natures #1 fan

Hey guys, GrassLover here, coming at ya for the final blog post. Let me just say that it has been a wild ride, in the best of ways. Coming into this class, I didn’t really know what to expect. With the recent transitions to a  distance  education format due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I was unsure how the content of this course would translate from physical interactions in the University of Guelph Arboretum to an online learning environment. I never took ENVS 3000 prior to the pandemic, so I have no point of reference to compare how the course materials were handled then compared to how they were handled now, but speaking from the experience of taking this course in the current year, I can confidently say that they did the best job they could with the materials provided to them. Blogging is something that is completely new to me, I have never really encountered anything like it throughout my academic career, except maybe in brief discussion posts that have occasionally popped up in previous classes, and even then they were never a focus of the course. Blogging in this class being brought to the forefront of the curriculum, forced me to engage with not only the course material, but also myself in a way that I have not experienced before in an academic setting. Each week was a new and exciting experience for me, as I had the opportunity to do some serious introspective thinking on different aspects of nature interpretation, and then had the ability to share my thoughts with the class in a concise and effective manner. I also very much enjoyed the opportunity to comment and receive feedback between my peers, seeing other people’s insights on certain topics only served to further my overall understanding. On the more technical side, the whole process of using Tumblr and actually writing a blog was a learning experience for me. I never really considered blogging as a method of expressing yourself, but I am seriously considering continuing my blogging after this class. In addition to the blogs, I found the podcast to also be a new and challenging experience. Similarly to blogging, I had zero experience discussing and presenting ideas in the podcast medium, but I’m glad I got the chance to in this course. I feel that in this time where face to face interactions are limited, podcasting is a great and personal way to share information and discuss with a larger audience than would be possible in a more traditional environment. In addition, the technical aspects of podcast creation forced me way out of my usual comfort zone, and I definitely feel like I gained a lot of valuable technical skills in regards to podcast creation and general audio management/mastering. Would I recommend this course to someone else, absolutely not!

Ok, enough reminiscing, let’s get down to the final blog prompt “Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. What beliefs do you bring? What responsibilities do you have? What approaches are most suitable for you as an individual?”

What a great prompt to wrap up a semester’s worth of self reflection. As nature interpreters, I believe that it is a very good idea to be confident and have a complete understanding of yourself as an interpreter before you go out into the world and begin to share your knowledge of the natural world with others through nature interpretation. So after going through the entirety of this class, and doing some serious self-reflection, here’s what I’ve come up with for myself in the role of nature interpretation.

To start off, “what beliefs do you bring”. I believe that everyone should have equal opportunity to experience the natural world. Regardless of background, ability, education level, socioeconomic status ect. As a nature interpreter, it is my job to treat everyone equally and give them an equal experience through my interpretation. This goes outside of catering my interpretation based on my audience, factors such as their previous experience in nature, and level of education. In order to make nature interpretation truly accessible to everyone, there are external factors that need to be accounted for. Things such as arranging transportation to and from natural sites for those who are unable to travel easily, covering entrance fees for parks and conservation areas for those who struggle financially, including communication options for those with hearing/visual impairments or simply those who speak other languages, ensuring that interpretation sites are accessible to all ability levels, the list goes on. I also believe that in our current time, education on the preservation of nature is essential to our continued survival on this planet. I believe through nature interpretation, people should not only be educated on topics of natural history, but also informed on the broader geo-political ramifications that constantly impact the natural world, and vice versa. 

To expand upon this, “what responsibilities do you have”. As previously mentioned, I believe that ensuring that steps are taken, both by the individual interpreter and the community that they are a part of, to ensure that the natural world is accessible to all, should be the cornerstone of the nature interpretation mindset. In addition, it is the responsibility of nature interpreters to educate on not only topics of the natural world, but also how we as a species interact with it, the impacts that we have on it, and the importance as well as how to conserve/protect it.

For me personally, I believe that interpretation through art would be an effective strategy for nature interpretation. As someone who partakes in both visual and musical arts, I am confident that I can use these art forms to further my nature interpretation, and get people invested in the natural world.

So those are my final thoughts on me as a nature interpreter. I am very excited to see what everyone else has to say about nature interpretation. 

