Nature Interpretation

Interpretation can be described as a form of communication in which historic, cultural, and natural phenomena is translated (Beck et al. 2018). I began to discover more about this idea and began to develop my own personal definition of what interpretation is after completion of this course. Along with this I began to better understand my own personal ethics as a nature interpreter.

I would define interpretation as learning that inspires and evokes new ideas to an audience. This is what I personally believe is the goal of interpretation. It is also one of my personal ethics as a nature interpreter. This is primarily because I believe that learning/interpretation needs to inspire to be effective. I`m sure everyone has their own example of a teacher or a professor that didn’t really hit the mark on this idea. Personally, I remember having one teacher in high school who didn’t evoke any excitement in what they were teaching and would read off the slides, talk in a monotone voice and didn’t provide the class with any other form of learning. This made me dread going to the class everyday and I was never passionate about what was being discussed. Likewise, I felt like I didn’t really learn much in this class nor did I care to learn anything. Creation of an uplifting emotional experience is what is defined as good interpretation (Beck et al. 2018). This I believe is a moral obligation of myself as a nature interpreter.

The reason I believe this is an ethical obligation as a nature interpreter has to do with the beauty contained in nature and the urgency in which environmental issues need to be addressed. I believe that nature is truly beautiful. As discussed in one of my previous blogs posts this beauty provides me with a sense of place. I believe it is imperative that I share this beauty and describe the feelings that I associate with nature so that the art contained within nature can be shared with others, who potentially have not had the opportunity to experience these feelings. The idea being that once these feelings are shared with the audience an uplifting emotional experience will be created, which inspires a greater appreciation for nature and the natural environment. Once this appreciation is gained it may galvanize the audience to take actions regarding protection of the natural environment by reason, to protect this beauty. Environmental conservation is an issue that requires immediate action and hopefully interpretation can act as an agent that catalyzes others to act.

There are a few ways that I discovered through this course that can aid in generation of a truly impactful interpretation experience. One of which being to utilize various learning styles. The three different learning styles are auditory, visual, and tactile/kinesthetic. Interpreters should adapt their teaching methods in a way that tries to satisfy various learning styles. This will increase the impact of their interpretation by suiting each audience members specific needs. Additionally, it can make learning more exciting and fun for the audience.

To conclude, this course has taught me more about the importance of interpretation as a tool for environmental conservation. It has also provided me with certain tools that I can utilize to ensure that important messages resonate with the audience.

Questions

What generates good interpretation in your eyes?

References 

I really enjoyed reading your blog post! I feel the same way, as the semester progressed (and I learnt new concepts in this class) I began to develop my own definition/understanding of nature interpretation! Nature interpretation is something I have always been aware of and it was fun to learn more about it! For me, interpretation is a type of learning method that utilizes personal experiences to convey a message across to an audience. Unfortunately, in university I have also experienced a professor who only read off of the lecture slides and was very monotoned! I was very disappointed by this because in all of my other university classes the professors found interesting and unique way to convey their ideas. Due to this lack of inspiration I found it almost impossible to learn the material. It is hard for me to learn when the person teaching does not seem fully engaged and motivated! I feel this is a good example of a poor interpretation! 

Interpretation is important in everyday life and this class has taught me different ways of achieving this! To answer your question, I feel that a “sense of place” and an understanding of the different audiences and learning styles contributes to good interpretation (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 1; Hooykaas, 2021). In order to interpret messages to others, it is important that one finds/knows their “sense of place”. If an individual is unsure of their “sense of place” I do not believe they will be able to be a good interpreter. Interpreters provide their audiences with a “sense of place” (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 1). Which is why it is important for an interpreter to understand or know where their “sense of place” is. 

Additionally, it is also important to know the different audiences and learning styles you may work worth. Interpretation is not a one size fits most type of method. There are so many different types of learning styles and audiences that one will encounter when leading interpretations. This is why it is important to understand this in order to modify and change interpretations to reflect the different audiences and learning styles. If one takes a one size fits all approach to interpretation, they will not be successful. Changes and modifications will be needed along the way to ensure the message is getting delivered to everyone (ex. approaches for kids should be different from adults).

References 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 1: What is Interpretation? In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 3-16). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Throughout this course I have learned a significant amount about nature interpretation. One thing I have noticed throughout the semester is that my personal ethics have evolved. The root of my ethics I feel is associated with my “sense of place” (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 1). Coming into this course my sense of place in nature was strong. I was introduced to nature at a young age thanks to my grandparents. This helped me build a relationship with nature as a child. Furthermore, in high school I had an amazing teacher who helped to further my relationship with nature and encouraged me to pursue a career in the environment. Without my family and my high school teacher, I would not have such a strong relationship with the environment. I am very fortunate for this! Thanks to this I feel that I have strong environmental ethics. Over the semester I have solidified my belief that nature interpretation and a “sense of place” go hand and hand together. To this day I feel that interpretation can help an individual find their “sense of place”.

A photo of the Catskill Mountains from Kingston, NY. Photo taken by me on December 30th, 2016.

