April 2014

A Flipchart Survey

This very simple survey method at a special event caught my eye last year at the Larimer County Farmers’ Market in Fort Collins, Colorado, where we live. When I managed a nature center for thirteen years in Pueblo, special events were the lifeblood of our fundraising and they attracted thousands of people to our site.Continue reading “A Flipchart Survey”

Words of Wisdom That Endure On Earth Day

John Muir, who came to America from Scotland as a boy changed the world in his own special ways. He wrote, Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wildness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not onlyContinue reading “Words of Wisdom That Endure On Earth Day”

5 Thoughts About Graffiti – Messages on the Landscape

Graffiti – is it vandalism or a message on the landscape, something that transcends time to bring a view of the past into the present? At what point does graffiti stop being a problem and become a valued artifact, and who gets to make that judgment? Here are some random thoughts generated by graffiti aroundContinue reading “5 Thoughts About Graffiti – Messages on the Landscape”

How Does Your Program Smell?

Does your natural or cultural site or facilities have a “signature” odor? That may be a strange question but it has more to do with interpretation than you may think. I was reminded of the power of the Proust Effect when I visited the Science Teacher website that suggested going to aContinue reading “How Does Your Program Smell?”

Finding The Sweet Spot

At some heritage sites interpretation is entertainment, doing little more than passing time for visitors or delivering information that will not be remembered. Helping people connect emotionally and intellectually with complex stories is a challenge. Experiences must be planned with specific objectives in mind. Much of what we do in planning natural and culturalContinue reading “Finding The Sweet Spot”