News... National Parks Issue Guidebook to Services, Welcome Parks Videos

Big Bend, Yosemite, Grand Teton, Glacier National Park, Statue of Liberty. There is so much to see within the United States' National Parks System.

Fortunately, The National Park Foundation, the private, non-profit fund raising group that supports National Park Service projects and takes care of each designated NPS park or monument, has published the 2009 Owner's Guide. This useful publication is a free online travel guide to each of their wards, which features pictures, maps, and insider tips about each individual park and how to make the most of your visit.

Timing is perfect, as a visit to the National Parks is on top of most families' summer road trip list. Of course, many of you have you ever been to a national park before. If so, then your family should enter the National Park Foundation’s Your Parks Video Challenge and let the world know what the national parks mean to you.

The National Park Foundation is looking for videos that capture the essence of natural beauty that national parks exude and how important it is to preserve them. The NPF invites anyone who has visited a national park to submit their videos from now until September 14, 2009. Winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to the national park of their choice for two, the Olympus PEN camera kit, a Federal Recreation Lands Pass, which grants free entry to any of the 391 National Park Service units, and gift cards for outdoor footwear and apparel from Merrell. In addition, winners will get a copy of the all-new DVD and companion book by Ken Burns, “National Parks: America’s Best Idea,” premiering on PBS on September 27. This film explores the people who helped create the parks.

Even if your video doesn’t win, you could still be one of the 10 runner-ups. All runner-ups will get a Federal Recreation Lands Pass and an Olympus Stylus Tough-8000 digital camera.

So what should your video be about? The video should be no longer than two minutes in length, and should answer the following questions:

* How do national parks inspire you?
* Why are they important?
* Why should we protect them?

Videos will be voted on by the online audience, who will pick their favorite video, so be creative and be sure to fully capture why your experience in a national parks has had such a profound effect on you. Voting ends on September 22, 2009 and the winner will be announced at the end of September. All participants must be at least 13-years of age.

The contest is being sponsored by Olympus Imaging America, Inc. For more information on this contest and for a full list of rules, visit Your Parks Challenge.