking of others and as humans, not just nature interpreters, I think we have a responsibility to think of others and how our actions affect them. If more people were more considerate of others and the environment, I think the world would be a better place.

Music video for “People are People” by Depeche Mode (Depeche Mode, 2010). 

Up next on the radio was “Somebody” by Bryan Adams. Bryan Adams is one my favourite artists, and he is also Canadian! When he sang “I need somebody, somebody like you”, it reminded me that nature and nature interpretation is for everyone. At least, it should be for everyone, but some people face barriers accessing nature. I believe everyone who wants to enjoy nature should be able to, and as someone who has access to nature it is my responsibility to help others. As someone who loves nature, it is also my goal to be a voice for the natural world. Bryan Adams is a great role-model for this since he is using his fame to bring attention to environmental issues. He considers himself an environmental activist, and this is reflected in the choices he makes on tour, like encouraging that the catered food is plant based (VeganLife, 2018, Erskine, 2020). On one of his most recent tours, he partnered with a company that would plant a tree for every ticket that was sold (Erskine, 2020). He also narrated a video for WeForest to promote the work they are doing to plant more forests and improve life for people in areas affected by deforestation:

Bryan Adams does the voice-over for a video by WeForest about how planting forests can cool the earth and improve lives (WeForest, 2020). 

Since this is my last blog, I am ending on a pledge to myself. In any future roles in interpretation, and certainly as I move through life in general, I will:

Love myself, my work, and the natural world.

Respect others. No matter what.

Stand up for what I believe in and use my voice.

Thank you for reading my final blog; I have loved reading all of yours 😊

References:

Boom97.3 (n.d.). Boom97.3 Listen Live [Image]. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.boom973.com/.

Rodenburg, J. (2019, June 17). Why Environmental Educators Shouldn’t Give Up Hope. Clearing. Retrieved April 1, 2021, from https://clearingmagazine.org/archives/14300.

Honeymoon Suite. (January 8, 2016). Honeymoon Suite - Love Changes Everything [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KliRjq37aqw. 

Smith, L. (2011, November). Why You Will Fail to Have a Great Career [Video]. TED. https://www.ted.com/talks/larry_smith_why_you_will_fail_to_have_a_great_career?language=en.

Depeche Mode. (2010, February 9). Depeche Mode - People Are People (Official Video) [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://youtu.be/MzGnX-MbYE4. 

VeganLife. (2018, March 5). Bryan Adams on 35 Years of Compassion. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.veganlifemag.com/bryan-adams-interview/.

Erskine, E. (2020). Bryan Adams Plants a Tree For Every Fan That Attends his Show! OneGreenPlanet. Retrieved April 3, 2021, from https://www.onegreenplanet.org/environment/bryan-adams-plants-a-tree-for-every-fan-that-attends-his-show/.

Thank you for your insights and your use of some classic tunes to inspire this introspective look at interpretation!! Music can be so powerful that it evokes either memories or inspiration related to something we have encountered or should be aware of around us (Beck et al. 2018). I appreciate your reference to swimming lessons. This brought back fond memories for me, but more from the student learning aspect. I agree that an effective teacher or interpreter creates a safe learning environment that draws people in and encourages them to want to learn, regardless of their ability or prior knowledge. 

Your reference to people respecting each other within the context of the interpreter is interesting. Do you think that helping others become more aware of our place in the environment will produce positive impacts on our relationships with each other as well as the environment? I think that as an interpreter it is also important to make people aware of celebrities and personalities like Bryan Adams who advocate for environmental issues. These more widely known people can often influence others to examine issues more closely and even consider lifestyle changes in response to their interpretation. On a personal level, I was thrilled to see your reference to Bryan Adams, as my dad is a huge fan, and I have been listening to his music for years! 

I also enjoy artists like Bruce Cockburn, who have spent a lot of their career exposing environmental issues in their songs. I actually mentioned his song called “If a Tree Falls” in one of my previous blog posts! Highly recommend giving this song a listen to, as I feel it is just as relevant a story of the environment today as it was in 1988!

Best of luck in all of your nature interpreter endeavours!!

Janieka :) 

References

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

Close your eyes and try to imagine the most beautiful natural phenomena you can. When I close my eyes, I begin to see brilliant colours of vibrant greens and pinks dancing against a dark sky. I can visualize myself standing near the Arctic Circle experiencing the magnificent wonders of the Aurora Borealis. 

Ever since I can remember I have always had a huge fascination for the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights, also referred to “Aurora Borealis”, is a natural optical phenomenon that occurs in the northern hemisphere, typically in the Arctic region. In the southern hemisphere it is referred to as “Aurora Australis”. This phenomenon is caused when charged particles leave the sun’s surface and enter the Earth’s atmosphere near the northern and southern magnetic poles, colliding with the gaseous particles of the atmosphere, and causing the spectacular lighting of the sky (NASA, 2021).

This diagram shows the collision of the sun’s particles with Earth’s atmosphere. Retrieved from NASA, 2021.

The colours of auroras vary between greens, yellows, pinks and reds. Just as the neon particles in a neon light get excited by electricity flowing through and release a coloured light, these charged solar particles excite gases in the outer atmosphere to create the stunning hues of the aurora (NASA, 2021). Fully red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, but are quite rare, while blue or purplish-red auroras are created by nitrogen gas (Northern Lights Centre). 

This is a photo taken by my friend Hannah who lives in Webequie, Ontario which is approx. 540km north of Thunder Bay. Photo taken by H. Currie (2021). 

As discussed in Beck et al. (2018), the use of art has been very effective in natural interpretation and attracting the attention of individuals. This is evident for the interpretation of the Northern Lights as the aurora has captured the attention and imaginations of humans for centuries. They rendered their interpretation of the phenomena as art in cave illustrations as far back as 30,000 years (Space.com, 2017). Many poets, authors, musicians and painters have all interpreted the Northern Lights through their own lens. By sharing their interpretation with others, the phenomena have stirred a sense of awe, wonder and appreciation in those who have not yet experienced the aurora in person.

