FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 30, 2014
'OPERATION RECREATION GEOTOUR' REACHES 10,000 VISITORS
~Geocaching craze takes over Florida State Parks~
Geocache in 40 Florida State Parks for a chance to win an official 'Operation Recreation GeoTour Geocoin.'
TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of
Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service is proud to announce that the
GeoTour has officially reached 10,000 visitors at Florida State Parks in just
over six months. The Florida Park Service officially launched "Operation
Recreation GeoTour" on June 15, 2014.
Stretching from Pensacola to
Key West, the GeoTour covers nearly 8,000 acres, 100 miles of beaches and more
than 1,600 miles of trails. Since the launch, geocachers have raved about their
great experiences and finds.
The GeoTour encourages
visitors to explore the outdoors together, while participating in a fun and
inexpensive activity. The outdoor game of geocaching is played using a
hand-held GPS device or smartphone and teaches geographical and recreational
skills.
“Goecaching is one of the
many ways in which people can explore Florida State Parks,” said Florida Park
Service Director Donald Forgione. “Geocaching is a great adventure combining
technology and the natural resources of Florida.”
In addition to the joy of
finding a cache, geocachers who visit at least 40 Florida state parks and turn
in the official tracking sheet can win an "Operation Recreation GeoTour Geocoin." Four trackable Geocoins have traveled to other countries including Germany,
Canada and Brazil. The furthest coin left Gamble Plantation Historic
State Park and traveled more than 11,501.7 miles on its journey to Germany.
The "Operation Recreation
GeoTour" has become a great recreational opportunity in Florida State Parks and
it’s just getting started. The Geotour has inspired residents and visitors to
get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of Florida State Parks, while having fun and
learning.
People interested in joining
the GeoTour can visit the GeoTour webpage
to view each of the 70 caches and download the official tracking sheet to begin
their geocaching adventure. Geocachers can also visit the Florida State Parks Geocaching webpage to learn more about
how to become a top-notch geocacher.
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