Nature Center Issues & Solutions:
A roundtable of ideas & answers
The take away:
Everyone has my same problem.
Communication is important. Be transparent and clear.
Evaluate your programs and what you are doing. Don’t be afraid to let go. Don’t keep adding!
Issue 1 Visibility and Awareness- Mis-identification, Identity, Branding, differing perceptions of your site
Solutions:
-develop partnerships with those who could help you be visible
-use social media constantly and correctly. Make sure you have someone reliable, with authority to handle bad responses, who understands the interpretive messages, and can be dedicated to keeping up with this. Come up with unique ways to engage your followers. Develop a media plan in case something goes wrong and you need to respond to negative press or responses immediately.
-make public service announcements
- use strategically placed outdoor interpretive signage to inform. Determine the best place so it is read and make it colorful and eye-catching
-have a human presence –make a personal invitation- do roving interpretation
-provide a sense of community at your site
-reach out to convention centers to advertise to attendees, give out flyers, install an interpretive panel
Issue 2: Visitation numbers – either low or lack of public use, too many visitors
Solutions:
-provide a unique experience (example-story telling) for your site
-Hold special events related to tourism groups
-Hold a volunteer day
-Use outdoor interpretive signage and interstate signage to draw them in
-Install rotating exhibits
-Start an art exchange or install public art
-if low visitation, try to become the next hot, trendy place to visit. What groups can you connect with or what trend can you use to get noticed and increase use
-Use Google maps to pinpoint your spot, post constantly on Facebook
Issue 3: How to connect with minority populations
Solutions:
-use social media
-share your program information with teachers
-make friends in the media
-hold a good neighbor drive or food drive
-create partnerships with leaders in those populations
-provide a sense of community
Recommended Read - Participatory Museum by Nina Simon
Issue 2 Staffing
Solutions:
Managing volunteers---no one person has to manage volunteers. Decide how divide up the work.
Find a time balance between front line work and management. Create a work plan, stick to a schedule, ask others in the office to respect the times you have set aside for certain work.
Utilize the media to fill the void in communications (or face time) with public (facebook, etc).
The bigger “you “ get, the harder it is to get all departments to buy into the system.
Don’t do too much
Clearly define staff job descriptions and expectations.
Work plans can create tools and opportunities to monitor andmanage
Issue 3 Buildings and Grounds
Issue: Ageing facilities
Solutions:
-make a wish list of needed items and send that to your members or post on your website and in your newsletter
-do a ‘buy a toilet’ campaign. For instance, ask donors to sponsor a specific item such as a toilet, so they see what important upgrades you need for your facilities.
-Create a maintenance plan
-Install a recognition wall for donors
- ask your constituency to use their trade or skill to help you
- apply for Green business certification
-Partner with an energy/utility company to see if they would fund a you as a demo site
Issue: Ageing visitor center: doing a retrofit
Solution: -if get push back from community, turn it back to your audience and ask “What should we do”
Issue: New bike trail creates issues
Solutions:
- make an alternate suggestion for optimum location
-install pull-offs,
-install bike racks,
-put signage on other trails,
- create a bike advocacy group,
-start a volunteer bike patrol,
-increase your casual visits,
-put information on website,
-make safe kid travel areas,
-partner with other organizations or community contests (ex. Art),
-have the PATH Foundation help you (they create paved paths).
