Dr.
Doolittle, he's not, but Ted Cable, professor of park management
and conservation in the department of horticulture, forestry and
recreation resources at Kansas State University, is an expert
interpreter. He doesn't interpret a spoken language; however,
Cable specializes in taking facts about the environment and turning
them into stories and experiences that help in the understanding
of the world's natural resources. He helps museums, zoos, and
public and private industries present information to the public
that is interesting and educational. His work is not limited to
the United States, and he has helped national park programs in
West Africa, Mexico and Paraguay.
Cable received his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois-Chicago in 1974, and a master's in wildlife ecology from Purdue University in 1980. He was awarded a doctorate in forest recreation management from Purdue in 1984. He joined the K-State faculty as an assistant professor in 1984.
Cable led the first K-State study tours to Africa. He has won several K-State teaching and advising awards including the Conoco Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have honored him for outstanding teaching in the field of conservation education. In 1996, he received the Master of Interpretation Award from the National Association for Interpretation, and in 2000 he received their highest honor by being named Fellow of the National Association for Interpretation. In 2005 he received the William C. Everhart Award from Clemson University for achievements in fostering appreciation of cultural and historic heritage.
Cable has published widely in the fields of natural resource management and environmental interpretation. He has authored/coauthored eight books, several book chapters, and more than 150 articles and presentations on conservation-related topics. Four of his books are about birds, including the recently published "Birds of the Great Plains." Two of his heritage interpretation texts are now in second editions and are part of the reading set for professional certification from the National Association for Interpretation. One of these books, Interpretation for the 21st Century, has been published in Chinese and is being used in Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. It also has been used to train tour guides and park rangers in countries ranging from France and Laos to Honduras and Paraguay. Another recent book, "Driving Across Kansas," interprets the rural landscapes of Kansas to travelers along I-70. His book "Commitments of the Heart: Odysseys in West African Conservation" includes a foreword from famed conservationist and chimpanzee expert Jane Goodall.
Cable can be reached for comment at 785-532-1408 or by e-mail at cable@k-state.edu.