无标题

For me, as a developing nature interpreter and a growing human, there are a lot of values and ideals that are important to stay true to when I’m out there in the world, observing and interpreting. I’ve discussed and reflected throughout this course about who I am as an interpreter, so it’s only fitting to share that as I sign off for my final blog.

I remember mentioning in my first blog post how I felt this field of conservation and interpretation is where I was meant to end up. I wanted to talk more to that and why I chose to pursue this type of work. 

First off, I was an anxious kid when I was younger, not that that changed very much. I remember learning about climate change in science class, and it blew my mind when I found out this isn’t how it’s always been. There was a time when people didn’t worry about their emissions, or fret over a hole in the ozone layer, or talk about tipping points and irreversible damage and the ocean levels swallowing us whole. 

Not every generation was told they were the last hope. 

I had originally wanted to become a vet. I always say I changed majors from Animal Biology to Wildlife Biology and Conservation because I didn’t want to be doing the same spays and neuters for the rest of my life. The truth is, when I first heard about WBC, I was drawn in and it felt like I had this “aha moment” where I realized my purpose and where I would excel. Since then, I’ve learned just how to fulfill this purpose. I’ve heard over and over that it’s hard to make a career out of animal/environmental care and conservation. But that’s not why people rally to make these big movements for conservation, raise awareness, and advocate through their interpretation. So what drives us, what drives me?

I’m not in it for the money. I know I’m selfless and honest and respectful and empathetic. But these aren’t the values I want to describe just me, I want these ideals to be associated and intertwined with my interpretation, to guide and direct it.

Selfless

Selflessness means putting others before yourself. When I say I think it’s important to be selfless as an interpreter, what I mean is that you constantly have to be thinking about the audience you are providing your interpretation to. Interpreters aren’t doing this service just to hear themselves talk or just to cash a cheque. I became an interpreter because I cared about getting important messages out to people that want to listen. You can’t disregard your audience because they are the reason we interpret, and they are how our interpretation will spread.

Honest 

As an interpreter, I never lie to an audience, and I will always stick by this. I won’t make an issue bigger than it is, but I also won’t sugarcoat it to lessen the sting of reality. People are seeking interpretation and its services because they want to learn. I want my interpretation to be meaningful and relevant. We discussed in Unit 6 the importance of integrity, mostly in regard to historical interpretation, but this ideal is applicable to interpretation as a whole. It’s my job to make my message entertaining by itself, not add useless, half-true, or distracting filler for the sake of entertainment. An interpreter’s role is to lay out the facts, and move people to make them care about the message.

Respectful 

I feel this one is pretty self-explanatory, but the idea behind this is that people copy what they see. Of course, we want to practice respect all the time, but sometimes people forget that applies beyond human-human interactions. I think it’s not only important to be respectful of the people I talk with, but also of the animals I may handle to demonstrate messages, or the plants I pass on a nature hike, or just the way I talk about my appreciation for the environment around me. I think it’s especially important to verbalize to an audience the respect I am showing when demonstrating appreciation for something because it encourages mutual respect between them and me, and also them and their environment.

Empathetic

I want to be mindful of other people and how my interpretation may be further perceived based on different privileges. I think this was an important topic we reflected on in the course earlier, and moving forward something I will be (and already have been) conscious of when designing my approaches for interpretation. I think being empathetic can make me a better and more effective interpreter this way since I am constantly thinking about how to be more inclusive by changing my message, delivery, target audience, etc.

I aim to inspire people with my passion and enthusiasm for wildlife and environmental conservation. Sometimes I want to inspire action and change, other times I just want to make someone care. Not all of us interpreters will be reaching the same audience, so it’s important to work together so that we can rally everyone together for a common goal, a positive experience that can one day lead to positive change.

Art, science, technology, and teaching are the approaches I tend to gravitate toward as an interpreter, and I think are best suited to me as an individual. I like to use these four in combination because they can have different effects on how your message is presented and interpreted. Teaching is personable and unique, but so is art. Art doesn’t require much talking sometimes and can lead to deep reflection. Science is cool and fascinating, and also empowering for audiences. Technology is becoming more accessible and can elevate interpretation.

