Conference Archives - Outdoor Writers Association of America

Three outdoor-focused story ideas in and around Gulf Shores, Alabama

Suzanne Downing — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 00:57:34 +0000

If you’re planning to attend the annual OWAA conference this September in Gulf Shores, Alabama, you could make some money during your visit by setting aside time before and/or after the conference to explore, collect story content and sell the work you produce.

Here are some story leads to help you turn your time in Alabama into a moneymaker.

Cover oyster farming

Oyster farming is popular in and around Gulf Shores as chefs need a constant supply of oysters to make culinary dishes for their restaurants. Those chefs often prefer to offer fresh local oysters to customers in lieu of imported ones. You could book a tour with a local oyster farm in Gulf Shores, like Admiral Shellfish Company, and experience oyster farming firsthand. See how many articles you can produce from that one tour.

Here is just one story headline idea: “From Bay to Table: Gulf Shores’ Oyster Farms Pioneering Sustainability”

This story could dive into the innovative sustainability practices employed by oyster farms in Gulf Shores, Alabama. You could explore the farm-to-table journey of oysters, highlighting the efforts made by these farms to minimize their carbon footprint, protect water quality, and contribute to coastal ecosystem restoration.

The story could also include interviews with oyster farmers, scientists, and environmentalists to discuss the significance of sustainable oyster farming in promoting a resilient coastal ecosystem and supporting local communities.

You could also explore how these farms collaborate with local restaurants and communities, emphasizing the importance of consumer awareness and responsible seafood choices to sustain the delicate balance of the Gulf Shores’ marine environment.

By focusing on sustainability in oyster farming, this story can shed light on the vital role of responsible aquaculture practices in preserving the natural resources of Gulf Shores, fostering a deeper understanding of the interconnectedness between sustainable food production and environmental conservation.

Cover birding

With so many birdwatching hotspots in and around Gulf Shores, you could create a number of articles for nature-focused publications. For example, you could create a guide to Gulf Shores for ornithology enthusiasts. Or, choose a specific species to focus on, or cover an organization working with birds in the area. Are you a wildlife photographer? Plan ahead and set aside a day or two to photograph migratory birds. Then sell those photos. The possibilities to create articles around birding are seemingly endless.

Here are three of the best birding areas that will leave you captivated:

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge

Nestled along the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge is a sanctuary for both resident and migratory birds. Explore its tranquil trails that wind through diverse habitats, including maritime forests, freshwater marshes, and coastal dunes. Witness the graceful flight of majestic herons, the vibrant plumage of warblers, and the serene presence of shorebirds. With over 370 species recorded, this refuge is a haven for birding enthusiasts seeking unforgettable encounters.

Gulf State Park

Immerse yourself in the natural splendor of Gulf State Park, an ecological gem spanning 6,150 acres. The park’s diverse ecosystems, including marshes, dunes, and forests, attract an impressive array of birdlife. Wander along the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail, where you’ll be greeted by the melodic tunes of songbirds and the striking sight of raptors soaring overhead. Keep your eyes peeled for the elusive painted bunting, the striking roseate spoonbill, and the majestic bald eagle. Gulf State Park offers endless opportunities to observe and photograph avian treasures.

Dauphin Island

Embark on a short journey to Dauphin Island, a barrier island known as the “Birding Capital of Alabama.” Here, you’ll discover a migratory hotspot and a vibrant birding community. Visit the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, a serene oasis that serves as a vital resting place for countless species during their migratory journeys. From colorful warblers to elegant sandpipers, Dauphin Island offers a front-row seat to witness nature’s grand avian procession.

Cover wildlife conservation

You can choose from a number of wildlife species in and around Gulf Shores to cover. For example, you could write about one of the coast’s endangered species and how they are being protected. Endangered wildlife like the Alabama sturgeon, the hawksbill sea turtle and the Alabama beach mouse would all make for interesting stories. Call around for information and chat with people working to protect endangered species. There are a variety of wildlife conservation angles and seemingly endless story ideas for each species.

