National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is a significant event that brings together volunteers from all over the country to help improve U.S. public lands. This year, the event is scheduled for Saturday, September 28, and volunteers will be equipped with rakes, shovels, and trash bags to participate in various activities such as maintaining trails, cleaning up parks and rivers, planting trees, removing invasive species, and engaging in hikes and other fun activities.
Sponsored by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), National Public Lands Day is a fee-free day at over 130 national parks. In 2023, more than 7,600 volunteers contributed 41,500 hours of service across clean-up and educational activities.
Events for National Public Lands Day will take place in local, state, and battlefield parks, as well as many national parks. There will also be virtual events available for those who prefer to participate online. One of the notable events is the iNaturalist BioBlitz, where participants use the iNaturalist app to record species encountered during the day, contributing to documenting the state of nature on public lands.
Another event to look out for is the Mark Twain National Forest Pledge, which allows participants to steward the forest in Missouri through a BioBlitz and photo sharing program on social media. Additionally, there will be an opportunity to participate in dark sky monitoring at Capitol Reef National Park in Utah, a designated International Dark Sky Place.
With hundreds of events planned across the country, ranging from beach cleanups to trail repair to lectures and workshops, there are ample opportunities for individuals to get involved and make a positive impact on public lands. To find an event near you, you can use NEEF’s interactive map and register in advance to participate.
If you are interested in hosting your own National Public Lands Day event, you can find information to help you plan, register, and promote your event on the NEEF website. National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for U.S. public lands, established in 1994 to bring together thousands of volunteers to restore, improve, and celebrate public lands.
The National Park Service is proud to partner with NEEF for National Public Lands Day, as it brings people and communities together to ensure that Americans of all ages and abilities can connect with public lands for recreation, education, and community-building. To learn more about National Public Lands Day and join an event near you or online, visit the NEEF website.
