NAI Blog

Bison in Yellowstone National Park.

The U.S. Government and President Obama are soliciting ideas about protecting the places we love in the nation. There are public hearings being held all over the United States and their America’s Great Outdoors Initiative website allows you to post your ideas. I posted my ideas there as follows.

I find the comments on my post there interesting for they reflect the broad range of thinking in the U.S. about government intervention and shared responsibility. Some do not want the government in our lives in any manner whatever – no taxes, no public education, just NO.

Those of us who love parks, wilderness, natural areas, clean air, clean water and a healthy environment know that the shared responsibility for those must depend on all of us. Leaving people to their own with no protection of natural resources would doom mankind to an early extinction at our own hands. There are those who would cut every last tree, mine every mountain and drain every oil basin, no matter what the damage to our land, air and water.

A hundred years ago most Americans lived on farms and learning about food, land and energy was a part of everyday life. Young people today assume that food comes from grocery stores and energy comes from wall sockets. How would they learn about the real sources. Simcity and similar video games do teach about such things in a virtual environment, but nothing helps you understand how the world works as well as hands-on experiences with the real places and things.

I would like to see every 18-year old give some period of time to her/his community, parks, non-profit service organizations or military service with no exemptions at all. We would all learn earlier in our work lives what value there is in public service. It would provide a valuable opportunity for contextual learning in all directions. Military personnel face those realities on our behalf.

During the hard times of the Great Depression, my father worked for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) cutting trees in Illinois. He had a 7^th grade education and was unemployed with three children to feed. He used to complain of the long days of outdoor labor and low pay but later would brag of the good work that was done and the value of a job of any kind in those dark days.

In my first job as a park ranger and visitor center manager, I was very aware that the visitor center was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps as a picnic shelter. Later walls were added along with exhibits and a visitor contact area. I often had young workers from Youth Conservation Corps or Young Adult Conservation Corps helping me. I’ve written before in this blog about the great experiences with those programs. They give young people a better understanding of how the world really functions. All the resources we use in life still come from the Earth.

The America’s Great Outdoors Initiative is a great chance for you to share your ideas or give your view on the ideas of others. It is especially a good time to share the value of outdoor experiences for young people to learn about our planet. I welcome whatever judgment you make of my suggestions.

-Tim Merriman

It’s an old saying. It’s a reminder that the choir may not need the sermon as much as others. Interpreters can easily end up being the friendly entertainment for the “choir.” They are the easy audience to attract.

In 1980 I moved to Pueblo, Colorado, to run a one-year old nature center. It had been started by the local Audubon chapter. We lived initially on federal revenue sharing grants. President Reagan took office two months after I arrived and he and the Congress quickly eliminated the federal revenue sharing program. I learned that I had three months to find funding to support our staff of two or watch the center die.

I had been a state park interpreter before this job as a nonprofit director. Preaching to the choir was common in state parks. I started by doing just that at the nature center. It was easy to do. I would advertise a 6 AM bird hike on Saturday and three Audubon members would show up. They didn’t need me to take them birdwatching but we all enjoyed these social outings. I finished each one with some concern that no revenue resulted and it was the same three or four people each week. This was a free program. We needed money, more members and to have some impact on those not already very interested in nature.

We discussed our options and decided we needed a fee-based program that introduced new people to birding. We came up with “Breakfast with the Birds.” We asked local markets for donated bakery goods and juices. We started the program at 8 AM, not 6 AM. Those new to birding would not want to get up at the crack of dawn. We charged $5 for this introduction to birding, continental breakfast and fun in the outdoors with new folks, not the “choir.”

We would have thirty to fifty show up and would make a good profit for this struggling but growing nature center. Some would also join us as members. We taught participants about birding and birdfeeding at home. We sold birdfeeders and bird seed mixtures at our gift shop. These were our first customers for those products. We met people who would not have considered a 6 AM birdwalk, but were interested in birds. Our choir didn’t show up. They were out birding long before these events began.

When I think of the challenge of building a membership at a nature center, I know there will be a natural audience who is already interested – our “choir.” It’s great to do some programming for them but not be totally focused there. Building constituents often means thinking about “potential markets.” Who might join us and be interested if we design for them? Tens of millions of people feed birds at home so they are a potential audience for any new nature program.

