"Another look at the world: environmental interpretation in National Parks and Reserves"

Forest and Bird, Volume 15, Issue 4, 1 November 1984, Unnumbered Page

"Another look at the world: environmental interpretation in National Parks and Reserves"

by

and

Department of Lands and Survey*

Pete Mounsey

Dave Bamford,

A small group of people huddles in the dappled light of the forest floor. Their attention is focussed on the delicate green hooded orchid beside the track, so unobtrusive that all would have mistaken it for a grass and walked right past it, if the National Park Ranger had not pointed it out. A child has been enlisted to demonstrate one of the characteristics of the flower. With exaggerated caution, as if performing some delicate surgical operation, she gently touches the flower’s exposed labellum with a twig. There is a gasp of wonder as the labellum flicks back like a spring trapdoor, just as it would if an insect landed on it. Suddenly the air is alive with enquiring voices. Does the flower eat the insect? Can the insect escape? How? Why? To each of these questions the ranger responds. Each answer weaves a picture of the fascinating interactions between plant and animal in the forest environment. The demonstration of the orchid’s pollination technique leads into a discussion on adaption and symbiosis. With curiosity well and truly aroused, the discussion can extend to the more general themes of the interdependence of all living things and the unique natural balance in any ecosystem. The walk continues through the forest and these themes are developed and reinforced, using concrete examples as cues. Gradually, as if by osmosis, the awareness grows in the walkers that they too are inextricably enmeshed in this web of inter-relationships.

Every plant, landform, animal and artifact has a story that waits to be told. Yet not all people can read their subtle codes — they are messages that require interpretation. The ranger introducing the group of people to the world of the hooded orchid was doing just that — interpreting a particular characteristic of a plant into terms that were sensible to the group. Teiling nature’s story This sense of the word "‘interpretation"’ Originated in the US, where it has developed into a specialist skill among park rangers. It is only in recent years that park interpretation has taken hold in a big way in New Zealand. It is recognised as a integral part of park management. Accordingly, it must compete for priority with other work such as animal and noxious weed control, facilities development and maintenance, safety services and track development and so on. The effectiveness of these functions is being constantly evaluated. Staff and finances are limited, so for effectiveness read cost-effectiveness. For interpretation, this means reaching as many people as possible within a given time. Summer nature programmes provide the answer. Every summer, in National Parks and Reserves, and in State Forests throughout New Zealand, summer nature programmes are organised and run by the Department of Lands and Survey and by the Forest Service. Conducted walks and a host of other activities give a range of people the opportunity to appreciate and

understand their park environments. For a period of four weeks or so during the Christmas holidays, after a considerable period of planning, park rangers put aside other duties to organise the activities. In addition, a substantial number of seasonal interpreters are employed to assist rangers and other staff for the duration of the summer nature programmes. These people come from all walks of life. They have in common a good knowledge of natural or human history, a commitment to the preservation of natural and historical resources, and a strong interest in communicating these values to people. Walks on the wild side Why is interpretation now recognised as an integral part of park management? The reasons are many, but can perhaps best be summed up by saying that parks and people need each other. A public whose consciousness of the natural, cultural and recreational values of national parks, reserves and other protected areas is raised is more likely to respect and defend those values, thus helping management's cause. The human need for these areas is undeniable. Apart from such utilitarian needs as watershed protection, species habitats and genetic diversity, people derive important psychological benefits from unspoiled environments. This need seems to become more deeply felt as our technology removes us further from intimate contact with the natural world. We need to periodically re-establish that contact. Similarly, historic sites, buildings and artifacts provide concrete links with our past that seem essential for a sense of cultural identify and continuity. The recognition that these special areas need preservation, while at the same time being accessible to the public for inspiration, enjoyment or recreation, is enshrined in the Reserves Act 1977 and the National Parks Act 1980, which speak of the parallel and complementary goals of preservation and use. The philosophical and practical foundations of interpretation had been in place overseas for many years before

Tongariro National Park hosted New Zealand's first summer nature programme in 1962. Although limited in length and scope, its success provided the momentum for other national parks to follow suit. By the early 1970s, nearly all of New Zealand's national parks were running summer nature programmes. Over the next decade, the increasing popularity of parks and reserves led to new developments. The growing recognition of the importance of historical and cultural resources lent a new sense of balance to interpretation. The special needs of children were recognised, and separate activities with a conservation theme were introduced for them. The inauguration of summer nature programmes in many scenic, historic and recreation reserves extended the range of opportunities available to the public. A recent development brings the wheel full circle — summer nature programmes are moving into the cities. North Head Historic Reserve and

Rangitoto Island last year offered a range of activities to Aucklanders. Quail Island Recreation Reserve and Akaroa Reserves ran programmes within easy reach of the people of Christchurch. People in Dunedin were able to take part in a number of guided visits ranging from the Taieri wetlands to the Moeraki Boulders, and Gabriel’s Gully to the Maungatua mountains. This year, a summer programme will be based on the Wellington Reserves. So, 21 summers after those first experimental steps at Tongariro, interpretation has come of age in New Zealand. Doing, not talking Is interpretation another name for nature education? No, it is not.