As a nature interpreter one of my responsibilities is to bring awareness to the environment and promote environmental preservation. Nature is a beautiful gift that is often taken for granted by many. It is important to educate others about its importance. It is also key to promote environmental sustainability. So, moving forward as a nature interpreter I am going to ensure I develop my teachings to incorporate all of these components. In doing so I will successfully teach other’s what natures worth is and how it can be protected. These aspects would be incorporated into my nature walks and information sessions; which is my ideal role as an environmental interpreter. One day, I hope to lead my nature interpretation activities at North-South Lake State Park in New York. As a nature interpreter it is important that I think about the audience that is participating in my activities (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). My first approach as a nature interpreter is being adaptable. Depending on the type of audience I have, I will need to make modifications and changes as I go to ensure that my nature interpretation is speaking to all audiences (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). This means how I lead my nature interpretations for adults will be completely different from how I lead interpretations for kids.

For instance, with kids it would be like a teaching experience and I would incorporate fun activities to keep the kids interested. This would also help to solidify what they learn! Adults I would take a completely different approach such as more in-depth detail. However, one similarity I would have between the two potential audiences is that I would also incorporate personal experiences and stories to help draw in both audiences. I believe this is one of the key characteristics of nature interpretation! This is because a nature interpreter needs to be able to incorporate their own life experiences (with nature) into their teachings to help intrigue the audience more (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 6). Storytelling is a critical way to get messages across to an audience (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 10).

Unfortunately, some groups are more privileged than others in respect to their access to nature. This can limit how often an individual has access to nature (if they have access to nature at all). One of my beliefs is that everyone should have the same opportunities to access nature! The audience that does not have access to nature can be classified as being “underserved” (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). This means that they are not able to fully participate in nature interpretation and are limited in their achievements. Those who have constant access are privileged since they have an advantage in participating more (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). A key factor influencing this is economics. Economic barriers such as the inability to afford services, transportation, and lodging play a significant role since those who cannot afford these are less likely to participate in nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). My second approach is accessibility. I want to ensure everybody has access to nature interpretation! This is what will one day set me apart from other interpreters. I plan to offer FREE access to those who cannot afford it, including children, teens, adults, and seniors. I also want to run free workshops for at-risk youth! Transportation and lodging would also be provided to those who could not afford it. This way everyone has the same access to these resources!

Another belief that I bring to my nature interpretation is that nature is a form of art. From my personal experiences and what I’ve learned this semester; nature offers so many different forms of art! A couple of forms of art present in nature are paintings, photography, and music (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 10). Photographs and physical surroundings in nature are like natural paintings. The “gift of beauty” is when an individual has the capability of assessing surroundings through interpretations (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 10). Everyone has the capability of interpreting the “gift of beauty”, however, I feel this is most successful with storytelling. In addition to this, nature offers its own music to us everyday. Sounds like a river flowing and leaves blowing in the wind are all forms of music. These types of sounds are classified as ambient sounds. These sounds are actually similar to an orchestra (Grey et al., 2001). These forms of art in nature are aspects I plan to highlight in my interpretations!

Another responsibility is to be a peacemaker (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 20). A peacemaker is an individual who promotes peace with others. Not only do others need to respect each other, they also have to respect nature. One of my responsibilities will be ensuring that others are respecting nature as they would another person. Nature and history are aspects that go together. There is history in nature and in historical places there is nature (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). So, another responsibility is to teach others about the history associated with nature. It will also be my responsibility to understand the stories I am telling to intrigue the learner more (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). Finally, my last responsibility is to prepare ahead of time. A good interpreter prepares their material ahead of time to ensure everything is structured so the learners can understand everything.

A photo of me and my Fiancé. Photo taken by my Fiancé on December 30th, 2016.

Good luck on your final assignments and exams everyone!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 1: What is Interpretation? 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 4: Values of Interpretation for Management. 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 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.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 21: The Bright Future of Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 457-478). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Loved the post! Honestly I think I relate to your personal ethics behind nature interpretation to a great deal. The idea that you feel as though your understanding behind nature interpretation stems from your “sense of place” is powerful. You highlight that it allows you to build your relationship with nature on a personal level which is something that cannot be understated! Creating that aspect where we have an inherent relationship with the surrounding environment is so important to grasp when practicing nature interpretation. Additionally, it was great to read that the torch was almost passed on to you in a sense from a previous teacher you had. In this weeks’ post, I wrote about the idea of nature interpretation coming full circle. Well this is a key example of just that! You had someone who was passionate about teaching and relaying their message that it actually resonated with you to do that same!

One thing I am curious to know more about is you approach to inspiring your audience. For instance, what kinds of fun activities would you plan with them to create a better understanding of nature interpretation?

Really great post and hope you enjoyed the semester!

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. I agree, learning about nature can take a full circle to complete the process. It starts with one person sharing their teachings to others. The learners then resonate with the teacher and begin to formulate their own relationship with nature with their own personal interpretations. From there these learners then become teachers and begin sharing their interpretations with others. And then the cycle begins again. However, every person interprets things differently, so each learner will take what they learn and interpret it in a different way.

As with all of our blog prompts we have all been given the same questions and used our personal interpretations to answer them. We are all unique and we all interpret these questions differently from each other. Which is amazing! We all should be proud of our individual opinions!

To answer your question regarding activities, with children and teenagers I’m actually certified in Project Wild and Below Zero which involves running workshops and activities with youth. I have 2 large books (one for each certification) that outlines various activities. One of the activities I’ve guided youth in is track identification. We went out into an area of the forest that sees a high traffic of animals. And based on the tracks found, those participating had to identify what animal made the tracks. Another activity I’ve taught could also be applied to adults. Imagine your yard is being destroyed by an animal. But you have no idea what animal is causing the damage. It may be gross, but the only indication left behind by the animal is its “droppings”. Well based on that one can identify an animal. This activity worked well in Mattawa.

