VI. INTERPRETATION AND RECREATION PLAN
- A. Overview
- B. Sanctuary Resources
- C. Sanctuary Audience
- D. The Sanctuary Story
- E. Interpretive and Recreational Facilities and Programs
- F. Implementation Strategies
Designation of Gray's Reef as a national marine sanctuary emphasizes the national significance of this South Atlantic live bottom area. It focuses special attention on the need for long-term protection, wise use and proper management of the area. Through effective interpretive* and recreational programs, the sanctuary environment is made known to many persons, knowledge of sanctuary resources becomes more meaningful and use of the area becomes safer and more enjoyable.
Interpretive and recreational planning is a continuing and evolving process. Planning and implementation strategies are broken down into phases. Phase I extends over the next 5 years and will be devoted to gathering and analyzing information about the sanctuary and audiences for sanctuary programs and designing interesting and informative programs that will use existing facilities and require minimal capital investment. Programs will be updated as new information becomes available.
Programs and facilities proposed in this Plan reflect recommendations of participants at the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary Management Planning Workshop (see Appendix B). They also reflect activities proposed by the University of Georgia in its proposal to provide interpretive services for the Sanctuary (UGA, 1982). Public input and involvement in program planning will continue to be a vital part of overall sanctuary planning and management.
*Note: Interpretation goes beyond the typical "classroom" educational approach by actively involving the audience in interesting and informative programs. Audio-visual materials, hands-on exhibits, guided and self-guided tours and demonstrations by trained interpreters provide the information that leads to increased knowledge and understanding of nature. Over the long term, interpretation serves to generate concern for protecting vital resources and promotes a conservation ethic.
The sanctuary environment is described in Section II of this Plan. As more is learned about the sanctuary environment from resource studies, understanding of how the system functions will improve and the resource base from which to develop interpretive and recreational programs will expand.
There are two distinct groups for which interpretive and recreational programs at Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary will be provided: sanctuary visitors and extension audiences (or non-visitors). These two groups can be further differentiated on the basis of their use and knowledge of sanctuary resources, their interests and their information needs (Dobbin, 1982).
1. Sanctuary Visitors
Sanctuary visitors are defined as those people who are actually present within the sanctuary at a given time (Dobbin, 1982). Although there is often overlap between categories, sanctuary visitors include:
Organized sport fishing club members (e.g., Golden Isles Sport Fishing Club)
Charter boat fishermen (often residents of inland Georgia or tourists from outside Georgia)
Commercial fishermen (infrequent long liners, hook-and-line fishermen and illegal trap fishermen)
Individual sport divers (usually coastal residents)
Organized sport diving club members (e.g., Golden Isles Sport Diving Club and Savannah Area Sport Diving Club)
Charter boat sport divers (local residents and tourists on scheduled dive trips or special charters)
Research scientists (usually local but also visiting scientists from the South Atlantic region)
Resource Managers (usually local but also visiting managers from the South Atlantic region)
Educators with school groups for "hands on" demonstrations (usually from coastal and inland Georgia)
Interpreters who visit the sanctuary to obtain information for interpretive programs or to lead field trips (usually local)
Surveillance and enforcement agents (U.S. Coast Guard)
Transient vessel crew members.
Sanctuary visitors characteristically have specialized interests in the sanctuary environment. They are also the group that is most informed about the resources and the most directly affected by management programs. Better defined profiles on sanctuary visitors are needed to insure that sanctuary programs are geared to the needs and expectations of this group.
2. Extension Audience
Extension audiences include both potential sanctuary visitors and those people who may never visit the Sanctuary. This audience category can be further subdivided into those who are already aware of the sanctuary and have demonstrated an interest in learning more about it and those who are unaware of the sanctuary and may or may not develop an interest in it when they discover that the sanctuary exists. The extension audience represents very diverse groups and presents a different challenge in interpretive and recreational planning from that experienced with sanctuary visitors. Extension audiences include:
The local community
Special interest groups (local and national)
Government agencies
The sanctuary story can be told in many different ways. Selecting the appropriate method depends to a large degree on the needs of the audience that will receive it. Themes or principal story headings are relate to special sanctuary features and key management issues, and messages or storylines are what interpretation attempts to convey. A wide variety of media can be used to convey the messages.
The following are examples of the themes and messages that could be used to tell the story of Gray's Reef.
