Nature Interpretation

REFLECTION TIME! Who were you before this course? If you’re anything like me you had a interest in nature (its why you took this course), but before taking this course I never understood the multifaceted nature of interpretation. As a science student, I’ve always thought the goal of interpretation was simple- get information out there. But this course has allowed me to realize the efficiency of information delivery and uptake is dependent on so many factors:

the audience

the topic of interpretation

the method of communication

available resources

associated risks of participation

the interpreter’s personal insight and beliefs.

My beliefs as an interpreter have been shaped by my childhood exposure to nature, recent backcountry camping experiences, and undergraduate courses in environmental science. One principle has remained relevant to me throughout this course: coexistence. As mentioned in my first blog post, I don’t believe in conquering nature (whether that means camping or development), I believe in a human-nature coexistence. Nature is a strong constant that doesn’t rely on humans to exist, in fact it would prosper without us. So this coexistence is not possible unless we learn about the delicate interactions that make up nature.  

Unite all species through coexistence! Source: Change.org

Now that I have a better understanding of my personal beliefs and priorities that make up who I am as an interpreter, I want to address other themes we discussed in this course: understanding my audience and creating a meaningful experience.

Understanding my audience

Luckily this course has allowed me to add many other principles to my tool belt in order to make interpretation a meaningful experience. Before, the scientists in me would have talked at people about climate change or habitat fragmentation. I’ve realized the importance of knowing your audience. I’m a tactile learner, so an approach I would really appreciate on a nature walk would be using a dichotomous key to identify species. Interactive learning is important to me, but I recognize that there are many different learning styles that may benefit from different types of teaching such as reading labels about species information or listening to an auditory explanation about a species. Its my responsibility as an interpreter to ensure that all different types of learners have access to information. Further, its ethical to ensure that people from all different walks of life have access to information, including those who speak another language or have a visual or auditory disability.

Interactive signs with pictures and words are effective! Source: Pinterest

I also ask myself what an audience needs to hear to be inspired. Through creating a podcast I have learned the importance of tailoring a message to different age groups. Children may need a more hopeful message, whereas adults may need to hear about the urgency of a situation (Beck et al, 2018). On that note, an important consideration is generational differences. Let’s consider technology. Something I’ve noticed at restaurants during the pandemic is you often have to use your data on your smartphone to scan a QR code in order to check-in or view a menu. My grandparents don’t know what half of those words mean, and so if this restaurant was some sort of educational experience they would be completely lost. I can understand the value of technology in interpretation, but I think its more accessible to give the audience an ability to choose between it or more traditional methods for learning.

Technology is not for everyone! Different options should be available to avoid classic technical mistakes like using the calculator instead of the camera! Source: Tumblr

As an interpreter it is also my responsibility to acknowledge that privilege exists in society which influences people’s personal relationship with nature. We cannot speak to people as if they all are starting at the same place and have the same experiences. Additionally, there are risks in nature. Though risk can be objectively defined, the valuation of risk is subjective to each person. We must graciously consider this as a guiding leader in nature. An important ethical principle to me is that my audience does not feel excluded or in danger.

Inclusivity and safety in nature. Source: Reach or Miss

how can i make this experience meaningful?

I believe an interpretation experience can be meaningful when it is exciting, when it makes an audience question something they believed beforehand, or when there is an educational component that the audience carries with them in the future. A meaningful experience should promote an individual’s desire for human-nature coexistence. I’ve realized that scientific facts do not provide a meaningful experience for everyone. The addition of sociocultural factors can provide an important educational takeaway for our diverse audience. For example, visual arts can be a gateway into an undiscovered appreciation for the natural world. I realize the importance of this for visual learners or those who may better receive information through paintings instead of scientific literature. We may turn to arts in times like these, when parks may be closed or the natural world feels less accessible. Another way to make a meaningful experience is through the incorporation of music. As I learned through recording a podcast, music conveys tone and can spark feelings in listeners. I like to call this the “era of headphones”, we carry millions of songs in our pockets. Songs can create a memorable experience for people and may especially speak to auditory learners. Finally, providing historical context can make an experience with the natural world more meaningful for all generations. Learning the backstory behind an old tree, for example, can lead to the audience feeling a greater connection with it; hearing its backstory and everything that has changed in the world since it was planted can really get the audience appreciating its presence. Learning about natural history can also encourage the audience to think about the environmental problems we face in the future.  

Children at a climate change rally. Source: TIME

Final thoughts

Tourism, which encompasses interpretation, has been shown to shape the world view of individuals (Mowforth and Munt, 2016). I’ve learned that I can use interpretation to promote the human-nature coexistence through a diverse array of teaching components and styles. Sustainability and conservation are contingent on people caring about nature. Interpretation is the vehicle which can promote individuals to feel inspired (Beck et al, 2018). Effective interpretation can inspire technological advances, policy changes, connections with Indigenous tribes, and future protectors of endangered species. We take so much from nature, through interpretation we learn how to give back, how to appreciate it.

Through reflecting and participating in this course, I have been provided with tools that I will gratefully add to my invisible backpack. These tools will help me with interpretation in whatever path I take in the future, even if its only talking to my family about nature in the little lake from my first blog.

Deer beside my house: I’m forever grateful for my proximity and access to wildlife that has shaped my view on nature and allowed me to become the interpreter I am today! (taken by me). 

Prompt: Using the tools you’ve gained in this course, how would you interpret the idea of “climate change” to a young generation that is the future of sustainability and conservation? I will respond to your post with my thoughts.

References:

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

Wonderful blog post. It is bittersweet wrapping up this course.

