Jasmine May

On a Sunday afternoon when I was around eight years old, I was trying to find a good movie to watch. I stumbled upon “Envy” by Ben Stiller and Jack Black that’s about a man who quickly became rich selling a product that when sprayed on dog feces it would make it disappear. Only later on people started to wonder where the feces went and from what I remember, due to toxic chemicals in the product it had to be recalled and the man lost all of his wealth. While this may not seem like it has any connection to nature interpretation, looking back I believe this is the day in which I really started to care about the environment. Looking back, although it wasn’t the best great film in my opinion, it got me to start questioning what really happens to all of the disposable products that we use. Obviously, I was still quite young while watching this movie, and I didn’t have that major realization all at once, but it had definitely inspired me to try to educate my family and friends about living a more sustainable lifestyle.

“…Being an environmental educator in today’s world feels like you are asked to stop a rushing river armed only with a teaspoon” (Hooykaas, 2021). This analogy by environmental educator Jacob Rodenburg shows that trying to educate people today about nature is pretty much impossible. The reason I believe this is the case is because people only care and act on something if it directly affects them and depending on how much energy it takes to do it. This leads to my personal beliefs and responsibilities as a nature interpreter. I personally feel responsible to share my knowledge of pressing topics with those around me. I find that using media as a tool within nature interpretation along with traditional forms of interpretation is the best approach at creating an engaging and fun experience with my audience. I have done this in the past with family and friends by simply recommending an episode of a Netflix show known as “Broken”, but specifically the episode known as ‘Recycling sham”. The show goes into detail on the current recycling situation around the world and how it is broken, and by showing my family and friends the episode demonstrates ways that they can make changes in their lives to be more sustainable. The reason I find this very effective as a nature interpreter is because it is the role of a nature interpreter to find your interpretation relevant and be able to connect on a personal level (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).It has been said that “Professionals don’t merely take a picture; they make a picture” which allows the series of messages from the creator to be portrayed to you without you needing to be there (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).In my situation I would be using the work of the interpreters that created the film as a tool to get my audience engaged and understand the relevance of the situation to their lives, then giving them the tools to be able to apply their newly learnt knowledge. In a nature interpretation setting, I feel that it is my responsibility to create a memorable experience to my audience so that they can leave with a deeper understanding of the subject at hand ((Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).The best way to do this would be to follow the TORE acronym: T (thematic with a focus on the main message conveyed), O (organized to provide structure and meaning), R (relevant to the audience), E (enjoyable for the audience) (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).More specifically, it would be important to speak confidently and with enthusiasm and passion along with a great sense of humour (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).

My personal ethic in terms of my development as a nature interpreter can simply be described as “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Within interpretation this has two primary applications:

1. My audience

2. The nature being interpreted

Firstly, as I have mentioned before, I feel a strong responsibility for making sure the audience had an enjoyable and memorable experience, but unfortunately there is always the chance it could be memorable for the wrong reasons. Back in 2013, I was on a weeklong history and nature interpretation trip in Israel and found myself having a very unpleasant experience with the tour guide. For starters he did not make it enjoyable or engaging and was overall very rude and he ruined my experience. I once thought it would go without saying an interpreter should treat its guests as they would want to be treated but having gone through that experience, I would make sure to never repeat his mistakes. Secondly, I believe that it is incredibly important to have respect for the area that is being interpreted. Whether it be a historical site or just somewhere out in nature, it is important to promote the preservation of the area and protect it against pollution or general damages by yourself and the guests.

A belief that I would bring as a nature interpreter is that it is absolutely necessary to have a full understanding and connection to the subject that is being interpreted. This was actually apart of my response during my second blog post, as I felt that my ideal environment for nature interpretation would be at the Earl Bales park near my home as I feel that I have an understanding and connection environment. The same can be said about a more general topic such as sustainability. I believe that it would be very important for someone interpretating nature and pollution to be sustainable and ecofriendly themselves. As stated in Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world by Beck, Cable & Knudson “Interpreters seek to add the essential elements of heightened appreciated, deeper understanding, and new ways of seeing the world.” It would be very hypocritical and morally wrong to teach something that you don’t believe in yourself as interpreters “…need to practice their craft with integrity and a high regard for the truth” (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).

Overall, enrolling in this course gave me the opportunity to dive deep into learning how to share my knowledge and experiences with those around me creating great learning and memorable moments while also learning how to articulate these thoughts into writing through the blog posts. I hope you have all enjoyed following me through my nature interpretation journey, and I really hope you were all able to take something away from reading my blogs.

-Howard

References

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

Great post, I enjoyed reading your ideas and particularly enjoy your thoughts regarding sharing pressing topics with those around you. You raise many great points about the value of interpreting and how this course has shaped the ability to share knowledge and experiences with others. It’s very important to consider the audience in any setting and how engaging them is done effectively. I think we all have ample opportunities every day to help explain how we can make changes to support a more sustainable future. We must continue to help those around us enjoy and respect the environment. It’s definitely up to people to take action that leads to cumulative contributions towards benefiting the environment.

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

We need to work collaboratively with schools, parents, community groups, faith groups, governments, and non-governmental agencies to help future generations love, learn about, care for, protect, and enhance the environment. Indeed the future of the planet depends upon it (Jacob Rodenburg, 2019).

This week’s reading reminds us that there is hope but it’s up to everyone to act for the future. As an interpreter making a memorable experience is important. You raise a great point in how someone could leave a negatively influenced memory during an interpretation. Sometimes observing the mistakes of others is a powerful example of what not to do. As the golden rule states people should treat others the way they want to be treated. We must not repeat mistakes. We are constantly learning and that is valuable to who we are to continue to move forward. Having respect for other forms of life or the area being interpreted is critical to a good experience for all.  

Photo by Matthew Smith on Unsplash

“As stated in Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world by Beck, Cable & Knudson “Interpreters seek to add the essential elements of heightened appreciated, deeper understanding, and new ways of seeing the world.” It would be very hypocritical and morally wrong to teach something that you don’t believe in yourself as interpreters “…need to practice their craft with integrity and a high regard for the truth” (Beck, Cable & Knudson, 2018).”

As you state it sums it up very accurately that it is incredibly important to be ethical and believe in yourself and what you are preaching during an interpretation of any kind. The craft needs to be practiced with integrity and high regard to the truth because it makes it genuinely fulfilling for all and provides moral justification only if these regards are held. 

Have a great day,

Great semester!

Justin

Refrences

First off, I really appreciated the use of quotes in your posts.

