Interpretative sign workshop

Last week we talked about interpretative signs (post from March 4) and we broke into teams address some potential projects. The 4 teams gave presentations on their ideas the following day and they were really outstanding!

Team 1: Dong Nai Biosphere Reserve staff (I call them "Team Dong Nai") were to design a welcome sign for visitors.  They did it old school style- drawing with pencil and paper.

Design: large, 2-sided stone monument. It includes the logo of the Biosphere (elephant and tree), and the shape is the shape of the reserve. It has English and Vietnamese text with one side WELCOMING visitors and one saying GOOD BYE we hope to see you again.  I like it! And since I visited the Reserve since seeing this design last week, I agree with them that a welcome sign like this at the entrance would be very welcome. 

Team 2: This team's job was to take a critical look at the green, 3-paneled sign at the Cat Tien National Park entrance.  They did came up with 6 (or 7?) very specific improvements, including but not limited to: 

*The inspirational quote about forest conservation should be larger and in VN/ENG.

*The text needs to have more contrast from the background, so it's easier to read

*It's redundant to have a big map of the park here since the map is available in several other places throughout the park, this space could be used for other purposes

*Remove a "clutter" sign about campfire restrictions

*Make the way finding part much bigger (directions to the park reception office and private guest houses).

*I need to get a copy of their presentation because they really nailed it!

Team 3: Their assignment was to choose 2 topics that could be displayed outside the park headquarters.There is a lot of under-utilized space there, with some empty display cases or cases that have faded signs.  They chose to focus on pygmy lorises and yellow cheeked gibbons, two very rare primates that are found in Cat Tien.

Sign 1 message: Why is the yellow cheeked gibbon so special? It only lives here, they have interesting family units, and HELLO, they are awesome.

Sign 2 message: Wildlife are not pets, especially the pygmy loris. The illegal pet trade is a huge threat to wildlife conservation. So even though the pygmy loris is adorable, do not keep them as pets.

These are just some snapshots of the projector screen. The loris is saying "my home is he forest, I am not a pet!" Love it.

Team 4. This group's assignment was to pick 2 subjects for interpretive signs that would be located inside the visitor center.  There is more display space inside the visitor center (notice that sometimes I call it reception or headquarters, and sometimes "visitor center?" It needs a stronger identity... something to consider) since some of the furniture was rearranged. I think we'll come back to that conversation later.

The team chose 2 subjects: Crocodile Lake and the park's popular night safari tour.

The first sign explains the story of the successful re-introduction of the wild crocodile to Crocodile Lake. Crocodile Lake is a gorgeous wetland in the center of the park. Crocodiles went extinct here, but now they have been successfully re-established. The message: we fixed this situation but let's not let the problem happen again. Wildlife want to stay in their homes! And by the way, Crocodile Lake is internationally recognized for  its conservation status.

The second sign discusses the night safari, emphasizing the difference between viewing captive animals and seeing animals in nature.  I did not a picture of it because I was starting to feel a little obnoxious but it was a good sign. 

I want to get all these files and maybe fiddle with them a little bit, and have the posters made for the park. Stay tuned.