Eva Wu

A freelance visual storyteller, a former Parks Canada Youth Ambassador and renewable resource management student, Eva Wu is a young leader determined to create a better world. With a background in data analysis, blockchain currency, artificial intelligence and behavioural economics, Eva Wu took the time to share with us, by email, why nature matters to her and why we’re all storytellers, even behavioural economists who specialize in blockchain crypto currency.

Why does nature matter to you?

Nature for me is a way to connect with my surroundings, be that the landscape, the people, or the living organisms. Being in places where I can be present and focus in on the little details around me enables me to better understand my own state of mind and how I can play a role in the social and natural ecosystems around me. Without access to nature, and without knowing that natural spaces are valued and conserved, my ability to connect to the parts of nature that I value is hindered, which in turn hinders the well-being of myself and those around me. That’s why nature matters to me. 

You decided to be an active voice for the environment at a young age. Why?

I grew up with a family who taught me to live alongside nature. Though with busy schedules and as new immigrants to the country, there wasn’t always enough time to go out and do big hikes or long-distance trips. My family taking me out after work to local green spaces and provincial/national parks during the weekend gave me a greater appreciation for the little things in urban and wild environments that grow with us, feed us, and nurture us. Our lives have been intrinsically tied to nature and the environments, so I felt a need to represent these spaces on larger platforms to ensure that they can keep developing harmoniously with people and not face irreparable damage. 

You’re a believer in parks – you were even a youth ambassador for Parks Canada. Why are parks still a force for good?

I think it’s because parks can have such different meanings for the people who visit them. Anything from urban green spaces to the most remote corners of our marine and terrestrial landscapes can be a park to someone, and provide them with unique experiences that enable them to grow, reflect, and engage in their surroundings. My belief is that living by integrating parks into your lifestyle has so much potential for people to learn about themselves and about others, to empathize with the living and the inorganic, and to gain appreciation for collective values to act for “good” on behalf of both ecosystems and societies.

Some Indigenous leaders we’ve spoken with feel parks are colonial. What have you seen in your travels and from your work with Parks Canada?

My perspective comes from a personal history of not being Indigenous, but working with Parks Canada, engaging with local communities, and learning about environmental philosophy and policy has shown me that perceptions and definitions of colonialism within parks comes predominantly with how the park itself is managed. Parks have a very complicated history with indigenous communities, but new management regimes in particular at the federal level are pushing actively for co-management and mandates to enable local Indigenous people to not only use the parks as they see fit, but to govern them in a way that conserves the landscapes for community growth and use. 

Given that we see a divide around the perceptions of parks, and how to balance people and nature, do you think we need more storytellers to foster empathy and spark new solutions?

I think we need everyone to be a storyteller. It doesn’t have to be storytelling in the conventional sense, but it has to mean that everyone is actively seeking to ensure that they keep themselves informed and able to share their perspectives with those around them. They could be big stories, they could be small, but I think the key is that everyone is learning and engaging in conversations that they feel passionate about. 

Storytelling can also be controversial – from impacting wildlife through photographic practices to worries of cultural appropriation. Do you believe its value outweighs its drawbacks?

As with any other field that tells information about a space from an outsider’s perspective, be that research, policy, or storytelling, the message has to be told in a fashion that is of value to the people and living organisms themselves. The storytellers need to practice respect and make sure that the information they are sharing are representative of whomever they are spotlighting, and not what is in their personal agenda. That is what good storytelling should be, and has the potential to have enormous impact. 

If we tell better nature stories, do we have the opportunity to make nature more relevant?

For sure, they should be the first step to really engaging populations in natural spaces. Not everyone is privileged enough to always spend time in nature, so having accessible and inclusive ways for people to engage in nature in a digital age is a fantastic way to create relevance. From there, people can choose their next steps, be that spending more time in nature itself, advocating for nature, or finding ways to build nature into their day-to-day lives.

How have you been able to move the needle on youth engagement? What does real youth engagement actually look like?

I think at the end of the day youth engagement comes in whatever form you want it to take. One of the organizations I am working with now, the Arctic Youth Network, I believe is a good starting point for engagement because it’s a platform for youth to connect and learn about Arctic issues in their own way through resources, programming, and work opportunities. It builds on the perspectives that I feel I have gained through working with organizations like Parks Canada, or out in the research field, or in policy. The Arctic Youth Network shows that engagement can come in so many forms, so long as youth are passionate about an interest they have and are eager to put their best foot forward to develop their skills.

What lessons can we learn from your work that might inform better environmental policy everywhere? 

I think the experiences I’ve had have shown me that there are so many perspectives about the environment out there. Everyone has differing opinions and varying values. To have better environmental policy that best suits people should mean that people working towards these policies should spend more time understanding nuanced perspectives and having their mandates driven by the networks around them, so that consensual decisions are made to best suit people’s and environmental needs. 

As a young leader, do you think you’re always taken as seriously as you should be? 

That really depends. Everyone has personal biases, but overall if you treat people with respect, take the time to understand others’ perspectives, and learn as much as you can about the world around you, there will always be people who will be willing to take the time to listen and guide you. Just be patient. It’s still something I’m trying to figure out, but at the end of the day, everyone is learning. Even the people older than you. 

Why is it important for young people to make their voice heard? Why is it important for young people to learn from their peers?

Because young people are citizens too. Age should not be a discriminatory factor in who is more or less of a citizen. Yes, it’s true that everyone needs to gain experiences throughout their lives, but if you have the mindset of being respectful and keeping an open mind, then that paves the way for growth and a generation of leaders who are engaged and informed. 

Young people should learn from their peers because that is how you build a network and collaborate with others. Growth is never a solitary feat, so developing those connections and resources are key to making sure voices get heard. 

What is the one thing you know now that you wish you knew at 15? 

Just go with the flow. It doesn’t matter if you face failure or success, there’s learning opportunities at every moment and that’s what you have to reflect on every step of the way.

Different Perspectives