I also think that your idea to approach interpretation using media to be engaging is a really smart way to reach the appropriate audience when talking about the general public. It shows that you the weekly prompt to think about your audience while interpreting throughout this course has paid off. If you’re looking for resources to learn from or just for a little entertainment, I came across this Instagram account a few weeks ago called Nerdy About Nature, it’s funny and I’ve learned some things already https://www.instagram.com/nerdyaboutnature/. As an academic source, I found an article called Evaluation of Interpretive Media Use and Effectiveness at a Nature Center, which evaluated the use of QR codes (Mayorga, Cable & Mullins, 2017). In the study they found that they were not used by visitors to their full potential, but that there are projections that this would become more comfortable to the general public in the future (Mayorga, Cable & Mullins, 2017). Seen as this was written in 2017, and recently with the pandemic many restaurants and other locations have been using QR codes as a safer method than handing out menus or pamphlets, I think that most people are comfortable with them now and it can be proven much more effective at this point. Another reason that I liked the article is because it touched on many other points that we brought up throughout this course such as researching into your audience and finding potential barriers to why certain groups are not reaching your center/program. As well as being sure to have one main takeaway being supported by the program/display, which is what we were working on in creating our podcasts. So, if you get the chance it’s a good read.

image: Nerdy About Nature logo - a graphic of a river, trees and mountain with a banner around the circle that says “Nerdy About Nature”. Taken from the Nerdy About Nature website http://nerdyaboutnature.com/.

I also found the story that you shared about wondering where dog poop “disappears” to in the movie and how that relates to how we live our lives today. The way that our waste system works is kind of like the product in the movie, as long as you get the garbage to the curb on time, it “disappears” probably never to be seen by you again. Maybe we need to rethink the way that waste is collected in our cities so that everyone can have an appreciation for how much waste is generated and what happens to things once you’re done with them. It’s also important to note how this relates to environmental racism and how some communities are specifically targeted to be the ones who deal with the aftermath of everyone’s waste by being close to landfills and treatment centers.

I though thought that this GIF symbolizes our magical garbage cans a little bit.

Lastly, I want to touch on what you discussed about making sure that you know exactly what you’re talking about before interpreting something. While I agree that an instructor or leader in anything needs to be educated on the topic, and certainly needs to be passionate, I don’t think that they need to know absolutely everything from the get-go. Asking questions and allowing others, including the “student” to broaden your perspective and teach you thinks in turn is an important part of being an instructor. I believe that to have an authentic interpretive/instructional experience it has to be a reciprocal relationship between interpreter/instructor and student/interpretee (is that a word?). This is a way that we can help all of us see a little bit more of what’s inside our invisible backpacks and help to eliminate some of the barriers that may be invisible to us.

Well, that was a bit of a whirlwind of thoughts, but I hope that you can get something out of this response! 

-Jasmine

References

As I write this final blog post I look back on everything I have learned. I have thoroughly enjoyed this unique, creative and expressive way to communicate myself and my development with my classmates. Without this platform, I would not have had the opportunity to get to know my classmates and their interpretations of nature throughout this semester – they would have remained strangers as many of my classmates from other classes have. I feel like I made new friends along the road to nature interpretation as I have met individuals who share similar interests and passions as me. I am especially grateful to have made these friends during a time where meeting new people is pretty much impossible!

I am sad to be leaving behind this amazing community as the semester ends, however perhaps I’d be fortunate enough to continue to discuss the vast wonders of nature with other nature-lovers through the platform of this blog. I hope that as I develop as a nature interpreter, I can meet new people who can introduce me to new skills so that I may share the gift of nature with as many people as possible. I would say that my journey through this course has really helped me develop as a nature interpreter. I would say I am rather different than the nature interpreters I had in my life growing up such as my mother, my father even my aunt and grandparents all played important roles and taught me about nature in my youth. Not to mention other more famous nature interpreters that I learned of as I grew up such as Steve Irwin, Sir David Attenborough and Jane Goodall who are all huge role models for me as I begin my journey as a conservationist, zookeeper and nature interpreter.

I’ve had many opportunities in my life to express to the people in my life how amazing nature is. Growing up I was the child that obsessed over it and craved to learn more and more everyday – I couldn’t get enough. I often thought to myself “Nature so is so cool! How come not everyone knows about this”. And at a young age I took it upon myself to tell my younger siblings stories about wild animals and ecosystems. Eventually – and rather quickly I might add – I soon knew more weird facts about animals than even my parents! I distinctly remember visiting a zoo with my family and my mother and I were looking down into a pit where a capybara was resting. For those of you that don’t know what a capybara is, it is the world’s largest rodent! As my mother stood there wondering what that animal could be, 11 year old me turned to her and said “that’s a capybara” she looked at me doubtful and asked how I knew that, and I told her it was because I had seen pictures of them before and quickly told her that capybaras are the largest rodents in the world. Still doubtful that what I was saying was true, she walked over to the sing outside the enclosure and sure enough it stated exactly what I had told her. Needless to say, she was rather impressed!

When it comes to nature interpretation, I believe that everyone has the right to know about the natural world around them. I believe that the more people understand the vast complexities of nature, the more they will be appreciating, and the more people will want to protect it from further damage. As we all know the ecosystems of are planet are being destroyed due to human activity and consumption and it is my life goal to try to mitigate these effects. I believe that if more people became aware of the problems, we as a species are causing, the more people are to change their habits in order to help. This class has however taught me the importance of invisible backpacks when it comes to nature interpretation which is something I had never considered before. It goes without saying that life is not fair, and some individuals are born with advantages others do not. The differences in these advantages and disadvantages across humanity are a big reason behind why some do not know much about nature. As I continue with my journey to becoming a nature interpreter as well as a conservationist, it is extremely important to me that I consider the invisible backpacks of my audience members. It is my objective to be able to reach as many people as possible and to do so accommodations need to be made so that we may all appreciate nature to the fullest before it is too late.

The approaches I like to take to share nature is definitely through art. I’ve always been more artistic and creative than scientific, and I think that quality will help me reach out to a wider variety of individuals. Although I am expressive in various art forms, I think my favorite for expressing nature is by far through art. If you guys have been following my previous posts, you will have noticed I have discussed this under our weekly topic of Nature Through Art in which I shared a few of my favorite painting. I remember ever when I was kid, I used to strictly only paint and draw images of raw nature, meaning there were never traces of humans in them. That goes for houses, powerlines and people themselves. I used to think like this because I didn’t think human belonged in such beautiful landscapes since we often ruin them. Although that same sentiment is present in my art today it has since evolved in the sense that there is still hope humans and nature can coexist. This is seen in a few of my paintings such as the one with the woman with her feet in the water of the simple boat out on the water during sunset. These small inclusions of humanity in mainly natural settings is my way of expressing how beautiful nature is if we take care of it and that synergy is possible.

I hope you all appreciated this class as much as I did and learned so things that can help you al develop as nature interpreters!

There are a few things that I relate to in your post.

One thing that I never noticed is that I never include humans or their impacts in my paintings either. I’m not sure if I subconsciously don’t include them or if it is just because I wouldn’t be very good at it. The white dress in your painting is so beautiful and flows so perfectly.

Secondly, I want to share a memory that I have with my mom from the zoo as a kid. My mom would never let us skip school, except this one day she surprised us in the morning and said that we were skipping school to go to the zoo, the catch was that we took notebooks with us and had to record what we learned and saw at the zoo. I forget how old I was at the time, but I was just at the point where you can decipher most of what I was trying to write about. I still have the notebook now and it is such a great memory. One of my favourite facts that I still share today is that polar bears don’t actually have white fur, their hairs are actually hollow tubes to increase insulation. It’s amazing that as an 11 year old you knew so many animal facts already! Most of my information came from visits to the zoo and reading my Nat Geo Kids magazines that I would post the facts from on my wall so that I would remember them.