Your discussion regarding your beliefs was very thought-provoking, and I found it quite interesting when you mentioned coexisting. Personally, my belief system is based upon the idea that everything in nature is essential. However, I truly resonate with the idea of coexisting to a greater degree. I have recently watched the documentary seaspiracy, and it truly made me realize that we have conquered and degraded a planet that was not ours to dominate. In today's society, people will often forget the implications of their actions and fail to understand the reliance we have upon nature.

Regarding your question, being an interpreter in today's day and age comes with the responsibility of educating others about climate change. While it is an urgent matter, it is often not one that many people would like to listen about. Rather often, people will turn a blind eye than face reality. While it is the interpreter's goal to help individuals a sense of place, it is equally as important to leave them with the desire to preserve our planet. Like you, I would strongly prefer interactive learning as it instills a sense of reality in the audience. Therefore, I would most likely approach climate change in a very optimistic manner while giving examples along a walk of what would become impacted if conditions were to worsen. It can be something as simple as showing them a tree at risk due to temperature shifts. While climate change is often difficult to visualize, focusing on something in their surroundings can help link their understanding.

Have you watched the documentary seaspiracy yet?

Beginning this course, my outlook on nature interpretation was purely scientific, because that’s largely what interested me… or so I thought.  One tends to perform/do as they are taught.  Growing up watching countless nature documentaries, I thought what spoke to me was the science behind it all; Attenborough explaining how toads survived in the Australian outback and why caribou migrated every year.  While that was certainly a large part of it, I failed to see the other aspects of nature interpretation that were going on. The narratives created for each animal, the excellent and artistic cinematography, even the accompanying music, all played a role in nature interpretation, teaching me, and eventually how I would teach others.  Throughout this course, I’ve learnt the importance of all these aspects of nature interpretation, but I’ve also identified what responsibilities I have as an interpreter, and what beliefs I hold regarding it.

I don’t think my ethics as a nature interpreter have changed from what they were prior to the course but I have had the opportunity to elaborate upon them.  We maintain a moral obligation to safeguard the natural world.  Sir David Attenborough once said “It seems to me that an understanding of the natural world is crucial for all of us – after all we depend upon it for our food, for the air we breathe and, some would say, for our very sanity” (Attenborough 2009). We must protect the environment out of necessity for its instrumental value to us, as stated by Attenborough, but also for its intrinsic value.  For me, there is a spiritual/religious aspect to nature’s intrinsic value.  We have been tied to Creation, the environment, the physical universe since our genesis.  

Faith and nature interpretation could be a post of its own, so I’ll try to keep this brief. I’ve received some criticism in the past for incorporating my faith into these posts and my work.  I don’t think I need to reason why I am talking on this subject matter when the point of these posts is to express our own views, opinions, and experiences in the courses.  As a person of faith with natural intelligence, my faith and experiences in this course, and nature in general, will be inevitably interact.  The same is true for my ethic.  In Pope Francis’ Laudato Si, he stated that  “The entire material universe speaks of God’s love, His boundless affection for us.  Soil, water, mountains – everything as it were a caress from God” (Pope Francis 2016). Creation is a gift.  Not only is Creation a gift and demonstration of God’s affection, it is humanity’s common inheritance.  As a common inheritance it belongs to all and is meant for all; our duty is to ensure this by preserving it.  This dogma forms a large part of what motivates my ethic.  

(If you are interested in nature interpretation through a Christian lens I recommend you look into Laudato si; Image source)

How to execute this?  Sir David Attenborough explains how “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced” (Attenborough 2009). Attenborough is alluding to the transformative value of nature and touches upon a key threat to it.  Experiencing nature can lead to a lifelong compassion for it, however, “If people lose knowledge, sympathy and understanding of the natural world, they’re going to mistreat it and will not ask their politicians to care for it” (Attenborough 2009).  It’s clear that education is crucial to securing the future of nature.  As I’ve developed during the course of this class I’ve added to this ethic, realizing the importance of diverse accessibility to information and incorporation of indigenous knowledge.

Knowing the different facets of nature interpretation are useful when trying to make your interpretation accessible to different audiences and learners.  I am a visual learner and so it makes sense that I’ve been drawn to nature documentaries, while an experiential learner might rather be fully immersed on a nature walk.  Beyond different learning styles, it’s also important to keep in mind how accessible the service you’re providing is to different groups.  If our goal is to spread awareness of environmental issues and increase society’s appreciation for nature as it is, we should strive to spread this to as many people as possible. Asking questions like if a trail/tour is accessible to those with mobility disabilities or affordable to average families is key in spreading our message and fulfilling our goal.  As I highlighted in my discussion post about privilege, environmental racism runs rampant across urban ethnic communities within Canada and the US.  But this issue isn’t restricted to a national scale; even globally, the minority “developed” countries extract resources from the majority “developing” countries without regard for human or environmental well-being, while they profit form it without experiencing nor witnessing any of the detrimental outcomes. As a part of my personal ethic, I want to reach as many people as possible. Someone who can’t afford to attend an interpretive program at a park might be able to watch a YouTube video on the same topic, receiving nature education this way. Chapter eight of the textbook discussed how to interpret to the masses and reach a wider audience via radio, social media and other outlets online (Beck et al. 2018).  All this to say, it’s important to keep in mind how you are interpreting and how to share it best according to your strengths and how to get it to your target audience (through music, art, literature, social media).  

(A TedTalk on the connectedness of indigenous Amazonians with nature and spirituality; source)

As I mentioned above, Western dominance over other countries has led to the exacerbation of environmental racism.  Alongside this has been the suppression and marginalization of indigenous forms of interpretation.  As a part of my ethic, while I might not always be able to perform traditional interpretation, I want to educate others on these indigenous forms of interpretation because each has value in it’s own right, for their traditional practitioners  but also for foreign audiences who might experience some sort of transformative value. If anyone is interested, in a previous post titled Week 7: A Yoik in Nature, I delve deeper into the musical tradition of the Joik for the Sami people.  Incorporating traditional knowledge presents us with a new was of knowing and relating to the land (Hooykaas 2021).

