4th Wildlife Viewing & Nature Tourism Academy

While conducting research for my book, Parking Lot Birding: A Fun Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas, I began to understand how limiting wildlife observation can be for people with limited mobility. Around the same time, I started working on a project called “Preventing Obesity by Design” for children. The project took me deep into methods for designing spaces for children that facilitate more active play. One element of such designs was pathways that took children to the points of interest that they wanted to see, but in a way that wheeled toys could get them there. These simple design tweaks were an ah-ha moment for me in how design can either inhibit or enrich mobility. 
After visiting over 300 parks and nature centers, I have seen the best in design elements and the worst. My travels also helped me understand the funding available to facilitate accessible trails, wildlife viewing stations, and points of interest to allow for enriching experiences in nature for all. This is an exciting growth area for parks and nature centers. 
This session will cover some of the best practices in active play design and how to actualize the funding needed to achieve those goals. Participants will understand what it takes to design spaces that are inviting, fundable, and fun.