"| suppose that nature interpretation explained in its simplest terms is this: It is opening the eyes of people; it is sharpening the noses of people; it is tuning the ears of people; it is sensitising the touch of people."’ When the Canadian interpreter Yorke Edwards wrote these words, he was referring not only to an aim of interpretation, but its principal means. To be in the presence of an object in its natural context, and to explore it with all of the senses, gives the object a reality that mere words cannot convey. The symbols of words and pictures are constant intermediaries between ourselves and the real word — in interpretation they are used as adjuncts to the experience and not as a substitute for it. The medium is definitely not the message. The Chinese have a saying to the effect that ‘‘l hear and | forget; | see and | remember; | do and | understand." It would serve as a motto for interpretation. Interpretation is doing, not talking. How are these principles

applied in our national park and reserve summer nature programmes? In a word, diversely. Guided walks to the Crater Lake on Mt Ruapehu every summer regularly attract well over a hundred people aged from 5 to 75. In the Arthur’s Pass National Park visitor centre, an audiovisual on the history of transport: over the Pass is given a sense of immediacy by the presence of a Cobb & Co stage coach. People may sit on the coach during the viewing. Visitors to Mount Cook National Park participate in Search and Rescue demonstrations. Cave exploration is part of the programme at Waitomo. At Golden Point in the Otago Goldfields Park a gold

stamping battery is still in operation. Shoreline fossicks at low tide in many coastal areas reveal the fascinating adaptions of life-forms where land and sea meet. The search for nature For the youngsters, the delights of both adventure and contemplation are catered for. In the Taranaki Reserves programme, children wade up a creek lined by muddy banks and dense bush, clambering over logjams and slippery boulders, in search of the ‘‘Captain Capel’’ goldmine. Young visitors to Fiordland National Park go into the bush to look for evidence of animals that cannot be seen — tracks, birdsong, droppings, nests and other signs are sought. And if human litter is not considered in this joyful search then the ever present interpreter can point out that this too is the sign of an absent (or absent minded) animal. Not only are different environments visited and explored, but the special charm of particular times of day is rediscovered in most areas. Sunrise at Lake Matheson in Westland National Park is a popular drawcard. An interpreter at Abel Tasman National Park limits group size for nocturnal glowworm walks. The low numbers invite a more contemplative mood, as participants focus their senses on the special world of the forest by night. A twilight walk at Tirohanga in the

Marlborough Reserves reveals an increased level of bird activity. Dusk time visitors to Lake Rotokuru Reserve near Ohakune often have their patience rewarded with the sight of longtailed bats in flight over the lake. At Motutapu Island in the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park an overnight camp under the stars is coupled with an intimate look at history. People spend the night at the World War II gun emplacements there, and are picked up by boat the following day after investigating the evidence of early Maori settlement. The spirit of the times On nearby Kawau Island also the threads of history are woven together. Sir George Grey’s residence at Mansion

House, the Coppermine Trail and Maori Pa sites are all elements in the story of the island. But, as in all good interpretation, the revelation extends beyond that which is immediately visible, and endeavours to portray the total historical context, the spirit of the times of which the sites and artifacts are reminders. Interpretation reaches out. It reaches from particular instances to general truths, and from the universal person to the particular person who is being addressed. Good interpretation reaches and touches the daily life and experiences of the visitor. If the object of contemplation is historical, then interpretation aims to make people think: ‘‘These people were

just like | am. If | were in their place, under similar conditions, my response to the question of getting by might have been no different from theirs’. In the presence of the natural world, interpretation strives to impart in individuals an awareness that ‘‘l too am part of this complex web of interrelationships’’. If it does this well, then it has succeeded in one of its main goals, that of revelation. But this is not all. From revelation stems the understanding that will lead to wise and positive action to conserve these resources. ‘‘In wilderness lies the preservation of the world’’, said Thoreau. To preserve the wilderness is to preserve ourselves. Interpretation is a springboard to this realisation. pe Summer Nature Programmes will be conducted in all National Parks and many Reserve complexes this summer. Activities generally begin on December 27, and continue to mid-January and beyond. Information on programmes in areas you may be interested in is available from District Offices of the Department of Lands and Survey.