At Clark County Green Schools, our staff are part of the Clark County Nature Network, a group of local organizations that work to get kids and families outdoors and embracing sustainability at school and at home. The US Forest Service Gifford Pinchot National Forest staff are also members of this group and recently told us about an exciting opportunity for fourth grade students and their families. The information was written by Stephen Baker, Public Affairs Officer for the Forest Service in the Pacific Northwest Region, and provided by Gala Milller, the Community Engagement Specialist for Gifford Pinchot National Forest.
With the start of the new school year, it's also time for all fourth graders and their families to claim their free Every Kid Outdoors pass, formerly called Every Kid in the Park. This pass allows free entry into all federally managed parks, forests, and recreation areas for a full year.
Each year starting September 1st, fourth graders can print out a paper voucher for free entry into all federal lands by visiting Every Kid Outdoors. Students and their families can also redeem their paper voucher for a plastic pass at any Forest Service office. The voucher and passes are valid for the entire school year, September 1, 2019-August 31, 2020.The Forest Service is partnering with schools and educators across Oregon and Washington to plan Every Kid Outdoors events in local communities and distribute passes at back-to-school events this fall. For more information on upcoming Every Kid Outdoors events, contact your local forest.
For more information, visit www.everykidoutdoors.gov. To find nearby locations where the pass can be used, go to recreation.gov - scroll down to see an interactive map of Federal recreation sites!