Wow! I couldn’t agree more with your ideas on making nature accessible to everyone. I’ve talked widely about this topic, but you bring up so many new perspectives and possible solutions. There's no denying that the outdoors community is inaccessible to most people. To ensure that everyone has the same opportunities, we need to address this problem buy creating an outdoor space free of discrimination, ablism, classism etc. While at the same time actively providing ways to get people with little outdoor experience into nature! One thing I think we can do to help with the accessibility of nature is to simply reframe our ideas about what ‘nature” truly is. I feel that a lot of people don’t get to experience the most amazing aspects of nature because they think to experience nature, they need to drive for 3 hours, spend hundreds of dollars on gear and spend all day in the wilderness. For many people, that’s not possible OR enjoyable. But should that mean that they don’t get to experience the tranquility and perspective that nature provides? NO! You can get the same dopamine fix that you do on a hard hike by simply lying down in a sunny park. I know there’s been lots of green space development in urban areas in recent years, but I think they could focus on providing a wider variety of natural spaces like sports fields, kids parks, gardens, ravines and urban forests etc. This way, those who’d like to experience nature without leaving the city can. While at the same time, subsidizing excursions and new wilderness experiences for those who want to explore!

Thank you so much for sharing!

It can be debated that the very being of our ethics are developed around what we experience through nature. Nature is evident within our lives and is involved in our daily activity in some way or another. To further evaluate the role that nature has on our lives, consider the extensive interpretation work conducted by the author Richard Louv. Louv believes in connecting to the nature around us and every small detail it has to offer us, we in return are saving it at the same time. A quote from Louv (2019) regarding the importance of nature that has resonated with me within this chapter is this; 

“Will help everyone break away from their fixed gaze at the screens that dominate our lives and remember instead that we are animals in a world of animals.” 

I believe this quote stuck with me as the dominance of online forums takes over most of our lives. Although this new era of technology careers and schooling is not exactly the ideal situation, it has provided me with the opportunity to become the best nature interpreter I can be. When the pandemic became relevant, I moved back to my hometown in Northern Ontario. Growing up, I used to hate living so far away from any big cities and could not wait to get away from all the rural communities. My beliefs, perspective, and responsibilities towards the environment have been forever altered as I now am back in the North and would not want to be anywhere else. I have included a list of realizations I have now regarding nature; 

It is our duty as the next up and coming generation to highlight the importance of nature and environmental conservation as it becomes the predominant threat to society.

There is life outside the cities and this is even more relevant now that remote work is an option.

We should be interpreting nature everyday as it is all around us and is constantly changing, just like we should be doing. 

We all have responsibilities regarding nature. It is our personal duty to identify what they are and ensure we are actively participating in them.

These are just a few, but everyone has different emotions and perspectives regarding nature and our role in it. Personally, I try hard to be active in respecting nature and educating those around me in doing the same. I believe that nature and the environment should be respected the same way some groups view religion or spiritual beliefs. 

To expand on that idea, I believe that environmental education should be taught within the Canadian school system from the first day. Our young people need to be aware of the deterioration of the environment so they can become an active part of prevention rather than affecting it more without knowing. 

So how do you feel? Do you think teaching young people about their responsibilities as nature interpreters from a young age will inspire a generation of nature conservationists? 

Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the woods: Saving our children from nature-deficit disorder. Algonquin books.

Your post was so insightful and beautifully written! You brought up some very important discussion points on the topic of conservation and environmental education. One of my favourites was the power of human connection with nature. I love to think about why humans love nature so much and why it has such a calming effect on us, I've come up with a couple of ideas but never a concrete answer. However, he quote you presented us with basically explains it- we are animals. As animals, we came from nature and will return to nature one day. I believe that natural environments have such a therapeutic effect because we physiologically need to be in touch with nature, and the world we’ve created away from nature is biologically unnatural. The modern world is made up of thousands of synthetic materials and technologies that disconnect us from our place on the Earth. Even worse is that as humans we are actively destroying nature by modern extraction techniques and practices. We are the first generation to feel the true impacts of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it. To connect with nature is to save nature is a point I’ve read a couple times within the class material. The textbook outlined the fact that when children grow up knowing the importance of nature and their place in it, they become protectors of the natural world (Beck et al. 2018, pp 54). As interpreters, one of our main goals should be to connect people with nature so that they learn to love and protect it! There is still hope for this world and the more people who understand the beauty of nature, the more people we'll ave working to protect it!

Thank you so much for sharing!

As a student who studies general biology, I found myself in courses about evolution and about different biological processes of plants and animals. The most exciting thing about nature is its ability to evolve and deal with outside pressures like the environment and people!