Messages: What is a marine sanctuary? What is its purpose? Why is this site special? What activities take place in a sanctuary? Are there special rules of conduct? How do you avoid conflict between those who want to protect the resource and those who want to use the resource? Are there other marine sanctuaries in the U.S.? In the world?
Theme: Orientation to the Sanctuary
Messages: What is a live bottom? Where is the Sanctuary located? How do you get there? Do I want to go there? What would I expect to see or do? Would I recognize any familiar sights or would it be a brand new experience?
Theme: Sanctuary Research Program
Messages: What type of research is conducted in the Sanctuary? What will these studies tell us? What are the values and vulnerabilities of research?
Theme: Geology and Origin of Gray's Reef
Messages: What is the reef made of? How was it created? When was it created? Were any people around at that time? What types of plants and animals lived there then? What types of climate did they experience? Is Gray's Reef one-of-a-kind or are there other reefs like it? Is the geology static, or are current events changing the appearance of the reef? What factors contribute to this change?
Theme: Live Bottom Reef Communities
Messages: What types of plants and animals are found at the live bottom? Would these organisms be there if the reef did not exist? What factors determine what their occurrence? How are the species distributed on the reef? Does this distribution change by day/night or by season? What sort of feeding relationships exist? How does the food web at Gray's Reef compare to that at tropical coral reefs? What is man's relationship to the live bottom community?
Theme: Sand Bottom Communities
Messages: What plants and animals are found in sand bottom areas? How do they compare or contrast with those found on hard bottom areas? What is the relationship between sand bottom and hard bottom areas?
Theme: Visitor Safety
Messages: What are the potential hazards of a sanctuary visit? How can one enjoy the Sanctuary and avoid endangering oneself? What should be done in an emergency situation?
E. Interpretive and Recreational Facilities and Programs
A variety of facilities and techniques are available for interpreting the sanctuary and for providing recreational services and opportunities. Selection of the type of facilities and programs that are necessary and appropriate to fulfill Sanctuary Goal 3 is based on a consideration of several factors, including interpretive quality, information content, audience benefit, environmental impact, staffing and materials requirements and capital investment. A preliminary analysis has been conducted and the strategies presented below are the result of this analysis. Facilities and programs will be improved, and perhaps expanded, over time.
1. On-Site Programs
Unlike shallow coral reefs located close to shore that lend themselves to on-site "hands on" interpretive and recreational activities, such as guided snorkel or scuba tours, glass bottom boat observations, or submerged manned habitats, Gray's Reef is located in the open ocean where weather and sea conditions are highly variable, often hazardous and require specific boat sizes and navigational skills. Access to Gray's Reef is limited by a lack of public ferries, charter boats and party boats in the area, distance from shore (at least 18 nautical miles), travel time requirement for trip (1-3 hours, one way), and capital investment for trip ($35 and up). Opportunities for first hand encounter with sanctuary environment is limited because of the inability to observe the reef from the water's surface and the environmental hazards that necessitate specialized open-ocean diver training and preclude novice divers. These reasons plus vulnerability of the resources to increased user pressure limit opportunities for on-site programs.
2. Off-Site Facilities
The factors listed above create the need for land-based facilities. Several existing facilities in coastal Georgia will be used to present sanctuary programs and exhibits. These are described below. Other local sites, such as area libraries, museums, schools, parks and recreation areas, dive shops and sporting goods centers, as well as facilities in other areas across the State and within the region might be appropriate and will be considered during Phase I.
The University of Georgia's Marine Resource Center on Skidaway Island near Savannah, Georgia will serve as the primary site for sanctuary interpretive and recreational programs. It is where visitors can receive information about the sanctuary, where exhibits will be displayed, and where a central repository of publications and visual media will be maintained. Educational materials will be available for in-house use and for loan to community groups and other educational facilities.
The Center is headquarters for the University's Marine Extension Service, and its main function is as a marine resources educational facility. The Center not only accommodates science class groups, but provides marine educational opportunities for teachers, members of the business and industrial community, State and Federal agencies, and the general public. A variety of methods, techniques, and approaches are used to meet the scholastic level and need of the target audience. These include lectures, short courses, workshops, field trips, and displays (UGA, 1982).