Sometimes you can even find limbs of animals with fur on them in the forest; depending on how secluded the area is. When in Mattawa I found the bottom half of a deer leg in the forest. I identified it based on the tracks the “footprint” made in the mud. I then asked others to try and identify what animal it belonged to based on the fur and track pattern.

These are just a few activities I can run to teach others about their natural surroundings. I’m sure each learner will interpret what I have to say differently. But it will at least help guide an individual to learn more about the area. As I continue my studies I am sure I will develop more activities to help others understand nature interpretation.

Throughout this course I have learned a significant amount about nature interpretation. One thing I have noticed throughout the semester is that my personal ethics have evolved. The root of my ethics I feel is associated with my “sense of place” (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 1). Coming into this course my sense of place in nature was strong. I was introduced to nature at a young age thanks to my grandparents. This helped me build a relationship with nature as a child. Furthermore, in high school I had an amazing teacher who helped to further my relationship with nature and encouraged me to pursue a career in the environment. Without my family and my high school teacher, I would not have such a strong relationship with the environment. I am very fortunate for this! Thanks to this I feel that I have strong environmental ethics. Over the semester I have solidified my belief that nature interpretation and a “sense of place” go hand and hand together. To this day I feel that interpretation can help an individual find their “sense of place”.

A photo of the Catskill Mountains from Kingston, NY. Photo taken by me on December 30th, 2016.

As a nature interpreter one of my responsibilities is to bring awareness to the environment and promote environmental preservation. Nature is a beautiful gift that is often taken for granted by many. It is important to educate others about its importance. It is also key to promote environmental sustainability. So, moving forward as a nature interpreter I am going to ensure I develop my teachings to incorporate all of these components. In doing so I will successfully teach other’s what natures worth is and how it can be protected. These aspects would be incorporated into my nature walks and information sessions; which is my ideal role as an environmental interpreter. One day, I hope to lead my nature interpretation activities at North-South Lake State Park in New York. As a nature interpreter it is important that I think about the audience that is participating in my activities (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). My first approach as a nature interpreter is being adaptable. Depending on the type of audience I have, I will need to make modifications and changes as I go to ensure that my nature interpretation is speaking to all audiences (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). This means how I lead my nature interpretations for adults will be completely different from how I lead interpretations for kids.

For instance, with kids it would be like a teaching experience and I would incorporate fun activities to keep the kids interested. This would also help to solidify what they learn! Adults I would take a completely different approach such as more in-depth detail. However, one similarity I would have between the two potential audiences is that I would also incorporate personal experiences and stories to help draw in both audiences. I believe this is one of the key characteristics of nature interpretation! This is because a nature interpreter needs to be able to incorporate their own life experiences (with nature) into their teachings to help intrigue the audience more (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 6). Storytelling is a critical way to get messages across to an audience (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 10).

Unfortunately, some groups are more privileged than others in respect to their access to nature. This can limit how often an individual has access to nature (if they have access to nature at all). One of my beliefs is that everyone should have the same opportunities to access nature! The audience that does not have access to nature can be classified as being “underserved” (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). This means that they are not able to fully participate in nature interpretation and are limited in their achievements. Those who have constant access are privileged since they have an advantage in participating more (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). A key factor influencing this is economics. Economic barriers such as the inability to afford services, transportation, and lodging play a significant role since those who cannot afford these are less likely to participate in nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). My second approach is accessibility. I want to ensure everybody has access to nature interpretation! This is what will one day set me apart from other interpreters. I plan to offer FREE access to those who cannot afford it, including children, teens, adults, and seniors. I also want to run free workshops for at-risk youth! Transportation and lodging would also be provided to those who could not afford it. This way everyone has the same access to these resources!

Another belief that I bring to my nature interpretation is that nature is a form of art. From my personal experiences and what I’ve learned this semester; nature offers so many different forms of art! A couple of forms of art present in nature are paintings, photography, and music (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 10). Photographs and physical surroundings in nature are like natural paintings. The “gift of beauty” is when an individual has the capability of assessing surroundings through interpretations (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 10). Everyone has the capability of interpreting the “gift of beauty”, however, I feel this is most successful with storytelling. In addition to this, nature offers its own music to us everyday. Sounds like a river flowing and leaves blowing in the wind are all forms of music. These types of sounds are classified as ambient sounds. These sounds are actually similar to an orchestra (Grey et al., 2001). These forms of art in nature are aspects I plan to highlight in my interpretations!

Another responsibility is to be a peacemaker (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 20). A peacemaker is an individual who promotes peace with others. Not only do others need to respect each other, they also have to respect nature. One of my responsibilities will be ensuring that others are respecting nature as they would another person. Nature and history are aspects that go together. There is history in nature and in historical places there is nature (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 4). So, another responsibility is to teach others about the history associated with nature. It will also be my responsibility to understand the stories I am telling to intrigue the learner more (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). Finally, my last responsibility is to prepare ahead of time. A good interpreter prepares their material ahead of time to ensure everything is structured so the learners can understand everything.

A photo of me and my Fiancé. Photo taken by my Fiancé on December 30th, 2016.

Good luck on your final assignments and exams everyone!

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 1: What is Interpretation? 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 4: Values of Interpretation for Management. 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 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.

