Natural Resource Photo Contest Announced

On April 15th, the Natural Resource Program Center announced the first "Natural Resource Science for Visitor Enjoyment of National Parks" photo contest. NPS entrants will be competing for one of 50 top-of-the line' compact digital cameras, donated by Olympus, for their park or other NPS work unit.

NPS employees and volunteers (VIP’s) are encouraged to send in their best photos, capturing NPS staff and collaborators conducting inventory and monitoring activities, restoration, or any kind of science-based natural resource management activities. Images of interpretation and education related to natural resource management are also welcome. Contest organizers are also eager to encourage high-quality photographs of visitors enjoying restored natural landscapes and other good examples of park values maintained through the work of science-based natural resource management.

In 2008, the NPS Natural Resource Program Center (NRPC) signed a national partnership agreement with Olympus, to accept a significant donation of technical support, new, state-of-the-art digital cameras, and on-going maintenance of the 16 Air Web Cams in our national parks. Olympus’s commitment to science and stewardship in the national parks is helping the Natural Resource Program Center share this important air quality information with the parks and the public.

Olympus continues to support the NRPC with a recent contribution of 50 new digital cameras for the benefit of individual parks and future park projects.

The contest kicked off on Wednesday, April 15th,  and ends on June 30th. All NPS employees and VIP’s are eligible to enter and may enter as often as they wish. Contest rules are attached and are also available for downloading at http://www1.nrintra.nps.gov/PhotoContest/.

A full description of the contest along with a printable 8.5 x 11 poster will be distributed by email to regional directors, park superintendents, and program leaders for display in employee work areas. National Park Service photographers will be credited for their work and Olympus may select photos for public exhibition on its web site.

For further information, please visit the web site or contact Diana Maxwell at 303-969-2078 or diana_maxwell@nps.gov .