Cultural programs are similar. You can plan programming for the history buff and they are out there. Most organizations need a broader audience to support their efforts. If you plan for the potential audiences at a historic house, they might be those interested in geneaology or antiques.

We still need the “choir,” those already interested in our natural and cultural history programs and sites. They make great volunteers, serve on the Board, and will bring their friends. But we build stronger constituencies by thinking about who is not coming, but has some interest in our mission. They will respond to a softer approach and may one day be part of the choir.

-Tim Merriman

We’re on vacation in Hawaii as I write this. The blue waters of Kona are splashing against the rocks below our lanai. We watched the sunset last evening as a humpback whale’s arched back appeared in the distance. We’re missing some snow in Colorado and glad to be here. Being on vacation always reminds me that everyone you meet at a vacation destination interprets the local landscapes and cultures.

We left Maui just a few days ago after completing the Interpretive Planner’s course with staff from Haleakala National Park and others from Honolulu Zoo and several other parks and programs around the U.S. We meet a lot of rental car clerks, bus drivers, cashiers, entry booth rangers, maintenance workers and other service personnel as we get into this vacation. Almost all of them interpret their sites, organizations and the local culture to some degree. Some do it really well and some do it very poorly.

The service staffs that greet us with “aloha” and say “mahalo” for thanks bring alive little bits of the Hawaiian language and the spirit of aloha, which is much more than a greeting. Most of these folks in Hawaii do this really well in the tourism industry. And some of them don’t. The occasional rude or unhelpful clerk makes a bigger impression that can outweigh the good ones. I recall a Disney trainer pointing out that it takes only one rude staff member to ruin the Disney experience. We all know that from personal experience at any vacation destination.

In 2002 and the early days of the Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) course, staff at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) asked Lisa Brochu what National Association for Interpretation had for training staff who do not make interpretive presentations. They had heard us talk about the power of informal interpretation in the CIG course, but we did not have training for that specifically. They provided a grant and we developed the Certified Interpretive Host course with their thoughtful assistance and we tested it with their staff first.

The Certified Interpretive Host (CIH) course focuses on customer service for one-third of the curriculum and informal interpretation for the other two-thirds. It’s designed to help cashiers, receptionists, campground hosts, volunteers, docents, law enforcement, administrative staff and the many others who meet our audience understand their interpretive role in connecting people to natural and cultural resources. Two important messages shine through the course. They are: 1. Every conversation with a guest or visitor is a chance to make a connection with the resource or site. 2. The Mission is everyone’s responsibility. Certified Interpretive Trainers take a special two-day course to learn the host curriculum and become qualified to teach the 16-hour CIH course.

When we tested the course at Bastrop State Park with TPWD staff, one maintenance worker commented at the end, “This is the first day in my twenty-five years that I’ve felt like a member of the professional staff.” Just imagine the difference if a maintenance worker who is questioned answers with a thoughtful message about the place instead of saying, “I just clean up around here. Ask a ranger.” Most folks may not get a chance to talk to a ranger. All workers should feel they are part of the professional staff and have the ability to help people make a connection with the resources.

One day while in Yellowstone National Park, I kept track of the number of park employees I came across. It amounted to 37 individuals. Three worked for National Park Service (NPS). The rest were Volunteers in Parks (VIPs), Student Conservation Association workers (SCAs) or concessionaire employees. Some were great and some were not helpful. Seasonal training at the park that year did not include concessionaire staff, SCAs or VIPs, just the seasonal interpreters. The Yellowstone experience for a visitor is the totality of what happens, not just the contact with NPS rangers. We can lose our mission focus and ability to deliver interpretive messages by not training all who represent us. The public rarely knows which program provided the staff member.

Informal interpretation is powerful because its usually one on one. We can ask how the person is doing, what they enjoy, have they been here before and what would make the experience better. People who work with us in non-interpretive roles still interpret the park, museum, nature center, aquarium, historic site or vacation destination. They can help make it all work better in support of the mission or they can be a barrier between the public and a great experience. Empowering them through great training can be the difference. You can learn more about the CIH requirements here. If you want to be trained as an Interpretive Trainer to deliver the Host or Guide course, call Lisa Brochu at 888-900-8283 with questions or check out our website for upcoming trainer courses. You must become a Certified Interpretive Trainer with NAI before taking the host course to learn that curriculum.

