Burt Lake State Park Interpretive Trail.

Abstract

Burt Lake State Park (BLSP) is a well-developed recreational facility that has been without an environmental interpretive program since budget cuts limited funds during the Reagan years. To improve the environmental education status at the park, we decided to embark on the task of developing a self-guided, environmental awareness-raising, interpretive pamphlet to accompany an existing wood-chipped nature trail. Our approach was to offer to visitors exposure to several different aspects of human/environment interactions by discussing wildlife, plants, natural history, disturbances, and various other subjects to stimulate thought among BLSP users. Through research of the local area, meetings with the park manager, Dale Curry, and hours of time spent at BLSP, we created a well-rounded, self-guided tour. In the process, we offered management suggestions to Dale based upon our observations; we discussed a preliminary route for the trail to be expanded into a full loop route in the future; and, we accomplished the goal of meeting a need for the park and its users.