#envs3000

Hi everyone. It's Jasmine!

As the semester wraps up, I’ve found myself thinking a lot about what being a nature interpreter really means to me. Growing up in Mississauga and coming from a Lebanese background, I’ve always felt connected to nature in special ways. For me, interpretation goes deeper than naming trees or recognizing birds. It’s about building emotional connections, making nature experiences inclusive, and nurturing responsibility for the world around us.

In this post, I’ll share some stories from my life that helped shape my personal ethic as a nature interpreter. I’ll also explain how these experiences have shaped my beliefs, responsibilities, and the approaches I find most meaningful.

Building Emotional Connections with Nature

One of the core beliefs guiding my interpretation ethic is that emotional connections to nature truly matter. These connections inspire genuine care and action towards protecting our environment. In our textbook, it mentions that effective interpretation helps visitors find personal meaning in nature (Beck et al., 2018). I relate to this idea deeply, as I’ve experienced firsthand how powerful an emotional connection with nature can be.

One moment that clearly stands out was from July 2015, during a family trip to Quebec City. Standing on a bridge over the Rivière Montmorency, I remember feeling completely in awe. I looked down at the landscape below, realizing how small yet connected I felt within the larger natural world. That moment wasn’t about the bridge or the river itself. It was about a feeling. A deep emotional realization of being part of something greater.

Feeling a deep sense of connection to nature on a bridge over Rivière Montmorency in Quebec City (July 2015).

According to Richard Louv, emotional experiences like these help build lasting bonds with nature. Louv believes that these bonds motivate people to care deeply about environmental issues (Louv, 2019). Reflecting on that experience, I understand exactly what he means. This motivates me to make emotional connections central to my interpretive practice.

Inclusivity and My Cultural Responsibility

Growing up in Mississauga, a city celebrated for its cultural diversity, inclusivity became another crucial part of my interpretation ethic. Nature belongs to everyone, yet many communities still face barriers in accessing meaningful experiences outdoors. Recognizing this challenge shapes my sense of responsibility as an interpreter.

My Lebanese heritage deeply informs my views on this issue. A beautiful example was when my family visited the Grande Mosquée de Paris in July 2022. Walking through its lush gardens, I noticed how seamlessly nature integrated into the cultural and spiritual space. Watching my younger brother explore the greenery made me appreciate how nature can connect diverse people through shared cultural experiences.

My brother exploring the peaceful greenery at the Grand Mosque of Paris, highlighting the intersection of nature and culture (July 2022).

Inclusivity is highlighted in our textbook as well. The authors emphasize that interpretation should welcome diverse perspectives and help bridge cultural divides (Beck et al., 2018). This aligns perfectly with my own experiences. Moving forward, my goal as an interpreter is to create experiences where everyone feels included, valued, and represented.

Storytelling as My Personal Approach

For me, the most effective way to share these values of emotional connection and inclusivity is through storytelling. Sharing stories makes interpretation authentic and personal. This approach allows people to find their own meaning within experiences, just as I have.

In July 2023, while still recovering from wisdom teeth surgery (yes, my cheeks were pretty swollen!), I visited Cherry Avenue Farms for cherry picking. Despite my discomfort, spending time picking fruit under the summer sun brought a surprising amount of peace and joy. This memory is simple but powerful. It taught me that nature experiences don’t have to be grand adventures. Small, relatable moments can make the deepest impressions.

Cherry picking at Cherry Avenue Farms while recovering from surgery - finding simple joy in nature (July 2023).

Research from National Geographic supports the power of storytelling in interpretation. Their findings show that stories significantly enhance emotional engagement. They also motivate people to take action for conservation (Modafferi, 2018). Using storytelling, I hope to inspire others to build their own connections and care deeply about nature.

Stewardship and My Sense of Responsibility

Another responsibility I strongly feel as an interpreter is to inspire stewardship. Protecting our natural spaces depends on people caring enough to act. Growing up close to Ontario’s parks and conservation areas has shown me how important stewardship truly is. As interpreters, we’re uniquely positioned to encourage active participation in caring for our environment.