(Filming of a nature doc; source)

Moving forward, I intend to continue this mission of preserving the planet by trying to connect as many people as I can to it.  Continuing on my nature interpretation journey, I’ve been accepted to start the Environmental Visual Communication program at the ROM.  I’m grateful for the solid base in nature interpretation that this course has given me and I look forward to continue sharing my passion for nature with others and helping others make their own connections.

Questions:

*     How does your ethic affect your nature interpretation? Have you added to it during the course?

*     How do you think you’ll continue to interpret beyond this course?

Best,

- Diego

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T.T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018). Chapter 8: Interpreting to the masses. Interpreting cultural and natural heritage for a better world. (pp.165-182). Sagamore Venture.

Catholic Church., & McDonagh, S. (2016). On care for our common home: The encyclical of Pope Francis on the environment, Laudato Si’.

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 7: Nature Interpretation through Music [Course Website]. University of Guelph Courselink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/ 2590559/View.

Excellent post. I enjoyed reading about your reflections on the course. I relate to you in the sense that what drove my initial admiration towards these documentaries was the unique footage they could capture. David Attenborough has always been someone who has indeed been an inspiration when it comes to interpretation. I never thought to realize that it was how he captured an audience’s attention that elevated the qualities of these documentaries. I have budding respect for nature interpreters as it is often a difficult task to engage an audience on topics that may not be of interest to every individual.

Similar to you, I don’t believe my ethics have changed too much since taking this course. Instead, I now can apply principles I had previously developed towards present-day interpretations. Personally, an ethic I carry with me is respect, and it has helped guide me towards the type of interpretation I would like to one day do. By respecting the environment, it helps us develop a desire to preserve and protect the beauty of the natural world.

Interestingly, before this course, I don’t think I would have ever applied to interpretation jobs purely based upon my lack of knowledge on the matter. I have recently started applying to various interpretation jobs in local parks and have an interview next week! I’m very excited to start my career as a nature interpreter, hopefully!

What is your favorite David Attenborough documentary?

Mine is dynasties

If you haven't seen it, I would highly recommend

I think that the most amazing thing I know about nature is its vast healing abilities. Nature and its products can positively influence people's mental health, physical health, and it always seems to find a way to heal itself. Nature serves so many purposes!

We as humans are spiritual beings. We can walk into a forest and look around and magically feel at ease. The songs that birds chirp and the sound of leaves ruffling evoke feelings of serenity and peace. Not only does nature positively influence our emotions, it can also heal us. Due to our spiritual nature, I believe that connecting with nature is something that we need daily to feel good. When I am having a really bad day I often have an intense urge to go outside. When I am outside I walk, sit, run, or write. It does not matter what I am doing though, as long as I am outside, simply being there makes me feel at peace. Many people can resonate with this because as a species, we have a tendency to be closely associated or interact with other forms of life in nature. This tendency is called biophilia! Recently it seems as though we have begun to integrate nature in different mental and physical healing treatments. Some examples include naturopathic medicine, therapeutic horticulture, restorative environments, therapeutic landscapes, and healing gardens. Although nature has always been an integral part of many cultural healing techniques, it seems as though it is becoming more popular now!

Here is a video I found of a walk through a forest with the sound of rain. As you can see it is very relaxing to watch, and there are hundreds of videos just like this!

I believe that my generation in particular is seeing a big shift in our lives. Most of us went from living a very fun childhood, spending most of our time outside playing in the sun, in the forest, or at a cottage by the water, and now we spend a large portion of our life inside with a cell phone glued to our hands. We now use nature to escape the lives that we are living, and I think we can all agree that the older we get the more we realize the importance of nature and what effect it actually has on our mental health. There is actually evidence to support the role of nature experiences in an increased psychological wellbeing (Bratman et al., 2019). Not only does technology pull us away from nature, different living situations can as well. Often people are encouraged to move to urbanized areas due to different opportunities such as a higher education or a well paying job in the area. These opportunities themselves may promote mental health, but the necessary contact with nature in urbanized areas is often lost or at least greatly reduced.

Here is a photo I took of my dog when we were on a walk in a forest!

Not only does nature positively influence our mental wellbeing, it is also very important in our physical health. In nature and healthy ecosystems, healthy plants are grown. Plants are very important sources of food and medicine! One example of a medicine that can be found in nature is Chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.) This plant is actually considered a weed! It has a long stem (about 20-30 cm) with white flowers at the end. When the flowers of this plant are dried, they are consumed as a herbal tea (chamomile tea) (McKay & Blumberg, 2006). According to McKay and Blumberg (2006), in vitro studies, chamomile has been found to have antimicrobial activity against some species of bacteria, fungi, and viruses and has shown to be particularly effective against molds and yeasts. Antioxidant activity and antiplatelet activity have also been found in vitro studies of chamomile (McKay & Blumberg, 2006). In animal model studies anti-inflammatory, anti-tumorigenesis, antigenotoxic, hypocholesterolemic, positive cardiac and gastrointestinal effects have been found. Chamomile has also been found to have positive effects on the liver and central nervous system (McKay & Blumberg, 2006). According to (McKay & Blumberg, 2006), chamomile in oil form has been found to have positive effects on the gastrointestinal tract in combination with other components. Chamomile oil has also been found to reduce pain of women giving birth and positively influence mood. One of chamomile's most well known effects is its mediation of anxiety and insomnia, as chamomile acts as relaxant.

Here is a photo I took of Chamomile tea!

