Outdoors Unlimited® Online | The award-winning publication of the Outdoor Writers Association of America

Five earned special recognition June 13 during the concluding banquet at OWAA’s 83nd Annual Conference in Rochester, Minn.

At its recent annual conference in Rochester, Minn., the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA), The Voice of the Outdoors, honored five with its most distinguished awards.

Michael Levy, of Williamsville, N.Y., received the 2010 J. Hammond Brown Memorial Award. The award is OWAA’s most prestigious recognition of a member “for devoted past service to the organization over a period of continuous years.” Freelance writer, editor and book author, Levy served as OWAA president in 1993-94 and is a Life Member, with his membership originating in 1982.

Glen Lau, of Ocala, Fla., received OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Award. The award honors an OWAA member “for outstanding effort in upholding the OWAA Creed and continued excellence in craft.” An OWAA member since 1969, Lau is a film maker and producer of several national TV series and documentaries. He is producer and host of “Quest For Adventure” TV series on TNN and also produces commercials and infomercials. Lau also has a still photography library specializing in underwater photos.

Terry Brady of Zieglerville, Penn., deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Cnservation and Natural Resources, received OWAA’s top conservation award. The Jade of Chiefs award represents an affirmation of OWAA adherence to and support of the principles of conservation. An Active Member of OWAA since 1986, Brady is also a freelance saltwater fishing columnist. Prior to his current position with the Pennsylvania DCNR, Brady spent 28 years working for daily newspapers, writing outdoors columns.

The recipient of the 2009 Jackie Pfeiffer Memorial Award is Joan Turner of Columbia, Mo. “Joan Turner represents these qualities as a recipient of the Jackie Pfeiffer Memorial Award – genuine warmth, radiance, good will, helpfulness, generosity and kindness to others. She also has the rare quality of grace,” said last year’s recipient, Kay Richey, when presenting Turner with the award.

Mary Nickum of Fountain Hills, Ariz., received the Outstanding Board Member Award. A member since 2000, Nickum is a retired librarian who is now an editor and freelance writer. Her primary focus is on science for the public. Nickum is editor-in-chief of the Intermountain Journal of Science and currently edits World Aquaculture magazine.

Since its inception in 1927, OWAA has become the largest and oldest association of professional outdoor communicators in the United States. OWAA’s mission is to improve the professional skills of its members, set the highest ethical and communications standards, encourage public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources and mentor the next generation of professional outdoor communicators. The national headquarters is located in Missoula, Mont.

For more information on the OWAA conference, these awards and award winners, visit the organization’s website at www.owaa.org.

Further information about the award recipients and conference will appear in the August issue of OU.

For a list of the 2010 Excellence in Craft contest winners, click here.

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Dear Members,

I’d like to thank you for the last 11 years, for allowing me to serve OWAA first as your newsletter editor, and subsequently as your executive director.

With no regrets I submit my resignation as executive director of OWAA.

I’ve informed OWAA’s Executive Committee that I’d like to wrap things up in 60 days. Should the board of directors want me to continue on a little longer, to ensure a smooth transition, I’d be happy to do so.

I have not applied for another position, nor been offered one. In fact, I don’t have much of my future figured out just yet, but my aspiration is to remain in the outdoor-communications field, at least in part, as many of our members’ work and lifestyles are an inspiration for me.

I can’t begin to express how meaningful it’s been to work alongside a variety of OWAA staff over the years – how rewarding it’s been to work with so many officers, directors, counsels and committee volunteers for such a long time.

I now count many of you as the very best of friends.

The last 11 years have been among the finest, most rewarding and memorable of my life. Andrea and I can’t thank you enough.

Warmest Regards,

Kevin Rhoades
OWAA Executive Director

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Outdoor Writers Association of America will host its first Goldenrod Writing Workshop at the University of Montana in Missoula, Mont., August 1-7, 2010.  Open to both novice communicators and published professionals, the week-long workshop is designed to improve skills in outdoor, nature and environmental writing.

The workshop is in a casual setting with hands-on learning from peer groups and veteran instructors. The curriculum includes assignments, discussions, readings and shared critiques along with time for writing and socializing with others who share a passion for outdoor writing.

Enrollment is limited to 30 students, and it’s on a first come, first served basis. The $995 fee includes tuition and room and board at The University of Montana campus residence. The deadline for applications is May 1, and a $250 non-refundable deposit is due the same time.

