Interpretative Planning Strategy - Case Study Example

Introduction Interpretative planning interpretative planning is the process which aids an organization in communicating with its visitors. It is critical to engage visitors with collections, spaces or showings by consideration of the interpretive process. To make information and education accessible and relevant to visitors, communication must be effective and efficient. Thus it is important to plan for interpretation, and to constantly monitor and evaluate visitors' perceptions of this interpretation (McArthur, 1998; Uzzell, 1989). The interpretive plan or interpretative strategy will differ across heritage organisations, depending on the scale of operation and what is actually being planned for. The plan itself is a comprehensive document detailing the focus of specific projects that could be considered interpretive works. The project may be a single exhibition or showing or a guided walk or display for a permanent project. Whatever the scale of the project, the essential questions when formulating the plan are; who is the project designed for' What is to be interpreted' Why is to be interpreted' (McArthur, 1998). As such, the interpretive plan takes in the big picture and provides a broad statement of intent. At the level of the heritage organisation the interpretative plan outlines the intentions to the approach of interpretation over the long-term. And can also allow for the collaboration of interpretation across numerous related heritage organisations. At the regional level, the heritage organisation could cooperate with other organisations to present a common or complementary perspective to interpretation in their region. Ultimately the interpretative strategy guides the interpretation process to meet the needs and expectations of the projects purpose, and of the visitors. This paper will provide answer the question, 'Why do Australian Botanic Gardens use interpretation' Firstly, this paper will briefly outline the purpose of botanic gardens in Australia. Secondly, the stories plants tell through interpretive planning will be presented. Next, how the interpretive plan can use plants as education tolls will be highlighted. And then the interpretive message provided by plantings will be discussed. Finally a conclusion shall synthesis the main points of the paper and demonstrates that the paper answered the question of why botanic gardens use interpretative planning. Review of the Literature Botanic Gardens of Australia Botanic Gardens have a long history as part of Australian heritage. The key emphasis of all the botanic gardens is that they are collections of plants for conservation, preservation and beauty. Australian botanic gardens cluster plants together according to themes. The themes tend to be placed across a large garden site, with plants being located to areas where they will look and survive best. The themes are important as they provide continuity and meaning to the displays, otherwise the collections would not readily be able to engage the interest of visitors. Collections of plants clustered according to themes allow botanic gardens to more fully communicate critical information about the plants to visitors. Interpretive planning as used in botanic gardens provides a channel for story-telling to the public about the importance of plants in the ecological cycles that make up geographical spaces in which humans live and act. The Stories Plants Tell Botanic gardens are able to communicate critical information about vanishing rainforests, not only in Australia but the world. As such, the themed collections can more fully relate a story about the part each plant plays in the bigger picture which is an area/region/nation or global ecology. Many insects, animals and other plants are reliant on specific plants for nutrition, shelter or reproduction. When visitors understand how each plant has a role in the wider survival of global species then interpretative planning can be said to have succeeded (Moscardo, 1998). A modern botanic garden is of course far more than the sum of its plant collections, but without them there would be little to say. Collections planning is about saying the right things, with the right collections, and in the best possible way (The Botanic Garden, 2005). The stories that the plants tell also inform visitors as to the mission, values and objectives of botanic gardens. This may require the implementation of a range of interpretive plans to communicate a cohesive and consistent message of the goals of the gardens. This can be a challenge when the garden staffs are drawing on themes and collections that are long established or are highly revered and sensitively preserved. Hence, the stories being told with interpretation need to be constantly up-dated or modernized to meet the educational needs and expectations of the public. Especially in the era of the 21st century leisure time is highly prized and prioritized (Uzzell, 1989). Garden staffs look to the collections they already have and use elements from those to communicate information that supports the goals of a project. For example, post-modern Australia looks to promote a multicultural society, and so a "culinary" theme may be created with plantings taken from other themes across a site (e.g., gingers, taros, bananas, bamboos and lilly-pillys). Additionally, effective signage and navigation is critical to guide visitors through the themes so they can be exposed to information required to make sense of the theme. The stories that plants can tell can stimulate debates and creative endeavors just by the themes that are used according to wider social climate and discourses. Plants as Education Tools For the third years in a row the Australian National Botanic Gardens has been bestowed the Ecotoursim Award by the Canberra and Region tourism Awards. It is a prestigious award that acknowledged the excellence in services that generate and contribute to tourism. Dr Steve Hopper, former Chief Executive Officer of the Botanic Gardens