Dear Master Interpreter — Winter 2026

Your questions answered!

Dear Master Interpreter,

“Help! I need somebody! HELP! Not just anybody – Help!”

I have many tasks in my job as a field interpreter, and I’ve heard that there are resources available to me within Division. Could you share what these resources are and how to access them?

—Not So Self-Assured

Dear NSS-A:

We acknowledge that field interpretation requires a breadth of skills, passion, and perseverance much of the time. The Interpretation and Education Division wants to help! And Division isn’t some faceless maze of paperwork and requirements, it’s a collection of somebodies (🎼not just anybody🎵) whose job is to help bring resources to you in the field.

Your best place to start is the Interpretation & Education Resources Hub SharePoint. There, you’ll find a link to Division staff and their contact information. Division staff are divided into program management areas. Many of these staff have years of experience with the department, working in the field in capacities such as your own. You are not alone and many of us have been where you are!

Let’s break down the table of I&E Division staff to help guide your search for assistance.

• Planning and Programs – They manage and assist with Junior Rangers, Statewide Panels, CICADA, interpretive plans, and even The Catalyst. They are also there for many of those between-the-cracks forms of help, being your sounding boards, reviewers, resource connectors, and even potential collaborators.
• PORTS – They manage and coordinate PORTS programs statewide, make the PORTS Van available to you, oversee K-12 Education programs, and provide the technology and training to keep your PORTS presentations flowing smoothly.
• Boating Clean and Green – This program is a statewide effort, jointly run by California State Parks and the California Coastal Commission, that helps boaters and marinas prevent pollution using a multifaceted approach to promote clean boating practices. Key program elements include the Dockwalker Program, the California Fishing Line Recycling Program, expired marine flare collection events, and cleanup activities that support boating facilities and communities.
• OHV Outreach and Education – They assist with interpreting off-highway recreation statewide (not only at State Vehicle Recreation Areas), and getting the word out on both safety and caring for fragile resources. They attend events with opportunities to reach communities statewide.
• Boating and Waterways Education and Outreach – They educate the public on how to recreate safely on California’s waterways and on boating regulations. If your park has questions about life vest programs or your visitors find they need a California Boater Card, their staff can help.
• Relevancy and History – The work of the program is centered on sharing a more balanced telling of California’s history through community engaged research and programs, university public history partnerships, and fostering internship opportunities, all of which enhance education and interpretation throughout the state. If you have an immediate question about changes in the interpretation of cultural resources, they can steer you in the best direction.
• Watershed, Coastal, and Climate Programs – This team is a blend of three distinct yet related programs dedicated to the interpretation of California’s natural resources. They work closely with the Natural Resources Division, district staff, partner organizations, and other agencies to provide funding, training, and project management support to district interpretive teams.

As time allows, we encourage you to explore all the program areas and materials found on the I&E Resources Hub. If you still can’t figure out where to start, there’s a general email monitored by multiple Division staff, Interpretation.staff@parks.ca.gov, and somebody (🎼not just anybody🎵) will figure out who can “Help!”

—Master Interpreter

Send your questions for the Master Interpreter to interpretation.staff@parks.ca.gov