I didn’t leave myself very many words to summarize my post, but I hope some people out there relate to some things I’ve said and have more to add themselves. I definitely could go on, so if we meet on the other side of this screen, let’s chat about nature interpretation! You can tell me what you learned and I will share what I have too. Cheers to a good semester, best of luck.

Teagan :)

I enjoyed reading your post, especially how you included many photos from your personal experiences! They are beautiful photos. In my post, I said almost the same personal ethics as you, so I can really connect to why you value those ethics. I talked about integrity as being persistent in updating one’s knowledge to avoid spreading misleading interpretations and acknowledging questions you don’t know; integrity can be shown through the urge to learn and be honest to the audience that you do not know EVERYTHING. Interpretation is a learning journey for everyone, for us interpreters as well, as we develop more vital skills and techniques in our guiding approach. Hence, I agree with you that interpreters should never exaggerate the truth just so the story can be more interesting, as interpretation is inspired by facts, not the other way around.

This is my last semester of my undergraduate degree. I have switched majors three times, going from a BA in English, to International Development, and finally to a BSc in Wildlife Biology and Conservation. I have spent the last five years studying and taking courses from all of these disciplines, and I truly feel like I have accumulated vast amounts of knowledge from all three areas. And out of all the courses I have taken (trust me, there's a lot), Nature Interpretation was by far the most inspiring and meaningful, and I'm grateful to finish my degree with this course in my final semester.

As someone in STEM, I'm used to looking at facts. Whether it's completing my own experiments, or reading other's research, I am drawn to conclusions and results. I'm lucky that I have been given the resources to understand scientific literature and apply these facts to the world around me. Five years ago, in my first year as an English major, I don't think I would be able to say that. Learning the ins and outs of Nature Interpretation has allowed me to fully grasp how important this is, but it has also allowed me to gain an appreciation for scientific accessibility. Nature interpretation offers a pathway of accessibility to scientific information that otherwise might not be readily available. Nature interpreters have such an important role in the scientific world, as they are the ones who convey the science to others. This exchange of information allows for collaboration that could improve society's relationship with the natural world. This course has made me appreciate this, and I'll carry this appreciation with me after I graduate.

Reminding myself of the importance of accessibility in STEM helps me to establish my personal ethics. I know how it feels to be so interested in a topic and yet know nothing about it, and feel like it's too difficult to learn. I am lucky that my university education has helped me in this aspect, but I know that not everyone has this opportunity. Reaching as many people as possible to spread scientific awareness of our natural world is important to me, and I hope that as an ethic this will remain an important part of my life and career. Learning about the importance of nature interpretation has established this ethic in the foundation of who I am as an interpreter.

As I enter this next chapter of my life post-graduation, I have to remind myself of my responsibilities as a nature interpreter going forward. Outside of university life, I will have the opportunity to reach more people and share more knowledge and experiences. I am looking forward to working jobs and volunteering in spaces that give me these opportunities.

I talked about the responsibility of keeping STEM accessible, but there is more to the story. I am privileged to be able to go outside and hike in nature, or two buy a plane ticket and travel to a new location. I know this privilege does not extend to everyone, and it is my responsibility to help others establish these connections with nature in any way that they can. I want everyone to find a space in nature that they can connect with- something that is special just to them.

My childhood best friend, Maya, works as an educational guide in Ontario. She often tells me stories about high school students that she takes on guided hikes, who have spent so many of their teen years inside, partly due to COVID and partly due to technology. It makes her so sad to see these teenagers bored by nature, and unable to connect with it, as they would rather spend time on their phones. I feel sad as well. And I feel like I have a responsibility to help that generation form connections with nature. We were all teenagers once, and teenagers are stubborn, but I haven't given up hope. When people like Maya and I, and you (my fellow nature interpreters) work together to help people experience the natural world, I think we can heal the world around us by forming connections.

