Educational Tracks:
Park and Facility Maintenance (PFM)
Personnel and Career Development (PCD)
Natural and Cultural Interpretation (NCI)
Natural Resource Management (NRM)
2020 Schedule
*Session topics and times are subject to change
Monday February 24
| Time | Event | Title | Presenter | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:00 a.m. | Registration Opens | Main Hallway | ||
| 12:30 p.m. | First Time Attendees Orientation | Lake James Room | ||
| 1:00 p.m. | Workshop 1 | Verbal De-escalation (PCD) | Carla Sacher/Jesika Shriver-Kelch | Lake James Room |
| Workshop 2 | Trail Building (PFM) | Willie Bittner | Snow Lake Room/On-site | |
| Workshop 3 | Ecological Restoration Efforts at Pokagon State Park (NRM) | Rich Dunbar/Nate Simons | Crooked Lake Room/On-site | |
| Workshop 4 |
Introduction to Forest Bathing (NCI) |
Christy Thompson | Outdoors-Meet in Lobby | |
| 3:30 | General Session A | Lead Your Way | Greg Petry | Lake James Room |
| 7:00 | Social Event | Bonfire | CCC Shelter |
Tuesday February 25
| Time | Event | Title | Presenter | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 | General Session B | State Association Executives Panel Discussion | Lake James Room | |
| 10:15 | Session 1 | The Future of Parks (PCD) | Ian Proud | |
| Session 2 | Improving Playground Accessibility (PFM) | Cindy Burkhour | ||
| Session 3 | Using Citizen Science(NRM) | Brittany Davis-Swinford/Tom Swinford | ||
| Session 4 | Anatomy of Trailhead and Advisory Signs (NCI) | Lise Schools | ||
| 11:15 | Lunch | Dining Room | ||
| 1:00 p.m. | Roundtable 1 | |||
| Roundtable 2 | ||||
| Park Tour | Nicky Ball | Meet in Main Lobby | ||
| Networking Opportunity | Topical Discussion | Lonidaw Lounge | ||
| 2:45 | Session 5 | One Thing You Should Know Best (PCD) | Sally Pelto-Wheeler | |
| Session 6 | Bringing Nature to Urban and Suburban Parks (PFM) | Arnie Biondo | ||
| Session 7 | Technology in Parks (NRM, NCI) | Ian Proud | ||
| Session 8 | ||||
| 4:00 | Session 9 | Community Involvement and Engagement (PCD) | Arnie Biondo | |
| Session 10 | Innovative Boardwalks (PFM) | Michael Rae | ||
| Session 11 | Beak to Tail: Indiana’s Birding Trail (NRM, NCI) | Brad Baumgardner | ||
| Session 12 | ||||
| 6:00 | Awards Dinner and Presentation | Lake James Room | ||
Wednesday February 26
| Time | Event | Title | Presenter | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7:30 a.m. | Bird Hike | Nicky Ball | Meet in Main Lobby | |
| 8:30 | General Session C | Impact of Climate Change on Tourism and Parks in the Midwest | Melissa Widhalm | Lake James Room |
| 10:15 | Session 13 | Algal Bloom Management (NRM) | Cyndi Wagner | |
| Session 14 | Invasive Species Identification and Control (PFM, NRM) | Phil Graf/Jesse Felix | ||
| Session 15 | Nature Education (NCI) | Cinda Hanbuck-Pinkerton/Doug Horvath | ||
| Session 16 | ||||
| 11:15 | Lunch | Dining Room | ||
| 1:00 p.m. | Workshop 5 | Drug Use in Parks (PCD, PFM) | Doug Toles | |
| Workshop 6 | Keeping Public Health in Mind in Park and Tourist Facilities: Protecting Yourself and Our Guests (PFM) | Brandon Howell | ||
| Workshop 7 | Personally Relevant Interpretation Using Interp Bursts (NCI) | Jen Seron | ||
| Workshop 8 | Fireside Chat for New Professionals (PCD) | |||
| 2:45 | Session 17 | Can I Bring My Dog? (PCD) | Ric Edwards | |
| Session 18 | GLPTI Board of Advisors Roundtable | |||
| Session 19 | Designing Pollinator Gardens (NRM) | Martha Ferguson | ||
| Session 20 | Interpreting Forest Management (NCI) | Lenny Farlee | ||
| 4:00 | Session 17 | Taking Care of Park Staff After Critical Incidents (PCD) | Michael Comer | |
| Session 18 | Woodland Restoration (NRM) | Phil Graf/Jennipher Graf | ||
| Session 19 | Native American Use of Plants (NCI) | Dani Tippmann | ||
| Session 20 | ||||
| 6:00 | Game Night Social, Dinner, and Trivia Contest | Lake James Room |
Thursday February 27
| Time | Event | Title | Presenter | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:30 a.m. | Session 21 | Lessons Learned from 25 Years of Deer Management (NRM, PFM) | Anthony Sipes | |
| Session 22 | PMT Program (PCD) | Bill Hooker | ||
| Session 23 | Jackson Park Renovation (NCI) | |||
| 9:30 | Brunch Buffet | Lake James Room | ||
| 10:00 | General Session D | Top Trends in Parks in 2020 | Brendan Daley | Lake James Room |
| 11:15 | Institute Closing | Lake James Room |