Celebrate National Public Lands Day with the BLM Cody Field Office
Organization
BLM Office:
Media Contact:
The Bureau of Land Management Cody Field Office, in collaboration with Park County Weed and Pest and Greater Yellowstone Coalition, is celebrating National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on Saturday, Sept. 24, with a workday in the North Fork Shoshone River corridor west of Cody.
“We need people to spend a Saturday helping us install boot brush stations at two popular hiking trails close to town—the Four Bear and Sheep Mountain trails—in the beautiful North Fork corridor,” said BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Paul Rau. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn more about living with weeds.
The boot brush stations will be installed at the trailheads for hikers to brush weed seeds from their boots before trekking the trails. The boot brush stations contain information about noxious and invasive weeds, and how to minimize their spread.
“We’ll accomplish as much as we can but the primary objectives are to get the community outside, get to know each other, work, learn and enjoy public lands—these are your lands, America!” said Rau.
The group will depart at 9 a.m. from the Cody Field Office. Those who prefer to meet onsite should contact Rau for directions at 307-578-5900.
All ages are welcome. Volunteers should bring lunch, water, sunscreen and gloves, and wear sturdy shoes and clothing appropriate for outside work and variable weather conditions.
Volunteers will receive a coupon good for a one-time free entrance to Yellowstone or another federally managed area of their choice.
At the 2015 NPLD event along US Highway 14/16/20, volunteers replaced approximately 2 miles of net wire fence with smooth wire. “It was a great success and there were smiles all around,” said Rau. “It was wonderful getting to know people who live in and visit the area, and seeing them enjoy their public lands.”
NPLD is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for the care of public lands. In 2015, volunteers collected an estimated 25,000 pounds of invasive plants; built and maintained an estimated 1,600 miles of trails; planted an estimated 125,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants; removed an estimated 550 tons of trash from trails and other places; and saved taxpayers an estimated $18.5 million through volunteer services to improve public lands across the country.
For more information, contact Rau at 307-578-5927 or prau@blm.gov. To learn more about NPLD visit https://www.neefusa.org/public-lands-day or search @NEEFusa on Facebook. Tweet about your NPLD experience with #NPLD.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.