This April, Smokies Life received national recognition at the 2024 Public Lands Alliance Partnership Awards for its Junior Ranger Activity Guide, which won in a category for Outstanding Public Engagement. Public Lands Alliance (PLA) publicly announced and honored the winners of its annual awards at a virtual ceremony on Thursday, April 18.
Published in 2023, the Junior Ranger Activity Guide is an interactive illustrated guidebook packed full of fun activities designed to introduce kids of all ages to the Smokies. It was developed by National Park Service staff at Great Smoky Mountains National Park with support from Smokies Life and assistance from the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Cherokee Speakers Council.
“We invited input from staff across the park in all different divisions to contribute ideas to this book,” said Jeanine Ferrence, GSMNP resource education ranger. “It took advantage of the expertise of so many people that do so many things in order to protect this park, and Smokies Life’s involvement was pivotal in bringing this information to the public in a fun and inviting way.”
Featuring colorful illustrations by Jesse White and designed by the Smokies Life creative team, the 38-page booklet serves as the official guide to the Junior Ranger program at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Anyone that helps their team complete at least five activities and five experiences outlined in the guide can be officially sworn in as a Junior Ranger at any park visitor center. The guides are designed to be completed as a team, and there are no age limits on the Junior Ranger program at Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
The PLA Partnership Awards program is designed to celebrate the best in public lands partnerships, recognizing individuals, organizations, publications, products, programs, and services that embody leading-edge achievements in the preservation of public lands and the enrichment of visitors. Through its awards, the program recognizes excellence in public lands partnerships, innovative solutions to challenges, and outstanding programs that enhance visitor experience. The Outstanding Public Engagement Award, in particular, celebrates exemplary products, displays, programs, and/or services that advance meaningful and sustainable connections between individuals and America’s public lands.
“Great Smoky Mountains National Park is such a vast, diverse landscape, with incredible layers of cultural history,” said Stephanie Kyriazis, GSMNP chief of resource education. “We really wanted to make sure that the activities encouraged families — children and adults working together — to get out there in the park, to have experiences that help them connect to natural and cultural park resources.”
The 9-by-12-inch Junior Ranger Activity Guide, which includes 38 illustrated pages of park-related activities and a tear-out postcard and bookmark, is available for $4.50 in the park’s visitor center bookstores and online.
For additional details on the 2024 Public Lands Alliance Partnership Awards, visit publiclandsalliance.org or watch the ceremony stream at facebook.com/publiclandsalliance.
The Great Smokies Welcome Center is located on U.S. 321 in Townsend, TN, 2 miles from the west entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitors can get information about things to see and do in and around the national park and shop from a wide selection of books, gifts, and other Smokies merchandise. Daily, weekly, and annual parking tags for the national park are also available.