Four instructors teach the workshop. They include Lisa Densmore from New Hampshire, a book author, photographer, TV producer and Emmy-award winner; freelance writer Holly Endersby from Idaho, whose magazine articles have appeared in many markets; book author and humor writer Alan Liere from Spokane, Washington; and investigative reporter Ted Gup, who also heads the journalism department at Boston’s Emerson College and whose book about the CIA was a NY Times Bestseller.

Visiting faculty include best-selling author Patrick McManus from Spokane and Bill Schneider, founder of Falcon Press, from Helena, Montana.

Get the complete details. ◊

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It’s time to apply for the John Madson Fellowship, an annual grant that funds continuing education opportunities for OWAA members. The John Madson Fellowship provides funding to attend the OWAA annual conference for free, plus expenses or OWAA’s first-ever Goldenrod Writing Workshop or other educational opportunities.

Members must apply and compete for funding. Active and associate members are eligible. The last Fellowship distribution awarded two OWAA members more than $1,000 each to continue their education!

The Fellowship is funded through the John Madson Fellowship Fund, an endowment that thrives primarily through OWAA member contributions and fundraising efforts. Its goal is to enhance professional communication skills for OWAA members. Learn more about the fellowship at

The program is designed to honor the legacy of John Madson, one of OWAA’s most talented, respected and honored legends.

Get the full details and application form (be sure to use the members-only password).

The deadline to apply is February 1, 2010. ◊

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Check out OWAA’s new Web site complete with most frequently used links with handy drop-down menus. OWAA News is posted to the Web site frequently as well as Excellence in Craft Contest rules, information on OWAA’s 2010 conference, member discounts, committee members, information about Fellowships, and a storefront where members can obtain copies of OWAA’s newest publications including the new Freelancers Guide to Business Practices and the Legal Handbook for Freelancers. Check out our brand-new Web site and post comments below!

Do I need to bring my parka? Can Fido come? These questions and more answered in an FAQ all about the 2012 conference.

By Kevin Rhoades, Executive Director

We’re planning an annual conference with a multitude of outdoor experiences in 2012.

The last “Far North” OWAA conference was held in Waskesiu, Saskatchewan, and that was in 1967. The furthest south the best-known outdoor communicators’ group in America ever held an annual get-together was in Mazatlan, Mexico, and that was five years later.

Many of you attended both.

While visiting recently with longtime member Glenn Titus about conferences held in extraordinary locations, he said both conferences were memorable and outstanding because of their venues.

After visiting with at least 50 frequent conference-goers including the board and officers about an “out of the box” sort of experience in 2012, the consensus was that it’s time for this outdoors media group to experience something extra special, a conference with spectacular prospects for outdoor adventure beholden with a plethora of story material and photo opportunities, a conference with remarkable possibilities for pre- and post-conference trips.

After carefully scrutinizing a short list of four locations, including Bend, Ore.; Fairbanks, Alaska; Fayetteville, N.C.; and Lincoln, Neb. – Fairbanks and nearby Chena Hot Springs Resort (http://www.chenahotsprings.com/) emerged as the best choice to change the paradigm of the typical OWAA conference experience. Chena is about an hour’s drive northeast of Fairbanks, and a 40-minute Piper flight to the Arctic Circle.

You might recall in 2000 the board of directors was split in their decision to hold OWAA’s 2003 conference in Columbia, Mo., or Juneau, Alaska. The chairman of the board broke the tie for Missouri, and it was a most wonderful conference put on by gracious hosts. But many of you have asked about an Alaska conference ever since.

The Fairbanks/Chena area touts several thousand square miles of birch and spruce forests, shining gold with all of autumn’s glory, and filled with members of the Fortymile caribou herd hoofing it through the mountains to the southeast, near Chicken and Tok.

After careful scrutiny of four competing bids and the hard work of Karen Lundquist of the Fairbanks Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as pre- and post-conference trip opportunities brought forth by longtime member Chris Batin, headquarters has awarded Fairbanks, Alaska, and Chena Hot Springs, with our the 2012 conference bid.

OWAA will hold its 85^th conference at Fairbanks/Chena Hot Springs, September 4-6, 2012.

