I have been a gardener my whole life and Lisa and I have now established eight large raised-bed gardens behind our home in Fort Collins. My mother and sister were florists, my dad ran a lawn mower business and my grandparents were farmers. Growing things has always given me a source of renewal and connectionContinue reading “The Lettuce Tower”
Category Archives: Communities
Making a Difference on Purpose
Dr. Sam Ham is a well-known name in the interpretation profession. He has just completed a new book entitled Interpretation – Making a Difference on Purpose. His classic first text, Environmental Interpretation – A Practical Guide for People with Big Ideas and Small Budgets was published in 1992 in English and Spanish. It has servedContinue reading “Making a Difference on Purpose”
Greening Rwanda – One Bird at a Time
Picture a group of young people led by a highly trained and Certified Interpretive Guide. They’re looking for birds, monitoring endemic species in one of the most significant rainforests in East Africa. Imagine this is your group – twenty-five enthusiastic young people who want to learn more about their environment and hundreds more waiting behindContinue reading “Greening Rwanda – One Bird at a Time”
Product or Experience?
Are you planning tourist or visitor products or experiences? It matters how you think about it. Tourist products, like tours, boat rides, or programs, are often viewed by visitors as commodities. They compare your two-hour tour to other diversions of two hours, like a movie. Price becomes an important factor in the decision to buyContinue reading “Product or Experience?”
The Big Island Chocolate Festival
Knowing we would be on the Big Island of Hawaii by March 21, we looked at the calendar and saw the BIG ISLAND CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL put together by the Kona Cacao Association scheduled for March 22-23. Oh my. How do you resist something that has three of your favorite things in its title? What aContinue reading “The Big Island Chocolate Festival”
Saving Lives with Songs, Dances and Storytelling in Malawi
Last week we wrote about a flood in Chikwawa, Malawi that left over 5,400 people homeless and hungry. Our friends with the Museums of Malawi told us of the situation and several of our readers have asked us how a museum has become involved with natural disasters and disease. We first met Aaron Maluwa andContinue reading “Saving Lives with Songs, Dances and Storytelling in Malawi”
The News You Never Hear
People sometimes ask us why we bother with trying to help people and animals in African nations, particularly the ones that no one else knows much about, like Malawi. The answer is simple. No one knows much about these places. What we’ve learned in our travels is that many people, places, plants, and animals areContinue reading “The News You Never Hear”
Akagera National Park and Ruzizi Lodge, a Wildlife Experience
We recently visited Akagera National Park in northeastern Rwanda to fill in our understanding of the amazing progress being made in this small nation to protect important habitat and wildlife populations. Akagera, named after the river of the same name, includes montane forests, savannah and wetlands in its 1120 square kilometers. The park was badlyContinue reading “Akagera National Park and Ruzizi Lodge, a Wildlife Experience”
Elephant Lessons
The quiet of elephants is one of the great mysteries of the animal kingdom. How can something so big move so softly, barely making a sound? I had the pleasure of spending some quality time with over one thousand elephants in the last few weeks in Tanzania, including two substantial groups of about 75 individualsContinue reading “Elephant Lessons”
Rwandan Guides Share Nyungwe’s Beauty with Guests
Nyungwe National Park is nestled in the southwest corner of Rwanda, a nation roughly the size of the state of Maryland. Nyungwe is several hours south of Volcanoes National Park (VNP) of “Gorillas in the Mist” fame. VNP brings people from all over the world to northern Rwanda, but some manage to also find thisContinue reading “Rwandan Guides Share Nyungwe’s Beauty with Guests”
heartfeltassociates.com 