Instant Karma - Blazing Your Trail

It's sometimes hard to judge whether an interpretive program has any impact on the intended audience.  In fact, as interpreters, we're trained to deal with the concept of really not knowing if our programs, our work, has any impact whatsoever.

Our newest school program at FortWhyte, "Blazing Your Trail- an Introduction to Land Navigation", is the exception.

I realized why this afternoon. My very-cautious group of Grade Seven students tentatively, and with excessive coaching, started to twist and turn their orienteering map as they made their way across FortWhyte.

As the group gained comfort with the map, and the woods, caution turned to enthusiasm.  Tentative steps turned to running, and I found myself chasing a high-energy group rather than coaching from the front.

I had seen my group learn!  In the space of fifty metres, I had seen my group gain comfort, confidence, and competency with a new skill.  Instant gratification...instant feedback...the program (and the I, as the interpreter) had made a difference!  The volunteer interpreters working on this program have similar stories.

There was no question, hesitation, or uncertainty about impact today - each student had learned at least a little bit.  We gave information, it was accepted, processed, and acted upon.  We saw it happen, right in front of us

I LOVE THIS PROGRAM!

Barret's Top 10 Reasons To Love FortWhyte Alive

  

#10.  World's Biggest Urban Bison Herd - 27 of the world's ninth-largest land animal...right in Winnipeg's backyard!

#9.  Indoor Nature - Our Interpretive Centre houses permanent displays such as the Kiwanis Touch Museum, Aquarium of the Prairies, Climate Change and Greenhouse exhibits, Sustainable Agriculture dioramas, and live salamanders and snakes...plus the occasional ground squirrel, mink, or raccoon who decides to come in for a tour!

#8.  Open 364 Days a Year - Neither snow, nor sleet, nor heat of July, nor gloom of fourteen-hour December night ends the fun here.  Each season brings new outdoor activities to try...and love!

#7.  Food!!! -  It may be marshmallows or bannock on the campfire, and elegant, locally-sourced banquet meal, a quick bison burger at the Buffalo Stone Café, or fresh Saskatoons from the forest, but there's always a tasty nibble nearby!

#6.  Architecture - Each of our buildings strive to be green, and each is extremely unique in terms of design.

#5.  We Are Who We Are  - We are a non-profit environmental and cultural education centre based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We have a large, supportive volunteer corps.  We do not pretend to be anything else.  It's honest, it's refreshing, it's who we are!

#4.  All Trails Lead to FortWhyte Alive - Hiking?  Yes.  Snowshoeing?  Yup, we've got it.  Biking?  Horse-drawn wagon rides?  Deer paths in the forest?  Recovered rail beds?  Canoe routes?  FortWhyte Alive has it.

#3.  Goose Flights - Our largest lakes host up to 20,000 geese.  I do not believe it possible to watch 20,000 migrating geese settling on the water back lit by a blazing prairie sunset and not have one's soul stirred.

#2.  World Class Programs - FortWhyte Alive's programming always attempts to show the connection between culture and nature in a very personal way.  I used to take this thinking for granted - everyone must do things this way, right?  I was wrong.  For most people, tying culture, heritage, and environment together in a fun way is simply outside of their experience.  I have had people from Australia and Malaysia, from Austria and Tanzania, tell me what we are doing at FortWhyte is important work, and that more similar work needs to be done.  That they wish someone was doing something like it in their city, or country.  I've seen people moved to tears as they realize they have more in common than not, just by spending some time together sitting in a tipi and talking...

Sometimes, you need to go halfway around the world to realize what's in your backyard, and how special it is.

#1.  The People -  I get to spend everyday with my friends.  These could be my staff friends, volunteer friends, family friends, or FortWhyte Alive visitors, who are friends I just have not yet met!  FortWhyte Alive is about connection - to the land, to our history...to each other.  I love that sense of connection.

There's my top ten.  I'd love to hear your favourite things about FortWhyte!

See you on the trail,

Barret