On Saturday, September 28, tens of thousands of people across the country—and the globe— joined together to restore and improve America’s public lands as part of the 31st annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD).
Over 700 events were held in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Puerto Rico, American Samoa, and the US Virgin Islands. An estimated 50,000 participants of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds showed their support for our country's natural spaces by pitching in on trash pick-ups and other improvement projects, participating in educational activities, or simply enjoying the many mental and physical health benefits these spaces offer.
“It was amazing to see such enthusiasm for public lands from communities across the country,” said Kelly Burnett, director of conservation at the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). “We are especially grateful for the hard work of our NPLD Site Managers who helped turn this enthusiasm into positive action to protect our public lands for future generations.”
NEEF has created an online album with photos from the day's events sent in by Site Managers and attendees. If you have photos from an NPLD event this year that you'd like to contribute to the album, please send an email to npld@neefusa.org with your name and the location of the event.
Unfortunately, a number of events were cancelled due to the unprecedented destruction from Hurricane Helene and its aftermath. Our thoughts are with the communities affected by this tragedy, and we hope the recovery process proceeds swiftly and smoothly.
Signature Event Showcases Beauty and Utility of US National Arboretum
For this year’s National Public Lands Day Signature Event, NEEF worked with the USDA Forest Service and Friends of the National Arboretum (FONA) to host several educational and volunteer activities at the Washington Youth Garden within the US National Arboretum in Washington, DC.
Local volunteers joined FONA to kick-off the day’s festivities by planting fruit trees around the garden, supported by Casey Trees, a DC-based nonprofit that provides tree planting services and educates volunteers on tree planting and care. They also participated in miscellaneous garden maintenance tasks while learning about the history of the garden from FONA staff.
The public was also invited to participate in other activities taking place on the garden grounds, including educational tables from Corazón Latino, Veteran Compost, the Forest Service, and the Greater Washington, DC, Chapter of Buffalo Soldiers (9th & 10th Cavalry Association). J. Sage Raindancer, a certified forest bathing guide, led attendees through nature therapy exercises in the pollinator garden, and FONA’s Green Ambassador Program hosted a honey tasting from the garden’s bee colony. Woodsy Owl was also in attendance to take photos with fans young and old.
Speakers at the event included USDA Forest Service Associate Chief Angela Coleman, who spoke about the important work for public lands being done by the Forest Service across the country, and NEEF President and CEO Sara Espinoza, who highlighted the longstanding partnership between NEEF and the Forest Service, particularly through the new Veterans and Nature grant program. Other speakers included Craven Rand, executive director of FONA, and Dr. Richard Olsen, director of the US National Arboretum.
“The Arboretum is one of my favorite places in DC, and it was the perfect backdrop for a successful NPLD Signature Event,” said Espinoza. “Many thanks to our partners at FONA, the Forest Service, and the National Arboretum for helping to make the day a special one. Their commitment to ensuring our country's natural spaces are cared for and protected for future generations truly embodies this year's NPLD theme of ‘Together for Tomorrow.’”
NPS Director Sams Attends NPLD Event in DC Area
The National Park Service (NPS), a longtime NEEF partner, held a number of volunteer events at national parks, monuments, and other public lands sites across the country in honor of National Public Lands Day. NPS Director Charles F. “Chuck” Sams attended a trash pick-up event at Gravelly Point Park on the George Washington Memorial Parkway in Arlington, Virginia, where dozens of young volunteers helped clean up a popular park and trail system on the banks of the Potomac River.
Director Sams said he believes that events like National Public Lands Day help people see themselves in their local parks and public lands, “not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.”
“It’s an opportunity to reconnect with nature in a different way,” he said. “Whether you're doing trail maintenance or just helping pick up trash, it's important for you to feel that you are part of this land, and you have a right to be here. We thank you [the volunteers] for coming out and being of service today.”
NPLD BioBlitz with iNaturalist Still Ongoing
NEEF partnered with iNaturalist, an online community for sharing nature observations, identifying species, and contributing to science and conservation data, to host a special National Public Lands Day BioBlitz on America’s public lands.
From September 14 to October 12, 2024, volunteers will use the iNaturalist app to share their observations of flora and fauna on public lands, providing crucial documentation of biodiversity in these areas. This research will help inform important land management decisions that will protect and maintain these natural spaces for future generations.
To date, participants from Oregon to Florida and have made over 350 documented observations of more than 260 separate species. If you would like to participate in this project, visit this page for more information on how to sign up and submit your observations by October 12.
Stay Tuned for Full NPLD Impact Report
National Public Lands Day event results are still coming in from Site Managers all across the country. Check back soon for a full NPLD Impact Report with complete stats on trash collected, invasive species removed, acres of public lands restored, and more. You can find last year’s NPLD Impact Report here.