DNR wins awards for agency podcast and social media

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received two awards for digital media from the Association of Conservation Information.

The DNR’s “Spot the Bobcats” Facebook post won second place in the Conservation Post of the Year category, and the “Logging Off –– Outdoors and Your Mental Health” episode of the Wild Wisconsin podcast won third place in the Audio Program or Podcast category.

“The DNR’s communications efforts are more important and active than ever, and we are honored to receive these awards,” said Sarah Hoye, DNR Communications Director. “Engaging with the public on social media and through our podcast are vital tools for us. We remain committed to connecting with the public in ways that resonate with them.”

The “Spot the Bobcats” Facebook post featured a photo of two bobcats venturing through the woods in the winter. One bobcat is easily seen walking on a frozen creek, and another is expertly camouflaged up in a tree. The post received more than 4,600 likes and was shared more than 900 times. A trail cam captured the photo in the post as part of the DNR’s popular Snapshot Wisconsin program, a volunteer-based project for wildlife monitoring. Volunteers host trail cams on private or public land, creating a statewide network of trail cameras that capture images of wildlife from Wisconsin’s diverse landscapes. The DNR’s Facebook page shares a trail cam photo every Saturday.

The “Logging Off –– Outdoors and Your Mental Health” episode of the Wild Wisconsin podcast discussed the impact of the outdoors on mental health. Podcast host Katie Grant was joined by Dr. Shilagh A. Mirgain, a psychologist with the UW-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health, to offer her expertise on the benefits of getting outside and away from screens. The Wild Wisconsin podcast covers topics like fishing, hunting, e-cycling and law enforcement. Episodes average about 20 minutes long and are available on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and YouTube.

The Association of Conservation Information awards contest recognizes excellence in communications and promotes craft improvement through competition. Professionals from the public and private sectors evaluate all entries and offer written, constructive critiques.