One-third of America's land is yours.
Consider spending 1/365 of your time preserving it.

WESTERN COLORADO – A third of America's land and water belongs to the public and each September tens of thousands of Americans donate a Saturday to help improve them. People of all ages volunteer to build trails, plant seeds, collect water samples, and clean up the parks and other special places they enjoy year around. Saturday, September 24, is the 12th annual National Public Lands Day. Last year, nearly 80,000 volunteers dedicated a day to their public lands.

“The event started in 1994 and is sponsored for the seventh straight year by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. This year's event will be the biggest yet,” said Robb Hampton, Director of National Public Lands Day, a program of The National Environmental Education and Training Foundation. “Organizers expect to top last year's 80,000 volunteers and 600 sites.”

Volunteers who join in the various service projects will receive a coupon good for free admission to a national park or other participating area. Besides Toyota, National Public Lands Day sponsors include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of Defense, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Tennessee Valley Authority, and USDA Forest Service. Participants include numerous state and local agencies, nonprofit groups such as the National Parks Conservation Association, International Mountain Bicycling Association, Boy Scouts of America, and Girl Scouts of the USA.

Those interested in volunteering can find local sites by calling toll-free 800-VOL-TEER (800-865-8337), consult materials at their local Toyota dealer, or go to www.publiclandsday.org. Volunteers on the Western Slope can participate in the following events, or call their local BLM field office for other volunteer opportunities.

Grand Junction Field Office; Pete Larson Memorial Trail (Petekes Trail), Lunch Loop off of Monument Rd. Trailhead, Grand Junction: Register for this project at http://www.voutdoors.org. (Click on "Find Volunteer Opportunities," enter "September 24" and select BLM as the agency.) BLM is partnering with the Grand Valley community to construct a mile-long hike and bike trail to be dedicated in memory of Pete Larson, a former Mesa County educator and BLM and Colorado National Monument employee. Join other volunteers, including those from the National Park Service, Crossroads United Methodist Church, Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Trail Association and Tamarisk Coalition, at 8 a.m., on Saturday, September 24, at the popular Monument Rd. trailhead. Volunteers should bring work boots and gloves, a sack lunch, water and sunscreen. Along with an NPLD t-shirt and a fee-free coupon, registered volunteers will enjoy refreshments after the day’s work. Families are encouraged to participate in this tribute to Pete! For more information, contact Park Ranger Chris Pipkin at 970-244-3024.

Gunnison Field Office; Lake to Lake Trail, Lake City: BLM is again partnering with volunteers from the Lake City Trails Group. This year’s event will finish the first half of the Lake to Lake Trail from the Ski Hill to County Rd. 30. Volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. at the base of the Lake City Ski Hill, which is ½-mile south of Lake City on Hwy 149. You are encouraged to wear study boots, long pants and work gloves for protection. Bring sunscreen, plenty of water and your camera—fall colors should be at their peak! Lunch provided for volunteers. Contact Arden Anderson, BLM recreation and wilderness specialist, at 970-642-4454 for more information about this project.

HELPING HANDS FOR AMERICA’S LANDS

The event is managed by the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation, chartered by Congress in 1990 as a private nonprofit organization to develop and support environmental learning programs to meet social goals and build partnerships among government, the private sector and non- governmental organizations. See www.neetf.org.

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