The Bureau of Land Management NEWS |
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The Bureau of Land Management NEWS |
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Last updated: 04/04/03
Release date: May 30, 1996
- Contacts:
Leslie Heffner-Schwager, 202/452-7733
Michelle Dawson, 202/452-5134
The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) invites the public to "hit the trail" and participate in one of 23 National Trails Day activities that will be held on June 1 on BLM lands throughout the West.
For the fourth year straight year, the BLM will join hundreds of government agencies, communities, outdoor retailers, and trail user groups as a host for public activities all across the country to celebrate NTD.
"Our National Trails Day activities will provide something for everyone, while at the same time spreading a healthy environmental ethic for preserving and protecting our national heritage, the public lands," BLM Acting Director Mike Dombeck said.
"BLM public lands were once considered the lands nobody wanted. Today, they are recognized as a rich and marvelous legacy for the people of the United States -- both a trail to our past and a bridge to our future," said Dombeck.
More than one million volunteers are expected to participate in National Trails Day (NTD), an annual nationwide event aimed at raising public awareness and appreciation of trails. This celebration is part of an effort, led by the American Hiking Society, to establish a nationwide network of trails and greenways that eventually will bring trails to within 15 minutes of most American homes.
This year's activities will include volunteer trail maintenance and construction projects, interpretive hikes, guided mountain bike tours, festivals, living history demonstrations, trail dedications, and the official opening of several new trails. For example, in Oregon, through a living history presentation, NTD participants will be able to take a step back in time and experience life on the Oregon Trail. In Wyoming, participants will help construct a pedestrian and horse trail while those seeking a little adventure can ride a bike on the historic Bizz Johnson trail in California.
The 270 million acres of public lands the BLM administers contain some 6,000 miles of hiking trails, 350 miles of National Recreation Trails, 2,500 miles of National Historic Trails, and 19,000 miles of motorized vehicle trails. These trails accommodate a wide range of uses, including hiking, backpacking, mountain biking, horseback riding, and Off-Highway Vehicle riding.
In 1946 the BLM was established as a result of the merging of the General Land Office and the U.S. Grazing Service. BLM is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year with commemoration events scheduled for most of the western states throughout the summer.
For more information about BLM National Trails Day events, contact the appropriate BLM State Offices:
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