The Wrack

At a 4-day technician training in South Carolina, I gained a new appreciation for all the effort needed to collect consistent water quality and meteorological data across the country.

Interpreters from four New England states participate in a four-day training to receive a national certification.

Recently the Coastal Training Program hosted a webinar series on environmental communication by Water Words that Work. Space was limited and several of you asked for materials and resources. View part I here.

The Environmental Message Method

Step 1: Begin with behavior

Watch these two videos and compare their style.

The first video provides awareness about an issue but doesn't leave the viewer with any solutions. The second video provides multiple actions or behavior changes the viewer can make.

Two years ago, Kate and I participated in the National Association of Interpretation's (NAI) 40-hour Certified Interpretive Trainer (CIT) workshop with the intent of facilitating our own Certified Interpretive Guide (CIG) workshops at the Reserve. Last week, our vision became reality as twelve talented interpreters from Maine and Massachusetts convened for 32 hours of training with us in Mather Auditorium.

Down in sunny Tuckerton, New Jersey, a contingent of coastal Maine residents and Wells Reserve associates heard firsthand the accounts of locals affected by Hurricane Sandy. The meeting was designed to be an exchange of experiences and suggestions in regard to storm preparedness and coastal resilience. The discussion was geared toward vulnerable areas in Maine, specifically Drakes Island and the Saco-Biddeford area, both of which sent representatives down to NJ. The trip included dinner at a restaurant damaged by Sandy, a few tours of destroyed coastal communities, and an informative panel discussion with residents and municipal officials involved in the recovery efforts.

The National Association of Interpretion defines interpretation as "a mission-based communication process that forges emotional and intellectual connections between the interests of the audience and the meanings inherent in the resource." The year-round education programming at the Wells Reserve aims to build these meaningful connections.

Last month, the Reserve hosted 27 interpreters from across the country and around the world for a Certified Interpretive Trainer workshop facilitated by the National Association of Interpretation. Talented and creative professionals working at nature centers, aquariums, battlefields, state parks, and other interpretation centers in Hong Kong, France, Chile, California, Montana, Utah, and other locales joined together for a week of wonderfully intense learning.

Year 4 of the popular teacher training program.

The thirteen educators who are participating in the Teachers on the Estuary program arrived this afternoon. In between introductions and their first workshops, they came to the farmhouse porch for a brief social.

The Marine Invader Monitoring and Information Collaborative (MIMIC) is a network of trained volunteers, scientists, and state and federal workers who monitor marine invasive species along the Gulf of Maine. The Wells Reserve coordinates Maine's program.