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 21: The Bright Future of Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 457-478). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

I’m so glad that you feel a sense of place in nature, reading these posts it seems like some people have struggled with that. You mentioned some really important qualities to have as a nature interpreter, like being a peacemaker and adaptable to new situations. However, I think one of the most important qualities is being honest/well informed. While we all may have our own personal beliefs and agendas, it is essential that the information we provide to others is accurate and up to date. There is so much inaccurate information being spread through social media and the news on a daily basis, especially regarding issues surrounding nature. We are not only interpreters, but educators, and that is a role that has to be taken seriously, especially when we are educating future environmental stewards. While we are doing this, we need to check our privilege. As you mentioned, we need to be aware that not everyone has had access to environmental resources that we have, whether it be for economic reasons or something else. Regardless, the experiences and stories we share with others should be honest and accurate, with everyone’s needs in mind. As interpreters, we hold a great responsibility to understand the stories that we tell, and to represent all people, backgrounds, and perspectives fairly (Beck et al, 2018). It’s a tough job to keep all these factors in mind, but it is rewarding nonetheless. 

As a follow up question to this post, why in particular do you want to be a nature interpreter in New York? Do you have a personal connection with that place, or is it somewhere you just want to go? 

Thanks again! 

- Meghan ✿

Literature cited: 

Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. New York is a second home to me and I have so much connection to the area when I go there. In general North-South lake is “my happy place” which I outlined in a previous post. I just love the area, it makes me happy. Plus I have memories there with my Fiancé. There is so much mystery associated with the area. You can see only so much while other aspects remain hidden. You don’t know what animals are actually in the forest near your campsite. Sure you can assume the types of animals that live in the area, but you may never know how close you are to those animals.

Additionally, when your walking on a trail you can’t always see the insects that are on the ground, sometimes they are too small. These unknowns and mysterious aspects is what has made me fall in love with the area. Living there one day will give me endless opportunities to accomplish. There are far more opportunities there for me than in a major city. Plus it’s were my Fiancé is from so it’s nice to live in his tiny town that’s surrounded by nature and mountains. I’ve been traveling here since 2016 and the first time I saw the area I was in awe. It was beautiful and breathtaking. Just seeing the mountains from his town was amazing and something I haven’t been able to see from my city.

I haven’t been there in a year due to restrictions so it’s upsetting not being able to freely go there. 

A sad ending to a great semester! I want to just thank everyone for such an amazing semester, and I had a lot of fun blogging and sharing my ideas with you all! Ethics are very important because it helps with our day to day decision making and the actions we make. 

When it comes to ethics, certain ethics that I already had before doing this course were honesty, responsibility, respect and loyalty. Honestly has always been valued to me because growing up with my parents and siblings, I also learned to be honest through out experiences of my life, I noticed when being more honesty, it is a lot less stressful. As for loyalty, it is very important for me to have loyal loved ones around, I says say ‘quality over quantity’ I have had the same 3 best friends in my life for 10 years and I could not be more happier with the support system that I have. Respect is something you need to have when having a conservation, in order to get your ideas and opinions across speaking them in a respectful manner. This will allow the other person to understand you better and be opened to agree or see your point of view. Lastly, responsible is the one ethic I had the most difficulty learning because you are never fully ready to be responsible. I only ever learned responsibly when I moved to Canada by myself and lived alone! Looking back yes it was very hard but now I have grown so much that I am able to live alone and I have two cats that depend on me!

Photo taken by me. 2020. Cocoa (black and grey cat) and Nemo (Orange cat). 

Now after finishing this course and learning the different concepts of nature interpretation. I now know how personal ethics can develop and grow in nature interpretation. Since developing to become a nature interpreter, I find some of my personal ethics to play a major role in interpretation. Interpreters help people develop an ethical sense of their place and the role in the world and a respect for plants and animals that share our planet (Beck 2018). We give people facts and experiences so that they care enough about nature (Beck 2018). Ethics reflect on how we interpretative things including nature because ethics reflect on ourselves. Certain beliefs that I have when interpreting is I believe that nature is needed for my mental health and others, and that nature interpretation has more positive aspects in life than negative. I found my beliefs somewhat changed during this course because of the new knowledge and education that I learned. By changing the beliefs that influence norms, attitudes and abilities, interpreters can affect the behaviour of those in their audience (Beck 2018).  One main belief I have (and you may agree or not) is the earth needs us to take care of it and that it is our job to help the earth stay clean.  I also believed that us humans will either be able to enhance natural resources or completely destroy it, the decision is ours.

We have certain responsibilities as nature interpreters, for example providing others with information about nature concepts, resources and facts. Making the effort to gain and learn specialized education and training, and to accept and practice the discipline of an established code of ethics within the workplace (Beck 2018). Certain approaches that are most suitable for me is the calm approach that is not overwhelming, I find that some people like me liked to be approached or communicated in a way that isn’t pushy or aggressive. Not to mention make the content relevant to my interests and explain the deeper meaning of it, I might look at a certain rock and not really care but if there is a deeper meaning behind it, I might find that interesting. Knowing your audience’s interests and what they find interesting is the best way to get an idea or concept across. 

Now adding my personal ethics, I previously had to nature interpretation:

1- Honesty: By means of being honest, open, and clear when trying to explain both negative and positive aspects of nature concepts.

2- Responsibility: I can incorporate responsibility in nature interpretation by taking the responsible to educate myself and inform myself before communicating to someone else. Not to mention preparing myself to answer any questions someone might have for me.

