The PA Outdoor Corps is a partnership to create the next generation of conservationists. In this new video, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn shares how the program offers young people life-changing experiences in the outdoors. You'll also hear from recent Outdoors Corps members about what their experience meant to them, how it changed read more
Get Outdoors
Take the PRPS Outdoor Recreation Survey
The Pennsylvania Recreation and Parks Society (PRPS) is seeking public feedback from outdoor recreation organizations. The information it receives is incredibly helpful to the work of making Pennsylvania a great place for outdoor recreation Please take a few minutes to complete the survey. Responses will directly impact PRPS-related initiatives and provide better tools and read more
Three Park Projects Selected for National Campaign
Three local park projects in Pennsylvania have been selected for the National Recreation and Park Association's 2017 Fund Your Park campaign. The campaign is the first-ever crowdfunding site designed specifically for local parks and recreation throughout the United States. The Pennsylvania projects that were chosen this year are: Centre Region Parks and Recreation read more
2016 Get Outdoors PA Mini-Grants
The second round of Get Outdoors PA Mini-Grants is now open. Grants of $1,500-$3,000 will fund equipment and training related to outdoor programming. Some match is required. The 2016 Get Outdoors PA mini- grants can be applied toward equipment and/or staff training in one of the Get Outdoors PA 16 activity categories. The grants of $1,500-$3,000 provide up to 50% of the read more
Find Your Park!
FindYourPark.com, recently launched in celebration of the 100th birthday of the National Park Service in 2016. There you can find events near you, share your stories, & find your park! Inspired by the belief that local parks and recreation improves the lives of all Pennsylvanians, we embraced the undeniable “goodness” of that experience. Read more about our work and the read more
Get Outdoors PA Regional Summit
AGENDA | LOCATION CEUS will be available through PRPS. Location The program will be held at the Cumberland County Service Center at 310 Allen Road, Carlisle PA (Conference Room B). The Cumberland County Service Center has 2 public entrances. For this event, enter via the front door (with 4 white pillars) which faces Allen Road. To find conference room B, go to read more
Get Outdoors PA Webinar: Using Social Media to promote your Outdoor Recreation Programs
May 21, 2015 | 1:00pm - 2:00pm This webinar features communication professionals who will provide guidance and strategies for success in connecting with partners and your desired audience using social media. Hear from the experts on selecting the platform for you, managing time and being effective in social media outreach. Mary Linkevich, Director of Communication read more
Nature Play: Nurturing Children and Strengthening Conservation through Connections to the Land
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association has published a guide to nature play. You can view or download the beautifully illustrated edition OR access the text-only version at ConservationTools.org. Unstructured, frequent childhood play in informal outdoor settings powerfully boosts the cognitive, creative, physical, social and emotional development of children. It also read more
Expanding Your Reach: Offering Inclusive & Adaptive Outdoor Recreation Programs
Friday, March 27 | 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm "Put the person first in service, programs and attitudes". Inclusive recreation activities are held when individuals, with or without disabilities, participate together. This free webinar features adaptive recreation professionals and practitioners who will provide guidance on getting started with adaptive recreation, strategies for read more
Best Practices for Outdoor Recreation Programs
January 21 | 2:00 - 3:00 pm This webinar will explore best practices for various activities which can help partners improve the quality of their outdoor recreational events. A best practice is known as a technique, method, process, activity or incentive which has been clearly defined, refined, and evaluated through repeated delivery and proven to be most effective in read more
Land Trusts Help Get Pennsylvanians Outdoors
The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association is a flagship partner for the Get Outdoors PA initiative, an effort to help people become better connected to the outdoors and to help them grow their appreciation for the protection of our special natural places. Land trusts are an important partner in getting Pennsylvanians outdoors. The initiative officially launched this spring, read more
Pennsylvania Celebrates ‘Get Outdoors Month’ with Myriad Events
Outdoor recreation areas across Pennsylvania will be hosting special events and activities during June as part of a statewide Get Outdoors Month observance, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Ellen Ferretti said today. "The Get Outdoors Month celebration gives our bureaus of state parks and forestry, as well as other outdoor recreation facilities, read more
Get Outdoors PA: Connect & Inspire Your Community
ClearWater Conservancy does it. So does Countryside Conservancy. Wildlands Conservancy has been doing it for decades. Land trusts across Pennsylvania are not just providing conserved places to visit but are actively engaging people in outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, bird watching and more. Get Outdoors PA makes it easier for land trusts to develop and market read more
Making the Case for Nature Play: An Interview with Ken Finch
See Ken Finch's Keynote at the 2013 Pennsylvania Land Conservation Conference Ken Finch is the founder and President of Green Hearts Institute for Nature in Childhood, an organization focused on restoring the bonds between children and nature. Ken speaks, teaches, writes, and consults about nature play and nature-based preschools. Green Hearts is based in Omaha, but works read more
Reconnecting Youth to a Green & Playful World
A generation ago, most children spent time in their yards and neighborhoods. Even if they weren’t aware of it at the time, they found a connection to nature as they played and discovered the green world around them. Today many children face distractions and have little exposure to the outside world. While parents are making more of an effort to get their kids outdoors, those read more