The Center is a 19,000 sq. ft. facility with a 10,000 gallon aquarium containing live specimens in simulated natural habitats. The Center also has educational exhibit areas, seminar and lecture rooms, teaching laboratories, and a dormitory, with a dining room and kitchen (see Fig. VI-l). The research laboratories and marine science library of the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography are adjacent to the Center. The Center's 43-ft SEA DAWG, a fiberglass lobster boat, is used in marine education programs.
The Coastal Resources Division (CRD) facilities are located in Brunswick, Georgia, and consist of office space, docks, and a small information/exhibit center. The office of the coordinator for the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary is at the CRD. The CRD center has aquaria containing marine and coastal organisms, a "petting" aquarium, underwater photographs, and mounted finfish and shellfish specimens. Information on the Sanctuary can be acquired at the CRD center. Also available are guides to inshore and offshore fishing, fishing maps, and a "how to" series on various fishing methods. Coastlines Georgia, CRD's bi-monthly publication, contains feature articles on coastal resources and local activities. CRD staff are frequently involved in local fishing tournaments and sponsor a variety of public service oriented programs such as bait-rigging demonstrations, boat safety and SCUBA diving courses, and slide presentations. CRD staff also conduct interpretive programs for the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Sanctuary.
The Meridian Dock is the principal departure/arrival point for the public ferry SAPELO QUEEN and other boats that service Sapelo Island, Georgia. Participants on the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Resrve tour ride the ferry. A small visitor center located on the dock contains exhibits on marine and estuarine ecosystems, specific information on the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve, and a slide presentation room. Interpretive materials on the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary will be available at the visitor center.
The primary focus of the Marine Institute's activities is on saltmarsh ecology and nearshore processes. Although primarily a research laboratory, the Institute supplements educational activities originating at the University's Marine Resources Center on Skidaway Island. A modest visitor center was established by the Institute in support of the Sapelo Island National Estuarine Research Reserve tours carried out by the CRD. Information on the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary will be disseminated at the visitor center.
The Marine Extension Center in Brunswick serves as the operating base for activities designed to help the seafood industry increase its efficiency and productivity. The current facility was completed in 1980 and is located on East River. The Brunswick Center operates a 73-ft. shrimp boat, the GEORGIA BULLDOG, to carry out exploratory fisheries research and gear development.
The Brunswick Center has become a focal point for addressing industry problems. Gear research and development programs, exploratory fishing activities, and service and training programs have contributed significantly to the close rapport between the University and the seafood industry. Appropriate programs and interpretive materials on Gray's Reef will be developed for presentation at the Brunswick Center.
Visitor and welcome centers in Georgia's coastal counties provide excellent opportunities for disseminating information to travelers as well as to local residents. Brochures and other interpretive materials pertaining to the marine sanctuary will be displayed and mobile programs will be rotated between the centers.
The following programs are proposed for Phase I based on a consideration of interpretive and recreational program needs, availability of the facilities described above and fiscal constraints.
A master mailing list and profile on sanctuary audiences will be developed to assist sanctuary interpreters reach interested parties and structure programs to meet special interests and needs. Some target audiences have already been identified through existing interpretive programs, local fishing and sportdiving clubs, area educational institutes, and environmental organizations. Each of these groups will have unique interests and will present a different challenge for interpretive and recreational planning.
Several aquaria at the Marine Resource Center on Skidaway Island will be redesigned and restocked with examples of the habitat and fauna of Gray's Reef. These aquaria will be identified as "typical" ecological niches of Gray's Reef. Several field trips to live bottoms will be required each year to collect live specimens for the aquaria.
Exhibits will be assembled to depict various aspects of the Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary and placed in the public exhibit area of the Marine Resource Center on Skidaway Island. These will include such items as a three-dimensional model of Gray's Reef and dried specimens of more striking organisms.
Sets of back lighted color transparency displays will be developed to provide graphic information on the Marine Sanctuary Program in general and on Gray's Reef in particular. These displays will be placed at the Marine Resources Center on Skidaway Island, the Marine Institute on Sapelo Island, and the Marine Extension Center at Brunswick. In addition, depending on permission from the appropriate agency, similar displays will be rotated among the Coastal Resources Division headquarters in Brunswick, Visitor's Centers at St. Mary's, Brunswick, Darien, and Savannah, the Cumberland Island National Seashore, and the Meridian Visitor Center.
