(b) An agency may wish to inform visitors about: Hazards Poisonous snakes Emergency phone numbers Fee amounts Restrictions on firearms Restrictions on fires Restrictions on pets Length of stay limitations Protection of the environment Historical or interpretive messages Traffic regulations (2) Alternatives. A sign is not always the best way to influence visitor behavior. For example, a sign at a campground entrance prohibiting pets is of little use to visitors who have traveled a long distance with their pet to that destination, if that information was not correctly available to them in some form before leaving home. Rather, it would be counterproductive to an agency's intention to provide high-quality service to its clients. A brochure or map can often convey information more effectively. The information may be very general, or very broad, in geographical coverage and may help the visitor when making long-range plans to use a Reclamation facility. Campground bulletin boards may be used to display information sheets. Information sheets are easily developed, inexpensive, 8.5- by 11-inch sheets of paper that contain important information about an area. This may be a small site-specific map, a hiking trail map, a list of safety concerns, or a description of environmental cautions. Brochures and recreation guides that include pictures as well as words are other effective communication tools that can be provided to public land users well in advance of departure for their Federal land destination. New releases can reach a large urban audience with a desired message. However, the newspaper editor or radio/TV news director must decide if it is newsworthy. Also, if used, the news release may be edited to such a degree that it no longer serves the agency's intended purpose. Physical controls such as barriers and fences, used to warn visitors to stay on roads, may preclude the need for signs within a given area. Signs that are part of an enforcement effort usually must be backed up by some administrative action. Thus, a sign giving notice of a restriction or closure does not, in itself, legally create an enforceable closure. The public must be given notice of such closures or restrictions through appropriate, established channels (e.g., posting in a district office or Reclamation's website <http://www.usbr.gov> and the Federal Physical contact by Reclamation employees, volunteers, rangers, and (3) Information Zones. This term refers to the area's initial point of use, where visitors need certain information before proceeding further. There are three zones: (a) Exterior Zone. This zone may vary from 1 mile to 100 miles from the use area. Information disseminated here should allow visitors to prepare for their trip to the interior zone. It is in this zone, for example, that information about pet prohibition at a particular destination should be readily available. (b) Entrance Zone. This is the entryway to the destination. Information in this zone should contain most of the warning, controls, hazard identifications, specific use area maps, and fee information. (c) Interior Zone. This is the actual destination or point of use. Information within the destination should be minimal and positive. It may include direction signs, restroom signs, campground signs, and other boundary signs. It should not include warning or behavior restriction signs. (4) Message Development. There are psychological behavior patterns that an agency must consider in developing messages for the public. Those who use the lands as part of their livelihood are driven by important economic considerations. However, most visitors use Federal lands during limited, valuable, nonworking time. Since the visitor is in control of the use of time and space (and expects few or no restrictions over behavior), any restrictions should be reasonable and conveyed in a polite manner. Within this framework, the user is not open to, or tolerant of, long delays or extensive control. Passive controls placed on visitor behavior must be positive, give assistance, and be supportive; otherwise, users are not receptive to them. Loss of passive control, or a rebellion against it, will likely require mandatory enforcement. That brings into play conflict and confrontation. In determining message content on signs and other communication tools intended to control or direct visitor behavior, the resource specialist should answer the following questions: (a) What is the purpose of the sign or poster? What problem is it trying to solve? (b) Who is the intended audience? What do they know about this (c) What do we want that audience to do, feel, think, or know after seeing the sign? (d) What traits of the audience should be considered in developing the sign? What language do they speak? Are there cultural considerations? Are there communication disabilities to be considered? (e) What is the message to be given to the target audience? In developing messages on signs and other communications tools, resource specialists should strive to achieve the following: (i) Be positive in approach, uniform in application, and minimal in the quantities of signs produced. (ii) Review the message from the visitor's viewpoint: Does it answer the questions? Does the message provide a solution to the visitor's problem or dilemma? Is there sufficient interest for all the information? Is all the information necessary? (iii) Keep messages on signs to a single subject. Use two signs to avoid mixing unrelated messages. (iv) Keep the message simple, clear, and straightforward. (v) Threatening or shocking messages do not necessarily encourage compliance. Use them only in extreme situations, such as where life-threatening hazards exist. J. Message Determination: Before a sign can be laid out, the length of the message and the sign size have to be determined. The Table of Letter Widths and Spacing Guide in appendix 4 provide the units for the width of every letter and the spacing between the letters. The sum of these units is to be multiplied by the letter size factor described in appendix 4. The result represents the length of the word, in inches. A simple example will illustrate the procedure: a component sign for a marina with a symbol is discussed below (see page 51 for reference.) 1. First Step.-Marina is a one-line component sign. The word "marina," according to the rules of capitalization, is spelled in lowercase letters. The table of letter widths gives the following values: m-39 a - 26 r - 22 K. 2. i-15 n - 27 a - 26 Total 155 Second Step.-The spacing guide provides the following distances: 4. The letter size factor is 0.1896. First Partial Result.-The word “marina” in 4-inch lowercase letters measures 5. Fourth Step.-The symbol size for “25 mph" is 12 inches. 6. Fifth Step.-The guide to horizontal spacing specifies a distance of one primary message lowercase letter height. 7. End Result.-The total message measures: 32-1/4 inches + 4 inches + 12 inches = + (space) + (symbol) 48-1/4 inches Sign Size Determination: The size of the message is now established. Vertical and horizontal margins and, in the case of multiline messages, line spacing must be added. These are specified under the Spacing Guide (see page 50). Positioning of lines, arrows, and symbols is also found in the Spacing Guide. At this stage, a layout at scale of 1 inch to 1 foot will be drawn up with all elements, including minimum margins. In the earlier example of the "marina" sign, the Spacing Guide stipulates minimum horizontal margins of one lowercase primary message height, both left and right. The lowercase height of the example was 4 inches. Thus, 4 inches (margin) + (message) +48-1/4 inches + 4 inches = 56-1/4 inches L. the minimum width of the sign required. The Spacing Guide for vertical margins stipulates that a space be allowed between the top edge of a sign and a symbol or message. The space should be equal to 1-1/2 primary lowercase letter height above the message or one-third the symbol height above the symbol, whichever creates the greater total sign height. Thus, for vertical margins: 4-inch margin 12-inch symbol (4-inch letters with arrow) 4-inch margin 20 inches is the minimum height required for the sign The approximate measurements of the sign are 4 feet, 8-1/4 inches wide by 1 foot, 8 inches high. The layout is now complete. Even though the above example refers to a simple situation, more complex ones follow the same pattern. Symbols/Seals/Emblems: The Federal International Symbol System will be adopted by Reclamation to supplement its sign program (see appendix 5). Appendix 5 does not include all the international symbols that are available. Additional symbols can be viewed by accessing the Bureau of Land Management's website at <http://lm0005.blm.gov:80/gis/narsc/intersymboldump.html>. It will be the option of the operating office coordinator to determine whether to use symbols and worded messages together on the same signs. Interior seal and Reclamation emblem are to be used where indicated in these Guidelines. Metal seals/emblems are recommended for outdoor use. If a reservoir logo has been developed and is consistent with reservoir brochures and other published material, placement of the reservoir logo should be graphically incorporated along with other symbols/seals/emblems, where appropriate. |