Where did you learn all of your animal info from?

Out of curiosity I wanted to see how much Nat Geo Kids magazine costs and it’s $20 for 10 magazines a year, what a great investment!

image: cover of a National Geography Kids magazine with a fox as the feature image. Taken from the National Geographic Kids website https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/subscribeuk/.

To me, this course and it’s timing has been pretty significant. It has been a sort of coming home to me to get back into the outdoor world and teaching after being on the backburner while I have thought of pursuing different careers. The two main moments in this course that struck a chord are the differentiation between a job and work, and what climate activism can look like.

image: a photo of a quote written inside the canoe hut at Camp Edgewood. “Look for the little miracles”. Photo taken by me.

I’m not sure that everyone has experienced what “work” feels like compared to a “job”, but I was lucky enough that one of my first jobs was working as a camp counsellor, among other things, at Camp Edgewood in Eden Mills. I worked there for two summers before, devastatingly, the camp had to shut down because of a lack of funding to replace our sewage system. Can you believe it? Working there meant giving up you whole summer, besides Saturdays to work 24 hours around the clock, anyone who works at camp knows this, but to me it never felt like a job and I remember saying this at the time. This place was so special, no matter someone’s background, it gave them a chance to connect with others and the nature around them. When you’re disconnected from the rest of the world, the news, and social media, social norms kind of go out the wind and you’re allowed to be as goofy and weird as you want because people are accepting. I remember a camper saying to me that the one week a year that they got to spend at camp weas the only time that they felt like they belonged and that they weren’t the outsider or the “weird one”. This setting and this community’s commitment to fostering these relationships is something that I seek for my work in the future. Lately, I’ve kind of thrown away the idea of “career” and I am committed to focusing on “work”. So, what makes it work for me? Making a difference.    

image: graphics of a melting earth with blue rings around it. Image taken from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/strategy/impact-and-opportunities-of-climate-change-on-business.html. 

This year I have really struggled with learning about climate change. It is so essential, yet draining, and leaves me without hope. In chapter 5 of Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage, a huge wave of relief washed over me when they explain how fostering relationships with nature is a way to help with climate change. This idea made me realize what my approach to solving climate change must be, to educate and excite people about the world that we live in. I know that as someone who knows about climate change, I need to lead a life that makes a difference, but the idea of having to think about and face this complex challenge every day in a job has been weighing on me and I hadn’t even started this mystery job! During this semester I have decided to apply to the Queen’s Outdoor and Experiential Education Teaching Program after I graduate from my Undergrad. This is the outlet that I can use to encourage stewardship for other people and do my part to help tackle the climate change challenge. Here is a link to an interview with one of my high school teachers talking about the OEE program: Queen’s University Outdoor & Experiential Education Program.

Throughout my BA in Geography I have been learning about the complex relationships between people and places and the details about those people and those places. What I have learned in taking this course is that part of my work needs to be on the frontlines of those relationships between people and spaces, particularly in the outdoors. I would like to teach in some sort of an outdoor setting. I hope that in doing this I can include different aspects of interpretation from science, art, history, education, and sustainability. Personally, I have always been a generalist, meaning that there are a lot of things that I am okay at, but there’s no one thing that I am an expert at. In this field, I can use this to my advantage because it required a lot of skills to interpret/teach.  

image: a photo of me at my cottage in Temagami, crouching under the old growth forest, picking blueberries. Photo taken by my sister

A direct application to what I have learned in this course will be the job that I landed this summer. I put myself out there and sent an email to the rental cottages around the area of my cottage asking if I could teach swimming lessons at their sites. I was answered right away and will be teaching swimming lessons, fishing skills, canoeing skills, and leading hikes just a short canoe ride from my cottage. I am so excited to learn more about the area so that I can teach it. Mostly, I am excited that I can be outside all day and help other people enjoy the outdoors. This type of job is something that I have been dreaming of since working at camp, but had deemed it as not a “career” job and had assumed that I would not make enough money at a job like this. I was wrong, no both fronts. Like I said before, I’m not worried about a job that looks good on a resume because it matches my degree, a so called “adult job”. I sought out the job that I know will make me happy and that at the end of the day I will be able to say that I did a good day’s “work”.  

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading along with my realizations, hopes, and dreams. What do you want to be when you grow up (not your adult job, your real job)?  

Goodbye for now.

Jasmine

I’m glad to that were able to connect to my post and super excited that the link to the Queens program may have opened some doors for you! My favourite part about these blog posts has been the ability to share links with each other to interesting opportunities and resources. Based on the topics that you said you are learning, I assume that you are in EGOV or another program within the Geography department. But, if you aren’t and you haven’t take the courses GEOG 2210, GEOG 3210, and GEOG 4210, they are a series of courses about resource use and Indigenous relationships within what we call Canada.

P.S. I also change my mind about what I want to about once a month, that’s why I love geography so much, it is so diverse and allows me to explore different topics. Maybe you can relate.

Maybe I’ll see you at Queens someday!

To me, this course and it’s timing has been pretty significant. It has been a sort of coming home to me to get back into the outdoor world and teaching after being on the backburner while I have thought of pursuing different careers. The two main moments in this course that struck a chord are the differentiation between a job and work, and what climate activism can look like.

image: a photo of a quote written inside the canoe hut at Camp Edgewood. “Look for the little miracles”. Photo taken by me.

I’m not sure that everyone has experienced what “work” feels like compared to a “job”, but I was lucky enough that one of my first jobs was working as a camp counsellor, among other things, at Camp Edgewood in Eden Mills. I worked there for two summers before, devastatingly, the camp had to shut down because of a lack of funding to replace our sewage system. Can you believe it? Working there meant giving up you whole summer, besides Saturdays to work 24 hours around the clock, anyone who works at camp knows this, but to me it never felt like a job and I remember saying this at the time. This place was so special, no matter someone’s background, it gave them a chance to connect with others and the nature around them. When you’re disconnected from the rest of the world, the news, and social media, social norms kind of go out the wind and you’re allowed to be as goofy and weird as you want because people are accepting. I remember a camper saying to me that the one week a year that they got to spend at camp weas the only time that they felt like they belonged and that they weren’t the outsider or the “weird one”. This setting and this community’s commitment to fostering these relationships is something that I seek for my work in the future. Lately, I’ve kind of thrown away the idea of “career” and I am committed to focusing on “work”. So, what makes it work for me? Making a difference.    

image: graphics of a melting earth with blue rings around it. Image taken from https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/topics/strategy/impact-and-opportunities-of-climate-change-on-business.html. 

