DNREC Division of Parks and Rec nabs communicator awards
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control was recently presented two Communicator Awards of Distinction by the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts, which represents more than 500 industry leaders from top brands and agencies across the country. The awards were for the DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation’s redesigned website and a collectible trading card campaign, Card Quest, that promotes the 17 state parks and the Brandywine Zoo throughout the state.
“We are honored to receive this recognition and are proud of our staff for providing new and innovative ways to share and educate the public about the state’s beautiful natural resources,” said Matthew Ritter, DNREC Division of Parks and Recreation director. “The Card Quest trading cards send residents and visitors on a journey to discover their favorite parks and the many gems that make Delaware special, while our new website serves as a digital front door — often the first interaction people have with our parks — and reflects the welcoming experience they’ll find when visiting.”
The awards, which represent second place in the national competition, were judged by representatives from Google, the Smithsonian Institute, JPMorgan Chase & Co., John Hopkins Healthcare System, Amazon, The Andy Warhol Museum and others.
The website, destateparks.com, highlights the adventures that await visitors at the Delaware State Parks system, which includes 903 camps sites, 64 hiking trails, 14 fishing locations, 150 bird species and 73 summer concert series. It spotlights the unique opportunities available throughout the state, and offers an events and programs calendar from each of the state’s diverse parks and historic sites. The site offers powerful tools to personalize the digital park experience — from curated blogs and trip-planning resources to social media photo galleries submitted by fellow visitors — that help visitors discover new adventures across Delaware’s award-winning state parks. The website was a collaborative effort involving DNREC’s Division of Parks and Recreation, the Delaware Department of Technology and Information, and agency partner Vanguard.
Card Quest provides a new and innovative way to explore the Delaware State Parks system through a series of trading cards for each destination. The cards feature fun, park-specific facts, photos and activities. Individual cards are available free at each park, sending visitors on a quest to collect them all by exploring locations across the state. The first series focuses on the state parks, and the second series features must-see spots known as “park gems,” including museums, trails, historic sites and scenic overlooks.
