Outdoor News March 16, 2018

New Blog Fork

For those of you that get the weekly news, but have not subscribed to our blog, we have introduced a new fork to the blog.  In this context a ‘fork’ is just a split in the blog that adds a new train of thought.

Our new fork is called “Great in the World.”  Topics will be the earth itself or anything on or seen from earth that is, somehow, great. These great things may be presented photographically, in words, poems, videos or whatever means of expression seems to fit. Typically, in keeping with the mission of EXPLORE!, these great things will be outdoors.

I hope these posts will inspire you to get outdoors, put on the lens of celebration, and discover what is great in the world around you. The introductory post explains what we are up to.  If you want to receive our blog posts via email,  just go to one of them and wait for the sign-up form to appear.  Fill it in and you’ll started seeing our posts in your email.

Cumbria Students Experience Kayaking

On Tuesday, the University of Cumbria announced that eleven of its students spent a week kayaking around some of the most inaccessible and beautiful areas of the Outer Hebrides.  Their experience formed the basis of a presentation given to the sixth annual Adventure Tourism Research Conference which this year focused on the climate change. The conference was held in Segovia, Spain.

Titled, Climates of Change; Rethinking the Outdoor Experience the event brought together a wide range of academics and experts from the tourism industry to learn and debate issues relevant to nature-base and adventure tourism, outdoor recreation and learning.

In a presentation entitled ‘A Degree of Latitude’ Nigel Dykes told delegates of the experiences recorded by students who used sea kayaking as a way of acquiring knowledge.

“It was fascinating to see how the students developed during the course of the expedition,” Nigel Dykes, principal lecturer, said. “From reading the diaries the students submitted, it was possible to see how their outlook changed during the trip. They became more reflective as they became less concerned with paddling and more interested in their surroundings.”

Students were encouraged to keep a diary, share thoughts, record video and comment on the 60 mile trip in changeable weather conditions from Berneray in the north to Eriskay in the south along the east coast of the Outer Hebrides

With no curriculum or module outcomes, the course was run through the departments ‘upskill’ program. The staff’s role was to facilitate student learning, oversee safety and share knowledge and experience as the students requested. The students kept daily diaries and were interviewed at the end of the trip.

Plastic and the impact it has, even on remote areas such as the Outer Hebrides, was an issue that became more concerning to students as the trip progressed. A number wrote of their concern that beaches they hoped would be pristine were strewn with plastic. Another wrote about how they learned more about people during the expedition than during their three years at university.

“One of the things I didn’t notice so much at the time was that when you go to a new location is the need to spend time getting to know the place – it’s ok just to ‘be’ for a while,” Nigel said.  Nigel’s now looking forward to sharing video of the expedition at an international kayaking event to be held in Australia later this year.

West Virginia Photo Contest

West Virginia Governor Jim Justice, in partnership with the West Virginia Tourism Office, announced on Wednesday a new photo contest, inviting all West Virginians to share their favorite photos for a chance to be featured in the state’s new advertising campaign. The top photos will receive $500.

“I’ve said for years that West Virginia is the best kept secret on the East Coast, but the time has come for us to showcase all of the incredible things there are to see and do in our great state,” Gov. Justice said. “We’ve been working on a new tourism campaign, and I must say, I’ve been shocked at the limited gallery of photos we have to work with, which is why I’m counting on you, my fellow West Virginians, to help us find these images. We’re looking for everything from scenics that highlight outdoor recreation to photos that capture the size of our monster bucks, beautiful smallmouth bass in West Virginia rivers, giant trout in one of our streams, a big spring gobbler in full strut, or a flock of fall turkeys.”

All photos will be considered for use in the Tourism Offices’ new advertising campaign. Participants are encouraged to share photos that highlight West Virginia’s vast outdoor opportunities, including hunting and fishing, as well as photos that illustrate favorite family pastimes, music, history, dining, arts, culture, and scenic beauty.