Earlier this year, skiing with my friend at Glen Eden Ski Resort made me reflect deeply on this responsibility. While skiing down the slopes, I thought about how privileged I was to enjoy these natural spaces. It reminded me that interpretation isn’t only about enjoyment. It’s about ensuring others appreciate and protect these places for future generations.

The Government of Ontario highlights that stewardship involves responsible recreation and community involvement in conservation efforts (Government of Ontario, 2023). By emphasizing stewardship, I aim to help visitors move from passive observers to active participants in protecting nature.

Skiing with a friend at Glen Eden Ski Resort, reflecting on the importance of stewardship and protecting nature!(February 2025).

Reflecting and Moving Forward

My personal ethic as a nature interpreter is deeply tied to my experiences in Mississauga and my Lebanese heritage. Emotional connections, inclusivity, storytelling, and stewardship form the foundation of my interpretive approach.

As I continue on this path, I’ll strive to help others create their own meaningful relationships with nature. I believe that by sharing these experiences, we can inspire lasting change and foster genuine care for the world around us.

Thanks so much for joining me on this reflective journey. I can’t wait to see where it leads next!

–  Jasmine 🌸🍃

References

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

Government of Ontario. (2023). Published plans and annual reports 2023–2024: Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. https://www.ontario.ca/page/published-plans-and-annual-reports-2023-2024-ministry-environment-conservation-and-parks

Louv, R. (2019, October). What is nature-deficit disorder? Children & Nature Network. https://www.childrenandnature.org/resources/what-is-nature-deficit-disorder/

As I continue to develop as a nature interpreter, my personal ethic is rooted in humility, curiosity, and responsibility, both to the natural world and to the people I engage with. I see nature interpretation not just as a way to communicate facts about ecosystems or species, but as a relational practice one that invites others into a deeper, more respectful relationship with the land, the water, and the life that depends on them.

Beliefs I Bring At the heart of my ethic is a belief that nature is not something separate from us. As a fishing guide and someone who spends a lot of time outdoors in northwestern Ontario, I witness firsthand how interconnected everything is how the rhythms of spawning bass or migrating moose reflect deeper seasonal cycles that include us. I believe that fostering a sense of wonder and care is more important than delivering perfect information. People remember how you make them feel and when we can stir awe, empathy, or a sense of stewardship, the rest tends to follow. I also carry the belief that science is one way of knowing but not the only one. I’ve come to value Indigenous knowledge systems and local ecological wisdom, which often offer deeper insights into long-term relationships with place. I believe we have an ethical obligation to elevate those voices, especially when interpreting land that has been stewarded by Indigenous peoples for millennia.

Responsibilities I Have As a nature interpreter, I see my role as both a translator and a guide. I have a responsibility to be accurate, yes but also to be accessible, engaging, and respectful. That means understanding my audience what they care about, where they’re coming from, and how they relate to the natural world. I also have a responsibility to represent the land and its non-human inhabitants with care not reducing them to “resources,” but honoring them as part of a larger living community. It also means being honest about complexity. Nature isn’t always tidy or harmonious there’s competition, death, unpredictability but there’s beauty and meaning in that too. My job isn’t to romanticize nature, but to help others see its value, complexity, and vulnerability.

Approaches That Suit Me Personally, I lean toward a story-based and observational approach. I like to invite people into questions, rather than just answers. If someone asks why walleyes spawn where they do, instead of launching into a scientific monologue, I might start with, “Let’s watch what they’re doing here, and think about what the water is telling us.” I find that when people slow down and start paying attention, their own curiosity takes over. That’s where real learning begins. Humor helps, too especially in group settings. A little laughter opens people up, disarms defensiveness, and makes even the most reluctant participants feel more comfortable. But I also value quiet those moments when you just listen to the wind through spruce trees or the call of a loon and let the place speak for itself. As someone who learns best through experience, I try to give others that same opportunity.

