Death Valley National ParkLong-Range Interpretive Plan

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

Death Valley National ParkCalifornia

Death Valley National ParkLong-Range Interpretive Plan

Prepared by the Department of Interpretive PlanningHarpers Ferry CenterandDeath Valley National Park

September 2005

National Park ServiceU.S. Department of the Interior

Contents

Introduction and Background 1Introduction 1Planning Background 2

Planning Foundation 4Park Mission 4Park Purpose 4Park Significance 4Primary Interpretive Themes 5Visitor Experience Goals 6Visitation and Visitor Use Patterns 6Existing Conditions 10

Recommendations 13Outreach and Pre-Arrival 13On-Arrival 15Furnace Creek Visitor Center 16Scotty’s Castle 22Beatty/Rhyloite Visitor Contact Station 24Emigrant and Stovepipe Wells 24Wayside Exhibits 24Personal Services 25Education Program 26Special Populations 27Research Needs 27

Summaries 29Summary of Products and Actions 29Staffing and Training 29Implementation Plan 31Planning Team and Consultants 33

Appendicies 34Appendix A: Web Site Concept 35Appendix B: Furnace Creek Visitor Center Rehabilitation Project Drawings 36Appendix C: Programmatic Accessibility Guidelines for Interpretive Media 40

Badwater and the Panamint Mountains

IntroductionDeath Valley National Park (DEVA) is an activeworld of exciting contrasts and wonders, fromscorching valleys to snow-covered peaks, spectac-ular wildflower displays to beautiful sand dunes,abandoned mines to Scotty's Castle. For thousandsof years, the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe has lived inand around the area that now encompasses thepark.

Death Valley National Monument was establishedby presidential proclamation under the AntiquitiesAct of 1906, on February 11, 1933. The monumentwas subsequently enlarged and changed to DeathValley National Park by Congressional action onOctober 31, 1994, with the passage of the CaliforniaDesert Protection Act. Over 1.3 million acres ofnew lands were added, bringing the total acreageto 3,396,192. Nearly 95% of the park is designatedas wilderness and it is the largest national park unitin the coterminous 48 states.

Death Valley National Park is the lowest point inNorth America and one of the hottest places in theworld. It is also a vast geological museum, contain-ing examples of most of the earth's geologic eras,and a plethora of geologic features including allu-vial fans, faults, dunes, playas, salt pans, and volca-noes. Perhaps the park's greatest assets today areclear air, vast open spaces that stretch toward dis-tant horizons, and overwhelming silence.

Death Valley National Park includes all of DeathValley, a 156-mile-long north/south-trendingtrough that formed between two major block-faulted mountain ranges: the Amargosa Range onthe east and the Panamint Range on the west.Telescope Peak, the highest peak in the park and in

the Panamint Mountains, rises 11,049 feet abovesea level and lies only 15 miles from the lowestpoint in North America in the Badwater Basin saltpan, 282 feet below sea level. The California DesertProtection Act added most of Saline, Eureka,northern Panamint, and Greenwater valleys to thepark.

The diversity of Death Valley's seven plant com-munities is reflected in three biotic life zones: thelower Sonoran, the Canadian, and theArctic/Alpine in portions of the Panamint Range.Three vegetation types are represented: scrub,desert woodland, and coniferous forest. A varietyof wildlife species are supported in this environ-ment, including 51 species of native mammals,approximately 350 species of birds, 36 species ofreptiles, three species of amphibians, and threespecies and one subspecies of native fishes. Smallmammals, such as kangaroo rats and rabbits, aremore numerous than large mammals, such as thedesert bighorn, coyote, bobcat, mountain lion, andmule deer.

The park's top resource management priority isthe protection of the endangered Devils Hole pup-fish. Devils Hole is a limestone cave located on asmall track of land east of the park in southwestNevada. It was added to Death Valley NationalMonument is 1952. This 40 acre tract is part of alarger spring complex in Nevada called AshMeadows. Devils Hole falls within the boundariesof Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge (whosecreation in 1984 was precipitated by the protectionof Devils Hole). This limestone cave is the onlynatural habitat of the Devils Hole pupfish(Cyprinodon diabolis). The underground aquiferdetermines the cave's natural water level, which

1

INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

has no stream flow out of the cave. Historic andongoing mining of groundwater in AmargosaValley has sometimes directly lowered the waterlevel in Devils Hole, occasionally exposing a shal-low limestone shelf on which the pupfish dependfor food and spawning.

Decline of the Devils Hole pupfish and the contin-ued drop of water levels in the cave drove litigationresulting in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholdingthe government's right to water to maintain a mini-mum water level in the cave (US v. Cappaert, 1976).In recent years the Devils Hole pupfish populationhas continued to decline. Even though there hasbeen a corresponding drop in water levels,researchers are trying to determine if the currentincidents are related.

For millennia, American Indian peoples lived with-in the Death Valley area, using the resources andlands to sustain their lives and cultures. Today'stribal governments and communities historicallyassociated with the region include the Panamint orTimbisha Shoshone of Death Valley; NorthernPaiute of Benton, Big Pine, Bishop, FortIndependence, and Lone Pine; and the SouthernPaiute of Las Vegas and Pahrump. The report,"The Timbisha Shoshone Tribal Homeland(1999)," and subsequent legislation (2000) signedby President William J. Clinton, affirm the contin-ued presence of the Tribe in the park and in otherparts of its ancestral homeland. The TimbishaShoshone Homeland Act addresses the NationalPark Service’s need to more fully incorporate thecultural history, values, and activities of theTimbisha Shoshone Tribe into the overall manage-ment of Death Valley National Park. The tribe’soccupation of this desert land has shaped the cul-tural practices of the tribe and has left an imprinton the land. The tribe will play an irreplaceable

role in the interpretation of park features andresources, providing a living link to the distant pastand enriching the experience of park visitors.

Many historic properties and landscapes existwithin the park, and those which meet the criteriahave been listed on the National Register ofHistoric Places. Most sites contain structures orother tangible remains of the activities that tookplace there. Death Valley is unique because it dis-plays a continuum of mining activities from at leastthe 1860s to the present day. Many historic miningresources are of particular significance eitherbecause similar resources are not found elsewherewithin the national park system, or because theyare in a better state of preservation than examplesfound elsewhere.

PLANNING BACKGROUNDThis Long-Range Interpretive Plan (LRIP) forDeath Valley National Park is a component of thepark's Comprehensive Interpretive Plan (CIP), asoutlined in National Park Service Director'sOrders-6 (DO-6). Using the park's mission, pur-pose, and resource significance statements, plusthe primary interpretive themes and visitor experi-ence goals, this plan articulates a vision for thepark's interpretive future, and recommends themedia, facilities, and programs best suited formeeting visitor needs, achieving managementgoals, and telling park stories.

The last interpretive plan for the park was anInterpretive Prospectus completed in 1990 byHarpers Ferry Center. Since then, the park hasbeen greatly expanded, including changing its des-ignation from a national monument to a nationalpark. Changes in the primary interpretive themes,along with changing visitor use patterns and goals,also have necessitated a new long-range plan forthe park's overall interpretive program.

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In April 2002, the General Management Plan(GMP) for Death Valley National Park wasreleased. As the park's primary planning documentall subsequent planning, including this LRIP,should tier off the actions proposed in the GMP.

In addition to recommending a new parkwideLRIP, actions proposed in the GMP that relatespecifically to information, orientation, education,and interpretation include the following:

• Developing an interpretive operation, programs,and activities that integrate the geological, cul-tural, and biological aspects of the park.

• Improving the educational outreach program insurrounding communities and developing part-nerships with local schools and similar groups.

• Seeking additional ways to improve the living his-tory program or other means of interpretingScotty's Castle.

• Integrating interpretation of prehistoric, historic,and contemporary American Indian cultures intoparkwide interpretive themes, focusing onhuman adaptation to the desert environment.

• Providing (where possible) interpretation and

orientation for visitors before they enter thepark.

• Developing unstaffed orientation/informationstations within the park along the five majorentrance roads.

• Posting signs at key road intersections leading tosignificant features.

• Cooperating with other agencies and organiza-tions to make information available alongapproach routes to the park.

• Operating the major visitor centers at FurnaceCreek and Scotty's Castle.

• Preparing a comprehensive design plan to updateand improve the Furnace Creek visitor center.

• Using additional structures at Scotty's Castle forinterpretation and/or education.

This LRIP is not an end in itself, but rather, itestablishes the overall framework for the nextphases of the process-program planning, andmedia planning, design, and production over thenext 10+ years. Using the recommendations in thisLRIP, the park also will develop AnnualImplementation Plans and an Interpretive Database to complete the remaining two compo-nents of the CIP as stated in DO-6.

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Salt Polygons &Black Mountains

Park MissionDeath Valley National Park dedicates itself to pro-tecting significant desert features that provideworld class scenic, scientific, and educationalopportunities for visitors and academics toexplore, study, and enjoy.

Park PurposePark purpose is the reason or reasons for which apark area was established. These statements arebased on the park's enabling legislation and leg-islative history.

Purpose statements are important to planningbecause they are basic to all other assumptionsabout the park and the ways in which it should beused and managed.

The purposes of Death Valley National Park are asfollows:

• Preserve the unrivaled scenic, geologic, and natu-ral resources of these unique natural landscapes,while perpetuating significant and diverseecosystems of the California desert in their natu-ral state. Ensure the maximum protection ofwilderness values provided by law.

• Preserve the cultural resources of the Californiadesert associated with prehistoric, historic andcontemporary American Indian culture, patternsof western exploration, settlement and miningendeavors.

• Provide opportunities for compatible public out-door recreation and promote the public's under-standing and appreciation of the Californiadesert by interpreting the natural and culturalresources.

• Retain and enhance opportunities for scientificresearch in undisturbed ecosystems.

PARK SIGNIFICANCEThe significance of a park is summarized in state-ments that capture the essence of the park'simportance to our natural and cultural heritage.Significance statements are not the same as aninventory of significant resources. While theresource inventory can be the basis on which sig-nificance is determined, the significance state-ments describe the importance or distinctivenessof the aggregate of resources in a park. Knowingthe park's significance helps set resource protec-tion priorities, identify primary park interpretivethemes, and develop desirable visitor experiences.Statements of significance describe the distinctivevalues of DEVA's resources, why these values areimportant within a national context, and why theycontribute to DEVA's purpose.

The resources of Death Valley National Park aresignificant for the following reasons:

• Death Valley National Park contains the lowestpoint in North America at 282 feet below sealevel. The valley floor receives the least precipita-tion in the United States (average 1.9 inches peryear) and is the site of the nation's highest andthe world's second highest recorded temperature(134 degrees Fahrenheit or 57 degrees Celsius).

• Death Valley National Park is world renownedfor its exposed, complex and diverse geology andtectonics, and for its unusual geologic features,providing a natural geologic museum that repre-sents a substantial portion of the earth's history.

• The extremely colorful, complex, and highly visi-ble geology and steep, rugged mountains andcanyons provide some of the most dramatic visu-al landscapes in the United States.

• Death Valley National Park contains one of the

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PLANNING FOUNDATION

Artists Palette (top)Petroglyph in TitusCanyon (bottom)

nation's most diverse and significant fossilrecords and most continuous volcanic histories.

• Death Valley National Park contains five majorsand dune systems representing all types of dunestructures, making it one of the only places onearth where this variety of dune types occurs insuch close proximity. It also contains the highestdunes in California - Eureka Sand Dunes.

• Death Valley National Park is one of the largestexpanses of protected warm desert in the world.Ninety-five percent of the Park is designatedwilderness, providing unique opportunities forquiet, solitude, and primitive adventure in anextreme desert ecosystem.

• Contrary to many visitors' first impression, DeathValley National Park's natural resources areextremely diverse, containing a large variety ofplant species and community types. The areapreserves large expanses of creosote bush valleysand other vegetation typical of the MojaveDesert. Extreme conditions and isolation pro-vide habitat for an unusually high number ofplant and animal species (as epitomized by theDevils Hole pupfish) that are highly adaptable tothese conditions.

• Death Valley has been the continuous home ofAmerican Indians, from prehistoric cultures tothe present day Timbisha Shoshone Tribe.

• Death Valley National Park contains an unusuallyhigh number of well-preserved archeologicalsites, including rock art and alignments.

• Scotty's Castle, with its architectural style, quality,and priceless collection of antiques and artobjects, built in a remote, isolated desert locationin the early 1900s, is an icon that has immensepublic appeal.

• Death Valley National Park has an extensive andwell-preserved mining history representing over100 years of mining technology.

