Environmental Interpretation Project

Editor’s Note: SMGA has been fortunate in recent years to work with several classes at Texas State University. In both Fall ’20 and Fall ’21, Dr. Colleen Myles has invited us to collaborate with students in her Environmental Interpretation class. Last year, those students created a set of videos on invasive plants in Purgatory Natural Area and the natives that would make good alternatives in the landscape. Those videos can still be viewed on SMGA’s YouTube channel.

Dr. Colleen Myles

This year, Dr. Myles’ class chose to focus on Ringtail Ridge, where, with the help of urban forester Kelly Eby, they identified and created signs for 10 native trees and bushes. At this point, the signs are temporary ones, but the students did do research on more permanent options; the hope is that their signs will serve as a prototype for a larger project in Ringtail. In addition to creating signs, which are linked by QR codes to the National Wildflower Center, the students produced a digital scavenger hunt. While this activity is designed for children, it’s something anyone can enjoy. It, too, is accessible via a QR code printed on a poster in the kiosk.

Students presenting their work

As a bonus, Myles’ students produced a video that will be accessible on SMGA’s YouTube channel.

What follows is an extensive report written by the class, detailing their entire process—their aims, schedule, problems, and final product. There’s much to read here, but if you do so, you’ll appreciate the skill and care they put into their work.

Stay tuned: Next month we’ll see the project created by students in Dr. Karen Smith’s Marketing for Social Change class.