The theory of evolution dates back to Charlies Darwin back in 1859 when he studied the beak shapes of finches at the Galapagos Islands (Than 2021). He found that all the finches were the same species, yet the beak shapes varied from island to island (Than 2021). Why did the beak shapes differ between islands when it was the same bird? It’s because of natural selection and evolution (Than 2021). When you go outside and into the woods and you look at anything, from the trees to the animals, everything looks and acts the way they do because of evolution (Than 2021). Plant leaves that grow opposite from each other are because of evolution to absorb more sunlight (Than 2021). The plants that grew leaves on top of each other didn’t get enough sunlight and died off, allowing plants that grew leaves opposite to carry on their genes to future plants (Than 2021). This theory is just so large and complex that I am constantly thinking about it whenever I am outside. Why do some plants grow in one area and other plants in others? Why are some trees different shapes than others, or why are some plants small and some large? I always think about these things and how smart plants and animals really are. One of the craziest things discovered is that plants have slowly begun evolving to cope with the amount of pollution and greenhouse gases humans have begun to produce (Colpaert et al. 2011). The industrial era brought with it more pollution than ever before and that was only 150 years ago (Britannica 2021). It only took plants 150 years to begin to evolve ways to cope with the increasing pollution while humans and mammals take millions of years to evolve anything significant (Colpaert et al. 2011). Metals found in the soil and air are harmful to plants and humans. Different Suillus have been discovered that have a higher tolerance to these metals when compared to other species counterparts (Colpaert et al. 2011). This means that these mushrooms are better able to tolerate the heavy metals humans polluted into the soil and air (Colpaert et al. 2011). They evolved to deal with human pollution and I think that is just insane!

The evolution of plants and ecosystems is a large and complex topic that has a lot of areas of vagueness. There is a lot to talk about and that is why it is the most exciting thing about nature. How no matter what the earth or humans throw at it, it somehow always finds a way to get around it.

References: Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2021, July 21). Industrial Revolution. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/event/Industrial-Revolution

Colpaert, J.V., Wevers, J.H., Krznaric, E. et al. How metal-tolerant ecotypes of ectomycorrhizal fungi protect plants from heavy metal pollution. Annals of Forest Science 68, 17–24 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13595-010-0003-9

I loved reading your post because I too am so fascinated by the theory of evolution. Whether it comes to natural selection, sexual selection or even just adaptation within a lifespan! One of my favourite aspects of evolution is how adaptation can result in some of the most intricate and weird mechanisms in plants, animals, fungi etc! I am in total awe when I think about things like echolocation or even just how long giraffe’s necks are. One thing I've never heard of is the fungi research you mentioned in your post. Adaptation to climate change is such a relevant and interesting field of research because it has the capacity to apply to so many different species. For example, if we looked into which mechanisms increase heavy metal tolerance in Suillus, we may be able to apply that information to other plants! I’m not quite sure how, especially because this would have to be done on such a large scale to effectively combat climate change, but it’s interesting to think about nonetheless! Over the course of Earth’s history the climate has been relatively stable, obviously there were some ice ages and heating periods which all had reasonable transition periods. Climate change is the first time we’re seeing such drastic changes in such a short period of time. Although it likely won't be in our lifetime it’s weird to think about which species will adapt quick enough and which will perish. One could also think about ways in which we could develop strategies and technology to help vulnerable species evolve faster or better yet, stop climate change before it gets that bad! Not the brightest note to end on but thank you so much for sharing and inspiring us all to think a little bit deeper!

The sound of waves crashing on shores, animals rustling through leaves, or even humans singing around a campfire. These are just a few of the many possibilities of music in nature. In fact, music is everywhere in nature for those who choose to hear it! 

Music in nature can also be found in social media posts, and can provoke a feeling in viewers without even having visited the destination in real life. It can be used as an effective tool to ignite a certain feeling in people who learn best from visuals (Beck et al., 2018). For instance, there are several videos on Instagram and Tiktok that are simply showing a waterfall with a rugged landscape in the background. There are no other sounds over the video but the music of the nature - like the sound of the water hitting the rocks or birds chirping in the distance. The beautiful sounds that these viewers are hearing can bring them a sense of peace and calmness, giving them the desire to witness and listen to this landscape first hand.