Not only can nature heal us, it seems as though nature always finds a way to heal itself! A great example of this is invasive plant species. Oftentimes when invasive plant species come in, they have the potential to take over an entire ecosystem. Despite this, every species has a natural enemy. A great example of this is the gypsy moth, which is an invasive species to North America. Gypsy moths eat foliage on trees, and they can do so very quickly. Even though they are rapidly spreading and causing a lot of damage to trees, they have many natural enemies which can help to keep their population numbers in check. These predators include wasps, flies, beetles, ants, spiders, birds, chipmunks, squirrels, and racoons (City of London, 2021).

Here is a photo I took of some gypsy moth webs in some trees in my backyard.

In conclusion, I find it very fascinating that nature has the ability to heal so many things and people. Even when things get out of check, nature seems to find a way to bring things back to equilibrium. As long as we protect nature, nature will protect us. We live in a symbiotic relationship with nature and that is why it is so important that we protect it!

QUESTIONS:

Have you ever treated an illness or wound (or any other medical problem) with something from nature?

How do biocontrol methods relate to natures ability to heal itself? How can we take advantage of this?

References

Bratman, G. N., Anderson, C. B., Berman, M. G., Cochran, B. Vries, S. D., Flanders, J., Folke, C., Frumkin, H., Gross, J. J., Hartig, T., Kahn Jr. P. H., Kuo, M., Lawler, J. J., Levin, P. S., Lindahl, T., Meyer-Lindberg, A., Mithcell, R., Ouyang, Z., Roe, J… Daily, G. C. (2006).  Nature and mental health: An ecosystem service perspective. ScienceAdvances, 6. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax0903

City of London. (2021). Gypsy moth. City of London. https://london.ca/living-london/water-environment/trees/invasive-species/gypsy-moth

I enjoyed reading your blog post, and you chose a fascinating topic that may not be apparent to every individual. I can relate to you in the sense that when you feel an overwhelming sense of emotions, it helps to go outside to seek relief. The understanding that nature provides cultural services has been around for decades now (Moola, 2021). The foundational argument is often made to justify the creation of parks or preserve a piece of landscape (Moola, 2021). The creator of New York’s Central Park in 1857 convinced the city to designate what was previously grey infrastructure as a park under the basis that natural landscapes can improve public health (Moola, 2021).

Photo by Groppo taken from https://society6.com/product/central-park-new-york2134731_mini-art-print?c_kid=s6-11136971p113a263v866a264v869&sku=s6-11136971p113a263v866a264v869&utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=2331

To answer your question, I’m a big fan of naturopathic remedies to alleviate illnesses and improve general well-being. I have experimented with a wide array of medicinal plants. My favorite being aloe vera, which I use nightly as it has anti-inflammatory properties beneficial to maintaining the youthful look of our skin. However, that is not to neglect all the other outstanding naturopathic elements I have encountered, such as dim-evail, fenugreek, and evening primrose. As an interpreter, it is essential to have an understanding of all components of our landscape. While educating others on a natural landscape, one could incorporate the medicinal usage of plants in their surroundings into the interpretation. It would be useful to explain common naturopathic remedies from species that many are well aware of to better connect with their environment. Introducing this visual aspect into interpretation would be an interesting tool to keep the attention of an audience.

Have you ever tried using aloe vera?

While on a hike or ski, it’s tempting to want to put in some earbuds and listen to a podcast or your favourite playlist to keep your mind off of the difficulty of the physical activity that you are engaging in. However, when doing so, you are missing out on something wonderful and truly unique to nature; a live show brought to you exclusively by the animals and insects surrounding you. 

(A field cricket, which makes its recognizable tittering sound by rubbing its wings together. This sound is synonymous with sleep itself! Image from: Brittanica)

Music is simply defined as “patterns of sound varying in pitch and time produced for emotional, social, cultural, and cognitive purposes” (Krause et al., 2001). But this definition, to me, is very anthropocentric, and puts unnecessary boundaries and limits on what music is. The sounds of nature certainly fit within the definition of what I would consider to be “music”, but are not produced for these reasons (emotional, social, cultural processes); they occur as members of a species interact with each other, with members of other species, and with their abiotic environment. The animals in nature don’t care about making wonderful sounds for us; they are simply going about their lives. However, the sounds that they are creating are certainly music, and more than that, it is the first music that our world has created and the first music that mankind has ever heard. 

(The nightingale. Bird songs are an example of unbelievable beautiful music that can come out of animals in natural ecosystems. Listen to it sing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKqfcR4mXMI)

To put it in simple terms, nature’s music symbolizes life, activity, and prosperity of natural ecosystems. Thus, since nature’s music holds so much meaning behind it, of course it can be useful to us as nature interpreters. These soundscapes can act as a gateway into nature (Hooykaas, Unit 7); hearing them immerses the listener into the world of the natural, and helps them comprehend the interconnectedness, beauty, and diversity of life contained within natural ecosystems. 

But as much as we take take away from nature’s music as an outsider, we can also bring nature into our own lives through the music that we create. By doing so, we can exposure nature to the general public in subtle ways, garnering their interest in nature by including soundscapes that no man could produce into our man-made tunes (once again, a subtle act of nature interpretation). Additionally, us outdoorsy folks can bring a piece of nature with us even when we are nowhere near it, as listening to this music reminds us of how we feel when we’re outside. 

(LA band Lord Huron. Being a nature lover and a music lover, their stuff really strikes a chord with me! Image from: TimeOut magazine)

There are 3 artists which I would like to introduce you to, so that you can better understand what I mean. It’s hard to say exactly what makes each of the successful at giving off the “outdoorsy vibe”, but there is something about the beautifully haunting sounds they create that makes me feel like I do when I’m in nature. Give them a listen for yourself!

