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Great American Campout

On Saturday, Virginia State Parks, in partnership with the National Wildlife Federation, will host the Great American Campout, which includes special events, workshops and activities for the whole family. WMRA’s Kara Lofton reports.

The idea with the Great American Campout is that if people are connected to the outdoors then they will care more about nature and work harder to preserve natural spaces.

JIM MEISNER: It’s hard for people to care about protecting the outdoors if they are never there and it is important for people to learn about nature so they can then understand the importance of conserving and protecting nature.

That was Jim Meisner, public relations specialist for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.

Although the weekend is billed as an event for both “novices and veterans,” Meisner said the campout is really an opportunity for people without a lot of experience in the outdoors to come and enjoy the parks.

The sponsored events will vary by park, but include night hikes, backpacking 101, camping 101 and intro to geocaching, which is an outdoor treasure-hunting game played with GPS devices. Some of the activities include meals and equipment, for which advanced registration is required.

Kara Lofton is a photojournalist based in Harrisonburg, VA. She is a 2014 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University and has been published by EMU, Sojourners Magazine, and The Mennonite. Her reporting for WMRA is her radio debut.