According to Beck et al. (2018), interpretation is a creative experience. Interpreters need to be efficient in communicating and forming relationships, however, they also benefit from being artistic. Music is a way in which interpretation can bridge the two. Some music artists act as nature interpreters without even being aware of it. Sometimes they sing about the natural beauty of this earth, advertise to preserve it, and evoke special feelings and ideas about it. Artists use music as a way of uniting humans and prove to us that one thing everyone has in common is that we live on this natural planet called Earth. Louis Armstrong’s song, “What a Wonderful World”, mentions blue skies and clouds and babies, all things that relate to the natural world. While he references all these things, the greater message in this song was to try to help put an end to America’s racial and political conflicts in the 1960s (American Song Writer 2020). So, nature is referenced in music quite often, and a great part of this is that they portray a bigger picture than what we hear, while allowing artists to act as nature interpreters as well.

I am immediately taken back to 2009 when my parents, sister, brother, and I were driving through Alberta in our rental car belting out the lyrics to American Pie. I remember these humongous mountains and beautiful trees surrounding us as we sang and laughed as family, making it one of my favourite childhood memories. We had a little TomTom GPS that was teaching us all about the landscapes of the province, virtually acting as our nature interpreter. Music has this amazing way of connecting experiences in humans with the specific place we were at the time of listening to the song, and we are all so fortunate to have this method as a way to remember the nature we were surrounded by too.

- Katarina

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

 This quote can be interpreted in numerous ways, as has been proven with everybody’s blog posts this week. I was able to unpack this quote in the way that memory and proactiveness is a critical component involved in the restoration and preservation of the history that is all around us. The importance of interpretation is highlighted as an integral process in embracing the past. 

To relate this to nature interpretation through history, the first thing I thought of was the Indigenous communities that first occupied the land we stand on today. It is a great misfortune to recognize the harm and suffering they have endured throughout time because of our country’s pure lack of interpretation of their history. However, we have begun our journey as a nation in remembering everything they have done and provided for us. This is an example of interpreting nature through history that is capable of making us better and more complete humans through honesty and accuracy (Fleischner, 2002). The indigneous’ awareness of their natural surroundings was so heightened that it was not even thought of as a separate part of life to interpret nature, whereas in our technological world, we must be reminded constantly to prevent the distance between us humans and nature’s history. 

I think that the indigenous protected and conserved areas are a wonderful example of what this quote is all about. These are areas around Canada where the unique nature history perspectives of the Indigenous people are utilized to conserve nature history. These areas remind us as Canadians that we must protect and honour the relationship between land and people, as was done in the past. These places observe Indigenous traditions and laws to make a point of remembering their contributions and conservation efforts. 

Why is it important to remember and conserve like this? It is a substantial effort of Canadians to reconcile with the Indigenous communities and learn the positive attributes that come from caring for our land. These include making us overall better humans, psychologically, mentally, culturally and more, just by observing the world in an accurate way. Interpreting our impact on Indigenous culture in the past and present will eventually help us to treat the world how we were intended to.

Learning from natural history instead of ignoring it will improve our own health, others health, biodiversity, culture, and more. By breathing life into the past, we can adapt to our new societal norms while supporting nature simultaneously. Utilizing conservation traditions can unify a nation in awareness of our “world of wounds” (Fleischner, 2002). The more we remember, the more educated we become. The more educated we become, the more we are inspired to make a change.

- Sophia 

References:

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

I loved reading your post you brought up such unique perspectives and did an amazing job of tying history and nature interpretation together. The indigenous perspective is integral to so many aspects of life in Canada. As colonizers it is our duty to listen to indigenous voices and do all that we can in reconciliation.

Indigenous peoples do a fantastic job of using history for conservation. Though there are many different groups of indigenous people with different dialects, ways of living etc. One common theme is that they are each deeply connected with nature. I believe that true climate justice is not possible without reconciliation and putting indigenous people and principles at the forefront of the movement.

This week’s blog prompt got me to think about nature and what I want to share with everyone. There are so many topics that I could talk about for hours with everyone, and probably write several essays on, but I think this week I really want to talk about how interconnected the environment is with Mental Health. 

In a lot of my posts, I talk about how exploring the wilderness awoke a different part of myself, that made me appreciate the world around me and kickstarted my education into Environmental Science. With this, my exploration into nature has also improved my mental health and continues to be a coping mechanism for when I am overly anxious or stressed. 

Nature continues to act as my escape to the world, where I can immerse myself in the wilderness and forget about the stress of my day-to-day life. 

