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More Than 300 Families To Participate In Park Quest
Maryland Families Embark on Outdoor Adventures in State Parks
Annapolis, Md. - More than 300 families have now registered to participate in the second season of Park Quest, a Maryland Park Service (MPS) outdoor adventure-based program designed to encourage families to spend more time playing together in the great outdoors.
“Maryland children and families are fortunate to have such beautiful parks and natural spaces close to home and available to explore this summer,” said Governor Martin O’Malley. “Park Quest is a wonderful opportunity for parents to share valuable outdoor experiences with their children, and in doing so create a personal sense of connection with the natural world for these young people that will promote mental, emotional and physical health and well being throughout their lives.“
Park Quest is a free 11-week competition, which began on May 9 and continues through July 26, challenging families to complete designated outdoor activities and challenges at 14 specific state parks throughout Maryland. Participants who complete 8 of the 14 challenge activities will qualify to compete in the Park Quest Finale on August 8, 2009 at Tuckahoe State Park.
The teams, made up of at least one team member 16 years of age or younger and one adult, take part in variety of activities at any of the 14 participating Maryland State Parks, such as paddling quiet streams, hiking trails in search of historic clues, finding items on a scavenger hunt, and even disc golf. Upon completing assigned activities, the team will receive a stamp on their Park Quest passport.
At the conclusion of the 11-week period, teams that have at least 8 completed Park Quests logged in their Passport will be invited to attend The Park Quest Finale. At the Finale, teams compete in games of chance, environmental knowledge and outdoor skills for the opportunity to win one of several great family prize packages. Prizes at the final competition are made possible by many private and corporate sponsors.
For more information about Park Quest, visit /parkquest/. To learn more about Maryland State Parks, visit www.dnr.maryland.gov/publiclands or check out MPS Superintendent Nita Settina’s blog, “Love Our Parks,” at http://loveourparks.blogspot.com.
To ensure all Maryland young people have the opportunity to connect with their natural world and grow to become informed and responsible stewards, Governor Martin O’Malley established the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature in 2008. Under the initiative, which is now being used as a national model, the Governor created the Maryland Civic Justice Corps, a summer job and environmental education program that employs at risk youth in Maryland State Parks, and recently issued the Maryland Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights. A plan to implement the Partnership’s Report and Recommendations – presented to Governor O’Malley in April -- is under development. During the 2009 legislative session, the O’Malley-Brown Administration secured record funding for Maryland’s #1 ranked public schools for the third consecutive year, with an investment of more than $5.5 billion.
June 1, 2009 Contact: Megan Rhoads
410-260-8001
mrhoads@dnr.state.md.usMaryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 12 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov