May 9-11, 2017
Because there is a new trend in the National Park Service for Ranger programs to involve visitors in more conversation several of us went to facilitated dialogue training last week learning some new techniques to help people share and learn from each other.
Have you every seen a fog bow?
Three of us left the North Rim Monday morning at an unreasonable 6 am for the two and a half hour drive to Page. It was chilly and ground fog hung above the meadows and ponds. Dropping 4,000 feet off the Kaibab Plateau the temperature steadily rose. We joined other Interpretive Rangers from several Southwest park sites at the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area headquarters at 9am. After brief introductions we set to work.
California Condors #30 & 01 near Navajo Bridge Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Ranger programs are based on a topic and theme. For example at Grand Canyon we talk about California Condors, an endangered species who has met many threats yet defied extinction and continues increasing in population. Our content is based on current science and documented history. We try not to lecture but instead interpret the information to help visitors make an intellectual and emotional connection. Not always easy when talking about a bird considered by most to be ugly. Sometimes we address complex and often controversial subjects like captive breeding, and the elimination of lead ammunition that can be found in carcasses poisoning the scavenger Condors, and Eagles too. We encourage visitors to take action by supporting the endangered species act, recovery program, and using copper ammunition. Sometimes there’s a bit of entertainment value when a Ranger imitates a courting dance. I’m guessing many of you have attended a Ranger program while visiting a national park site. As a Ranger, I hope you do. And that you get something out of the experience too. It’s your park, so you should be included and have your say. How should we continue to protect the largest flying land-bird in America?
And that’s where facilitated dialogue comes in. Encouraging conversation in a safe and respectful environment. Rangers can still provide content while also engaging visitors with questions that stimulate dialogue between everyone who chooses to participate. Freely shared personal experience, beliefs, feelings, and opinions with no judgement by others. This type of conversation is not an argument or debate, there is no right or wrong. It’s about inviting people with varied experiences and often differing perspectives to engage in an open-ended dialogue, learning with and from one another.
We experimented with various techniques to invite dialogue. Broke into small groups creating short programs about topics ranging from public lands, climate change, geology, protecting resources, immigration, and more, while implementing some of the new techniques. As an audience we participated in the programs and provided feedback.
Phlox, Phacelia, Prickly Pear cactus, Lupine, Primrose, & Desert Dandelion
During break I’d step outside to admire the desert flowers blooming everywhere. A treat I enjoy because the North Rim bloom is still at least a month away.
Jeremy at The Bowl
As an extra treat we had many restaurant choices in Page enjoying Thai, burger, salad, and sushi choices for dinners and lunches. Plus one night went bowling but I just observed knowing that would not be good for my arthritic shoulders.
The last night a sprinkling of rain fell. The sky looked exciting from the hotel room so I rushed out to take photos, with my phone. Could have been a prettier location and backdrop, but sometimes you just have to settle.
What more could I ask for than a gorgeous sunset with crepuscular rays, a double rainbow, and a hawk sitting on top of a pole? Maybe not being surrounded by what felt like a prison fence as seen in the Foto Friday Fun 214 post.
We stayed at LaQuinta
After a grocery stop we drove back Thursday morning with a quick stop at Navajo Bridge and saw California Condors 30 and 01. (Look closely on lower girder to left.) Finished the day talking about schedules and programs. Then two days off and Sunday for most of us preparing to open the North Rim May 15th. I actually have three days off starting opening day, just fell that way. Because repairs were completed early on the broken water pipeline all services except for Deli in the Pines will open on time.
I’ve already started to plan for more facilitated dialogue in a couple of my programs and am excited about the prospects. How would you feel about joining the conversation?
The facilitated dialogue training was put on by Sites of Conscience for National Park Service employees.
Very cool, Gaelyn! Diana and I have spoken to enough Rangers to clue us in that there must be some sort of training like this. Rangers are always asking questions on our experiences in the parks and tailoring the conversations around our interests. Not only do we come away from a conversation with them with more knowledge, interest and excitement, but we feel the Ranger has learned a little from us also…and that is really special.
That’s what we Rangers do, try to be as helpful as possible for each individual visitor. And I do learn from the visitors too.
I will be interested to hear how your discussion go especially with an endangered creature. Hearing and having a dialogue on various opinions could get…interesting!
What amazing photos!! Glad you were able to see several condor. I know how special they are to you. I’ve never seen a fog bow! Very cool! Love that full rainbow with the double peeking out:)
Have a great season!!
Thanks. This technique is all about engaging in controversial issues. Hope we don’t piss anybody off. 😉
Love these photos and especially the fog bow, very special. We are away for the remained of this week but will catch up on our return. Diane and Nigel.
Don’t remember ever seeing a fog bow before. Have a great time.
Page is such a beautiful area for your training, had to be an inspiring venue. But with all the canyons to visit – a bowling alley would not be high on my list 🙂 … But you all live and work in such beautiful places none with a bowling alley.
Page area is gorgeous but didn’t get to see much of it this trip. I guess bowling is an evening thing over canyons.
Hi, Gaelyn,
Great photos and wonderful write up. From this posting as well as a few from the past, I get the feeling that the Condor population is coming along well and more and more seem to be hanging out at Navajo Bridge.
Thanks George. Around 470 Condors world wide and just over half in the wild. There’s a nest not far from Navajo Bridge.
HI! Here I am. I signed into Internet Explorer just to visit you, and will do so now. Loved the story about the condors, and after your full day was over, I hope you had the opportunity to hold a real beer. I like your haircut, too.
Welcome back. I actually had hot saki that night instead of a beer. Thanks, I like this shorter cut.
While I don’t miss work at all, I do miss training – both attending and facilitating. Sounds like a really good seminar. You captured so many different skies on your trip. All of them are so beautiful.
Hopefully my next training will be to become a trainer. I really did score on some unusual skies. Good thing as days were mostly spent indoors.
Love your skies. Beautiful rainbow. I’ll be interested to see how the “conversations” go. I would love to participate provided I actually had something to say. Hope you don’t run into folks who just like to talk a lot and have to be controlled or they take over the “conversation”. The park service really does try so hard to give the public a quality and educational experience. My hat is off to all of you.
I am excited to try this new technique. Thank.
I’d like to see how an expert facilitator (like you) handles group contributions and perhaps we’ll get a chance one day. But as it stands right now, I’d rather listen to the experts (the Rangers) to be honest. Mostly, this is because we had a very bad experience some years ago at Mammoth Cave NP when the Ranger giving the talk allowed an evangelical person with some strong anti-science views to hijack his talk.
As a facilitator, or Ranger, one has to be able to rein in the over opinionated that talk too much. We call it share the air. Had my first creationist of the season at my first geology talk yesterday but he was OK and polite, after the program. Don’t know that I’m an expert but have been trying to engage the visitors more. I sure would love to see you at the canyon. Isn’t AZ on the way to OR from FL? 😉
Sign me for facilitated dialogue. We need more of that in this country instead of just yakking at each other. We need to send the Rangers into our State and National Capitals and straighten things up.
Sounds like a good thing to me in all seriousness.
Conversation mean listening and many of us just don’t do that. Good idea to teach.