• Since the 1930s there has been a continuous pres-

ence of the U.S. military in the region for a hostof test and training activities involving aircraft.Historic crash sites are reminders of the commit-ment and sacrifices our military personnel havemade in the defense of this country.

PRIMARY INTERPRETIVE THEMESInterpretive themes are those ideas/concepts thatare critical for achieving visitor understanding andappreciation of the significance of Death ValleyNational Park. Primary themes do not includeeverything that may be interpreted, but they doprovide the foundation from which programs andmedia level themes can be developed. All interpre-tive efforts (through both personal and non-per-sonal services) should relate to one or more of theprimary themes. Effective interpretation resultswhen visitors are able to connect the concepts withresources and derive something meaningful fromthe experience.

The following are the primary interpretive themesfor Death Valley National Park (the sequence doesnot imply any prioritization):

• The dramatic landscape of the park reveals over abillion years of earth history and dynamic con-tinuing geologic processes.

• From below sea level to high mountain ranges,the environmental conditions and isolated habi-tats of Death Valley shape life and support diver-sity.

• Death Valley National Park is a place of culturaland natural contrasts and extremes.

• The Death Valley area has lured and challengedpeople from prehistoric times to the present.

• Death Valley National Park's finite and irreplace-able wilderness is where "wildness," solitude,and heritage values are enjoyed, preserved, andprotected for this and future generations.

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Badwater Basin (top)Charcoal Kilns (bottom)

• The perception of "wilderness" in Death Valleyprovides an enhanced rich experience for parkvisitors from all walks of life.

• Death Valley National Park offers opportunitiesfor scientific research and learning that benefitsthe park, visitors, and society as a whole.

• Activities inside and outside park boundariespresent continuing challenges to balancinghuman use with resource preservation.

VISITOR EXPERIENCE GOALSFew visitors come to parks just to learn. Visitorexperience goals describe what physical, intellec-tual, and emotional experiences should be avail-able. It is what visitors do, sense, feel, think, andlearn and includes knowledge, attitudes, behav-iors, and values. It is affected by experiences priorto the visit and affects behavior after the visit.

Visitors come to parks seeking something of per-sonal value and relevance for themselves. Visitorexperience goals are statements that describe thosefundamental visitor experience opportunitieswhich Death Valley National Park, through its visi-tor services and interpretive program, most wantsto facilitate. Visitors cannot be required to havecertain experiences, but the park has identifiedimportant experiences that should be made avail-able.

In planning facilities, interpretive media, and per-sonal services, Death Valley National Park willwork to create and enhance visitors' opportunitiesto:

• Experience quality, environmentally friendlyfacilities, personal services, and the opportunityto obtain accurate information through a varietyof media.

• Experience solitude and "wildness" on the indi-

vidual's and the park's own terms within a rea-sonable expectation of safety.

• Learn about the cultural and natural histories ofDeath Valley National Park from diverse pointsof view.

• Enrich their experience in the park by directinteraction with the Timbisha Shoshone Tribethrough a variety of personal and non-personalinterpretive services.

•Gain an understanding of the mission of theNational Park Service, the significance of DeathValley National Park and a sense of personalstewardship.

• Experience true wilderness, dark night skies, andextreme silence.

• Experience the hottest, driest, and lowest spot inNorth America.

• Gain an understanding of the significance of theDeath Valley Scotty (Scotty's Castle) HistoricDistrict through a variety of interpretive mediaand experiences.

• Enjoy desert scenery that is relatively unimpairedand pristine.

VISITATION AND VISITOR USE PAT-TERNSThe following information regarding park visitorsand visitation patterns is derived from data main-tained by the Socio-Economic Services Division(WASO) in Denver, and from two separate NPSVisitor Services Project surveys.

Figure 1 shows the total recreation visits over a ten-year period from 1995-2004, and Figure 2 illus-trates the monthly recreation visits for 2004.

While there is a drop after April, the park staff hasnoticed that visitation has been evening outthroughout the year to the point where summer isno longer considered the slow season. However,

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1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Annual Visitation 1995-2004

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Figure 1

Figure 2

Planning has moved beyond con-

structing an average profile and

labeling him “the visitor.”

the average visitor stay in summer is often meas-ured in hours, while in cooler months it can bemore than one day. Also, the park staff has noticedthat more of the summer visitors are of foreign ori-gin, possibly people who are curious to experiencethe extreme heat.

The park tracks the number of vehicle entries atnine key areas. The total annual number of vehi-cles for each of these areas for 2003 is show inTable 1.

The following data is summarized from each oftwo NPS Visitor Services Project surveys. Surveyresults are relevant only for the time period inwhich they were conducted. Similar surveys con-ducted at other times of the year may yield verydifferent results. The first, titled Visitor Services

Project Death Valley National Monument

Backcountry, was conducted during March 21-27,1994. Visitors were sampled as they entered variousbackcountry locations, including West Side Road,Harry Wade Road, Hole-in the-Wall Road, GoldenCanyon, Mosaic Canyon, Grotto Canyon, ButteValley, Saline Valley, Teakettle Junction, Marbleand Cottonwood Canyons, Eureka-Dunes Road,and Titus Canyon. Results of the survey showedthat:

• Visitors were most often in family groups (42%)or friends groups (29%). Groups most oftenconsisted of two people (45%). The most com-mon visitor ages were 36-50 years old (36%), 21-35 years old (24%) and 15 years or younger (12%).Most (56%) were repeat visitors to the park.International visitors constituted 9% of all visi-tors. Forty-nine percent of international visitorscame from Germany and 16% from Canada.United States visitors came from California(59%) and Oregon (20%) and many other states.

• Common activities for visitors were visiting sce-nic areas (97%), day hiking on trails (74%), visit-ing mining ruins/historic sites (73%), picnicking(45%), driving dirt roads in vehicles other than4x4's (45%), and driving dirt roads in 4x4's(44%).

• The community that the greatest proportion ofvisitors drove through just before entering thepark was Trona (29%). The most used backcoun-try areas were Titus Canyon and Mosaic/GrottoCanyons (each 43%). Of all backcountry areas,more visitors stopped first at Grotto Canyon(24%).

• Most visitors stayed two to four days in theDeath Valley area (64%); 21% stayed 6 days ormore. Visitors identified their reasons for visitingas seeing the desert scenery (96%), experiencingwilderness and open space (82%), enjoyingrecreation (81%), and enjoying solitude and quiet(78%).

• The most important features to visitors' back-country experience were hiking on trails (80%),rest room and garbage disposal facilities (63%),dirt roads passable by vehicles other than 4x4(56%), open camping (55%), and developedcampsites/campgrounds (55%). Several featureswere not considered important to visitors' back-country experience: motorcycle riding (80%),

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Entrance Total Annual Vehicles Big Pine 1,679 Daylight 26,547

Grapevine 8,043 Ryan 125,174

Wildrose 14,403 Ashford 9,793 Townes 100,608

Saline Valley No Data Furnace Creek 129,476

Table 1

using horses and pack animals (73%), and per-mitting pets in the backcountry (66%).

• Visitors were asked how the number of peoplethey saw in the park's backcountry comparedwith what they expected. The largest proportionof visitors said it was "about as crowded as Iexpected" (37%).

• Visitors rated road directional signs and the parkbrochure/map as the most used and most impor-tant services.

• Most visitors (64%) said maps would be the mostuseful informational item during a future visit.The educational topics most visitors said wouldbe important to them during a future visit weregeology and history.

The second survey, titled Death Valley National

Park Visitor Study, was conducted duringSeptember 15-21, 1996. Visitors were sampled asthey stopped at key attractions and facilitiesincluding: Furnace Creek Visitor Center, Scotty'sCastle, Badwater, Zabriskie Point, Dante's View,Furnace Creek Ranch General Store, StovepipeWells Store, and Panamint Springs Resort. Theresults of this survey showed that:

• Fifty-one percent of the visitors were in familygroups. Sixty-one percent of Death Valley visi-tors were in groups of two; 24% were in groupsof three or four. Six percent of visitors were inguided tour groups; no visitors were in schoolgroups. Most visitors (41%) were ages 21-35, 36%were aged 46-65, and less than 3% were aged 15years or younger.

• Among Death Valley visitors, 69% were interna-tional visitors. They were from Germany (42%),United Kingdom (17%), Holland (9%), and 22other countries. United States visitors were fromCalifornia (23%), Nevada (9%), Florida (7%),and 39 other states.

• Most visitors (82%) were visiting Death Valley forthe first time. Two-thirds of the visitors (66%)stayed less than one day; 29 % stayed one or twodays. Common activities at Death Valley weresightseeing (96%), photography (92%), and hik-ing less than two hours (42%). The most oftenlisted reason for visiting Death Valley (96%) wasto view desert scenery.

• Most visitors (89%) said the park was one of sev-eral destinations on this trip. Many visitors(82%) stopped in Las Vegas, Nevada on theirway to or from the park. Las Vegas also was themost common starting point and destination onthe days visitors arrived at or left Death Valley.Panamint Springs (accessed from Lone Pine andRidgecrest, California) and Death Valley Junctionwere the two most commonly used parkentrances and exits.

• Visitors listed the number of nights they stayed indifferent types of accommodations in and out-side the park. Motels were the most used type ofaccommodation. One-third of visitor groups(33%) stayed in a motel for one night in the park.Many groups (82%) stayed one or more nights inmotels outside the park.

• The most visited places in Death Valley wereFurnace Creek (82%), Zabriskie Point (72%),and the Sand Dunes (66%). The most importantfeatures or qualities to visitors were scenic vistas,wilderness/open space, and the desert experi-ence.

These survey results can be helpful in developinginformational and interpretive media and pro-grams. The studies should be consulted directly foradditional information, and to compare similaritiesand differences between user groups.

In addition to information about people who dovisit Death Valley, the park staff identified a num-

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Sunset Campground

ber of groups who generally do not visit. Thesegroups include:

• Hispanic/Latino Americans• Inner city residents• African Americans• Elementary and secondary school students• Organized eco-tour groups• Special populations

EXISTING CONDITIONSThe following is a brief and generalized descrip-tion of visitor experiences and interpretive mediaand programs as they existed at the onset of thislong-range interpretive planning process (2003-4).Emphasis purposely is placed on deficiencies,issues, and concerns that will be addressed in theplan recommendations rather than on things thatare working well or that are beyond the scope of along-range interpretive plan. The purpose of thissection is to provide a baseline that may help tojustify some of the plan's proposed actions.

Outreach and Pre-ArrivalDeath Valley has world-wide recognition. It ismentioned in almost every textbook on Americangeography. Many older people remember the"Death Valley Days" television series, and youngerfolks are aware of the park from the filming of the"Star Wars" trilogy. And while most people haveheard of Death Valley, there are many misconcep-tions, and most really aren't aware of the nature,extent, and significance of the resources.

A wealth of printed, audiovisual, and electronicdata is available for people who wish to learnsomething about Death Valley. However, findingaccurate and official information can be a chal-lenge.

While written information requests have dimin-ished significantly due to information being avail-able on the Internet, the park receives a large num-ber of phone and email requests. Navigating thephone tree can be confusing, and responding tothe volume of phone and email inquiries can becumbersome.

The park web site has a lot of useful information,but some pathways are not easy to navigate.Material for educators and programs that wouldbe attractive to young people is lacking.

The rapid growth of Las Vegas and surroundingarea is changing the visitor profile at Death Valley.More and more area residents are discovering thatthe park is only a day-trip away from home.Reaching these new audiences (including thosewho have never visited) with information aboutthe park is essential.

On-ArrivalThere are numerous entry roads to the park. Thepark has one entrance station at Grapevine nearScotty's Castle which is not always staffed.Primarily due to remoteness and/or highway own-ership by the State of California, there are no stan-dard NPS entrance stations. Some of the relativelynew entry signs have deteriorated, and there is lit-tle information at or near the entrances to give visi-tors a sense of arrival or help them plan their stay.

A number of unstaffed information/fee kiosks havebeen installed at pullouts along some of the parkroads. The intent is for visitors to stop, pay theentrance fee at automated fee machines, andobtain some basic park information, including thepark newspaper. There are no accurate statisticson how many people stop at the kiosks, or howmany of those who do stop actually pay the fee.

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Park Entrance Sign

Some of the kiosks have structural problems, andinformation is not provided in the most effectivemanner.

