National Public Lands Day
Dear Fellow Coloradan,
Our state is home to some of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. As a native Westerner, I’ve always been passionate about preserving our natural environment and our way of life. We as Coloradans take great pride in our wilderness, but we also must remember to take care of it. That is why this Saturday, I invite you to partake in the National Public Lands Day volunteer effort. Saturday, September 29th marks the largest single-day volunteer event for public lands in America.
Colorado is blessed with four iconic national parks and many more wildlife refuges, national forests, state parks and national monuments including the newly created Chimney Rock National Monument. These sites help preserve our land, water, wildlife and heritage while attracting over 5 million visitors a year and provide good-paying jobs for Coloradans. Our public lands form the foundation for our quality of life and many of our businesses. As an avid outdoorsman, I appreciate the need to enjoy and recreate on our public lands while also ensuring they remain vibrant places for future generations. National Public Lands Day is the perfect time for Coloradans to visit, enjoy and give back to the landscapes that define our great state.
National Public Lands Day will be a fee-free day at national parks, forests, wildlife refuges and other federally managed lands. Saturday, the public is encouraged to visit as well as volunteer to help clean up our public lands. In Colorado alone, there are fifty different sites where you can volunteer. Volunteer opportunities range from building a fishing access trail at the Ruby Mountain Recreation Site to helping maintain the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, there will be something for everyone. As a reminder, all active military personnel can visit our national parks for free at any time with proof of military ID.
More parks and volunteer information can be found by visiting the U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Land Management’s website or the National Park Service website.
Warm regards,