3- Loyalty: Becoming more loyal and trustworthy. Be more caring to people who want to learn more and other interpreters

4- Respect: Respecting your audience is key, agreements and disagreements can happen all the time. Increased levels of respect can show more corporation from others thus increasing teamwork efficiency (Beck 2018).

Thus, using our ethics, beliefs and approaches and contributing them in nature interpretation helps us to become better and effective interpreters because we grow as individuals and learn better ways to target our audience. What are some ethics do you think are important for nature interpretation? Did you learn anything that was beyond just for the sake of this course?  I am so grateful for taking this course and learned so much from it. I will be using the lessons I learned not just for nature interpretation but also other interpretation in general. 

Good luck everyone!

References: 

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2019). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. Urbana: Sagamore Publishing.

I really enjoyed reading your final blog post! It truly is a sad ending to this course. I love how our professor took this unique assignment to incorporate it into nature interpretation. Professor Hooykaas truly did an amazing job in teaching us more about nature interpretation. For instance, these blog posts have all been our own interpretations on the exact same questions. And week after week we all interpreted things completely differently from each other. Each nature interpreter is different from another. We all have our own opinions and this is what helps to build upon our interpretations.

Responsibility is a hard ethic to learn. But it is truly a critical element to nature interpretation. As a nature interpreter we need to be responsible in terms of developing our interpretations and teaching our audiences. It is our responsibility as interpreters to promote sustainability and protection of the environment as well. One thing that I have realized this semester is that environmental activists are nature interpreters as well! This may not be something one thinks of right away. However, if you think about it, environmental activists are teaching us different aspects about the environment. They are highlighting major issues we are currently faced with. Which is why I feel we need to promote sustainability to ensure nature interpretation can continue on for many generations to come.

Last night I participated in Earth Hour. From 8:30 to 9:30 I turned off all of my lights and electronics. I just sat in complete darkness and reflected on nature and what I can one day do to protect the environment and nature. During this time I realized that incorporating sustainability and awareness into my interpretations is one step towards accomplishing this. Sure, there is so much more I can do in the future to accomplish this. But I have to start somewhere. So if I can bring awareness to a diverse audience, it’s a good start to protecting our Earth. 

A great video I found about Earth Hour can be seen here: 

Hello all!

This final blog post was such an amazing way of reflecting on how this course has change the way I view nature interpretation, and how I approach the communication of information in general. I am definitely someone who learns best by doing, I like to touch things, or see them in action! I learned this during one of our first units, when discussing how to teach to the different learning types and the difference between tangible and intangible elements (Beck et al., 2018). The reason I am bringing this up again is one component of the prompt we were given: Describe your personal ethic as you develop as a nature interpreter. The answer to this is deeply entwined with the rest of the prompt, but I’ll return to that later. The biggest ethic I believe in when it comes to nature interpretation is that everyone deserves the opportunity to understand the nature that they are surrounded by. This does not mean that that we should all have access to the same free online resources, though it does help, but instead that we are all given the chance to learn in a way that aligns with our needs.

 *Photo taken by me of my two friends crossing a frozen lake in Garibaldi Park, BC*

I started a program at UoG in 2014, graduated with a general Science, and went to Fleming college for Arboriculture, before returning to UoG to upgrade my degree. I learned that all of the book-reading in the world won’t help me retain knowledge the way that listening to a respected instructor, or physically applying my knowledge does. If I had been taught this at a younger age, I might have approached my education differently. This is why I deeply believe that we need to expand public resources surrounding environmental education so that it is not only given to those who can afford a college education, or courses from a private institution. Physical learners need to be given attention just as their counterparts are: starting in early childhood and throughout their developmental years. We need to break down the stigma that those who don’t retain well from intangible learning aren’t smart.  

 *Photo taken by me during a mushroom hunt and information share with my coworker in Coquitlam, BC*

So many of the people that I know who are in outdoor or environmentally central trades/professions stumbled into it later in life, usually due to the many physical faucets that this field has. They are some of the most well-educated people I have ever met, without spending much time at all in a classroom! My beliefs within nature interpretation are that by focusing on diversifying teaching methods we are able to connect more people to our cause. Opening up learning to everyone, despite their location, background, financial position, abilities, or personal beliefs would create a wonderfully inclusive culture around one thing that every human being shares: a reliance on the environment.

*Photo taken by me of a coworker pruning trees in White Rock, BC*

Our responsibilities as nature interpreters are to make this inclusivity possible, to be open to conversing with people, showing them what we know, whether or not they hold the same views as us. We should not argue with anyone, or try to change their minds, because everyone comes to love this earth in their own way, from their own place, as discussed between David Suzuki and Richard Louv in the video we were provided (Suzuki and Louv, 2012). All we have to do is open the door, and hope that they walk through on their own.  

 *Photo taken by me of a coworker pruning a tree in Langley, BC*

I am an arborist by trade, which means that I climb trees in order to identify diseases or hazards within them, prune for aesthetics and/or safety, and am often involved in tree removal. I entered this trade from a place of environmental consciousness, believing I was going to become a “tree doctor”, who identified issues and fixed them, only removing living trees if it was absolutely necessary. This is not the reality of my profession. I have seen many more trees cut down for urban development or due to unwise planting decisions than I had anticipated when I first began my career. I realized early on that people don’t see the benefit in their trees, such as reduced energy bills due to shading their houses on hot days, the way that they act as a sound barrier for roadways, the decreased likelihood of lawn flooding due to their roots up-taking water, and so much more. All they see are extra leaves to rake off their lawns. My coworkers often don’t see trees, especially big ones, as living beings, but instead as a fun challenge to kill that you can brag about later.