The Northern Lights can be seen in many locations along the “Aurora Zone”, including areas in Canada, USA, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and Sweden (Northern Lights Centre). Since the best areas to view the Northern Lights in Canada and these other countries are in remote northern locations, the average person cannot readily experience them in person. Now I know what you might be thinking, what if I want to experience the Northern Lights but cannot get to these locations? There are actually organizations that have set up live cameras to record and broadcast footage of the Northern Lights for people to view from the comfort of their own homes! 

This link takes you to a live cam that is broadcasting from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada!

Although I have never been fortunate enough to experience this phenomena in person, I have always been drawn to the beautiful colours depicted through photos and hope to experience them someday!

Have any of you had the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights in person?? I would LOVE to hear about your experience!!

Thanks for reading along, 

Janieka :)

References

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

NASA. (2021, March 12). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/polar/telecons/archive/PR_E-PO/Aurora_flyer/aurora-flyer_p2.doc.pdf

“Northern Lights Centre.” Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis Explained, www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html  

Northern lights live cam - watch the aurora borealis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://explore.org/livecams/zen-den/northern-lights-cam

Great post, I enjoyed reading about your ideas on the topic. I have often wondered and dreamed about seeing the Northern Lights. It is definitely an interesting phenomenon that provokes interest and based on photos I’ve seen is an amazing sight in nature! The aurora borealis is a wickedly cool phenomenon that definitely drives interest for me to go experience it! I think the best part would be watching it move and dance around in the sky!

Photo by Nelly Volkovich on Unsplash

I can just imagine the sky being lit up by the beautiful colours thinking about it. I think something that would be vividly impressionable would be who you are with during the experience and what you’re surrounded by. Both of these things will change heavily how one may experience the phenomenon and how they feel about it.  

Photo by Benjamin Suter on Unsplash

The ideal situation for many I assume would be surrounded by friends and potentially an interpreter who is discussing what is being displayed by the phenomenon. Enjoying the experience around a campfire would be one to remember! Experiencing the night sky on a clear night in a place with relatively low light pollution can be amazing in itself. When you add the clear and vivid skylines of the north it can be very magical in how we share this experience with others. Interpreting it would be hard to discuss such a phenomenon with someone with disabilities such as a vision problem. How do you think you could help someone in that situation truly experience the sight of the northern lights? Articulating the wonderful colours and lights?

Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash

The fascination for this phenomenon is something that many people can bond over! This experience in nature is powerful and interpretation of it could be heavily influenced by how it is talked about by the people around you. I think to remain a strong nature interpreter it would be important to remind everyone to experience the sight for what they can see and share ideas about what they think supported by knowledge around the topic. 

Great post, 

Have a great day!

Thank you so much for interacting with my post! It makes me so happy to hear that the Northern Lights also sparks interest in my peers! 

I definitely agree with you that our interpretation of aurora borealis would be heavily influenced by the nature and environment around us, as well as who we are sharing the experience with. I think an interpreter would be a great person to bring along to experience the Northern Lights, as they would be able to provide you with more information for you to learn while you are physically viewing the lights in person. 

Here is another photo taken by my friend H. Currie (2021). It exhibits a strip of pink mixed in with the green hues.

I read a blog called “10 Things No One Ever Tells You About the Northern Lights” which made me view this experience in a different light (no pun intended!). The author Jennifer Dombrowski is an avid Northern Lights chaser every winter season. She has had the opportunity to view them in multiple regions along the aurora zone. One of the things that stood out to me was “Don’t go for the Northern Lights; go for the destination”. Although I truly want to see the Northern Lights, I also want to experience the beautiful landscape and nature of these different countries in the aurora zone, and I think it is important to keep in mind that this phenomena is not always active for us to see! 

Excellent question regarding how I would help those with visual disabilities interpret the Northern Lights. I think the approach I would take in this scenario would be to describe the lights using a different sense. One sense that I would try to use to help others interpret would be “touch”. This could be accomplished using different textures, such as a silk cloth to run through their hands to feel the “dancing” of the aurora borealis. I would also use music to try and help the interpretation by combining the use of touch and sound together to express the flowing movements of the lights. 

Would you suggest other techniques that I could use to help those with vision problems interpret the Northern Lights?

Thank you again for interacting with my blog this week!

Your post really spoke to me because, since I was a young girl, I have always wanted to experience The Northern Lights in person after hearing the many stories my parents told me about their time in Iceland. I really enjoyed way you described The Northern Lights as “brilliant colours of vibrant greens and pinks dancing against a dark sky” because I was able to close my eyes and visualize myself (hopefully) experiencing the lights one day, which brought me some sense of hope for the future. 

It was very interesting for me to read about the science behind The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, because I realized that I have always been fascinated with the idea of the lights; however, I never knew how or why this phenomenon occurs. I was very fascinated with your point about the difference in colours of the Aurora depending on what type of gas is used such as the fully red Auroras being created by high-altitude oxygen. 

As mentioned in our textbook, interpretation has the ability to change or alter the way in which people “understand and perceive the world around them from art to nature” (Beck et al. 2018, Preface p. xiii). The Northern Lights is the perfect example of a natural world phenomena that involves the beauty of art. This combination of nature and art attracts many people around the world and intrigues the rest of the world that have not yet had the privilege of experiencing The Northern Lights in person. 

Thank you very much for posting the link to the live camera from Manitoba! I never knew these existed, but I will definitely be utilizing it. I am looking forward to your response! 

Victoria 

References: 

Thank you for interacting!!

As you mentioned, you have always had a fascination with the Northern Lights but never truly understood the science behind it - I was in the same boat as you! In week 6 of this course, there was an opportunity to read different articles or sources pertaining to a specific topic and one of those was the Northern Lights.

Having never researched why or how this phenomenon occurs, I took this as the perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge!! It was very cool to use and apply previous science knowledge I have gained throughout my student career to understand this amazing optical phenomenon.