Issue: Beaver building creates issues between staff
Solutions:
-Have friendly get togethers for fun
-Communicate project priority
-Use a shared calendar
Issues: Invasive species
Solutions:
-Cooperation between departments – create a corps of volunteers
-Start service learning or use scouts or hold an ‘Attack Plant Day’ or connect up with Americorps or the State Penitentiary work crews
-Focus your efforts on management of it instead of eradication
Issue: Flooding
Solutions:
-raise the buildings up
-Install flood walls around buildings
Issue 4 Becoming essential
Issue: Field trip money and permissions are being cut
Solutions:
-if teachers can’t ask for money from parents (this was being mandated by the school board in some instances) – call it a donation on the permission form and in your literature
-try getting an agreement with the school system to allow the whole 4th grade or the whole school to come to your site over the year
-be creative in hosting large events at your site to impact more kids
-Yellow Bus Funds: can help with schools who need bus fees paid. This fund’s money was raised by the Friends group. Schools just ask for it, or have to apply if they meet a scholarship level (i.e. they have 30% reduced lunch), or they can get up to a set amount, such as $85, reimbursed if they attend 2 field trips at your site
-create curriculum packets, like pre and post activities and online resources (pdf, video, photos)
-teach the teachers about your site’s information so they feel comfortable bringing the kids to your site
-become the go-to science (or history) teacher for your region
-seek partnerships- meet the teachers in their classrooms, get them to your site and visit other sites with them, connect with faith community too
-require school groups take multiple visits to your site if they want to book with you, or require longer visits
Determine value of your parklands:
If talking with your higher ups – bring in someone to tell a story about their experience at your site
Look up work on this topic by Michael Kirschman, Charlotte- Mecklenburg County, NC
Or Karen Shragg from Wood Lake, MN
Issue: Fees to charge or not to charge
Solutions:
-Remember people are impacted differently by fees (wanting free programs, looking for $10 or less programs, looking for high cost programs that look worth their money, etc.)
-Charge a fee that is competitive with other organizations
-If you want to charge less or for free-get grants or sponsors to cover your costs as well
-Cluster when groups can book- creates the perception that there is a waiting list and they must be on it
Solution to be essential: Create relationships
-use outreach programs to create this then get people to your site
-teach teachers to relate to you and to nature so they will become your advocate
-connect to graduation standards, know the county or state curriculum directors
-hold follow up or assessment meetings with teachers
Connect with neighboring museums, nature centers and other organizations to support each other, not compete. See what materials, contacts and information you can all share
-find a funder who is passionate about supporting education and your site
-connect with homeschool and scout market
How to be essential to your county or organization:
-If any department asked for assistance, help them. One site felt this really connects you with other departments and led to increased visibility within the organization, increased visitor attendance, and increased budget
-be the regions go-to for interpretation and NAI resources
Everyone has my same problem.
Communication is important. Be transparent and clear.
Evaluate your programs and what you are doing. Don’t be afraid to let go. Don’t keep adding!
Issue 1 Visibility and Awareness- Mis-identification, Identity, Branding, differing perceptions of your site
Solutions:
-develop partnerships with those who could help you be visible
-use social media constantly and correctly. Make sure you have someone reliable, with authority to handle bad responses, who understands the interpretive messages, and can be dedicated to keeping up with this. Come up with unique ways to engage your followers. Develop a media plan in case something goes wrong and you need to respond to negative press or responses immediately.
-make public service announcements
- use strategically placed outdoor interpretive signage to inform. Determine the best place so it is read and make it colorful and eye-catching
-have a human presence –make a personal invitation- do roving interpretation
-provide a sense of community at your site
-reach out to convention centers to advertise to attendees, give out flyers, install an interpretive panel
Issue 2: Visitation numbers – either low or lack of public use, too many visitors
Solutions:
-provide a unique experience (example-story telling) for your site
-Hold special events related to tourism groups
-Hold a volunteer day
-Use outdoor interpretive signage and interstate signage to draw them in
-Install rotating exhibits
-Start an art exchange or install public art
-if low visitation, try to become the next hot, trendy place to visit. What groups can you connect with or what trend can you use to get noticed and increase use
-Use Google maps to pinpoint your spot, post constantly on Facebook
Issue 3: How to connect with minority populations
Solutions:
-use social media
-share your program information with teachers
-make friends in the media
-hold a good neighbor drive or food drive
-create partnerships with leaders in those populations
-provide a sense of community
Recommended Read - Participatory Museum by Nina Simon
Issue 2 Staffing
Solutions:
Managing volunteers---no one person has to manage volunteers. Decide how divide up the work.
Find a time balance between front line work and management. Create a work plan, stick to a schedule, ask others in the office to respect the times you have set aside for certain work.
Utilize the media to fill the void in communications (or face time) with public (facebook, etc).
