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Helps users find adventure by searching 6,000+ national parks and public lands nationwide
Charlestown, NH (Vocus/PRWEB) April 12, 2011
The Student Conservation Association (SCA), the nation's leader in youth conservation service, has teamed with American Park Network and Ford Motor Company to launch Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder, a free app [1] sponsored by the 2011 Ford Explorer. The iPhone app allows users to locate and profile more than 6,000 parks and public lands across the U.S.
"We're excited to offer Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder as a free resource to make it fun and easy for everyone to explore parks and public lands all across America," said Mark Saferstein, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief at American Park Network. "The app has been made possible through Ford Explorer's generous support, a portion of which will benefit our long-term non-profit conservation partner, the Student Conservation Association."
"Those who experience the majesty of nature are sure to value and protect it," states Kevin Hamilton, SCA Vice President for Communications. "This app, therefore, is a portal to both parks and conservation, and SCA is pleased to partner with American Park Network and Ford on this unique adventure."
A team of more than 50 writers and editors - the same team that publishes the ubiquitous little green Oh, Ranger!® guides to national parks and public lands that are read by 20+ million park enthusiasts each year - created and curated a searchable database of every federal and state public land in America. The exclusive database includes thousands of national parks, state parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recreation areas and many more public lands.
Each location is cross-referenced with information about available activities, allowing users to search for nearby parks based on their favorite activities. The app offers 20 different activity categories from which to choose. Want to go hiking, bird watching and boating? How about hunting, fishing, off-highway driving or RVing? Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder has the answers. Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder makes it easy to find great places to watch wildlife; discover historic sites; take scenic drives; go camping and much more. Users may also quickly toggle back and forth to find locations that have any or all of their desired activities.
Once the user has selected where they want to go, Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder helps plan adventures with directions, important phone numbers, activity descriptions, seasonality/weather, lodging and concession information, non-profit partners and links to events and related websites. By downloading Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder, you'll be reinforcing the important role public lands play in our lives and sending an encouraging message to the good people at Ford Explorer.
The app is initially available for iPhone and iPod Touch, with iPad and Android versions to follow. In addition, much of the information is embedded, so users won't need the Internet to display park information, an important feature as many parks have little or no connectivity. American Park Network is already developing version 2.0 of Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder, which adds social networking and other functionality that allows users to keep track of all their favorite places and share them with millions of others park-lovers.
To download the Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder app, visit the iTunes App Store or go to OhRanger.com/app/parkfinder.
About American Park Network: American Park Network is a leading publisher of visitor guides to national parks and public lands. Their ubiquitous little, green Oh, Ranger! guides are read by more than 20 million park enthusiasts each year. American Park Network also publishes OhRanger.com, which hosts the online, searchable database that powers Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder. Website users can also ask questions and search for information on thousands of national parks, state parks and other public lands, making OhRanger.com a premier one-stop-shop for planning an outdoor adventure. Contact: Mark Saferstein, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief at mark(at)americanparknetwork(dot)com or 212-581-3380.
About Ford Motor Company: Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.ford.com [2].
About The SCA: The Student Conservation Association (SCA) is America's leading conservation service organization for youth, building the next generation of conservation leaders. Its members protect and restore national parks, marine sanctuaries, cultural landmarks and community green spaces in all 50 states. Tens of thousands of green professionals, from park superintendents to urban planners, can trace their start to SCA, where college and high school students connect with nature, render hands-on service, gain new skills and perspectives, and launch a lifetime of stewardship. Contact: Kevin Hamilton, VP, Public Relations, at khamilton(at)thesca(dot)org or 603-504-3275.
About Tread Lightly!: Tread Lightly! is a national nonprofit organization focused on helping outdoor enthusiasts minimize their impact on the environment and become good stewards of the great outdoors. Tread Lightly! is considered the nation's signature ethics message for outdoor enthusiasts that use motorized vehicles in the great outdoors. The organization offers unique training and restoration programs strategically designed to instill an ethic of responsibility in a wide variety of outdoor enthusiasts and the industries that serve them. Contact: Lori McCullough, Executive Director at lori(at)treadlightly(dot)org or 817-431-1977.