Local Organizations Partner To Publish Outdoor Rec Resources
Local Organizations Partner To Publish Outdoor Rec Resources
Posted
Staff Report-
Local Organizations Partner To Publish Outdoor Rec ResourcesAfter a long winter cooped up, many tourists are eager to spend time in the great outdoors.
Kosciusko County, with its wealth of natural beauty, is no doubt high on their list of destinations, according to a news release from the Kosciusko County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). And thanks to a collaborative effort between multiple Kosciusko County organizations, they now have relevant information about lake life, nature sites, parks, beaches, trails and more at their fingertips via downloadable brochures. The brochures are also available in print.
The CVB, Lilly Center for Lakes and Streams, Clean Waters Partnership and local graphic designer Terry Julien of Julien Design Studio joined forces to produce four stunning brochures that highlight the county’s vast array of outdoor spaces.
Mitchell Randall, marketing and communications manager at the CVB, took the lead on coordinating the efforts for this initiative. He said the result will translate into a better year-round visitor experience.
“The brochures will be a significant resource in the community for visitors and residents,” he said. “They provide information on the importance of our outdoor spaces, tips for preserving these spaces, and being safe while exploring them. They will help people find new places to explore and ways to enjoy the outdoors.”
According to Randall, all three organizations have an interest in marketing these assets. Harnessing their collective energies was critical to the outcome, the news release states.
“This was a great example of how local organizations can collaborate to create helpful resources for all to enjoy in Kosciusko County,” he said.
Caitlin Yoder, watershed coordinator for the Warsaw-Winona Lake areas at The Watershed Foundation, represented the Clean Waters Partnership, and helped bring this project to fruition. It was her idea to specifically feature the wild spaces (preserves, trails, and wildlife) and blue spaces (lakes, rivers, beaches) in the region in the brochures.
Inspired by a map from Edible Indiana magazine that plotted out local restaurants and vendors, she wondered if they could take a similar approach in marketing the natural resources and recreational assets.
“I wanted to do this because after taking the Indiana Master Naturalist class I learned that there were so many trails and walkable woods in the county that I never heard of,” she said. “I want my kids to grow up with an appreciation of nature, so having options to take them to was super important to me. Connection to nature and outdoors spaces is so good for mental and physical health — especially during the pandemic.”
Alex Hall, associate director at the Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams in Winona Lake, shares a similar perspective.
"The natural resources in Kosciusko County are some of the most valuable assets in our community and are worth protecting for visitors and residents alike to enjoy,” he said. “One important part of our mission to make the lakes and streams of Kosciusko County clean, healthy, safe and beautiful is to educate individuals on the importance of these spaces and how they can responsibly enjoy them. We are thrilled to have friends at organizations like the CVB and Clean Waters Partnership that value these resources and are excited to see these brochures connect people to the outside world."
The online brochures can be accessed at https://visitkosciuskocounty.org/digital-guides/ and all four print versions are available at the visitor center in Warsaw.
