Kate & Nature Interpretations

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 :)

Selflessness: in Nature interpretation, I agree the audience needs to come first, but if I take it one step further, I think the purpose of engaging stewardship should also be a foundational purpose behind it. This too is selfless, putting yourself out there to support the greater good of our planet.

Empathetic: I agree that empathy supports our ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes and build understanding. I completely agree that inclusivity is needed to ensure the whole world is working towards a common purpose in our shared home. I also think we need to empathetic to nature and other species. Have an eco or bio centric view of the world also requires people to have empathy for all living things and systems, which feeds into what you have talked about regarding being Respectful.

Before I explain my personal ethic as a nature interpreter, I think it is time to address the elephant in the room…How on earth is this semester coming to an end already!! I hope I am not the only one utterly shocked that we have made it to Unit 10. This semester has flown by, and I have enjoyed sharing my opinions and stories with you each week. It has been so delightful getting to learn so much about everyone! It's funny because this is a Distance Education course, yet I feel I have learned more about my peers than in an in-person class! Taking the time to write these posts has never felt laborious to me, as I enjoyed sitting down and connecting what we learned in the readings to what I value and believe.

That being said, I will disclose that when I first enrolled in this class, I had yet to learn what nature interpretation and being a nature interpreter meant. I was heavily surprised when the core assignments for this course revolved around the blog and podcasts. I'm not too fond of tests and quizzes and much more prefer assignments, so this was a breath of fresh air for me! I also found that these types of assignments were very refreshing and enlightening, and kept me engaged.

Some of my favourite new photos from my camera roll. United States Botanic Gardens in Washington (left), Moss growing along the stone in Pennsylvania (right)

As we approach the end, I feel as though I have grasped the vital messages to be understood from this course and I have developed my personal ethics regarding nature interpretation. The first belief I will be sure to include is my passion. Being passionate about the topic you are explaining to your audience is key. I believe this is one of the most influential topics of being a successful interpreter. It is never ideal to be listening to someone who evidently does not enjoy what they are talking about. This will not only not engage the audience but can dampen the joy of someone excited to learn. A positive deliberation, however, will cause the audience to feel more comfortable and as Beck et al (2018) state, it is more probable that they will listen. I want to be able to transfer my passion to others to spark their interest. Therefore, my priority will be to speak passionately and/or excitingly express the topics to be a successful interpreter.

Secondly, integrity and honesty are two significant factors that I will bring to nature interpretation. I wish others to know I am trustworthy as integrity is a big factor. As someone who has grown up with technology and social media so accessible, I believe it has caused two opposing outcomes; 1. People who believe everything they see online is accurate or 2. People who think everything is fake. With such a grave difference, it is essential to be skeptical of what we see because it is easy for anyone to display a fake persona with untrue facts. With this in mind, I hope to build the trust of my audience so that even if they did question what I was saying, they would find no fabrication, and they would know I value honesty. As an interpreter, honesty and integrity are fundamental, and along with passion, these beliefs best describe my personal ethic as a nature interpreter.

Along with that, a major responsibility that I would hold myself accountable for is inclusivity. I want to build an environment where no one is left out, and everyone has the same opportunity to enjoy and learn. When we discussed “barriers” in the textbook readings and shared our privilege, this was the most eye-opening aspect of the semester. I truly grasped the extent of it once I was able to take a step back to understand my privilege. Barriers, as we have learned, are present for many and they can be disability-based, economics etc. (Beck et al., 2018). Understanding this aspect of nature interpretation inspired me to ensure I will do my best to eliminate all types of barriers and have options for each learning style. This means I must be cognizant of all possibilities, for instance if there are visual aids, different hearing options, accessibility of sites, prices etc. Including aspects that cause these elements to vanish will help me to encourage inclusivity. I wish everyone to experience nature interpretation and see what it offers. Increasing the number of people in your audience increases the chance of stimulating individuals and creating new passions. In the environmental/conservation sector, bridging the gap and involving more people helps for great advancements (Merenlender et al., 2016). This study area is complex and costly, so having a larger team of individuals fighting for the same beliefs can lead to great things. As someone who has gotten to experience nature in many different areas, this has been how my passion has grown. Being immersed in the environment helps people to build a connection which is vital for an interpreter to accomplish. I also believe that it benefits everyone to experience nature interpretation as a community. As we all occupy the same planet, it is advantageous to grow fond of it and understand how to preserve it. Therefore, if these barriers are non-existent and everyone can be included, the connections made with the audience would be vast, and the number of conservationists will likely increase!