*Photo taken by me of a coworker removing a tree in Surrey, BC* 

Through this course I’ve learned that we are all interpreters for each other, we’ve all seen and learned things that others haven’t. Sometimes by listening to other people’s experiences we learn about things we’ve never encountered, and sometimes our own piece of knowledge can help other’s connect the dots on how something works. At my job most of the people I work with don’t understand tree biology but have many more years of practical experience than I do. So when they remark on how a growth on a tree, that I probably never would have noticed, is “weird” or “cool”, I get the opportunity to explain the probably cause of it, and why the tree responds to certain stimuli the way it does. I hope that eventually this mutual enlightenment leads to a deeper appreciation for trees in both of us.

 *photo taken my me, of a cool tree graft found in Victoria, BC*

In conclusion, this course hasn’t changed the way I see nature, instead it has shown me different ways to communicate my own view with others, and the value of listening to their response. There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to learning or interpreting, and, since we are all both interpreters and students, we need to have patience with each other, and try to see through the eyes of others. Only through connection to each other can we communicate our passions.

*Photo of my dog and I frolicking in Tofino, BC*

My questions for you are: have you realized through this course that someone in your life was a nature interpreter for you, and you never noticed? How have you been an interpreter for others before this course, and will your methods change now that it’s over?

Thank you to all of my classmates and our instructors, you’ve all taught me so much this semester!

Katie the Treehugger

*Photo of my dog and I looking forward to our next adventure!*

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

During the second unit of the course I learned about the different types of learning types. When completing the reflection for the podcast I discovered that certain individuals can actually display different learning types in different situations. The podcast itself is more catered towards auditory learners (Hooykaas, 2021, Unit 2). However, we also used an activity within the podcast to also allow active learners retain the information as well. In addition to this, the use of the script/transcript also allows verbal learners to retain information through a written component as they learn best with the use of words (Hooykaas, 2021, Unit 2). Given different situations, I noticed I can exhibit different learning styles.

You be mention that not everyone should access the same free information. I’d have to disagree with this. Open sourced information, such as open sourced peer reviewed journals are an excellent source of information to learn more about a subject. In nature interpretation one of the goals I’ve noticed is being able to teach the audience about nature. The use of the open source peer review journals can help a nature interpreter develop a program for their learners. In addition to this, if the audience asks to have access to information used during the nature interpretation it allows it to be more accessible by all. Not everyone has the same access to nature and economic barriers can prevent an individual from participating in nature interpretation (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21). One of my beliefs in nature interpretation is that everyone has the same access to nature. As a nature interpreter we need to serve a diverse audience and should strive to also include the underserved population as well (Beck et al., 2018, Chapter 21).

After completing this course I believe nature interpretation does more than just guide an individual to enjoy nature. I believe nature interpretation helps an individual find their “sense of place”.

To answer your first question I’ve have a lot of individuals in my life act like nature interpreters. From grandparents to high school environmental teachers to professors in post secondary. All of these individuals have taught me different aspects about nature that has helped to shape my relationship with nature. I’ve always been aware of nature interpretation so I have been fortunate enough to recognize the different people using interpretation. Prior to this course I have participated in teaching youth about the environment through activities. In doing so, I was actually using nature interpretation.

References

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Chapter 21: The Bright Future of Interpretation. In Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world (pp. 457-478). Urbana, Illinois; Sagamore-Venture Publishing.

Close your eyes and try to imagine the most beautiful natural phenomena you can. When I close my eyes, I begin to see brilliant colours of vibrant greens and pinks dancing against a dark sky. I can visualize myself standing near the Arctic Circle experiencing the magnificent wonders of the Aurora Borealis. 

Ever since I can remember I have always had a huge fascination for the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights, also referred to “Aurora Borealis”, is a natural optical phenomenon that occurs in the northern hemisphere, typically in the Arctic region. In the southern hemisphere it is referred to as “Aurora Australis”. This phenomenon is caused when charged particles leave the sun’s surface and enter the Earth’s atmosphere near the northern and southern magnetic poles, colliding with the gaseous particles of the atmosphere, and causing the spectacular lighting of the sky (NASA, 2021).

This diagram shows the collision of the sun’s particles with Earth’s atmosphere. Retrieved from NASA, 2021.

The colours of auroras vary between greens, yellows, pinks and reds. Just as the neon particles in a neon light get excited by electricity flowing through and release a coloured light, these charged solar particles excite gases in the outer atmosphere to create the stunning hues of the aurora (NASA, 2021). Fully red auroras are produced by high-altitude oxygen, but are quite rare, while blue or purplish-red auroras are created by nitrogen gas (Northern Lights Centre). 

This is a photo taken by my friend Hannah who lives in Webequie, Ontario which is approx. 540km north of Thunder Bay. Photo taken by H. Currie (2021). 

As discussed in Beck et al. (2018), the use of art has been very effective in natural interpretation and attracting the attention of individuals. This is evident for the interpretation of the Northern Lights as the aurora has captured the attention and imaginations of humans for centuries. They rendered their interpretation of the phenomena as art in cave illustrations as far back as 30,000 years (Space.com, 2017). Many poets, authors, musicians and painters have all interpreted the Northern Lights through their own lens. By sharing their interpretation with others, the phenomena have stirred a sense of awe, wonder and appreciation in those who have not yet experienced the aurora in person.

