Managing Visitors and Volunteers in Natural Areas

Date: November 7-9, 2007
Location: Disney Wilderness Preserve

Course Coordinator: Linda Demetropoulos, Manager, Natural Areas Training Academy, TNC.


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.

Sample Agenda