Overall, this course has helped me to discover who I am as an interpreter and what I stand for. Key aspects that I had not thought about prior to this course have helped me understand my beliefs. I have learned that to become a successful interpreter, I will make sure I am passionate about the information I deliver. I will be trustworthy and ensure inclusivity throughout this process.

Thank you all for a great semester! I have had such a great time learning about you all and sharing my stories. This has only increased my interest in nature, and I hope it has done the same for you!

Good luck with your future endeavours!

I started these posts talking about sunsets, so it only feels fitting to add one more picture for the final post :)

Literature Cited

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

"Positive deliberation"... impressed by how you phrased that. I think we need to be hopeful and create a path of possibility to engender environmental stewardship. I focused a lot in my blog on the need for interpretation to support stewardship and sustainability especially in light of the Earth's current situation. That is a very difficult platform, because it can appear to be negative, and create a doomsday view of the world. Building empathy, but also a responsibility to support nature is key. I am sure you feel the same!

When I saw the prompt this week, I was somewhat overwhelmed. I was unsure of what I knew about nature that could be amazing, what would excite other people. I thought to talk about something that everyone would understand and feel familiar with but realized the prompt said “this is your blog”. So I decided to speak about something that fascinates me, hoping others would find it fascinating as well.

I have decided to talk about what can be considered the loneliest animal on the planet, the 52-hertz whale. The first time I heard about this whale was through a K-pop song that my sister showed me. At the beginning of the pandemic, my younger sister had gotten interested in BTS, a Korean group known for their very complex lyrics and song themes. The song “Whalien 52” drew a connection between the 52-hertz whale and a person who feels as though they are alone, an outcast, an alien, thus the name “Whalien 52”. Like the person described in the song, the 52-hertz whale is considered the loneliest whale as its call is significantly higher in pitch than other whales (Perkins, 2013).

The whale has never been sighted; it’s only heard through hydrophones and its movements track via its call. Due to this fact, it is unclear what species of whale it belongs to as blue whales have a call pitch between 16-39 Hz and fin whales about 20 Hz. Scientists have been tracking this whale since 1992 and have yet to identify its species, even wondering if it is a hybrid of two different species.

While it sounds quite sad that this is the loneliest whale, it being consistently heard over the years of its tracking has confirmed that, though unusual, its call has no disastrous impact on its life and health.  According to the Bioacoustics Research Program at Cornell University, the whale may not be as lonely as portrayed. Researchers say that it can likely be “understood” and recognized by other whales. They also say that with whales from different regions having different dialects the 52-hertz whale may not even be that unique, to the whales. To us, however, it is still very unique with no other whale being recorded at such high pitch levels, making it quite unique.

I love this topic because it just ties back to what we spoke about last week, about music in nature. Whale calls are one of the most common examples of music in nature and one of the most studied. However, the 52-hertz whale proves that there is still so much about nature that we still don’t know. One of the beauties of nature is that it is a mystery that can never truly be solved. The more we seek to understand nature the more we have to learn and that’s what makes nature interpretation so powerful. It helps us understand nature as much as we can and simply enjoy the beauty in the mysteries we cannot solve.