Click on thumbnail images to view full-size photographs in a slideshow:

Just down the road from Chena, fish for Arctic grayling and rainbow trout on the Chena River. With a “September in Alaska conference,” there are plenty of photo opportunities for fall colors – and moose, which are as plentiful as whitetail deer in Iowa. Ever wanted to hunt moose or caribou in Alaska? If you haven’t, 2012 is your chance – and hunt with other fellow outdoors communicators you’ve long known.

Commencing with the darkening skies of early September, the Fairbanks and Chena area also feature the northern lights. Resort owner Bernie Karl will transport OWAA members via “auroramobile” up the mountain above the resort, where two 30-foot yurts offer a place to warm hands while filling bellies with hot drinks. Meanwhile, outside on the alpine and subalpine tundra, take in an 180-degree view of the yellow-green aurora borealis dancing on the northern horizon, sometimes shooting white and bluish beams to the sky’s zenith.

Of course, it will cost more to travel to Fairbanks and Chena, but this will be after holding two back- to-back conferences near hub cities with affordable airfares and room rates less then $100 per night – Rochester, Minn., in 2010, and Salt Lake City in 2011. Flights to Fairbanks may not be that much more. Today’s round-trip airfares to Fairbanks are in the $600 to $900 range from various major U.S. cities.

For those wanting to fly to Anchorage and tour Denali National Park before conference, the Alaska Railroad offers packages from Anchorage to Denali then onward to Fairbanks, with a return 45-minute flight from Fairbanks to Anchorage; the cost this year was $225.

Most sleeping rooms at Chena will be held at $99-$105 with yurts available for less (each yurt sleeps three) for those wanting more of a camping experience, complete with cots and fire pits out front. “Family rooms” that sleep four to six in a condo-style will be $220 per night lower costs lodging to $55 per night or less.

For those wanting to caravan to Alaska, an RV park with hookups is across the resort’s bush pilot runway. RVers or tenters ($20 per night) can walk to conference sessions, the bar and to the Rock Lake hot pool in just minutes.

Activities at Chena include: dog cart riding, horseback riding, hiking trails, canoeing and tours of the geothermal power plant, the greenhouses, not to mention an Ice Museum complete with ice sculptures and a bar.

Trips to the Arctic, brown bear photography, bush-pilot flights to native villages and mining communities, caribou and moose hunts – all feasible possibilities are being explored at this early stage.

While in Fairbanks members won’t want to miss the Morris-Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center (http://www.morristhompsoncenter.org/), and the city offers various greenways, a spectacular auto museum, birding areas and nature centers very much worth visiting.

OWAA’s three-day conference in 2012 promises to be something special, a get-together I hope you won’t miss.

Start making plans now. ◊

Do I need to bring my parka? Can Fido come? These questions and more answered in an FAQ all about the 2012 conference.

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Where is Chena Hot Springs Resort  in relation to Fairbanks?

The resort is located 56.5 miles down Chena Hot Springs Road (at the very end of the road). The paved road is maintained all year and the scenic 60-mile drive from downtown Fairbanks only takes a little more than an hour. In 2002, it was voted one of the most scenic drives in the Interior. Frequently, especially in summer, cars are parked on the side of the road to view nearby moose or other wildlife. So any time you are headed out to the resort and you see a few parked cars on the side of the road, pull completely off the road and grab your camera!

• FLY IN
  A private 3,000-foot runway is available. For permission to land, first call (907) 451-8104, ext. 2. Pilots must have a minimum of 50 hours in the aircraft they will be flying before given permission to land at the resort.
• CHENA SHUTTLE
  Shuttle transportation service to and from Fairbanks is provided to hotel guests. OWAA attendees’ conference rate of $45 is based on-round trip transfers.
• RENTAL VEHICLES
  Cars and RVs can be rented locally for travel to and from Chena and pre- and post-conference trips.

How many conference attendees can Chena Hot Springs handle?

If members share rooms to max out sleeping accommodations (hotel rooms and yurts), filling up the rooms to their capacity, the resort can lodge 372 people, plus the camping and RV accommodations. Minimum capacity is 212 people plus camping and RV accommodations.

How long does it take to fly to Fairbanks from major U.S. cities?

The direct flight from Seattle to Fairbanks is about 3 hours.

What airlines fly to Fairbanks?

Non-stop flights to and from Fairbanks originate in Anchorage, Seattle and, in summertime, Minneapolis. Alaska Airlines offers non-stop trans-continental flights from Boston; Newark, N.J.; Washington, D.C.; Miami, Fla.;  Orlando, Fla.; Chicago; Minneapolis; Denver; Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas and Los Angeles direct to Seattle, where passengers may board a non-stop flight to Fairbanks.

