Ford Motor Co. & American Park Network join forces to launch Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder™ iPhone App

May 13, 2011 - PRLog -- DEARBORN, Mich.,– Ford Motor Company and American Park Network have engaged in a unique public/private partnership to launch Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder, a free app sponsored by the 2011 Ford Explorer. The app helps users find nearby parks all over America, based on their favorite activities.  

“Ford is proud to contribute to the development of this new app, which will deliver greater awareness and access to some of America’s most treasured assets,” said Kevin Schebil, Experiential Marketing Manager. “The all-new Explorer is all about experiencing one’s environment with family and friends. There’s no better place to have a unique, active adventure than in our cherished national parks and public lands.”

The reinvented Ford Explorer delivers capability, refinement and is America’s most fuel efficient full-size SUV with an EPA-rated 25 mpg highway.  It also offers a suite of connectivity and safety features, including MyFord Touch™, terrain management system, and the world's first rear inflatable seatbelt

A team of more than 50 writers and editors created and, more importantly, curated a searchable database of every federal and state public land in America. This is the same team that publishes the ubiquitous little green Oh, Ranger!® guides to national parks and public lands that are read by 20+ million park enthusiasts each year.

Included in this exclusive database are thousands of national parks, state parks, national forests, wildlife refuges, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) sites, US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) recreation areas and many more public lands. Each location is cross-referenced with information about available activities, allowing users to search for nearby parks based on their favorite activities.

The app offers 20 different activity categories from which to choose, including hiking, hunting, fishing and off-highway driving. Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder makes it easy to find great places to watch wildlife, discover historic sites, take scenic drives, go camping and much more.  Users may also quickly toggle back and forth to find locations that have any or all of their desired activities. Once the user has selected where they want to go, Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder helps plan adventures with directions, important phone numbers, activity descriptions, seasonality/weather, lodging and concession information, non-profit partners and links to events and related websites.  

“We’re excited to offer Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder as a free resource to make it fun and easy for everyone to explore parks and public lands all across America,” said Mark Saferstein, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief at American Park Network. “The app has been made possible through the partnership with the Ford Explorer and will directly benefit two non-profit conservation partners: Tread Lightly! and the Student Conservation Association.”

The app is initially available for iPhone and iPod Touch, with iPad and Android versions to follow. In addition, much of the information is embedded, so users do not need the Internet to display park information, an important feature as many parks have little or no connectivity. American Park Network is already developing version 2.0 of Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder, which adds social networking and other functionality that will allow users to keep track of all their favorite places and share them with millions of others park-lovers.

To download the Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder app, visit the iTunes App store at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oh-ranger-parkfinder/id402... or go to OhRanger.com/app/parkfinder.  



About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 164,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company’s automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.

About American Park Network

American Park Network is a leading publisher of visitor guides to national parks and public lands. Their ubiquitous little, green Oh, Ranger! guides are read by more than 20 million park enthusiasts each year. American Park Network also publishes OhRanger.com, which hosts the online, searchable database that powers Oh, Ranger! ParkFinder. Website users can also ask questions and search for information on thousands of national parks, state parks and other public lands, making OhRanger.com a premier one-stop-shop for planning an outdoor adventure.  

Contacts:   
Jill Valley-Orlando
808-271-3624
jill@knightvisioninternational.com