Tip #1:
Protect the Places You Love (A Story From My Childhood)
Summers to my family meant boating trips to mountain lakes. The old Buick lugged us over high Sierra passes as the over-heating engine dictated frequent rest stops. It was at one such stop that we found the all-time favorite campsite we were to return to for years.
My brother and I tumbled out of the car and, nets flapping, darted over the alpine flowers after butterflies. Mom picked and pressed wildflowers while dad tramped over damp earth to fish in the stream.
Decades later I returned to that favorite spot. The meadow was gone. Topsoil had eroded away and a derelict car sat where we had once pitched our tent. Obviously, many people after us had used that site for all kinds of activities.
One difference between that rather typical experience of the '50s and protected sites today is there were no interpretive panels then. What my family needed was information on where to safely park and why. We would have been inspired by stories about the insects that lived there and the reasons they needed to remain unmolested. We even would have benefited from a message that encouraged us to use our senses, or words that caused us to marvel at the people who once called that valley home.
Today, interpretive panels are essential:
1. Well-crafted signs transform dry facts into stories of mystery, wonder and metaphor and they encourage visitors to develop a sense that your site is their special place.
2. Effective interpretation gives visitors clear directions about how to treat a site so its treasures remain intact over time.
3. Well-executed panels attract enthusiastic supporters who donate time and money to your cause.
Even in times of economic troubles, hang on to your vision. Make sketches, consult with your best writers, most creative thinkers and knowledgeable community resources. In other words, keep moving! In doing so, you will be perched to act with professionally developed materials when we gain more stability. Our natural and cultural heritage deserves it.
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