Michigan State University Extension
Tourism Educational Materials - 33710094
06/06/02
Developing an Interpretive Guide for Your Community
Source: Cornell and New York Sea Grant
Author: Kuehn, Diane
Format: Full Text
Year: 1991
INTRODUCTION
Many communities in New York State depend on tourist
dollars to boost their economies. Interpretation can be
used to expand and enhance community tourism programs and
plans. Interpretation is explaining in easy to understand,
imaginative, and entertaining terms about historical,
natural, cultural, or recreational resources such as parks,
museums, and historic districts. It can be used to attract
tourists to an area, and to extend their visits by keeping
them interested in their surroundings. Information can be
communicated to visitors through interpretive signs and
exhibits, audio-visual presentations, live presentations,
and publications. Although interpretive techniques have
been used extensively in many museums, nature centers, and
other interpretive facilities, their potential for use in
community tourism programs has not been met.
This fact sheet is designed to guide communities through
the development of an interpretive publication. With
enthusiasm and effort, your community can produce an
accurate and interesting guide to local resources for
visitors. Your interpretive guide or brochure can either be
used alone, or as part of a complete community interpretive
program (including interpretive centers, exhibits, and
signs).
The purposes of interpretation are:
1. To expand visitors'awareness, understanding, and
appreciation for the area they are visiting (Sharpe et al.,
1983). An interpretive statement that would increase
visitors' understanding and awareness of the large
recreational fishing industry in a county might be, "The
number of fish caught annually in our county would feed
1,000 people dinner for a year." Not only does this make
visitors more aware of how extensive the county's fishing
industry is, but it also gives them a figure (i.e.,feeding
1,000 people dinner for a year) that they can relate to.
2. To orient visitors to an area (Paskowsky, 1983).
Interpretive publications are frequently used to orient
visitors by both directing them from one attraction to the
next, and familiarizing them with background information of
the area. When placed at rest areas and other tourist
facilities (e.g.,lodgings and restaurants), directories
composed of interpretive text and maps can orient visitors
to attractions.
3. To accomplish management goals by encouraging visitors
to change certain behaviors (Sharpe et at.,1983). An
interpretive sign posted to prevent visitors from walking
along the banks of a river, causing erosion, might state,
"Every footstep along the banks of this river adds to the
several tons of eroded soil that washes downstream every
year. Please help us prevent this - stay on the trail at
all times!" This type of interpretive statement explains
the management problem to visitors, and makes them feel as
though they are helping the to solve the problem. In
contrast, a sign stating, "Stay on the Trail" would not
help change visitor behavior patterns since it does not
explain why it important to stay on the trail, and would
probably only make visitors more curious about what is
located off the trail.
4. To promote public understanding of the goals and
objectives of agencies, organizations, and communities
(Sharpe et al.,1983). For example, an interpretive sign
near a construction site could be used to explain the
importance of the project to the community. Agencies and
organizations frequently use interpretive signs in their
offices or facilities to explain their activities and goals
to visitors.
Interpretive Publications
Publications can be important outlets for interpretive
information. Interpretive publications do not simply list
specific attractions, but instead explain the interesting
facts about them, including their importance, history, and
operations. Important industries and activities in the
area, such as fruit growing or specific sporting events,
are also frequently interpreted. Publications are
especially useful since they allow visitors to learn about
an area at their own pace.
Two basic types of interpretive publications are usually
produced: brochures on single topics and touring guides.
Single topic brochures interpret only one general resource,
such as the unique wildlife or historic architecture of an
area. Touring guides to local attractions and resources
interpret both general resource topics and specific
attractions and activities. They often give directions for
traveling from one attraction to the next, whether along
nature trails, village sidewalks, or scenic road systems
Figure 2).
FIGURES AND PICTURES DO NOT TRANSLATE. PLEASE REFER TO
ORIGINAL DOCUMENT.