For example, here are five story headline ideas for covering the Alabama beach mouse:

“Saving a Species: The Race to Preserve the Alabama Beach Mouse”

“Uncovering the Secrets of the Alabama Beach Mouse: Research and Discovery”

“Preserving Coastal Biodiversity: The Role of the Alabama Beach Mouse”

“Community-led Conservation: Engaging Locals in Alabama Beach Mouse Protection”

“Conservation Success Stories: Rebounding Populations of the Alabama Beach Mouse”

You could Share inspiring stories of successful conservation efforts, showcasing instances where dedicated conservationists and community involvement have led to the recovery and increased populations of the Alabama beach mouse, providing hope for the future of this endangered species.

By exploring these story ideas and angles, you can shed light on the significance of the Alabama beach mouse, raise awareness about its conservation needs, and inspire readers or viewers to actively participate in efforts to protect this remarkable coastal dweller.

Join us in Gulf Shores, Alabama September 9-11, 2023

It’s all about engagement. It’s all about community. It’s all about connections. And, in the end, it’s all about furthering your professional skills and your business. Join us for OWAA’s annual conference to connect, mingle and learn from 230 outdoor storytellers and the brands that support their work. Network with other professionals, hone your communications skills, find a mentor/mentee, find more and better ways to sell your work or promote your brand.

You’ll meet with some of the best outdoor communicators in the country and absorb presentations on writing and editing, photography and videography, broadcast and digital media, the latest tech and newest tactics, and more. Develop your field craft and test the latest innovations during an off-site breakout day. Take advantage of pre- and post-tours to get the latest story on (and shots of) outdoor adventures in Gulf Shores, be it paddling, hiking, fishing, hunting or other outdoor pursuits.

Be there to:

Network with and learn from top media pros
Access critical conservation and outdoor newsmakers
Discover new outlets to sell your work
Sharpen your professional skills at seminars and presentations
Check out the latest outdoor gear – and the stories behind them
Meet with editors and industry leaders
Get inspired and more!

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Conference workshop to focus on restoring bison to the northern plains

OWAA staff — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 23:10:56 +0000

A workshop, “Bringing Bison Back: America’s Last Big Game Challenge,” is scheduled for March 12, 2012, at the 77th North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Atlanta, Ga. It will examine the political, cultural and ecological steps necessary for bison to be restored, managed and valued as a wildlife resource on northeastern Montana’s Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Refuge and other multi-jurisdictional landscapes. The Great Plains of Montana once sustained bison herds that numbered in the millions but like many wildlife species, the bison population was reduced by market hunting and habitat loss. For more information on the conference, visit the National Wildlife Federation website at www.nwf.org.

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Be sure to attend "profitable" conference

owaa — Fri, 22 May 2009 21:10:56 +0000

Watch this video to find out why, according to OWAA member John Beath, you should attend the 2009 conference in Grand Rapids, Mich.

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Feeling lucky?

owaa — Thu, 21 May 2009 16:55:22 +0000

Ten lucky attendees at OWAA’s annual conference will win $50 each to use toward conference registration or a room reservation at The Amway Grand in Grand Rapids, Mich.
How to apply? Just register for conference! All OWAA conference attendees are eligible. Winners will be awarded $50 each, courtesy of Ducks Unlimited, at conference.
And remember … Early Bird registration has been extended until May 31! So don’t delay, register today!
• Click here for more info about OWAA’s 82nd annual conference.
• And click here for the individual registration form.

