Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Garden Club Poster Contest*
Audience: 1st through 5th grade students
Purpose: For students to demonstrate their understanding of wildfire prevention and basic environmental conservation principles through original drawings of Smokey Bear or Woodsy Owl.
Sponsors: USDA Forest Service* and National Garden Clubs, Inc.
The Garden Club of Georgia (GCG) administers the judging process for Georgia posters. Contact a District Garden Club Chair or the State Garden Club Chair for information. Map of Garden Club of Georgia Districts
*Poster Rights
All entries will become property of the USDA Forest Service. Posters will not be returned to contestants. The USDA Forest Service and the National Garden Clubs, Inc., may use the poster artwork for national educational materials and outreach.
About the Icons
Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl are protected under Public Law 93-318.
16USC580p-4 & 18USC711
Smokey Bear is highly recognized and internationally known as the symbol for wildfire prevention. You’ve seen him dressed in a ranger’s hat and blue jeans carrying a shovel. The original Smokey Bear appeared in 1941. Smokey’s message of personal responsibility, “Remember, Only You Can Prevent Wildfires,” is one that children have heard for many years, encouraging personal responsibility for fire prevention. Smokey Bear teaches children and adults to be careful with camp-fires, barbecues, trash fires, cigarettes, and matches.
Woodsy Owl, America’s icon for environmental education, symbolizes natural resource conservation. Since 1971, Woodsy has been helping parents and teachers inspire children to observe, explore, and care for the environment. He challenges children to “Lend a Hand—Care for the Land.” Woodsy Owl encourages children to join him by taking an active role in caring for the land through recycling, reusing, and reducing waste; planting and caring for trees; using resources wisely (such as not wasting water or electricity); not littering; and generally caring for the planet we live on.