Will airfare discounts be offered via Alaska Airlines or other carriers?

Current promotions include: 20% discount through Alaska Airlines if tickets purchased between the last week of September through October (in any given year) for travel anytime. Two-for-one tickets via Alaska Airlines if applying for Alaska Airlines credit card. We are working to secure additional discounts through Alaska Airlines and the other major airlines that serve Fairbanks.

How long does it take to drive from the Seattle area to Fairbanks?

See below for driving information. You may also take the ferry (The Alaska Marine Highway System) from Bellingham, Wash. to Valdez, Whittier, Seward or one of many other towns on the Alaska coast, then drive north to Fairbanks and Chena. Visit the Alaska Marine Highway System to plan your voyage: http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/index.shtml

How long does it take to drive the Alcan Highway to Fairbanks?

The Alcan Highway, from Seattle to Fairbanks, is approximately 2,300 miles. At an average speed of 55 mph, that’s nearly 42 hours of driving. A safe journey will take about five to eight hours days per day – longer if you’d like to stop and smell the pinecones along the way.

What other ways can I get to Fairbanks?

In addition to flying or driving, the Alaska Railroad between Anchorage and Fairbanks is in operation every summer day. They offer packages originating in either city with overnight (or longer) stays in Denali National Park and Preserve. After the wildlife tour and other activities, the travelers proceeds to their destination. On return, the package offers a 45-minute flight back to the originating city. The current cost of such a package is $225.00.

Is Internet service available at the resort?

Yes, wireless Internet is available in the café and activity center. Wireless cards are available for purchase if you’d like to surf the Web outside the public area.

What kind of business services will be available for submitting stories while on-site?

A pressroom will be available at the conference, fully stocked with: copiers, computers, printers, internet access, fax machines and telephones. You will be able to be in touch during your stay at Chena.

What’s the temperature at that time of year? Do I need to bring my parka?!

Absolutely! Snow can fall anytime of year in that part of the country, so cold weather gear is highly recommended. The average temperatures in September are highs around 54 degrees and lows around 36 degrees, with an average one inch of precipitation.

Is there a Wal-Mart, Fred Meyer, or some sort of drug store close by in case I forget to pack something?

Chena is located about an hour northeast of Fairbanks. If you are flying into Fairbanks (or driving through), you’d be best advised to stop at one of these stores when you’re in town. There are no stores or other services in the immediate vicinity of Chena Hot Springs Resort.

Will there be fishing opportunities within walking distance of the accommodations?

The Chena River boasts schools of Arctic Grayling just a short 10 minute walk from the hotel rooms.

What’s the capacity of the RV park at Chena?

There are 48 RV spaces and unlimited tent sites available at Chena Hot Springs. Potable water is available, but there are no power or sewer hook-ups.

Besides yurts and the RV park, what sleeping room arrangements are there?

Chena Hot Springs Resort has two lodges available with standard hotel rooms, plus “family” rooms that sleep up to eight in a condo-style atmosphere. Also, there may also be privately owned cabins available for rent in the vicinity.

How long is the 2012 conference?

The conference itself will run three days: Sept. 4-6, 2012. The three days immediately following Labor Day.

Will there be a Breakout Day and/or Shooting Day in Fairbanks?

We’re going to try something different with the 2012 conference. “Breakout” will be combined with pre- and post-conference trips; you will have the chance to get out in the field and test the gear with our Supporting Groups, as well as local outfitters, fishing guides, suppliers and outdoor specialists.

What sort of pre-and post-conference trips will be offered?

Trips to the Arctic, brown bear photography, bush-pilot flights to native villages and mining communities, fishing for silver salmon and Arctic grayling, caribou and moose hunts, kayaking, outings to Denali National Park – all are being explored at this early stage.

What is there to do in Fairbanks?

There’s so much to do, there won’t be time to take it all in! Be sure to plan a long enough stay to take advantage of all that Alaska’s Interior has to offer. Fairbanks proper features tons of green space with hiking trails, lakes, waterfowl habitat and wildlife sanctuaries. Wildlife viewing. Photography opportunities. A classic car museum, art galleries, fine dining and theaters. The Morris Thompson Cultural Center museum. Aurora viewing, trips to Denali, kayaking and canoeing the Chena River (right from town!), fishing, dog mushing, gold rush and frontier history, and the Alaskan Pipeline. Contact Karen Lundquist at the Fairbanks CVB for a full list of all the exciting activities available in the Fairbanks area at (877) 551-1728, ext. 3775, or visit www.explorefairbanks.com.