I am so grateful that my live cam link for the Northern Lights was able to spark interest in my peers, and to allow for others to interpret the Northern Lights from the comfort of their home!

I found another link to more live cams of the auroras, and this one includes many locations around the world!! Thought you might be interested in these ones as well!

It would be great to hear about your personal experience viewing the Northern Lights someday! :)

Cheers,

Close your eyes and try to imagine the most beautiful natural phenomena you can. When I close my eyes, I begin to see brilliant colours of vibrant greens and pinks dancing against a dark sky. I can visualize myself standing near the Arctic Circle experiencing the magnificent wonders of the Aurora Borealis. 

Ever since I can remember I have always had a huge fascination for the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights, also referred to “Aurora Borealis”, is a natural optical phenomenon that occurs in the northern hemisphere, typically in the Arctic region. In the southern hemisphere it is referred to as “Aurora Australis”. This phenomenon is caused when charged particles leave the sun’s surface and enter the Earth’s atmosphere near the northern and southern magnetic poles, colliding with the gaseous particles of the atmosphere, and causing the spectacular lighting of the sky (NASA, 2021).

This diagram shows the collision of the sun’s particles with Earth’s atmosphere. Retrieved from NASA, 2021.

The colours of auroras vary between greens, yellows, pinks and reds. Just as the neon particles in a neon light get excited by electricity flowing through and release a coloured light, these charged solar particles excite gases in the outer atmosphere to create the stunning hues of the aurora (NASA, 2021). Fully red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, but are quite rare, while blue or purplish-red auroras are created by nitrogen gas (Northern Lights Centre). 

This is a photo taken by my friend Hannah who lives in Webequie, Ontario which is approx. 540km north of Thunder Bay. Photo taken by H. Currie (2021). 

As discussed in Beck et al. (2018), the use of art has been very effective in natural interpretation and attracting the attention of individuals. This is evident for the interpretation of the Northern Lights as the aurora has captured the attention and imaginations of humans for centuries. They rendered their interpretation of the phenomena as art in cave illustrations as far back as 30,000 years (Space.com, 2017). Many poets, authors, musicians and painters have all interpreted the Northern Lights through their own lens. By sharing their interpretation with others, the phenomena have stirred a sense of awe, wonder and appreciation in those who have not yet experienced the aurora in person.

The Northern Lights can be seen in many locations along the “Aurora Zone”, including areas in Canada, USA, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and Sweden (Northern Lights Centre). Since the best areas to view the Northern Lights in Canada and these other countries are in remote northern locations, the average person cannot readily experience them in person. Now I know what you might be thinking, what if I want to experience the Northern Lights but cannot get to these locations? There are actually organizations that have set up live cameras to record and broadcast footage of the Northern Lights for people to view from the comfort of their own homes! 

This link takes you to a live cam that is broadcasting from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada!

Although I have never been fortunate enough to experience this phenomena in person, I have always been drawn to the beautiful colours depicted through photos and hope to experience them someday!

Have any of you had the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights in person?? I would LOVE to hear about your experience!!

Thanks for reading along, 

Janieka :)

References

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

NASA. (2021, March 12). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/polar/telecons/archive/PR_E-PO/Aurora_flyer/aurora-flyer_p2.doc.pdf

“Northern Lights Centre.” Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis Explained, www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html  

Northern lights live cam - watch the aurora borealis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://explore.org/livecams/zen-den/northern-lights-cam

It’s been my dream to see these lights in person! I’m always busy with work and school, so I haven’t been able to go see this spectacular! Once I graduate, I will travel North with my Fiancé so we can experience the lights together! When I close my eyes and think of a natural wonder, I think of Niagara Falls. I frequently go there and enjoy taking the boat to the base of the waterfall. It’s the first thing I think of because even though you are “stepping” in the same river every time, the river is always changing. The water is always flowing, so in reality you never step into the same river twice! This reminds me of a quote ““What I love most about rivers is you can’t step in the same river twice. The water’s always changing, always flowing.” – Pocahontas.

This quote helps to highlight the beauty of the river, each time you visit it’s not the same. Did you know that 3,160 tons of water flows over the falls every second (Niagara Falls USA, n.d.)? That’s a lot of water! Niagara Falls is also a beautiful sight to experience.

I love the photo your friend took! I didn’t know it was possible to see them from Ontario, I can’t wait to see them! The link you provided is amazing! I’m going to watch this tonight! I feel that watching the Northern Lights would be calming and relaxing. Nature interpretation helps an individual learn about a particular area and gain a deeper connection with the environment (Beck et al., 2018)! I know when I am learning more about a specific area, I feel more connected to it!

References

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

Thank you for interacting with my blog! Just as the falls give you a sense of awe and wonder just in the power of the water rushing over, so too do the Northern Lights create a sense of awe as they are constantly changing in their presentation.

Here is a photo that my friend Hope took of me at Niagara Falls, ON. Taken by H. Woodward, 2019.

I have only had the opportunity to visit Niagara Falls once, and it was truly amazing to see the falls and hear the crashing of the water. Although I did not get the chance to go on the Maid of the Mist and experience the falls up close, I hope to one day have this opportunity! I had no idea that 3,160 tons of water was constantly flowing over the falls!!

As you mentioned, the river is constantly changing and each time you “step” into it, it is different than the time before. The Northern Lights are very similar to this as they are constantly shifting and changing, presenting different light shows every single day.

Cheers,

Close your eyes and try to imagine the most beautiful natural phenomena you can. When I close my eyes, I begin to see brilliant colours of vibrant greens and pinks dancing against a dark sky. I can visualize myself standing near the Arctic Circle experiencing the magnificent wonders of the Aurora Borealis. 

