November Update

Time sure did go fast since my past post.  Been busy with updating my web site: www.heritageinterp.com, and got two new books written.  Advanced Interpretive Planning, and The Interpretive Trails Book.  The Advanced IP text book will be out in late November, and the Trails book in December.  On a personal note I will be receiving the National Association for Interpretation Fellow Award for 2014 - thanks to everyone who nominated me for that wonderful award.  To keep current on new projects and activities check my web site as that is always updated - I keep forgeting about the blog. :)   By the way, check out details about my 2015 Interpretive Master Planning Course in Wales. (photo from past IMP course).

June 2014 Interpretive Updates

  Hi folks.  It has been a while, so time to catch up on what's been happening over the past few months.  First, last month I was honered to receive the Professional Distinguished Interpreter award from Region 4 - NAI.  Thanks to NAI for that wonderful honor and for a great conference.  I am completing several interpretive plans for The Metro Parks of the Toledo Area, and was invited to be a keynote speaker for a interpretation conference in Mexico City.  We also just finishsed our Army Corps of Engineers Interpretive Services 4-day course this past week. I am still working with Prof. Ju-hee Lee from Deagu University in Korea on planning/designing a 5-year interpretive training program for the National Arboretums of Korea.  InterpNEWS, our internationala heritage interpretation e-magazine is now received by over 150,000 interpreters, agencies and organizations in 26 countries.  I also updated my web site and got an additional web address: www.interpretation.expert.  And finally received my recertification for Certified Interpretive Planner.  Start working on the Interpretive Systems Plan for Toledo Metroparks, and we have two proposals in for some huge interpretive planning/training projects in India with my UK partner Heritage Destination Consultating.

More later... hope you are enjoying summer.  jv

February Update

  Hi folks.  It has been a while but time to catch up.  Just completed our January Interpretive Services Course for the US Army Corps of Engineers, with two more training courses to go between now and June.  We also have several new projects with Metroparks of the Toledo Area for interpretive planning, and doing an Interpretive Graphics Standards for the Chessie Circle Trail (a rails-to-trail project in the Toledo area). Still trying to sort out web site problems that I can't access since they changed servers.  We also finished our Cape May NWR interpretive plan in MD.  The new issue of InterpNEWS (March/April) will go out in a few weeks too.  So stay in touch and I will try to do the same.  JV

2014 Undates

Hi folks.  Looks like 2014 will be a busy year.  We have several projects going on with Metroparks of the Toledo Area including two park interpretive plans.  I will be teaching a 4-day interpretive training course for the US Army Corps of Engineers at the end of January, and we will be developing an Interpretive Graphics Standards for the Chessie Circle Trail (a rails-to-trail project).

My web site host had changed servers and I am having problems accessing it on the new servier so will be working on getting it set on the new system.

I have been included in a new book from MuseumsEtc. - more on that later.  We finished up the Interpretive Plans for Falmouth Historic District in VA, and the Interpretive Plan section for the US Fish and Wildlife Service Cape May National Wildlife Reserve.  Photo form our 2013 COE Interpretive Training Course.
Many new projects on the horizon - I will try to keep up with this better :)  - JV

September Update

Hi folks,
It has been a busy month.  Recent issue of InterpNEWS was sent out (Sep-Oct Issue) and I am working on the Nov-Dec issue.  Just got back for Wales, UK from teaching a 4-day Interpretive Master Planning Course and it looks like I will be in India at the end of September to give a keynote presentation at an interpretation conference.  In the meantime, more work with Metroparks of the Toledo Area, Falmouth Historic District Interpretive Plan, and USFWS Cape May Visitor Services Plan.  Phew.   A few Pics  - The cover for the Sep/Oct issue, and our Interpretive Master Planning Course group photo (Sept. 2013).

Catching up

Hi

It's been a few months - just been busy.  I had heart valve surgery on June 11th and still in the process of re-hab and resting.  Have 3 more weeks of re-hab work to do but getting back to work slowly this week.  This was quite an experience that I will have to "interpret" some time.  Other news - still working on projects with MetroParks of the Toledo Area (Prospect MetroPark Interpretive Plan) and will be starting a new project with them for the Chesie Circle Trail Interpretive Plan (an 11-mile rails to trails project).  Also still working on the Falmouth Historic District IP, and the Cape May NWR interpretive plan.