When I look back at this course, one thing that I realize is that how much discourse has shaped the way I see the world around me now. I know I have mentioned it multiple times but when I first moved from Delhi to Guelph, I could never imagine that something as simple as watching a rainbow or observing squirrels for the sake of an assignment woods park this deep of a curiosity about nature in me. Yes, it's true that golf felt very different from where I used to live. It was not a mega city, but it was quieter, greener, and full of life in its own way. And somewhere along the way, going on field trips, visiting Arboretum for assignments, sitting near Guelph Lake just to refresh and relax, I found myself growing and connecting more to the natural world.

And now writing this final blog is making me reflect on the past eight semesters of my undergrad journey. Yes, this is my last semester, but I am so grateful for the way this course has changed my perspective towards nature. I no longer just look at it, I try to truly see through it. I try my best to understand the reason behind certain patterns, all behaviors and little changes happening around us. However, one particular lesson that I would really like to talk about here is something that stuck with me when I was going through unit 2 of this course. In that particular unit we explore different learning styles and to be very honest, in the beginning it just felt like a simple concept, something that I had always known about but never really thought about in depth. But when I paused and thought about it, I remember that exact moment of awe I was stuck in. People absorb information in different ways. The unit told me that some learn best by listening and are called auditory learners while others by seeing- visual learners and last but not the least some learn through hands on experience which were called tactile or kinesthetic learners. That realization hit me really hard. And one thing that I understood that day was that if I want to be an effective nature interpreter, I cannot just rely on one method of communication. What I truly need to do is to understand all learning styles and make sure that nature is not just accessible but engaging for everyone.

About my personal ethics I would say that as I find myself growing into the role of nature interpreter, the direction of my beliefs and the values that I have learned is becoming clearer with time. I have always been a curious person, and I realize that curiosity is the foundation of everything. We all know that nature is full of mysteries, and I never want to lose the excitement of asking, “Why?’ I think it is my curiosity that makes me feel excited about learning the different phenomenons that environment goes through from time to time. Two more things that I believe are just as important for a nature interpreter are a sense of respect and responsibility that ties everything together. Nature is not something that we just study, it is something that we are also a part of and respecting the boundaries and limitations of nature while holding the responsibility of maintaining them is very important. Because the truth of the story is that no matter how much we try to ignore or address this fact, nature is not permanent. It is changing and shifting and sometimes in ways vegan barely notice but sometimes in ways that are just very impossible to ignore.

I never had those belief that nature was something constant but I won't shy away from saying that I did not care enough to pay much attention towards the little changes that are coming on the way. And now that I understand the fragility of nature, it makes me care about the environmental changes going around us and makes me unaware citizen at the same time.

There are many facts that have drawn my immediate attention, and I would like to make everyone's aware of them as well. As per Nature Canada, Canada’s wildlife has been declining at an alarming rate and in the past 50 years the populations of woodland Caribou have dropped nearly by 60% whereas mammal populations have already decreased by almost half (Nature Canada, 2022). I would not go very far and talk about the province that homes our university, Ontario, has also lost approximately 38,000 hectares of forest between 2008 and 2018, and if you think about it that area is nearly half the size of New York City (Great Lakes Now, 2022).

I know that these stats are overwhelming but at the same time one thing that they make very clear is the fact that we cannot just be passive observers anymore. Every little choice that we make in the way we use our resources impacts on the environment and has its own benefits and consequences. It might sound very classic, but it is true that if nature is changing, we as humans need to change as well.  

Nature interpretation, to me, isn’t just about facts, it’s about stories, feelings, and connections. People might hear statistics about climate change or pollinators disappearing and move on. But when you tell them a single honeybee makes just 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, suddenly, it hits differently. It feels real.

I’ve also learned that hands-on experiences matter. Describing a tree’s texture is one thing, but asking someone to close their eyes and feel the rough bark of an oak or the smooth birch makes it unforgettable.

This course changed the way I see the world. Nature isn’t just “out there”, it’s in the little things we experience every day. And I want to help others see that, too.