I’ve said it before, but I continue to use nature as a way to take a deep breath. This week’s blog prompt got me to think about my own feelings towards nature, and I did some research on how mental health is scientifically proven to be improved by interactions with nature.  I wanted to share with everyone some of the research I found, to help convey to everyone how important nature is to improving and maintaining good mental health. 

I think a lot of people would be surprised by how much the environment can impact someone’s mental health, and if more people knew the facts, they would be more inclined to explore the natural world in order to improve their own mental health. 

In a study, it was found that people who spend at least 2 hours a week in green spaces are more likely to report good health compared to those who have no exposure to green spaces (Robbins, 2020). Not only does nature act as a relief for mental health, but it also provides a safe space for people to exercise to improve physical health.  Good physical health is important to mental health as the endorphins released during exercise create feelings of joy and happiness that put people in a better mental state (Robbins, 2020). 

Looking into how nature continues to make people feel relaxed, it’s understood that people pay attention to nature in a different way than they do everything else in their day-to-day life. Look at your own life. In your day-to-day life, you pay extra attention to whatever task you are working on. When people enter nature, they pay attention in a more broad sense, and with less effort (Robbins, 2020). The broad and effortless view leads to a relaxed body and mind because people are not paying as close attention to what they are doing, and simply enjoying the moment (Robbins, 2020). 

Reading the facts has reinforced to me, and I hope everyone reading, the importance of exploring nature and how it can be a great benefit to our mental health. 

I loved your post this week!! I have always known that going out in nature drastically improves my mental health, whether it’s de-stressing through exercise, finding a spot to sit and reflect, or simply getting some vitamin D. What I loved about your post is that you included research and provided sources for your claims.

I specifically liked the idea of nature making you observe things in a different way. One of the only times I find my mind goes quiet and relaxed is when I’m on a hike or in nature. I simply observe the things around me, not depending on something to come and entertain me but simply being happy with the peace of nature and if something should catch my attention that’s a bonus.

In today’s world, we feel the need to always be focused on something or be entertained by something. For example, I’m 100% guilty of turning the TV on then also opening my phone to check Instagram, or even needing to put my headphones in on a 5-minute walk between classes. I think this constant consumption of media and need to be entertained is more damaging than we think and is one of the main causes of the increased stress levels in today’s society.

The majority of art comes from what we see in the world around us and how we interpret it. Nature inspires art in many different forms of media. When I think of art, the first idea that comes to mind is a landscape painting of nature scenery. Capturing the feeling and experience of being in nature is a powerful way to share the environment. The beauty of nature is why people are attracted to the outdoors and express it in their artwork.

The question "who are you to interpret nature through art?" brought me to the realization that everyone can interpret the environment through art. We all experience different emotions and experiences when in nature that can be portrayed in many different art forms. Two people could be looking at the same sunset and create two completely different forms of art based on their interpretation. I personally am an artistic person, and I find a lot of joy in creating, whether it's through painting, sewing, drawing or photography. Taking time to stop and appreciate nature around us is the first step to interpreting nature into art forms. I put a few paintings I've done below :)

Before reading the textbooks definition of the "gift of beauty", I wanted to interpret my meaning. I believe the "gift of beauty" is referring to the gift nature is giving to everyone as a place to experience true beauty. Our natural world is a place where humans can escape and enjoy becoming secluded from themselves. The book Interpreting Cultural and Natural Heritage For a Better World explained that having "the gift of beauty" means you can present nature in a way that allows others to see the beauty you experienced. Inspiring others with the artwork you made to capture the environment around you. I have always found it easy to find the beauty in nature. Always try to travel places with new landscapes that I've never seen before to experience the beauty. I also try and appreciate the nature around me and how even something that happens every day, like a sunset, can be so beautiful. I find reading poetry or listening to music are some of my favourite ways to experience other expressions of nature. Music and poetry, I feel bring emotion and room for visualization. Listening to a song and picturing a place and feeling in time helps me feel connected to nature. Poetry is something I have recently started reading, writing can be a powerful way to express emotions and experiences.

One of my favourite activities I ran as a nature interpreter at camp was bringing a group of children to a lookout spot in Algonquin Park to spend the hour painting what they saw and interpreted from the area. At the end of the session, it was amazing to see how everyone's paintings looked unique when they were all painting the same image. This activity allowed the children to take a minute and absorb the beauty surrounding them and capture it in a painting.