Maya and I, 2019

When I think about how I will approach my role as a nature interpreter, I think it comes down to encouraging people to find out what fascinates them. I want to encourage curiosity and for people to be eager to learn. I want to bring people outside and show them just how much we depend on the natural world so they can connect and develop their own fascinations. What I'm interested in may have no impact on someone else, but maybe it will spark an inquiry elsewhere. When people are curious, they observe their surroundings more in depth, and are constantly coming up with thoughts and ideas. From a nature interpretation standpoint, curiosity could allow people to actively engage with the natural world, instead of just being in it. By approaching interpretation as a way of fostering this curiosity in people, I hope to spark creativity in those around me.

When people are encouraged to learn more about their natural surroundings, they are also more confident in their ability to conserve them (Merenlender et al. 2016). This is an important step towards environmental conservation, and this confidence can be achieved at any age. While it is important to start teaching people about the importance of our environment at a young age, we should not neglect those in high school or older, as it is not "too late" to spark their interests.

In conclusion, I hope that I am able to use my personal ethics as a route to actively pursuing my responsibilities as an interpreter. Throughout this course, I have been able to reflect on what being a nature interpreter means to me on an individual level, and it boils down to these three points:

I want to be someone who conveys scientific information in a way that is accessible to people of all ages/ backgrounds

I want to encourage curiosity and spark interest in others, in the hope that they will find something they are passionate about and pursue it

I not only want to share information and experiences with others, but I also want people to share things with me. We all have so much to learn from one another, and every day we interact with new people. I want to learn from these interactions.

I have truly enjoyed reading everyone's blog posts this semester. I have learned a lot, and have much to reflect on going forward. I wish you all good luck with your schooling and future endeavours!

Thank you for sharing your experience and outlook on the role of nature interpretation throughout your academic journey. I really enjoyed your post. Same with you, as someone in STEM, understanding and memorizing factual content has been my strategy in school. I only realized the importance of active reflection and thinking when learning. It is the same for nature interpretation; the interpreter’s role is translating facts into a story or experience for the audience. Like how you highlighted the importance of making science accessible, the “story” telling needs to be moulded according to the audience of different ages and backgrounds. As the textbook states, to relate to the audience effectively, one must get to know the audience, so by understanding the target demographic, one can alter and plan suitable activities (Beck et al., 2018).

Additionally, addressing what your friend Maya has noticed in the younger generation makes it more apparent that children are losing the desire to explore nature. Thus, it is the interpreter’s responsibility to encourage exploration of the landscape, starting from within the community (Beck et al., 2018). Like the demographic that Maya works with, teenagers would be more suitable with an approach that emphasizes addressing challenges and appreciating the environment (Beck et al., 2018). Because soon, they will be more educated and exposed to these topics again, like we went through transitioning to university, they will be more likely to participate and have their own opinions on global issues (Beck et al., 2018).

Reference:

   It is not an easy task to pick one amazing fact about Nature. Nature is well, Nature. The number of eco-systems, planets, stars that awe and inspire, the diversity of flowers and trees and even just the variation in blades of grass, are wondrous. Then there are all the insects, reptiles, mammals, fish, birds, and yes even us humans. Not all of these creatures are beautiful, but that again is subjective. One truth, however, is that we all serve some purpose and thus we all belong here. Purpose… an important word. I would like you to consider it as we talk about the topic today.

The Dragonfly is a popular emblem from notebook covers, to café names, to logos, and don’t get me started on the tattoos. They are also in many cultures, a symbol of hope, transformation, new beginnings, change and even good fortune. (David, L, 2022).

Source: shutterstock_1948485058 (licensed for limited use)

 However, not the reason I chose this topic today. Instead, I look to their purpose, and one of those purposes have provided me with some major benefits… living close to a swampy/boggy area, one thing we can be sure of each year are lots of MOSQUITOS! Dragonflies eat these pesky and painful beasts. Now, I am sure Mozzies also have a purpose (to help us appreciate the indoors? To invite us to cover up? support a buy spray industry?), but that is not the topic today.