This year I have really struggled with learning about climate change. It is so essential, yet draining, and leaves me without hope. In chapter 5 of Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage, a huge wave of relief washed over me when they explain how fostering relationships with nature is a way to help with climate change. This idea made me realize what my approach to solving climate change must be, to educate and excite people about the world that we live in. I know that as someone who knows about climate change, I need to lead a life that makes a difference, but the idea of having to think about and face this complex challenge every day in a job has been weighing on me and I hadn’t even started this mystery job! During this semester I have decided to apply to the Queen’s Outdoor and Experiential Education Teaching Program after I graduate from my Undergrad. This is the outlet that I can use to encourage stewardship for other people and do my part to help tackle the climate change challenge. Here is a link to an interview with one of my high school teachers talking about the OEE program: Queen’s University Outdoor & Experiential Education Program.

Throughout my BA in Geography I have been learning about the complex relationships between people and places and the details about those people and those places. What I have learned in taking this course is that part of my work needs to be on the frontlines of those relationships between people and spaces, particularly in the outdoors. I would like to teach in some sort of an outdoor setting. I hope that in doing this I can include different aspects of interpretation from science, art, history, education, and sustainability. Personally, I have always been a generalist, meaning that there are a lot of things that I am okay at, but there’s no one thing that I am an expert at. In this field, I can use this to my advantage because it required a lot of skills to interpret/teach.  

image: a photo of me at my cottage in Temagami, crouching under the old growth forest, picking blueberries. Photo taken by my sister

A direct application to what I have learned in this course will be the job that I landed this summer. I put myself out there and sent an email to the rental cottages around the area of my cottage asking if I could teach swimming lessons at their sites. I was answered right away and will be teaching swimming lessons, fishing skills, canoeing skills, and leading hikes just a short canoe ride from my cottage. I am so excited to learn more about the area so that I can teach it. Mostly, I am excited that I can be outside all day and help other people enjoy the outdoors. This type of job is something that I have been dreaming of since working at camp, but had deemed it as not a “career” job and had assumed that I would not make enough money at a job like this. I was wrong, no both fronts. Like I said before, I’m not worried about a job that looks good on a resume because it matches my degree, a so called “adult job”. I sought out the job that I know will make me happy and that at the end of the day I will be able to say that I did a good day’s “work”.  

If you’ve made it this far, thanks for reading along with my realizations, hopes, and dreams. What do you want to be when you grow up (not your adult job, your real job)?  

Goodbye for now.

Jasmine

In regards to my dream job I am still juggling some ideas, however I do know I want to make a difference either through educating the next generation of nature lovers or somehow contributing to research that can make a difference to protect our planet. Included in the research avenue I am interested at looking into ways to reduce or offset air pollutants which would aid to slow climate change. Outside of research though I am considering something in the education field in which I could educate the next generation of nature lovers to so that beautiful nature landscapes can be preserved for future generations (Beck et al., 2018). Now I believe I am actually ready for this career in nature education since I understand that individuals at different ages should be taught varying things so that they may develop a love of nature and protect it. For instance individuals under 11 should be taught to love and explore nature and that only once they are older than 11 should they engage in solving real world problems (Beck et al., 2018).

Now I understand you have a general framework of what you want to do for work so my question for you is what do you not want to do and why?

References:

What I do not want as a job is something that keeps me inside all day, after learning what it’s like to work from a computer all day, I know that this is something that my body and my mind cannot handle. 

Secondly, I know that, emotionally, I cannot handle a job that deals with the frontlines of climate change, whether that be research, politics, or full time activism. I strongly believe that everyone needs to join the battle against climate change, but for me I understand that through education and stewardship is the best method for me to help the cause and not burn out.

Thanks for asking this question, it’s an important thing to reflect on.

Nature is full of incredible, sometimes unbelievably exciting things.  

American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos) are amongst some of the most intelligent animals in the world (Baraniuk, 2019).

Crows are very social, living in groups called “murders”. Sometimes these groups can be in the thousands, which must be quite something to experience. Crows are adaptable, playful and often very curious. Crows are also known to be trouble-makers, but I think it makes them resourceful and excellent problem solvers! These beautiful birds knock over garbage bins and scavenge snacks wherever they can, which can make them messy in urban areas, but also allows for their survival in their urban niche (Cornell Lab of Ornithology, n.d). 

Humans have known that crows are incredibly sly for a long time, but in recent years research has shown that perhaps they are even smarter than we initially thought (Baraniuk, 2019)!

New Caledonian crows use branches and sticks to dig out insects and grubs from trees. (Credit: Alamy, BBC Earth 2014)

New Caledonian crows have evolved such that creating and using tools is part of their typical foraging behaviour. This was first seen by researchers at the University of Oxford in 2002 when Betty, a New Caledonian crow, bent a piece of wire to create a hooked tool in order to scoop up some tasty pig heart. At the time, Betty was thought of as an incredibly intelligent crow, but now research has shown that this clever ability is widespread throughout the corvids (Baraniuk, 2019). Though, this is not to negate Betty’s clever abilities! 

Since this incredible feat of Betty’s was witnessed by researchers, the nature of these birds’ cognitive abilities has been studied closely. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbSu2PXOTOc - A crow completing an intricate puzzle in order to get a food reward. 

The video linked above demonstrates a crow nicknamed “007” solving a puzzle with eight distinct steps in order to get a reward of a snack. Though puzzled at first, the smart creature quickly sorts out the steps he needs to take in order to accomplish his task and acquire his treat (BBC Earth, 2014). Watching videos like these, or even watching crows out in nature in urban areas and green spaces, makes me feel a personal connection to them. For me, it leaves me in a state of awe watching birds use their memories, problem solving skills and pure cleverness, to solve a relatively challenging task. I think for me, it makes me feel as though we are so much closer to nature than we feel we are. Crows are brilliant animals, and their playful and mischievous ways make me feel like we have a connection to them that some many not acknowledge. Crows can remember human faces- they remember those that have wronged them and will never forget. Crows are known to swoop down on people that have caused them harm before, along with other members of their murders! They also trust humans that feed them, and will come back to those they trust. 

Is there any animal, or any element of nature, that makes you feel more connected to nature? Crows continue to amaze me more each day. What aspects of nature stir up these feelings in you? 

A quote from the book, “Gifts of the Crow- How Perception, Emotion, and Thought Allow Smart Birds to Behave Like Humans” by John Marzluff and Tony Angell, that struck a chord in me, when referring to infrared camera imaging of crows to determine what part of their bodies were working the hardest.

“And the crows’ heads were lit up like holiday lights. The energy of thought and coordination illuminated a darkening sky like strings of flying light bulbs.” (Marzluff, Angell, 2013).

References:

American Crow IDENTIFICATION, all about Birds, Cornell lab of ornithology. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Crow/id

Baraniuk, C. (2019, December 11). Crows could be the Smartest animal other than primates. Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191211-crows-could-be-the-smartest-animal-other-than-primates

BBCEarth. (2014, September 10). Are crows the ultimate problem solvers? | inside the animal mind | bbc earth. Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbSu2PXOTOc

I like how you bring up the point about how we think that we’re so different than nature. Humans are a part of nature and it’s so weird how so many of us live our lives trying to block the outdoors out. It’s so weird. What makes me feel connected to nature is putting in the work. By this I mean after a long portage, or sitting to rest on a rock after setting up camp, in these moments is when I feel most connected to nature. The challenges of being on a camping trip make me feel more human, more a real part of nature. We are so busy, even with the pandemic and there are so many people facing such hardships, but basic survival and caring for yourself and those around you is so rewarding. With the pandemic, more people are getting outdoors who haven’t done so before and I am so excited for the people that will be witnessing this for the first time and I hope that this trends lasts beyond the pandemic. So few people are privileged enough to get to experience what I described above and the way things are today I am hopeful that more people are getting to experience the outdoors.