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New places, new faces, old friends

owaa — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:15:08 +0000

For many of us, a highlight of each year is attending the annual OWAA conference.
That’s not to say there aren’t more important red-letter days – birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, and assorted other personal events – but OWAA’s annual gathering rises to its own standing as a special event for a variety of reasons.
Conferences are often an opportunity to travel to new places and see or experience new things that provide everlasting memories.
Like the field trip at the Portland, Ore., conference to an old growth forest with a U.S. Forest Service biologist for a successful search to find newborn northern spotted owls. Two side trips that year revealed the enduring mark of man and nature – wagon wheel ruts along the Oregon Trail near Mount Hood that are still visible, and the aftermath of Mount St. Helen’s eruption.
There was the caving trip that Bill Monroe organized at the Chattanooga, Tenn., conference, the smallmouth bass fishing tournament that Dave Arnold of Class VI Outfitters was host to in Charleston, W.Va., and what amounted to a grand slam during the Spokane conference – visits to Glacier and Yellowstone national parks, a two-night canoe trip on the Upper Missouri near Great Falls, Mont., and a jet boat ride and overnight stay through the Hell’s Canyon stretch of the Snake River in Idaho.
In Maine, Jessie and I camped one short night at Acadia National Park. The goal, which we achieved, was to watch that night’s sunset and the next morning’s sunrise from the top of Cadillac Mountain. We topped that with a seven-day wilderness canoe trip in the Boundary Waters prior to the Duluth, Minn., conference.
And I’ll not soon forget St. George, Utah, and the long and winding road John Mazurkiewicz and I traveled to get a glimpse of Zion National Park.
Conferences are always an opportunity to learn valuable craft improvement lessons on quality writing; taking quality photographs; on book contracts; on starting a radio or television program; on interviewing techniques; on computer technology, Web site development, blogging and social media.
Conferences are an opportunity to listen to a range of compelling speakers – Nina Leopold Bradley, Jack Ward Thomas, Charles Kuralt, Randall Eaton, Nick Lyons, Ted Kerasote, Richard Louv, Chuck Yeager, Shane Mahoney and Dr. James Swan, to mention a few.
Conferences provide the chance to connect with news sources from state and federal resource agencies, conservation advocacy groups, tourism representatives from Alaska to Florida, or corporate representatives from heavy hitters like Coleman, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and Toyota to a raft of up-and-comers like MacDaddy’s Fishing Lures and its gem-studded “Million Dollar Lure.”
While each of these factors is reason enough to attend an OWAA conference, the most valuable part of conference can be meeting other members and forging friendships.
The icebreaker for me happened at my first conference – Niagara in 1991. The entire event seemed a bit overwhelming to a guy who was just breaking into outdoor communications.
As I was walking across the parking lot after Breakout Day, a car pulled up. Bob Marshall was at the wheel. Seated next to him was the late John Husar, with whom I’d crossed paths years before while covering Notre Dame football. Tom Wharton was in the back seat.
“Are you hungry?” Marshall said.
“Yes,” I said, responding somewhat timidly.
“Get in,” he said and proceeded to take an unusually long drive across the border into Canada for a bite to eat at a classy restaurant in Niagara on the Lake.
What started as a chance meeting in a parking lot led to long-standing acquaintances strengthened a couple of nights later when the four of us met again over dinner. Mike Levy was there, too. So were John McCoy and Shannon Tompkins, Tom Stienstra and Bill Monroe, and several others.
By the end of the night, we had all signed a petition requesting formation of the OWAA Newspaper Section.
These little reminiscences came to mind after receiving a preliminary agenda for this year’s conference, June 13-16, in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The conference theme is “Words, Pictures, Money” and includes such sessions (and heavyweight presenters) as Trade Secrets: Tips on Tapping Into an Oft-Ignored Market (Glen Sapir), Beyond Hook and Bullet Writing: Success in Other Venues (Tom Huggler), Digital Photography: Software Makes the Difference (Jim Foster), Making Money from Small Publications (Wayne Van Zwoll), and the Future of Radio (Wade Bourne).
And that’s just in the first two days of the conference, which, as always, is a buffet, a smorgasbord, a sampler and an endless snack bar rolled into one. There’s a little something – and a whole lot more – for everyone.
I’ll be there. How about you?

