Google Inc. has joined the Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources as a founding sponsor of the “Get Outdoors Georgia” campaign (GO Georgia) in an effort to help Georgians get outdoors, get fit and enjoy their diverse natural resources. The multi-year initiative, planned by Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, focuses on family-friendly, nature-based, healthy outdoor recreation throughout the state. Google will provide strategic resources, a suite of services and support that will dramatically improve the overall Web site capabilities and expand the scope of the GO Georgia campaign.

“This is a worthwhile opportunity for every Georgian and we’re thrilled that Google has joined us in the effort to help everyone in the state lead a healthier life,” said Sally Winchester, marketing and communications manager for Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. “Google’s participation in the campaign will provide us access to new technology and expand our ability to encourage everyone to experience the beautiful diversity that our state parks offer.”

Best known as the leading Internet search engine and pioneer in online advertising, Google will provide expertise and services including the use of Google’s Adwords, Analytics, Maps, Google Earth, YouTube, Picasa, and Google Gadgets. As a founding sponsor, all events will include Google branding, including events at state parks and historic sites, offsite events, and user-generated and customized sponsored events.

"At Google, we are committed to helping our employees lead healthy lives," said Maureen Schumacher, regional sales director of Google's Atlanta office. "We are very excited that Google products will be used as part of this effort to improve the health and well-being of all Georgians."

The GO Georgia campaign is scalable for use by city and county parks and recreation agencies and other recreation service providers who are interested in incorporating GO Georgia in their own efforts. Noting this is an important effort, additional state agencies and non-profit organizations are becoming involved in the full campaign. TedCo Worldwide, a Georgia-based marketing agency, will develop the branding and marketing of this program designed to promote nature-based, family-oriented outdoor recreation to encourage healthier outdoor lifestyles, conserve public green space, and showcase the diversity and beauty of Georgia’s natural resources. The campaign is set to launch in June of this year.

Georgians’ increasingly sedentary lifestyles, time-constrained schedules, and limited time in the outdoors are resulting in alarming health declines and a diminishing conservation ethic. According to a 2007 report from the Trust for America's Health, Georgia was one of the heaviest states in the union, ranking 14th for adult obesity and 12th for overweight children, with 16.4 percent of its youth overweight or obese. Among the 50 states and District of Columbia, Georgia has the 13th highest inactivity rate, at 25.9 percent, and ranks 17th on the poverty scale, at 13.1 percent. The state rankings for adult obesity are based on three years of data--2004 through 2006--from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Behavioral Risk Surveillance System. The youth rankings were based on the National Survey of Children's Health, a phone survey of parents of children ages 10 through 17 conducted in 2003 and 2004 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

One of the few states with such a wide diversity in its geography and topography, Georgia includes mountains, grasslands, swamps, wetlands, canyons, rivers, lakes and coastal areas. The Department of Natural Resources operates 63 state parks and historic sites that offer camping, hiking, fishing and a number of other activities on more than 84,000 acres of public land.