Thanks for teaching me about crows.

video: video compilation of underground footage of seeds growing. Video posted by Goodful on Youtube. 

Plant Growth Magic

The most mesmerizing thing to me about nature is plant growth. 

How can a little seed sitting underground turn into a flower or even a tree with just a little time, sunlight and water??? Or even not with soil, just in water as is the case with sprouts and hydroponics. They know which way is up and they know how to find the sun. It is so beautiful and crazy to me.  

Have you ever sat and thought about seeds before? A hard shell is packed with so much inside. There is a baby plant inside each seed and the seed stores food for the plant in there as well. It all stays packed inside until the outer shell is soaked through and cracks. These seeds can feel spring coming just like we do. You know the feeling of spring? Take a moment to think about what spring feels like to you. To seeds, spring feels like dark, damp yet warm soil. The first act of the new baby plant is to grow a root down. As soon as this is done, the plant works on getting its leaves towards the sunlight because that store of food from inside the seed is running out and they need sunlight to have good enough food to grow (Exploratorium, n.d.). Kind of like when you’re running low on the ramen stock in the back of the cupboard and you know you need to get to the grocery store, where the real food is. Once it makes it out of the soil, it’s home free and the plant just keeps being magical by turning sunlight into bigger leaves through photosynthesis.  

And can we talk about the most precious soft, warm colour of fresh plant growth? Where does this subtle translucent green come from?  

image: three stages of leaf growth in a sprouting plant. Photo taken from https://www.clearwaycommunitysolar.com/blog/science-center-home-experiments-for-kids/measuring-plant-growth-with-sunlight/ 

To start off, the reason why we see them as green is because plants reflect some of the photons of light that are green in the light spectrum (Ortega, 2020). This is new information. Scientists have only just recently discovered the real reason why plants reflect green light even though it is the most common part of the spectrum radiated by the sun’s rays. It because they value stability over efficiency. Plants are looking for stability in the energy coming in so that they can maintain cell health, this is possible with wavelengths of red and blue light but not with green. Green light can be blocked by shade or other factors and it makes the energy input waver instead of being consistent (Ortega, 2020). Plants choose stability. Does this have anything to do with why houseplants are so popular these days? We’re all just looking for a little stability?

Have you ever grown your own plants from a seed?

I love growing my own sprouts because they are so magical and so healthy.  

Grow your own sprouts 

MATERIALS:

- Jar with straining lid OR jar with cheesecloth OR cup and use your hand as a strainer.

- Green lentils (cheapest) OR advertised sprouting seeds

STEPS:

- Put desired amount of lentils (or other seeds) in your jar/cup and cover with 1 inch of water.

- Let soak overnight or for a few hours.

- After this, rinse the sprouts in the cup/jar at least twice a day for 2-5 days, making sure that all of the water is drained in between rinses.

Voila, sprouts!

They are best when there is a little bit of green just starting but you don’t want them to grow too large or they will get old. If I made too many to eat in one day I will rinse, dry and store them in the fridge so that they last a few days longer.

image: what your sprouted lentils should look like when they’re ready. Photo from thestingyvegan.com and has a more thorough list of steps and some ideas on how to include your sprouts into meals https://thestingyvegan.com/how-to-sprout-lentils/ 

Enjoy :)

- Jasmine

References

Ortega, R. P. (2020). Why are plants green? To reduce the noise in photosynthesis. Quantamagazine.org. Retrieved from: https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-are-plants-green-to-reduce-the-noise-in-photosynthesis-20200730/  

Before I get into the contents of your post, I just want to say that your writing is beautiful! I especially enjoyed how you related the reader’s feelings to that of the seed/plant. The way you engaged the reader was amazing and it’s obvious that you’ve taken into consideration what we’ve learned in the course while writing your post, so bravo 😊

I could not agree with you more about the magic of plant growth. How such big and gorgeous plants can come from such a small seed is always mind-boggling to me! It’s absolutely incredible what one little seed can do. I find seeds and their growth are also a great parallel to real life scenarios. When you plant seeds in a garden, you must tend to them and provide them with love and care. You obviously won’t see results right away because nature takes time. But, when your seeds do finally sprout, and weeks later produce a harvest for you, all your work will pay off in the form of a delicious fruit or veggie, or a beautiful decoration (flowers). It reinforces that beautiful things in life take time and effort, just as tending to a seed/seedling. You may not see the results of hard work in life right away, but the end result is often worth it.

Photo retrieved from: https://powerpoppy.com/collections/digital-stamps/products/seeds-of-today

This is just one of the many ways that we relate to nature and plants. It reinforces the idea that our patterns are like those of nature and helps us learn the wisdom nature has to offer.

Thanks for an awesome read!

Same as what you mentioned in your post, this week’s post intimidated me too! That’s what pushed me to try to incorporate components that we’ve learned and I’m glad it worked! So thank you for such kind feedback.

I loved the content of your post! Fractals are so cool and something I’ve never heard of before. Also the first time I was interested at all in math. 

video: video compilation of underground footage of seeds growing. Video posted by Goodful on Youtube. 

Plant Growth Magic

The most mesmerizing thing to me about nature is plant growth. 

How can a little seed sitting underground turn into a flower or even a tree with just a little time, sunlight and water??? Or even not with soil, just in water as is the case with sprouts and hydroponics. They know which way is up and they know how to find the sun. It is so beautiful and crazy to me.  

Have you ever sat and thought about seeds before? A hard shell is packed with so much inside. There is a baby plant inside each seed and the seed stores food for the plant in there as well. It all stays packed inside until the outer shell is soaked through and cracks. These seeds can feel spring coming just like we do. You know the feeling of spring? Take a moment to think about what spring feels like to you. To seeds, spring feels like dark, damp yet warm soil. The first act of the new baby plant is to grow a root down. As soon as this is done, the plant works on getting its leaves towards the sunlight because that store of food from inside the seed is running out and they need sunlight to have good enough food to grow (Exploratorium, n.d.). Kind of like when you’re running low on the ramen stock in the back of the cupboard and you know you need to get to the grocery store, where the real food is. Once it makes it out of the soil, it’s home free and the plant just keeps being magical by turning sunlight into bigger leaves through photosynthesis.  

And can we talk about the most precious soft, warm colour of fresh plant growth? Where does this subtle translucent green come from?  

image: three stages of leaf growth in a sprouting plant. Photo taken from https://www.clearwaycommunitysolar.com/blog/science-center-home-experiments-for-kids/measuring-plant-growth-with-sunlight/ 

To start off, the reason why we see them as green is because plants reflect some of the photons of light that are green in the light spectrum (Ortega, 2020). This is new information. Scientists have only just recently discovered the real reason why plants reflect green light even though it is the most common part of the spectrum radiated by the sun’s rays. It because they value stability over efficiency. Plants are looking for stability in the energy coming in so that they can maintain cell health, this is possible with wavelengths of red and blue light but not with green. Green light can be blocked by shade or other factors and it makes the energy input waver instead of being consistent (Ortega, 2020). Plants choose stability. Does this have anything to do with why houseplants are so popular these days? We’re all just looking for a little stability?

