OWAA OUTDOOR VOICES
Use Your Outdoor Voices
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Introducing Camping.Tools: Revolutionizing the way you capture and share your outdoor adventures
Are you tired of the endless drama and algorithmic manipulations that dominate mainstream social media? Do you yearn for a secure and private space to preserve your camping memories while enjoying the convenience of sharing with friends and family? Your perfect alternative has arrived – Camping.Tools! At Camping.Tools, we understand the need for a safe,…
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2024 OWAA Youth Contests Open for Submissions
OWAA leadership, staff, and outdoor media professionals continue to be inspired by the quality of outdoor writing and photography submitted by budding outdoor communicators. And it’s more than just words and images on a page. “The contest isn’t just about the writing or photography,” said OWAA’s Executive Director Chez Chesak. “It’s about inspiration. It’s about…
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World Nomads introduces Travel Wiser: the Ultimate Online Travel Companion
Want to know how to survive if you bump a bear in the hills of Alaska? Or maybe you need advice on packing hacks – how do you choose the right gear for your hiking adventure? From serious danger to serial glam tricks and hacks, World Nomads announces the launch of its new website section,…
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Outdoor gear holiday gift guide: 2023 OWAA staff picks
OWAA’s staff chose some of their favorite outdoor gear to share with you in this 2023 holiday gift guide — including gear from brands who support OWAA as corporate members. This list is not sponsored, and we’ve filled it with gear that our staff have personally tested in the field and would recommend to…
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Meet OWAA member Raven van den Bosch
Critz, Virginia | Member since 2019 After Raven’s best friend lost her young daughter to leukemia in 2016, her devastating loss fueled Raven’s passion to inspire people to live life to its fullest. “As a seasoned executive creative director in advertising and marketing, I redirected my career towards helping others as a consultant start their…
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Give the gift of adventure
Dermatone’s top 10 best stocking stuffers for outdoor adventurers Did you know that getting outside for just two hours a week can increase your overall health and wellness? That’s why it is important to get outside all year round. As the weather gets cooler and the holiday season fast approaches, finding the best gifts…
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2024 Excellence in Craft Contest opens November 1st
It’s that time of year again! Leaves are changing color, temperatures are dropping, and OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Contest is opening! Mark your calendars for November 1st to enter your work for the 2024 Excellence in Craft cycle! If it is your first time hearing about OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Awards, we invite you to…
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OWAA’s 2023 conference: Striking balance between professionalism and play
Air escaping particles of fine white sand joins the sounds at The Lodge’s beach. Each step squeaks, a quirk of Alabama beaches from thousands-of-year-old quartz filtered through the Appalachian Mountains. Similar to the sound of wet sandals, noisy steps can’t help but bring a smile to newcomers’ faces, accompanied by squawking sanderlings, the chatter of sunbathers and…
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From loons to berry patches: Embracing the quirks of Minnesota’s outdoors
Recently, I returned home from spending a summer up north, just outside of Ely, Minnesota, on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. As a born and raised “East Coaster,” there was no way to expect what I’d experience in the rural midwest. I’d spent two summers in a small town in Colorado before…
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OWAA names 2023 Excellence In Craft Contest winners
Writer Christine Peterson Leads Way with Six Awards OWAA leadership revealed the winners of our 2023 Excellence In Craft (EIC) Contest and the President’s Choice Awards at our annual conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Christine Peterson received six awards, while James Smedley, Dan Small and Brent Frazee took home five awards each. The EIC Contest…
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Gulf Shores, Alabama rolls out the red carpet for outdoor media in September 2023
The Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA) conference in Gulf Shores, Alabama September 9-11, 2023 at The Lodge at Gulf State Park promises a dynamic blend of education, camaraderie, and outdoor exploration. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor media professional or an aspiring storyteller, this event’s schedule offers a multitude of reasons to attend. Pre-Tours: Immersion…
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Enhance your birding experience with the Merlin Bird ID app
Herons. Condors. Falcons. Birds known for their majesty, their abilities and impressive stature. And then there are pigeons. Sky Rats. City Doves. Rats with Wings. Perhaps the bird most in need of a new press agent. It is unusual that this bird, often considered a pesky annoyance, would be the one to spark my interest…