CREOLE NATURE TRAIL ACTION PLAN December 6, 2012 A re-cap of the group discussion at the Action Plan meeting is below. How can you help promote the trail? Be enthusiastic when talking to people about the trail and what there is to see/do Put information about the trail, and a link to www.CreoleNatureTrail.org on your business website Cameron Communications – offered to run PSA’s/commercials about the Creole Nature Trail and tourism events on their local channel Encourage guests/visitors to share their personal photos (especially on social media such as Facebook, tagging the with “Creole Nature Trail”) Have Creole Nature Trail brochures on hand and make them easily available to guests Encourage people to tweet/Facebook, and tag “Creole Nature Trail” as they travel Make visitors aware of the Creole Nature Trail personal tour (handheld units available for free check-out at the Lake Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1205 N. Lakeshore Drive, Lake Charles or app for iPhone and Android in your app store by searching “creole”) and encourage them to use What does the Creole Nature Trail need to enhance the visitor experience? Biking trails/facilities Boat rentals Boat rides (other than airboat as especially requested by birders) Map of where can crab, bank fish, etc. without having to have a boat Equipment rentals: fishing poles, crabbing dip nets, etc. Public restrooms!!! At least should have vending machines in areas where no stores/restaurants Better and bigger signage at Johnson Bayou/Holly Beach split Souvenirs Once monthly flea/artist/local market (always held same time of month/hours) Community of Cameron needs restaurants (group felt like there were two issues impeding this: lack of available property and elevation requirements) Could promote visitation of Doxey’s Oyster Processing Plant in Cameron Educational trips for schools in neighboring parishes/counties of Texas Marina – for commercial and recreational watercraft Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge– need bathrooms at Price Lake Nature Drive and East End Locks Better maintenance of public facilities and beaches Need restrooms on beaches Litter control and education Dumpsters on Holly Beach Port of Cameron and Port of Lake Charles – encourage boats to use port garbage disposal facilities instead of dumping at sea Start an Adopt a Beach program
Add additional information to the Creole Nature Trail and Visit Cameron parish websites such as restaurant menus, church times, etc. (the more information available the better!) Lacassine Company – is opening The Green House for tours Jetty Pier – Needs to be utilized more. Better access needed for locals AND visitors. Also need signage for Jetty Pier on LA 82. More awareness of critical nature of coastal wetlands and help in protecting them (especially on a federal level)
How can we do a better job of communicating with you? E-mail is definitely preferred method of communication for 99% of attendees Some thought text alerts would be good but not all wanted to be contacted that way Communicate what is coming up, not just what has happened Discussion about increasing number of blogs/bloggers and how to track/quantify for the Creole Nature Trail Send a mass text alert or start a “Facebook Group” for CNT Ambassadors to keep in loop