While basic directional signing is provided alongpark roads, the distances to many key attractionsare lacking. Some posted side roads, like "TwentyMule Team Canyon" and "Mustard Canyon" havenothing to tell visitors how long the road is orwhere they will end up. People have been knownto start down these one-way roads, become con-cerned that they might get lost, and turn around.Likewise, a number of popular trailheads lackinformation about distances, safety precautions,degree of difficulty, or features that can be seen.

Furnace Creek Visitor CenterThe Furnace Creek Visitor Center was built in 1960when annual park visitation was around 250,000.Current annual visitation is now more than triplethis number. The building does not meet accessi-bility standards, and visitor bottlenecks develop onpeak days in the lobby.

Summer visitation has grown and is dominated byinternational travelers. In addition, Las Vegas is thefastest growing city in the US and has a new inter-national airport. Area residents are increasinglydiscovering Death Valley.

Many of the visitor center exhibits are over 40years old. They are in disrepair and out-of-date.Some exhibits are inaccurate, inappropriate,and/or inadequate, and they do not reflect the cur-rent interpretive approaches or current knowledgeabout reaching visitors and communicatingresource management issues. Still other exhibitspresent a Euro-centric view of American Indiansassociated with Death Valley, a view that hasoffended tribal leaders. The 1.3 million acre addi-

tion to the park in 1994 is not included in most ofthe center's orientation or interpretive media. Thecurrent audiovisual program also is out-of-dateand ineffective.

The building has numerous structural defects(including a leaky roof which necessitated remov-ing some artwork from behind the informationdesk), and the current design does not begin tomeet current sustainability guidelines. The build-ing is not energy efficient with an old and oftenmalfunctioning HVAC system. These conditionsmean that during the summer interpreters oftenwork in temperatures over 90 degrees inside thebuilding. The Mission 66 landscaping of non-native plant species, green lawns, and the failedattempt of creating a water feature in the court-yard, tends to send the wrong message to visitorsabout an agency charged with conservingresources.

In 1998 a Value Analysis Study was conducted forthe rehabilitation of the Furnace Creek VisitorCenter.

In 2000 a Determination of Eligibility was com-pleted to nominate the visitor center to theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP). Thestudy determined that the building is significantunder Criteria A for its association with theMission 66 program and under Criteria C for itssignificance in distinctive characteristics of a typeand period of construction. The building is anexceptional example of the Park Service Modernstyle as designed by Cecil Doty, and it retains ahigh level of integrity. The criteria for the signifi-cance of the building and the cultural landscapewill need to be considered as the park implementsthe recommendations for improving the visitorservices and interpretive media proposed in thisdocument.

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Exhibit Room, FurnaceCreek Visitor Center

Scottys Castle

Scotty's CastleMost of the interpretive media and programs atScotty's Castle are relatively new and appear towork well.

A number of historic cars and wagons are stored inthe stable. These vehicles require extensive restora-tion/conservation. They could become a valuableaddition to the visitor experience and interpretivestory of the site.

There is a desire to display more of the objects inthe collection, and to provide programmatic accessto inaccessible locations.

The Cookhouse, one of three original structuresfrom the 1922 Scotty's Castle complex, burned onApril 13, 1991. At the time the building was used forpark offices. The offices have been moved intotemporary facilities on site. Reconstructing theCookhouse has potential for restoring a significantelement of the historic scene, and possibly forexpanding interpretive media and/or educationprograms. However, completing the reconstruc-tion may not be feasible within the 10-year scopeof this interpretive plan.

The Lower Vine Ranch is the site of Scotty's cabin.However, the site is also important to theShoshone and it contains rich archeologicalresources. The site is not interpreted and visitorsare not directed to the cabin, though it has greatpotential for ranger guided activities.

Wayside ExhibitsThe park has a mixture of wayside exhibits reflect-ing multiple generations of planning, design, andproduction. Some waysides are intrusive on thelandscape. Others have suffered from vandalism orhave severely deteriorated from the harsh environ-ment.

As stated earlier, some key trailheads and entrypoints lack important information for visitors.

Education ProgramWhile the park does have limited on-site and web-based programs for children, it does not have awell developed curriculum-based education pro-gram. As the Las Vegas region continues to grow,more people (including school groups) will discov-er the park. There is a great opportunity for thepark to tap into the education community anddevelop strong and positive connections.

At the onset of this planning process, the vacantpark education specialist position had not beenrefilled.

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Wayside Exhibit at DevilsGolf Course

The following is a description of media and pro-gram recommendations for Death Valley NationalPark. Each recommendation is designed to furtherdefine, support, and communicate the park's pur-pose, resource significance, interpretive themes,and visitor experience goals. Implementation ofthese recommendations will help ensure that visi-tors are well prepared and informed, and that theywill be able to develop meaningful connectionswith the tangible and intangible resources.

The discussion of each program or media proposalidentifies the purpose, special considerations, andsometimes suggests ideas about their presentation.It is important to remember that these are onlysuggestions and should not limit the creativityessential during the media or program planningand design processes. On the other hand, the rec-ommendations are specific enough to provideguidance, develop Class C cost estimates, anddefine the parameters in which these creative ener-gies can flow.

Throughout the implementation process, the parkstaff and media and program developers need tocontinually ensure that the products reflect ele-ments of the primary interpretive themes and visi-tor experience goals.

A number of proposals address the TimbishaShoshones' long association with Death Valley astheir homeland. It is essential that the park main-tain continuous dialogue and active participationwith tribal leaders regarding the planning, design,and production of theme-related media and pro-grams.

Outreach and Pre-ArrivalGeneral and trip planning information regardingDeath Valley National Park will continue to beprovided through traditional means such asanswering regular mail, phone and email requests.Responses will continue to be tailored to specificinquiries, and pre-developed packets of materialwill continue to be used in handling more com-mon requests. All printed information will containappropriate phone numbers and addresses, includ-ing email addresses and the park web site url. Allmaterials will be reviewed on a regular basis toensure they remain accurate, appropriate, and cur-rent.

The staff will continue to explore ways to improvethe park's telephone system and simplify or elimi-nate the complex phone tree structure. Staff at thevisitor center information desk should not be bur-dened with handling phone requests. The primaryreasons to keep the front desk clear of answeringthe park's general phone lines include providinguninterrupted service to visitors in the lobby andproviding an open phone line for incoming emer-gency phone calls.

Publishers of regional, national, and internationaltourism literature often seek periodic updates oftheir information. To the extent possible, the parkwill ensure that printed and electronic tourism lit-erature promoting the park remains accurate,appropriate, and current.

The World Wide Web offers a variety of methodsto reach future visitors, potential visitors, and vir-tual visitors before ever entering park lands.Primary goals for the park web page include:

13

RECOMMENDATIONS

Recommendations should

constitute the most effective

means of achieving desired

outcomes.

• Providing visitors with pertinent information forplanning their trip.

• Providing material in multiple languages due tothe large number of international visitors.

• Developing a web presence above and beyondthe NPS profile system that serves as a centralportal to all DEVA web content.

• Strengthening the online experience for youngvirtual visitors.

• Developing an online repository for literary,artistic, cultural, and scientific information forresearchers.

• Providing interpretive experiences for those whocan only have a virtual park experience or whomay only see the park from the inside of a vehi-cle.

Every unit of the NPS is provided a web pagethrough the "park profile" system. These websitesare designed and maintained in Washington D.C.and are often the very first thing a virtual visitorwill see that represents the park. These pages pro-vide the visitor with contact information, park des-ignation, and other basic level information. Eachpark also is provided space for their "In Depth"page (soon to be changed to a “Features” section),which when used correctly can give the most up-to-date information and announcements, and offervirtual users an experience beyond the delivery oftextual information in a static manner. The "InDepth/Features" page offers the park an opportu-nity to express its individuality and give virtual visi-tors a more dynamic and engaging look at thepark.

The most important recommendation for theDeath Valley "Features" website section is that thefront page should be a portal directly to all contentthat is available online by the park. This means thata visitor should be able to gain access to any docu-

ments, images, or information with two clicks orfewer. The importance of this is to make the userexperience as simple and intuitive as possible.Content should be arranged in a thematic and con-sistent manner. Developing an interface thatallows a visitor rapid access to all of the contentavailable is essential for visitors who are lookingfor specific information and are not just "surfers."

Providing information in multiple languages is agreat way to ensure that international visitors areprepared for their visit, and receive the same infor-mation as an English speaking visitor. It is especial-ly important that non-English speaking visitors areaware of the park's extreme climate, and the nec-essary precautions to take.

Children are certainly not strangers to the WorldWide Web and they potentially can account formuch of the online visitation. It is important thatchildren feel connected to the park even thoughthey may not be able to visit in person. The parkhas made an excellent start in providing materialfor children, and there is an opportunity to take itto the next level. In addition to the virtual fieldtrip,there also should be interactive exercises or gamesto help children grasp the park's interpretivethemes.

In addition to offering interpretive exercises forchildren, the website also should be a place forscholarly research. Considering the geological andhistorical significance of the park, the websitecould be a centralized repository for information.Students ranging from high school to graduateschool should be able to find research material andbibliographic sources to assist them if they arestudying Death Valley.

Appendix A shows a visual example of a ‘Feature”page concept that would serve as a portal to all

14

content. It also can be viewed at:www.nps.gov/hfc/av/deva.

The proposed new audiovisual program (seeFurnace Creek Visitor Center section) also canserve an outreach role through television broad-casting and sales. While AV is not a good referencemedium, it can convey and elicit emotion and getpeople excited about visiting the park.

A direct link between the park website and thecooperating association website will allow peopleto purchase theme-related materials before and/orafter their visit.

As curriculum-based education program materialsare developed (see Education Program section),information can be posted on the park website.This will not only benefit area educators, but italso will serve audiences around the world whomay never have an opportunity to physically visitthe park.

On-ArrivalWith multiple entrances and long distancesbetween developed areas, the park is in need of anactive park sign committee and a parkwide signplan to help establish NPS identity, to make peopleaware of being within a national park and all thespecial experiences that entails, and to providemore consistent, seamless orientation to park fea-tures and functions. The park should consult withthe regional sign coordinator to initiate this plan inconsultation with Harpers Ferry Center. The park-wide sign plan should consider new, more durableentrance signs and directional signs that tell travel-ers how far it is to major attractions.

On entering a national park, visitors are accus-tomed to stopping at an entrance station. Due to

highway ownership issues and the remoteness ofsome entrances, this is not possible at Death Valleyexcept at Grapevine. The park will continue to relyon self-serve pullouts and the Furnace CreekVisitor Center for visitor orientation and voluntaryfee payment. The sign plan also should evaluatethe effectiveness of the current highway signs thatask people to stop at the information stations andpay the entrance fee.

The current octagonal information/fee collectionkiosks should be replaced with information/orien-tation structures that are more attractive anddurable in the desert climate. Where feasible, theseinformation stations should be located at or nearthe park boundary and the official entrance sign.Many visitors like to photograph park entrancesigns, and people would be more receptive to"one-stop-shopping" for their park entry experi-ence. If it is not feasible to locate information sta-tions at the park boundary, then they should besited to capitalize on spectacular views, like thatfrom Hell's Gate and Father Crowley Point.

Upright orientation exhibits at these entry loca-tions will help establish NPS identity, orient visi-tors, and introduce Death Valley's key features. Fora two-season approach to visitor safety andresource protection, the design could consider atleast one panel for a changeable summer/wintertreatment. At these locations, visitors also will real-ize that they are entering a special place, and thatthey may need to look hard to find some of thespecial resources. Development of these exhibits,along with development of the information stationdesign, should be conducted in concert with aparkwide wayside exhibit proposal and plan. Thiswill ensure uniformity and compatibility of designand may also result in cost savings.

15

View from Zabriskie Point Trail

Since most vehicles today have a CD player, it isrecommended that a CD be developed that candeliver audio descriptions/interpretations of dif-ferent features in the park. The CD could be givento visitors when they pay their entrance fee. Theycould be distributed at the Furnace Creek andScotty's Castle Visitor Centers, or possibly dis-pensed at the fee collection machines at or nearthe park entrances. The mechanics of distributingthis media (including how well they hold up in theheat) would require experimentation, but it wouldoffer visitors a degree of interpretation and orien-tation that they may not otherwise receive.

As visitors drive through the park they would beable to track through their CD for interpretivemessages about their current location. The CDeventually could be authored to target specificaudiences (including different languages) or spe-cific visitor interests. The interpretive messageswould be cued by signs (or attachments to existingsigns) at various locations along park roads.

The use of Travelers Information Stations (TIS) todeliver low-watt radio broadcasts was considered,but rejected. The messages are often of inferiorquality, and studies have shown that they reachonly about 20% of park visitors.