Lord Huron:

The Night We Met: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtlgYxa6BMU 

Meet Me in the Woods: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJOsLdBqbPA

Ben Howard: 

Promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xjg0Ip7TzzM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8ccDb6n5Wg

Bon Iver:

Flume: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LuQrLsTUcN0

Holocene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWcyIpul8OE

Some questions for you this week: what are some artists that make YOU feel like you do when you’re outside? Why/how do you think their music makes you feel this way?

Thanks so much for reading (and listening)! 

Ty 🐪

References: 

Field cricket | insect. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/field-cricket

Wildlife World. (2015, October 26). Singing nightingale. The best bird song. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdlIbNrki5o

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 7: Nature Interpretation Through Music. Lecture Notes Retrieved, March 5th, 2021

You have great taste in music, and those songs are genuinely some of my favorites! Your discussion made a thought-provoking argument regarding the anthropogenic bounds of the definition of music. While natural sounds are not produced for our enjoyment, you are right in saying that it is justifiably a form of music. Personally, there is nothing I enjoy more than putting on rain noises as I fall asleep to help me feel more relaxed. I truly believe that the environments we have been exposed to can influence and enhance our reaction to different forms of music. While there may not always be nature in music, I think we can generate memories of our surroundings and associate them with particular songs.

However, I do agree with you that although going for a walk with music acts as a much-needed distraction, we sometimes forget to acknowledge the sounds that are happening all around us. Over the summer, I was so caught up in my music during my run that I ran entirely past a deer walking right beside me. Whenever I go for a walk now, I try to focus on all components of my surroundings. As an interpreter, it is also necessary to tune in with your surroundings and appreciate the beauty all around you.

In response to your question, there is one artist I particularly enjoy as he tends to incorporate natural sounds into his music. Alone together by Charlie Gamache has a section in the song to allow his surroundings to be the music. In particular, I gravitate towards this song due to his use of seagulls, which makes me envision the relaxing feeling of being near a beach.

   Hey guys!

     I hope you have all been having a great week! I can’t even begin to explain how hectic mine has been between school, commuting, and full-time nurse at home to my sick boyfriend. Wow, 2021 has already been such a crazy year!

     For this week’s discussion, we were assigned to unravel this hefty quote. In my opinion, this quote can unravel in numerous ways, mostly depending on each person’s perspectives, values, and beliefs. In my eyes, the voice behind this quote intends to explain how life is one big building block. I will explain this quote in sections, so it is easier for you to follow my thoughts!. First, I want to start by explaining the second section; “to think 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.” Every invention/creation that has ever been made or discovered has helped to the continuous creation of life’s beauty. For example, the idea of evolution. The idea that life was created through the invention of science. The notion that humanity began with a monkey is apart of the theory of evolution.  This theory has panned out for hundreds of thousands of years, and it was an escalated build-up. I’ve attached a small article below from National Geographic regarding the Theory of Evolution, in case anyone wanted to get a better idea of what I was discussing in my example! I also included a picture below that shows the development of evolution over time and the growth behind each stage in humankind’s progression. 

ARTICLE LINK → https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/theory-evolution/  (National Geographic, 2021) 

PICTURE REFERENCE: (Alen, 2015)  

     Many people say the past can be erased; however, I believe the past is something to be learned from, so you should never forget your past. Every day that goes by, it is normal for humans to make mistakes. However, most people do not understand the difference between leaving a mistake (memory) behind and learning from that same mistake. It is normal to feel resentment over past mistakes, but you cannot re-wire your thoughts to believe those mistakes never happened. One must face the past, whether the reality is harsh or not, and move past it healthily. Life is purely made up of moments, moments of which are a creation of life. Some of the world’s best discoveries occurred naturally, such as gravity. My overall point is that, through the build-up of moments, they create what we have today. 

     Now working my way back to the first section 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..” I am not one to say there is definitive meaning in everything old or vintage, but there is value in things beyond our capacity or our handling. The particular knowledge we find upon ancient items such as (referencing science again), dinosaur fossils can lead us to educate ourselves about things that we once did not know existed. The discovery of fossils opened up numerous doors to evolutionary science, and now that part of science is spread to students and educators all over the world, such as myself. 

     Overall, I believe this quote holds such deep meaning to it. It can be interpreted from so many different perspectives, and I chose to go with the creation of life and its moments. I cannot wait to read and hear what everyone else has to say. It is always so lovely to get assignments like this once in a while, so you can read everyone placing their creative energy into their work! It makes it for a more exciting week of blogs :)

QUESTION FOR YOU GUYS:

My question for you guys is, what examples did you guys find useful in explaining this quote? Did you use any examples at all? I would love to understand your thoughts and how you guys described this quote specific to other comparisons.

Reference(s):

Alen, S. (2015). Theories about the origin and evolution of Humans. Short History. URL: https://www.shorthistory.org/prehistory/the-origin-and-evolution-of-man/

In the fantastic blog post, you did an excellent job at breaking down the quote and interpreting the meaning in the passage. In response to your question, I believe that we can use the historical transformation of land bases to illustrate what the quote was attempting to convey. Understanding the natural history of a landscape is essential in developing modern-day policy regarding re-wilding urban areas. Often, when governments try to create or restore natural areas, they are ill-formed in the historical ecological background on the site. In most cases, individuals present in times before development are no longer around to share what the landscape once supported. When attempting to re-wild areas subjected to disturbances such as development, the main goal is to create a landscape that mimics one before human disturbances. A concept that is difficult to imagine. We can achieve these historical ecological landscapes through oral traditions that indigenous elders have passed on through generations. From your discussion post, you mentioned that there are important facets of information we find in ancient things, such as indigenous knowledge, that help educate us on things we may not have known existed.

