Regional Interpretive Staff Trains Tennessee State Park Employees

During the week January 26th through January 29th, members of Southeast Region’s interpretive staff trained employees at the annual Tennessee State Parks  in-service training at Henry Horton State Park, located south of Nashville.  One of the tracks for the meeting was a focus on interpretation and education

Melissa English-Rias, interpretive specialist from Southeast Regional Office, and Jennifer Pierce, interpretive specialist from Great Smoky Mountains National Park, provided interpretive training to 70 Tennessee State Park employees during the week. Melissa presented topics relating to value of interpretation and why interpretation is an important component of a parks’ management program.  Jennifer then informed the attendees about reaching teachers and students through the incorporation of educational curriculum into their interpretive programming.

“Melissa’s and Jennifer’s presentations opened many eyes and have reinvigorated our staff to connect our visitors to Tennessee resources and will hopefully excite a new generation of park stewards,” said April Welch, a Tennessee State Parks ranger.

Since 2004 Southeast Region’s interpretive staff have been partnering with state parks in the Southeast to provide training on the profession of interpretation and the National Park Service’s interpretive development program.  Staff members provide annual training to South Carolina state parks and have also assisted Louisiana and Georgia state park systems.  During the past several years, regional interpretive employees have trained and informed over 300 state park employees in interpretive philosophy and the Service’s interpretive development program.