DNR
Home PageIV. Programs and Events Expansion
Increase the Number of Interpreters and Historians
To connect with parks and sites and to value them requires more information and experience. People need to touch, feel, smell and experience parks and sites, creating a connection. This can best be done with professional guidance.
Use Emerging Technology to Improve Interpretation
New wireless technology and Web site development creates opportunities to easily provide information at any site within a park. To download a short talk by a historian or interpretative material at a remote site, such as Iliniwek Village State Historic Site, would bring that site alive and increase people's knowledge of and connection to the site.
Use Special Events to Diversify our Programs and Visitation
Reaching unserved audiences is important now and in the future. The division can highlight our parks and sites by creating targeted special events to bring people to a park or site for an event of interest to them and then help them see other options for them at this and other state parks and historic sites. Examples: Powwows, folklife festivals, Cinco de Mayo events, Juneteenth and other multi-cultural events.
Eco and Historic Tours
Use the expertise of our current staff and retirees to offer eco tours or historic tours that highlight the resources of our parks. These tours could be about Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) architecture, Civil War sites, caves, mills, bridges, etc.
Interpretation on Wheels
Create regional interpretative vans with staffing that would take interpretation to the locations where people are -- fairs, events schools and community centers. This would elevate the interest of these visitors to the area state parks.