Perkins, S. (2013), People: The Science Life: Seeking the loneliest whale. Science News, 184: 32-32. https://doi.org/10.1002/scin.5591840626

Andrews, R. (2019, March 11). Whale dialects can be identified using new algorithm. IFLScience. Retrieved from https://www.iflscience.com/whale-dialects-can-be-identified-using-new-algorithm-34281

Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Bioacoustics Research Program. (2015). Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://web.archive.org/web/20150226002906/http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/listen-to-project-sounds/blue-whale

Funnell, R. (2021, August 31). IFLScience meets: Director Joshua Zeman on filming the loneliest whale: The Search for 52. IFLScience. Retrieved March 17, 2023, from https://www.iflscience.com/iflscience-meets-director-joshua-zeman-on-filming-the-loneliest-whale-the-search-for-52-60747

When searching “nature music” you will find hundreds of hours of videos and music of nature sounds that are often described as calming or relaxing as many people find solace in being in nature or listening to it at the very least!

I find music in nature as the sounds of nature help me to sleep, I especially enjoy thunderstorms as I find the sounds relaxing and reassuring. Music in nature often write themselves as I think of bird’s songs that allow them to find mates, I often think of the musical dancing bird from ‘Our Planet’ which performs for their mate! You can also find music in nature with the hums of bees, flapping of bird’s wings, splashing of ducks in a pond, and swishing of trees in the wind! Putting all of those sounds together may create an incredible piece of art through song!

Nature in music, I often think of people creating music that is inspired by nature or using music in interpretation to keep viewers interested (166). In the textbook they compare photos and videos. Photos capture one scene and can often communicate better than words (170), videos however contain sound which can make the scene so much more interesting (171) and immersive through technology in regards to interpretation using videos and songs. Nature in music could also tell stories and teach lessons, I personally think of campfire songs. Radio stations can also incorporate nature with music! They could play music to draw in viewers and then talk about nature in the breaks (175) or play music that contains nature lessons. Radios are great for some viewers which information is presented in 1–5-minute periods and a great way to reach different viewers in a format that they enjoy! Nature in music can occur as a tool as music will resonate with the visitor (12), help different people learn with different learning styles (105), and draw people towards an interpretive experience (200).

I think that music can take many forms in relation to nature. Many songs are often nature sounds solely, nature sounds incorporated, or based on /inspired by nature (animals, landscapes, abiotic features)! I found 15 songs related to nature in a pro-environment context in article by Anderson (2020). I’m sure that if you search up your favourite animal + song, you will find a song that at the very least mentions the animal. Perhaps it will teach you something or use the animal’s attributes within the song!

Some songs I think of from the top of my head of nature would be “Butterfly Fly Away” by Miley Cyrus, “Roar” by Katy Perry, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” by Judy Garland and covered by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, “Little Rain” by Morgan Wallen, just to name a few! To unpack one, “Butterfly Fly Away” by Miley Cyrus my personal favourite from growing up contains a lesson that as you grow you should spread your wings AND contains a little bit of knowledge of the caterpillar becoming the butterfly! Growing up from under your parents care to going out to make dreams come true!

Are there any influential songs you grew up hearing or think of when prompted with the word “Nature”? What does it teach you!

Anderson, S. (2020). Earth day: 15 pro-environment songs. Rolling Stone. Date of Access: Feb 27, 2023. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/earth-day-songs-151780/

Everyone at this point has taken a highschool history course where we are taught usually about the tragedies that occurred in history. These stories of atrocities, discrimination and ethnic conflicts are taught to remember the sorrows of those before us and to keep the story alive (Beck et al. 2018). I want to start with what I initially thought of interpretation through history before learning the actual unit.  This definition of historical interpretation states “historical interpretation grounded in individual histories facilitates connection between lived experiences and archival records or artifacts.” (Modern Cartography Series, 2019). This is interesting because it ignites the idea of sharing a personal history or family history as well which is a smaller scale that I did not really consider being an option. When I think of historical interpretation, I think of teaching about  historical tragedies or movements that had a strong influence on society.

This week, we are analyzing the following quote:

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

When I first read this quote, it made me think of a very common saying that I am sure you have all heard…”If you’re gonna tell the story, tell the whole story”. A lot of history is not digestible, it is not an easy topic and a lot of events seem unfathomable for many people today but it is important to tell the entire story and not just bits and pieces. As an interpreter of history, you should not decide which parts of the story you decide to tell but rather provide your audience with all parts and allow them to interpret their own feelings and opinions on the subject. Furthermore, history has many perspectives, for example, war between 2 countries will be viewed very differently by citizens from each country despite being the same event. I think another aspect of “merit in integrity” is providing a very unbiased perspective when presenting information which will allow the audience to create their own thoughts. An interpreter should present the story as neutrally as possible while being mindful of their tone and emotions and ensuring that their own opinions are not included. 

