INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS N ATIONAL T RUST Presentation by Tom Perrigo Chief Executive Officer The National Trust of Australia (WA)

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Interpretation is commonly defined as: “a means of communicating ideas and feelings which help people understand more about themselves and their environment” (Interpretation Australia Association). Recently it was described as presentation: “presentation of a place to visitors” N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The primary purposes of this presentation are: To advocate that interpretation is an essential tool of management. To develop knowledge, awareness, understanding and commitment of interpretation by the trail industry. To assist in the above processes by providing some basic examples for developing guidelines for an interpretation plan. N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Tilden’s definition: “An educational activity which aims to reveal meanings and relationships through the use of original objects, by firsthand experiences and by illustrative media rather than simply to communicate factual information”. Freeman Tilden N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The principles are:  Any interpretation that does not somehow relate what is being described to something within the personality or experience of the visitor will be sterile.  Information is not interpretation (interpretation is revelation based on information).  Interpretation is an art, which includes and combines many disciplines.  The main aim of interpretation is provocation (not instruction).  Interpretation should aim to present a whole rather than a part. It involves all the senses as well as intellect and emotions.  Interpretation for children is different from that for adults (separate programs for each are required). N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS  Knowledge, awareness, understanding and commitment to best practice interpretation remains alarmingly low.  Available resources are not being effectively or efficiently utilized and to some degree wasted.  Many interpretation projects are sub-standard, in that they lack an overall plan.  interpretation is not given the respect from key management. So how can all this be changed? N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS My hypothesis is that change is possible, if we make the process : simple, accessible, user friendly and fun. and if: we acknowledge and accept the essential role of interpretation in the management of trails. N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The warning signs: Have visitor numbers significantly increased or is growth flat lined? Do you have real community support? Are grants increasing? Is membership improving? Are numbers of volunteers increasing? Are your visitors coming back? Are they (and you) having fun? N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Management Plan for Heritage Places N ATIONAL T RUST Interpretation Plan Conservation Plan Business Plan IDEAL

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Interpretation is an essential component of a management plan. Through it: visitors will be inspired – this will lead to increased commitment; visitors numbers and the duration of their stay will increase; visitors are more likely to come again; visitor diversity (user patterns) will increase; and grants and other support are likely to increase N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Here is a model: Spend extra time identifying the vision. Prepare an inventory and review all currently available information, marketing material, educational matter and infrastructure eg signs, brochures etc. Analyse the special values of the place. After the first three steps, review and analyse the results. Compare and contrast the objectives with the values which makes place special. N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Analyse the visitor and their requirements. Who are the visitors – real and actual? Equally important who aren’t the visitor and why or why not? This done, one can then identify the themes or stories which are essential and desirable. Start to put it all together. Review and evaluate. Understand the values of the place, what is currently available, the visitor and management requirement. Develop a general thematic framework. Then construct the basis of an interpretative plan. N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National TrustN ATIONAL T RUST INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust De Bono Hat`s Creativity “growth” Control “sky” “warmth" Emotion Benefits “sunshine” Caution “caution” Information “pure facts” In simple terms, he devised a process which enables a group to move towards constructive dialogue as everyone uses the same mode of thinking characterized by a different colour of hat at the same time. The result is that many perspectives are reviewed at the same time and a productive conclusion is reached, rather than arguments.

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Realize that money and other resources will always restrict the plan but it must not limit it. Plan and develop a staged process which can be built upon as research as resources become available. Personal and non-personal techniques much be utilized, evaluated and improved over time. Utilize the web – it is an extremely essential technique that acclimatize the visitor, as well as a source of standards Understand the issues of readability N ATIONAL T RUST

INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS The National Trust INTERPRETING TRAILS – THE NEED FOR STANDARDS Bryce Courtney: “I only write 50% of my books. The other 50% is in the readers imagination.” This should be a goal for all trail planners. N ATIONAL T RUST