Have you ever grown your own plants from a seed?

I love growing my own sprouts because they are so magical and so healthy.  

Grow your own sprouts 

MATERIALS:

- Jar with straining lid OR jar with cheesecloth OR cup and use your hand as a strainer.

- Green lentils (cheapest) OR advertised sprouting seeds

STEPS:

- Put desired amount of lentils (or other seeds) in your jar/cup and cover with 1 inch of water.

- Let soak overnight or for a few hours.

- After this, rinse the sprouts in the cup/jar at least twice a day for 2-5 days, making sure that all of the water is drained in between rinses.

Voila, sprouts!

They are best when there is a little bit of green just starting but you don’t want them to grow too large or they will get old. If I made too many to eat in one day I will rinse, dry and store them in the fridge so that they last a few days longer.

image: what your sprouted lentils should look like when they’re ready. Photo from thestingyvegan.com and has a more thorough list of steps and some ideas on how to include your sprouts into meals https://thestingyvegan.com/how-to-sprout-lentils/ 

Enjoy :)

- Jasmine

References

Ortega, R. P. (2020). Why are plants green? To reduce the noise in photosynthesis. Quantamagazine.org. Retrieved from: https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-are-plants-green-to-reduce-the-noise-in-photosynthesis-20200730/  

It’s funny because plant growth can be so easily missed when going for a walk outside. Usually I tend to focus on what is infant of me like the full grown tree or bush but I never usually ask myself how it got to be that way or how this magnificent piece of nature originated from a small little seed. This is something I’ll definitely start thinking about more often when I go for my daily hikes outdoors :)

I also really appreciate your simple and strait forward explanation of why seeds start to sprout in the first place - the example with the ramen was especially funny! It’s fascinating how plants instinctively know which orientation they need to grow in order to reach the sun, I can’t imagine they’d be too successful if they started growing down deeper into the soil! 

I am fascinated as well about your explanation for the pigmentation of leaves and the reason behind why they are green. I always knew it was to capture energy from the light of the sun but you gave some extra depth to that knowledge. Granted you did mention this is new information, but I may never have learned this since my time in school is nearly finished so thank you! I think the fact that plants favour stability over efficiency is really neat also and you may be on to something when you said that could be why house plants are so popular today. I think we could all use a little more stability in such an unstable time of our lives.

Thanks for all of the kind words.

Other sneaky ways to get more vegetable protein into your diet that I’ve learned of the years:

- red lentils - I add them to pasta every time I make it, just add them to the pot and boil for about 10-15 min before adding the pasta. No change in taste just a bit of a chalky texture and very cheap!

- hemp hearts - these are so so good. I add these to absolutely everything, if you put about a spoonful per serving you can’t taste anything and if you put a few scoops they’re a warm nutty flavour. SO GOOD.

- frozen edamame - so easy to heat up quickly and can add to so many things.

- any kind of ground seeds (flax, chia, etc.) - I also sneak these into some foods, less then the others above because they’re a little expensive. 

Let me know if you’ve got any ideas!

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

An article quoted in this week’s content called “The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music” was way too similar to the questions that we are asking this week to not read further (Gray et al., 2001). What I learned from this article is the intersection between music of humans and animals. The connection between composition of whale sounds and human music is so similar in: length, repetition, rhythms, rhymes and more. 

The same occurs with birds, their songs mimic the same scales and pitch of Western music. 

The article also discusses the changes that environment impacts human music, that “[p]eople who live close to nature perceive a wider range of sounds than those of us living in industrialized societies, who rely heavily on advances in sound technology.” They also explain the instruments found made of bone that resemble today’s recorders but are from 50,000 years ago. The material though makes me wonder, if it is made of bone, is it a sound of nature? If we connect to the Indigenous knowledge that we discussed in this week’s content, we are also a part of nature. So, the music that we create, is IT nature or is it IN nature? I think both.

Some artists that connect nature and music

A Tribe Called Red

This band is a group of Indigenous Canadians that create Electric Pow Wow music and their performances often feature traditional hoop dancing, which is a dance that tells stories by creating animals and symbols (nature). The first video in this article tells you about the band members and why they do what they do. I was able to see them at Hillside Festival in Guelph back in 2018 and it was so powerful and so fun. https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/a-tribe-called-red  

Bjork

This MTV article describes “Biophilia” a tendency to focus on life and it’s processes and the title of Bjork’s 2011 album. Her music is influenced by science and sounds of nature. http://www.mtv.com/news/2694814/the-sound-science-of-bjorks-biophilia/  

What song takes you back immediately to a natural landscape?  

The answer to this is a bit of a weird one. The song that I can think of with the most outdoor memories attached to it is Cheerleader by OMI. This song came out the summer of my first whitewater canoe trip along the Madawaska River and someone in the group came on the trip with it stuck in their head and it became the painful anthem of our trip. Somehow that song is associated with all the emotions and memories that I associate with that trip. The feeling of conquering a rapid that we weren’t sure we would make without dumping, in the pride and pure joy of making it we would sing the song to each other. I also remember being so distracted singing and carelessly going down a portage that I walked into a branch and cut my forehead. The time we sang it most often were the hours of paddling between rapids. It’s the afternoon, your feet are soaked, the sun is hot, arms aching from the same motion over and over again. The view of the reflection of the yellow canoe on the water and the sound of people singing intermittently to keep up the mood. It’s a different feeling to sing a song when you know that there’s no one else around to hear you but the friends singing along with you.

image: This is a photo of me and my paddle partner taken by a group member on the canoe trip described above.

I listened to the song again now as I wrote to remember the feeling, except that it’s the memories of the limited lyrics and altered version that we sang and not the recorded song that means anything to me.  

I don’t have many songs that I connect with natural landscapes because usually I don’t listen to music when I’m in nature. Anyone else?

- Jasmine

References

Cowie, D., (2018). A Tribe Called Red. The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/a-tribe-called-red

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C. & Baptista, L. (2001). The music of nature and the nature of music. Science, 291(5501), pp. 52-54. DOI: 10.1126/science.10.1126/SCIENCE.1056960

     Great job on your post overall! Your title was actually what had drawn me to your post in the first place, “Music and Nature - one in the same?” - very eye-catching and relatable! I also enjoyed your cute GIF of the bird! 

