Lake County Forest Preserve District introduces free app
See an interesting songbird at your local forest preserve? Now there's an app that let's you share the image on your smartphone.
Actually, the new application introduced by the Lake County Forest Preserve District offers more than a virtual gallery. Android or iPhone smartphone users can access trail maps, calendars, news and events, calendars and other information and share content via Facebook or Twitter.
The free application, available in the Android Market or Apple App Store, is part of a continuing effort by the district to reach a broader audience.
“We're just trying to make it user friendly and meet people where they are,” said forest board President Ann Maine of Lincolnshire. “Absolutely, we want to grow the audience.”
Participants in Hike Lake County 2011, which begins Monday, for example, can complete the challenges on their smart phones.
And if they happen to see a bird in flight, a flower in bloom or something else of interest, they can share the photos or observations on the wall.
The applications follow the district's introduction this spring of quick response (QR) codes on kiosks at various preserves to allow smartphone users to scan the image and access trail maps.
“Most people are not paper-based anymore,” Maine said. “We've consolidated and cut back on the maps we print because that's not how people look at things.”
Kara Martin, a marketing specialist for the district, who has been working with both technologies, said it's part of a broader initiative.
“We want the information to be more immediate and useful in the moment,” she said. “We want to keep up with technology and connect with people.”
The application doesn't load Facebook or Twitter, but users can sign in using those accounts and then post forest preserve information on their pages.
“I think it will be a really cool thing if people can use the interactive aspect of it,” Martin said.
More features are being considered for the application.
At the moment, only free events are listed in the events section that can be accessed by the new application but eventually, participants will be able to register as well.
The application also provides access to an area for Flickr posts, which is a popular spot for nature shots. At some point, there will be a section that allows viewers to click on a picture grouped by season and access associated information.