Pa Pushing For More Use Of Trails

[+BMSquared]

New Jersey offers to trap and ship JMBella over to help out.

 

Just kidding, but it might be an opportune time to get Geocaching promoted across the state.

 

DCNR Supports Keystone Active Zones to Encourage Use of Local Parks and Trails

 

CHAMBERSBURG, FRANKLIN COUNTY (May 26) -- The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) has teamed up with the Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and Activity (PANA) and others to launch Keystone Active Zones (KAZ), a new program designed to help counties promote physical activity for their residents at parks and trails close to home.

 

The campaign is designed to provide an opportunity to develop community partnerships between recreation, education, health advocates and other non-profit partners and build support for local parks and trails. KAZs feature a web-based inventory to help residents find information about activities at nearby parks and trails, county maps and a passport incentive program to encourage their use.

 

“Many people would find it convenient to get some exercise and fresh air if they only had to take a five or 10 minute trip or could even walk to an activity or place, but they have to know what opportunities are available and where they are,” DCNR Deputy Secretary Larry Williamson said. “KAZs are the tool to get them plugged into close-to-home parks and trails as great places for physical activity, improved health and family fun.”

 

The KAZ program is being introduced statewide today at an event in Chambersburg Memorial Park that includes a walk with local members of AARP and third through fifth grade students from a local elementary school. Franklin and Allegheny counties are the two pilot counties for the KAZ program over the last year.

 

KAZ partners in addition to DCNR and PANA are the state Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society (PRPS).

 

“The Keystone Active Zone program is a truly innovative program designed to help create partnerships between the recreation, health and education sectors, and to increase community awareness and use of local parks and trails as they work to improve physical activity and address childhood obesity,” said PANA Executive Director Allison Topper.

 

The KAZ program will allow users to go to a website (www.keystoneactivezone.com), select their county and search for local parks and trails by activities and amenities. Information will include directions, hours of operation and events.

 

All counties throughout Pennsylvania are being encouraged to implement the program. DCNR is providing a $50,000 grant to PANA to help support expansion of the program statewide.

 

Established by the Pennsylvania Department of Health, PANA is a statewide coalition of more than 500 public, private, academic, professional and volunteer groups working to promote policies and environments that support healthy eating and activity.

 

To provide start-up guidance, PANA and PRPS will provide a free “How To” training session on implementing and participating in the KAZ campaign. For more information visit the PANA website at www.panaonline.org.

 

A local implementation guide will also be available with recommendations on working with the media, developing partnerships, programming ideas and implementing the passport program.

[+KoosKoos]

Hmmmm...

 

Keystone Approver tagline:

...Volunteer Cache Reviewer for Central/Eastern Ohio, Western Pennsylvania, and West Virginia

 

DCNR Supports Keystone Active Zones

 

Coincidence???

 

Or strange conspiracy.........

[+IV_Warrior]

OK, I looked, and geocaching isn't listed as one of the searchable activities. I realize the page is new, and there's only 1 county listed so far, but we need to get this changed. KA, who do we need to talk to?

[Keystone]

I applied to have a Keystone Active Zone in my pants, but I was denied because the DCNR said it was "abandoned property." So I'm not sure what to think.

 

I suppose someone could write to our PA DCNR contact for geocaching, who could be a good advocate to have us mentioned.

[Captain Chaoss]

I applied to have a Keystone Active Zone in my pants, but I was denied because the DCNR said it was "abandoned property." So I'm not sure what to think.

Too small of an area for any real exercise to take place ?

 

It does say though, " A local implementation guide will also be available with recommendations on working with the media, DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS...."

 

The $50,000 grant would certainly come in useful.

[+BMSquared]

It does say though, " A local implementation guide will also be available with recommendations on working with the media, DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS...."

 

The $50,000 grant would certainly come in useful.

Think of how many ammo cans that would buy.