and Parks Authority, once stated: While bushland and parkland remain so accessible to so many, there is hope that our increasingly urbanised community will remain in touch with nature and appreciate the vital importance of an ongoing partnership with the world's living system (Botanic Gardens, 2005, p. 11). Hopper's statement affirms that the agenda for botanic gardens in Australia have been re-orientated from traditional areas of leisure and beauty and conservation, to public spaces of education and the promotion of awareness of local, regional and global concerns. The part interpretive planning plays in the re-orientation of goals is critical, as elements of collections, their planning and management are paramount for the themes to be educational resources. Globally, as well as Australia, there has been a growing trend for botanic gardens to provide thematic interpretive planning to provide living collections. It is becoming more common for themes, such as "sustainable horticulture", water and land conservation, and fauna conservation, to drive the selection of plants for collections. At the Geelong Botanic Gardens a 21st Century Garden theme was planned using interpretative strategies. The goal of the collection was to educate visitors about sustainable horticulture. Selection of plants were made according to a set or pre-determined criteria, established by the collaboration of garden's staffs, Friends of the Geelong Botanic Garden and by drawing on international research about sustainable horticulture. As such, plantings needed to meet specific environmental tolerances, and to align with the predominant environmental conditions of the project site. The plants chosen were specific species with wider ranging tolerances to match the local conditions at the project site and so effectively demonstrated sustainability principles by way of appropriate plant selection. This process was instead of a traditional method that modified the physical characteristics of the site to create microclimates suitable for the chosen plants. Another method for education visitors by way of the collection is the use of sub-themes. For example, there is a wide and diversified range of indigenous plants in Australia. One sub-theme might be "island plants" to reflect the predominant species in the Torres Strait islands. In the context of sustainable horticulture, the sub-themes can expand a visitor's awareness of how to use garden ornamental plants as sustainable food sources (e.g., bananas and taros). The public becomes educated as to how to provide themselves with a low maintenance garden that can provide them with a reliable food source. A key tool in designing a botanic garden in Australia is the use of the "collections triangle" as displayed in Figure 1. The collections triangle provides a conceptual indication of where a collection of plants fit according to three dominant collection categories: amenity, horticultural and botanic. Amenity collections are the maintained, labeled and documented plants, such as display plants. These plantings are the key to the overall display of the botanic gardens however; they tend to not have specific taxonomic or horticultural significance. The horticultural collections have managed, labeled and documented plants that provide display but also have an additional educational or informative focus. The plants tend to be of a higher botanical or taxonomic significance and there are strong themes among the clustering. In this sense, the horticultural collections are more likely to provide interpretive and educational communication to visitors, including usefulness for academic researchers. The Botanic collection is a category that refers specifically to plants used for researchers and scientists. As evident in the collections triangle, the larger proportion of the living collection of botanic gardens in Australia is oriented toward display purposes. However, it is also evident that a large proportion of plants are for the purpose of conservation and taxonomy. A small proportion is of significant scientific purpose. A gradual shift has occurred with a trend toward a more botanic approach in interpretative planning, but that shift has only begun in the past decade, and it is anticipated that greater awareness by the public of social and environmental issues will increase the importance of the latter two collection categories to surpass that of amenity collections. Figure 1. The Collections Triangle (Botanic Gardens, 2005, p. 19). The Interpretive Message The use of interpretive planning to provide themed displays of plant collections also serve the purpose of supporting the message of cultural and heritage awareness by the public and the nation at large. Aesthetically appealing display architecture can provide big, bold interpretive elements that convey the important message of respect and awareness of socio-cultural practices and values. Contemporary Australian botanic gardens are demanded by society to represent the people of the immediate community and to portray their values as a community. Values such as a community focus, the importance of family, the critical need for conservation of the Australian environment, and the acceptance of the many cultures that make Australia the great nation that it is. The staffs of the botanic gardens are viewed as stewards of cultural and natural heritage for the wider community. And it is expected that interpretive planning reflect this stewardship. As such, living collections are not meant to be ends in themselves, but to draw on interpretive planning to provide a medium for programs and interventions that actualise and make concrete the purpose of the gardens. In this way botanic gardens promote a message of values by; Motivating visitors to take action. Providing visitors with a sense of wonder and discovery. Involving staffs and the community in decision-making processes. Providing horticultural viable collections and information. Emphasising themes throughout the clustering of plantings. Incorporating natural