Speaking Out for Conservation at Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

Abstract

The professional internship discussed in this report took place at Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. For the duration of the project, I worked with the Interpretation Department as a ranger in the Volunteers-In-Parks (VIP) program. The purpose of the Interpretation Department is to guide guests through the park, answer their questions, educate visitors about the parks natural and cultural resources, and help them have a pleasant experience during their visit. In addition to these duties, I also created a new ranger hike activity meant to inspire participants to join their local conservation efforts when they return home. I incorporated persuasive strategies into the event, such as the use of increasing social revenue, creation of positive experiences, and the display of messages that discussed the benefits of conservation for wildlife and people to broaden its appeal. I also included an ‘ōlelo chant (traditional Hawaiian chant) to engage the guests and make a lasting impact. The scripts for my tours were recorded and saved in Google Docs, and feedback from audiences were presented in my daily journal, which discussed my observations of the audiences’ reception of my talks. I also created the draft of a new Volunteers-In-Parks Handbook for Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park.