Furnace Creek Visitor CenterThis long-range interpretive plan endorses the pre-ferred alternative recommendations for theFurnace Creek Visitor Center developed duringthe 1998 Value Analysis (VA) Report. This VA studyidentified the essential functions of the visitor cen-ter as:

• Interpreting park story/themes through a varietyof media and approaches

• Providing visitor services (e.g. rest rooms, shade,cooling, emergency services, seating)

• Providing orientation/information (e.g. park,region, national park system, area services)

• Promoting visitor safety• Providing/encouraging appreciation/inspiration• Promoting/demonstrating sustainability/conser-

vation• Responding to changing needs (flexibility)• Promoting effective visitor circulation• Providing optimal use of space

With its outdated media, poor visitor circulationpatterns, and lack of sustainable design elements,the current Mission 66 structure is inadequate.Keeping in mind that the structure also is beingconsidered for the NRHP, the park will need toconsider the significant building features identifiedin the Determination of Eligibility. The VA reportrecommends:

• Rehabilitating the existing structure to improvesustainability, energy conservation, and visitorexperience. This would include adding insula-tion, new flooring and roof, asbestos abatement,replacing windows, and upgrading electrical andHVAC systems.

• Expanding the lobby to the north, adding 1,295additional square feet (including vestibules) tothe currently congested area, which will improvecirculation and access to the theater, exhibits,information area, and provide energy-efficientairlocks.

• Converting the existing small theater into a coop-erating association sales area, moving sales out ofthe lobby, which will improve circulation, reducecongestion, and provide a better space for dis-playing interpretive publications and other items.

• Converting the existing large theater into a 190-seat theater with an elevated, accessible projec-tion room, providing adequate space for anintroductory video program, and for most inter-pretive talks.

16

Wagons at Harmony Borax Works

• Producing new exhibits that interpret all primarythemes and help orient visitors to directly expe-rience the resources. Existing exhibits and arti-facts would be rehabilitated whenever possible.(Note: Elsewhere in the report it states that over-all rehabilitation of the existing exhibits was con-sidered but rejected: they are obsolete and out-moded; they don't correspond to existing inter-pretive themes; they don't fit with new design;and, they wouldn't be sufficiently effective.)Changeable modules would house exhibits thatneed to be updated periodically, to reflect cur-rent management or environmental issues.

• Producing new audiovisual programs whichwould include an introductory video program tobe shown in the theater, and four short videoprograms to be incorporated into exhibits.

• Rehabilitating the landscape immediately aroundthe visitor center. Providing a better approachand after-hours orientation at the visitor centerentrance. Replacing exotic vegetation with nativeplantings supported by drip irrigation. Removingcracked concrete walls, patio, and reflectingpool, and replacing with walkways and seating toenable more visitor use of outdoor areas, to usethe outdoors for interpretation, and to improvewater conservation.

Drawings showing the existing site and buildingplan plus the proposed site and building conceptsare shown in Appendix B, and serve as the basisfor the following discussions.

The following recommendations stem from dis-cussions during the long-range interpretive plan-ning workshops, and expand on many of the aboveVA proposals. In addition to the important func-tion of providing visitor information, orientation,and trip planning, it is recommended that interpre-tive media at the visitor center provide an integrat-

ed story line that would illustrate and emphasizethe interrelationships with the land, climate,plants/animals, and people.

EntryThe interpretive experience at the visitor centerwould actually begin as visitors approach thebuilding. The thermometer and the elevation signare very popular with visitors and should remain asoutdoor exhibit elements; however, there is greatpotential to create a more evocative and meaning-ful entry experience for visitors.

Other outdoor approach features would highlighta variety of simulated park habitats or life zonesthat show visitors the great diversity to be foundhere. Examples could include planted areas, simu-lated mud cracks, an alluvial fan, salt formations,or animal tracks that would raise visitor curiosityand promote questions. Interpretive sculpturesalso could be integrated into the habitat vignettesto show aspects of human presence or wildlife inDeath Valley. Potential sculptures might include anIndian woman grinding seeds, and Indian manhunting, a prospector looking at an ore sample, oreven a desert bighorn sheep.

These simulated landscape features would leadvisitors into the building where they could discov-er and learn more about these integrated andtheme-related topics. These vignettes also wouldreinforce the fact that visitors may see evidence ofwildlife and human occupation in the desert, butnot necessarily the people or animals themselves.

Orientation exhibits also would be an importantcomponent of the outdoor exhibit experience, andespecially useful for visitors who arrive after hours.The design and content might be similar to thatdeveloped for the unstaffed information kiosks

17

Sand Dunes nearStovepipe Wells

near the park entrances, including the ability torotate safety information between summer andwinter. Additional or more in-depthinformation/orientation media would be devel-oped inside the lobby.

The outdoor exhibits need to be closely coordinat-ed with the architecture and landscape design ofthe facility. They also need to be located where vis-itors can view them in some degree of comfort (i.e.under the proposed shade canopy), but theyshould not impede visitor circulation.

LobbyAs visitors pass through the proposed airlockentrance they will arrive in an expanded visitorcenter lobby. The current information desk podswould be incorporated into the redesign, as well assome type of relief model of the park, possiblyreusing the existing model from the exhibit room.The relief model (cleaned and repaired where nec-essary) would include some type of reader rail andLED or fiber optic lighting to identify features inthe landscape without needing to place labelsdirectly on the surface. Proximity to the informa-tion desks also would allow staff to use the modelas a visual aid for visitor orientation or short infor-mal interpretive talks.

Other exhibits in the lobby would expand on basicsafety issues, backcountry use, and current issues.Safety messages might include video/sound orcomputer based interactive elements showing visi-tors doing things properly and safely. The use ofsound in any exhibits will need to be carefullydesigned to ensure that it does not adverselyimpact other center functions.

The idea of presenting current issues affecting thepark in a changeable/rotating newsstand format

was proposed. This format would be compellingand allow items to be changed easily. The designalso might enable visitors to weigh in on variousissues. This concept has additional implications forthe park website as well.

The current display of free handouts, the touchtable, and other displays would be retained, butevaluated individually as to whether they shouldbe redesigned.

For the foreseeable future, fee collection opera-tions will be part of the visitor experience in thelobby. The orientation and layout of the informa-tion pods should be designed to better distinguishthe fee collection stations from the regular visitorinformation stations. This will reduce confusionfor visitors on where they need to pay their feesand should also help provide for the safety andsecurity of the fee collection staff.

Care will be taken to avoid overfilling the lobbywith media. Open space is critical for visitor recep-tion, orientation, gathering, sitting, and making ini-tial contact with groups.

Exhibit RoomAs stated in the VA report, all of the current dis-plays in the exhibit room should be removed. Itmay be possible (where appropriate) to reuse someindividual objects in the new design, but thiswould be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Removing the center island and reestablishing arelief model in the lobby will significantly open theexhibit room and reveal a space consisting ofapproximately 3,300 square feet. The large openspace also will promote random exploration andcreate opportunities to use large graphics to rein-force the grandeur of the park.

18

The potential of creating views of the outsideresources (as proposed in the VA report) also willbring some natural light into the space. While awindow can create strong interpretive links, lightinfiltration, especially in the morning when directsunlight will reach into the space, will require spe-cial media design considerations.

It is highly recommended that the structural rehabplanning and design be done in concert with theplanning and design of new media. This willensure that both processes share ideas, resolve dif-ferences, and achieve a unified result.

The exhibit room would have an overarchingimplicit mission of immersing visitors in the varietyof Death Valley while introducing them to ele-ments of each of the primary interpretive themes.Three major goals of the exhibit space are to:

1. Present balanced theme-related stories-notemphasizing one component over others. One wayto convey balance is to present multiple and/orcontrasting perspectives. Another approach wouldbe to integrate (where possible) natural and cultur-al stories.

2. Group story elements thematically. For example,the 49er story is closely associated with miningand exploration.

3. Develop interactive elements into the exhibitdesign. For example, the presentation of geologicprocesses (often a difficult subject to interpret)could be reinforced by mechanically interactivecomponents, perhaps on the order of those at theMoraine Museum in Rocky Mountain NationalPark. These exhibits have no electrical compo-nents, but are effective interactive exhibits on thegeology of the Rocky Mountains.

Consultation with appropriate park partners andwith the Timbisha Shoshone will be essential in theplanning and design of exhibit and other mediathat touch on cultural and/or theme-related topics.The Timbisha Shoshone have expressed a strongdesire to have a role in telling their story, interpret-ing the ties to their land, and letting visitors knowthat they are an active and living culture.

The following exhibit scenario (provided by HFCExhibit Designer Michael Lacome) is divided intofive sections, and serves to illustrate how thesemajor goals could be met. The specific media treat-ments presented are only suggestive; however, theinterpretive messages/concepts and desired visitorexperiences are important proposed recommenda-tions.

Section A:The transition zone between the lobby and themain exhibit area would contain large formatgraphics showing the wide variety of landscapes inthe park from snow capped peaks to parched val-ley floor and from verdant oasis to a seemingly life-less salt pan. Visitors will grasp the enormous vari-ety of landscapes in the park and that this wilder-ness harbors a corresponding variety of life formsand human history.

Quotes associated with the graphics can presentmultiple perspectives of the origin and significanceof the valley. Indian creation stories, and othervoices that speak of the "soul" of the place,beyond its physical nature, will make visitors awarethat people have lived here for thousands of yearsand have developed an intimate knowledge andrelationship to its resources. The voices couldinclude and reflect those in the landscape vignettesthat visitors experienced on their approach to thevisitor center.

19

Desert Contrasts

Section B:The introductory exhibits in Section A would tran-sition into the geology story of Death Valley. The"voices" of prospectors, explorers, or geologistscould describe their discoveries. The exhibitswould be a combination of interactive models toshow geological concepts like uplift, subduction,basin and range, etc. Other exhibits would utilizespecimens and graphic panels incorporating origi-nal art to illustrate additional geologic processesthat formed the area. A short 3-5 minute audiovisu-al presentation could compress geologic time tohelp people visualize certain geologic processes insummary fashion.

Section C:The geologic exhibits transition into geographicalphenomena like weather, erosion, and formationof soils. These exhibits would present the climaticchanges that Death Valley and the region haveexperienced over the last 10,000 years thatchanged it from a relatively wet environment to thedeeply arid one of today. Exhibits might include alarge format artist rendered view of Lake Manleyfrom a point in the park that still exists. The artistcreated view would morph into the view seentoday. Other images and objects would help visi-tors better understand the processes that produceclimatic extremes at Death Valley. In addition, acomputer animation could clearly show the rainshadow effect of the Sierras on the Death Valleyregion.

Section D:The scene next transitions to one depicting the liv-ing environment. The "voices" could be those ofIndians, scientists, and others to offer multipleperspectives of the desert flora and fauna. AnIndian woman could guide visitors through thestory of plant adaptations to Death Valley from the

perspective of a gatherer, one who understandsnatural cycles of the valley and mountains. AnIndian man, perhaps from the perspective of ahunter, might relate the habits of certain animals.These views could be intertwined with some of themost current scientific knowledge of plants andanimals in the valley.

The multiple perspectives on the plant and animallife of Death Valley could be represented by a dio-rama that depicts different ecological settings andtheir distinctive flora and fauna. Various low-techinteractive devices (mostly touchable items andmodels) would be incorporated into this section.Graphics would include panels with original art,illustrations, and photographs.

An introduction of the human presence in DeathValley would be made near the conclusion of thissection. Early human artifacts in cases along withtouchable reproduction items would help tietogether the close relationships early people hadwith their environment. Large format historicimages of Paiute and Shoshone people and life-ways would be introduced along with objects thatmake direct connections to the natural resourcesvia their manufacture and/or use.

Section E:This section continues the story of Indian peopleand their presence in Death Valley up to the pres-ent day. The "voices" and other media in this por-tion of the exhibit will allow visitors to discoverthat this is the homeland of the TimbishaShoshone, and that they are a living people whovalue their long, close, and continuing relationshipwith the land.

This section also tells the story of the 49ers, min-ing, tourism, and the establishment of the national

20

Ubehebe Crater

Titus Canyon

monument/park. A model (perhaps full-scale) of a49er wagon with molded oxen and including sim-ple interactive elements, artifacts in cases, andinterpretive panels would tell the story of the goldseekers and the origin of the name "Death Valley."An interactive component of this display couldfocus on knowledge and preparation as keys tosurvival in the desert. For example, visitors coulddetermine what provisions (i.e. how much water)are needed for a safe journey across the valley. Thisdisplay would have both historic and present dayimplications.