topographical landforms to present and maintain the message. In this way the botanic gardens of Australia use interpretive planning to remind staffs of the needs and expectations of the community it services. The planning also instills in staffs the importance of developing a learning culture amongst themselves and the wider public that is open to risk-taking and experimenting to see what works. An overall theme of botanic gardens is to promote 'sustaining ourselves by sustaining cultural heritage and the environment' (Botanic Gardens, 2005, p. 23). A comprehensive interpretive plan for a botanic garden will specify and define the numerous needs of the organization as a cultural and heritage site, and represent these needs and expectations within a viable framework. The interpretive plan then gives structure to the direction of individual projects within the gardens and to other long-term projects, providing a method of applying the greatest efficiency to meet the purpose using a minimal amount of resources. The plan can assure the community and staffs that the goals and objectives required for cultural and heritage values will be met by the project/s. The documentation of these values and goals helps to reaffirm what is of importance to the stakeholders involved. The interpretive plan then becomes a reference point to aid keeping the project on track and focused on the final outcome. It also provides a benchmark against which outcomes can be evaluated to determine if goals were actually met, if so how, and to what degree (e.g., by the entire project or by only aspects of it) (Uzzell, 1989). The interpretive plan can be used to ensure that the project is relevant to current needs, and fills a perceived gap in knowledge or value awareness. As well, interpretive planning aids in determining what will be appealing and accessible to an audience looking to engage with cultural and heritage plantings. When the project is completed, the interpretive plan acts as a living document to provide the basis for future funding applications by the gardens to secure additional project materials and collection plants. In an age of evidence-based practice and policy setting, a document that has recorded the aims, goals and values, and how these have been met and measured the success of the project, are much more likely to receive further funding. Also, the document serves to identify and to build-in future opportunities for change to the gardens which is a continuous process of monitoring and evaluation to enable efficient and effective development. Ultimately, the interpretive plan keeps the botanic gardens "growing" (Vereka, 2005, p.3). In the sense that the planting are interpretive not just informational, effectively communicate their message to visitors, and aid the botanic gardens to achieve their overall goals. Maintaining the message of the botanical organisation will drive visitor numbers, support visitors and members of the garden societies, and provide a basis for the extension of interpretive programmes, services and outreach activities among the wider community. These advantages aid to focus the short and long-term goals of the botanic gardens to achieve their mission and goals, and to uphold their values as stewards of cultural and heritage values. Another advantage in using the interpretive plan to fine tune the organizations message is that it will provide long-term cost effectiveness and use of resources that will contribute to media decisions and to the development of marketing and promotional strategies, as well as the overall business strategy. Conclusion In summary, the interpretative plan helps a heritage organisation such as the botanic gardens of Australia to deliver information and to communicate with the public in an efficient and effective manner. The interpretative plan can communicate to visitors the importance and value of the gardens to the community, and to the maintenance of cultural and heritage values. As well, the interpretive plan can aid in the education of visitors as to sustainable resources in the form of plants to conserve, preserve and to enjoy the natural world that is a part of the global ecology. Enabling and empowering visitors will provide meaning to their visit, engage them in contemporary socio-environmental debates and discourse, and hopefully motivate them to become active participants in the advocacy for cultural and heritage values. An ideal interpretative plan can drive repeat visits, inspire education programs and research endeavors, and can provide a living document of evidence based practices to inform future decision making and to use for future funding. It is clear that botanic gardens use interpretive plans to communicate values to their visitors, to educate them, and to provide meaningful experiences that can be carried over to the wider community. References Australian National Botanic Gardens 2007, Growing, studying and promoting Australia's flora, A [Online] Accessed on February 7, 2007 from Carter, J 1997, A sense of Place: An interpretive planning handbook, Tourism and Environment Initiative, Inverness. McArthur, S 1998, 'Introducing the undercapitalised world of interpretation', in Ecotourism a guide for planners and managers, eds K Lindberg, M Eplerwood and D Engeldrum, 1998, Ecotourism Society, North Benington. Moscardo, G 1998, 'Interpretation and sustainable tourism:' Functions, examples and principles', Journal of Tourism Studies, 9(1), pp.'2 -13. Uzzell, D 1989, 'Introduction: The visitor experience', in Heritage Interpretation, 2, Belhaven Press, New York, pp.'1-16. Veverka, J 1994, Interpretive Master Planning, Acorn Naturalists, Tustin, California. Vererka, J 2005, 'Interpretive master planning: Keep your garden growing', in Botanic Gardens Conservation International, 2 [Online] Accessed on February 7, 2007. Tilden, F 1977, Interpreting our Heritage, University of North Carolina, North Carolina. The Botanic Garden 2005, A Newsletter for the Botanic Gardens of Australia and New Zealand, 1, pp. 1-24. Read More