GWT - INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM PLAN (f17)

Title of GWT: A Walk Amongst Our Resources

Theme: The Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve, an important area protected by the
Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, promotes sustainable forestry and the protection
of watersheds to benefit both Marquettes residents, and its wildlife.

Interpreters Names: Courtney Raske, Jeanie Weinrich, Zach Kooi

Date of Program: October 26th
Time of Program (start to finish): 12pm-2pm
Location/s of Program: Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve
Distance (distance of route): 2.5 Miles
Resource: Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve Watershed
Map with your GWT route highlighted and stops marked.
Detailed written directions to your site (and/or starting point of your tour).

Directions: Take US 41 N towards Negaunee and take a right at the light for Brickyard
Road, towards PetSmart. Instead of heading into the parking lot, take an immediate left
to continue on Brickyard Road and travel approximately 1/4 mile to the end of Brickyard
Road. Youll see a sign and a county turn-around there. Park on the pavement and
continue on the two-track 1/2 mile across private property to access the Reserve.
*No restrooms*

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

1. Agency & Audience

a. Name of the Agency: Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy
b. Mission of the Agency: The Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy (UPLC)
works with landowners to permanently protect the conservation values of natural areas,
working farms and forests, and recreational lands in Michigans Upper Peninsula. UPLC
performs this work for the benefit of the public by holding conservation easements on
private lands, establishing conservation preserves on UPLC-owned lands, and by
conducting educational programs UPLC website
http://www.uplandconservancy.org/about-us/
c. Goals of the Agency: To provide Outdoor Recreation & Conservation
Education Opportunities, maintain habitats for diverse native species, demonstrate
Restoration Forestry and Sustainable Timber Management, maintain Stewardship
Capacity
 d. Description of Audience: The audience will consist of both men and women,
ages 19-21, and all enrolled in the RE250 course in the Outdoor Recreation and
Leadership Management program. All of them live in Marquette, Michigan and attend
NMU. They will have experience in the ORLM field but may not have a good idea or an
interest in interpretation yet.

2. Resource
a. Name of resource: (The Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve)
Watersheds and Sustainable Forestry
b. Tangibles: 123 acres, water, trees/timber, rocks, roots, moss, trail, logging
road, wildlife, hard, rough, smooth, eroded, green, brown, yellow, red, orange, white,
black, soft, gritty hilly, dirty, waterfall, bugs, birds, historical objects, paint on trees.
c. Intangibles: Life, beauty, death, calm, sustainable, care, running,
snowshoeing, recreation, hiking, birdwatching, tracking, foraging, preservation,
protection, peaceful, relaxing, history, change, health.
d. Universal concepts: Life, beauty, death, protection, care, history, change,
health, diversity, small things affect bigger (butterfly effect).
e. We named both the agencies and the land area and then tied them into both
agencies goals of wildlife protection as well as human use.

3. Purposeful
a. Topic: Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve watershed
b. Sub-Topic(s):
-Spring creek and Midway creek confluence all filter into Dead River and
then into Lake Superior.
-Spring fed waters
-Ring of trees painted to mark no-harvest to protect watershed
Sustainable Forestry, Why careful harvests are important, etc.
c. Interpretive Focus: Natural Environment
d. Theme: The Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve, an important area
protected by the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, promotes sustainable forestry
and the protection of watersheds to benefit both Marquettes residents, and its wildlife.
e. Our theme and topic relates to our location because it is about the importance
of the location itself. They practice sustainable forestry, and protect portions of the dead
river watershed.
f. Purpose of the GWT: The purpose of our guided tour is to get people involved
with the area, and explore the topics of conservation and the importance of watersheds.
g. Goal/s of the GWT
-To foster an opportunity that would allow our participants to connect emotionally
with the local watersheds in the Vielmetti Peters Conservations reserve.
 -To demonstrate how and instill the idea that individual choices and behaviors
can make a big impact on others.
-To provoke a passion or interest within participants to take action towards
sustainably protecting the Vielmetti-Peters watershed and surrounding
forests/ecosystems by the end of the tour.

h. Endgame - To have provoked an interest and connection between individuals

and the environment about the importance and conservation of the Vielmetti-Peters
Nature Reserve.