Source: shutterstock_1849063864 (licensed)

The Dragonflies surround my backyard, and skim over the pool, all the while clearing the decks and maybe this blog will create some education and show my gratitude.

 With a short blog, I will have to focus on the facts that I believe make them an amazing and integral part of nature.

    Did you know?

There are over 7,000 different species (order name is Anisoptera) and have been on this earth for over 325 million years (National Geographic, 2023).  Yes, that’s right, they are survivors!

In the Paleozoic era, wingspan could be a couple of feet, they are much smaller now! (Foster, S., 2023)

In addition to eating insects, they are an important part of the food chain for birds and fish. Also, dragonflies require clean water to support stable oxygen levels, and so scientists will use them as a bioindicator of ecosystem health (National Geographic, 2023)

Dragonflies are strong and fly incredible distances. One type, aptly called the Globe Skimmer or wandering glider, can fly 6,000 KM, the longest flight of any known insect!  (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2023)

Dragonflies are colourful. They have their structural colours, which can be based on maturity, sex, type of dragon fly, but they also change colour as they move about or so it seems, but it is based on how the angle of light hits certain parts of their sometimes-multi-coloured bodies. This is called iridescence. (Foster, S., 2023). This helps them camouflage, may help attract mates, but also brings such beauty to this world.

Dragonflies are colourful. They have their structural colours, which can be based on maturity, sex, type of dragon fly, but they also change colour as they move about or so it seems, but it is based on how the angle of light hits certain parts of their sometimes-multi-coloured bodies. This is called iridescence. (Foster, S., 2023). This helps them camouflage, may help attract mates, but also brings such beauty to this world.

Like all of earth’s creatures, rapid urbanization, growing agriculture, deforestation, pollution, and climate change bring risk even to this sturdy and long-lasting insect. 10% of the species is under risk of extinction. (National Geographic, 2023). As dragonflies live on every continent (except Antarctica), this will have long lasting effects. Remember, I cited earlier that they are a barometer of healthy ecosystems. Well, here is one more proof that our ecosystems are in trouble, because the Dragonfly said so.

References

David, L. (Oct. 25, 2022). 4 Cultural Meanings of the Dragonfly + Why to Pay Attention to This Critter. Mind Body Green Mindfulness (2022). https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/dragonfly-spiritual-meaning

Encyclopedia Britannica. (Feb. 2, 2023). Dragonfly. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/dragonfly

Foster, S. (2023). The Color of Dragonflies – Blue, Black, Orange and Many More! School of   Bugs. 2023. https://schoolofbugs.com/the-color-of-dragonflies/

           Additionally, when you talked about how dragonflies come in various colours and patterns, isn't that an example of art in nature? In one of our previous blog prompts on the interpretation of nature in art, I did not think about how the two go hand-in-hand. Like the music and nature blog prompt, we use visual art to interpret nature, while visual art is heavily influenced and inspired by nature. Colour visuals from animals such as the dragonfly inspire artists to create art that can be used for nature interpretation, as art in places like museums or parks is helpful for interpreters and resource managers (Beck et al., 2018, p. 229).

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 10: Arts in Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World (p. 229). essay, SAGAMORE Publishing.

“Rythm is the center of humanity, one who knows rhythm knows the world” - King Clave 

I saw this quote a bit ago and it reminded me a lot of this week's prompt. To be completely honest, I don’t think I can remember a time in my life when music and nature didn't go hand in hand. For as long as I can remember, summer walks have been associated with whistling, campfires with country music, and playing in the snow with what some would call repetitive Christmas carols. 

Music can be found anywhere in nature. While humans use music to help process feelings, create ambiance, or instill feelings of joy, other species such as birds and whales use music as a form of communication. To further elaborate, whales use their songs to help locate others as well as different food sources (NOAA, 2013). In addition to this, birds utilize their songs to both attract mates and defend territory (Wada, 2010). 

