What
is Interpretation?
The word Interpretation means many
things. It can mean the translation of languages, perceptions about
poems or novels, how a person feels about a historic building, or
thinks about a scientific theory.
In the National Park Service, Interpretation is
the process of helping each park visitor find an opportunity to
personally connect with a place. Each individual may connect to
the place in a different way...some may not connect immediately,
but everyone should have an opportunity to explore how a park is
meaningful to them.
It might be that a ranger 's discussion of a scenic
vista inspires an emotional connection for some. In the mind of
another, the same landscape might provoke a more intellectual connection
through an interpretive sign describing the geologic history of
the scene.
The goal of all interpretive
services is to increase each visitor's enjoyment and understanding
of the parks, and to allow visitors to care about the parks on their
own terms. |