ORGANIZATION of GWT

1. Body of the GWT.

a. Staging Period
i. Location
Entrance of the wooded area near blacktop but away from the cars.
ii. Name of student interpreter facilitating
Courtney
iii. List of materials needed
Waters, extra jackets, trash bags, maps,
iv. Information to be shared and gathered; tasks to be completed/implemented
Hi there! My Name is Courtney! (And introduce Jeanie and Zach). Today
you are attending The walk amongst your resources here at the Vielmetti
Peters Conservation Reserve. We are Outdoor Recreation and
Leadership Management Students here at NMU. We were granted the
opportunity to lead this tour through the RE381 Interpretation course
taught by Jacquie Medina.
Today we will be starting right now currently at (roughly 12pm) and we
plan to finish in about two hours at (roughly 2pm). This hike is about 2.5
miles long so make sure you have proper shoes, proper clothes, etc.
There is some rocky and muddy terrain along with roots sticking up out of
the ground so please be aware of those things along our hike. We have
water bottles for you guys if you are interested in taking one along for the
hike! Also we have maps here so you can follow along with todays tour.
We ask that since we will be walking through private property until we
reach the trailhead that you respect the surrounding environment as we
 would hope you would do so for the entire tour today. If you all are ready
we are going to follow Jeanie in towards the trailhead!

b. Introduction
i. Location
The trailhead where the bigger VPCR sign and map is located.
ii. name:
Jeanie
iii. Materials needed:
Maps
iv. Information to be shared/gathered/covered; activities implemented
The land were about to explore was donated by kathy peters and her late husband, a
biology professor that taught at nmu. They enjoyed this area for hiking, x-country skiing,
plant identification and bird watching. Kathys donated the land two years ago to the
UPLC. Their mission is to permanently protect the natural values of the forests, farms
and recreational opportunities in lands across the U.P. Kathy chose them because of
their idea of land today for life tomorrow. She wants future generations to be able to
explore here. The Vielmetti-Peters Conservation Reserve, an important area protected
by the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, promotes sustainable forestry and the
protection of watersheds to benefit both Marquettes residents, and its wildlife. That
being said, we are here to enjoy the natural beauty and recourses the VPR has to offer.
c. Stop 1 (Midway Creek Bridge-Zach)
i. General Information
1. Materials needed
Notecard
2. Interpretive techniques to be implemented
Ask everyone how many notebooks of paper they use each school
year, and how much paper Professors hand out.
Hear the replies
Tell them each year we lose 32 million acres, which is 26x the size of the
Grand Canyon. And to regenerate what weve consumed, we would need 1.5
Earths.
ii. Components of Stop 1
1. Focusing Statement
Here at the VPLC, they practice sustainable forestry, to boost
biodiversity, and the overall health of the ecosystem.
2. Description/explanation
Sustainable forestry is a concept of balance. As you can see there
are young and old trees. When a tree is dying, that tree will be cut down in order
to make room for younger generation of trees. As you saw along our walk, there
 is red markings in trees, if you looked closely you can see there is a water source
of a watershed behind the marked tree. This is a cutoff point for the sustainable
forestry. If there is any cutting beyond the marking it can cause major damage to
the water source. It would cause erosion and disrupt the natural flow of the
source. Also many trees that are cut down, are left on the forest floor to give a
natural look and to help replenish nutrients in the soil.
3. Thematic Connector
Because of sustainable forestry, we have a very strong and diverse
ecosystem that caters to all wildlife that live in this habitat.
4. Transition
As we follow Jeanie to our next stop, keep an eye out for those
marked trees, and other signs of sustainable forestry.
iii. Summary of accurate content
Sustainable forestry may not seem like it has much of an impact on the
environment, however, it aids in biodiversity in an ecosystem, which plays a huge role in
the overall health of an ecosystem.

d. Stop 2 (Confluence of Midway Creek and Spring Creek - COURTNEY)

i. General Information
1. Materials needed
Maps, notecards.

2. Interpretive techniques to be implemented

I plan to use questions to relate my stops material to the participant.
I also intend to have them use their senses (hearing, and seeing)
ASK - How many of you have swam or hiked near dead river?
How many people partake in water activities in Lake Superior?
(Look for show of hands)
Next, tell everybody..I want you to close your eyes, now take your right
finger and plug you right ear with it. Now point to the direction you hear
water running from. Okay, now unplug your right ear and keep your eyes
closed. Now I want you to take your left finger and plug your left ear with it.
Now point to the direction you hear water running from. Okay, now open
your eyes.

ii. Components of Stop 2

1. Focusing Statement -
 Here at the Vielmetti Peters Conservation Reserve, there is a complex
part of Lake Superiors surrounding watershed that plays a big role in our
day to day lives.