The "voices" of former miners and prospectorswould relate aspects of the mining efforts of thelate 19th and early 20th centuries. Large formatgraphics with historic images of mining operationsin the valley would bring visitors into the story.Specimens of ores, artifacts (some large), andproducts (i.e. made from borax) would support thegraphic panels and recount the era when richeswere made by a few and sought by many in the val-ley and canyons of the region.

A transition between the "voices" of the minersand the "voices" of tourism is the story of Albertand Bessie Johnson and Walter Scott. Scotty'sexploits and conning of money from Johnson andothers occurred during the mining era. The house(Scotty's Castle) is a major park attraction and cul-tural resource. An exhibit that introduces thisresource and its characters will show the connec-tion to Death Valley and American History, andencourage visitors to go see the real thing.

The decline of the mining era would be replacedby the steady growth of tourism. Tourists from the1920s or 1930s would provide the "voices" of thosewho understand and value the intangible riches ofthe park and who seek to explore the unique fea-

tures, experience the extreme climate, and enjoythe solitude of Death Valley. The story would besupported by large graphics of early tourist activi-ties and by advertisements and documents pro-moting Death Valley as a tourist destination.

Since the 1930s there has been a strong militarypresence in the desert in the form of aviation test-ing and training. An exhibit that helps to illustratehow the desert landscape not only attractedtourists, but how it has been and continues to beimportant in the support of the countru’s freedomis recommended.

A small dedicated audiovisual space, perhapsdesigned like an early camp tent at StovepipeWells, would show a short film that addresses thecreation of the National Monument and the cur-rent mission and purpose of Death Valley NationalPark. This could include showing the competingrecreational and special use requests the park mustdeal with (i.e. special bicycle and marathon races,vehicle testing, and commercial and non-commer-cial filming).

BookstoreThe VA report recommends moving the cooperat-ing association bookstore into the current smalltheater space. This will provide adequate room forthis function, and greatly improve visitor circula-tion in the lobby. This location also can be closedoff in the evenings when the large theater is beingused for interpretive programs.

There is concern that the new configuration willseparate the bookstore from the rest of the visitorcenter areas resulting in reduced visitor traffic tothe bookstore. This would translate to a subse-quent reduction in sales revenues. One solutionwould be to locate the primary entrance to or exitfrom the theater in the book sales area.

21

Desert Five Spot

View from Leadfield Mining Structure

With the development of new interpretive themes,it is recommended that the cooperating associationconduct a Scope of Sales study. This process evalu-ates all current sales and free items with regard toprice range, theme(s) addressed, and audience(s)served. The results can be used to identify gaps inthe publication program and to develop publica-tion program priorities.

TheaterThis plan supports the VA report proposal to adaptthe existing large theater into a 190-seat theater,and to retain the flat floor. While a sloped theaterfloor is often preferable to provide a proper view-ing angle, the existing high ceiling can easily com-pensate for this.

A new park film will provide an intellectual andemotional orientation to Death Valley. The pri-mary theme, “The Death Valley area has lured and

challenged people from prehistoric times to the pres-

ent,” will provide the primary focus for the produc-tion; however, as with many interpretive programs,elements of all the themes (where appropriate) willbe included.

The new film will portray the grandeur, vastness,and scale of the park, balanced with smaller ele-ments like pupfish, snails, birds and plant life.Some scenes may require aerial photography.

Viewers also will discover the extreme contrastsand diversity in the park. The desert bloom ofspring contrasted with the searing heat of summer,along with the changes that occur in traveling fromthe valley floor to the mountain peaks could beshown dramatically.

In viewing the film, visitors will discover that thepark is much too big to see in one day. It will moti-

vate them to go to some areas, and show themthings they may not be able to see without properpreparation, fitness, equipment, or a four-wheeldrive vehicle. Illustrating scenes from different sea-sons may encourage viewers to return at differenttimes of year.

Two versions of the film are proposed. A 26 minuteversion would be produced that could be used as asales item, for outreach/education programs, andfor television broadcasts (e.g. PBS). This filmwould be edited into a shorter 15-18 minute versionthat would be shown in the visitor center theater.However, in summer when visitors are more will-ing to spend a longer time indoors, the full-lengthversion of the film could be shown in the theater.A switch at the information desk could activate thelong or short version.

CourtyardThe covered ramada proposed in the VA reportwill allow for seasonal interpretive programs andinformal visitor gatherings in the courtyard.Moveable seating would allow visitors and inter-preters to take best advantage of the sun or shade.The use of outdoor art and/or native landscapingcould inspire a contemplative experience in thecourtyard, without creating a heavy interpretivefocus.

Replacement of exotic species with native plant-ings will not only save money and water, but it willconvey an implicit conservation message that theNPS practices what it preaches. Small ancillarywaysides could be considered to identify some ofthe plants and perhaps mention something abouttheir use by Native peoples.

Scotty's CastleThe living history program continues to be anexcellent way of providing interpretive tours of

22

Scottys Castle

Scotty's Castle. The tours are extremely popularwith visitors; they are self-sustaining; and, it ishighly recommended that they continue. The uni-formed personal services tours of the castle base-ment and tunnel system also are very effective andshould continue. The park should continue to lookfor ways to offer visitors opportunities to learnabout, see, and experience more of the castleresources by exploring options to expand the vari-ety of tours. This could include guided tours ofLower Vine Ranch and the chimes tower.Expansion of personal services could add morediversity to the interpretive programs and expandthe visitor experience in the North Districtthrough geology and natural history talks andwalks.

The exhibits, information desk, and cooperatingassociation sales area in the Gas House are rela-tively new, and in good condition. However, light-ing and the size of the information desk are inade-quate when the tour ticket sales operation sharesthe same small desk space with regular visitor cen-ter services. (Note: tickes sales are conducted in aseparate building during the cooler fall, winter,and spring months.) While there is an expresseddesire to develop additional space for exhibitingmore items in the museum collection, it was feltthat the prospects of expanding during the life ofthis plan were unrealistic. Besides, much of thecollection is on display in context in the castle.

If the Cookhouse is programmed for restorationduring the life of this LRIP, then considerationshould be given to exploring the building's poten-tial use for interpretive or education functions. Thebuilding could be used for exhibits to display andinterpret additional items from the collection. Thestructure also could become a site for future on-site education programs and activities that would

include the interpretation of preservation andcuratorial activities.

The changeable exhibit case that was part of thecurrent exhibit design for the Gas House is notbeing used, and some old exhibits have beenmoved into its place. The purpose of this case wasto allow for rotating exhibits and the display ofadditional items in the collection. It is recommend-ed that the old exhibits be removed and thechangeable case be upgraded if necessary and usedfor its intended purpose.

The park has provided for several means of acces-sibility. A virtual tour of the house is available onthe park website, and segments of Johnson's homemovies are shown in the exhibit hall. A wheelchairlift is provided for visitors unable to negotiate thestairs to the second floor. To improve the program-matic accessibility, it is proposed that the castle vir-tual tour be redone and made available in theexhibit room.

It is recommended that the vehicles in the stablereceive much-needed curation/restoration and thatthey be interpreted in this location. The stablewould become an important part of a self-guidingtour of the complex.

The only change recommended for the furnishedrooms is to replace the bright-colored chairs thatvisitors can use with something less intrusive onthe historic scene.

Even though a self-guiding booklet of the Castlegrounds is available as a sales item, it is recom-mended that a series of unobtrusive waysideexhibit panels be considered to enhance the visi-tor’s experience of the outbuildings and sites.

23

Weather Vane at Scottys Castle

Organ at Scottys Castle

Beatty/Rhyolite Visitor ContactStationThe visitor contact station at Beatty serves animportant function, but it needs to move. The cur-rent building is not adequate and is in poor condi-tion. A visitor facility in this area has the potentialto reach people traveling on Route 95 and to inter-est them in visiting the park. The facility also isgood for public relations in the community andsurrounding area.

The community is trying to improve its tourismstatus. There is interest in possibly developing acommunity/multi-agency visitor center and havingthe NPS become part of it. A couple of potentialsites are being considered.

The process of recommending and/or selecting asite for a new visitor contact station is beyond thescope of a long-range interpretive plan. However,regardless of the location, the facility needs to bestaffed and to perform the following functions:

• Be easily seen and accessible by travelers.• Provide park and regional information/orienta-

tion services (including information about roadconditions in Titus Canyon, etc.)

• Project a NPS identity (using consistent imagery,fonts, arrowhead, etc.)

• Contain cooperating association sales• Inspire people to visit the park• Permit fee collection • Provide a place for contacting groups, including

school groups• Contain a video monitor for showing theme-

related videos, including the new park film

Emigrant and Stovepipe WellsThe structure at Emigrant was discussed regardingits potential to serve as a visitor contact station.

However, it was felt that this location presents toogreat of a safety hazard with traffic on the highway.

A new ranger/visitor contact station at StovepipeWells is planned for construction in FY 2006/2007.The new facility will fit the same footprint of theformer building which was destroyed in a windstorm. The visitor use area also will be about thesame square footage. It is recommended that somevisitor orientation/interpretation treatment beincluded in the new structure to meet the needs ofvisitors to this area of the park. Limited book saleswill continue as well as fee collection operations.

Wayside ExhibitsSome of the recommendations related to a park-wide sign plan and informational wayside exhibitsalso appear in the On-Arrival section of this docu-ment.

Encompassing a vast area, with many sites in seem-ing isolation, wayside exhibits can reinforce thepark's identity and connect people to its significantfeatures. At this stage in the park's interpretiveevolution, a parkwide approach to waysides woulddramatically improve the outdoor media at DeathValley. A parkwide wayside exhibit plan, with con-sistent design and interpretive style, could stitchtogether far flung features into a coherent whole.

Orientation and Trailhead ExhibitsNew upright orientation exhibits at or near thepark's entrances would help establish NPS identi-ty, orient visitors, and introduce Death Valley's keyfeatures. These exhibits could include after-hoursorientation at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center.For a two-season approach to safety and resourceprotection, a parkwide proposal could consider atleast one panel for a changeable summer/wintertreatment.

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Rhyolite Ghost Town, BLM

Well-designed trailhead exhibits also are needed atmajor trailheads, such as Golden Canyon,Harmony Borax, Keane Wonder Mine, ZabriskiePoint, and Titus Canyon to orient potential hikersand to introduce the trail experience.

ThemesBecause the park's terrain and topography aresuch a powerful part of the story, wayside exhibitsare in a unique position to connect people to thespecific, significant features of the landscape, fromsalt flats to charcoal kilns. Because the majority ofvisitors experience the park via automobile, a way-side exhibit proposal and plan should carefullyconsider exhibit siting and associated landscaping.Throughout, a new wayside exhibit design shouldbetter integrate safety and resource protectionmessages.

Exhibit Panel MaterialsClimate at Death Valley is extremely rough on out-door exhibits. Fiberglass embedments, in particu-lar, erode rapidly in the intense heat and sun.Climate-resistant porcelain enamel would appearto be a good solution for low profile exhibits,although recently installed porcelain panels showsome minor scratching. Replacement costs arehigh for porcelain, which may argue against themin remote locations. New digital laminated panelsmight offer the most efficient solution in thefuture.

Wayside Exhibit BasesThe present high-angle low profile bases are notsuccessful; they are more intrusive on the land-scape and to some extent they interfere with theview of the feature being interpreted. A new park-wide wayside proposal should recommend areturn to the HFC standard design for all low pro-file interpretive exhibits.

Parkwide Sign PlanWith multiple entrances, and long distancesbetween developed areas, the park is in need of aparkwide sign plan, to help establish NPS identity,to make people aware of being within a nationalpark and all the special experiences that entails,and to provide more consistent, seamless orienta-tion to park features and functions. The parkshould consult with the regional sign coordinatorto initiate the plan, in consultation with HFC.

Personal ServicesA wide variety of personal services activities willcontinue to be an essential component of the over-all interpretive program at Death Valley NationalPark. These programs have the unparalleledadvantage of being inspiring, versatile, alive, andtailored to the needs of individuals and groups. Aninterpretive staff presence helps with the protec-tion of fragile resources. Interpreters, whetherbehind an information desk, roving, leading a tour,giving a talk, or conducting a demonstration, arethe best of all interactive tools in enabling visitorsto experience, understand, appreciate, and makepersonal connections with resources.

In spite of their advantages, however, personalservices interpretive programs have limitations.They can be costly, often limited in number, andsometimes only reach a small percentage of visi-tors. Quality and accuracy must be maintainedthrough regular audits and continual educationand training.