Happy Holidays to all of you wherever you are. I hope you get to spend some time with family and friends as we are.

Now I’m going snorkeling.

-Tim Merriman

Today, October 20, 2009, the Monterey Bay Aquarium celebrates its 25^th anniversary.  I’ve had the pleasure of working at the Aquarium for 23 of those 25 years, and it has been a wonderful journey.  During that time over 46 million guests—including 1.5 million schoolchildren—have discovered the wonders of Monterey Bay through our exhibits and programs.  Over 7,000 volunteers have worked in our volunteer program since we first opened, contributing over 2.7 million hours of talent, enthusiasm and passion for connecting our guests to this amazing world beneath the waves.  A dedicated group of members, donors and sponsors that represents more than 270,000 individuals helps support the mission of the Aquarium by sponsoring many of our programs and exhibits.

Those are the big numbers, and we’re very proud of those accomplishments.  However, it’s the small numbers that really count the most.  What I mean by that is that we work to focus on each class, each family, each individual guest that comes to visit.  While the Aquarium has an amazing collection of thousands of fishes and other marine life, none of those creatures can talk to us.  We have to speak on their behalf, to tell their stories and to help a lot of humans understand what life is like in the ocean.  That’s where our talented volunteers and staff have been such a blessing through the years.  Serving as interpreters throughout the Aquarium, these folks can help you shake hands with a sea star, spot a hidden giant octopus, or feel the inside of a whale’s mouth (or at least feel what the baleen is like inside a whale’s mouth).  In short, our volunteers and staff are here to help each guest make a personal connection with the ocean.

The Aquarium’s mission is to inspire conservation of the oceans.  Easy to say, but not always easy to do.  Marine conservation issues can sometimes be complex and daunting.  However, the solutions often come down to a few simple choices about what we eat, what goes on the ground or down the drain in our homes.  But research has shown us that our willingness to make good choices is directly tied to how much we care about the ocean.  That’s where the inspiration part of our mission comes in.  We have to take everyone one step beyond knowing about the ocean, to caring about the ocean.  By applying the principles of sound interpretation to our exhibit design, programs and our interactions with guests, we promote personal, emotional connections to the ocean.  That’s where inspiration starts, which, in turn, fosters conservation solutions.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium has discovered a great recipe for inspiring conservation of the oceans, and we’ve been serving that very special dish to our guests now for 25 years.  Just like any other good meal, each individual enjoys it in their own way.  That’s why the biggest number at the Aquarium is still one, because inspiration happens one person at a time.  I hope you’ll have a chance to visit us and be the next one to enjoy the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

Harold Johnson, an old friend and former NAI Board member passed away on August 17. Theresa, his wife, called to share that sad news with us. Harold was only 62 and had recently retired after a long career with BLM. Our posting on the main website tells more about his life and family.

I mentioned to Theresa that I’ve not seen Harold at national events in many years. She explained that she also has health challenges and he has stayed home to be with her, but generously helped his staff members get to NAI events. She affirmed that his interest and belief in NAI as an important professional family never waned. She had called to let us know that his will left a bequest to NAI and we had paperwork to file to apply for it. We don’t know the amount of the gift but that’s really not so important. It was very kind of him to think of NAI as a beneficiary of his life insurance. We will recognize the gift when it arrives and in perpetuity but I also wanted to mention the sentiment he expressed. He told me of this bequest more than a decade ago. Theresa assured me that she supported it and they had discussed how strongly he felt about the value of NAI for interpretive professionals. He chose this way to recognize it. Those of us who knew Harold, will remember well his skill and professionalism in helping Region 8 grow and improve. Theresa was kind in letting me share this information  about the bequest publicly. She said, “Harold would want his gift to be an example for others.”

It reminds me of a conversation I had with Dr. Bill Randall about 13 years ago. He told me he was buying an insurance policy in his name with NAI as the beneficiary. He was outspoken among members about the need to invest in NAI and the profession.

