This quotation from John Muir points out one of the problems with interpretive planning as practiced today. While interpretive master planning is generally regarded as essential to the success of any interpretive program facility, or site, the majority of such plans produced today are site or park specific with little attention to the regional context and integration with interpretation at other sites nearby. Agencies with interpretive planning responsibilities covering extensive areas generally emphasize only on those facets directly pertaining to and within the scope of their own concern. For example, in an article by Badaracco and Scull (1978), little attention is paid to the interface between an agency’s mandate and the private sector regarding interpretive stories, themes, and facilities. As a result, a large percentage of interpretive efforts tend to be rather narrow in scope, and may even be excessively redundant in their approach to interpretation—duplicating effort, and making inefficient use of available resources. Today, for heritage tourism and interpretation planning, particularly on a large scale, interpretive systems planning is the "required" approach to ensure cost effective site development and marketing for many thematically related sites, facilities, or locations.

An interpretive systems plan looks at how best to use and integrate all of the interpretive sites, facilities or resources within a given system. Of course, what you mean by "system" can vary. The system can be all of the parks or historic sites managed by a given agency. Or it can be a multi-county heritage tourism region containing many "smaller systems" within it. It can be all of the interpretive sites managed by a state agency, thus covering the effective interpretation of sites managed by that agency state wide, such as a state park system. Whatever the size of make-up of your particular "system", the value of using a systems approach to interpretive planning is quite high and the benefits gained substantial. Here are a few of the potential advantages associated with the systems approach.

1. It integrates related facilities, themes and stories within an agency or with several agencies.
2. It facilitates a variety of levels of experience or "pacing" (Veverka, 1978) for visitors as a common thread of experience on a regional, national or international level.
3. It facilitates the utilization of natural, physiographic, historical and cultural resources and stories which might otherwise be ignored or overlooked.
4. It expands the potential for using computers to model the interpretive planning process for a given area, site or region. It also expands the use of the Internet in presenting interpretive opportunities within the system.
5. It enhances optimal use of available physical, financial, and psychological resources within an area or region.
6. It makes evaluation of interpretive plans and programs easier and more meaningful, by pointing out excessive duplication and/or omissions within the interpretive system.
7. It encourages a more expedient and rational approach to planning interpretive services along corridors such as scenic byways and historic or National Roads.

Preparing an Interpretive Systems Plan

Preparing an interpretive systems plan can involve both long-range and immediate planning needs. It is probably best to take that proverbial: first step" in developing a systems plan at a smaller scale for your immediate needs and letting your interpretive systems plan evolve into your long range planning.

How do you actually develop an interpretive systems plan? There are five criteria which should be considered when developing your systems plan:

1. Relative levels of a resource’s or story’s significance and its attractions and appeal for visitors.
2. Degree of environmental or artistic manipulation in light of given levels of significance (i.e. what can be done to enhance the site’s marketability).
3. Needed availability of the resource or story relative to visitor demand and interest.
4. Potential or a site or story to enhance the intrinsic variety of themes within the system contrasted to its merely adding more of what already exists within the system.
5. Potential interface with other agencies, sites or facilities.

In addition, consideration should be given to the preservation of rare and or unusual sites for the special uses or emphasis which best capitalize on their unique values. In this light a program on butterflies would not be planned for a unique native petroglyph site unless that program directly related to that site/story in some way.

Well-coordinated and integrated planning is the essential element in interpretive systems planning. With this in mind, the following steps might be employed in developing an interpretive systems plan for any given organization or region.

1. Survey key existing resources and interpretive opportunities within your system (lets say for this example the system comprises 10 County Parks and the Agency is a County Parks System). This is the first important step.