Ever since I can remember I have always had a huge fascination for the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights, also referred to “Aurora Borealis”, is a natural optical phenomenon that occurs in the northern hemisphere, typically in the Arctic region. In the southern hemisphere it is referred to as “Aurora Australis”. This phenomenon is caused when charged particles leave the sun’s surface and enter the Earth’s atmosphere near the northern and southern magnetic poles, colliding with the gaseous particles of the atmosphere, and causing the spectacular lighting of the sky (NASA, 2021).

This diagram shows the collision of the sun’s particles with Earth’s atmosphere. Retrieved from NASA, 2021.

The colours of auroras vary between greens, yellows, pinks and reds. Just as the neon particles in a neon light get excited by electricity flowing through and release a coloured light, these charged solar particles excite gases in the outer atmosphere to create the stunning hues of the aurora (NASA, 2021). Fully red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, but are quite rare, while blue or purplish-red auroras are created by nitrogen gas (Northern Lights Centre). 

This is a photo taken by my friend Hannah who lives in Webequie, Ontario which is approx. 540km north of Thunder Bay. Photo taken by H. Currie (2021). 

As discussed in Beck et al. (2018), the use of art has been very effective in natural interpretation and attracting the attention of individuals. This is evident for the interpretation of the Northern Lights as the aurora has captured the attention and imaginations of humans for centuries. They rendered their interpretation of the phenomena as art in cave illustrations as far back as 30,000 years (Space.com, 2017). Many poets, authors, musicians and painters have all interpreted the Northern Lights through their own lens. By sharing their interpretation with others, the phenomena have stirred a sense of awe, wonder and appreciation in those who have not yet experienced the aurora in person.

The Northern Lights can be seen in many locations along the “Aurora Zone”, including areas in Canada, USA, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and Sweden (Northern Lights Centre). Since the best areas to view the Northern Lights in Canada and these other countries are in remote northern locations, the average person cannot readily experience them in person. Now I know what you might be thinking, what if I want to experience the Northern Lights but cannot get to these locations? There are actually organizations that have set up live cameras to record and broadcast footage of the Northern Lights for people to view from the comfort of their own homes! 

This link takes you to a live cam that is broadcasting from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada!

Although I have never been fortunate enough to experience this phenomena in person, I have always been drawn to the beautiful colours depicted through photos and hope to experience them someday!

Have any of you had the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights in person?? I would LOVE to hear about your experience!!

Thanks for reading along, 

Janieka :)

References

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

NASA. (2021, March 12). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/polar/telecons/archive/PR_E-PO/Aurora_flyer/aurora-flyer_p2.doc.pdf

“Northern Lights Centre.” Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis Explained, www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html  

Northern lights live cam - watch the aurora borealis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://explore.org/livecams/zen-den/northern-lights-cam

Great post, I enjoyed reading about your ideas on the topic. I have often wondered and dreamed about seeing the Northern Lights. It is definitely an interesting phenomenon that provokes interest and based on photos I’ve seen is an amazing sight in nature! The aurora borealis is a wickedly cool phenomenon that definitely drives interest for me to go experience it! I think the best part would be watching it move and dance around in the sky!

Photo by Nelly Volkovich on Unsplash

I can just imagine the sky being lit up by the beautiful colours thinking about it. I think something that would be vividly impressionable would be who you are with during the experience and what you’re surrounded by. Both of these things will change heavily how one may experience the phenomenon and how they feel about it.  

Photo by Benjamin Suter on Unsplash

The ideal situation for many I assume would be surrounded by friends and potentially an interpreter who is discussing what is being displayed by the phenomenon. Enjoying the experience around a campfire would be one to remember! Experiencing the night sky on a clear night in a place with relatively low light pollution can be amazing in itself. When you add the clear and vivid skylines of the north it can be very magical in how we share this experience with others. Interpreting it would be hard to discuss such a phenomenon with someone with disabilities such as a vision problem. How do you think you could help someone in that situation truly experience the sight of the northern lights? Articulating the wonderful colours and lights?

Photo by Vincent Guth on Unsplash

The fascination for this phenomenon is something that many people can bond over! This experience in nature is powerful and interpretation of it could be heavily influenced by how it is talked about by the people around you. I think to remain a strong nature interpreter it would be important to remind everyone to experience the sight for what they can see and share ideas about what they think supported by knowledge around the topic. 

Great post, 

Have a great day!

Thank you so much for interacting with my post! It makes me so happy to hear that the Northern Lights also sparks interest in my peers! 

I definitely agree with you that our interpretation of aurora borealis would be heavily influenced by the nature and environment around us, as well as who we are sharing the experience with. I think an interpreter would be a great person to bring along to experience the Northern Lights, as they would be able to provide you with more information for you to learn while you are physically viewing the lights in person. 

Here is another photo taken by my friend H. Currie (2021). It exhibits a strip of pink mixed in with the green hues.

I read a blog called “10 Things No One Ever Tells You About the Northern Lights” which made me view this experience in a different light (no pun intended!). The author Jennifer Dombrowski is an avid Northern Lights chaser every winter season. She has had the opportunity to view them in multiple regions along the aurora zone. One of the things that stood out to me was “Don’t go for the Northern Lights; go for the destination”. Although I truly want to see the Northern Lights, I also want to experience the beautiful landscape and nature of these different countries in the aurora zone, and I think it is important to keep in mind that this phenomena is not always active for us to see! 

Excellent question regarding how I would help those with visual disabilities interpret the Northern Lights. I think the approach I would take in this scenario would be to describe the lights using a different sense. One sense that I would try to use to help others interpret would be “touch”. This could be accomplished using different textures, such as a silk cloth to run through their hands to feel the “dancing” of the aurora borealis. I would also use music to try and help the interpretation by combining the use of touch and sound together to express the flowing movements of the lights. 

Would you suggest other techniques that I could use to help those with vision problems interpret the Northern Lights?

Thank you again for interacting with my blog this week!