Discussions and recommendations regarding per-sonal services interpretation appear throughoutthis document, but are summarized here to rein-force their importance in communicating theinterpretive themes and meeting visitor experiencegoals.

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Golden Canyon

The living history program at Scotty's Castle offersan excellent way to experience the site; it isextremely popular with visitors; it is self-sustain-ing; and, it is highly recommended that it continue.The uniformed personal services tours of theCastle basement and tunnel system are very effec-tive and also should continue. In addition, thereare spectacular natural features in the NorthDistrict near the castle. A uniformed presence inthese areas, such as Ubehebe Crater, would pro-vide additional resource protection, visitor safety,and the ability for visitors to have quality interpre-tive experiences.

Modifications to the Furnace Creek Visitor Centerwill allow easy and safe evening access to activitiesand programs in the theater. It also will allow thebookstore to be closed off after hours. Proposedshade structures in the courtyard will allow thespace to be used for various activities.

Tightening budgets have forced the reductionand/or elimination of personal services programsin other areas of the park. With ever increasing vis-itation, this plan highly recommends a restorationof personal services programs throughout thepark. See the Staffing section for a listing of specif-ic needs.

The complexity and diversity of the park's overallinterpretive program presents almost limitlessopportunities for both standard and innovativeactivities. Keeping within the parameters of theinterpretive themes and visitor experience goals,park staff should be given a high degree of creativefreedom to explore and experiment with new pro-grams. This will help to maintain a creative edgeand attract new and returning audiences.

Since personal services interpretive programs arerelatively easy to change, the activities should be

evaluated on a regular basis to discontinue thosethat are not effective, modify and improve thosethat require it, and validate those that are success-ful.

Education ProgramOne of the GMP recommendations is "to improvethe educational and outreach program in sur-rounding communities and develop partnershipswith local schools and similar groups."

In order to begin addressing any of the recommen-dations in this section, the vacant park educationspecialist position needs to be filled (see Staffingsection). Education programs differ from most tra-ditional forms of interpretation in many ways, andspecial skills are required to effectively plan,design, implement, and assess multidisciplinarycurricula.

Education coordination in the NPS has become adiscipline in its own right, and the need for a sepa-rate education plan has become essential. At somefuture date an education plan will be needed atDeath Valley National Park.

Partnerships with area school districts and otherfederal and state conservation agencies will be crit-ical in the establishment and growth of the park'seducation program. The participation of profes-sional educators is essential in the development ofall programs to ensure that activities are curricu-lum based, appropriate to targeted grade levels,and meet the needs and education standards ofindividual schools, school districts, historical soci-eties, museums, and states. All proposed programsand activities also should be field tested for effec-tiveness and evaluated by their ability to communi-cate primary interpretive themes.

DEVA is part of a fairly new entity called theDesert Learning Center. This organization

26

includes several national park units and is still in itsformative phase of development. The potential ofworking through this organization to develop aneducation program and facility at Death Valleyshould be explored. Through this or similar pro-grams, sites such as Ryan (owned by Rio TintoBorax) could be considered for development as afuture residential education center, operated andfunded through multi-agency entities in partner-ship with US Borax.

As the education program grows, more materialswould be made available through the park website.Some materials could be offered for free anddownloaded by anyone. Other items could beadvertised for sale through the cooperating associ-ation. The internet also makes elements of theeducation program available to worldwide audi-ences, including home-schooled children andmany who may never be able to travel to the park.

Like most ambitious endeavors, Death Valley'seducation program needs to start small and growgradually. Small successes often can generate sup-port and funding for additional staff and broaderprojects. Eventually, a multi-faceted, multi-audi-ence program can evolve and become a vital partof the Death Valley experience.

Special PopulationsProvisions will be made to accommodate the needsof special populations who visit Death ValleyNational Park. Special populations are identified asthose with sight, hearing, learning, and mobilityimpairments; visitors who do not speak English;and, the elderly and young children.

Public Law 90-480, the Architectural Barriers Act,and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990establish standards for physical access. Other regu-

lations, laws, and standards include Sections 504and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,Director's Orders No. 42, and Accessibility forVisitors with Disabilities in National Park ServicePrograms, Facilities, and Services. All newly con-structed facilities, as a matter of course, will bedesigned for accessibility for physically disabledvisitors and employees.

Every effort will be made to provide full access tointerpretive media and programs to ensure thatpeople with physical and mental disabilities, aswell as people who do not speak or understandEnglish, have access to the same information nec-essary for a safe and meaningful visit to DeathValley National Park. All new interpretive mediawill follow the standards for accessibility asdescribed in the NPS, June 1999 ProgrammaticAccessibility Guidelines for Interpretive Media.These guidelines (see Appendix C) will be consult-ed by park staff and media developers during theplanning and design of new interpretive media.

Research NeedsThe interpretive staff needs to work closely withthe resource management staff to keep up to dateon research activities and results. Scientists andresource management specialists should beencouraged to present regular briefings to theentire park staff, especially interpreters. Agencyand contract researchers also should be encour-aged to produce executive summaries and pro-grams that translate research results for park staffand the public. Summaries with bibliographiescould be put into PDF format and placed on thepark's website.

Death Valley National Park needs to learn moreabout its actual and potential audiences: Who vis-its? What are their motivations, expectations, and

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satisfaction levels? Who doesn't visit and why?How do the answers to these and other questionsvary with summer and winter visitors?

While some of these questions are addressed inthe 1994 and 1996 Visitor Services Projects citedearlier, other methods may be employed. Forexample, front-end evaluations would querypotential users of programs, facilities, and mediabefore the products are developed. This type ofresearch is targeted so that practical use can bemade of the results. Formative evaluations wouldbe conducted during conceptual design, andwould test inexpensive mockups of interpretivemedia before fully investing in final products.Summative evaluations are valuable in helping to

determine the effectiveness of final media, facility,and programs-i.e. whether the intended themesare being communicated, if people actually makeuse the information, or if visitor behavior is affect-ed.

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Field of Desert Gold

SUMMARY OF PRODUCTS ANDACTIONSThe following is a summation of the action itemsand products proposed in this long-range interpre-tive plan. Each of these items is described ingreater detail in the narrative sections of the plan.This list is designed to help develop annual andlonger-term priorities, assign responsibilities, anddevelop cost estimates.It must be emphasized that the following list dealsspecifically with actions and products for mediaand programs related directly to information, ori-entation, interpretation, and education. Althoughnew, restored, or renovated facilities are proposedor referenced, actions related to these structureswill need to be developed in greater detail duringspecific planning, design, and constructionprocesses. Staffing requirements to implement thefollowing actions are identified and addressed sep-arately.

Parkwide• Improve efficiency of park phone tree.• Update park folder & other park-produced liter-

ature (ongoing).• Review/enhance information produced by exter-

nal sources (ongoing).• Enhance/expand park web site (ongoing).• Develop multi-lingual information.• Conduct cooperating association Scope of Sales

study.• Develop/revise park sign plan in partnership with

others.• Redesign/relocate information/fee collection

kiosks at or near park entrances.• Develop and implement parkwide wayside

exhibit proposal and plan.• Develop multilingual CD/Cassette tour media,

including a children's version.

• Restore/expand personal services interpretiveprograms (see Staffing section).

• Develop curriculum based education program inpartnership with others.

Furnace Creek Visitor Center• Rehabilitate structure as recommended in 1998

VA Report.• Develop outdoor entry exhibits.• Develop/rehab lobby exhibits (some with AV or

interactive elements).• Develop new exhibit room media (some with AV

or interactive elements).

Scotty's Castle• Rehab changeable exhibit case for Gas House.• Preserve, protect, and appropriately display his-

toric vehicles in stable.• Replace modern bright colored chairs in Castle.• Explore interpretation/education options for

Cookhouse.

Beatty/Rhyolite Visitor Contact Station• Explore sites for relocation of facility in partner-

ship with others.• Develop new exhibit media when operation

moves to new location.

Staffing and TrainingTable 2 summarizes existing staff levels and addi-tional staffing requirements needed to fully imple-ment the recommendations of this long-rangeinterpretive plan.

The following goals and objectives describe theDivision of Interpretation's commitment toemployee training:

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SUMMARIES

• Offer training to all park staff in critical resourceissues and effective informal interpretation andcommunication skills, recognizing that all parkemployees, including concessionaires and coop-erating association employees, have a role in pro-viding effective visitor services and achieving theNPS mission.

• Offer developmental opportunities for park staffto broaden their awareness of park issues.Provide opportunities for park employees tolearn about and/or improve their ability to artic-ulate the relationships between their work, parkgoals and the NPS mission.

• Offer a minimum of two weeks of interpretivetraining to seasonal interpreters, which includeinterpretive philosophy, interpretive skills, sub-ject matter knowledge, operations procedures,and an overview of NPS programs, policies, andinitiatives.

• Fully implement the Interpretive DevelopmentProgram curriculum and encourage participationin the interpretive competencies certificationprogram. Evaluate programs against the nationalstandards.

• Encourage individual participation in profession-al development opportunities. Assess employeedevelopment needs and provide training oppor-tunities. Maintain a learner-driven and outcomebased atmosphere.

Training in interpretation and communicationskills and related competencies, along with a soundknowledge of the park's resources needs to be on-going. Interpreters, educators, and others who dealwith the visiting public need to be kept abreast ofcurrent and planned activities, past and presentresearch, and new technologies, not only as theyrelate to park resources, but also regarding visitor

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POSITION EXISTING NEW TOTAL Chief of Interpretation Admin Clerk N. District Supervisor S. District Supervisor Education Specialist Education Park Rangers Media Design Specialist Park Ranger – Interpreter Park Guide TOTAL PERMANENT Seasonal Park Ranger - Interpreter Seasonal Education Tech Seasonal Park Guide Seasonal Volunteers TOTAL SEASONAL/VIP TOTAL

1 1 1 6 4 13 (13 FTE) 10 10 20 (9.8 FTE) 33 (22.8 FTE)

1 1 1 2 1 1 5 12 (12 FTE) 3 2 2 7 (3.5 FTE) 19 (15.5 FTE)

1 2 1 1 1 2 1 7 9 25 (25 FTE) 3 2 12 10 27 (13.3 FTE) 52 (38.3 FTE)

Table 2

studies, interpretive media, education, etc. Byworking across organizational and operationallines, and in concert with partners, effective andefficient ways to alert and/or involve staff in newor on-going projects and innovations can beexplored.

The park staff also will explore opportunities tooffer training to others throughout the area whoare engaged in information/orientation, interpreta-tion, and education activities. Training could beoffered through scheduled courses, workshops,informal meetings, etc. Other training could beoffered through existing programs offered by localor regional institutions. Potential trainees couldinclude area educators, volunteers, interagencystaffs, and others throughout the region who dealwith the visiting public.

IMPLEMENTATION PLANImplementation of the recommendations in thislong-range interpretive plan will be phased overthe next 10-15 years, and many will require inde-pendent planning and design efforts. Other actionitems can be implemented immediately, withinexisting funds and staffing levels.

Changes in staffing, funding, and other unforeseencircumstances can alter priorities, especially whenthey are long-range or contain a lot of specificdetails. The following list shows a general phasingof priorities. Specific descriptions/components ofeach item can be found in the Recommendationsection of this document. The following list shouldserve as a guide in developing the annual workprogram components of the ComprehensiveInterpretive Plan.

The action items are:

Short Term (1-3 years)• Fill permanent Education Specialist position

w/term or seasonal assistance.• Initiate planning for the park's Environmental

Education plan.• Gain approval and fill permanent Division

Admin Clerk position.• Initiate requests to fill new and vacant interpre-

tive division positions.• Explore the feasibility and functionality of incor-

porating fee collection operations under theInterpretation Division.

• Update park web page with new WASO guide-lines.

• Develop and link park specific children's webranger activities to park web page.

• Re-establish park sign committee and initiateplanning for park-wide sign plan.

• Restart planning for Furnace Creek VisitorCenter rehab and new exhibits.

• Work with Death Valley History Association andDavid Vasser in the planning and production of anew park orientation film.

• Build open communication links with TimbishaShoshone Tribe in the development of interpre-tive materials for the public.

• Develop partnerships with local area universitiesfor educational/outreach programs.

• Develop stronger network relationships withMojave Desert parks in the development andcompletion of common interpretive/educationprojects.

• Implement limited tours of Lower Vine Ranch,as well as more diverse ranger programs on thegeology and natural history of the North District.

• Initiate planning of phase III of the park's way-side exhibit plan.