Now to flip the question, nature plays a big role in music. In this week's course notes, when reading about the relationship between Indigenous Peoples and the environment. I was reminded of a song titled Northern Lights by Jerry Cans. In his song, Cans highlights the beauty that exists beyond our screens by paying tribute to the northern lights; an environmental process that carries much importance for this community. For Indigenous Peoples, music is a tool used to help translate ecological and ancestral knowledge (The Conversation, 2021). Through this, an appreciation for their land and what it provides is acknowledged which in turn results in a deeper connection with the space. Music has the power to move which is important in many contexts but especially within that of interpretation. As interpreters, it is our job to teach in a way that allows the audience to feel connected with a space and its history. Considering this, using music to translate such environmental knowledge can be useful in evoking emotions and in turn contribute to greater understanding (Beck et al., 2018). 

Now, as I read the last part of the prompt I would be lying if I told you it took me any time to find what song I was gonna talk about. Picture this with me: it’s about 10 pm on a midsummer night. Those closest to me are all sitting by the campfire in my back yard shuffling through music when all of a sudden American Pie by Don Mclean comes on. Within seconds everyone's faces light up and we begin to sing and laugh as the almost 9-minute song continues to play. The stars, the fresh air, the sounds coming from different life forms in the backfield… it's all perfect. While the song of choice could be seen as questionable - it in itself is a portal to both a natural landscape and one of my fondest memories.

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritagefor a Better World (1st ed). Sagamore Venture.

D, Lepofsky., A, Fernández-Llamazares., & O, Kim Recalma-Clutesi,. (2022, November 11). Indigenous song keepers reveal traditional ecological knowledge in music. The Conversation. Retrieved March 4, 2023, from https://theconversation.com/indigenous-song-keepers-reveal-traditional-ecological-knowledge-in-music-123573#:~:text=For%20Indigenous%20Peoples%20who%20have,deep%20in%20our%20sacred%20memory. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2013, June 1). Why do whales make sounds? Why Do whales Make Sounds. Retrieved March 4, 2023, from https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/whalesounds.html#:~:text=Whales%20make%20noise%20to%20communicate,and%20socialize%20with%20each%20other. 

First of all, I love the video you attached to your blog! I have always loved percussion music; maybe its linkage to nature is part of the reason why. On to your blog, I agree that music is an essential tool used by the Indigenous Peoples to paise mother nature and be thankful for their resources, as well as a way to inherit their culture and history down generations. The Indigenous Peoples and all ethnic minorities have unique ways of utilizing music to appreciate nature and its interconnectedness to their culture. My favourite, and the most familiar with, is Mongolian music and folk songs. Mongolian folk songs and music often sing about the nomadic lifestyle and horses on the steppe. Special techniques such as throat singing enrich their music with culture and religion, where animism is a great part of their belief. Animism is where one believes that everything has a spiritual essence, from animals and plants to rivers and the weather system, all are capable of helping or harming humankind (Park, 2007).

I like you mentioned, “music is a tool used to help translate ecological and ancestral knowledge,” because it is true that the Indigenous Peoples, along with other ethnic minority groups, incorporate music as part of their language. Hence, music is often used to pass down history through generations before the advancement of technology. Overall, I believe that the way Indigenous Peoples appreciate nature in their songs is worth learning. Rather than using direct advertising or news to spread awareness of our current environmental state, perhaps music is one of the better ways to deliver that is easy for the public to accept and reflect on.

“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

This quote is compiled of overlapping variables that sanction the understanding and underlying importance of ancient things. To best understand how each of these variables yield way for the next, I have broken this quote down into its parts/variables. The first portion of this quote is that there is no peculiar merit in ancient things. Secondly, integrity entails the keeping together of the parts of any whole; followed by the concept that the scattering of parts throughout time requires integrity to be maintained through a knowledge and memory of ancient things. The last variable of this quote in essence states, to think, feel or act as though the past is done with negates the purpose of the paths that it has created and continues to create.

