Shawnee National Forest and its partner, the Center for Archaeological Investigations–Southern Illinois University, took top honors at the 2017 To Bridge a Gap meeting.

The university’s Ayla Amadio won first prize for GIS research on the Trail of Tears in the Mark Twain and Shawnee national forests. Shawnee National Forest received second place for its overnight environmental education camp that brings children from removed tribes back to ancestral homelands. In addition, two quilts that raise awareness about the Trail of Tears in Illinois won awards. The quilts were made by volunteers of the Shawnee National Forest thanks to the Passport in Time program.

These programs are just some that connect people to the outdoors.