Go Outside And Play!

The following is a press release issued by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection:

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) today announced the 2012 Great Park Pursuit Spring Sprint, a Connecticut  adventure to introduce families to the outdoors, build the next generation of environmental stewards and showcase Connecticut’s State Parks and Forests over four weeks this spring.  

The Great Park Pursuit Spring Sprint is a central element of Connecticut’s No Child Left Inside® initiative. The game will take Connecticut families to four different state parks and forests this spring. Families can register for the game at: www.NoChildLeftInside.org  

CT DEEP Commissioner Dan Esty said, “We are bringing back the Great Park Pursuit for the seventh year and providing guided activities for families and friends to enjoy in the great outdoors.  These Spring Sprint activities will showcase Connecticut’s state parks and forests and will encourage participants to spend time in our 139 state parks and forests.”     

The Great Park Pursuit kicks-off on Saturday, April 28 at Goodwin State Forest, Hampton and concludes on May 19.   Clues to activities and locations of the contest will be available at the end of each week’s activity and on the No Child Left Inside® website. At each location, teams will be asked to complete a series of activities that highlight the opportunities in Connecticut’s state parks and forests such as hiking, canoeing, fishing, birding and more.  

All teams that participate in all four events and earn the necessary patches at each of the events will receive a 2012 Connecticut State Park and Forest Pass. The contest is open to families – which must include one person 18 or over and one person under the age of 18.   CT DEEP Commissioner Dan Esty said, "The No Child Left Inside® initiative and The Great Park Pursuit contest are fun and exciting programs but there is a serious side to it all. Today’s youngsters do not get outside enough. We need to encourage youngsters to love the outdoors and our natural resources. If we fail in this mission, there will be few adults in the future willing to speak up and fight for our environment."        

Background Information  

No Child Left Inside® was introduced in 2006 and is designed to reconnect children with the outdoors, showcase the recreational opportunities available in Connecticut’s state parks and forests, and build the next generation of environmental stewards.  

The Great Park Pursuit Spring Sprint 2012 will take Connecticut families on a journey to four different state parks, forests and recreation areas over a four-week period. At each location, teams will be asked to complete various activities such as hiking, fishing, canoeing and more. Each week, the name of the state park or forest will be posted on the DEEP website by 12:00 noon on Friday and can be accessed by visiting www.NoChildLeftInside.org    

There will be one bonus visitation spot: Weir Farm. Teams are encouraged to visit Connecticut’s only National Historic Site and take part in “art in the park.”    All events for the 2012 Great Park Pursuit Spring Sprint are free of charge and open to the public.