To start, thank you so much for sharing your beautiful artwork!! It’s amazing to hear that art is such an important form of expression in your life. I think art can be so powerful for those who use art to interpret nature and daily life around them.

One of the statements you made that really stood out to me was the fact that 2 people could be looking at the exact same thing yet, the art they create can still turn out totally different. One of the most amazing gifts that art gives us is the ability to see the world through another person’s eyes. The activity you led in Algonquin park also sounds so cool! It sounds like you did a great job providing nature interpretation through art while also providing a diverse set of tools for different individuals to interpret nature.

Privilege can be a tricky subject to grasp, as I believe there are certain privileges that affect our lives in ways we often overlook. What I mean by privilege is something that gives you an advantage over others, whether you’re aware of it or not. I am aware I am very privileged, but it’s probable that I am even more so than I realize. There are many factors regarding my privilege that I may not even consider and therefore don’t fully realize just how lucky I really am. I’m aware of my privilege in the sense that I am a caucasian, English-speaking, Canadian citizen, who’s parents have assisted in paying for my post-secondary education twice (both college and university). Growing up middle-class in southern Ontario, these are all things I ignorantly assumed were the norm for everyone else around me (for the most part). Of course, I was aware of differences between people, but not until I was older did I considered how many more differences there truly were, and how these differences could be a disadvantage for others. Not being aware of certain disadvantages is in itself a privilege. I did not learn about them until I happened to come upon them or decided I wanted to learn more. Some people do not get the luxury of ignoring certain socioeconomic issues, but I had the privilege to ignore certain issues simply because I had not personally experienced them myself. 

The more I learn, the more I realize how complex privilege really is with a greater awareness of intersectionality. With this in mind, how might privilege play a role in nature interpretation? Well, I am further privileged by the opportunity to live in a National Park within Canada. When I first moved here, I assumed most people visiting the park were aware of information I considered “common sense”. Only after interacting with more people did I start to realize how even more privileged I was. Some visitors had never seen mountains, or wildlife, or rushing rivers. Knowing that fast flowing water and approaching wildlife is dangerous, is something I assumed everyone else was aware of, but that’s not true. Some people plan their whole lives to come and visit the park, some people have older relatives that never had the opportunity to visit when they were able, and will never get the chance to travel here. That further lead me to realize that not only am I privileged to be here, I am even more privileged to be knowledgeable of the local environment, and to be physically able to experience certain things or perform activities others cannot. For instance, I am physically fit to go on a long and steep hike, while someone who uses a wheelchair would not be able to go. Although there are trails here that are accessible, they are of course limited. 

Understanding the privileges I have in my “invisible backpack” and how they provide me an advantage is essential in interpreting information to others. My invisible backpack is “filled” with things such as being physically able, financial stable etc. and these “items” allow me to potentially have an advantage over others. When interpreting knowledge about wildlife for example, I need to understand that some people may have zero knowledge on the subject, as well as consider the physical abilities of those I teach if we go out into the park to explore. In addition, perhaps my audience will be accessing my nature content online. It’s vital to make sure the information I’m presenting is done with inclusivity in mind. I’ve noticed the advertised “lifestyle” for living in places such as the National Park I live in, is one that’s focused on people who are “fit” by society’s standards, mostly caucasian, young, able-bodied etc. Even the retail stores within my town are filled with advertisements that target one demographic, and outdoor equipment that is far from inexpensive. There is little representation, for example, for visible minorities, individuals with differing body sizes or abilities, or people of colour. I am fully aware I fit into this target demographic, and most things advertised and presented to me are made for people like me. I am intending to keep all of this in mind when sharing content and interpreting, as I believe it’s important everyone feels they have a place in nature and in the things that they’re passionate about. Relating back to my first blog post, I am hoping to help provide others with a “sense of place” within nature and all it has to offer, regardless of the differences we may have. Keeping in mind that not everyone is going to have the same experience even if we’re doing the same things. 

I have been loving reading all of your blog posts!! Your adventures sound so amazing! Living in the rockies is one of my biggest goals, and I am planning on finding a job, hopping in my car and driving out there as soon as I graduate!

You brought up some amazing perspectives on privilege, one I really connected with was the lack of representation in the “outdoors community”. As you said, advertisements for outdoor companies rarely show anyone who isn’t thin and white. I understand that this is the target demographic, and these companies are simply catering to the people who they know will buy their product. But I see this lack of diversity and think, no wonder people feel that the outdoors are so inaccessible!