The bigger “you “ get, the harder it is to get all departments to buy into the system.
Don’t do too much
Clearly define staff job descriptions and expectations.
Work plans can create tools and opportunities to monitor andmanage
Issue 3 Buildings and Grounds
Issue: Ageing facilities
Solutions:
-make a wish list of needed items and send that to your members or post on your website and in your newsletter
-do a ‘buy a toilet’ campaign. For instance, ask donors to sponsor a specific item such as a toilet, so they see what important upgrades you need for your facilities.
-Create a maintenance plan
-Install a recognition wall for donors
- ask your constituency to use their trade or skill to help you
- apply for Green business certification
-Partner with an energy/utility company to see if they would fund a you as a demo site
Issue: Ageing visitor center: doing a retrofit
Solution: -if get push back from community, turn it back to your audience and ask “What should we do”
Issue: New bike trail creates issues
Solutions:
- make an alternate suggestion for optimum location
-install pull-offs,
-install bike racks,
-put signage on other trails,
- create a bike advocacy group,
-start a volunteer bike patrol,
-increase your casual visits,
-put information on website,
-make safe kid travel areas,
-partner with other organizations or community contests (ex. Art),
-have the PATH Foundation help you (they create paved paths).
Issue: Beaver building creates issues between staff
Solutions:
-Have friendly get togethers for fun
-Communicate project priority
-Use a shared calendar
Issues: Invasive species
Solutions:
-Cooperation between departments – create a corps of volunteers
-Start service learning or use scouts or hold an ‘Attack Plant Day’ or connect up with Americorps or the State Penitentiary work crews
-Focus your efforts on management of it instead of eradication
Issue: Flooding
Solutions:
-raise the buildings up
-Install flood walls around buildings
Issue 4 Becoming essential
Issue: Field trip money and permissions are being cut
Solutions:
-if teachers can’t ask for money from parents (this was being mandated by the school board in some instances) – call it a donation on the permission form and in your literature
-try getting an agreement with the school system to allow the whole 4th grade or the whole school to come to your site over the year
-be creative in hosting large events at your site to impact more kids
-Yellow Bus Funds: can help with schools who need bus fees paid. This fund’s money was raised by the Friends group. Schools just ask for it, or have to apply if they meet a scholarship level (i.e. they have 30% reduced lunch), or they can get up to a set amount, such as $85, reimbursed if they attend 2 field trips at your site
-create curriculum packets, like pre and post activities and online resources (pdf, video, photos)
-teach the teachers about your site’s information so they feel comfortable bringing the kids to your site
-become the go-to science (or history) teacher for your region
-seek partnerships- meet the teachers in their classrooms, get them to your site and visit other sites with them, connect with faith community too
-require school groups take multiple visits to your site if they want to book with you, or require longer visits
Determine value of your parklands:
If talking with your higher ups – bring in someone to tell a story about their experience at your site
Look up work on this topic by Michael Kirschman, Charlotte- Mecklenburg County, NC
Or Karen Shragg from Wood Lake, MN
Issue: Fees to charge or not to charge
Solutions:
-Remember people are impacted differently by fees (wanting free programs, looking for $10 or less programs, looking for high cost programs that look worth their money, etc.)
-Charge a fee that is competitive with other organizations
-If you want to charge less or for free-get grants or sponsors to cover your costs as well
-Cluster when groups can book- creates the perception that there is a waiting list and they must be on it
Solution to be essential: Create relationships
-use outreach programs to create this then get people to your site
-teach teachers to relate to you and to nature so they will become your advocate
-connect to graduation standards, know the county or state curriculum directors
-hold follow up or assessment meetings with teachers
Connect with neighboring museums, nature centers and other organizations to support each other, not compete. See what materials, contacts and information you can all share
-find a funder who is passionate about supporting education and your site
-connect with homeschool and scout market
How to be essential to your county or organization:
-If any department asked for assistance, help them. One site felt this really connects you with other departments and led to increased visibility within the organization, increased visitor attendance, and increased budget
-be the regions go-to for interpretation and NAI resources