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2010 Institute Agenda

Download a PDF of the 2010 Institute Agenda

Monday 22 February 2010

  • NOON
    Board of Regents Business Meeting
     
  • 215PM
    • Registration opens until 8PM.
    • Board of Regents new attendee orientation.
     
  • 330PM-5PM
    Concurrent Sessions. (90 minutes each.)
    Green Parks Initiative
    With a “green” wave sweeping the nation, our parks and recreation agencies need to advocate for more environmentally responsible practices. Get your organization involved with a green parks initiative using a few simple steps and changes.
    Public Speaking
    Working in parks and recreation often means interacting directly with the public. Help your agency reap the benefits of having employees with sharpened communication skills.
    Community Gardens
    Have a space that could use a facelift and want to get the community involved? Consider the value a community garden project could add to your parks and the health of your community.
    ABCs of Mitigation
    Mitigation made easy! If you have ever wondered just what goes into a mitigation project and the steps to take to complete it, don’t miss this session. Hear the headaches and smile at the successes!
     
  • 5PM-630PM
    Dinner in the Dining Hall
     
  • 7PM
    Welcome in the Lake James Room!
    General Session
    Leadership
    Being a leader in the parks and recreation field identifies you as a person with many different roles and many different responsibilities. How do you wade through the day-to-day grind to provide empowering leadership for your team?
     

Tuesday 23 February 2010

  • 7AM
    Breakfast in the Dining Hall.
     
  • 730AM
    Registration (Open until 8PM)
     
  • 815AM-945AM
    General Session.
    Economic/Intrinsic Values of Parks
    Can you imagine a world without parks? Parks are not only beautiful places to recreate, but they provide a wealth of value both economically and intrinsically. Next time someone asks you why you do what you do, talk to them about this!
     
  • 10AM-1130AM
    Concurrent Sessions. (90 minutes each.)
    Breathing New Life into Old Parks
    What to do with an old space or structure, a budget cut, and some willing workers? Revitalize your parks with simple plans and manageable enhancements.
    Job Hazard Analysis (OSHA)
    Put on your safety goggles and take a new look at your agency’s hazard protocols! It is never too late to keep your workplace and your employees safe.
    New Utility Vehicles
    Hauling, mowing, dumping, sowing…park vehicles have to stand up to a lot of rough and dirty work. Check out the latest and the greatest in work utility vehicles.
    Social Networking
    Feeling overwhelmed by the explosion of social networking online? Skip the awkward questions for your kids and come straight to this session to learn how to make Facebook, Twitter, and more help you interact with the community!
     
  • 1145AM
    Lunch available in the Dining Room.
     
  • 1PM-2PM
    Concurrent Sessions. (1 hour each.)
    Gadgets
    Have you developed or used a gadget lately that has revolutionized your park’s operations? From the smallest to the largest, every gadget you use could come in handy for someone else! Don’t miss this show-and-tell for big kids! (If you are interested in bringing something to the Gadgets session to share, please contact Richard Sobecki at 734/697-9181 or via email at richard.sobecki@metroparks.com.
    4 Generations at Work
    Generations gaps and age differences not only add spice to your park operations, they can also be a point of contention. Discover tried and proven techniques for accommodating all the personalities and opinions of an age-stratified agency.
    Connecting Kids to Nature, Part One
    Are our children out of touch with their natural environment? In this age of competition and computers, kids are experiencing a disconnect with the outdoors. Discover ways to engage and inspire your youth to become more active outdoors and foster stewardship for the environment.
    Parks and Natural Hazards
    Poison ivy, stinging nettles, bee stings, oh my! The outdoors is fraught with nature “nasties,” but with an ounce of prevention and a dash of education, you can help protect your patrons and your employees from ugly encounters.
     
  • 215PM-315PM
    Repeated Concurrent Sessions from Tuesday at 1PM.
     
  • 330PM-5PM
    General Session. (75 minutes.)
    Sustainability of Public/Private Entities
    Trying to decide whether to contract out for some of your maintenance services or keep it in house? It’s a tough question and we hae some data that might help you make a decision!
     
