The Catalyst: The Newsletter for Interpretation in California State Parks

If you’ve not yet had the opportunity to contact the Photo Archivist about an interpretive project, you may be missing out on an important resource to interpreters. In keeping with its reputation for well-kept, internal mysteries of State Parks, the Statewide Museum Collections Center at McClellan houses the Photo Archive. At first impression, McClellan does have similarities to the government warehouse depicted at the end of the Indiana Jones movie, “Raiders of the Lost Ark.” Unlike that fictional warehouse, McClellan is, in fact, accessible. Just ask Rebecca Crowther, the department’s Photo Archivist. From a very early age Rebecca developed an interest in photography and later in caring for photographs. She attributes this to her grandfather, who took her on trips to nature reserves to use her own camera, which she received while still in elementary school. Rebecca began her studies at Sierra College and at U.C. Davis in fine arts photography. The emphasis on creating photographs cha...

Putting Together a Successful Podcast Podcasts have emerged as a valuable educational and outreach resource, providing a flexible and captivating medium for content consumption and creation, audience engagement, and community building. Podcasts facilitate personal connections through the human voice. They are readily accessible and economical, serving as a potent instrument for education, entertainment, and marketing. Here is a roadmap for creating a successful podcast: Research first.  Check what podcasts are out there in your field and for your target audience. This approach aids in comprehending your target audience, identifying your niche, selecting an appropriate format, and formulating an effective strategy for success. By adopting this proactive method, you reduce the likelihood of expending unnecessary effort and enhance your prospects of producing a podcast that connects with listeners.  Identify your target audience and niche.  Think about how your unique p...

Your questions answered! Dear Master Interpreter:  I am officially submitting my question to Dear Master Interpreter! My question is: What books would you recommend for people who are interested in getting in to interpretation? — Sam Ham I Am Dear Green Eggs and Ham: There are so many books that will spark an interest in interpreters just starting out in the field. A few of my personal favorites include: Suggested books: Interpretation: Making a Difference on Purpose , by Sam Ham. This is an excellent book that provides insight into thematic interpretation and various approaches based on educational psychology. This book is a must for your library. The Principles of Interpretation, by  Freeman Tilden. Tilden is often thought of as the founding father of interpretation and his six principles still stand the test of time. Interpretation for the 21st Century: Interpretation for the 21st Century , by  Larry Beck and Ted Cable .  Building upon Tilden’s prin...

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Lessons from BIGI 13 True learning happens through community, not through top-down instruction. The Basic Interpretation for Guides and Interpreters (BIGI) training has always embraced a community learning style. In this January’s offering of the class, participants grappled with the tough stuff of our past, shared ideas and insights, and left the week feeling energized and empowered. Here are but a few of the tips and tricks that emerged from the BIGI community.    Gamify Your Program  In an age of apps and smartphones, everything from banking, to tracking your likes or dislikes of coffee, tea, and beer, offers a badge, ribbon, or some other electronic accolade. That’s not even to mention the opportunity for side-quests. People like to collect, track and earn points and rewards. So, why not harness the human desire to be rewarded by, for example, turning animal identification into a mystery to be solved? You could talk about food chains in an interpretive program, or you...

The North Beach Entrance at Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve/State Beach (SNR/SB) has a new set of picnic tabletop panels thanks to a recent project between the San Diego Coast District (SDCD) and the Southern Service Center. The original panels were installed in January 2021 as part of accessibility improvements that included a new picnic area. The three bilingual panels were designed to be read from either side of the picnic table. Park staff has noticed that litter is not a problem in this area and that these “table runners” have definitely helped.  Last year, we noticed the panels were beginning to fade. SDCD had funds to replace the panels and SSC coordinated printing with a vendor using a powder coating process directly onto aluminum, rather than the high-pressure laminate process used on the original panels. SDCD installed the new panels a few days before January 2025.                   

Dockwalker Trainings Dockwalkers provide one-on-one outreach in local harbors to share best clean boating practices and help boaters appropriately discard of used oil and waste products. In 2025, the California Division of Boating and Waterways’ Boating Clean and Green Program is offering both virtual and in-person Dockwalker trainings. During the virtual trainings the instructor will be live and participants will be able to ask questions. A reminder to current Dockwalkers if you were trained 3 years ago it is time to get recertified. Please register for an upcoming training. Dockside Podcast Dockside is the podcast that helps you save and enjoy the waters you love by sharing clean and safe boating practices. This podcast is brought to you by the California State Parks and the California Coastal Commission. The most recent episode  features a conversation with Weston Boyles, the Founder and Executive Director of Rios to Rivers and Danielle Rey Frank, the Director of Development an...