My international heritage interpretation e-magazine InterpNEWS now has over 5000 readers in 24 countries.  Subscriptions are free - just send me your e-mail (jvainterp@aol.com) and I will add you to the list and send you the current issue. Here is the cover for the upcoming Sep/Oct 2013 issue.
That's about it - JV

Falmouth VA Historic District and Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center

  It ths been a busy start for the month.  Last week I was in Falmouth, VA starting work on the Falmouth Historic District Interpretive Plan.  The photos of the brick building shows one of the buildings from Colonial times.

 

Then on to San Francisco to work on an interpretive exhibit concept plan for the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center - a very large salt marsh with important environmental stories to tell and illustrate. The photo shows a general salt marsh seen.  All in all a busy but enjoyable week.

 

 

 

 

 

February Update

Hi folks.  Here is the Feb. update.  InterpNEWS, my new international heritage interpretation e-magazine now has over 3000 readers in 22 countries.  The photo on the left will be the cover photo for the May/June issue (know what it shows)?  New updates, just finished the first of three Corps of Engineer Ranger interpretive 4-day training courses in Huntsville, AL.  The first week of March I will be in San Francisco working with the Hayward Nature Center on Interpretive Exhibit Planning.  And yesterday we were notified that we were awarded with our team headed my Management Analysis Inc. of Virginia, the Visitor Services Management Plan project for Cape May National Wildlife Refuge.  On Monday I have meetings with Toledo Metro Parks looking at some interpretive master planning projects.  Looks like a busy spring. :)

New Interpretive Training Contract for 2013

I hope you have all had a great Thanksgiving and are getting ready for Christmas.  Things have been moving along at this end, working on several projects both in the US and Korea.  Some good news and a great early Christmas Present.  We were just awarded a 5-year Interpretive Training contract with the US Army Corps of Engineers to teach both the Interpretive Services Course, and the Advanced Interpretation Course for supervisors and managers, starting in 2013.  We are also waiting to hear about some other projects we have proposed on as well.  So Santa was good to us already.  The photo is from our Interpretive Services Course last spring.

Korea National Parks - EE Center Planning

National Parks of South Korea/Daegu University - Environmental Education Center Concept Development/ Interpretive Plan - Pilot Project.  JVA working on the team with Dr. Ju-Hee Lee, Deagu University, was contracted by the Korea National Park Service to develop the initial interpretive concept for development of a National Parks Environmental Education Center.  This is a pilot project that will eventually be used as a model to develop EE Centers in other Korea National Parks.  This project includes: site selection for the first National Park EE Center; development of the EE building concept footprint and building program; concepts for outdoor EE facilities including demonstration and activity areas; EE Discovery Trails; EE Center program topics and content recommendations; and EE market development.  The pilot concept design/interpretive plan will be completed in December, 2012

Korea Update

Here is a quick update on our Korea work.  We have finished the draft of the first course workbook (photo) and the working draft of our new Korea Interpretation Text Book, in association with Dr. Ju-Hee Lee of Deagu University.  We hope to have the translations, etc. for that book completed by the end of the year.  We also finished the first course lesson plans (being translated) as well.  Dr. Lee is hosting a meeting of key university/agency interpreters in October (China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan) to talk about the evolution of interpretation and interpretive training.  I'll keep you posted.  JV

Korea, Falmouth and more.

The Korea National Arboretum.

Just back from a week in Korea working on our 5-year interpretive training program.  We finished the draft of our Interpretive Services Text Book - to be published in Korean, as well as the lesson plans and course manual for the first training course - Foundations of Interpretation.

New Project ; Historic Falmouth (Stafford County, Virginia) Interpretive Master Plan. JVA in partnership with Lynn Knight of Management Analysis, Inc. (Virginia) were award the contract to develop the Interpretive Master Plan and Heritage Tourism Analysis/Potential for the historic community of Falmouth, Virginia. Many of Falmouth's early buildings remain standing, including the Cotton Warehouse; Duff Green Warehouse; Cambridge Inn, Temperance Tavern; Barnes House; Magistrate's Office; Counting House; Basil Gordon House; Moncure Conway House (boyhood home of the South's most prominent abolitionist); and Shelton Cottage. For more information about the history of Falmouth (and Stafford County) click on this link: http://www.staffordcountyhistoricalsociety.org/places.html#  The project will start in mid September.

John Veverka's text book Interpretive Master Planning to be reprinted in Italian. Dr. Marta Brunelli of the Universita degli Studi de Macerata, will be undertaking the translation of the text book into Italian in January 2013 with a publication date before the summer of 2014.   IMP was published a few years ago in Chinese as well.