     I wanted to touch upon a small point you made. I agree with you- I also believe the music we create is both in nature and apart of it. The beautiful thing about both of these arts is that neither of them has to be directly created by anyone in order for either to be used effectively (Hooykaas, Unit 7).  That statement really resonated with me in this weeks work, so I thought I would pass it along :)

     To answer your question, I cannot say that I relate to not listening to music when in nature. I love listening to music when I am on walks and runs. I also love having the speaker going on barbecue nights, beach gatherings, and all sorts of fun outdoor events! I feel like music mends connections between people due to its radiancy. In my experience, music can shine a positive light in a lot of settings. Music is beneficial in many aspects, especially around others and in nature. However, I do understand one’s love for the natural music within nature itself. Therefore I will not argue that one should always listen to other harmonies that intrude on the natural ones. But I will say that “music draws and focuses attention to increase receptivity to a message.” (Beck et al. 2018) In other words, I believe music can enlighten times in nature; maybe you would enjoy it if you tried a playlist that was a tad more instrumental? :)

     I found a little blog that you may be slightly interested in if you ever decide to dabble with the idea. It’s written by a girl named Mikaela Larsson, who talks about her favourite songs to listen to while taking strolls in nature (Larsson, 2017). She talks about how it can be therapeutic to have that time with yourself, which is a healthy perspective (Larsson, 2017). I will leave a link below if you want to have a look! 

LINK → https://www.gojauntly.com/blog/2016/11/9/10-of-our-favourite-songs-to-listen-to-while-walking-through-nature 

     Once again, great post! You had a lot of integration with this week’s unit, along with many relative articles and thoughts as well :) 

- Sanchi 

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage (First Edition). Sagamore-Venture Publishing LLC. 

Hooykaas, A. (2020). ENVS* 3000 Nature Interpretation Unit 7: Nature Interpretation through Music. URL: https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2593375/View

Nature provides a sense of freedom that allows you to express yourself. Music is an art form that allows you to express the inexpressible. The combination of the two provides the listener with the freedom to feel any of their feelings and express any of their emotions in their own personal way, which describes the true beauty of nature within music. Music is one of the art forms that I have had a strong and consistent relationship with since I was a very young girl. Personally, music acts as an escape and a medium to reflect/develop my feelings, imagination, thoughts, inspiration and ideas (Hooykaas, 2021). One of the most valued parts of music is that it can be shared with others, or it can be a personal escape. As mentioned in our course material, music has the power to influence the way in which people see, think, communicate and feel (Hooykaas, 2021). The purpose of music is to not only entertain, but to provide a creative medium that allows you to emotionally express yourself, while feeling safe and encouraged (Hooykaas, 2021). 

This is a picture of myself, my classmates and our high school music teacher before playing our instruments for Meagan’s Walk. Photo credits: My dad.

This is a picture of my classmates and I volunteering at a retirement home by playing our instruments to entertain the residents. Photo credits - my teacher. 

Nature is reflected in many parts of music because it helps us express and fulfill our deeply rooted emotional connection with it. Nature and music innately work hand in hand since the music of the natural world has been present throughout the entire process of human evolution. The music of the natural world includes the sounds of birds chirping, ocean waves, rain hitting the ground, water flowing in a river, wind, etc. These sounds allow us to escape the reality of life, de-stress and feel free by deepening our connection with the natural world (Beck et al., 2018, p. 120). 

Animals, such as humpback whales and birds, have been composing music, similar to ours although our evolutionary paths have not crossed for over 60 million years (Gray et al., 2001). This proves that music is most likely an ancient creation that is innately present in the lives of many living creatures, which explains our deep emotional connection to nature in music and the combination of the two (Gray et al., 2001). 

A song that immediately takes me back to a natural landscape is the song “Blackbird” by The Beatles (one of my favourite bands). I listen to this song every time I need to feel carefree or light because I envision myself running through a field of tall grass with my best friends, in the wind, barefoot, wearing a flowy summer dress, with birds chirping on a hot sunny summer day. This song allows me to feel free and it allows me to escape the reality of today (especially through COVID during the winter months while taking a full course load). This has been my favourite song for many years now because it makes me feel hopeful that there is light at the end of the tunnel, which is described in the “blackbird fly into the light of a dark black night” lyric. The abundance of natural world sounds allows me to take a step back and escape from this busy world we live in to feel safe & relaxed for a moment. What natural sounds are your favourite to hear in music? Why? How do these sounds make you feel? 

Thank you for reading my post and I am looking forward to your comments! Victoria 

References: 

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

Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A69270354/AONE?u=guel77241&sid=AONE&xid=fb9366a8 

I liked the way that you describe your connection to music. I guess it’s a bit telling of our generation, but when I think of a music lover I automatically think of them as someone who has different Spotify playlists for every mood and not someone who plays a classical instrument. So thank you for reworking my brain and reminding me that creating music is also something that music lovers do. I want to also thank you for sharing the feeling of listening to “Blackbird”, I listened to the song and thought of your imagery. It helps that it’s such a bright sunny day today in Guelph.

To answer your question, I love hearing bird calls and the sound of distant water running. Hearing bird calls calms me to hear the beautiful sounds but it also intrigues me because I like trying to figure out what kind of a call they are making and why. When they sing, birds give us a little peek into their lives and how their days are going. I like to think that hearing the distant sound of water running and feeling joy is a primal feeling. Water is essential to life and hearing that sound would give such hope and peace to know that a fresh gulp is not far away.

Thanks for the post,

“They used to be better…” I mutter grumpily under my breath as we saunter out of the dinosaur wing of the ROM.

“What do you mean better? They’re dinosaurs!” My partner responds, confused by my admittedly childish tone. 

“No no, the dinosaurs are fine. It’s the displays, they used to be better!” I respond, gesturing vaguely to the room we just exited.

(This was an actual conversation my partner and I had on one of our first dates…I’m very lucky she enjoys my nerdiness). 

Now for those of you who don’t know what I’m going on about, I’ll give a little context. Before the ROMs contemporary remodel, it was a classic museum. I mean if someone said “museum,” it is exactly what you would picture. An early 1900s building in the downtown core that stood defiantly amongst the modern condos popping up all around it. I used to go all the time for school and for fun. While all the exhibits were good, my favourite by far was the dinosaurs. Many people may not remember, but the dinosaur exhibit used to very different then it is now. I have vivid memories of going to see it:

First was the ancient seas exhibit… It was dimly lit, but there were dark blue flood lights pointed at the walls, making it feel like you were deep in the ocean. Giant reptile skeletons hung from the ceiling, appearing as if they were swimming right past you. I even have a memory of making my brother walk in with me because I was so concerned about these ancient beasts coming to life (This was pre night at the museum, so I’ll see you in court Ben Stiller).

Anyone else hear the John Williams music playing? Image by Schengili-Roberts, 2007

Then there was the Dinosaurs… They stood triumphantly in lifelike scenes from bygone eras. Often displayed with painted backgrounds and various ferns and trees adorning their surroundings to set the mood. The poses were dynamic too, I remember some of the predators were locked in life or death struggles with the armoured herbivores. It-was-awesome. In the eyes of a 10-year-old, I was transported to a world that I’d only ever seen in books and movies. It wasn’t just reading about history, it was living history (Beck et al, 2018)

But then the remodel came. The ROM underwent a contemporary makeover, and many of the displays changed with it. The creatures I once saw roaming their ancient habitats now resided in a large, well lit white room. It felt cold and emotionless, as if I was no longer walking into the past, but merely reading a book report. I mean the information was still there, I just didn’t feel an overwhelming desire to absorb it. 

