By Olivia Wynkoop. Bay City News.
State park visitors can now track their adventures at California's 280 parks and earn badges along the way in a digital passport program launched Wednesday.
Gone are the days when state park lovers have to carry a paper passport to get stamped at the visitor center; now, visitors can check in at each park and receive a badge on their phones, accessible through the California State Parks apps.
“This new Passport Program adds a layer of play that will help entice new visitors, especially digital natives and people more accustomed to screens and streams than streams and fields, to discover it for themselves,” said Armando Quintero, director of California State Parks.
Each check-in will be added to the user's profile, where they will also be able to add photos. Users can recount their adventures, share with friends, and make a note of which parks to visit next.
“With the Digital Passport Program and interactive enhancements to the app, everyone will have the opportunity to create personal, meaningful relationships with the parks while developing a deeper experience, both during their park visit and long after they leave through digital community engagement,” said Kindley Walsh Lawlor, president and CEO of Parks California.
“These lasting connections will foster the next generation of park managers who will protect these incredible places,” he added.
The state parks app, created by technology platform OuterSpatial, also provides information on park closures, directions and wayfinding. OuterSpatial is designed specifically for outdoor organizations hoping to expand their access and engagement with visitors.
“We believe in empowering organizations to provide the best outdoor experience for visitors. The State of California has done an incredible job in providing easy access to the outdoors for people of all ages and abilities, and it is a great milestone for OuterSpatial to partner with the State of California Parks and their new Digital Passport Program as part of that progress,” said Ryan Branciforte, CEO of OuterSpatial.
“Our collaboration will help accelerate their popular Passport Program and encourage a diverse audience to enjoy all that California has to offer, from its oceans, mountains, lakes and deserts, to the rest of what its parks have to offer,” he said.
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