I think interpretation through history is the lens that requires the most mindfulness and consideration when presenting because it is easy to misconstrue a story that you more than likely did not witness yourself. In our Courselink notes, we are given 5 questions to consider: What story is being shared? What is included? What is ignored? What is implied? What is specified? If an interpreter can successfully answer all of these questions while telling the story, it is likely that they will avoid bias while also telling the entire story to their audience. All in all, history contains a lot of sensitive stories that can easily be altered or misconstrued over the years and it is the interpreter’s job to thoroughly study the topic and tell their audience the entire story.

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World. Sagamore Publishing.

Similar to your points on "telling the entire story", I also wrote something similar. All facts must be presented, in order for the visitor or audience to have the ability to interpret or opine or feel based on what they have been able to connect with. I believe this goes back to our readings on pg. 341, “heritage is an active phenomenon with two stages: … and (2) our decision to do something about it (options include: to ignore,  reject,  or  destroy  it  and/or  to  embrace,  restore,  and  preserve  it  for  others)…” (Saxe, 2009, cited in Beck et al, 2018, pg. 341). Heritage, just like history, must present all the facts as well in order for the visitor to create a true connection.

Wow, no topic? I’ve been sitting at my computer trying to think of what to write about. I don’t want to talk about future environmental jobs, it stresses me out. I don’t want to talk about school or post-grad learning, it stresses me out. What types of nature interpretation that I’m currently involved don’t stress me out? Why is it that as I’ve gotten older, my interaction with nature has shrunk into my computer screen, valued by grades and money? I sit here trying to think of one way I interact with the environment every day that isn’t for academic or professional goals, but for my personal ones. A-ha, my plants!

I don’t know about you guys, but growing up I have never had a green thumb. My mom always joked that our family has red thumbs because every plant that entered our house would die. During COVID when I really lived in Guelph for the first time off residence, I decided to get my first actual plant. My roommate has half the amazon rainforest in her room and reassured me she’d help me get started. 

My roommates room above.

So we went over to Walmart and got a plant that she was an avid fan of: the pilea. 

The pilea, also known as the Chinese Money Plant, is super cool. My favourite thing about it is that it has unique circular leaves that you normally wouldn’t imagine for plants to have. They’re made this way to absorb the maximal amount of sunlight that they can because they usually only grow in indirect sunlight. I have fond memories of my roommate bottom-watering her pilea in our grimey Chancellors kitchen with all of us huddled around the plant to listen to it absorb the water. So when I got this plant, I figured it would be no different. Not sure what happened, but this is my pilea two years later:

You think that’s bad? Below is the second plant I ever got:

Obviously I gave it to my roommate.

But you know what? I never gave up! After several more premature and unfortunate plant deaths, I finally kind of got a grip on the whole plant thing. We had left Chancellors and moved into a cozy little house. I was basically living alone for the summer and needed a new hobby. I worked as a receptionist at a car dealership and boy was it boring. I sat at that desk for hours at a time scrolling through facebook marketplace looking for some ideas. One hot summer afternoon, I saw that a woman was selling her pathos plant. I decided to stop by after work and pick it up.

This was the start of my addiction. Since then, I have collected roughly 15-25 more plants. It’s gotten so bad, I have plants on the floor of my bedroom because I don’t have space for them on any more shelves. Of course several of my plant predecessors have passed away, but hey, there’s still a few that are kickin’ it! I feel like although this hobby can be taxing at times due to the constant upkeep, it is really rewarding to have nature in my bedroom with me. It makes me really happy to nurture my plants. I have learned to understand their cues, giving them water, light, shade, or humidity as they need. I also enjoy decorating my plants by painting their pots or putting crystals into the soil.