References:

Conservation Ontario. (2025). Climate change. https://conservationontario.ca/policy-priorities/climate-change

Great Lakes Now. (2022, May 20). The report on Ontario's natural resources the government didn't want you to see. https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2022/05/report-ontario-natural-resources/

Throughout this course, we have touched on many things such as privilege, accessibility, learning types and more. All these things have helped me grow as a nature interpreter in so many ways. As a daughter of immigrants, I grew up in a household where my parents worked their very best to provide me with a better life than they had. I am very fortunate to have grown up in a country where I could go on hikes, learn about nature in school and watch birds and animals in my backyard. I had the opportunity to turn on a television, watch the Discovery Channel, and see and learn about amazing animals and wonderful ecosystems all around the world. I was able to go to places like the ROM and other museums that showcased dinosaur bones or paintings of wild landscapes that had me immersed. I distinctly remember a school trip in which we went to a high school known for its performing arts and watched a dramatic play about Shakespeare, a midsummer night's dream and many scenes took place in a forest. 

Art in this way shaped my understanding of nature interpretation at a very young age. Now, after taking this course, I learned that art can help others connect to nature too, as it can help them relive memories of them in the wild through dance or song, or learn about nature through visual and performing arts (Chapter 10: Arts in Interpretation, pg. 229). My tour guides during my summers in Madagascar would use storytelling as a way to explain the things we saw and in a way, that is how I first learned to appreciate nature beyond just observation. Storytelling made the environment come alive, it gave animals' personalities, landscapes their own histories, and ecosystems a sense of interconnectedness. They would often share their own experience and interactions that they had and it would leave me feeling excited to go back out into the forest every single day, no matter how tired I was. One story in particular struck a chord with me. The story tells of a king who drowned himself in a lake to avoid capture by his enemies. This act made the lake sacred, and as a result, hunting crocodiles there became strictly forbidden. Today, the once-endangered Nile crocodile population has rebounded, along with native turtles and fish, all thriving under the lake's protected status. 

Picture taken of a baby Nile Crocodile in Lake Ravolobe as my tour guide told me the story of why this lake is Sacred.

Experiences such as these have shaped my ethics as a nature interpreter. I believe that nature interpretation is not just about facts and figures but about fostering an emotional and personal connection to the natural world. My experiences as a child have shaped my perception and love for nature and now as I have learned ways to help others too connect to nature, my ethics and beliefs revolve strongly around accessibility and privilege. Somehow we have turned nature into a commodity, and many people around the world cannot access it. Whether through scientific communication that bars people due to education or through the assimilation of various Indigenous cultures, we have forced the disconnection of nature onto many, many people. As a nature interpreter, I believe it is my responsibility to break down these barriers and create opportunities for people to reconnect with the natural world. Nature is not something to be owned, bought, or restricted to those with the means to experience it. It is a shared resource, a fundamental part of human existence, and something that everyone should have the opportunity to engage with, regardless of their background, education, or socioeconomic status.

One of the biggest challenges we face is the way nature has been framed within academic and institutional spaces. Scientific language, while valuable, can often alienate those without formal education in the field (Unit 5: Nature Interpretation Through Science. By simplifying concepts, using storytelling, and incorporating diverse cultural perspectives, we can make nature interpretation more inclusive and engaging. Creative writing has always been a passion of mine and since coming to the University of Guelph, I have found it to be a powerful tool to connect science and academics to the public. I am currently immersed in op-ed writers such as Naomi Klime or authors such as Dr. Kerrian McGoogan who are using their skills in writing to interpret to a much, much broader audience than academia could ever reach.

Dr. Kerriann McGoogan's book, Chasing Lemurs is one of my favourite creative non fiction books and is a very important one due to the biodiversity crisis Madagascar is currently facing.

