Ethics and Nature Interpretation
In preparation for this last blog prompt, I revisited my posts throughout this course. I want start this blog post with revisiting my definition of nature and how this definition shapes my worldview, relationships, and ethics. The story begins when I was a child. It was key time in shaping my relationship with nature. I was fortunate that I had access to what I perceived as nature just out my backdoor. The beloved woods at my parent’s place in Eastern Ontario brought adventure, mystery, and joy. This interaction with nature as a young child shaped my view that nature should be respected and honoured. I had the advantage of having a forest right out my backdoor with habitat for many species of birds and animals. I will tell you now that I have changed my definition of nature. I will revisit this at the end of the blog post.
(Photo: Marlene Paibomesai)
Past Experience Shaping Future Connection
The photo below is of me and my Dad on a typical day in the summer -outside enjoying and exploring nature. My experience as a child that shaped my current views and interaction with nature fits closely with Richard Louv’s experience as a child as described in interview with David Suzuki and Richard Louv @AGO (DavidSuzukiFDN, 2012). This conversation between two leading thought-provoking people, highlights that everyone experiences nature in different ways. This was apparent to me when Richard Louv’s told the story of Juan Martinez. Juan Martinez’s experience would have been very different from my own. He grew up in a densely populated urban space with very limited access to wild spaces. Louv’s story highlights for me the importance of acknowledging all nature in all space including urban ones. These little patches of nature might be small and limited, but it is still there, and we should learn to appreciate it’s beauty, as Martinez had done. We have the opportunity of interpreting and sharing that urban nature that with others, we just need to look for it. I now live in an urban setting separated from nature at times. I believe that we have a responsibility to integrate nature in urban spaces for the benefit of both nature and humans.
The Beaver Pond!
(Photo: Marlene Paibomesai)
What beliefs do you bring?
Early life experiences at the beaver pond have shaped my interaction with nature. Those moments of exploring the woods with no single goal in mind moulded my beliefs that nature is a cycle. The cycle is respected by the plants and the animals. This course has shown me that I have much to learn and should spend time reflecting on how my interpretation may or may not agree with other peoples. One belief I shaped through this course and something that I revisited often was the principles of nature interpretation and the associated gifts presented in Beck et al., 2019.
Although all the principles and gifts are important. There were three principles that stood out to me - the gift of spark, joy, and wholeness. Why did I pick these three?
Spark! I believe that one the main goals as an interpreter is instil a sense of wonder in all audiences that we are spending time with. Whether it a group of school children or older adults or maybe someone on the other side of their smartphone. Sparking wonder and connection help to motivate people maybe delve a little deeper into a particular subject.
Joy! I believe in organizing events or content that brings joy to people. Joy helps to encourage people to continuing to engage in an activity. Part of this is offer accessible program that reduce barriers of others to enjoy. .
Wholeness! Another belief I have is that we should recognize both indigenous knowledge and western knowledge as equals. This represents wholeness as both knowledge systems are valid and would present the whole picture to the audience. This is especially true in Canada.
This is my joy! A canoe ride with my partner and my dog.
(Photo: Marlene Paibomesai)
What responsibilities do you have?
We also have the responsibility to encourage others to get out and enjoy nature and taking actions to preserve nature at the same time. We should tread lightly so that future generations can also experience nature in all her glory. For examples, when we take to the trails to experience nature, we should never leave a trace except for footprints. We can do this by packing out garbage and staying on the marked trails. When we step off the marked trail, we never know what we are stepping on and what ecosystem we are disturbing.
As a nature interpreter, I also have a responsibility to make a space accessible to all. This does not only mean creating a space that everyone can participate in, but it also means to preserve the space and knowledge for future generations. In addition to promote proper codes of conduct. We have a responsibility to share both indigenous ways of knowing and western knowledge. This might be in the form of a speaker who is focused on incorporating indigenous ways of knowing, consulting with first nation communities and elders when creating content and supporting indigenous peoples.
To end I will revisit the topic of our first blog post - my definition of nature. In the YouTube video from this week, Louv is asked “what the definition of nature?” and he is explains that the “definition of nature is up to the poets” (DavidSuzukiFDN, 2012). This is how I have chosen to change my definition of nature from a static definition to a dynamic one. Nature is in the eyes of the beholder. As a nature interpreter we are there to guide, suggest and share knowledge, but in actuality our responsibility is the give others the gift of observation. The gift to take a moment and build a relationship and connection with nature. My relationship with nature continues to evolve as I grow older, but I would say my base value of respect for nature will never waiver. I hope to inspire this in others to help change our future to one of hope!
Get out and enjoy nature! Miigwetch (Thank you).
(Photo: Marlene Paibomesai)
Sources:
Beck, L., Cable, T., & Knudson, D. (2018). In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For A Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing.
DavidSuzukiFDN. (2012, July 20) David Suzuki and Richard Louv @AGO [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/F5DI1Ffdl6Y
Hi Marlene!
Your dog is very beautiful, and they really encapsulate the gift of joy. One thing I really love about having pets is that they can remind you to find unbridled joy in the little things. I love how much joy and delight a dog can take from just going outside and running around in a field. That being said, I have cats so they don’t inspire me to explore the world with boundless energy as much as they inspire me to sit still and enjoy the warmth of a sunbeam. It’s a different kind of nature appreciation.
I loved the way you described the gifts of spark, joy and wholeness. I think that these gifts are going to be instrumental in preserving the natural world for future generations. I’ve personally found that in light of the climate and biodiversity crises, caring about the environment can be painful and demoralizing. I know that I wouldn’t be able to keep caring if I stopped finding sources of joy.
I think that if your approach to nature interpretation can reach a lot of people who might be feeling demoralized or alienated. I think that inspiring people to enjoy nature and teaching them to observe and interpret nature in a dynamic, personal way will also inspire them to protect the natural world for future generations. If you can empower them to build their own personal relationships with nature, I think they’ll feel a drive to protect nature for its own sake. They’ll keep to marked trails and they’ll pick up their garbage not because someone told them to, but because they want to.
I hope you have a wonderful break!





