However, I think we can also learn from the historical urban development and observe its present influence on biodiversity. As you said in your post, the past cannot be erased and can be learned from to help us evolve from the mistakes we may have made. An example is the introduction of non-native pollinators such as the honeybee into Canada. The history of honeybees is essential for the present-day conservation of native pollinator species such as the bumblebee. We are focused on present-day honeybee decline while forgetting the history of their arrival and neglecting to realize their influence on native species.

I think that nature documentaries are extremely important to nature interpretation and the education of the public. Although nature is available to the majority of the population in their everyday lives, there is so much of the world and its creatures that we do not see for various reasons, whether it is where we live or where we are able or unable to travel to. From the depths of the ocean to the freezing arctic to the tops of the mountains, there are so many sights that we do not see on a day-to-day basis. This is why I feel that these documentaries are so important; it is too easy to have an “out of sight, out of mind” mindset. This, to me, is not acceptable. Nature is too amazing, too bizarre, and too beautiful to be ignored. It should be appreciated, and nature documentaries provide an excellent outlet for doing so.

Photo of a New Zealand landscape - a view not many of us get to see in person. Retrieved from Creative Commons here. 

To begin, these documentaries are important to be able to interpret and appreciate nature in their natural habitats. As we all know, animals in captivity do not act the same as those in the wild – not to mention that there are certain animals that I do not believe should be in captivity at all, such as whales. I think showing these species in their natural habitats gives us both a better understanding and a greater appreciation for these species and the things they must do to survive. I watched a nature documentary called “North America” a few years ago, which featured a segment on mountain goats, and this gave me a newfound appreciation for the animal – I can even go as far as to say they are one of my favourite animals for this very reason (this often gets some interesting reactions when it comes up in conversation!). Their resilience and agility are amazing to watch – here is a clip that I recommend watching if you are interested in the activity of animals.

I have never been climbing in the Rocky Mountains, and I don’t know if I ever will, so the fact that these documentaries allow me to observe these animals in their natural habitat from the safety of my home is fascinating to me. 

As I said previously, not everyone gets the opportunity to experience nature on the same level; those who live in the country will likely experience more nature than those in the city, and those with the means to travel will be able to see and have more experiences than those who do not. Although not everyone has the means to watch these kinds of documentaries, I do feel that they still help break down the barrier and allow more people the chance to appreciate nature in its true form.

More mountain goats! These animals are fascinating to me. Retrieved from Creative Commons here!

Another reason that these documentaries are so important is because it is important to see how our choices and way of life impacts these animals and the natural environment. As we all know, human activity is continuing to destroy the earth and endanger its species due to things such as human-induced global warming and waste pollution. It is important for us humans to see how nature and its inhabitants are being affected by our actions rather than ignoring it and putting it on the back burner. By knowing how we are damaging nature, we can work towards trying to heal it. If you cannot see how you are damaging the earth, how are you supposed to feel motivated to rectify it? Every single person can make a difference, and I believe that these kinds of documentaries are a strong motivator for people to change their ways into those that are more eco-friendly. 

As we do not live in the arctic, obviously we cannot see firsthand that we are melting their habitat, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not happening. Photo from Mario Hoppmann.

I genuinely believe nature documentaries can help facilitate one's relationship with the natural world. It exposes individuals to sights unseen in a realistic manner that allows an audience to connect with the environment. It can capture aspects of the world that one rarely gets to experience. Documentaries fuel my desire to become a nature interpreter and shapes the way I can interpret the environment.

There are many documentaries by David Attenborough, specifically dynasties and life on our planet, that I truly believe every individual should watch at least once in their life. The series dynasties expose the audience to different species' lives to evoke an emotional response from the viewer. They strategically chose to explore endangered species around, hoping that the audience would connect with them. While life on our planet exposes the harsh reality of our anthropogenic dominated world, that has led us down the path we are currently on. Both are uniquely different series; however, they have a common goal: they appeal to humans' empathetic nature to encourage a sense of anger or sadness. It's these emotions that drive even the uninterested parties in promoting change. David Attenborough has this thought-provoking demeanor that captures the audience's attention and directs it towards an environmental state of mind. While many may not see documentaries as a form of art, the best way to illustrate issues in the world around us is through these art forms.

How does this picture make you feel?

Photo by Evi T. on Unsplash

What about this one?

Photo by Bella M. on Unsplash

“The greatest value of a picture is when it forces us to notice what we never expected to see” – John W. Tukey

For me, personally, interpreting nature through art can not only bring people closer to the natural world, but can also alter their opinions and be a driver for effecting positive change. The majority of the population will not respond favourably to a list of plain factual data. People want visuals, colours, and texture. Consequently, the presentation of data can be very powerful, causing people to question their biases and change their actions.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

“The aim of interpretation is not agreement but understanding” - Donald Davidson  

The use of arts in interpretation has proven to be extremely effective in attracting and serving visitors. This style of programming attracts people who are not necessarily passionate about the environment, and more often than not, strengthens their relationship with nature. Furthermore, interpreting nature through art can elicit a strong emotional response, and consequently, stimulate concern about cultural and environmental issues (such as climate change). For example, theatre is used to engage the public with scientific issues by providing a balance of scientific content and public engagement.

Photo by Marty Z. on Unsplash

“Art is life’s dream interpretation” – Otto Rank

There is a growing recognition that education needs to change in order to address climate change, yet the question remains “how?” How does one engage young people with a topic that is perceived as abstract, distant, and complex, and which at the same time is contributing to growing feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety among them? Interpreting nature though art remains an untapped and under-utilized potential to address this issue. For instance, findings from a high school in Portugal point to the central place that art can play in climate change education and engagement more general, with avenues for greater depth of learning and transformative potential.

