Definition of environmental interpretation for the purpose of this evaluation:
The aim of interpretation is to convey the messages of mission-driven places like protected areas, zoos, botanical gardens, museums, etc. to a leisure-oriented audience.
Environmental interpretation happens in places that deal with our natural environment.
Therefore cultural interpretation (that deals with cultural heritage sites like castles or towns) is excluded in this particular evaluation.

Strategic focus
The current status of investigations suggests that there are hardly any organisations that offer a broader and more solid training concerning interpretive design and interpretation delivering techniques in the BSR countries (universities, academies, centres, etc.). This is considered to be a very important prerequisite in order to ensure a long-term perspective for interpretation in the future, last but not least to support efforts that foster live-long-learning processes and a more sustainable life style in the BSR.


Planned results


Training options: Identification of BSR-organizations on different levels (see: strategic focus) that offer interpretive design/interpretation delivery training.
Economic potential: Identification of economic potential of interpretation concerning jobs in environmental interpretation.
Model interpretation-training sessions for up to four project partners.
Dissemination and discussion of the results.


Result indicators


Advancement of environmental interpretation as a profession in the BSR.
Raised awareness of the role of interpretation in the life-long-learning process of the general public.
Raised awareness of the economical value of interpretation.


Output indicators


Survey-report on interpretation training options in the BSR-Countries (universities, certified trainings from public and private organisations).
Survey report on the kind and number of interpretive sites and the number of the yearly visitors in these places in each project-country (protected areas, zoos, nature museums, botanical gardens, forestry services, etc.).
Model trainings for project partner in Latvia.
Meeting of experts from the field of interpretive training and from the tourism industry at the University of Lueneburg/Germany.
Electronic publication of surveys and conference results. Distribution via international homepage.


Responsible partner


Institute for Environmental Communication/University of Lueneburg/Germany


Involved partners


BSP-project partners
Tourist Union International/Germany (TUI)
The Institute for Leisure and Culture from the University of Bremen/Germany (IfKA)Europarc Federation
International Committee of Museums (ICOM)
North American Association for Interpretation (NAI)
Sycamore Associates / USA
Steeghs Advise / NL
Bildungswerk Interpretation


Milestone 2 (=MS 1 for Germany) (01/2005 – 06/2005)
Activities – Survey and evaluation of interpretation training options number and kind of interpretive sites number of jobs in environmental interpretation in the BSR-countries.


Outputs – Electronic report for international homepage. Carried out in Lueneburg/Germany.


Milestone 3 (=MS 2 for Germany) (07/2005 – 12/2005)
Activities – Collecting feedback on report from project group via internet. Model training sessions in Latvia. International experts meeting in University of Lueneburg/Germany to discuss the implications of the survey on necessary changes and improvements concerning future options in environmental interpretation in the BSR-countries.


Outputs – Electronic reader of the experts meeting. Carried out in Lueneburg/Germany.


Milestone 4 (=MS 3 for Germany)
Activities – Elaboration of final suggestions for future improvements on interpretation training options in the BSR plus feedback gathering from project partners. Dissemination to project partners for feedback.
Outputs – Final electronic report for the international homepage. Carried out in Lueneburg/Germany.