Bill had served as Vice-president of the Association of Interpretive Naturalists (AIN) parent organization of NAI, and  taught interpretation at University of Massachusetts for may years before retirement. He and I often talked about financial stability for NAI and the profession. Economic recessions, politics and underperforming events sometimes result in very challenging times for NAI and the many organizations and individuals who belong as members. AIN took a very large loss on a national workshop one year and the Board had to decide whether to declare bankruptcy or spend years working our way back to solvency. We chose to survive, I’m happy to say, but Bill and I participated in that uncomfortable discussion as Board officers. Thankfully, we took an optimistic approach and paid off the debt in a few years. Bill passed away in 1999, leaving a substantial gift of $100,000 to NAI. We also have the gift of great memories of his generous spirit and great attitude about life and our shared profession.

NAI’s in memoriam page on this Interpnet website has become a good place to remember individuals we knew in the profession.  I hope you will take time to share your thoughts if you knew Harold or Bill or many of the others on that web page. It’s a simple gift to share with others.

This past Monday one of our volunteers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium celebrated her birthday.  That’s not unusual—our volunteers are like a second family for each other and they celebrate births, anniversaries, birthdays and many other life events.  What was a noteworthy about this celebration was that this volunteer was 92 years old.  Moreover, she played 18 holes of golf in the morning before spending 4 hours talking to guests at the Aquarium!

I started thinking about the volunteers I work with that are remarkably young for their age.  A number of our volunteers were newly retired when the Aquarium opened 25 years ago, which puts them in their 80s and 90s today—and still going strong.  Studies of seniors who are aging successfully show that they have a good support network of friends, have a strong sense of purpose, actively contribute to their community and stay mentally and socially active.  That sounds like the job description for a volunteer!

As staff resources get increasingly stretched for many of us, volunteers are playing a growing role in filling the gaps of many program support and delivery needs.  Many of us are in the volunteer business in a big way, and increasing our effectiveness at recruiting, training and managing volunteers is a top priority.  There’s also a growing trend among volunteers to make shorter time commitments and jump from one volunteer opportunity to the next in order to sample a variety of experiences.  That’s certainly their prerogative, but that pattern doesn’t really yield the same benefits as a long term volunteer commitment.

As you work on your next volunteer recruitment or recognition opportunity, you may want to honor those long-term volunteers and highlight the benefits of sticking with a volunteer assignment for a few years.  The payoff is far greater.  It might just add a few years to someone’s life!

I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the hundreds of volunteers that are responsible for the success of NAI.  Your board members, region and section officers, committee members at all levels, workshop planners, and a host of others—are all volunteers.  NAI couldn’t begin to function without the efforts of hundreds of volunteers each year.  Thanks for your labors on behalf of our professional community!

This is not only true for many of us as individuals, but it’s also true for us as an organization. In this sense, I’m referring to running for office, and it’s a very important exercise for NAI every year. The elections process ensures a continual flow of new ideas and expertise into our leadership. It also provides another opportunity for members to weigh in on policies and the overall direction of the organization.

Although our elections are held in the fall, now is the time to start thinking about running for office. With most regions and sections holding staggered elections, there are opportunities to run for office every year. This is a good time to start talking with current officers to find out more about their typical duties, their time commitment, and their perspective on the costs and benefits that come with a leadership role. Next to serving to the best of their ability, the highest priority for every office holder is to pass their duties on to someone else who will do as well or better in that role. We’re all happy to talk with potential candidates at all levels.

While NAI has a very talented professional staff, volunteer leadership provides a large portion of the services to our members. Regions and sections mean a lot to members. The interactions, support, networking and fellowship that we share at the region and section level are most meaningful and feeds our professional identity. I can tell you that meaningful peer relationship increases with your participation as an officer—even more so when serving on the national board.

From an organizational fitness standpoint, NAI needs more “runners.” Our succession planning—in other words, always having tomorrow’s talent in the pipeline—is great in some areas and lacking in others. Working toward a better future is what drives many interpreters, and we need to bring that same ethic to working for the future of the organization that represents our profession. That’s how we ensure the fitness and the future of NAI.

If you’re reading this, I’m going to assume you’re already one of the members that pays attention, keeps up on NAI news, a member that cares about the organization and the profession. If you haven’t held an office with NAI, I’m asking you to think about it. Look at the leadership resources page on the NAI website to find out more. Talk to a current or former officer to get their first-hand perspective on their experience. If you’ve held an office in the past, think about running for a different office that would gain from your experience. Find out who your elections chair is in your region or section, or talk to Lester Hodgins, our national elections chair, and let them know you’re interested in running. Because running does make us fit.

-Jim Covel

NAI President