Check out my new InterpNEWS international interpretation newsletter.  E-mail me your e-mail address and I will send you the Sep/Oct issue.

That's the updates for new. 
JV

The International Journal of Building, Urban, Interior and Landscape Technology, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University, Thailand.

I am honored to have been asked to be a peer reviewer for article submissions related to Heritage Interpretation and Eco Tourism by the journal.  This is cool as it will help me keep up to date on what interpreters in these market areas are working on and studying.  I am currently reviewing an article on Interpretive Planning related to Eco Tourism.  Looks really interesting.  If/when it is published I will make a PDF of the article available (with the authors permission) to my InterpNEWS readers.  Cheers, JV

Wow, August Already.  Here's some new JVA news.  Newcastle Universitys Centre for Culture and Heritage Studies in the UK is developing a new suite of Postgraduate e-learning programs in Heritage Management and Tourism.  The program includes 6 modules with each module having 8 units in it.  For the Communication and Interpretation Module, I have been asked to create the Units for "Communication and Interpretation Planning an Programming" and the unit on "Guiding and providing information for visitors".  I have begun working on these Units and hope to have them completed in October.  Each Unit will require about 15 hours of student engagement time.   I'll provide more inforamtion on the total heritage studies program as this is further developed. - jv

InterpNEWS

Hi folks,
Just a quick July Update.  Hope the summer isn't too hot, and you've had some rain.  Lots of things going on, including moving to a new house and office.  I wanted to do a quick note about our new interpretation newsletter "InterpNEWS", that has interpretation articles, information about new books, training courses, etc.  The July/August issue is currently available.  This issue has the "Ten Things To Consider When Hiring A Interpretive Consultant" article.  If you would like to be added to the e-mailing list for the newsletter send me an e-mail and I will send you the current issue and add you to the list.  More happening on the horizon.  Cheers, JV  jvainterp@aol.com

I just completed the Interpretive Master Planning Course at Snowdonia National Park Training Center in Wales, UK.  Our group photo, and a pic from our tour at the National Slate Mine Museum are shown.  There are more photos from the course at:  http://pinterest.com/jvainterp/.   Lots going on, including working on our Old Baldy Lighthouse Interpretive Plan, and working on our new "Interpretive Writing" book.  Check out my web site for current projects, etc.  http://www.heritageinterp.com/ .   Cheers, JV

We completed our COE June training program a few weeks ago.  Just catching up on postings.  Here is a video of one of the interpretive programs one of the groups put together as part of the course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v66l2RiFb3Y&feature=youtu.be that you might enjoy.  What a great and creative class.  The group photo is provided.  More workshop photos at:  http://pinterest.com/jvainterp/
Cheers, John V.

Interpretive Services Course - COE

This coming week I'll be spending with the US Army Corps of Engineers for our Interpretive Services course in Huntsville, Alabama.  This is a 4-day introductory course that covers many aspects of interpretation, including interpretive theory and principles, planning and designing interpretive panels and exhibits, and presenting live interpretive programs.  The above photo is from the January IS course with participants at the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge (our project site) working on interpretive panel projects.



May Update

Hi folks.  Things have been a bit busy writing proposals for new projects, completing projects on the books, and starting new projects, such as the Old Baldy Lighthouse Interpretive Plan.  I started a new post on "Pintrest", where you can post photos on any topic.  My Pintrest page has photos of curent and past projects, including a collection of Lighthouse Pics. from our lighthouse projects.  You can see my pintrest page at: http://pinterest.com/jvainterp/lighthouse-interpretation-projects/.   Updates on our Korea Nati onal Arboretum Training project will be coming in June (one of the Korea BG displays - top photo).  We also have joined an internation team for a major interpretation project in Croatia!  Fingers crossed on that one.  Cheers, JV

May update and Old Baldy Lighthouse.

Old Baldy Lighthouse and Museum Interpretive Plan, Bald Head Island, NC.  http://www.oldbaldy.org/  JVA, working with Matt Kaser of Kaser Design, was awarded the contract to develop the interpretive plan and exhibit concept plan for the Old Baldy Lighthouse and Museum.  You can visit this site via their web site link.  The project will start in May and be completed by August, 2012.  The photo is the Old Baldy Lighthouse.  What a great location to be working in during the spring and summer :).