2. Description/explanation -
As you may have noticed along our walk this far, there are waters
sources that can either be seen, or heard.
[*IMPLEMENT THEMATIC CONNECTOR*]
There are two streams that reside here within the Vielmetti Peters
Conservation Reserve. One of those streams is Midway Creek. Midway
Creek stretches all of the way from Negaunee to where we are standing
right here. The other creek here is Spring Creek. You guys are standing
right in the home of where Spring Creek originates - hence its name
Spring Creek. Later on our walk today you will get a chance to see
where this spring fed creek springs up from the forest floor and runs to
where we are standing right now.

***What is it that makes this watershed here at the Vielmetti Peters

Conservation reserve so important and unique?
The two creeks, Midway Creek (point to it), and Spring Creek (point to it),
both join together right here at this very spot where we are all standing. As
you just experienced, you can hear running water from both sides of you
right now.

NOW.. How many of you live in Marquette?

How many of you use Lake Superior for water based activities?
How many people here drink water from the faucets of their dorm
room or home?.

If any of these question pertain to you, then you have experienced using
and utilizing these two water sources (midway creek and spring creek)
here at the Vielmetti Peters Conservation Reserve. These two creeks now
leave the Vielmetti Peters Conservation Reserve and go on to the dead
river. After the dead river, it then travels onto lake superior which is where
a lot of us swim, and where all of us get our drinking water and showering
water from!

3. Thematic Connector
Tell everybody..I want you to close your eyes, now take your right
finger and plug you right ear with it. Now point to the direction you
 hear water running from. Okay, now unplug your right ear and keep
your eyes closed. Now I want you to take your left finger and plug
your left ear with it. Now point to the direction you hear water
running from. Okay, now open your eyes.
Next, I will talk about how one of the creeks they heard was Midway
Creek and the other, Spring Creek and give information on each.
(see description/explanation)

4. Transition
Next if I could direct your attention and switch gears from the
confluence of the creek, I want you all to take note of the trees that
were cut down and to start thinking why that may be? Now if you
could follow Jeanie she may have some answers to some of those
questions!
iii. Summary of accurate content
Keep in mind that every action we take can affect our resources that are
readily available for us. This example of the confluence here today of
Spring Creek and Midway Creek that leads to the dead river and then onto
Superior is one example of how complex a watershed can be. Remember
that by respecting your environment that you are caring after your own
resources that you use!
e. Stop 3 - (Jeanie) Diversity and animal life
i. General Information:
After other interpreter signals me, I will signal the students to turn around and
look to me. There are many different ways to sustainably harvest trees. Sustainable
forestry is important because it helps increase biodiversity.
1. Interactive activity demonstrating monoculture forests vs diverse
forests.
2. Point out selective cutting example at the river confluence.
ii. Components of Stop 2
1. Sustainable forestry aids in forest biodiversity. The more biodiversity
an area has, the healthier it will be and the more resilient it will be to disease.
2. Activity 1) Every participant will walk to me and I will secretly assign
them a tree type. In an effort to save paper, rather than writing down three names
of people that are also their tree type, they will only have to remember 1-2 people
with the same tree as them. I will walk up to someone and say they are now
diseased and have died. Who did you find that was also your tree type? They
are now infected as well People will continue to name off students, every person
will have been infected.
 Round 2) Re-assign tree types but rather than just everyone being a
balsam fir tree, yellow birch and maple trees as well. The balsam firs will again
be infected but none of the other tree types will die.
In the first example we had a stand called a monoculture forest. There
was no biodiversity so you didnt stand a chance against the disease, but when
there is more biodiversity, the healthier the forest is. That is what sustainable
forestry tries to accomplish.
3. As we walk, towards the poplar tree stands I will talk about how they
are usually some of the first trees to pop up in a cleared area. I will pass out
natural succession photos and ask students which area they would want to live if
they were a deer during hunting season. Most students answers should be the
more heavily forested photo due to more protection and food source availability.
4. Transition: The VPR is a great example of a healthy, biodiverse forest.
We can continue traveling through it behind courtney towards the beginning of
spring creek.