Through their writing, they make pressing issues relatable, accessible, and urgent, ensuring that knowledge is not reserved for the few but shared with the many. This approach is most suitable for me as I find reading about others' experiences with nature often helps me connect to them as well. Writing the script for my podcast also helped me realize my love for writing can be a powerful tool and a bridge between people and the natural world. Through storytelling, I can make complex environmental issues more accessible, weaving together personal experiences, scientific insights, and cultural narratives to create a deeper sense of connection. Moving forward, I plan to integrate writing into my work as a nature interpreter, using it as a tool to reach those who might not otherwise engage with environmental topics. Whether through personal essays, advocacy pieces, or podcast storytelling, I want my words to not only inform but also evoke emotion, spark curiosity, and inspire change.

Hi everyone,

I can't believe we've already reached the final week of our blog posts this semester! This course has been more than just an academic experience; it has transformed how I perceive, appreciate, and engage with nature. Throughout this journey, I have developed a deeper connection to the natural world and discovered new ways to share its wonders with others.

Discovering My Relationship with Nature

When I first enrolled in this course, I wasn't sure what to expect regarding my relationship with nature or how it might change over time. Growing up, my connection to nature was limited. With busy working parents, I had few meaningful opportunities to explore the outdoors. However, that began to change as I got older. Friends introduced me to activities like hiking and camping, and environmental science courses helped broaden my perspective on the natural world. These experiences have been pivotal in shaping my environmental ethics, and I now realize how important interpretation can be in helping others develop their connections to nature.

Reflecting on my journey, I realize that nature's interpretation goes beyond facts and figures; it's about emotion, experience, and connection. I now view nature through a different lens, allowing me to appreciate its scientific significance and profound beauty. By engaging with nature on a deeper level, I have become more aware of its intricacies, from the smallest insects to the vast landscapes surrounding us.

Photo of me enjoying a beautiful sunset in my home town Responsibilities of a Nature Interpreter

As a nature interpreter, I see my role as more than just sharing information; I want to inspire others. Nature is an incredible gift, yet it is often overlooked in the rush of daily life. I aim to raise awareness of its beauty and significance, making it accessible and engaging for all audiences.

One of the most important aspects of interpretation is understanding your audience (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). Engaging with children requires a different approach than speaking with adults. For younger audiences, I plan to use hands-on activities and games to make learning more fun. When interacting with adults, I will take a more detailed and analytical approach, offering historical and scientific insights. Regardless of age, storytelling will be a key element in my interpretations. Personal stories make nature more relatable and engaging, helping audiences form meaningful connections to the environment (Beck et al., 2018, Chapters 6 & 10).

It’s also important to recognize that not everyone has the same access to nature. Economic and social barriers can make it difficult for some individuals and communities to engage in outdoor experiences (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). I firmly believe that nature should be accessible to everyone. Our responsibility as nature interpreters is to ensure that all individuals can enjoy the benefits of nature, regardless of their background or circumstances. This means actively working to remove barriers by providing affordable programs, ensuring accessibility in outdoor spaces, and creating inclusive experiences that welcome diverse communities.

A key responsibility of a nature interpreter is to act as a peacemaker (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 20). A peacemaker promotes harmony not only among people but also between people and the environment. It is essential for individuals to respect one another and to extend that same level of respect toward nature. Part of my role will involve guiding others to recognize the importance of treating the natural world with the same care and consideration they would show another person.

Future of Nature Interpretation 

As generations progress, people are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature. The rise of technology, urbanization, and a fast-paced lifestyle has led many individuals, especially younger generations, to have limited interactions with the outdoors. This disconnection affects their ability to form meaningful relationships with their environment.

As a nature interpreter, my goal is to bridge this gap by providing experiences that allow individuals to rediscover the beauty and importance of the natural world.

Final Notes This class has been such a unique experience, allowing me to develop a more meaningful connection with nature. I often find myself reminiscing about its beauty and feeling a strong desire to share it with others. Now that the weather has warmed and the days are getting longer, I find myself spending more time outdoors, appreciating the little things in life. Thanks for reading!