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/explore/nature/paint-for-the-planet/

“A true artist is not one who is inspired but one who inspires others” – Salvador Dali

Who am I to interpret nature though art? Well, I believe that humans are naturally visual, and process visual information very quickly as compared with text. Thus, if done well, graphic images can be a useful tool to communicate complex issues efficiently. Although I am not an artist or aristocrat, I think the incorporation of art in nature interpretation can be extremely beneficial, and that any interpreter can utilize art to strengthen their program. I definitely see myself utilizing the potential of art in environmental interpretation, as a picture can say so much with so little.

Photo by Marty Z. on Unsplash

“Creativity takes courage” – Henri Matisse

Interpretation should instill in people the ability, and the desire, to sense the beauty in their surroundings – to provide spiritual uplift and to encourage resource preservation. How do I interpret “the gift of beauty”? The overriding principal of interpretation, according to “Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage for a Better World” is to love the place and to love the visitors. For me, “the gift of beauty” is how interpreters share this love and passion with visitors, and ultimately, allow them to sense the beauty in their surrounding and strengthen their relationship with the natural world. As a result, visitors often experience spiritual uplift and a deeper appreciation for recourse preservation and environmental issues – something interpreting nature through art can elicit and/or augment.  

“Beauty – it was a glorious gift of nature” – Homer

Some questions for you:

Has a piece of art further facilitated your relationship with nature or bring you closer to a specific environmental topic?

In what ways do you think nature interpreters can utilize art in order to address environmental issues (such as climate change)?

In regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, how has art interpretation and/or data visualization altered your perception of risk?

References:

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

Bentz , J. (2020, August 07). Learning about climate change in, with and through art. Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-020-02804-4

Caulfield, T. (2018, August 02). COMMENTARY || Why researchers should use art to talk science. Retrieved February 01, 2021, from https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2018/08/commentary–why-researchers-should-use-art-to-talk-science

Hooykaas, A. (2020). ENVS*3000 Nature Interpretation course notes. Retrieved January 28, 2020, from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2590559/View

Williams, T. (1996). Art & Language. Oxford Art Online. doi:10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.t004309

Thank you for reading my post! I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts and opinions this week. All comments welcome :)

Best, 

The first thoughts that come to mind when hearing the word “privilege” are special advantages or rights that are granted to individuals depending on their race, gender, ethnicity, education, gender identity, religion, sexuality, ability (mental and physical), socio-economic status and many more (Media Smarts, 2014). As mentioned in our textbook, these groups of people that are separated by “some demographic characteristic” are labeled as “underserved populations or audiences”. Privilege allows certain individuals to believe they are more entitled to specific opportunities and experiences due to special pre-existing conditions that have been determined by society. 

The term “privilege” holds a different meaning for each person because everyone has experienced or witnessed different kinds of privilege throughout their lives. I am a half Trinidadian and half Chinese woman who grew up in Canada. I was raised in a home with two, full-time, successful working parents that love and support myself and my older brother. They have always provided us with everything we have ever needed, including clean water, clothes, food, a well-rounded education, a roof over our head and other luxuries including electronics, vacations, etc. All of the things that have been provided to me by my family have always seemed to be a basic right because it is all I have ever known and been exposed to; however, this is not the case for many people. I recognize the privilege that I do have because of the family I was born into and the status they hold in society. However, I am also able to recognize the opportunities and experiences I have lost or were not considered for because of the privilege I do not have due to the fact that I am a mixed woman of colour. 

This is a picture of my two parents, my brother and I in Mexico in 2008. This picture was taken by my grandma.

To be completely honest, I never considered the term privilege in the sense of nature or nature interpretation before reading the prompt for this blog post. However, I came to realize that privilege plays a major role in one’s interpretation of nature because the opportunities we were fortunate enough to experience in our life influences the way we think and interpret the world around us. The places I was able to visit and the beauty of nature that I was able to experience in those places were made available to me because of the privilege provided to me by my family. Although one does not need to partake in extravagant trips in order to experience the beauty that nature has to offer, I think that these experiences do influence the way in which we interpret nature. I believe that every experience or opportunity we have encountered in our lives will change the way we interpret interactions, objects, challenges, opportunities and more. I think that without the privilege I do have, my interpretation of nature would be extremely different. 

My questions to you are: 

- How old were you when you realized how privileged you were? Was there a specific moment, interaction or experience that opened your eyes? 

- How have you changed the way you lived your life or the way you look at your life once you realized your privilege? 

Thanks for reading and I am looking forward to any comments! 

- Victoria 

I enjoyed your perspective on privilege, and I strongly agree that the opportunities granted to us shape our relationship with interpretation. Privilege is a difficult topic to address as it can be perceived in numerous ways depending on your audience.  Most often, privilege is associated with oppression (the University of Michigan, 2020). The reason being is while some biases, social norms, and societal systems benefit certain individuals, it comes at a disadvantage to others (the University of Michigan, 2020).

In response to the question that you posed, it wasn't until I went on a trip to Chile where I reflected on how I live a very privileged life. It is often hard to recognize the advantages you received in life when like-minded individuals surround you. I was in grade eleven when I had the realization that I was extremely fortunate to live the life that I am. I have never had to worry about where I would live and when my next meal would be. On my trip, my family and I drove through poverty-stricken regions that consisted of thousands of tiny tin shacks with garbage covering the surface of the ground. It dawned on me that simple things such as clean water or air conditioning, which we often forget about, are a luxury not everyone can access.

What resonated with me throughout this trip is the lack of green spaces in these regions compared to the wealthier city area. I take for granted being able to wake up every morning and take a walk surrounded by trees and fresh air.