This week’s blog prompt, we were told to discuss what we believe the most amazing thing about nature. How can one pinpoint what the best part about nature is- there’s too many to count. The therapeutic aspects of nature, the bright colours and warmth that it provides, being a home for so many living organisms; there seems to be an endless list of things that is so amazing about nature. However, if I had to specifically chose one component of nature that truly amazes me, it would have to be the practically immeasurable diversity of species on earth.

I don’t think I will ever be fully able to grasp how many species, animals and plants, are actually present in the world. It is estimated that the world contains about 8.7 million different species and although that estimate was made in 2011 and was the most accurate estimation ever made, scientists still are nowhere near close to quantifying all the species on earth (Black, 2011). If that estimate was accurate then it only accounts for 14% of the species being identified and only 9% of that are found in the ocean (Black, 2011).

The best way to visual the immense species diversity on earth, is by looking at the tree of life diagram. This diagram is an attempt by scientists to try to visualize and interpret the known species on earth along with their relationships between one another. However, this ‘supertree’ only depicts 2.3 million species, and if we took into consideration the 8.7 million species estimation and how that was only a fraction of what exactly on earth, then this image would practically be impossible to read (Pennisi, 2015). Each node around the outermost edge is a family of organisms and each represents approximately 500 species. Additionally, it is expected that species are becoming extinct before we even have the opportunity to discover and learn about them, making it even more challenging for scientists (Black, 2011).

Image of the Tree of Life, which tries to depict some of the known species on earth. Retrieved from https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2015/09/first-comprehensive-tree-life-shows-how-related-you-are-millions-species

A quote that I found that I believe helps to express the magnitude of species diversity has been stated by the former Royal Society president Lord (Robert) May “It is a remarkable testament to humanity’s narcissism that we know the number of books in the US Library of Congress on 1 February 2011 was 22, 194, 656 but cannot tell you- to within an order of magnitude- how many distinct species of plants and animals we share our world with.”. It has also been stated we currently know more about outer space than we do about our oceans and what is living within- how is that even possible! Our Earth is covered in approximately 71% of water and yet we don’t even have a clue about all the possible species.

Although, I mainly talked about how little we, as one of the millions of species on earth, genuinely know about who we are sharing the planet with. Nonetheless, I find it incredibly fascinating to think about. I believe that this fascination drove me into my current studies of marine biology; having the potential to explore and discover something that we don’t even have the slightest idea about, is thrilling.

With that I want to leave off asking this question:

Has nature ever helped influence any major decisions in your life?

Thanks for reading

Alyssa

References

Black, R. (2011). Species count put at 8.7 million. BBC News. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-14616161#:~:text=The%20natural%20world%20contains%20about,take%20more%20than%201%2C000%20years.

Thank you for sharing with us what you think is the most amazing thing about nature! Although I am not pursuing Marine Biology, I too have always been intrigued by the unknown of the ocean. Surely there are species that are at great depths that exist freely, however, will we ever discover them?

As you mentioned, there are still 86% of species on earth that are unknown to mankind. This is mind-blowing!! It saddens me and I assume others as well, that some species will never get the chance to be discovered as our human activities are causing endangerment and extinction (Norman, 2018).

“Fleeting and rare, experiences of awe can change the course of life in proud and permanent ways.” - Keltner and Haidt (Beck et al. 2018, p.472)

This quote from this week’s chapter of the textbook stood out to me because the sense of awe and excitation towards nature and new discoveries can cause young individuals, like yourself, to want to continue learning and interpreting nature. I know for myself, when I hear of new species being discovered gives me a sense of awe to know that nature around us is forever changing and our knowledge is evolving.

I just wanted to add this photo in as I found this spider beautiful. This is a photo of a peacock spider species Maratus jactatus, nicknamed Sparklemuffin, which was discovered in 2015. Image credit: Jürgen Otto. Photo retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/53155-strangest-animal-species-of-2015.html

One major decision that nature influenced me to make was my summer job opportunity in 2020. I was unsure I wanted to return to the hospitality industry, COVID helped slightly make this decision for me. However, when the opportunity of working outdoors on an organic vegetable farm arose, I was majorly influenced by the aspect of working and spending every day in nature.

Thanks again for sharing your blog post! Best of luck in your Marine Biology endeavours, and I hope to one day hear that you have helped discover a new species in the ocean!

Janieka :) 

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

Image retrieved from: http://oceanpax.blogspot.com/2009_11_08_archive.html

When I began to brainstorm for my blog this week, this quote from the movie August Rush (2007) popped into my head. Although I hadn’t thought of this movie in a long time, there are some very important messages in it relating to music. I think there is a lot of truth behind this quote because the rhythmic tones of music are everywhere around us in nature. This concept was supported in the paper “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music” by Gray et al. 2001. From the sounds of a babbling brook to the croaking of frogs on a damp evening to the singsong of birds in the morning - music will forever be embedded into the nature around us.

This is a video I recorded April 1st, 2020. It captures the sound of the frogs talking to each other on that evening. Video taken by J. Droog.

Growing up in a very musical family, I was introduced to music at a young age. I learnt the importance of storytelling through music. Whether it is accompanied by lyrics, or simply instrumental, music always has a story to tell. Through my life experiences, I have had the opportunity to form a strong relationship with both nature and music separately, as well as together. For me, going outdoors and exercising by myself, whether I am running, walking or rollerblading is when I feel most at ease. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that when I am out by myself, I am truly absorbing all the harmonious sounds around me. Being able to connect with the sounds and music of nature is what truly makes my heart sing!

However, a lot of the time when I am going out for a walk, I find myself leaning more towards listening to music off my device. This is not because I want to drown out the noise around me, but because I find myself wanting to listen to music while I’m enjoying the nature around me. I find that there is an interchangeability between the energy I get from being in nature and simultaneously listening to music that lifts me up.

In the Ares reading for Unit 7 this week, Gray et al. (2001) stated that “The ambient sound of an environment mimics a modern-day orchestra: the voice of each creature has its own frequency, amplitude, timbre, and duration, and occupies a unique niche among the other musicians”. This direct quote relates to both nature in music and music in nature as it shows the reciprocating relationship between the occurrence and the production of the music.

