Adaptations and Interpretation: Connecting to the Natural World

Presenter: Malcolm NcNeil- naturalist at Huntley Meadows Park, Fairfax County, Virginia.

Interpretation is a field of study popular in the natural and historic fields that helps to explain the connections present between humans and the world around us. This lecture will dive into how these connections can be explained by analyzing the physical and behavioral adaptations of living beings. Starting with an explanation of interpretation practices and the definitions of the adaptations, Mr. McNeil will then use an animal example (the North American Beaver) to find ways to expand our approach to problem solving. Techniques to provoke curiosity, intensify satisfaction, and pursue greater exploration will be used. Mr. McNeil looks forward to questions and answers at the end of his presentation.

About the Presenter

Malcolm McNeil is a Naturalist/Historian at Huntley Meadows Park in Alexandria, Virginia. Mr. McNeil works as a Programming Interpreter at Huntley Meadows, designing interactive programs for children and adults of all ages. Some programming examples include wetland tours, boy scout merit badges, toddler programs, full day summer camps, school outreach, and more. During the pandemic, Mr. McNeil developed and ran the virtual programming offered at Huntley Meadows Park, including virtual field trips, virtual homeschool classes, and public information presentations. He finds the connections present between animals, humans, and plants to be fascinating, and he uses the different facets of these creatures to foster interest in the life of our world in any who come to visit the parkland.