DEVELOPING AN INTERPRETIVE BROCHURE OR GUIDE
Step 1. Getting Organized
Form a project committee. Committee members should be
chosen for their motivation and ability to work well with
others, as much as for their knowledge. Local "resource
experts" with knowledge of the topics to be interpreted
(e.g.,historians, wildlife club members, state park
officials, managers of local industries, and museum
directors) should be part of this committee. Each
committee member should be assigned a specific topic to
collect information about. A committee chairperson should
be elected to run the meetings and direct the production
process. Meetings should be held on a regular basis to
maintain member motivation. Project committees sometimes
become not-for-profit incorporated associations in order to
obtain grants and work with government agencies more
effectively.
Get the public involved. An informational meeting for the
public can provide a mechanism for obtaining input, and
gaining financial and/or political support for your
publication. Owners or managers of local businesses and
attractions, directors of regional tourism agencies, and
officials of local chambers of commerce can all assist in
its development and distribution. If your community decides
not to have local or regional agencies involved, it should
still keep them informed about the project through letters
and/or news releases to area newspapers. Agencies that
support and are well informed about the goals of your
project will be more willing to help with the distribution
of the finished product.
Set a time schedule. Decide when each of the following
steps should be completed and stick to these dates. Have
the chairperson of the committee routinely ask committee
members how their responsibility is progressing.
STEP 2. Determining Your Objectives
Objectives are the results your community hopes to achieve
with this project. By answering the following questions,
the project committee will be able to determine what its
objectives are.
What type of publication does your community wish to
develop? The two basic types are the brochure on a single
topic, and the touring guide. The type chosen depends on
your community's current attractions, resources, and
opportunities. For example, if your community has few
attractions but has many natural resources, a brochure
interpreting these natural resources would be more suitable
than a touring guide to local attractions.
What does your community hope to accomplish by producing
this publication? For example, do you wish to attract more
visitors to your area, make visitors more aware of local
attractions, accomplish a management goal, or convey a
message to visitors (e.g.,that visitors are welcome in your
community)?
What audience are you developing your interpretive guide or
publication for? Visitor groups such as families,
bicyclists, anglers, and nature enthusiasts have different
interests, needs, and experiences. These determine the
information needed in your publication, and consequently
what facilities (if any) should be improved or constructed
for visitors. The audience chosen should be carefully
considered so that the publication's use is not overly
limited. For example, instead of developing a touring guide
for bicyclists alone, you might decide to develop one for
both automobile drivers and bicyclists, since more people
use cars than bicycles.
What topics do you wish to include in your guide? This is
determined by the audience that you choose, and the
resources that exist in your community. Suppose
sportsfishing is the topic chosen for your interpretive
brochure, and you wish to interpret this topic for either
anglers or families. For anglers, the technical aspects of
fishing, such as which lures to use and where the fishing
hotspots are, would be interpreted. Less technical
subjects, such as the history of fishing in the area and
the life cycles of local fish species, would be more
appropriate for families.
What will the cost of producing the guide be? Certain
project goals may be limited by your community's budget.
Hiring an author, painting a large number of guides or a
large number of pages in the guide, and using colored inks,
photographs, and high-quality paper can be expensive. Find
out from a printing shop before beginning how much the
publication will cost to print (see also Step #10).
Where will funding come from? Fundraising is usually
considered to be the most difficult aspect of implementing
a project. Government agencies sometimes have grants
available for community projects. However, the group
requesting the funds may need to be a "legal entity," such
as a not-for-profit incorporated association, chamber of
commerce, or town board. Private funds can be raised
through fundraising campaigns such as festivals, sporting
events, and raffle ticket sales.
How will the finished product be distributed? Publications
must be set up properly for distribution. For example,
organizations and agencies often choose to leave the back
cover of their brochures blank so that address labels and
postage can be attached for easy mailing. brochures
distributed at information centers are usually 3.5" x 8.5",
a size that fits into brochure racks. Local businesses,
attractions, chambers of commerce, information centers, and
regional tourism promotion agencies are often willing to
assist with distribution.