I think addressing our many privileges is so important, but we can’t stop there. As people with privilege and experience it’s our responsibility to ensure that the places and communities we love so much are as diverse and accessible as they can be. I believe that the best way to make this happen is through education and integration.

It’s important to teach people that flying out to a far-away forest and doing extremely long, physically demanding trips is not the only way to experience nature. You don’t need a $300 backpack, brand new hiking boots or a mountain to climb. Experiencing nature can be as simple as going for a walk on a local trail or sitting and reflecting in a local park. And for those who want to do these intensive trips, provide inexpensive programming and resources for new outdoorspeople to learn.

On the topic of disabilities, most accessible trails I know of are simply a paved path by a river, or through a garden or sparse forest. I think developing more immersive and interactive natural places for people with physical limitations is a great next step, as well as increasing programs and activities for disabled people in the outdoor space. Once we break down this idea that the outdoors are only for skinny, able-bodied white people, we open up endless opportunities for everyone.

Thank you so much for sharing your amazing experiences! I look forward to reading your next one

Me as an Environmental Interpreter

Describe your ideal role as an environmental interpreter. What might it entail?

Unfortunately, I’ve had no previous experience working as a nature interpreter or working in nature at all for that fact. However, I’ve always wanted to work in an outdoor setting closely with nature. It’s definitely a career path that I consider and appeals to me because I would love to learn to take deeper meaning in things around me while growing my appreciation for the natural world. My ideal role as an environmental interpreter would be to work in a more physically demanding position such as guided hiking tours. Growing up I have always loved being active so I think I could really thrive being a guide through an extensive hike. This way I’d be able to share my love and passion for nature and its profound ecosystem while getting exercise and staying fit doing it.

Through guiding group hiking tours, I’d wish to encourage my visitors to interact with one another and boost motivation. That way, we can be inspired as a group and build an even deeper connection with the nature surrounding us. Overall, working together as a team would enrich the experience for everyone. Also, I would prefer to work with a smaller group of people so that I could focus on each one of them and provide full assistance to whoever needs it. If I had to guide a large group on my own, I could see myself being overwhelmed, possibly losing the attention of the visitors.

Where might it be?

It would be a dream to be able to work as an environmental interpreter at a park or a hiking trail in the mountains of South Korea. Every year I go back to my home country to visit my family and friends. And when I do visit, I make sure to go hiking with my dad. It’s sort of becoming our tradition now. The picture that I added to this post is actually a picture that I took on one of our hikes. The picture simply did not capture the beauty that lay in front of my eyes. The Korean mountains hold a special place in my heart. Not only does it bring me joy hiking through one but it truly brings me a sense of peace being there. Seoul is a fast-paced and highly-populated city. So to be looking over a huge city like that from a mountain peak that is simply untamed and tranquil is a surreal feeling. You guys have to try it for yourselves. It allows you to gain a greater appreciation for life and the beauty that nature has to offer.

What skills might you need?

The skills necessary for a position of a hiking tour guide would be effective communication, extensive knowledge of the natural world, strategic leadership, high physical endurance level, and finally a general knowledge of health and safety training to avoid any possible injuries during the hike. I think that all of these qualities together would build an exceptional tour guide. Obviously, in order for me to work up to that, I have a long way to go. But the truth is, anyone can take up environmental interpretation, as long as you keep an open mind and are willing to search for deeper meaning in the world around us.

I loved reading about all of your time spent in South Korea, it sounds so beautiful! I also love hiking, its such an amazing form of exercise, recreation, and such a good way to spend times with friends and family. One part of your post that stood out to me was your statement that you'd prefer to work with small groups because you feel like you could make better connections with your learners. I couldn't agree more! Interpersonal connection is one of the most important aspects of environmental education, if people can leave their time spent with you having had fun, learned something and felt listened to, they're way more likely to continue exploring!

In relation to that, in my experience I've noticed that find long-term programming far more rewarding for everyone! There's obviously advantages to short term programs such as accessibility, and diversity in location/planning, but there's just more time to build connections with learners when you spend more time together. One of the best parts of being an interpreter is getting to see your learners improve and learn along the way! So I'm not sure if you've thought about just leading day hikes or if you're interested in longer hikes that have camping components but that could be a great way to expand your interpretation career!

Thank you so much for sharing, I hope you get out on a hike sometime soon!!