DISTRIBUTION TECHNIQUES FOR INTERPRETIVE MATERIAL FOR GEOLOGIC SPECIAL INTEREST AREA ON THE KLAMATH NATIONAL FOREST

The Klamath National Forest provides an opportunity to discover a strikingly diverse assemblage of geologic features from the volcano-dominated landscape of the southern Cascade Mountains to the steep, rugged slopes of the Klamath Mountains. The Klamath National Forest has identified Geologic Special Interest Areas (GSIAs) to be managed for the preservation of their geologic significance. The GSIAs represents geologic processes that have created the modern day landscape and unique geologic features such as landslides, glass flows, rock glaciers, perennial snow fields, and lava tree molds. Research has yielded the role of geologic processes in shaping the landscape. The interpretation of these geologic processes through GSIAs provides excellent recreational opportunities. In order to realize this potential, interpretive material is presented in brochure form as well as in a web-page on the US Forest Service website. Google Earth, for example, provides an opportunity to remotely plan GSIAs excursions. Google Earth layers can provide the location of the feature and general information on the process which can be posted on the Google Earth Community forum. Virtual field trips are also possible using Google Earth, providing a ‘recreational’ opportunity to those interested in geologic processes shaping public lands no matter where they are. Interpretive trails with signs and trail brochures are also being planned. Additionally, the Earth Caching network may also be a way of getting the interpretive information to recreationist. Varied avenues of communication maximize the exposure of these amazing geologic features and recreational opportunities on the Klamath National Forest to the public. These methods can be expanded to tout the amazing geologic features on additional public lands.