-Biona🌸🌅

References: Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 6: How People Learn. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 3-16). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 10: Arts in Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 127-161). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 20: Global Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 457-478). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Prompt: Describe your ethics 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?  

Introduction

As this is mine and our class's final blog post week, I would like to start by saying I've learned so much through not only the course but all of my peers! Reading the weekly blogs was so fun and presented a different way of learning new things, especially with the freedom of the prompts it was always so fascinating to see what directions people took it in. That being said let’s get into this week's prompt!

My Ethics

When starting this course, I was not sure what kind of interpreter I wanted to be or what that truly meant. However, now I can confidently say I'm starting to find my way in this new skill of environmental interpretation, learning as I go, of course! I find ethics such a complex and interesting topic as comes from a philosophy minor it is something often discussed. What I believe is important and what I bring to interpretation is trying to open our eyes past what we are currently seeing in the media and focus on our planet! The current political state of North America is very messy, and with a potential upcoming spring federal election for Canada approaching it is now time to speak up about our climate goals. The Green Party in Canada only holds two seats, one in BC and one here in Ontario. Smaller parties are often overshadowed and with everything currently happening… who is surprised? That is why I think we as interpreters need to ensure to represent the overshadowed topics and unrepresented parties who stand with the environment because it often feels like these topics are left in the rearview mirror.

*Feel free to read up about what the Green Party supports!

                Plans – Green Party Of Canada

In Chapter 5 of the textbook, there is a section called “promoting perception”. In this section, they discuss how in the end interpreters are helping people perceive the world that surrounds them more realistically and truthfully (Beck, Cable and Knudson, 2018). This relates to my ethics well because I believe so strongly we are often taking nature for granted due to the lack of discussion surrounding important environmental topics.

TED Talk

Bjorn Lomborg: Global priorities bigger than climate change | TED Talk

                This TED Talk is titled “Global Priorities Bigger than Climate Change”, the video is about 17 minutes but it is just a good way to show, and help understand how complicated decision-making is and just shows how complex ethics is because we all may have different ‘priorities’. The overall point of the talk is to show how much goes into decision-making and outweighs the pros and cons. People do not know this, and it allows for a false understanding of how the world truly runs. If you have time, I suggest watching it because it presents a transparent and honest message of some of the hard realities.

                *Also an interesting note on the video is it was made in 2005, but even 20 years later now in 2025 the same ideas still apply and we still see this in our everyday world.

My approaches

Chousing just a certain number of approaches can be so difficult because as we have seen all semester throughout the course the multiple different ways we can interpret nature! However, I find education a great way to share my interpretations of nature with others. Education feels most effective to me as it can be modified to best suit different age levels, understanding levels and so much more. Another important factor of education that must not be forgotten is the accessibility of this education; therefore education should not be limited to school settings, bringing it into public settings such as library programs, summer camps, television segments, and books/ cartoons… the possibilities are endless. My approaches need to be something that can be shared, I want to ensure messages stick and people keep talking about what I must say/show/interpret/promote… which leads us into responsibilities.

My responsibilities

As an interpreter what makes me feel good or makes me feel like I did my part is when I feel I have truly spread a message. I feel as a nature interpreter it is one point to ensure they understand the message you are sharing but it is another thing to see they are promoting/sharing your message! I want to see that the topic stuck around in their minds, I want to see them share with friends and family. Most importantly I want to open as many eyes as I can to a bigger picture. I feel it is the responsibility of nature interpreters to help people take a step back and allow the world to care about nature as we do! We also have a responsibility to guide upcoming generations, to ensure that nature interpretation never ends. Assuring we remember to accommodate towards the different abilities and comforts of the groups we are guiding, it is important to remember you are responsible for how the message comes across, I know I need to make sure things sound as they should!

Conclusion

Overall, there is still a lot for me to learn as an interpreter, but I believe we all bring something different to the table and that is important and necessary. Sharing our ethics and skills we bring can bring like-minded people together and help further connections and friendships. I hope we all continue our interpretation skills in the future! I hope to see real change for our planet!