By Phil Bloom, OWAA president

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Out and about in Grand Rapids

owaa — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 17:03:16 +0000

The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park just outside Grand Rapids is a 118-acre oasis spotlighting both manmade and natural beauty. There you’ll find the Lena Meijer Conservatory – at five stories tall and 15,000 square feet in area, it’s Michigan’s largest glass conservatory.

People attending the OWAA Annual Conference in June 2009 are sure to discover a bounty of outdoor opportunities in Grand Rapids and throughout Michigan’s West Coast. For instance, Field & Stream magazine designated Grand Rapids as the sixth Best Fishing City in the U.S. (July 2006), while National Geographic’s Adventure Magazine named it one of the “50 Top Adventure Towns” in the U.S. in the waterfront category (September 2007). However, conference attendees and their families should also make time to explore the city’s vibrant downtown where more than 75 restaurants, night spots, museums and an entertainment center are located within walking distance of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, the headquarter hotel and convention center for OWAA’s 2009 conference.

Considered one of the most entertaining of the nation’s presidential museums, the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is a must-see for visitors. The museum pays tribute to the life and times of our 38th president and Grand Rapids’ favorite son. Permanent exhibits include an Oval Office replica, an authentic Vietnam-era UH-1 Huey helicopter and the actual staircase that sat on top of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon when that city fell to the Communist Army of North Vietnam. Ford’s gravesite is located on the grounds of the museum and visitors are invited to pay their respects during regular museum hours.

Discover the rich heritage and history of the area along the “Streets of Old Grand Rapids” and in “Furniture City,” two of the permanent exhibits of the Public Museum, located directly across the street from the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. The Public Museum also features three floors of exciting exhibits and artifacts, including an actual section of the Berlin Wall, a working antique carousel and seven galleries of West Michigan habitats.

Experience the new Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM), which opened in October 2007, located in the center of downtown, just a few blocks from the Public Museum. This 125,000-square-foot facility received national media attention as it is the first newly built LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) art museum in the world. The GRAM showcases an impressive permanent collection spanning Renaissance to modern art as well as hosting significant temporary exhibits.

Alexander Calder’s sculpture “La Grande Vitesse” is perhaps the most famous of the many public artworks dotting downtown Grand Rapids.

Take a self-guided walking tour and discover that art isn’t relegated to museums in Grand Rapids. Throughout downtown a variety of outdoor sculptures has led “Furniture City” to also be known as “Sculpture City.” The most recognizable piece is Alexander Calder’s “La Grande Vitesse” (1969) which has become a symbol of the city. Walking-tour maps are available at no charge to download at www.visitgrandrapids.org/tour.php?type=visit&tour=sculpture.

Heritage Hill, one of the nation’s largest urban historical districts, is a 10-minute stroll “up the hill” from downtown. Its 1,300 lovingly preserved homes date from 1848 and represent more than 60 different architectural styles. Two of the former homes are now public houses offering regular tours. The Meyer May House is a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed prairie-style house built in 1908 for the founder of May’s of Michigan clothing store – restored to its original splendor by the Steelcase Corp. The Voigt House Victorian Museum was built in 1895 for Carl Voigt. This French Chateau is a carefully preserved home that reflects the gracious elegance of the Victorian era.

It’s well worth the short drive to the suburbs to visit one of the Midwest’s most popular tourist attractions, which beautifully bridges the gap between the urban and outdoor experience. Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park is a 118-acre oasis spotlighting both manmade and natural beauty. The Sculpture Park features significant works of art within a variety of natural settings connected by waterways, meandering paths and quiet walkways. The work of more than 30 renowned sculptors such as Auguste Rodin, Aristide Maillol and Henry Moore are featured. Standing five stories tall, the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Conservatory is Michigan’s largest glass conservatory, serving as a tropical oasis throughout the year. Every spring the conservatory houses “Foremost Butterflies Are Blooming,” the largest temporary butterfly display in the U.S. More than 40 species of butterflies and moths make up this breathtaking event.

For more information on Grand Rapids and its many attractions, go to www.visitgrandrapids.org. ◊

This article is courtesy of the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

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