[PCA] CLASS: Managing Visitors & Volunteers in Natural Areas (Keystone Heights, FL)

[Olivia Kwong]

http://nata.snre.ufl.edu/visitors.htm

Managing Visitors and Volunteers in Natural Areas

This workshop is part of the series that leads to the Certificate in 
Natural Areas Management.

Date: October 19-21, 2010
Location:Gold Head Branch State Park, Keystone Heights, Florida

Tuition: $380.00

Course Coordinator: Nels Parson, Recreation Land Manager, St. John's River 
Water Management District.

Working with the visitor:

     * Participants will review information on the demographics of visitors 
to Florida's conservation areas.
     * Participants will learn how to communicate about the value of 
Florida's unique natural areas to the general public.
     * Participants will learn how information, interpretive materials, 
signage and other communication can be used to effectively manage visotor 
use and impacts.
     * Participants will be exposed to Americans with Disabilites 
legislation and other germane laws and guidelines as they relate to 
visitor use.
     * Participants will be exposed to limits of acceptable change and 
carrying capacity concepts and some examples of how they are being applied 
in practical settings.
     * Participants will be exposed to sources of visitor outreach 
materials.
     * Participants will be provided an overview of the range of issues 
involved with visitor uses: plant and seed collecting, off-road vehicle 
use, poaching, release and accidental introduction of non-native species, 
etc. and some selected ways these issues are being addressed.

Working with vounteers:

     * Participants will understand and demonstrate basic skills necessary 
to manage a volunteer work project. These include planning a project, 
preparing materials and equipment, organizing the workday, preparing and 
briefing volunteers, ensuring safe practices and debriefing and rewarding 
participants.
     * Participants will discuss the types of projects that are appropriate 
and achievable and best utilize volunteer resources.
     * Participants will explore successful strategies for supervision and 
management of volunteers. They will learn about motivating volunteers, 
demographic and cultural trends influencing volunteerism, the challenges 
to supervision of volunteer workforce, and how to reward the volunteer.
     * Participants will develop a list of potential volunteer projects 
appropriate for an area of their choice. They will develop a work plan for 
one of those projects.
     * Participants will also receive an overview of sample volunteer 
programs currently underway. They will be required to participate in a 
volunteer event as a condition of completion of this track.