STEP 3. Choosing an Author
The author(s) chosen by the project committee must be
effective and creative, and have good organizational
skills. Depending on the funding available, either a paid
or volunteer author can be chosen. If the author does not
have experience using interpretive techniques, someone who
does (e.g.,the director of a local nature center) should be
asked for assistance. To prevent disorganization, it is
suggested that no more than three people share this
responsibility.
STEP 4. Inventorying Local Resources and Choosing
Priorities
Inventorying consists of compiling a list of all local
attractions and resources that meet the project objectives,
even those that seem obvious to community residents, since
visitors may find these interesting. From this inventory,
a list of attractions and resources that have priority for
interpretive development based on visitor demands and
needs, and budgetary constraints, should be produced. Some
key features to look for in attractions and resources (and
examples of each) are:
Uniqueness (natural areas, unusual wildlife, different
cultures)
*Aesthetics (scenic overlooks, Beautiful sunsets, fall
foliage)
*Recreational opportunities (fishing docks, boat launches,
hiking trails, campgrounds, beaches, golf courses)
Historic significance (museums, monuments, village historic
districts)
Educational value (museums, nature centers, visitor centers
in local industries)
Artistic appeal (art museums, formal gardens, elaborate
architecture).
STEP 5. Structuring your publication
Once the prioritized resources and attractions are chosen,
the project committee must decide how to structure or
organize the publication. Structuring enables visitors to
easily travel from one attraction to the next and learn
about the community and its resources. Your guide should be
structured for a specific mode of travel, whether it's
driving a car, walking, bicycling, boating, or skiing. The
method of travel chosen will determine what facilities
visitors will need (including access to attractions} and
how they will relate the interpretive information in the
guide to each attraction. Although this step applies mostly
to touring guide development, single topic brochures can
also benefit from some of the following structuring
suggestions.
Travel directions. Interpretive guides often direct
travelers from one attraction to the next using maps and
written directions. Signs can be used in conjunction with
the travel directions given in a guide to mark attractions
and clarify where to make turns, but this is not always
necessary or affordable. Often officially designated road
and trail systems have signs which inform visitors of the
trail they are on and of any turn-offs.
Traveling from one attraction to the next along a
designated "loop" of trails, roads, or sidewalks can make
it easier for visitors to tour an area, since loops begin
and end at or near the same place, and follow a designated
route. By locating community attractions on a street or
trail map, you can identify whether they are arranged in a
loop (Figure 3). The loop should be kept simple (i.e., have
as few turns as possible) and be well maintained.
Relaying Information.
Vandalism, changes over time in surroundings, and high
production costs of signs often make it unfeasible to put
interpretive information directly on signs, Because of
this, signs along reads or trails are often used in
conjunction with interpretive guides to relay information
to visitors. One method used on interpretive trails is to
have numbered sections of text in the guide correspond to
numbered signs along the trail. When visitors reach the
numbered sign on the trail, they can stop and read, at
their own pace, the appropriate section of text from the
guide that interprets their location. In situations where
signs are not going to be used in conjunction with the
guide, descriptive text, photographs, and illustrations
should be included in the guide to help visitors identify
points of interest. (Note: if on-site interpretation is
constantly needed (especially for management objectives),
signs are usually the best tool.)
Facilities. Although the presence and condition of
facilities are not directly related to the production of
your interpretive publication, they are crucial to the
comfort and enjoyment of visitors to your area. The method
of transportation used by visitors will determine the type
of facilities required at and between attractions. For
instance, if visitors use both automobiles and bicycles to
tour an area, the roads must be well maintained, and have
adequate signs and widely paved shoulders. Other facilities
to consider include: rest areas, picnic areas, visitor
information centers, parking areas, telephones,
restaurants, campgrounds, lodgings, and recreational access
(e.g., boat launches and parking areas at trail heads).
Your community may meed to improve its roads and facilities
in order meet its goals.
STEP 6. Collecting Resource Information
Each committee member should be responsible for collecting
information about the resources or attractions that relate
to his/her area of expertise. Accurate facts, figures,
quotes, and results from research projects, as well as
credible anecdotes and folklore, can all be used. After
this information is collected, it can be shared with the
author(s).
