Tread Lightly! to Customize Free Posters Promoting Responsible Recreation

SALT LAKE CITY, UT (February 14, 2013) – Tread Lightly! is pleased to offer public land managers the opportunity to customize and receive free educational posters for the second year in a row. These educational posters help foster good stewardship throughout the recreation community by communicating responsible behaviors and providing tips to minimize environmental and social impacts – all while ensuring consistency across boundaries, nationwide, using issue-specific messages based in research. One of the new and exciting improvements in this year’s program is the ability land managers have to include a QR code that can be linked to local maps, if available online. “Maps can sometimes get buried deep within an agency’s website,” said Ty Gray, assistant director for Arizona Game and Fish Department. “These QR codes can be scanned with a smartphone. So Tread Lightly! has come up with a creative way to get important information directly in the hands of a public lands visitor, literally, and at no additional cost to tax payers.” Another new addition to the 2013 program is the ability land managers have to customize the messaging by state. “These posters help bridge the gap between conservation and enforcement,” said Lori McCullough, Tread Lightly!’s executive director. “Providing good information about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors takes away people’s excuses to do the wrong thing and behave irresponsibly. Also, fading budgets among government agencies makes it harder and harder for land managers to dedicate priority funding towards ethics education. Thanks to the generosity of some partners, we’re excited to be able to provide these desperately needed resources to public agencies.” Last year’s overwhelming response to this program – more than 1,700 posters distributed nationwide – demonstrated a tremendous demand. Land managers may order up to $800 worth of free educational posters for just the cost of shipping and a small handling fee. The posters will be printed on high quality PVC laminate with UV rated ink to keep them in great condition over time. All posters may be ordered online with a deadline of February 28, 2013.