Educational path
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An educational trail (or sometimes educational path), nature trail or nature walk is a specially developed
hiking trail A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. " ...
or
footpath A footpath (also pedestrian way, walking trail, nature trail) is a type of thoroughfare that is intended for use only by pedestrians and not other forms of traffic such as Motor vehicle, motorized vehicles, bicycles and horseback, horses. They ...
that runs through the countryside, along which there are marked stations or stops next to points of
natural Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the laws, elements and phenomena of the physical world, including life. Although humans are part ...
,
technological Technology is the application of conceptual knowledge to achieve practical goals, especially in a reproducible way. The word ''technology'' can also mean the products resulting from such efforts, including both tangible tools such as ute ...
or
cultural Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...
interest. These may convey information about, for example,
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
and
fauna Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and '' funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively ...
,
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,
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,
mining Mining is the Resource extraction, extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agriculture, agricultural processes, or feasib ...
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or
cultural history Cultural history records and interprets past events involving human beings through the social, cultural, and political milieu of or relating to the arts and manners that a group favors. Jacob Burckhardt (1818–1897) helped found cultural history ...
. Longer trails, that link more widely spaced natural phenomena or structures together, may be referred to as themed trails or paths. In order to give a clearer explanation of the objects located at each station, display boards or other exhibits are usually erected, in keeping with the purpose of the trail. These may include: information boards, photographs and pictures, maps or plans, display cases and models, slides, sound or
multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...
devices, facilities to enable experimentation and so on. The routes are regularly maintained. Educational trails with a strong thematic content may also be called "theme paths", "theme trails" or "theme routes", or may be specially named after their subject matter, for example the Welsh Mountain Zoo Trail, Anglezarke Woodland Trail, Cheshire Lines Railway Path, Great Harwood Nature Trail, Irwell Sculpture Trail, Salthill Quarry Geology Trail and Wildlife Conservation Trail. The purpose of such trails is to increase knowledge, sometimes this is linked to tourism and recreation or the raising of environmental awareness. Often, the stations provide imaginative and interactive ways to experience nature. Occasionally, guided tours with expert guides are available.


History

The first official educational trail was created in 1925 on the initiative of a museum director in the
Palisades Interstate Park The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) was formed in 1900 by Governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster McGowan Voorhees, Foster Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the quarrying operations along the Palisades Cliffs of New Jer ...
in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
and
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in the United States. The first nature trail in the United States was created at Harriman State Park's Station for the Study of Insects, established by Frank E. Lutz of the
American Museum of Natural History The American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) is a natural history museum on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City. Located in Theodore Roosevelt Park, across the street from Central Park, the museum complex comprises 21 interconn ...
in cooperation with the
Palisades Interstate Park The Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) was formed in 1900 by Governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster McGowan Voorhees, Foster Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the quarrying operations along the Palisades Cliffs of New Jer ...
. Lutz developed a trail around the station and posted small signs to identify interesting trees, plants, insect haunts, and other natural features. In so doing, he created the first nature trail in the United States. In 1926 Lutz transplanted his educational techniques and scientific interest to Bear Mountain by establishing the Trailside Museum in cooperation with the American Museum of Natural History. The Trailside Museum and Wildlife Center remains a significant asset for the PIPC. At the beginning of the educational trail, the first sign read: "The spirit of the training trail: a friend somewhat versed in natural history is taking a walk with you and calling your attention to interesting things." ''Quellen in der Region Basel''
at www.biogeography.unibas.ch. Retrieved 27 Oct 2017.
In 1930 the first nature trail was laid in Germany. In the 1950s there was a sudden increase in nature trails in Germany, as growing urbanization led to a growth in the demand for recreation and an increase in car use led to greater mobility. From the 1960s in Germany nature trails were established primarily as forest trails to guide visitors. Most of them were signed paths that portrayed the forest ecosystem as worthy of protection in order to restrict the flood of urban drivers seeking recreation in natural areas. For this reason, circular nature trails were attached, initially, especially to large car parks on the edge of forests. In 1970 after the "European Nature Conservation Year" in Germany, the first Swiss educational trails were also established. At the beginning of the 1980s in Germany, educational trails were not just laid out as ordinary signed paths in which knowledge was conveyed by the written word only, but as trails where the perception and experience of nature with the senses was made more central. In 1998 it was estimated that the number of educational trails in Germany was around 1,000. Of these, 85% were forest and nature trails, and only 3% were nature experience trails. Since 2000 new media have increasingly been integrated into educational trails.


Special types

In addition there are also planet trails, which clarify the distances and dimensions of planets, and
sculpture trail A sculpture trail - also known as "a culture walk" or "art trail" - is a walkway through Open-air museums, open-air galleries of outdoor sculptures along a defined route with sequenced viewings encountered from planned preview and principal sigh ...
s with artistic themes.


See also

*
Hiking trail A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. " ...
*
Footpath A footpath (also pedestrian way, walking trail, nature trail) is a type of thoroughfare that is intended for use only by pedestrians and not other forms of traffic such as Motor vehicle, motorized vehicles, bicycles and horseback, horses. They ...
* Themed trail


References


External links

*
Educational trails of Germany at the travel guide - ''Zu den Böden Deutschlands''


("Educational Paths in Austria") on the website of the Austrian Ministry for Agriculture, Forestry, the Environment and Water. {{Authority control Leisure Outdoor education Walking Hiking Environmental interpretation