STEP 7. Writing Your Publication
The author is responsible for compiling all of the
information given to him/her, choosing what information to
include, and writing the guide. The needs and wants of the
visitors you are writing for will determine the information
to include. The following writing suggestions may help.
Keep if simple. Write all text on an eighth grade level; a
person from any background should be able to easily
understand it. Do not include so much information or detail
that the reader becomes confused. Explain the "basics" of
each topic, even if you think the topic is easy to
understand (e.g., in a geology guide you would first define
what "geology" is).
Choose words carefully. Include jargon and technical terms
only if they are defined. Avoid "loaded" words, such as
"environment," "ecological," `kill," and "conservation,"
since each can be interpreted in several different ways (U.
S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 1 984).
Make it easy to read. Include only short paragraphs of
text; many readers skip lengthy ones. Use headlines to
separate different sections of text, and captions to
identify diagrams and photographs. This will make skimming
for information easier.
Use the active tense of verbs (U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1984). Some examples include "thrives" "grows,"
and "explores." Historical information should be presented
in the past tense (i.e., thrived, grew, and explored).
Present all information accurately. Do not exaggerate or
misinterpret information.
Keep the message positive. For instance, when interpreting
community problems, explain how your community is trying to
overcome them. Instead of telling visitors that they cannot
do something, explain why (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
1 984).
Organize your writing. Explain first the basic concepts of
each subject (i.e., who, what, when, where, why, and how),
followed by more detailed information (U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, 1984). Use an outline of the information
while writing.
Explain all sides of each issue. Interpretation should not
force judgments on visitors, but instead should help them
decide matters on their own (U. S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1984).
Be creative! Provide different types of information in
different ways to maintain reader interest (Figures 1 and
2 demonstrate this approach) In addition, you may wish to:
Include puzzles and games for families to play such as
games played by the original settlers of your area.
Use illustrations and photographs to explain information.
Provide travel directions through maps and written
instructions.
Challenge the reader by asking questions. Also, answer any
questions commonly asked by visitors in your community
-Insert entertaining quotations from famous local people.
-Discuss the folklore arid different cultures of your area.
-Involve the reader in your community by suggesting
recreational activities to try.
-Identify scenic spots for visitors to photograph.
-Explain and illustrate how to identify interesting flora
and fauna in the area.
-Add any other creative ideas you might come up with -the
possibilities are endless!
STEP 8. Editing Your Publication Editing is a crucial step.
Ask at least five people with different educational and
occupational backgrounds to edit your publication for
grammar, clarity, and content. the author should decide
which editorial comments to use. The following suggestions
identify what basic corrections to make while editing.
Check all grammar and spelling. This is crucial in
developing a high -quality publication.
Weed out unnecessary words. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, 1984). For example, change 'Our community is
trying to develop a guide that interprets our local
resources" to "Our community is developing an interpretive
guide to its resources." This makes the sentence simpler
and shorter.
Remove any irrelevant topics. For instance, in an
interpretive guide focusing on the local sport fishery,
detailed facts about the apple orchards in your area should
be removed.
STEP 9. Laying Out Your Publication
The layout is the arrangement of informational materials
(including text, illustrations, photos, and maps) in your
guide. Although your printing shop may have specific
guidelines for layout, most printers request either a
"camera -ready" copy of publications, or typeset the
publication themselves. "Camera -ready" means that all
illustrations and text are glued to white paper in the
exact arrangement that the brochure or guide will be
printed in. A "photograph" of this copy will be used by the
printer to make all final copies. The camera-ready copy
should have no mistakes or smudges on it since these will
show up on the final product. Having the printer typeset
the publication for you is faster and easier than producing
your own camera -ready copy, but is also usually more
expensive (Performance Seminar Group, 1986). Seek
professional assistance if it's not available within the
committee.