I think what Edward Hyams means by this is that an object, despite its age and the history, may not hold any meaning to its viewer. Beck et al. states, “Without interpretation, artifacts are merely old things, historic buildings are just old buildings, and ceremonies and festivals are merely entertainment” (Beck et al. 2018, pg. 326). I think back to a particular high school history class I was in where at the time we were studying the holocaust. Our teacher had set up a very well thought out and planned presentation; she started by showing us an image of a mountain of rings with no context. She proceeded to give her lecture and explain to us the brutality behind the executions inflected by the Nazis. By the end, she showed us the same image and explained that what we were looking at were the accumulation of wedding rings removed from Jewish people before being forced into the gas chambers at the Auschwitz concentration camp. What had little to no meaning at the start of the lecture, had by the end brought our entire class to tears through the interpretation that our teacher had provided.

Undoubtably integrity defines the state of being whole, which entails keeping together all the parts that make something whole. In history it is common for the entirety of a concept or story to be scattered or divided throughout time. We uncover artifacts and truths of history even in modern day that require integrity through knowledge and memory to create the whole picture/story. Our text outlines that in 2016 veteran interpreter and NAI officer Cem Basam proposed an additional principle of interpretation. The principle states “any interpretation must be presented with the utmost attention to personal and professional integrity to assure the recipients (clients and customers) of the interpretive efforts are presented with the truth” (Beck et al. 2018, pg. 336). The accuracy of knowledge and memory of ancient things is a responsibility when it comes to telling the authentic truth of all the pieces that create a whole part of history.

Lastly, the analogy “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) sheds critical light not only on human nature but the importance of valuing history. I see it on the daily, people pushing through their lives while completely negating their pasts, as if the person they stand as today has nothing to do with both the turmoil and positive experiences they have endured in the past. The same goes for history, to devalue history and the parts and mementos that make it whole not only devalues the lives of those who had to live it but the patterns that have shaped aspects of life today. History and ancient things don’t serve us momentarily, as stated in our text “while interpreting history can entertain and delight audiences, it can also promote a better understanding of present challenges and help people navigate perilous times.” (Beck et al. 2018, pg. 343). Therefore, the train station doesn’t serve us just on that one trip, it has served us many times before and will continue to do so in the future and should be valued for such.

All in all, I think Edward Hyams is articulating the profound effects, and importance of accurately interpreting ancient things through integrity. It gives meaning to mementoes that allow us to truthfully piece together parts of history to tell a whole story. By doing so we can knowledgeably recount the past while also being able to interpret current struggles with insight on how to navigate past these situations.

While physically being out in the environment helps you to interpret nature, you can also do so through art. Whether its a painting, music or a sculpture, there are many different ways to interpret nature through various art forms. For me, pictures are my favourite way to interpret nature. A good photo can do a lot by helping you to connect with a past place you may have visited or desire to visit. Growing up my dad loved to collect Robert Bateman paintings. He is a well known artist for painting wildlife scenes and they were all over our house. My favourite ones are our wolf ones since they are my favourite animal. They provide various perspectives from portrait paintings to a pack climbing on a cliff ledge. These paintings provide a different side to nature that is not normally seen when just going outside. It creates a different connection and appreciation for these wild animals that make up our ecosystem.

Looking at it from a different perspective, there are different ways of expressing ones relationship with the environment. Nature can be expressed through art in many different ways. For some people, art acts as an outlet to express their emotions and feelings, they can apply this to their connections with nature. Therefore, these artists help us to connect with nature through their own connections that they channeled into their artwork. By doing this, they also played a major role in protection of parks and wilderness areas. Art is very personal to an individual and can stir up emotions to shift their thinking and take action. With this, people feel a connection that makes them want to work to protect these amazing creatures and landscape (Winfred, 2021). Photographs/images are the most influential art form because it acts directly on a humans consciousness. Where words don’t have as big of an impact.

