Visitors encounter a range of sign media when they arrive at a trailside. Entry signs welcome them; maps orient them; regulatory signs guide them. But it is the experiences on the trail that inspire them, and often, those experiences are made more powerful with wayside exhibits.

Wayside exhibits are low-profile interpretive panels positioned along the trail. Done poorly, these panels only dispense facts, and too many of them at that. Done well, they convey powerful messages that visitors understand. While they increase awareness and build knowledge, they also serve to inspire people, even turning them into trail stewards and advocates.

This American Trails’ webinar, “Telling a Better Story,” focuses on strategies for captivating your trail audience with provocative, well designed interpretive panels. Get practical advice for developing theme-based messages, establishing budgets, selecting images and design elements, understanding how visitors learn, writing interpretive text, and preparing files for production. Join us for discussions and case studies, and take away
valuable tips and techniques to turn ordinary panels into extraordinary experiences.

Presenters:

Jennifer Rigby, Director, The Acorn Group and American Trails Board Member (bio)

Erica Fielder, Owner, Erica Fielder Studio, Interpretive Panels Start to Finish (bio)

Additional Information:

Payments Accepted:
Payments accepted are credit cards (Visa and MasterCard), PayPal, checks, and purchase orders. If paying via purchase order, please select “check” as your payment method in the online store and in the “notes” section write in your purchase order number.

Recording:
All webinars in the American Trails Advancing Trails Webinar Series are recorded. A link to the recording is included with the purchase of the webinar and will be sent within a day or two following the webinar, along with a pdf of the resources slide shown during the Q&A portion of the webinar that includes presenter contact information. Access to the recordings may also be purchased after the live session through the American Trails Online Store.

Closed Captioning:
Complimentary closed captioning in English is offered for our webinars, thanks to a partnership with VZP Digital. An unedited transcript will be sent to attendees following the webinar. If you require closed captioning in another language, please email trailhead@americantrails.org.

Questions?
Contact the American Trails office at trailhead@americantrails.org or (530) 605-4395.