 I really love seeing the afternoon sun hit their leaves, it makes me really happy. It has also helped me become interested in horticulture and ecology- I’ve both volunteered and worked as a horticulturist around the Kitchener-Guelph-Waterloo area over the past few summers!

I guess the moral of the story is that it’s important to maintain some level of personal conenction to nature outside of school and work. Don’t be scared to get some plants, it can be daunting but with trial and error, you’ll learn! 

What’s your guys’ favourite plants? I’d love to see some pictures and hear your story about them! Thanks so much!!

Unit 04: Nature Interpretation Through Art

This week we ask, “who are you to interpret nature through art?” although you may read this prompt defensively at first glance, I believe that interpretation through art comes in many forms. The beauty of interpretation is that there is no correct answer. There is a method and a medium for everyone to enjoy, such as music, paintings, theatre, photography, etc. As Beck et al. (2018) state, incorporating art into nature interpretation is helpful for increasing the pleasure and enjoyment of the audience. Information and emotions can be communicated through art forms, making them powerful. Beck et al. (2018) also mention how the utilization of art can permit areas of your mind to open and connect yourself to the interpretation. 

I believe this relationship flourishes because of our five senses; sight, taste, smell, hearing, and touch.

They are powerful. 

They can have you revisit a single memory from one specific day in 2012 just based on one triggered sense. I believe art taps into these senses in a similar way. Since art can satisfy all senses, it can compel your body and mind to vulnerability. Vulnerability aids in forming connections and resonating with the topic, which is why art used in nature interpretation is so influential.

My favourite form of art for nature interpretation is photography. Taking pictures of what I find beautiful is what brings me joy. It allows me to open up and saturate myself with my surroundings. Not only does it delight me in the present, but I can relive it all later. This may be a biased approach since I have grown up with a smartphone for most of my life. However, when I am surrounded by nature’s beauty, instead of taking it all in, I have been subconsciously conditioned to take out my phone and take a picture. Although this seems upsetting, I like to alter this outlook to have a more positive approach. I remind myself that wanting to take a picture should not make me feel guilty and should not make me feel as though I am not “living in the moment”. If photography brings me joy and I wish to revisit this picture later, what’s the harm? 

That is the charming aspect of art. There is a medium for everyone. 

In terms of the “gift of beauty,” I believe that the spectrum of “beauty” is vast. This concept is expressed as a person’s capability to observe beauty in their surroundings through interpretation that aids in increasing resource preservation (Beck et al., 2018). I agree with this concept and its premise. Since everyone has different tastes, anything can be considered beautiful! Regarding myself, I coincide with this concept as nature is truly a beautiful gift that we have been provided. 

To conclude, I have added a quote from Vincent van Gogh that correlates different methods of art and nature.

“I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough?”

 –Vincent van Gogh

The photos I have added to this post remind me why I love photography and nature!

Literature Cited

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage : for a

better world. Sagamore Venture.

Vincent van Gogh to Theo Van Gogh : January 1874. (n.d.). Retrieved February 1, 2023, from

I also agree with your comment, that we all have different tastes and different emotional connections with nature and art. Its very personal, as only we as individuals have had the experiences that shape our perspective or our unique way of interpreting art. In the photo of the trees, 10 different people may have captured it 1000 different ways, and they would likely all still be art.

I believe the best way to describe privilege is the unearned advantages awarded to an individual or group of individuals based on perceived characteristics that in turn make their life easier. Privilege can relate to anything from the language we are taught and the resources we have to our familial culture and background. I grew up in an upper-middle-class family and therefore was able to develop an appreciation and relationship with the environment in many different ways with access to many different opportunities; camping trips and family vacations, living and playing in a safe neighborhood, access to education with field trips and other learning opportunities, participation in many extra-curricular activities etc. To unpack my own indivisible backpack, access to these types of resources and the ‘Canadian culture’ I grew up with allowed me to unknowingly have these advantages in our society. Along with access to higher education and different opportunities throughout many aspects of my life, it is not until reflection that I am able to see these advantages and think about extending access to individuals without these advantages.