The Northern Lights can be seen in many locations along the “Aurora Zone”, including areas in Canada, USA, Iceland, Greenland, Norway and Sweden (Northern Lights Centre). Since the best areas to view the Northern Lights in Canada and these other countries are in remote northern locations, the average person cannot readily experience them in person. Now I know what you might be thinking, what if I want to experience the Northern Lights but cannot get to these locations? There are actually organizations that have set up live cameras to record and broadcast footage of the Northern Lights for people to view from the comfort of their own homes! 

This link takes you to a live cam that is broadcasting from Churchill, Manitoba, Canada!

Although I have never been fortunate enough to experience this phenomena in person, I have always been drawn to the beautiful colours depicted through photos and hope to experience them someday!

Have any of you had the opportunity to experience the Northern Lights in person?? I would LOVE to hear about your experience!!

Thanks for reading along, 

Janieka :)

References

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

NASA. (2021, March 12). NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. https://pwg.gsfc.nasa.gov/polar/telecons/archive/PR_E-PO/Aurora_flyer/aurora-flyer_p2.doc.pdf

“Northern Lights Centre.” Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis Explained, www.northernlightscentre.ca/northernlights.html  

Northern lights live cam - watch the aurora borealis. (n.d.). Retrieved March 19, 2021, from https://explore.org/livecams/zen-den/northern-lights-cam

It’s been my dream to see these lights in person! I’m always busy with work and school, so I haven’t been able to go see this spectacular! Once I graduate, I will travel North with my Fiancé so we can experience the lights together! When I close my eyes and think of a natural wonder, I think of Niagara Falls. I frequently go there and enjoy taking the boat to the base of the waterfall. It’s the first thing I think of because even though you are “stepping” in the same river every time, the river is always changing. The water is always flowing, so in reality you never step into the same river twice! This reminds me of a quote ““What I love most about rivers is you can't step in the same river twice. The water's always changing, always flowing.” – Pocahontas.

This quote helps to highlight the beauty of the river, each time you visit it’s not the same. Did you know that 3,160 tons of water flows over the falls every second (Niagara Falls USA, n.d.)? That’s a lot of water! Niagara Falls is also a beautiful sight to experience.

I love the photo your friend took! I didn’t know it was possible to see them from Ontario, I can’t wait to see them! The link you provided is amazing! I’m going to watch this tonight! I feel that watching the Northern Lights would be calming and relaxing. Nature interpretation helps an individual learn about a particular area and gain a deeper connection with the environment (Beck et al., 2018)! I know when I am learning more about a specific area, I feel more connected to it!

References

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

Originally posted by Ontario Parks.

“Earth has music for those who listen”- George Santayana. This quote by poet and naturalist George Santayana reminds me that nature, we are all surrounded by, holds many beautiful sounds that appreciate the earth’s music. It can be the calming sound of waves, leaves rustling in the wind, rain dripping down on your roof or the bird’s chirping. In one way or another, this music helps me relax my body and mind. Try it sometime, take a break outside and listen to nature – trust me, it has a lot to say. When you surround yourself with the natural environment, whether it’s a walk in a trail, reading a book in the middle of the woods, or paddleboarding on a lake, your ears focus on the sounds around you and relax your minds. Nature is surrounded by music everywhere. From our course notes, we understand that music has the power to influence how people see, think, communicate, and feel (Hooykaas, 2021). I enjoy studying or doing schoolwork, listening to the sounds of waves or light rain. I tend to stay focused and get more work done this way. Does anyone else do this? Research has shown that nature sounds can also help people sleep better by reducing stress (ScienceDaily, 2017). Listen to these sounds from Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

If anyone is interested in listening to nature sounds at home, you can check out these websites.

https://www.calmsound.com/

https://8tracks.com/explore/nature_sounds

https://listen.tidal.com/artist/3998908

When thinking about the role of nature in music, it is pretty uncommon. Although, there are some impressive works done by artists inspired to make music with the sound of birds and animals. Check out the David Rothenberg- ‘Bird, Whale, Bug’ concert. 

I couldn’t think of a lot of music about nature. The one song that came to my mind is 'What a wonderful world’ by Louis Armstrong. It’s an old classic. I remember this because my friend’s grandpa used to sing this all the time. Nowadays, the context of most music is relationships, money, and otherworldly materials. I think musicians and artists should consider addressing issues that shed light on social problems such as climate change. As our course notes mentioned, music can help inform our audience on social matters such as climate change, pollution, and global warming.

The one song that takes me back to a natural landscape is 'Truth to Power’ by OneRepublic. If anyone would like to listen, check out the video.

It talks about climate change and inspires one to get involved and do something for our planet. Does anyone remember this song? This music reminds me of a presentation that my friends and I did on earth day in high school. We played this song at the end of our presentation. A song can carry us back in time and draw forgotten memories from deep inside ourselves. Why does music have such a hold on us, able to change our mood and bring us together?

Thanks for reading. Let me know your thoughts!

Kristy

References

 A quote by George Santayana. (n.d.). Retrieved March 4, 2021, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1334069-the-earth-has-music-for-those-who-listen  

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 07: Nature Interpretation through Music [Course website]. University of Guelph CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca

Nature’s music is never over; her silences are pauses, not conclusions – Mary Webb

For your quote I feel it is saying that only those who have the patience and ability to appreciate what nature has to offer will experience its music. Unfortunately, some overlook the sounds nature has to offer thus not being able to experience its music. For my quote, I believe it means that even when things temporarily go quiet in nature, the music will always continue and never end. Natures silences are just a break from its music; this is similar to the rest symbol in sheet music. The rest symbol is an absence of sound for a certain period of time. The music does not end there, it continues after this pause. Similarly, the silences in nature are just short breaks from the music and the music will continue after these pauses.

