GUIDELINES FOR SUCCESSFUL INFORMAL GEOLOGIC WALKING TOURS AND FIELD TRIPS

The best informal geologic walking tours and field trips for members of the general public combine aspects of formal (professional/for fellow geologists) and student geologic field trips with aspects of commercial walking tours and trips. As with formal geologic trips and commercial tours, it is important that the leader is authoritative and knows the topics covered inside out. It is even better if the leader is an expert on the geology of the site or sites visited. Expertise, however, is not enough. A good trip leader must also be engaging, entertaining, and prepared (as are good commercial guides). Use of personal anecdotes and humorous stories help create rapport with attendees. Optimal group sizes are between ~7 and 25 people (critical mass is necessary to develop group synergy, but it is difficult to maintain a personal touch with a group >25). A leader must also be attentive, making sure that she or he is heard and seen by all attendees as much as possible. A simple megaphone is helpful. Pacing (not too much time at any one spot) is important to keep the audience engaged. Props, including samples (minerals, fossils, rocks), poster-sized illustrations (e.g., a cityscape with buildings and their stone types labeled), large maps, simple sections, etc., help explain items seen, and are as important for informal tours and trips as they are for formal trips. Handouts covering salient aspects of a trip are appreciated by attendees. Some interactivity (not to the extent of student trips) should be included; this could be posing simple questions or providing opportunities for the audience to make their own observations. As with any good formal geologic field trip, it is important to add some kind of cultural aspect to informal walking tours and field trips.

Informal walking tours and field trips must be publicized to be successful. Targeted audiences work well (museum newsletters and websites, cemetery newsletters for cemetery geology trips, brochures, handouts) but a feature article in a major media outlet is even better. Good tours and trips also generate word-of-mouth advertising. With adequate promotion, the same tour or trip can be offered year after year. Publication of guidebooks and articles covering these tours and trips do not seem to diminish the audience for expert-led informal trips and can be used in whole or part as trip handouts.