The strong relationship I have developed over time with the environment plays a critical role in my desire to interpret the world around me. However, it was not until that trip where I realized how naive I have been to assume that everyone has been able to form such a connection with nature. 

References 

Photo courtesy of: artnet.com. Artwork by Frederick Sproston Challener 

Overall, I believe that an environmental interpreter can effectively relate and convey nature related lessons to audiences, students, children, etc. 

As described in Beck et al. (2018),

“Environmental educators generally have a captive audience with learning responsibilities and preparation plus follow-up time with teachers. Many field interpreters have a volunteer audience for only a few minutes to a few hours. Thus the techniques used with children in structured situations permit different methodologies than with drop-in visitors. Yet often the interpreter hosts school and camp classes and becomes by necessity and environmental educator.”

Thus, I believe the ideal role of an environmental interpreter is an individual that can combine both the methodologies outlined above: (1) They are efficient at captivating their audience with follow-up responsibilities and (2) they are able to act as an interpreter to an audience in a brief period of time. 

By combining both, the interpreter can have an individual learn and succeed in either “structured situations” and as “drop-in visitors”. 

I believe both can be accomplished by being a teacher.

Photo courtesy of: David DeMatthews & Joshua Childs, UT News. 

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a teacher; specifically in a high school setting. Teachers have the ability to shape the minds of hundred of students over the course of their career. I can’t think of a more rewarding career, and hope to one day become a high school environmental science, biology, or chemistry teacher. 

Teachers are the ultimate interpreters. As stated in Beck et al. (2018), “Interpreters seek to add the essential elements of heightened appreciation, deeper understanding, and new ways of seeing the world.” Teachers are able to fulfill all these characteristics: they can passionately deliver lessons that can engage students in new, interesting concepts, implore students to learn beyond their current capabilities, and have them perceive the natural world through a science based lens. 

I believe that a true environmental interpreter is an environmental science teacher. 

Image of Nonquon Wildlife Area in Ontario, Canada, where my environmental science teacher would frequently take my class on field trips. Photo courtesy of: toronto.com 

At my high school, my environmental science teacher would take our class on many field trips, one of which included Nonquon Wildlife Area. Not only were we able to learn concepts about the natural world in a “structured setting” from my teacher in a class room, we were able to apply the knowledge in the real world as “drop-in visitors” at the field trips with his guidance. Thus, an environmental science teacher can more than successfully accomplish both methodologies that were previously mentioned, posing as the ideal role of an environmental interpreter. 

Personally, I would love the opportunity to take classes on field trips and have them apply the lessons to real world examples. To quote Jeffrey Pfeffer, I believe that “knowledge is only useful if you do something with it.” 

Photo courtesy of learningliftoff.com. 

However, to act as a successful environmental interpreter in the form of a teacher, I believe that a certain set of skills is required. Student have different ways of learning and perceiving knowledge. For example, as discussed in the course content, many individuals can either be auditory, visual, or tactile/kinesthetic learners. By taking the survey offered in class, I myself am mostly an auditory learner.

Teachers must approach their lessons in a manner that suits everyone’s needs; what may work for some students may not help the rest of the class. 

However, by applying real world examples, such as taking classes on field trips to actually experience the natural world that is taught in class, the teacher can broaden their abilities and incorporate all three learning styles!  

Therefore by incorporating a wide variety of methodologies and learning styles, I believe that a teacher is the most ideal environmental interpreter and can possess the skills to be a successful one.

Did anyone else immediately think of teachers when they started this week’s prompt? I’m curious to hear everyone else’s experiences of field trips and the role of their teacher as their environmental interpreter.

Lastly…does anyone else in the class have any plans on pursuing teaching? I would love to discuss the future career with people. 

References

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

Challener, F. (n.d.). Teaching in the forest by Frederick SprostonChallener. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from http://www.artnet.com/artists/frederick-sproston-challener/teaching-in-the-forest-YEgZ12pXbeJ07kHCX4flSQ2

David DeMatthews & Joshua Childs. (2019, October 17). What The Next Department of Education Secretary Must Do. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://news.utexas.edu/2019/10/17/what-the-next-department-of-education-secretary-must-do/

Learning-Liftoff-Staff. (2018, May 30). Top 3 Causes of Teacher Stress and How It Affects Students. Retrieved January 20, 2021, from https://www.learningliftoff.com/how-teacher-stress-affects-students/

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on interpretation; your blog was a fascinating read.  Although I can say I have never really shared your passion and desire to become a teacher, I can relate to the experience you had with your environmental science course. 

Similar to the ideas you expressed in your blog, I genuinely believe that environmental science teachers can inspire their students and leave everlasting impressions. Personally, it was my environmental science teacher that kick-started my desire to become an environmental scientist and eventually an environmental interpreter. My teacher had the gift of story and passion (Beck et al., 2018). He would explain every topic with such enthusiasm and designed every class to entertain and enlighten his students. Ironically enough, my environmental science teacher introduced me to blogging.

I agree that adapting to different learning styles is a necessary skill as an environmental interpreter. As a visual learner, Jeffery Pfeffer's quote accurately sums up how I understand something. However, in my opinion, there are also other skills that interpreters such as teachers should possess. While I think characteristics such as passion and enthusiasm are essential, one often not spoken about is the ability to instill a sense of reality while remaining prosperous. The biggest challenge about explaining complicated issues is to avoid inducing a sense of despair and instead focus on empowering students to invoke change. After listening to a teacher talk about climate change, I have had experiences where I was left with a very pessimistic outlook of our future. Teachers need to emphasize a sense of hope when discussing a complicated concept such as climate change. 

To answer your question, while I didn't immediately think of a teacher when I started brainstorming ways to approach this blog post, they have shaped who I am as an inspiring interpreter.