When considering the current climate crisis we are facing, art can be a great way to get a strong message across to people. Through various images, it can tap into people emotions and push to change their lifestyle to become more sustainable. Words can only do so much and despite all the written information that is constantly entering the media, there is still not enough change being made. When taking a different approach through art, people can interpret nature in a way that is personal to them. It shows the beauty that nature has to offer and if we don’t make changes, these beautiful animals that you see in paintings will become extinct. Or that image of the lush tropical rainforest will cease to exist. These are the types of feelings that people have to tap into when looking at art in order for change to happen. 

Overall, art plays such an integral part in nature interpretation in many ways. It allows its viewers to connect with nature on a different level then what they might physically be able to experience. It also allows artists to have an outlet to express themselves and their own established connections with nature. 

References

I really enjoyed reading your blog for this week! Similarly, to your post, I also talked about the art’s ability to “channel emotions” and how it presents a different perspective to different audiences. I agree with you that photography and traditional arts (drawing and painting) are the most common yet intense forms of expressing messages. When used in nature interpretation, it can reflect the main idea of the topic the interpreter wants to deliver while allowing the audience to understand from their own perspectives while making personal connections. It is excellent how you mentioned that “people feel a connection that makes them want to…” as it was Mill’s central idea that creating an engaging experience for the audience is the best way to pursue nature interpretation. It is essentially the goal of “the Gift of Beauty,” where it is our goal as nature interpreters to “gift” others the eye of beauty when observing the environment. In parallel to your point about the climate crisis, more advertisements, posters, and documentaries are coming out in the recent decade as examples of how art is utilized in nature interpretation. To spread awareness of climate change, different forms of media will magnify the neglected issues people need reminding of. A few great examples are natural disaster/sci-fi movies, such as “2012” or even “avatar,” where human wrongdoings toward earth are shown from a third-person’s perspective through cinema.

Privilege to me means having an advantage because things were handled to them as opposed to earning them. When looking at this in terms of nature interpretation, some people might have more opportunities in the field then others. Experiences with nature could be due to their parents through where they lived or if the family did outdoor activities altogether. Therefore, one could have had all these experiences growing up but there are some people who don’t grow up that way and they have to fund their connection with nature on their own. Someone who is privileged may not have to worry about facing barriers such as race, religion, gender etc. and can go about their journey of nature interpretation without a worry. 

I consider myself to be privileged because thanks to my parents, I was able to experience nature at a young age through my home and my experiences that they paid for. I loved spending time outside through camping and horseback riding. Horseback riding was a way for me to get out in the outdoors and enjoy nature in a fun way. This is an extracurricular activity that I did for a few years as a kid and I enjoyed it, rain or shine. It is a very expensive activity to get into and I am fortunate to have been able to do so. My parents funded these activities for me and it is not something that I had to work towards by myself. Besides my experiences with nature, I am privileged that I do not experience any boundaries to what I want to do. I did not fully understand and appreciate this luxury when I was younger. Now that I am older, I am appreciative of the opportunities that I had and can see that this is not the case for everyone. All these little adventures created the relationships I have today. 

Another major privilege that I have today is through me attending university. I never had to worry about how I can financially afford an education or if I can even get an education. Through attending university, I am able to broaden my relationship with nature through taking classes like this one that challenge me to look deeper into what nature has to offer. An education is not a luxury for everyone and I am grateful for the opportunity I have. With my education, I can work towards providing a life for myself without reliance on my parents and earn the future experiences that are soon to come. Yet I have my parents to thank for giving me a leg up. 

I enjoyed reading your blog! I can draw many similarities and parallels between my own blog and yours. Firstly, I also talked about how being privileged regarding nature is that not everyone has equal access to nature. Especially during childhood. Even in adulthood, one’s ability and experience with nature are heavily dependent on their financial and social status; like you said, being about to “fund their connection with nature on their own.” Based on this understanding, I also consider myself privileged as I spent plenty of time in nature during my childhood (whether volunteered or not), and many of the activities I would stay away from most nowadays. So it is more apparent to me that experiencing nature while you can, is a great mindset to have in life. As most of us are so used to urban city life, having the free time and money to “escape the city” is a privilege.