One song that will always take me back to a natural landscape is John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. This song holds a special meaning to me as it has become a family favourite over the years. Whether we are on a long road-trip or sitting around a fire in the backyard, this song always seems to weasel its way onto our playlist. One memory in particular that I recall of my family singing this song in nature was back in 2014 when our friends from the Netherlands visited us in Canada. We sang and laughed for hours in our backyard and enjoyed the music and nature around us.

This is a photo of my sister and I, singing along to John Denver with our friend Manny in our backyard. Photo taken by my dad in 2014.

Thank you for reading along with my blog this week! I can’t wait to hear about how you all interpret music in nature!

Janieka :)

References:

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., and Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science. 291(5501).

Great post I enjoyed reading about your connection to nature and music! 

You make some very interesting points and I particularly enjoy your idea regarding how the energy can be impacted or shifted by the music and sounds of nature. The ambient sound of an area has a role in how we feel and what we perceive at that moment. The energy of a song has a great potential when mixed alongside the natural sounds of a given landscape it can be powerful to how we interact and use the space. As you mentioned using your phone speaker to create a soft background noise alongside natural sounds has great benifit. Creating areas that promote our experience is important to how we see the world and this can be altered through various noises and kinds of music. 

Photo by  Luca Franzoi on Unsplash

How I interpret nature is heavily dependent on the sounds and music that are influencing me at the given time. This can be very powerful if used correctly. Think about natural sound effects like reveling a hidden waterfall as you turn a corner on a rigorous hike. Music has the ability to help motivate people through its wonderful effects and holds the power to help people continue on a journey. The power of music is tremendous and in many ways unique to people's different styles and tastes. The mind is very powerful and music can help attain goals, dreams, or passions.

Photo by v2osk on Unsplash

John Denver's “Take Me Home, Country Roads” is an iconic song of family and returning from an adventure! This song is very relatable and helps so many of us to connect and bond with friends and family through this song. I cherish this song for similar reasons of family connection and enjoy the thoughts associated with it when it comes on. 

Cheers, 

I think you are absolutely correct that it is important to create spaces that promote our interpretive experience! I can relate to your comment about your interpretation of the environment is heavily influenced by the noises around you.

Depending on the noise of the environment, I can be positively or negatively influenced. I notice that when I am in an environment that is very busy and noisy, I find it difficult to focus on my surroundings - I lack natural interpretation. An example of a positive influence of the music of nature around me is from today. I went on a walk today and the beautiful sounds of spring were all around me and it allowed me to really interpret the nature.

Although I do enjoy listening to music on my device, I think to truly interpret and connect with the nature around us, we need to fully disconnect and listen to the sounds of the earth.

I am so happy to hear that “take me home, Country Roads” resonates deeply with many of my peers. It will forever be an iconic song to me!

Image retrieved from: http://oceanpax.blogspot.com/2009_11_08_archive.html

When I began to brainstorm for my blog this week, this quote from the movie August Rush (2007) popped into my head. Although I hadn’t thought of this movie in a long time, there are some very important messages in it relating to music. I think there is a lot of truth behind this quote because the rhythmic tones of music are everywhere around us in nature. This concept was supported in the paper “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music” by Gray et al. 2001. From the sounds of a babbling brook to the croaking of frogs on a damp evening to the singsong of birds in the morning - music will forever be embedded into the nature around us.

This is a video I recorded April 1st, 2020. It captures the sound of the frogs talking to each other on that evening. Video taken by J. Droog.

Growing up in a very musical family, I was introduced to music at a young age. I learnt the importance of storytelling through music. Whether it is accompanied by lyrics, or simply instrumental, music always has a story to tell. Through my life experiences, I have had the opportunity to form a strong relationship with both nature and music separately, as well as together. For me, going outdoors and exercising by myself, whether I am running, walking or rollerblading is when I feel most at ease. I think this has a lot to do with the fact that when I am out by myself, I am truly absorbing all the harmonious sounds around me. Being able to connect with the sounds and music of nature is what truly makes my heart sing!

However, a lot of the time when I am going out for a walk, I find myself leaning more towards listening to music off my device. This is not because I want to drown out the noise around me, but because I find myself wanting to listen to music while I’m enjoying the nature around me. I find that there is an interchangeability between the energy I get from being in nature and simultaneously listening to music that lifts me up.

In the Ares reading for Unit 7 this week, Gray et al. (2001) stated that “The ambient sound of an environment mimics a modern-day orchestra: the voice of each creature has its own frequency, amplitude, timbre, and duration, and occupies a unique niche among the other musicians”. This direct quote relates to both nature in music and music in nature as it shows the reciprocating relationship between the occurrence and the production of the music.

One song that will always take me back to a natural landscape is John Denver’s “Take Me Home, Country Roads”. This song holds a special meaning to me as it has become a family favourite over the years. Whether we are on a long road-trip or sitting around a fire in the backyard, this song always seems to weasel its way onto our playlist. One memory in particular that I recall of my family singing this song in nature was back in 2014 when our friends from the Netherlands visited us in Canada. We sang and laughed for hours in our backyard and enjoyed the music and nature around us.

This is a photo of my sister and I, singing along to John Denver with our friend Manny in our backyard. Photo taken by my dad in 2014.

Thank you for reading along with my blog this week! I can’t wait to hear about how you all interpret music in nature!

Janieka :)

References:

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., and Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science. 291(5501).

It’s wonderful how many people in the class have fond memories associated with John Denver songs, he seems to have had a good influence on us. Take Me Home Country Roads is a great song, I have some really fond memories of it too! My parents are both huge John Denver fans, and that song was played a lot in my household growing up. I remember dancing to it with my brother when I was small, and more recently listening to it while relaxing with my family. Its funny how a single song can have so many memories attached to it. 

