PA Parks & Forests Foundation Accepting Nominations For COVID-19 Outdoor Recreation Champions

The PA Parks and Forests Foundation is now accepting nominations to recognize COVID-19 Outdoor Recreation Champions, individuals or groups who persevered in the face of unprecedented use and difficulties to make outdoor recreation opportunities available during the pandemic.

Nominations are due December 31.

Nominations are encouraged for awards to volunteers, Friends Groups, organizations, parks/forests staff members, business owners, medical providers, or elected or appointed officials who:

-- Went above and beyond to improve the visitor experience and create a welcoming environment;

-- Created or continued an innovative program or project for user comfort, safety, or enjoyment;

-- Worked to highlight the ongoing needs of our parks and forests even before the onset of the pandemic and the overwhelming use it brought to our public spaces; or

-- Showed unusual leadership or creativity in support of their park or forest, or the outdoors in general.

Things to keep in mind--

-- The awards are open to anyone of any age– a business owner, a campground host, volunteers or staff, perhaps a local medical professional who “prescribed” the outdoors for health during the crisis, or an elected or appointed official who made it easy to engage in the outdoors.

-- Did you have an experience or hear of an instance where a staff member went above and beyond to address visitor concerns or make them feel welcome?

Instead of an awards event, beginning next Spring, members of the PA Parks and Forests Foundation board and staff will travel the Commonwealth to recognize our COVID Champions. These individuals or groups should be congratulated for their perseverance in the face of unprecedented use and difficulties.

Click Here for all the details and to submit a nomination.

For more information on programs, initiatives, special events and how you can get involved, visit the PA Parks & Forests Foundation website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Foundation,  Like them on Facebook or Follow them on Twitter or tune in to their YouTube Channel.  Click Here to become a member of the Foundation.

The Foundation and their 46 chapters mobilize 65,000 volunteers annually to steward YOUR state parks and forests.

Related Articles - DCNR:

-- State Parks Continue To Break Visitor Records In September: 4.7 Million Visitors, Up 31 percent Over Last Year

-- DCNR Good Natured Blog: Bringing Recreation Close To Home By Investing In Local Parks, Trails, Rivers Projects During Pandemic 

-- DCNR Good Natured Pennsylvanians: David Wise, Stroud Water Research Center

-- DCNR’s Last Fall Foliage Report Shows Fall Leaves Beginning To Fade 

-- DCNR: Stay Safe While Recreating Outdoors During Hunting Season

-- DCNR Now Accepting Nominations For 2021 PA Trail Of The Year

-- PA Trails Advisory Committee, DCNR Release 2019 Trails Annual Report 

-- South Maintain Partnership Celebrates 15th Year Of Conservation, Recreation, Preservation Work Thanks To Environmental Stewardship, Keystone Fund

-- Increase In Human Caused Wildfires Sparks Concern For Allegheny National Forest

-- Natural Lands Protects Part Of Brandywine Battlefield In Chester County 

-- October 28 DCNR Resource Newsletter

-- Oct. 30 Take Five Friday With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation

Related Articles - Budget:

-- New Poll Shows 90% Of PA Voters Want Senate, House Members To Address Environmental, Conservation Priorities, Provide More Funding For Critical Programs

-- Analysis: 2020 Is A Make Or Break Year For Environmental Funding

-- House Speaker Cutler: Republicans Will First Raid Dedicated Funds To Balance Budget In November

-- House Republicans Pass Bill To Freeze Funding For County Conservation Districts, Local Parks, Farm Conservation, Watershed Restoration Projects; Will Hurt Local Economies

-- House Republicans Moving Bill To Reallocate Keystone Fund, Damage Vitality Of PA’s Outdoor Economy

-- Analysis: Why Republican Freeze On Funding For Local Parks, Trails, Farm Conservation, Mine Reclamation, Recycling Is Bad For The Economy, Communities, The Environment

[Posted: October 30, 2020]  PA Environment Digest