Medium Term (4-7 years)• Implement filling new or vacant Division posi-

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tions or continue to seek higher priority to fillnew and vacant positions.

• Develop more in-depth interactive web pages inmultiple languages.

• Provide assistance in planning and or staffingBLM or Beatty Development Committee visitorcenter - possible interagency facility.

• Provide exhibit development assistance forFurnace Creek Visitor Center.

• Develop a more formal tour schedule for LowerVine Ranch in the North District.

• Develop and/or begin installation of new phaseIII wayside exhibits.

• Provide assistance in the planning for the Scotty'sCastle Cook House - office space, exhibit space,etc.

• Provide assistance in overall DCP planning forthe Scotty's Castle Historic District.

• Implement elements of the EE plan and developand expand the EE program.

Long Term (8-15 years):• Implement filling new or vacant Division posi-

tions or continue to seek higher priority to fillnew and vacant positions. All will be based onneeds of the park in 8-10 years.

• Develop a collaborative self-guiding tour plan(may include a park-wide CD tour of popularscenic routes in the park).

• Produce and install new exhibits in FurnaceCreek Visitor Center.

• Re-design Scotty's Castle exhibits and book salesarea. This will depend on park's plans for use ofhistoric structures at Scotty's Castle.

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Red Cathedral - BadlandsView from Zabriskie Point

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PLANNING TEAM AND CONSULTANTS

Death Valley National ParkJT Reynolds, SuperintendentTerry Baldino, Chief of InterpretationCorky Hays, former Chief of InterpretationColleen Bathe, former North District Supervisory Ranger, InterpretationAlan Van Valkenberg, South District Park Ranger, InterpretationBob Smith, North District Park Ranger, InterpretationAaron Shandor, Park Ranger, Ranger ActivitiesBlair Davenport, Curator, Resources ManagementTerry Fisk, Hydrologist, Resources ManagementMike Reynolds, Former IT Specialist, AdministrationJon Christensen, Former Landscape Architect

Park Partners/ConsultantsPauline Esteves, Timbisha Shoshone Tribal ElderBarbara Cottonwood Durham, Timbisha Shoshone Tribal AdministratorRichard Boland, Timbisha Shoshone Tribal memberCal Jepson, Manager of Furnace Creek Ranch & Inn, Xantera CorporationEsy Fields, Former Executive Director, Death Valley Natural History AssociationMichael Prather, Member, Death Valley National Park Advisory CommissionMike Raushkolb, Rio Tinto Borax Kay C. Wylie, U.S.D.A., Forest ServiceBarbara Schuck, Bishop Elementary School DistrictSusan Sorrells, Death Valley Chamber of CommerceShirley Harding, Chair, Death Valley 49ers Park Liaison Committee

Harpers Ferry CenterJohn Grabowska, Audiovisual ProducerDick Hoffman, Senior Wayside Exhibit PlannerMichael Lacome, Exhibit DesignerTony Sciantarelli, Audiovisual Production AideWendy Janssen, Former Interpretive PlannerPaul Lee, Interpretive Planner

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APPENDICIES

Appendix A: Web Page ConceptAppendix B: Furnace Creek Visitor Center Rehabilitation Project DrawingsAppendix C: Programmatic Accessibility Guidelines for Interpretive Media

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Appendix A: Web Page Concept

36

Appendic B: Site Analysis, Furnace Creek Visitor Center

37

Appendix B: Building Analysis, Furnace Creek Visitor Center

38

Appendix B: Site Concept, Furnace Creek Visitor Center

39

Appendix B: Building Concept, Furnace Creek Visitor Center

Special Populations:Programmatic AccessibilityGuidelines for Interpretive Media

National Park ServiceHarpers Ferry Center

June 1999

Prepared byHarpers Ferry CenterAccessibility Task Force

Contents:Statement of PurposeAudiovisual ProgramsExhibitsHistoric FurnishingsPublicationsWayside Exhibits

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Appendix C: Programmatic Accessibility guidelines for InterpretiveMedia

Statement of PurposeThis document is a guide for promoting full accessto interpretive media to ensure that people withphysical and mental disabilities have access to thesame information necessary for safe and meaning-ful visits to National Parks. Just as the needs andabilities of individuals cannot be reduced to simplestatements, it is impossible to construct guidelinesfor interpretive media that can apply to every situa-tion in the National Park System.

These guidelines define a high level of program-matic access which can be met in most situations.They articulate key areas of concern and note gen-erally accepted solutions. Due to the diversity ofpark resources and the variety of interpretive situa-tions, flexibility and versatility are important.

Each interpretive medium contributes to the totalpark program. All media have inherent strengthsand weaknesses, and it is our intent to capitalizeon their strengths and provide alternatives wherethey are deficient. It should also be understoodthat any interpretive medium is just one compo-nent of the overall park experience. In someinstances, especially with regard to learning dis-abilities, personal services, that is one-on-oneinteraction, may be the most appropriate and ver-satile interpretive approach.

In the final analysis, interpretive design is subjec-tive, and dependent on aesthetic considerations aswell as the particular characteristics and resourcesavailable for a specific program. Success or failureshould be evaluated by examining all interpretiveofferings of a park. Due to the unique characteris-tics of each situation, parks should be evaluated ona case by case basis. Nonetheless, the goal is tofully comply with NOS policy:

"…to provide the highest level of accessibility pos-sible and feasible for persons with visual, hearing,mobility, and mental impairments, consistent withthe obligation to conserve park resources and pre-serve the quality of the park experience for every-one."

NPS Special Directive 83-3, Accessibility forDisabled Persons

Audiovisual ProgramsAudiovisual programs include video programs, andaudio and interactive programs. As a matter of pol-icy, all audiovisual programs produced by theHarpers Ferry Center will include some method ofcaptioning. The approach used will vary accordingto the conditions of the installation area and theformat used, and will be selected in consultationwith the parks and regions.

The captioning method will be identified as earlyas possible in the planning process and will be pre-sented in an integrated setting where possible. Tothe extent possible, visitors will be offered a choicein viewing captioned or uncaptioned versions, butin situations where a choice is not possible or fea-sible, a captioned version of all programs will bemade available. Park management will decide onthe most appropriate operational approach for theparticular site.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with MobilityImpairments1. The theater, auditorium, or viewing area shouldbe accessible and free of architectural barriers, oralternative accommodations will be provided.UFAS 4.1.2. Wheelchair locations will be provided accordingto ratios outlined in UFAS 4.1.2(18a).3. Viewing heights and angles will be favorable forthose in designated wheelchair locations.

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4. In designing video or interactive components,control mechanisms will be places in accessiblelocations, usually between 9" and 48" from theground and no more than 24" deep.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with VisualImpairmentsSimultaneous audio description will be consideredfor installations where the equipment can be prop-erly installed and maintained.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with HearingImpairments1. All audiovisual programs will be produced withappropriate captions.2. Copies of scripts will be provided to the parks asa standard procedure.3. Audio amplification and listening systems will beprovided in accordance with UFAS 4.1.2(18b).

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with LearningImpairments1. Unnecessarily complex and confusing conceptswill be avoided.2. Graphic elements will be chosen to communi-cate without reliance on the verbal component.3. Narration will be concise and free of unneces-sary jargon and technical information.

ExhibitsNumerous factors affect the design of exhibits,reflecting the unique circumstances of the specificspace and the nature of the materials to be inter-preted. It is clear that thoughtful, sensitive designcan go a long way in producing exhibits that can beenjoyed by a broad range of people. Yet, due to thediversity of situations encountered, it is impossibleto articulate guidelines that can be applied univer-sally.

In some situations, the exhibit designer has little orno control over the space. Often exhibits areplaced in areas ill suited for that purpose; they mayincorporate large or unyielding specimens, theymay incorporate sensitive artifacts which requirespecial environmental controls; and room décor orarchitectural features may dictate certain solutions.All in all, exhibit design is an art which defies sim-ple description. However, one central concern is tocommunicate the message to the largest audiencepossible. Every reasonable effort will be made toeliminate ant factors limiting communicationthrough physical modification or by providingalternate means of communication.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with MobilityImpairmentsNote: The Americans with Disabilities ActAccessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) is the standardfollowed by the National Park Service and is there-fore the basis for the accessibility standards forexhibits, where applicable.

1. Height/position of labels: Body copy on verticalexhibit walls should be placed between 36" and60" from the floor.2. Artifact Cases:

a. Maximum height of floor of artifact case dis-play shall be no higher than 30" from the floor ofthe room. This includes vitrines that are recessedinto an exhibit wall.b. Artifact labels should be placed so as to be vis-ible to a person within a 43" to 51" eye level. Thisincludes mounting labels within the case at anangle to maximize its visibility to all viewers.

3. Touchable Exhibits: Touchable exhibits posi-tioned horizontally should be placed no higherthan 30" from the floor. Also, if the exhibit isapproachable only on one side, it should be nodeeper than 31".

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4. Railings/barriers: Railings around any horizontalmodel or exhibit shall have a maximum height of36" from the floor.5. Information Desks: Information desks and salescounters shall include a section made to accom-modate both a visitor in a wheelchair and anemployee in a wheelchair working on the otherside. A section of the desk/counter shall have thefollowing dimensions:

a. Height from the floor to the top: 28" to 34".(ADAAG 4.32.4)b. Minimum knee clearance space: 27" high, 30"wide, and 19" deep of clearance underneath thedesk is the minimum space required underADAAG 4.32.3, but a space 30" high, 36" wide,and 24" deep is recommended.c. Width of top surface of section: at least 36".Additional space must be provided for anyequipment such as a cash register.d. Area underneath desk: Since both sides of thedesk may have to accommodate a wheelchair,this area should be open all the way through tothe other side. In addition, there should be nosharp or abrasive surfaces underneath the desk.The floor space behind the counter shall be freeof obstructions.

6. Circulation Space:a. Passageways through exhibits shall be at least36" wide.b. If an exhibit passageway reaches a dead-end,and area 60" by 78" should be provided at theend for turning around.c. Objects projecting from walls with their lead-ing edges between 27" and 80" above the floorshall protrude no more than 4" in passagewaysor aisles. Objects projecting from wall with theirleading edges at or below 27" above the floor canprotrude ant amount.d. Freestanding objects mounted on posts orpylons may overhang a maximum of 12" from 27"

to 80" above the floor. (ADAAG 4.4.1)e. Protruding objects shall not reduce the clearwidth of an accessible route to less than the min-imum required amount. (ADAAG 4.4.1)f. Passageways or other circulation spaces shallhave a minimum clear head room of 80". Forexample, signage hanging from the ceiling mustallow at least 80" from the floor to the bottom ofthe sign. (ADAAG 4.4.2)

7. Floors:a. Floors and ramps shall be stable, level, firm,and slip-resistant.b. Changes in levels between ¼" and ½" shall bebeveled with a slope no greater than 1:2. Changesin level greater than ½" shall be accomplished bymeans of a ramp that complies with ADAAG 4.7or 4.8. (ADAAG 4.5.2)c. Carpet in exhibits shall comply with ADAAG4.5.3 for pile height, texture, pad thickness, andtrim.

8. Seating for Interactive Stations/Work Areas: Theminimum knee space underneath a work desk is27" high, 30" wide, and 19" deep, with a clearfloor space of at least 30" by 30" in front. Thetop of the desk or work surface shall be between28" and 34" from the floor. (ADAAG 4.32, Fig.45)

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with VisualImpairments1. Tactile models and other touchable exhibit items

should be used whenever possible. Examples oftouchable exhibit elements include relief maps,scale models, raised images of simple graphics,reproduction objects, and replaceable objects(such as natural history or geologic specimens,cultural items, etc.).

2. Typography: Readability of exhibit labels by visi-tors with various degrees of visual impairmentshall be maximized by using the following guide-

43

lines:a. Type Size: No type in the exhibit shall besmaller than 24 point.b. Typeface: The most readable typefaces shouldbe used whenever possible, particularly for bodycopy. They are: Times Roman, Palatine, Century,Helvetica, and Universe. (Note: since the devel-opment of these guidelines, typefaces NPSRawlinson and Frutiger should be added.)c. Styles/Spacing: Text set in both caps and lowercase is easier to read than all caps. Choose letterspacing and word spacing for maximum read-ability. Avoid too much italic type.d. Line length: Limit the line length for bodycopy to no more than 45 to 50 characters perline.e. Amount of Text: Each unit of body copyshould have a maximum of 45-60 words.f. Margins: Flush left, ragged right margins areeasiest to read.