You mentioned that you find yourself listening to the music on your device when in nature, and I find that interesting because I’m just the opposite! I listen to music almost all day, except for when I’m out in nature. Then I feel like listening to the ambient sounds around me gives me helps me to stay in the moment, and feel more calm while walking in nature. So, it’s really interesting to me that you use music to lift you up while in nature! I see so many other people doing the same, and I’ve always wondered why, so I really enjoyed reading your response.

Are there specific genres of music that you’re drawn to when in nature? Does it differ based on your mood or the surroundings?

Thank you so much for interacting with my blog!! It makes me very happy to know that “Take me Home, Country Roads” was not only a major part of my life but as well as those around me! I agree, such a great song!! My most recent memories of that song was at the beginning of quarantine last March when my sister and her boyfriend moved back home to my parents house. One night we decided to have a jam session in the living room and ended singing some John Denver!

Great questions that you asked!!

I definitely would say that the genre I choose to listen to depends heavily on my mood and/or activity I am doing in nature!

When I am walking/running to exercise I prefer to listen to upbeat music. I prefer listening to soft, folk-like music when I am wanting to enjoy a more peaceful, slow-paced time outdoors!

Overall, I do enjoy listening to the natural music of the outdoors and want to works towards experiencing that more often!

Cheers,

I'm going to paint a picture for you all, and I would like you to try to immerse yourself in the following scenario. It is a stormy evening; rain trickles down on your window as you hear the cracking and roaring sounds of thunder in the distance. Our world is filled with countless natural sounds that we blissfully listen to in our daily lives. We are always surrounded by the music of nature, whether we realize it or not. It may not always be as intricate as the scenario I made you all envision; it can be something as simple as the birds chirping in the morning. Often when interpreting the environment, we can get caught up in the visual components of our surroundings while neglecting to take a minute and listen to the beautiful orchestra of sounds nature makes.

The physical sounds of nature can change our minds and bodily perception of an environment. Often listening to natural sounds can entice certain forms of emotions from an individual. Listening to the rolling waves crash onto a shoreline may lead an individual to relax and feel at ease. Interpreting the environment through the sounds we encounter may also allow us to see our surroundings differently. If you hear a bird call in the distance, it may leave you feeling intrigued and curious. Natural sounds will enable us to connect with all aspects of a landscape.

A photo of Lake Ontario taken by me. Can you imagine the sound of the water rolling onto the shore?

Finding nature in music is often challenging. Music can capture people's attention and increases their receptivity to information (Beck & Knudson, 2018). Unfortunately, there are very limited songs that use and discuss the natural world in an educational context. I believe music can be an excellent tool for an interpreter, especially for those who are more auditory learners.

An illustration by Aleksandra Podobnaia taken from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/44332377572124080/

Although, there are other ways to integrate the natural world into music. There is a growing movement of music that incorporates sounds created in nature in the composition of a song, similar to example presented in this weeks unit. I also believe we can find nature in music through our experiences. Have you ever listened to a song that reminds you of a particular place or experience? Whether it be a road trip or a hiking trip, the music we listen to while on this journey can create emotional ties with the environment you are in.

An illustration by Jane Luxford with a famous quote of William Shakespeare taken from https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/185492078393101665/

One song in particular that I listen to immediately takes me back to one of the best trips I have ever had. The song is called San Francisco by The Mowglis. I downloaded this song on my trip to San Francisco as, for some unapparent reason, I thought it would be fun to listen to a song with the title of a place I was going to. Every time I play this song, I am reminded of the fantastic time I had walking along the pier or walking through the golden gate park.

Can you think of any songs that utilize music as a platform for environmental change?

References

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

You made a really important point about how we can get mesmerized by the visual components of the landscape in nature that we neglect to listen to all the intricate sounds of nature communicating. I know personally, when I am out in nature and the landscape is very visually demanding, I forget to take a moment and appreciate the sounds of nature. As discussed in Unit 7 of the class notes, Tilden stated that, “Interpretation is an art, which combines many arts, whether the materials presented are scientific, historical, or architectural” (Hooykaas, 2021). Busy-ness and desensitivity can interfere with our ability to appreciate and interpret nature around us. We tend to hear many things when we are out in nature, but we typically stop listening - interpreting - when we become overwhelmed by “noise”. I think when we cease to hear, we cease to appreciate. I think it is important for us to use all of our senses when interpreting nature and not simply limiting ourselves to just visual interpretation.

I love this photo you shared of Lake Ontario! I spend a lot of time visiting Lake Huron, so just by looking at this image I can already hear the sounds of the waves crashing along the shore.

Here is a photo I took this summer (2020) in Grand Bend, ON. The sunset was absolutely beautiful that evening and it will forever be a special memory to me!

One song that utilizes music as a platform for environmental change is “If a Tree Falls” by Bruce Cockburn. This song is very powerful as he speaks the verses and only sings the chorus. I think this truly helps to get the seriousness of the topic of climate crisis across. Cockburn makes clear references to how connected we are to our environment and how practices like clear cutting forests can have devastating impacts on areas and the people who live there as a result of flood plains and deserts forming after vegetation is removed. In a world where we still are looking for ways to control carbon emissions, this song drives home how trees play a significant role in this natural process.

Although this song was released in 1988, I think it still has an important impact today. By artists expressing their environmental concerns through their songs, I think it is a fantastic way to inspire their audiences.

Thank you again for sharing your perspective on music’s role in natural interpretation!

Janieka :)

References:

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 07: Nature Interpretation through Music [Course website]. University of Guelph CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca

Nature interpretation and history.

“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 (Hooykaas, 2020)

This quote makes me think of ecosystems and how humans conserve them throughout history. I think of production forests or agricultural land where the original ecosystem has been changed in order to service humans. This change almost always entails simplifying the system, by getting rid of parts and making to less complex. Humans also justify this by saying something like the systems is not getting ruined because it is sustainable. However, sustainability doesn’t necessarily mean it is of high integrity. One clear example of this is production forests in the Canadian silviculture industry. Forrest ecosystems which like all large ecosystems and very complex, are altered such that the canopy is made up of only the species of tree that the silviculture industry uses. A forest that previously have up wards of 20 different tree species not only has one or two. This I found relates to the blog prompt very well such that there is no merit in ancient things or working to make things ancient (striving for sustainability in each system). 

photo of a production forest in canada. image from saltwire.com.

