Washington Post: Covid-19 sparked a run on outdoor heaters and fire pits. Which is better for the planet?. “Nelson Bryner has set a lot of things on fire in his career. Buses. Trash cans. Life-sized mannequins dressed in firefighting gear. A five-piece wooden dining set. As chief of the fire research division at the National […]
BusinessWire: State of Vermont, NIC Vermont Launch New Outdoor Recreation Mobile App (PRESS RELEASE). “Built in partnership with the state’s digital government services partner, NIC Vermont, the mobile app provides a wide offering of features, including interactive maps, and enables users to easily access policy information and guidelines for activities, such as hunting, trapping, fishing, […]
Augusta Free Press: Records related to Shenandoah National Park creation now digitized. “The Piedmont Environmental Council has completed the digitization of thousands of legal documents related to the Commonwealth’s 1930s-era condemnation of private lands in Rappahannock County for the creation of Shenandoah National Park. The digitization project has made all of the deed book records, […]
Mountain Journal: How Social Media And Bad Behavior Are Leaving Wild Places Trashed. “In this region we call Greater Yellowstone, we are blessed with an uncommon treasure, vast tracts of untrammeled wild country of the sort most people only read about in history books. Here we can climb a ridge and behold horizons filled with […]
BBC: Kashmir’s open-air classes offer stunning solution to lockdown.”Every morning, students in Doodpathri, a town in Budgam district, walk past streams and bridges, and up the hill to their new classroom: a picturesque spot with the snow-capped Himalayas as a backdrop. The outdoor school is a breather for both parents and children after months of […]
Idaho News 6: Gov. Little launches new Recreate Idaho website. “Governor Little announced a new website to help people recreate safely in Idaho during the COVID-19 pandemic. The website is part of the Recreate Responsibly Idaho campaign that was established to provide guidances and resources for recreating Idahoans to adapt their activities to the situation.”
The City: As City Reopens, Playgrounds Within Parks Keep Green Space on Lockdown. “In Midwood, Brooklyn, local kids have taken to playing on a strip of grass between Kolbert Playground’s locked gates and the sidewalk, while empty benches and open space adjacent to the play equipment remain behind lock and key. In the East Village, […]
Bangor Daily News: New campaign helps Maine residents plan local outdoor adventures this summer. “The new website… offers listings of local guides, public lands and camping options, as well as discounts on guided trips, rentals and outdoor gear, featuring local businesses that have committed to COVID-19 prevention checklists. The website also provides updated tips and […]
The Atlantic: Social Distancing Is Not Enough. “COVID-19 has mounted a sustained attack on public life, especially indoor life. Many of the largest super-spreader events took place inside—at a church in South Korea, an auditorium in France, a conference in Massachusetts. The danger of the indoors is more than anecdotal. A Hong Kong paper awaiting […]
Phys .org: Leopards spotted in Pakistan capital’s park as virus clears way. “Leopards, jackals and other creatures living in Islamabad’s tree-covered hills have been enjoying a rare respite from the throngs of hikers and joggers that normally pack the trails. Rangers in the Pakistani capital’s Margalla Hills National Park saw animal activity increase soon after […]
BBC: Coronavirus lockdown: Can nature help improve our mood?. “While the impact of experiencing nature on our physical health is less well documented, a wealth of studies have demonstrated the positive effects of the natural world on our mental health. Even a brief nature fix – 10 minutes of wind brushing across our cheek, or […]
Arizona Senator Martha McSally: McSally, King Introduce Bill to Enhance Outdoor Recreational Access Through Digitized Mapping. “U.S. Senators Martha McSally (R-AZ) and Angus King (I-ME) today introduced legislation to enhance access to the nation’s outdoor recreational opportunities by digitizing mapping information like access points and permissible uses on federal public lands. Reps. Russ Fulcher (R-ID) […]
Mashable: The northern lights cam just turned on and it’s the perfect season for ghostly skies. “The same live webcam site that brings you Alaska’s glorious, salmon-hungry fat bears just turned on its webcam in the northern reaches of Churchill, Canada. This town, famous for the polar bears who regularly stroll down its streets, is […]
Route Fifty: Using Data to Ensure Equitable Funding for Parks. “Tactics vary from place to place, but each municipality highlighted in the report relied on data to make impartial decisions about funding. During the budget process in Detroit, for example, city officials use multiple data points—including housing prices, rates of childhood obesity, minority households, foreclosure […]
The Asahi Shimbun: Sublime scenes in Oze National Park on Google Street View. “Not everybody is able to visit Oze National Park straddling Gunma, Fukushima, Niigata and Tochigi prefectures, but now the magnificent landscape of two popular destinations there is available on Google Street View. The service allows viewers to take in the sights as […]