Outdoor News July 14, 2017

Playcore Acquires Superior

On Monday,  PlayCore Holdings, Inc., a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of play and recreation products, announced the acquisition of Superior Recreation Products (SRP).

Superior Recreation Products is a manufacturer and supplier of both play and recreation products. The company’s offering includes shelters, shade structures, site furnishings, as well as indoor and outdoor play equipment. The company was founded in 1992 in Carrollton, Georgia.

PlayCore CEO and President, Roger Posacki stated “We are excited about the opportunity and potential this acquisition brings to PlayCore, as we continue to expand our product and distribution reach.”

“I believe that Superior fits perfectly within the PlayCore family of companies with our expertise in commercial shade and play structures,” added Tom Doherty of SRP. “We are excited about the growth opportunities this combination creates for the future of our company.”

Learn more at http://www.playcore.com

Garmin Announces New Sonar System

On Monday, Garmin International, Inc. announced the Panoptix™ PS22-TR sonar system. Paired with a compatible Garmin GPSMAP® or echoMAP® CHIRP chartplotter, Panoptix delivers a whole new perspective to fishing that lets anglers watch the movement of fish and the reactions to their bait, up to 100 feet away. Designed for trolling motor installation, the PS22-TR is the latest addition to the Panoptix product line, which now includes seven models with varying installation options for inland and offshore application.

With a Panoptix PS22-TR on board, fishermen can see real-time sonar imagery at video-like speed using the view of their choice – forward or down – and thanks to its simple design, it’s easy to change mounting configurations between the two. By providing both LiveVü scanning views, anglers have the ability to tailor the PS22-TR to best fit how they fish. Unlike traditional or scanning sonar that only provides historical data of what’s been passed over, LiveVü Forward shows an image of fish swimming and moving toward or away from the boat and LiveVü Down shows moving sonar images below the boat. The PS22-TR’s 20-degree narrow beam angle allows users to pinpoint fish and structure so they know exactly where to cast.

The Garmin Panoptix PS22-TR LiveVü Forward and LiveVü Down trolling motor transducer is expected to be available in the third quarter for $999.99. Mounting hardware is included to install the PS22-TR on the shaft or barrel of a trolling motor. It’s compatible with select echoMAP CHIRP 7- and 9-inch models, as well as the GPSMAP 8400/8600, GPSMAP 7400/7600, and the GPSMAP 7×2, 9×2, 10×2 and 12×2 series chartplotters. For more information, visit garmin.com/panoptix.

Greenspace in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom’s mapping agency. Ordnance Survey, released a new map of all the green space in  England, Scotland and Wales.  The free OS Greenspace map layer has been added to the popular OS Maps, in both the web and app versions. It shows publicly accessible recreational and leisure greenspaces across Great Britain to help people and their families reconnect with nature and the outdoors, which is scientifically proven to benefit both health and wellbeing.

The launch of the new greenspaces layer was led by TV presenter, adventurer and OS GetOutside Champion Ben Fogle. He said “The new map layer on OS Maps is an excellent tool to find greenspaces and other leisure facilities in towns, cities and neighborhoods. The great thing is that you don’t always have to travel out into rural areas and national parks to enjoy the outdoors, we all have some wonderful green spaces right on our doorsteps. The new OS Maps Greenspace layer, which is free to use, will help everyone find new local places to enjoy and explore and ultimately help create healthier lifestyles.”

Nick Giles, Consumer Managing Director of Ordnance Survey, adds: “I am delighted that the millions of people who are using the OS Maps application to plan their outdoor adventures now have access to the valuable greenspace mapping. This opens up exploration right on your doorstep and shows local areas that you may not have even thought of exploring. We are committed to making outdoor activity enjoyable, accessible and safe to all and this new map brings in an exciting urban feature which will benefit everyone, there really is no excuse not to not create your own adventures right from your own front door.”

You can find the mapping at osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk

Get Your Senior Pass NOW!

In order to meet requirements set by legislation passed by Congress in December 2016, the price of the America the Beautiful – National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Senior Pass will increase from $10 to $80. The change will take effect August 28, 2017. Pass holders are given lifetime access to more than 2,000 sites and parks in the United States. The fee increase will support critical investments in maintenance projects at national parks and federal recreational lands nationwide.

The Senior Pass has cost $10 since 1994. Until August 28, U.S. citizens and permanent residents who are 62 years or older can purchase the lifetime Senior Pass for $10. Previously purchased lifetime Golden Age or Senior Passes will be honored for the lifetime of the pass holder.

The Senior Pass can be used at sites managed by the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S. Forest Service, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Funds from passes are used to enhance the visitor experience and support priority projects and programs.

The pass can be purchased for $10 before August 28 at a national park or other Federal recreation area that charges an entrance or standard amenity (day use) fee. The pass can also be obtained by mail or on line, for $10 before August 28 but there will be an additional $10 charge for processing, for a total of $20. Due to expected high order volume, there could be delays with online and mail order processing of up to several months.