STOP 4 (Quick viewing of the spring that makes up Spring Creek from stop 2 so they
can have the visual to go with Courtneys interpretive talk).

Continue adding more stops and listed information for every stop you have planned
in your tour

f. Conclusion (Location/Student interpreter)

i. List of materials needed
Trash Bag
ii. Information to be shared/gathered/covered; activities implemented
Today you all saw how the VPCR is home to some of our very own
resources here in Marquette. Imagine if Kathy were to sell this beautiful 123 acre
plot of land to a commercial logging company. Or if instead of practicing
selective cutting in which the VPCR does, they sold this property to a corporation
that would plow this land down ruining the watershed, the diversity of trees, and
the wildlife that calls the VPCR home. In a time where were having water quality
issues like the flint water crisis, its crucial to ask questions of where are water
comes from and what things reside in it. We can thank Kathy and the Upper
Peninsula Land Conservancy for keeping this property a protected sanctuary that
hosts our resources in which we depend upon.
iii. Summary of how you will restate theme, bring program full circle, leave
audience with final thought, etc. Commented [1]: need to complete
 So as you saw and learned today, the Vielmetti Peters Conservation Reserve,
which is managed by the Upper Peninsula Land Conservancy, is home to 123 acres of
land that supports and hosts sustainable forestry and a complex watershed. We hope
that today, during a walk amongst our resources, that you really were able to connect
and relate to the resources that we are so very lucky to have as residents of Marquette.
Next time you are out hiking, look for similarities and think how human influence can
impact other watersheds and other forests in the surrounding area to Marquette.
If you guys would like to head back in and hike around longer is the West Loop
which we did not cover today, then you are more than welcome to do so! Also, if you
come back another time to enjoy this beautiful recreational area keep in mind that there
are just a few limits here to make sure that sustainable practices are maintained here at
the VPCR. The UPLC and Kathy ask that you do not bring your pets as it could disturb
the wildlife. Also, hunting is allowed, but it is up for debate. If you care to get details
about hunting please contact the UPLC! Additionally, no bikes are allowed back here on
the trails. However, during the winter seasons you are more than welcome to snowshoe
or cross country ski in the Vielmetti Peters Conservation Reserve!
If you have any trash today, we ask that you please give it to us. We do have
trash to collect and garbage. Any questions? PAUSE...Any concerns?....
We would like to thank you for coming to A Walk Amongst Our Resources today!
We are going to head back to the parking lot now where we parked our cars and if you
have any questions that come to mind along the way please feel free to ask!

2. Limitations (of interpreting this theme, resource, and location/s)

There is no handicap accessibility. Because its outside there are potential
weather threats. Students could potentially not be willing to be there but rather are only
showing up for a grade so there will be lack of enthusiasm. Also, there is no restroom
for the participants to use.

INTERPRETIVE TECHNIQUES (overall program and individual stops)

1. Interpretive Techniques/enhancements.
We plan to use visuals such as pictures or diagrams. We also plan to
incorporate our audience's senses by having them listen to the streams.
2. Enjoyable. (Explain how you are designing your GWT to be enjoyable. Be specific.
These strategies should be consistent with and supported by the literature).
We are hoping to make our program enjoyable by keeping the audience
engaged. We are providing extra layers of clothes to make sure everybody is
comfortable along with water.
3. Relevant. (Explain how you are designing your GWT to be meaningful and personal
to your audience. Be specific. These strategies should be consistent with and supported
by the literature).
 We are going to make the tour relevant by making the participants aware
that the resources they will be experiencing personally while on our hike are resources
that affect them directly.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES

a. G & O for you as the interpreter (Use ToVOT format. Example: to speak with
confidence by looking participants in the eyes when I talk. Make these specific,
measurable and meaningful to you. You will need to report on your achievement of
them. Identify each objective with students name.)
Jeanie- To allow time for participants to answer questions
Courtney - To deliver the importance of protecting Lake Superiors watersheds by Commented [2]: how will you accomplish your goal?
write an objective as well
connecting the audience to their resources and to the specific creeks of the VPCR.
OBJECTIVE - By using interpretive techniques such as incorporating the participants
five senses, I want to get them to embrace and understand that they contribute to the
cleanliness and availability of their resources.
b. Objectives for your audience. (Use ABCD format: Audience, Behavior, Condition,
and Degree. Example: Ninety percent of audience will be able to accurately identify
three minerals when asked to do so during my interpretive talk. A minimum of two
SMART (sustainable, measurable, attainable, realistic, timely)objectives that support
your program goals.) Commented [3]: need to complete
1) ABCD - For all participants (in RE250) to comprehend and connect with the
extreme importance of the protection of our resources that reside in Vielmetti
Peters Conservation Reserve by the end of our guided walk/tour.
2) SMART - To connect students to the reality of where their resources come from
in Marquette, Michigan throughout our tour.
To create an everlasting understanding within participants about why the
protection of our forests and watersheds are crucial.
Jeanie-
A) To pace my talk by speaking slower to the audience.
If I ask the audience questions, I will embrace the quiet, so as to allow them time for
thoughts.
Objective: To not overload participants with information that they cannot handle all at
once. In order to make the tour more interactive and memorable speaking slower will
capture the audience's attention.
B. Objectives for your audience:
1) Ninety percent of students will be able to answer why biodiversity in a forest is
important.
2) A. By the end of the tour students will have walked part of the vielmetti peters
reserve and have been introduced to the resources on the reserve.
 B. Students will see a photo of forest succession, they will be asked where
they would want to live if they were a bigger animal, this will be during my talk.

RISK & SAFETY

Embed the following information in your completed program plan:
1. Risk Management Plan Components
2. Risk/Safety Assessment Worksheet

Risk to Audience

Location and Risk Assessment How to avoid/reduce risk Can this be done?

Before entering the Could potentially pose Give all participants a YES
VPCR, and during the the risk of someone clear warning about the
hike on the Waterfall falling/slipping. mud so they can
Loop, there is a stretch exercise caution while
of mud. walking throughout the
GWT.

Waterfall Loop - There Could pose the risk of Clearly announce to YES
are steep grades with somebody participants about the
mud, rock, and root. falling/slipping. potential risks during
the staging, and then
remind them again
before entering the
waterfall loop to
exercise extra caution.

Bridge before and after Wooden slits are a bit Notify the participants YES
creek confluence, spread apart so to watch their step
spread apart wooden somebody could before stepping onto
boards on bridge. potentially trip. Also, the bridge when you
they could trip off the reach it.
side if they are not alert
and cautious.

After the bridge that is Somebody could fall Warn participants YES
after the creek over or off the log if during staging and right
confluence, there is a they do not do it slowly. after bridge so they
large downed log you Somebody could try to
know what to expect.
have to climb over. stand/walk on the log.

Weather-if it is windy Branches falling on Warn them to stay alert YES

branches could crack participants throughout the guided
and fall on participants tour and to be alert of
falling branches if it is
windy
 Risk to Site/Resources

Location and risk Assessment How to avoid/reduce risk? Can this be done?

All bridges in the People could possibly Just notify participants YES
VPCR, people could weaken or break them. to respect the property
jump on them. and trails.

All of VPCR, litter and People could potentially Ask people for respect YES
pollution litter. and to not dispose of
anything improperly
during the GWT.

ACCURACY - REFERENCES (Use a standard reference. Give full citations. A

minimum of three different resources for each area)

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Logging. National Park Service. 2010.

https://www.nps.gov/piro/learn/historyculture/upload/logging2010.pdf

a. Topic references (References for your literature sources for your content/topic
information) 2) http://michigansaf.org/ForestInfo/MSUElibrary/ClearcuttingWhy.PDF
http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/loggingbackgrd.html
https://www.alansfactoryoutlet.com/building-materials-a-closer-look-at-different-types-of-
wood types of tree wood uses
b. Interpretive process references (References for your interpretive techniques,
theory, and foundations) Commented [4]: need to complete

Tilden, Freeman. 2007. Interpreting our Heritage. North carolina press.

Biological Diversity. Schoolyard Biodiversity Guide. 2011. Pacific Education Institute.

http://www.fishwildlife.org/files/ConEd-Schoolyard-Biodiversity-Guide.pdf

Comprehension Questionnaire (Biodiversity) (For email to students)

What natural resources did you see today?

Did the activities demonstrating biodiversity help you understand why sustainable forestry is
important? (no) 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 (yes)

Have your feelings changed at all towards clear cutting? If so, how?