Interpretation as an innovative sustainable management tool of nature protected areas

Oleg RUBEL, Black Sea Branch of the Ukrainian Environmental Academy of Science, Ukraine

Regional Workshop “How to Interpret Black Sea Nature” 20-22 April 2012

The main topics

• • • Economical theoretical basic (interpretation definition, Interpretation and eco marketing) Principles of creation of eco-trails (Kiev University named by Taras Shevchenko) Other Ukrainian examples «Green Wave» etc.

Regional Workshop “How to Interpret Black Sea Nature” 20-22 April 2012

Pre – conditions of Studies

Environmental training «Lower Dniester National Park by Youth Eyes» (Jan 2010):

(Youth Environmental center by Vernadskyi, Odessa, Tatyana Chernaya) 180 participants

Aims: To show to youth importance of creation of eco- trails.

(Structure of games, Playing roles – director of LDNP…,

touristic manager…; Model of 4 trails, Regulation of anthropogenous impact, Principles of Formation of touristic product, management of eco-tails, Technology of the equipment, Target groups, History of Lower Dniester by

Vladimir Poltorak)

Theoretically definitions of Interpretations of Eco – trails:

• Interpretations of Environmental trails as instrument of Eco-Marketing… • Interpretations of Environmental trails as part a Touristic Interpretations • Interpretations of Environmental trails as a mechanism of Sustainable and economically effective reserves management system

Green, environmental and eco-marketing are part of the new marketing approaches which do not just refocus, adjust or enhance existing marketing thinking and practice, but seek to challenge those approaches and provide a substantially different perspective. In more detail green, environmental and eco-marketing belong to the group of approaches which seek to address the lack of fit between marketing as it is currently practiced and the ecological and social realities of the wider marketing environment.

Definition of 'Green Marketing'

Green marketing companies seek to go above and beyond traditional marketing by promoting environmental core values in the hope that consumers will associate these values with their company or brand.

Touristic Interpretation Defined

- Interpretation is a communication tool that is used to facilitate the way visitors engage with the places they visit. It has been described as ‘an educational activity’ (Tilden 1977); - communication process (MacFarlane 1987); - management tool (Sharpe 1982)…

Touristic Interpretation Defined

Knudson, Cable and Beck (1995) list six objectives for interpretation: 1. to increase the visitor’s understanding, awareness and appreciation of nature, of heritage, and of site resource; 2. to communicate messages relating to nature and culture, including natural and historical processes, ecological relationships, and human roles in the environment; 3. to involve people in nature and history through first hand (personal) experience with the natural and cultural environment; 4. to affect the behaviour and attitudes of the public concerning the wise use of natural resources the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, and the respect and concern for the natural and cultural environment; 5. to provide an enjoyable and meaningful experience; 6. to increase the public understanding and support for an agency’s role, its management objectives and its policies.

Six objectives for interpretation

The first two objectives reflect park agency management objectives related in particular to protection of both the park and the visitor.

The last four reflect visitor experience objectives related to the understanding, awareness and appreciation of the park.

Role of Interpretation in National Parks

The importance of reflected in organisational mission and vision statements on many park and protected area agencies with most agencies having a clear understanding of the benefits of interpretation throughout their organisation, at all levels of management (Wearing et al. 2006).

interpretation is

Visitor Satisfaction in Parks

Visitors come to parks for a variety of reasons and can undertake a range of activities in a park without engaging with the visitor centre, ranger guided walks or other forms of interpretation…

Effective Interpretation and Interpretation Models

EROT model: … it needs to be

enjoyable

so that people need to be motivated to engage with the interpretation.

Secondly, it needs to be be

organised relevant

to visitors; that is providing stories and concepts so that people can connect to the park through their own experience. The role of stories and metaphors is critical here. Thirdly, it needs to and provide a clear structure to guide visitors through the program.

Finally, interpretation needs to be

thematic

and provide a message that visitors will remember following their visit.

Thematic Interpretation and the Concept of Meaning Making

The way these messages are provided and the communication outcomes will have different emphasis depending on the park aims that are being addressed; either management aims or visitor experience aims. Interpretation that addresses management aims that may be related to visitor safety or protection of the park have clear outcomes associated with the message provided .

Market Segmentation

Who Visits Parks?

•

International Tourists

•

Domestic Tourists Market Segments:

• •

Trip planners Visitors who just turn up

Visitor Profiles

Framework for Identifying Market Segments, Interpretation and Audience Variables Associated with Satisfaction Levels

Identifying Satisfaction Indicators for Interpretation

Selection of Market Segments for Survey

Questions which we have answered:

• Who will come?

• When will come?

• What expectations? • What will pay?

• What should we make to satisfy demand?

Creation of Inter Trails

Ecological trail is a specific type of one-day green tourist route, it is geographically defined, tied to a particular locationand specific (particular) objects and described with some degree of detail trail hike, travel, recreational, health walks, eco educational tours...

Design of Eco-trails

Designing eco trails involves a the steps that forming a particular algorithm, compliance steps which optimizes this complex process.

The first step of the algorithm is to generate ideas and awareness of the need to developeco trail with a particular territory.

The second step - topography; is - handling of typical material area in the following sections: - geological structure; - climate and local weather; - conditions especially, hydrologic features; flora and fauna; - characteristics of nature and recreational activities; - unique natural sites and monuments, historic and cultural sites of the material and religious (including place names, myths and legends), socio-economic objects and more.

The third step is the selection of cartographic material of the study area

The fourth step of the algorithm is a method of positioning on the working map of the project, the hypothesis of the future route.

Fifth step reconnaissance of the learning area, the route hypothesis without surveying work to check the status of destanations…

The sixth step of the algorithm adjustment of project route hypothesis according to the selected objects.

Step seven geographical positioning route: a contour and step route.

n-0 … 6-7 5-6 4-5 2-3 1-2 0-1 № точки Азимут Відстань Час проходження ЧСС початкове ЧСС кінцеве Час повного відновлення ЧСС Ландшафтна характеристика точки Ландшафтна характеристика ділянки переходу Назва точки, ділянки

Step nine algorithms - making of eco trails, including: goal, objectives, general parameters of trip, texts of thematic tours… The tenth step of the algorithm -testing trip in compliance with the recommendedcharacter and tempo movement… Final eleventh step of the algorithm method approval of project materials eco trailrelevant licensing authorities and land users of this site.

Examples of objects arrangement of ecological trail

MARK LABELING ROUTE

POINTER DISTANCE

MODEL FOR THE NATURAL EXHIBITS

Bridge

House for bird watching

Information board

Thank You For attention!