MAKING SYRUP OUT OF SCIENCE (Invited Presentation)

No one walks up to a maple tree with a plate full of pancakes and opens a tap to dump sap on their food. In the same way, we cannot dump a bunch of information on people and expect them to comprehend and learn from it if we have not prepared that information properly. Communicating science is akin to the act of distilling maple syrup out of tree sap, taking something that is already specifically useful in one way and making it generally useful in another. This talk will present examples of how scientists and communicators in the National Park Service are working to reach people in more personal and engaging ways by distilling our science into stories, maps, and videos. It is an evolving practice that we hope enriches a park visitor’s experience and creates a better understanding of the broader world.