PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation (PPFF) is challenging outdoor enthusiasts to explore the state's beautiful outdoors with its passport.
PPFF's State Parks and State Forests passport is a 135-page booklet that includes maps, activities and historical facts of every state park and forest district across the Commonwealth. It also acts as a checklist for every stop that is made by passport owners.
"When we developed this, our goal was to give people a tool that would help them to explore the parks in the forest, on their own time, in their own way, and allow them to engage with these places," said Marci Mowery, the president of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation. “We try to identify just a sampling of places under the different themes where people could go and enjoy their park or forest in the way that's most meaningful to them or perhaps they want to try something new.”
Collectible tags are given out to adventure seekers who visit specific themes and groups of state parks.
The main challenge though is to visit all 124 parks and 24 forests.
People successful at the challenge are celebrated by the PPFF, they receive a special prize and are deemed a “Seen "Em All Champion”, a level only a handful of people have reached.
The PPFF says even for those who have not yet explored Pennsylvania's beautiful state lands, it’s never too late to start.
They hope it inspires even more people to take advantage of Pa.'s great outdoors and find a new passion.
"[We want] to give people a tool to help them help them explore and to answer some of their questions and perhaps get them excited and become a regular park and forest user," said Mowery. "Eventually maybe being a voice for the preservation and conservation of these places in the landscape."
It's a unique incentivized initiative that encourages people to disconnect and discover.
"We're living in a time period where we're bombarded with information. We're connected to technology, but we're disconnected from other people," said Mowery. "Spending time in the outdoors can help you reconnect to yourself and connect you to people who share a passion for similar things."
For more information on how to get the State Parks and State Forests passport, visit the PPFF's website.