On the other hand, people who connect more with nature, like those living in rural areas, may say otherwise. People from rural areas likely think living in big cities is a privilege; the paradox here is interesting. On top of all this, I also agree that university is a great privilege. Without the university experience, we probably would not be reflecting on topics like nature interpretation at all, not as a discipline, maybe something of the same nature but no name. Hence, it is indeed the greatest privilege of all to afford post-secondary education and have the opportunity to discuss nature (something so close to our daily lives) in a scholarly manner.

Before taking this course, I frequently felt the desire to fill the role of a nature interpreter – I just didn’t know it yet. Throughout high school and the beginning of university, I worked as a tutor for children between the ages of 3 to 18, and I always enjoyed being surrounded by youth and fresh perspectives, as well as being able to integrate my personal passions into my teaching style. This, for me, typically meant applying concepts related to the environment and the preservation of the natural world into conversations I was having with the youth I was instructing.

As I developed as a tutor, I found myself finding this more and more of a desirable role – so much so that after my first year of university, I applied to a position in Squamish, British Columbia at a summer camp specifically focused on teaching youth about ecology and nature through games and storytelling. Sadly, my first year of university was abruptly cut short by the COVID pandemic, and so was my chance to teach children about the natural world.

Flash forward to now – I stopped teaching, which has definitely left a void in my heart since I’m no longer surrounded by the future generation, and I am no longer able to share information and stories about the natural world in the same way I used to. This being said, as I have searched for internships and co-op placements since I stopped teaching, I have found myself with an affinity to jobs that have some sort of teaching and outreach position. For example, my first co-op was with a professor here at the University of Guelph, and it was primarily focused on creating a website for cottage-goers to explain the science behind the eutrophication of the Great Lakes, and why aquaculture is not a major contributing factor to algal blooms. In addition, my third co-op term was with the apparel company Aritzia in their sustainability department, and I found myself really enjoying explaining the scope of my work to my other interns, as well as assisting in putting together external documents to educate consumers on what the company was doing in terms of sustainability.

Going forward, I think I’d like to remain in the sustainable apparel space and be a nature interpreter in the form of educating my colleagues as well as consumers about the environmental impact of the fashion industry. This is a topic that is so close to my heart, and so wildly important given the current and proposed future state of the economy, as well as the rapidly increasing global population. Typically, climate change gets the spotlight when it comes to environmental issues, but greenhouse gas emissions are truly just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to apparel. There are factors such as raw material extraction, chemical leeching, microfibres and microplastic pollution, and human rights violations, just to name a few, that are also tied to the apparel industry. Being able to educate the public, as well as my peers in the industry on this topic would be a dream come true.

Thank you for sharing your previous experiences with the role of environmental interpretation! It is incredible how you had so much hands-on experience with nature and environment-related careers. Your blog is interesting to me, especially the part where you came from a tutoring background, because the skills you learn through teaching children will be beneficial for the assignments in this course. I agree with you that communication skills, such as public speaking, are crucial to being an environmental interpreter. To be an ideal environmental interpreter, one must master different communication skills corresponding to different situations in audiences. It is interesting how you mentioned the importance of being comfortable in front of a crowd because building confidence is not only for performing well in an academic or professional setting but also for self-improvement in general. Moreover, it is also something I am currently working on and hopefully, I can demonstrate great confidence through my podcasts.

I am not majoring in environmental science, so this field of work has always been intriguing, and I've always wanted to know more about careers in environmental science. Reading about your plans to remain in the apparel industry regarding sustainability inspires me to think about what I can do to contribute to helping maintain the environment. Most likely, I will not have a career related to environmental science, but understanding nature and incorporating it into my work can be helpful in the long run.