Discussion

Chairman Hall brought up the question of who should be reached by the General Park Information Circulars.

Conclusions:

(1) The circular of information provides an introduction to the park, possibly even before visitors enter.

(2) The information circular aids the visitor to become oriented while in the park.

(3) The general information circular serves as a key to further references.

After discussion, it was agreed that it would be advisable for the park naturalists to study the general information circulars for their individual parks and to write or rewrite sections pertaining to the interpretation of park features.

It was agreed that each park information circular should have a section devoted to brief descriptions of the park flora, fauna, geology, and other scientific features.

The chairman stressed the importance of revising the reference lists in the circulars of information. These circulars should contain a complete list of all publications now in print; obsolete items should be removed from the list.

The question was brought up as to whether or not the present Geological Survey maps are suitable. Three points brought out were:

(1) Park maps cannot always be correlated with maps of the surrounding territory.

(2) The difference in scale in maps of different parks sometimes lends to confusion. It is recognized that large scale maps are exceedingly valuable in cases where the topography is intricate, such as the Grand Canyon and Yosemite Valley. It was suggested, however, that these large scale maps be supplemented by comprehensive and accurate small scale maps (1/2″ to the mile); thus the maps of different parks could be compared.

(3) Some means will sooner or later have to be devised so as to change the contour maps so that they can be more readily understood by the public.

 

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