Nature has so much music to offer like the rustling of leaves from the wind, Cicadas mating noises, and the ocean waves crashing up on the rocks; these are just some of the way’s natures music speaks to us. I agree that the sounds nature has to offer are both calming and relaxing. When studying for finals I always listen to the sound of the ocean, it really helps me focus and remember things better. If I have issues sleeping at night, I will listen to either rain or nighttime nature sounds. Both of these have relaxing effect on me and help me to sleep much better. In my opinion nature sounds is a wonderful music that helps escape “the worry” of life.

Music has such a hold on us because it is a form of art. Art has this wonderful grasp that puts the viewer or listener in a state of awe. The art of music speaks to the listener; some songs are upbeat and happy (which triggers a happy mood) while other songs are about tragedy or upset (which triggers a sad mood). It also can bring people together especially if people can relate to the songs.

Here is an article about nature and your mood by Harvard University.

References

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

Many of us live in the present, but we constantly plan for our futures. Through this cycle of repetition, how do we truly appreciate the progress we’ve made? Well, through history! Simply put, history can be defined as the series of past events that connect us with either someone or something (Macfie, 2013, p. 401).

A great example of the history of our past juxtaposed with the modernity of a museum, indicating how the past informs our future (Parmiter, 2020).

So, what is nature interpretation through history? Interpretation breathes life and meaning into past events, architecture and artifacts (Hooykaas, 2021). In doing so it nurtures the development of not only a personal identity; but it also aids in forming values that guide us in the present. Without the ability to interpret, artifacts are merely old things, historic buildings are just old buildings, and ceremonies are merely entertainment (Beck et al., 2018, p. 326).

Thus, nature interpretation through history not only contributes to the unification of the past and present; but also allows an individual to consider themselves within the historical context of the past.

Delving deeper into nature interpretation through history, sheds light on the importance of the 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.…. To think, feel 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.

(Edward Hyams, Chapter 7, The Gifts of Interpretation)

Further “unpacking” this quote provides a unique look into how we view our past and how the past informs our future.

This is extremely relevant to the landscape of our world in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nowadays, it seems as though many people have an attitude that follows the notion of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”, which enables an individual to forgo integrity. Consequently, without “merit in integrity … [that] entails a knowledge, a memory, of ancient things” it becomes difficult for an individual to learn or grow from their past.

Furthermore, history enables an individual to examine themselves, where they have been, and why they are there. Therefore, “to think, feel 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” sheds light on the intersection between an individual’s history, and the historical context of the past that feeds an individual’s identity.

This photo was taken on a walk I took with some friends while we were trying to find “cool” places to do a photoshoot. I remember clearly as we walked around, we tried to come up with different stories about the history of our surroundings. Guelph, ON – Photo taken by Agam Verma.

Consequently, in terms of nature interpretation, history, and storytelling play a large role in communicating the essence of a place (Hooykaas, 2021). Thereby shedding light on the importance that interpretive writing can play in allowing an individual to turn abstract words into a story (Beck et al., 2018, p. 322). Relaying this back to the “unpacking” of the quote by Edward Hyams elucidates the importance that history, storytelling, and interpretive writing play in nature interpretation.

I have linked a great video which delves into the intersection between interpretation and history (Be A Better Guide - Free Tour Guide Training, 2017, 0:00-7:39). Have a watch and share your thoughts!

References

Be a Better Guide - Free Tour Guide Training. (2017, May 4). Interpretation tips for tour guides - interpreting culture, the environment, history and heritage [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkhTY7UWi4M

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

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Unit 06: Nature interpretation through history [Course website]. University of Guelph CourseLink. https://courselink.uoguelph.ca

Macfie, A. L. (2013). Towards a new definition of history. Rethinking History, 17(3), 401–412. https://doi.org/10.1080/13642529.2013.774730

You unpacked this quote really well! One thing about interpretation is that everyone has their own opinions which makes their responses different from others. I read several posts this week and noticed that everyone unpacked the same quote differently. This really highlights the concept of interpretation. You stated that interpretation aids in forming values, and I agree with that. Not being able to interpret things would make things rather boring and meaningless. For instance, a historical building or historical nature site tells a story about what happened in the past. If you could not interpret these, then no one would be able to understand the significance associated with each aspect. The use of interpretation, both in a nature and historical sense gives importance and meaning to the aspect being observed.

A really beautiful place that demonstrates both nature and historical interpretations is North-South Lake State Park in New York. There are so many aspects that can be interpreted here, it truly is an amazing place to learn new things about nature and history! Here is a link to a historical aspect of this park: http://www.catskillarchive.com/mtnhouse/

When the quote states “To think, feel 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” you related it to how the past feeds someone’s identity. However, I feel this is highlighting that just because something is from the past it doesn’t mean the events or meanings associated with it is done. When the train leaves the station you no longer can see it, which is similar to historical things of the past. With the past you can’t physically see or experience these aspects since they are in the past. Even though the train leaves the station, the train still exists, even if you cannot physically see or hear it. Similar to historical aspects of the past, even if you cannot physically see, hear, or experience something, it does not mean it is gone forever (these aspects still are present today).

References

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