Can my Labrador retriever swim in the Rock Lake hot pool?

No, unfortunately your dog may not bask with you in the hot springs at Rock Lake. However, the Chena River runs by the property and your pup is welcome to chase fish and swim in the river. Make sure to watch out for porcupines! (Pets are not allowed in the resort proper, but may camp with you in your tent or RV.)

Is there a bar at Chena?

Yes! There is a full-service bar and restaurant at Chena, along with a snack bar. You can also try appletinis in ice sculpted martini glasses at the Aurora Ice Museum. ◊

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MISSOULA, Mont. – In a statement of support for the protection of First Amendment rights and the livelihoods of its members, the Outdoor Writers Association of America joined a broad assemblage of media organizations in urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a federal statute that criminalizes the possession, creation or sale of a variety of depictions involving animals.

The amicus brief, which was filed in the U.S. vs. Stevens case on July 24 by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, addresses hunting and fishing videos and other depictions central to the activities of OWAA members and other outdoor journalists. It also discusses how the statute used to prosecute the defendant, Robert Stevens, likewise could be used to prosecute producers of outdoors videos and hunting and fishing shows.

Media outlets “often … cover commonplace activities involving animals such as hunting and fishing,” the brief said, observing that the law in question “compromises the news media’s ability to perform any of these functions without fear of prosecution.”

“It is far better for all U.S. citizens to have a poorly written statute declared unconstitutional than to force people such as reporters and OWAA members to accept a prosecutor’s discretion in enforcing the letter of this particular law,” said OWAA President John L. Beath. “OWAA will continue its longstanding tradition of monitoring and taking action on issues that might adversely affect the First Amendment or other rights of both OWAA members and the outdoor media at large.”

Read the Supreme Court brief: http://www.rcfp.org/news/documents/20090724-amicusbriefinusvstevens.pdf.

The oldest and largest association of professional outdoor communicators in the United States, the OWAA was organized in 1927 by members of the Izaak Walton League of America and includes professional communicators dedicated to sharing the outdoor experience. OWAA’s professionals include writers, photographers, radio and TV show hosts, book authors, videographers, lecturers and artists. Visit www.owaa.org.

For more information contact:
Kevin Rhoades, krhoades@owaa.org
406-728-7434

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At its latest meeting, Outdoor Writers Association of America’s board of directors authorized OWAA staff to create a print-version Outdoors Unlimited (OU), which will be paginated and mailed to members quarterly starting September 1, 2009.

This reverses a January decision to make OWAA’s flagship newsletter exclusively an online publication. OWAA members will now receive 11 issues online plus four hardcopy newsletters via U.S. Mail.

Members will continue to be notified of the posting of each issue of Outdoors Unlimited Online approximately the first of each month, when new craft improvement pieces, member news, letters to the editor and other association business is posted online.

The new quarterly hardcopy Outdoors Unlimited will develop into a 16-page digest, the “best of the best” content extracted from three previous issues of the online version.

The new hardcopy OU will sport at least a new two-color design, a fresh look over what members have grown used to since 2001.

The board’s decision to create a quarterly hardcopy newsletter may delay the timetable for implementation of planned add-on features for OU Online, such as the proposed “Find a Writer” or “Find a Photographer” databases.

In addition to returning Outdoors Unlimited as a quarterly hardcopy publication, the board decided to ramp up delivery of job- and editorial-needs listings, the so-called “Outdoor Market.” OWAA staff will deliver Outdoor Market listings directly to members’ e-mail inboxes starting the first of next month. OM listings will also be posted online.

The 1,300-member Outdoor Writers Association of America is the oldest and largest association of professional outdoor communicators in the United States. It was organized in 1927 by members of the Izaak Walton League of America and includes professional communicators dedicated to sharing the outdoor experience. OWAA’s professionals include writers, photographers, outdoors radio- and television show hosts, book authors, videographers, lecturers and artists. The association is headquartered in Missoula, Mont. For more information, go to www.owaa.org.

For more information contact:
Kevin Rhoades, krhoades@owaa.org
406-728-7434

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