There is merit in integrity (keeping things whole or keeping all the pieces of the system in place). Right now, it seems as though If we are to reap the economic benefits of a production woodlot integrity or keeping all the pieces in place of the original woodlot is not an option. With our current systems of agriculture and silviculture, the small parts of the system are often scattered trough time. This has a profound effect on the interpretation of the natural world. And historically, we have been heading in this direction for a long time. 

photo from anthropocene magazine (https://www.anthropocenemagazine.org/2020/04/a-global-crop-reshuffle-could-reduce-agricultural-land-by-half/)

Ever since, the introduction of agriculture thousands of years ago we have been turning areas with nature that inspires and brings peace to the interpreter, to monocultural systems that aren’t truly natural and are missing pieces. This continues today. These systems or missing parts are not useful to the modern nature interpreter as  looking at such a system is like looking at an assembly line rather than nature. To fix this I see a couple of solutions. The first of which is to keep the systems of little integrity such as production forest as they are and maintain integrity of the areas that have not been converted to this system. the second solution is to find a way to restore and protect the integrity of all natural areas while also using the resources provided by the natural world. In the case of production forests this could mean using very minimal selective harvest methods over very large areas. History has taught us that change is incremental, with that being said we can likely implement one of these solutions or a combination of them it just may take time and we must start small (Beck et al. 2018).

 here is an article that outlines the managment of our natural resources throughout history: https://www.britannica.com/topic/natural-resource-management

References:

I like your connecting of ecosystems and the historical context. As a person whose parents and grandparents came from a farming background, I appreciate your assembly line analogy of modern agriculture.

My parents left agriculture in part because they did not want to conform to this ideology. I think this is why it is so important to know the story, as each part contributes to the whole. In addition, it seems so important that people in agriculture in particular, but most people in general, work with the surrounding ecosystem, rather than using force to change it or suppress it.

I agree that the integrity of naturalized areas needs to be maintained, and that resource extraction needs to occur within the natural evolution of the natural area. I believe it is possible to achieve a minimal environmental impact when using natural resources and allowing the local ecosystem to replenish itself.

Change of practice often requires a first small step, but in this case, we need to keep in mind how each step will not only impact the current condition, but also the future condition of the ecosystem. On top of this, we need to also understand that resource extraction needs to be done in a responsible and sustainable way so that the resource is available for generations and the resource is self sustaining.

Thank you so much for sharing your perspective on natural interpretation and its relation to history!

I have always been taught that it is important to find a hobby that you are passionate about in order to occupy your time. In my opinion the best way to learn about something is to jump right in and figure it out. This is how I have approached most things in my life as a hands-on person I have found I can read and study about something all day long, but the learning only begins when the knowledge can be applied. As I have mentioned in one of my past blogs, my experience with nature started shortly after I was born as I was gifted a maple tree sapling by a friend of my dad. I had the opportunity to watch it grow for many years before my family moved, but it wasn’t until the start of quarantine that my passion for nature began again. 

Photograph taken by Abayburina, retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/utg5jtx6

Just like many others, bored during quarantine I was in search of something to keep me busy. Being locked inside without a real reason to get exercise forced me to find an alternative. I found myself going on long walks with my girlfriend a few times a week through a large park in my neighbourhood. Not only did this enable me to start moving around a little more, but it reignited my passion for enjoying nature. Being passionate is an important trait that most nature interpreters possess (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018). The reason it is so important for a nature interpreter to be passionate is because that passion, enthusiasm and excitement tends to rub off on those around you. This is more formally known as “The Gift of Passion” which I was able to gain after the long walks and adventures in the park. 

Photograph taken by Fernando Borges Ferreira, retrieved from https://tinyurl.com/1vx7yxrk

Another passion I have found that reflects the beauty of nature is over the summer when I started to grow a garden. With being the hands-on person that I am, I wanted to be able to make my own tea along with a variety of vegetables in my garden. Knowing absolutely nothing about gardening I picked up the seeds, did a little bit of research on google and just went for it. Without realizing it I had inspired a few friends of mine to start regularly going on walks and to begin working on gardens of their own. As mentioned in “Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World” by Beck, Cable & Knudson, if you talk about something, you’re excited about it tends to be infections resulting in the people around you feeling that same energy about the hobby that you do. In relation to this, it makes sense to me why my passion for gardening was reflected onto others around me.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed following!

- Howard Dodick

Questions for my readers

What hobbies or interests have you picked up and how did your passion for it begin? Did you jump right into it or did the passion slowly develop over time?

 References

I enjoyed reading your post and hearing about your gardening experience, as it connects with my post this week about my summer job growing local organic produce. During quarantine I also developed a deeper appreciation and passion for the natural environment around me. For me, I was privileged to embark on hikes in the forest at my local conservation area. I gradually found myself disconnecting from technology more, and becoming more connected to the present moment and stillness within the forest. I became more intimately aware of my surroundings, and longed to spend time in nature daily. Going outside at different times allowed me to have different and unique experiences. For example, going at sunrise was an entirely different experience than going at sunset. During the Winter break, I accompanied my mom on morning hikes. Being able to hear snow melting off of the trees from the morning sun is such a surreal experience. Although I increased my nature intake during quarantine as something to do, I want to continue to implement going outside into the natural world as part of my daily routine. To answer your question, another hobby in addition to hiking that I have a passion for is rollerblading! I used to rollerblade years ago as a child, but picked this hobby back up during quarantine. I loved enjoying the sunsets and the nature around me while exercising my body!

Here is a photo I took during one of my rollerblades in St. Marys, ON. Taken by J. Droog, 2020.

Thank you again for sharing about your passions in nature!