The legislation requires that the price of the lifetime Senior Pass be the same as the Interagency Annual Pass, which is currently $80. The legislation also introduces a new annual Senior Pass that can be purchased for $20. Seniors who purchase annual Senior Passes for four years can trade them in for a lifetime Senior Pass at no additional charge.

The Senior Pass covers all entrance fees and standard amenity (day use) fees and may provide senior discounts for things such as tours or campsites. The pass also waives the entrance fee for travelling companions. At per-vehicle fee sites, the pass admits the pass holder and all passengers in a noncommercial vehicle. At a per-person fee site, the pass admits the pass holder and three other adults. Children under 16 are always admitted free.

Every Kid Outdoors Act

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), co-chair of the bipartisan Senate Outdoor Recreation Caucus, and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) introduced the Every Kid Outdoors (EKO) Act, bipartisan legislation to provide America’s fourth graders and their families free entrance to all federally managed land, waters, and historic sites, including national parks – more than 2,000 sites in all. The Every Kid Outdoors Act is aimed at encouraging kids to get outdoors and experience America’s public spaces, while engaging in healthy activity and educational programs.

“Our national parks and public lands are outdoor classrooms with endless opportunities to learn and make memories,” said Senator Heinrich. “Connecting kids to the outdoors can inspire a lifelong connection to conservation, while reaping all of the health benefits that go along with an active lifestyle. The Every Kid Outdoors Act will give fourth graders and their families free access to explore the rich natural and cultural history on display in our parks, forests, and monuments.”

“We sing about and believe in America the beautiful, and one of the best ways to experience that beauty is to explore our national parks,” said Senator Alexander. “I grew up next to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which means I really grew up in the park, and made many of my childhood memories there. It is my hope that 4th graders — and their families — across the country will take some time to explore our country’s national parks and create their own memories.”

Additionally, the bill encourages increased public/private partnerships between public land agencies, schools, and private and nonprofit organizations. Since 2015, the Department of the Interior has offered fourth graders and their families free entrance to all federally managed public lands. In doing so, the program leveraged over $2 million in private donations and volunteer hours, and created hundreds of partnerships with schools, non-profits, and private sector businesses to support outdoor education programming and recreation opportunities for underserved youth. The program also contributed to the record-setting visitation to America’s national parks in 2016 as part of the #FindYourPark/Encuentra Tu Parque campaign to commemorate the Centennial of the National Park Service. The Every Kid Outdoors Act codifies this effort into law, which will encourage further collaboration with outside organizations and help leverage additional support, while providing for new and more widespread educational opportunities.

The legislation is supported by the Outdoors Alliance For Kids (OAK), National Recreation and Park Association, Sierra Club, YMCA of the USA, The Wilderness Society, National Park Trust, Girl Scouts of the USA, National Wildlife Federation, the Trust for Public Land, and the Outdoor Industry Association.

Representatives Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.), Scott Tipton (R-Colo.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), and Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) introduced the bill in the House.  A copy of the bill is available here and a fact sheet is available here.

Hallock State Park Preserve

On Tuesday, Governor Cuomo of New York announced the grand opening of new $4.5 million visitor facilities at Hallock State Park Preserve in Suffolk County. The new facilities provide public access to the 225-acre park on the North Fork of Long Island for the first time since the park was acquired by the state in 2003. As part of the Governor’s NY Parks 2020 initiative, this project is helping to revitalize the state park system and expand access to outdoor recreation.
 
“Hallock State Park Preserve is one of the region’s top outdoor destinations, attracting visitors from across the state to experience the pristine beauty of Long Island,” Governor Cuomo said. “With the opening of these new park facilities, I encourage residents and travelers to visit the Long Island Sound this summer, enjoy outdoor recreation and trails, and experience some of the most beautiful views found on Eastern Long Island.”

The new facilities include:

• A Visitor Center: The 3,000-square-foot center features a lobby with educational displays, a community meeting room, bathrooms, and park office.
• Two New Parking Areas: The parking areas, which are located near the visitor center on Sound Avenue and in the northern area of the park near the bluffs and trails, feature environmentally friendly, pervious pavement.
• A Sustainable Design: The new facilities are energy efficient and include a sustainable design, featuring geo-thermal heating and cooling in the visitor center. A nitrogen-reducing sanitary wastewater treatment system serves the restroom to protect water quality, and high-efficiency LED lighting and solar power generation have been installed.
• New Trails: Hiking and equestrian trails are open, as well as public access to a one-mile stretch of undeveloped state-owned beach, scenic bluffs, hoodoos and Hallock Pond.

Learn more about the park on New York’s Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation website.

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Video of the Week

The weather has been pretty warm around here lately.  This week’s video may cool things down a bit.  It offers a look at Glacier Bay National Park.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

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