References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D.M. (2018) Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a Better World. SAGAMORE Publishing, Sagamore Venture.

Lomborg, B. (2005). Global priorities are bigger than climate change. Bjorn Lomborg: Global priorities bigger than climate change | TED Talk. https://www.ted.com/talks/bjorn_lomborg_global_priorities_bigger_than_climate_change?referrer=playlist-the_big_picture&autoplay=true  

Our plan. Green Party Of Canada. (n.d.). https://www.greenparty.ca/en/our-plan

There’s something about rainbows that always stops me in my tracks. No matter how many times I see one, it feels like a little moment of magic, a reminder that the world still holds surprises. Living in Guelph, I get to witness them quite often, and every time I do, it lifts my mood instantly. The colors are always so crisp, probably because there’s hardly any pollution here to dull their brilliance. It’s like nature’s own little celebration after the rain.

I used to think rainbows were just there, appearing out of nowhere after a storm. But when I started learning about physics, I realized they’re the result of something even cooler—countless raindrops acting as tiny prisms, bending and splitting light into the entire spectrum of colors. Once I understood this, rainbows became even more fascinating to me.

Here’s how it works: sunlight, which we usually see as white, is actually made up of many different colors. When that light hits a raindrop, it slows down as it moves into the water. This change in speed causes it to bend, or refract. Inside the droplet, the light bounces off the inner surface and bends again as it exits. But—and this is the part that really blew my mind—not all colors bend the same way. Red light bends the least, while violet bends the most. That’s how the colors get separated, forming the stunning arc we see in the sky.

Now, imagine millions of raindrops floating in the air, each one refracting and reflecting light in just the right way. But here’s the catch—only the light that bends at a specific angle actually reaches our eyes. That’s why we see a smooth, organized rainbow instead of a random mess of colors. And even crazier? No two people see the exact same rainbow. Oh my God! Since the light paths are slightly different depending on where you’re standing, your rainbow is unique to you.

Realizing all of this made me appreciate rainbows in a whole new way. Now, whenever I see one stretching across the sky, I don’t just think, “Oh, pretty!” I think about all the tiny raindrops working together, the sunlight traveling through space, and the perfect angles needed to create that fleeting moment of beauty. It’s a little reminder that science and nature aren’t separate things—they’re constantly working together to create moments of wonder.

Nature is full of so many wonders all around the world. Intricate balances in ecosystems always leave me in awe. However, I want to share with you the importance of lemurs. Lemurs were an animal I grew up watching on T.V. Whether it was the movie Madagascar or the show Zaboomafo, I have always loved these animals. However, it was not until I came to the University of Guelph that I began to know how important these animals are to ecosystems, people and the delicate biodiversity of Madagascar.

Take a second and imagine you walking through a dense, misty forest at sunrise. The air is thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming flowers. Suddenly, the trees around you rustle, and from the canopy above, a lemur leaps effortlessly from branch to branch, its long tail trailing behind like a ribbon. But here’s the most amazing part, this tiny acrobat isn’t just moving through the trees; it’s planting a future forest.

As seed dispersers, they play a vital role in regenerating forests, ensuring the survival of countless plant species that other animals rely on. Without them, Madagascar’s already threatened forests would struggle to recover from deforestation and habitat destruction.

Beyond their ecological importance, lemurs also hold cultural significance for the Malagasy people. Many local communities have deep-rooted traditions and folklore surrounding these primates, viewing them as sacred or symbolic animals. Protecting lemurs is not just about conservation, it’s also about respecting the cultural and ecological connections they have fostered for centuries. For example, the Indri, the largest of the lemurs, has a loud haunting call that is the centre of many myths about protectors of the forest. 

I took this picture of an Indri in Andasibe National Park, Madagascar.

And if you think this one lemur is cool, then I think one of the coolest things to ever happen through evolution and nature is the diversification of the lemurs. There are currently more than 110 lemur species, and they range from the smallest primate ever, which is the mouse lemur that can fit on your palm, to the Indri which can weigh up to 9 kg.