  • 630PM
    Dinner and Vendor Social in the Lake James Room.
     

Wednesday 24 February 2010

  • 7AM
    • Bird Hike begins.
    • Breakfast in the Dining Hall.
     
  • 730AM
    Registration Opens until 8PM.
     
  • 815AM-945AM
    Research Block General Session. (New, this year!)
    Health and Parks
    Everyone seems to understand that parks are a good, healthy thing to have around, but what evidence-based data is there to support this? Hear the hard facts on the health benefits of parks.
     
  • 10AM-1130AM
    Repeated Concurrent Sessions from Tuesday morning. (90 minutes each.)
    Breathing New Life into Old Parks
    What to do with an old space or structure, a budget cut, and some willing workers? Revitalize your parks with simple plans and manageable enhancements.
    Job Hazard Analysis (OSHA)
    Put on your safety goggles and take a new look at your agency’s hazard protocols! It is never too late to keep your workplace and your employees safe.
    New Concurrent Sessions. (90 minutes each.)
    ADA Transitional Plans
    ADA compliance can be a complicated process, but we can help ease your transition to make your park more inclusive for people of all abilities.
    New Lighting Technologies
    Keep your bright lights and your dark nights! New lighting technologies help make the parks more environmentally responsible and create new atmospheres at your agency.
     
  • 1145AM
    Lunch available in the Dining Hall.
     
  • 1PM-2PM
    Concurrent Sessions. (1 hour each.)
    Low VOC Paints
    Volatile Organic Compounds in our paint can be hazardous to our health. If you are planning any sort of park improvements this year, let this session help you put a fresh perspective on paints in your parks.
    Smart Irrigation
    Conserve water and keep your parks green with smart irrigation. Discover pools of information on how to be a good steward of our water resources and maintain your properties in a flood of flora.
    Volunteers and Service
    Fire up the community for volunteering at the parks! How to find willing workers, amenable adolescents, and rockin’ retirees to help fill the ranks at your park.
    Natural Playscapes
    Developing a playscape that fits your park’s needs and blends into the surrounding environment is a challenge. Hear the successful story of one park’s efforts and the value it has added to the property.
     
  • 215PM-315PM
    Repeated Concurrent Sessions from Wednesday at 1PM.
     
  • 330PM
    General Session. (75 minutes.)
    BSA 100 Years
    A century of scouting has made definite impacts on the world’s young men. Hear the history and hopes for the future behind one of the world’s most influential youth programs.
     
  • 6PM
    Flaherty Awards Banquet
     
  • 730PM
    Toboggan Run open!
     

Thursday 25 February 2010

  • 7AM
    Breakfast
     
  • 730AM
    Registration Opens.
     
  • 815AM-945AM
    General Session. (75 minutes.)
    In Search of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker:
    Fact, Fiction, or Foolishness?
    The myths and mysteries in the search for the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker. The benefits of large tracts of preserved land tie into this ongoing story about a potentially distinct bird.
     
  • 10AM-1130AM
    Concurrent Sessions. (90 minutes each.)
    Aquatic Invasives
    Lurking beneath the sparkling blues of our waterways and lakes are an astonishing assortment of aquatic invasives. Discover identification, prevention, and treatment techniques to keep your water resources invasive-free and native-friendly.
    Community Engagement
    Get the support and participation your parks are craving! How to draw the community into your parks and keep them engaged in your programming.
    How to Prairie Restoration
    Native prairies provide habitat, protection, and natural beauty for animals and visitors alike. This instructional session will get you started on restoring a pretty patch of prairie land on your park property.
    Incident Command
    What happens when the worst case scenario hits? Be prepared and panic-free. Having strategies and standards in place will help prepare your park for disasters and emergencies.
     
  • 1145AM
    General Session and Closing with Lunch. (75 minutes.)
    Attitude with a View
    Become aware of how your coworkers, patrons, and community view the world. Look at how beliefs build attitudes, take an inventory of your own attitudes and focus on the positive, and discover why attitudes are so important in the workplace.