The white aesthetic makes me feel like the t rex is going to ask me if i’m interested in AppleCare. (Photo by me)

Now I know how I might be sounding right about now:

 I mean even using a simpsons reference makes me feel old! (2002, knowyourmeme.com)

But hear me out…

The change in exhibit meant more than just a loss of atmosphere to me. It represented a disconnection from the audience. It was a fundamental misunderstanding of what attracts people to a story: The narrative. Kids (and adults frankly) don’t want to just see something; they want to experience it. By removing the narrative from something on display, you are alienating the audience. You are putting up barriers and disconnecting them from our link to it. I’ve seen in recent years attempts at recapturing this feeling, through interactive VR and iPad apps. But it’s not the same, the feeling of living it is absent. To quote John Luzader “Look beyond the entertainment value, quality living history will provide entertainment on its own.” (Beck et al, 2018, p. 332) Natural history is our history and an integral part of our journey a species. But to ensure we learn and grow from our history; we need to feel like a part of it.

- Tim (Professional dinosaur enthusiast)

References

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

Schengili- Robert’s, K (2007) ROM-Dinos last room panorama. Wikimedia Commons. Accessed 27 Feb 2021  https:commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ROM-Dinos_LastRoom_panorama.png

In explaining the importance of “living history” you described the old exhibit so well that I feel like I have been there. The story that you told about the old exhibit creates a better image in my mind and the feeling of being there more than the photo that you show of the new exhibit. Just in describing the place you did an amazing job of interpreting. Have you ever thought of being a museum curator and designing these types of exhibits?

I wanted to do a little bit of research on why they might have changed the exhibit if the first one was so good at communicating. On the ROM’s website under the “Our History” tab I could not find when they did the renovation, let alone why. The most recent change that it talks about is in 2007 when they opened the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal “a distinctive new symbol of Toronto for the 21st century”. 

image: photo of the Michale Lee-Chin Crystal extension built on the ROM in 2007. Photo taken from the ROM website https://www.rom.on.ca/en/about-us/rom. 

So I went to the library (virtually) in search of articles about science communication in museum exhibits and I came across a very interesting article. The article is a study out of Norway that looks at the influences throughout history of the public, under 4 categories, and communication to those groups. It says that in recent years, exhibits are designed by science communicators to increase visibility in the media with low cost and low participant engagement (Hetland, 2019). I didn’t read the entire article and this was a study done in Norway. To connect this to the ROM in Toronto however, I would assume that the update in the museum was done to match the modern aesthetic in Toronto, why you thought the T-Rex might ask you about AppleCare. In my own opinion and related to what the article was saying, is I think that the ROM is trying to get people in the door and taking pictures to share on social media (can you take pictures in the ROM?) and the dark, immersive experience is not a good setting for being on your phone. It seems to me that the ROM is trying to stay relevant in exchange for authenticity and true science communication.

-Jasmine

Hetland, P., (2019). Constructing publics in museums’ science communication. Public Understanding of Science (Bristol, England), 28(8), 958–972. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963662519870692  

The photo was taken by me of an elephant, an endangered species in South Africa 

Many species are on the brink of extinction, and we are losing the world’s biodiversity at an unprecedented rate, do any of these statements sound familiar? The global biodiversity crisis is not a new topic, and it is one many of you are most likely aware of. For those who may not know much about this topic, it is helpful to understand what is causing it. There is no single action causing the rapid loss of species worldwide; instead, it’s a combination of anthropogenic activities inflicting the damage. The main drivers of biodiversity loss are climate change, habitat loss, and invasive species.

Illustration by danilotsouzart taken from https://www.momes.net/actualites/actualites-culturelles/les-emouvantes-illustrations-en-hommage-a-laustralie-ravagee-par-les-incendies-846577

While climate change in and of itself is a global crisis, it is also one of the main drivers contributing to the decline. Climate largely controls the types of ecosystems present and, in turn, the distribution of species. However, climate change places extreme pressures upon a landscape, and as a result, forces species to respond to these pressures. Species unable to cope, adapt or migrate from climatic stressors are at risk. Habitat loss directly stemming from deforestation is disintegrating millions of species’ homes, reducing the range in which they can survive. The introduction of non-natives species into an environment threatens endemic species by adding an element of competition into an environment. Endemic species are now reliant upon the same resources as the non-native species, and often non-native species can outcompete for resources.

Illustration by Matthew Flinders taken from https://conservationbytes.com/2016/10/20/cartoon-guide-to-biodiversity-loss-xxxix/

How a country can mitigate the loss of biodiversity is through the creation and implementation of effective policies. There are overarching national commitments that guide a countries policy regarding biodiversity. The primary commitment is with the Convention of Biological Diversity, a summit that sets international targets for protecting terrestrial and marine landscapes. The international policy sets the mandate, and countries can figure out how to meet global domestic policy targets. A combination of protected areas and government policy can be an effective method in reducing the acceleration of biodiversity loss. However, on countless occasions, we have seen countries fail to implement effective policies to deal with species decline. A primary example would be the lack of stand-alone species at risk legislation in British Columbia. While British Columbia has met the requirement of total protected areas, biodiversity is still threatened without a species at risk act.

Illustration by the UNEP taken from https://www.cbd.int/ibd/2008/youth/cbd/As an interpreter, it is your role to express the beauty of nature to others around you. A large part of what makes the natural world remarkable to interpret is its diversity amongst various landscapes. While interpreting the environment, it is essential to touch on difficult topics. A critical skill from my perspective to have as a nature interpreter is to remain optimistic, well addressing issues that others may perceive in a pessimistic way. While there is a crisis on biodiversity, an interpreter should emphasize a sense of reality that illustrates the situation’s truth while remaining hopeful for the future.

This is a heavy and important topic. Your question on how we can emphasize the importance of biodiversity while interpreting is interesting. It makes me think of something that we read in the text about making sure that we do not put the weight of solving the climate crisis on children. This means that each age group requires a different dialogue when talking about biodiversity. For adults, I think that it would be important to teach about the native species of an area and what the threats are to these species. Then to teach them about how we can help reduce and mitigate those threats. The approach would be different for children and I think that it would be best to teach them about the importance of diversity in species and how that relates to ecosystem functions. Teach them about why all insects are important as food sources and pollinators etc, instead of telling them that we are lacking, teach them why it is important to have greater biodiversity so that in the future they can understand the issues better. 

An activity that I remember leading is to wear socks with tape wrapped around them, sticky side out, and to walk through a field or meadow. After you take the socks off you can look at the seeds collected and see how many different kinds you were able to pick up in an area that may not see all that diverse. This can also be extended to explain the ways that different species are important in distributing seeds, we are kind of like a deer walking through the field and kicking or carrying the seeds around.

This website shares an example of them growing the seeds that come from their socks. https://runwildmychild.com/grow-your-socks/ 

image: growing seeds on your socks to teach about the different types of plants in your area. Photo taken from runwildmychild.com https://runwildmychild.com/grow-your-socks/ 

Thank you for posting about this important topic!