#natureinterpreter

My ideal role as an environmental interpreter would be developing and conducting educational programs for visitors within a conservational area of my choice. My specific area of choice would be Limehouse Conservation Area in Georgetown Ontario, Canada. There are many hiking trials within this vicinity of Halton Hills (Silver Creek and Terra Cotta Conservation Area). The park history dates back to the 1800’s when the grounds were apart of the booming lime industry. Working as an nature interpreter, I will be able to make a stronger connection with the conservation park and its natural resources within the forestry.

Limehouse Conservation is an area of interest for me as its one of the best hiking trails near Toronto, nestled between Halton Hills and Georgetown, Ontario. There is a lot of local history, accessible caves and plenty of hiking trails to enjoy. This conservation area is known for its “hole in the wall” section of karst, that the Bruce Trail runs right through, which then transverses into an escarpment landscape. For those of you who don’t know what karst is, it usually develops when soluble rocks dissolve and form underground caves. This area sparked my interest because I spent a lot of time hiking trails within Halton Hills while I was studying at University of Guelph. I would escape from my studies and take some time to appreciate the nature surrounding me. Not to mention, it’s a very close nature spot to Toronto which made it really convenient for me to travel to.  

             As a nature interpreter I will develop many tours and presentations for visitors that are hiking the various trails within the park such as Kiln Trail, Black Creek Side trail and Credit Valley Conservation Trail. Both credit valley and black creek side trail run parallel to each other and both are just over 1.5km in length. This conservation area contains approximately 190 acres of meadows and mature forestry. I would also educate the visitors about why each trail is so special and unique in its history. In addition, I would navigate them through the forestry and point out any interesting wildlife within the environment that its known for. With that being said, it is important that I have the skill sets to deliver a thorough tour for the visitors at the park. I would need to be knowledgeable about the area that I am exploring, have strong communicational skills, enthusiasm and a relaxed demeanour is essential, especially because it’s such peaceful environment where people go to explore and just breathe. Its important that I am able to engage in conversation about nature and wildlife with the visitors so they can share their thoughts on their experiences and anything that interests them about nature. In addition, telling them historical stories about the park or maybe my past experiences with nature can initiate conversation. Lastly, the keen ability to improvise and adapt to certain environments is also very important for this role. Relating to the visitors on a personal level about our love and appreciation for nature is definitely essential for this position as it will make them more comfortable and hopefully make their experience more memorable. To help the visitors engage and see how they perceive nature, I would propose the idea to draw whatever they see within the trail while on the tour. This will hopefully give them the opportunity to share their creativity and also communicate differently on how they perceive nature!

             Everyone perceives things differently, however as a environmental interpreter, my goal is to allow others to understand how I perceive nature and the environment as well, which I think is a really awesome experience. Although that can be difficult, ensuring I communicate and listen effectively is important to make the experience more collaborative! This isn’t related to Limestone Conservation Area, but another area of interest out of the country would be the hiking trails in Zermatt, Switzerland.