STEP 10. Printing Your Publication
The actual printing of your brochure or guide can either be
done by a professional print shop, or by a focal agency or
industry with printing capabilities. Obtain estimates from
several printers with regard to typesetting, printing from
camera -ready copy, paper, and ink costs before choosing a
printer (do this in conjunction with Step #2).
STEP 11. Distributing Your Publication
Distribution is the key to making the publication work for
your community. Community and regional information centers,
as well as many regional tourism promotion agencies,
chambers of commerce, businesses, and tourist attractions,
can distribute interpretive publications. You may also
choose to mail them out on request.
Marketing your brochure or guide is important if you want
visitors from outside areas to use it. News releases about
its availability can be submitted to newspapers in the
areas you wish to draw tourists from. Though sometimes
expensive, advertising in tourism and recreation magazines
may also be useful. Your regional tourism promotion agency
may be able to give you other marketing tips suitable for
your area and budget.
STEP 12. Evaluating the Guide's Impact on Your Community
Evaluation is necessary in order to discover whether a
project has achieved its original objectives (especially if
interpretation efforts are going to be expanded). It is
important that the same evaluation tool (i.e., survey or
questionnaire) be used by each attraction so that the
results from each attraction can be compared. If after
summarizing surrey results you find that the impact from
the publication in your area is not as great as expected,
a change in marketing or distribution strategies, or in the
guide itself, may be needed. The assistance of an
experienced researcher is recommended when developing any
evaluation tool. The following is a suggested evaluation
technique.
Survey visitors. How visitors found out about your
community, what attractions they visited, if they used your
interpretive guide and found it useful, and how much money
they spent while in your town are examples of information
that can be obtained through visitor surveys. Questions on
visitor sign-in lists at local attractions, written surveys
given to visitors as they enter attractions or information
centers, and questions asked by receptionists can all be
used to obtain this information.
THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING
After your guide is complete, your community can breathe a
sigh of relief. But don't relax too much -if this
publication has been a benefit to your community, you may
want to expand your interpretive efforts by installing
interpretive signs and developing interpretive centers
(such as nature centers and museums). These projects will
only make your community a nicer place to visit and live!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My special thanks to David White, Doug Ververs, Chad
Dawson, Diana Puglisi, Patricia Peterson, and Ginny Wray
for their useful review comments and assistance.
REFERENCES
Good, J. W. 1 987. Waterfront interpretation: a community
planning guide. C)regon Department of Land Conservation
Development. Oregon Extension/Sea Grant Program, Oregon
State University. 5$ pp.
Paskowsky, M. 1983. Interpretive planning handbook. USDI
National Park Service, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. 37 pp.
Performance Seminar Group. 1 9$6. Preparing artwork.
Norwalk, Connecticut. 96 pp.
Sharpe, G. W.,C. H. Odegaard, and W. F. Sharpe. 1 9$3. Park
management. John Wiley and Sons: New York. 340 p.
United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 1984. Interpretive
design guidelines. Portland, Oregon. 1 21 pp.
Copies of this publication are available from:
New York Sea Grant
Swetrran Hall
SUNY College at Oswego
Oswegc), NY 3126
(315) 341 -3042
New York Sea Grant Extension is a state and federal program
designed to help people solve coastal problems along New
Yore's Great Lakes, S.. Lawrence, Niagara, and Lower Hudson
Rivers, the New York City waterfront, Long Island Sound,
and the State's Atlantic Ocean coast. It is administered
through the State University of New York and Cornell
University Sea Grant funds research projects and conducts
educational programs on issues ranging from off -shore
mining and erosion control to commercial fisheries, coastal
tourism, and aquaculture.
This publication is issued to further Cooperative Extension
work mandated by acts of Congress. It was produced by the
New York Sea Grant Extension Program with the cooperation
of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of
Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Cornell Cooperative Extension, New York State College of
Agriculture and L;fe Sciences, New York State College of
Human Ecology, and New York State College of Veterinary
Medicine, at Cornell University, and the State University
of New York. New York Sea Grant Extension offers equal
employment and program opportunities.
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to commercial products or trade names does not imply
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