All Montanans are encouraged to participate in 2011 National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on Saturday, September 24. NPLD ([ http://www.publiclandsday.org ]www.publiclandsday.org) is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands in the United States.
“This is a great day for families and friends to join us in celebrating the shared responsibility of supporting Montana’s public lands by helping out on conservation projects,” said Chas Van Genderen, Administrator for Montana State Parks.
Montanans can volunteer in hands-on ways to help improve public lands for outdoor recreation and to preserve and protect Montana’s natural heritage.
Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park outside of Whitehall is holding an event on Saturday, starting at 10 a.m. Volunteers will participate in a special trails rehabilitation project with Montana Conservation Corps. Participants should bring gloves and trails tools; lunch provided. Contact: Lynette Kemp or Rhea Armstrong at (406) 287-3541.
Last year, 170,000 volunteers participated in more than 2,000 sites across the country; removing 450 tons of trash, collecting an estimated 20,000 pounds of invasive plants, building and maintaining an estimated 1,320 miles of trails, planting an estimated 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants and contributing an estimated $15 million to improve public lands across the country.
National Public Lands Day started in 1994 with three sites and 700 volunteers and keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps that worked from 1933-1942 to protect and preserve America’s natural heritage.
