The University of Nevada, Las Vegas will be the site of an innovative new conference for educators and others working at nature- and heritage-rich places. "Our Places Tell Stories - Making Connections with Our Audiences" will be held January 24-27, 2006, at the Donald C. Moyer Student Union on the UNLV campus.
The idea for the conference was prompted by a unique partnership of federal, state, university and public organizations, which identified the need to share successful educational and interpretive strategies. The conference is expected to draw more than 100 participants who work at public lands, nature centers, museums, zoos, aquariums, and other attractions.
"We want to provide the techniques so our educators learn how to effectively connect with audiences," said Allison Brody, program manager of the Education-in-the-Environment Strategy at UNLV's Public Lands Institute. "Our vision is that once the connection is made, children and adults will be inspired to understand, appreciate, and take care of southern Nevada's desert environment."
Conference topics include ways to create and market programs for audiences of diverse ages and ethnicities, skills to deliver messages to different audiences, and methods to strengthen the emerging network of site-based educators. The keynote speaker is Dr. Sam Ham, director of the Center for International Training and Outreach at the University of Idaho. Ham is well known for his research on the psychological outcomes of interpretation in enhancing the visitor's experience.
The conference is sponsored by the Southern Nevada Agency Partnership, which is comprised of the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Forest Service. The conference is funded in part by the Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act and organized by the Public Lands Institute. Other partners include the Nevada Department of Wildlife, UNLV Educational Outreach, Springs Preserve, Nevada State Museum and Historical Society, and CHOLLA.
The conference registration fee is $65, which covers all program activities beginning the evening of January 24 and extending through the afternoon of January 26. Daily fees are also available. For more information, contact Allison Brody at 895-5097 or visit <a href="http://publiclands.unlv.edu">http://publiclands.unlv.edu</a>.