A slide series will be developed to present the history and rationale for the development of the National Marine Sanctuary Program. Description of the Gray's Reef program will be incorporated in the materials presented to the various groups that avail themselves of the educational opportunities at both the Skidaway and Brunswick Centers.
Other appropriate material will be inventoried and considered for inclusion in the interpretive program. This includes videotape records made by Jesse Hunt and V. J. Henry through the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, a television documentary prepared by WXIA TV in Atlanta, Georgia, and underwater photography catalogues of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and other scientific investigators.
Illustrated brochures describing Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary have been prepared by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and by the Office of Coastal Zone Management. At this time, there does not appear to be a need to duplicate these. Brochures are relatively inexpensive to distribute; however, they have only minimal impact in creating public awareness because most people tend to discard them. Interpretive materials which create lasting impressions are desired for GRNMS.
To supplement the existing brochures, a series of posters which are sufficiently attractive to be retained for display on an office wall or classroom bulletin board will be prepared. The posters would have general information material on the backside regarding the history and philosophy of the National Marine Sanctuary Program and specific information regarding the special topic areas highlighted on the front side. Examples for poster themes include:
The front side would be a quasi-three-dimensional map showing the general configuration and bottom topography of Gray's Reef.
- THE GEOLOGY OF GRAY'S REEF, A NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
The front side would be graphic illustrations of various geological features of Gray's Reef.
- SPORT FISHES OF GRAY'S REEF, A NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
The front side would be illustrations and life history notes of common fishes of interest to recreational fishermen.
- MAJOR INVERTEBRATE GROUPS OF GRAY'S REEF, A NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY
The front side would have illustrations and life history notes of various invertebrate groups (e.g., sponges, starfish).
The potential impact of such posters can be gauged by the success of a series of inshore fishing guides issued by the University of Georgia's Sea Grant College Program to meet the needs of recreational fishermen. Although the primary target for the fishing guides were recreational fishermen, educators are using them as teaching aids. Accordingly, the Marine Sanctuary posters will be distributed to science teachers in the public school system for similar use.
NOAA/SPO will see that the Sanctuary is adequately charted on nautical charts issued by NOAA/National Ocean Survey. In addition, as information becomes available from hydrographic and biological assessments in the Sanctuary, site specific maps showing significant habitat and community features will be produced and made available to sanctuary audiences.
Sanctuary newsletters will be used to announce sanctuary developments or upcoming events. Topics of interest could include reports on research, interpretive programs, sport fishing, and sportdiving events as well as feature articles and news on other national marine and estuarine research reserves. For the present time, the National Marine Sanctuary Program Status Report and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Coastlines Georgia will be used to inform the public of sanctuary events and discoveries. Other publications will be encouraged to do feature articles on the Sanctuary.
A Coastal Interpreter's Workshop is being contemplated to provide a forum to educate the various people who are actively engaged in interpretation of Gray's Reef and the marine environment. The workshop would be geared primarily to educators (K-12, college, and university), interpreters, naturalists, and public relations or media types. Through a combination of "classroom" and "on site" instruction, participants would gain first-hand expert knowledge of the reef, its benefits, and its vulnerabilities.
A Coastal Interpreter's Workshop (above) would help generate a bureau of persons who are knowledgeable about the sanctuary resources and who are geared to talk informatively to various audiences. The Sanctuary Interpreter will coordinate activities of the Speaker's Bureau if it is formed.
Resource collections from various research expeditions to Gray's Reef, published and unpublished documents, and other descriptive or visual documentation of resources at Gray's Reef will be located, inventoried, catalogued, and made available or put on display in an easily accessible location. A "loan system" will be considered to enable students, scientists, educators, and other interested parties to borrow materials as needs arise (see Section V, Resource Studies Plan).
This Plan is designed to provide a long term agenda for interpretation and recreation related to Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary. It is anticipated that the programs proposed herein, or at least parts of them, can be funded by NOAA during Phase I as funds are available. Collaboration with other agencies and organizations will be encouraged to enhance funding opportunities.
The roles and responsibilities of the Sanctuary Interpreter and other parties involved in sanctuary interpretive and recreational programs are presented in Section VII, Administration Plan. The Interpretive and Recreational Plan will be reviewed annually and updated every five years following the procedures outlined in Section VIII, Management Plan Review.