To enter the contest, tag your photos using the hashtag #AlmostHeaven on Twitter and Instagram. Like the Tourism Office’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/GoToWV) and add your photo to the contest post. Or, manually upload a photo for consideration on the Tourism Office website(GoToWV.com/AlmostHeavenPhotos).

The Tourism Office will own the rights to all submitted photos. The cash prize of $500 will only be given to the selected top photos. The contest will run now through March 28, 2018. Prize winners will be announced via social media in the days following the contest.

Oregon Needs Recreation Leader

Oregon is having trouble filling the associate director for its new Office of Outdoor Recreation. It is the only position in the office.  With reference to applicants for the position so far, a state representative said, “We knew at the outset finding a person for this new office would be a challenge. Unfortunately, as qualified as they were, their considerable talents and skills do not exactly match the expected demands of the office as it ramps up.”

The office was created last summer.  The position “Associate Director, Office of Outdoor Recreation” within the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will be chiefly concerned with building a collaboration among public, business, and nonprofit organizations to elevate and sustain outdoor recreation in every region of Oregon.

The Office will accomplish this by coordinating strategic action on state and national policy, legislation, and organizational goals that maximize the long-term benefits of public outdoor recreation.

This position represents a first-of-its kind opportunity to build a quality future for people seeking outdoor recreation experiences in Oregon. The Office is new, but the first person in the position will have the support of a strong team. Inside the agency, the position doesn’t supervise other employees, but will be supported by an administrative assistant, professional policy analyst, community grants specialist, and experienced recreation researcher.

The annual salary ranges from $69,240 to $97,092.  Minimum qualifications are a Bachelor’s Degree in Business or Public Administration, Behavioral or Social Sciences, Finance, Political Science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills; and at least five years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work experience in outdoor recreation-related field, or a combination of related education and professional experience in an outdoor recreation-related field totaling eight years . . . or . . .
Any combination of experience and education equivalent to eight years of experience that typically supports the knowledge and skills for the classification.

Get all the details on Oregon’s Job Opportunities website.

Oregon – Only Slightly Exaggerated

Travel Oregon opened it spring promotional campaign on Wednesday.  The aptly named “Only Slightly Exaggerated” campaign is a fanciful, high-energy cinematic animation of Oregon’s majestic and diverse natural features and range of outdoor adventures — from mountain biking the North Umpqua Trail to swimming at Trillium Lake to hot air ballooning over Willamette Valley wine country.

“The goal of this campaign is to welcome and inspire people to come find happiness by vacationing in Oregon,” said Travel Oregon CEO Todd Davidson. “As more travelers seek health and wellness, alongside memorable and sharable moments, the time is right to showcase the outdoor adventures available in every corner of the state and build upon the $11.3 billion a year in visitor spending that directly employs more than 109,000 Oregonians.”

The campaign launched Wednesday in Portland, San Francisco, Seattle and Phoenix. The media buy includes cinema, TV, digital and out of home. The campaign will be further extended online throughout the year with immersive new content, GIFs, stills and short animations featuring Oregon’s seven tourism regions.

“We thought Oregon deserved better than just another travel ad,” said W+K Art Director Nick Stokes. “So we turned to animation to try and capture its magic. We’re very proud of the work, and I’m honored to represent my home state in such a unique way.”

The campaign, produced in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy, features a 90-second animated video with an original score performed by the Oregon Symphony. For inspiration, animators traveled the state to experience natural splendor and geographic distinction—from Eastern Oregon to the Oregon Coast to Southern Oregon. A diverse cast of animated human characters and native Oregon flora and fauna are also featured prominently, including a larger-than-life bunny, cycling caterpillar and grey whales breaching in the clouds. While the animation is fantastical and magical, each location featured in the 90-second spot is a real place you can visit in Oregon—Only Slightly Exaggerated.

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Video of the Week

If you are not familiar with the Outer Hebrides,  they are an island chain off the west coast of Scotland.  There are 15 inhabited islands with a population of 26,900 along with more than 50 uninhabited islands.  In this week’s video we bring you a look at the more accessible islands and the outstanding scenery that can be found there.  Enjoy!

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