3. Color:a. Type/Background Contrast: Percentage of con-trast between the type and the backgroundshould be a minimum of 70%.b. Red/Green: Do not use red on green or greenon red as the type/background color.c. Do not place body copy on top of graphicimages that impair readability.

4. Samples: During the design process, it is recom-mended that samples be made for review of allsize, typeface, and color combinations for labelsin an exhibit.

5. Exhibit Lighting:a. All labels shall receive sufficient, even light forgood readability. Exhibit text in areas where lightlevels have been reduced for conservation pur-poses should have a minimum of 10 footcandlesof illumination.b. Harsh reflections and glare should be avoided.

c. The lighting system shall be flexible enough toallow adjustments on-site.d. Transitions between the floor and walls,columns or other structures should be madeclearly visible. Finishes for vertical surfacesshould contrast clearly with the floor finish.Floor circulation routes should have a minimumof 10 footcandles of illumination.

6. Signage: When permanent building signage isrequired as a part of an exhibit project, theADAAG guidelines shall be consulted. Signswhich designate permanent rooms and spacesshall comply with ADAAG 4.30.1, 4.30.4, 4.30.5,and 4.30.6. Other signs which provide directionto or information about functional spaces of thebuilding shall comply with ADAAG 4.30.1, 4.30.2,4.30.3, and 4.30.5. Note: When the InternationalSymbol of Accessibility (wheelchair symbol) isused, the word "Handicapped" shall not be usedbeneath the symbol. Instead, use the word"Accessible".

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with HearingImpairments1. Information presented via audio formats will be

duplicated in a visual medium, such as in theexhibit label copy or by captioning. All videoprograms incorporated into the exhibit, whichcontain audio, shall be open captioned.

2. Amplification systems and volume controlsshould be incorporated with audio equipmentused individually by the visitor, such as audiohandsets.

3. Information desks shall allow forTelecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD)equipment.

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Guidelines Affecting Visitors with LearningImpairments1. The exhibits will present the main interpretive

themes on a variety of levels of complexity, sopeople with varying abilities and interests canunderstand them.

2. The exhibits should avoid unnecessarily com-plex and confusing topics, technical terms, andunfamiliar expressions. Pronunciation aidsshould be provided where appropriate.

3. Graphic elements shall be used to communicatenon-verbally.

4. The exhibits shall be a multi-sensory experience.Techniques to maximize the number of sensesused in the exhibits should be encouraged.

5. Exhibit design shall use color and other creativeapproaches to facilitate comprehension of mapsby visitors with directional impairments.

Historic FurnishingsHistorically refurnished rooms offer the public aunique interpretive experience by placing visitorswithin historic spaces. Surrounded by historic arti-facts, visitors can feel the spaces "come alive" andrelate more directly to the historic events or per-sonalities commemorated by the park.

Accessibility is problematic in many NPS furnishedsites because of the very nature of historic archi-tecture. Buildings were erected with a functionalpoint of view that many times is at odds with ourmodern views of accessibility.

The approach used to convey the experience ofhistorically furnished spaces will vary from site tosite. The goals, however, will remain the same, togive the public as rich an interpretive experience aspossible given the nature of the structure.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with MobilityImpairments1. The exhibit space should be free of architectural

barriers, or a method of alternate accommoda-tion should be provided, such as slide programs,video tours, visual aids, dioramas, etc.

2. All pathways, aisles, and clearances shall (whenpossible) meet standards set forth in UFAS 4.3 toprovide adequate clearance for wheelchairroutes.

3. Ramps shall be as gradual as possible and notexceed a 1" rise in a 12" run, and conform toUFAS 4.8.

4. Railings and room barriers will be constructedin such a way as to provide unobstructed viewingby persons in wheelchairs.

5. In the planning and design process, furnishinginaccessible areas, such as upper floors of his-toric buildings, will be discouraged, unless essen-tial for interpretation.

6. Lighting will be designed to reduce glare orreflections when viewed from a wheelchair.

7. Alternative methods of interpretation, such asaudiovisual programs, audio description, photoalbums, and personal services will be used inareas which present difficulty for visitors withphysical impairments.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with VisualImpairments1. Exhibit typefaces will be selected for readability

and legibility, and conform to good industrypractice.

2. Audio description will be used to describe fur-nished rooms, where appropriate.

3. Windows will be treated with film to providebalanced light levels and minimize glare.

4. Where appropriate, visitor-controlled rheostat-type lighting will be provided to augment generalroom lighting.

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5. Where appropriate and when proper clearancehas been approved, surplus artifacts or repro-ductions will be utilized as "hands-on" tactileinterpretive devices.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with HearingImpairments1.Information about room interiors will be present-

ed in a visual medium such as exhibit copy, text,pamphlets, etc.

2. Captions will be provided for all AV programsrelating to historic furnishings.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with LearningImpairments1. Where appropriate, hands-on participatory ele-

ments geared to the level of visitor capabilitieswill be used.

2. Living history activities and demonstrationswhich utilize the physical space as a method ofproviding multi-sensory experiences will beencouraged.

PublicationsA variety of publications are offered to visitors,ranging from park brochures which provide anoverview and orientation to a park, to more com-prehensive handbooks. Each park brochure shouldgive a brief description of services available to visi-tors with disabilities, list significant barriers, andnote the existence of TDD phone numbers, ifavailable.

In addition, informal site bulletins are often pro-duced to provide more specialized informationabout a specific site or topic. It is recommendedthat each park produce an easily updatable"Accessibility Site Bulletin" which could includedetailed information about the specific programs,services, and opportunities available for visitors

with disabilities and to describe barriers which arepresent in a park. A template for this site bulletinwill be on the Harpers Ferry Center website forparks to create with ease, a consistent lookthroughout the park service. These bulletinsshould be in large type. 16 points minimum andfollow the large-print criteria below.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with MobilityImpairments1. Park brochures, site bulletins, and sales literature

will be distributed from accessible locations andheights.

2. Park brochures and Accessibility Site Bulletinsshould endeavor to carry information on theaccessibility of buildings, trails, and programs byvisitors with disabilities.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with VisualImpairments1. Publications for the general public:

a. Texti.. Size: the largest type size appropriate for the format. (preferred main body of text should be 10 point)ii. Leading should be at least 20% greater than the font size used.iii. Proportional letterspacing.iv. Main body of text set in caps and lower case.v. Margins are flush left and ragged right.vi. Little or no hyphenation is used at ends of lines.vii. Ink coverage is dense.viii. Underlining does not connect with the letters being underlined.ix. Contrast of typeface and illustrations to background is high (70% contrast is recommended).x. Photographs have a wide range of gray

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scale variation.xi. Line drawings or floor plans are clear and bold, with limited detail and minimum 8 point type. xii. No extreme extended or compressed typefaces are used for main text.xiii. Reversal type should be a minimum of11 point medium or bold sans-serif type.

b. Paper:i. Surface preferred is a matte finish. Dull-coated stock is acceptable.ii. Has sufficient weight to avoid "shoe through" on pages printed on both sides.

2. Large-print version publications:a. Text

i. Size: minimum 16 point type.ii. Leading is 16 on 20 point.iii. Proportional letterspacing.iv. Main body if text set in caps and lower case.v. Margins are flush left and ragged right.vi. Little or no hyphenation is used at ends of lines.vii. Ink coverage is dense.viii. Underlining does not connect with letters being underlined.ix. Contrast of typeface and illustrations to background is high (70% contrast is recommended).x. Photographs have a wide range of grayscale variation.xi. Line drawings or floor plans are clear and bold, with limited detail and minimum 14 point type.xii. No extreme extended or compressed typefaces are used for main text.xiii. Sans-serif or simple-serif typefaces.xiv. No oblique or italic typefaces.xv. Maximum of 50 characters (average) per line.

xvi. No type is printed over other designs.xvii. Document has a flexible binding, preferably one that allows the publication to lie flat.xviii. Gutter margins are a minimum of22mm; outside margin smaller, but not less than 13mm.

b. Paper:i. Surface is off-white or natural with matte finish.ii. Has sufficient weight to avoid "show-through" on pages printed on both sides.

3. Mapsa. The less cluttered the map, the more visitorscan use it.b. The ultimate is a map that has large print andis tactile.c. Raised line/tactile maps can be developedusing digital files and a thermoform machine.Lines are distinguished by lineweight, color, andheight. Areas are distinguished by color, height,and texture.d. Digital maps are located on an accessible web-site.e. Same paper guidelines as above.f. Contrast of typeface background is high (70%contrast is recommended).g. Proportional letterspacing.h. Labels set in caps and lower case.i. Map notes are flush left and ragged right.j. Little or no hyphenation is used at ends oflines.k. No extreme extended or compressed type-faces are used for main text.l. Sans-serif or simple-serif typeface.

4. The text contained in the park brochure shouldalso be available on audiocassette, CD and acces-sible website. Handbooks, accessibility guides,and other publications should be similarlyrecorded where possible.

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5. The official park brochure is available in a wordprocessing format. This could be translated intoBraille as needed.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with HearingImpairmentsPark site bulletins will note the availability of suchspecial services as sign language interpretation andcaptioned programs.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with LearningImpairments1. The park site bulletin should list ant special serv-

ices available to these visitors.2. Publications:

a. Use language that appropriately describes per-sons with disabilities.b. Topics will be specific and of general interest.Unnecessary complexity will be avoided.c. Whenever possible, easy to understand graph-ics will be used to convey ideas, rather then textalone.d. Unfamiliar expressions, technical terms, andjargon will be avoided. Pronunciation aids anddefinitions will be provided where needed.e. Text will be concise and free of long para-graphs and wordy language.

Wayside ExhibitsWayside exhibits, which include outdoor interpre-tive exhibits and signs, orientation shelter exhibits,and bulletin boards, offer special advantages to vis-itors with disabilities. The liberal use of photo-graphs, artwork, diagrams, and maps, combinedwith highly readable type, make wayside exhibitsan excellent medium for visitors with hearing andlearning impairments. For visitors with sightimpairments, waysides offer large type and highlegibility.

Although a limited number of NPS waysideexhibits will always be inaccessible to visitors withmobility impairments, the great majority are placedat accessible pullouts, viewpoints, parking areas,and trailheads.

The NPS accessibility guidelines for waysideexhibits help insure a standard of quality that willbe appreciated by all visitors. Nearly everyonebenefits from high quality graphics, readable type,comfortable base designs, accessible locations,hard-surfaced exhibit pads, and well-landscapedexhibit sites.

While waysides are valuable on-site "interpreters,"it should be remembered that the park resourcesthemselves are the primary things visitors come toexperience. Good waysides focus attention on thefeatures they interpret, and not on themselves. Awayside exhibit is only one of many interpretivetools which visitors can use to enhance theirappreciation of a park.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with MobilityImpairments1. Wayside exhibits will be installed at accessible

locations whenever possible.2. Wayside exhibits will be installed at heights and

angles favorable for viewing by most visitors,including those in wheelchairs. For standardNPS low-profile units, the recommended heightis 30" from the bottom of the exhibit panel to thefinished grade; for vertical exhibits the height of6-28".

3. Trailhead exhibits will include information ontrail conditions which affect accessibility.

4. Wayside exhibit sites will have level, hard sur-faced exhibit pads.

5. Exhibit sites will offer clear, unrestricted viewsof park features described in the exhibits.

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Guidelines Affecting Visitors with VisualImpairments1. Exhibit type will be as legible and readable as

possible.2. Panel colors will be selected to reduce eyestrain

and glare, and to provide excellent readabilityunder field conditions. White should not be usedas a background color.

3. Selected wayside exhibits may incorporate audiostations or tactile elements such as models, tex-ture blocks, and relief maps.

4. For all major features interpreted by waysideexhibits, the park should offer non-visual inter-pretation covering the same subject matter.Examples include audio tours, radio messages,and ranger talks.

5. Appropriate tactile cues should be provided tohelp visually impaired visitors locate exhibits.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with HearingImpairments1. Wayside exhibits will communicate visually, and

will rely on graphics to interpret park resources.2. Essential information included in audio station

messages will be duplicated in written form,either as part of the exhibit text or with printedmaterial.

Guidelines Affecting Visitors with LearningImpairments1. Topics for wayside exhibits will be specific and of

general interest. Unnecessary complexity will bea voided.

2. Whenever possible, easy to understand graphicswill be used to convey ideas, rather than textalone.

3. Unfamiliar expressions, technical terms, and jar-gon will be avoided. Pronunciation aids and defi-nitions will be provided where needed.

4. Text will be concise and free of long paragraphsand wordy language.

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