Outdoor Recreation Challenge

Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Daniel C. Esty is hoping families from across the state will join his department for the 2011 Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Recreation Challenge.

The Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Recreation Challenge is a year-round adventure that encourages Connecticut’s families to experience the excitement and joy of having fun outdoors in Connecticut state parks and forests and on its waterways. The DEP has created a Great Park Pursuit Outdoor Recreation Challenge Passport to be used as a recreational activity guide to Connecticut’s state park and forests. An artistic, interpretive map of Connecticut’s state parks and forest has also been created.

For each recreational activity (biking, birding, boating, camping, fishing, hiking, historic sites, letterboxing, picnicking, swimming, and winter activities) the department has created a top list of state parks and forests that offer that activity. When families visit any of the top parks or forests they can have their passport stamped.

In conjunction with the passport program, the DEP will be hosting a series of Family Days starting in April and running through October themed around the 11 outdoor recreation activities. This will still provide families with the opportunity to participate in DEP-sponsored events but will also encourage them to visit Connecticut’s state parks and forests throughout the year.

The 2011 program began on April 9 at Hammonasset Beach State Park in Madison, with participants celebrating Family Birding Day. Family Days will continue on May 14 with fishing at Chatfield Hollow State Park in Killingworth, on June 4 and 5 with hiking at various locations (in conjunction with Connecticut Trails Day), on June 12 with exploring historic sites (in conjunction with Connecticut Open House Day), on July 9 with boating, on August 13 with swimming, the weekend of September 10–11 with camping, and on October 8 with bicycling. The locations for the July, August, September, and October events are still being determined.

“I am very excited to be a part of this great program that has been getting Connecticut families outside and into the state parks and forests for five years now,” said Commissioner Esty. “Since its beginning, No Child Left Insideand the Great Park Pursuit have been enjoyed by thousands of families at state parks and forests throughout the state. One of my main goals as Commissioner of the DEP is to make sure we get our children outdoors so that they learn firsthand the beauty and wonder of our environment.”

“This year we are expanding the program to focus on year-round activities and giving families flexibility to visit our state parks and forests whenever and wherever they like, not just for organized events,” said DEP Deputy Commissioner Susan Frechette. “The goal of No Child Left Insidehas always been to build the next generation of environmental stewards. We are confident all of the families that have enjoyed the Great Park Pursuit in the past and all of the new families that will participate this year will enjoy the new format as much as before.”

For more information, see www.NoChildLeftInside.org.