Press Advisory: Signing Ceremony Kicks Off Latino Youth Outdoors Program
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WHAT: Breakfast, tree planning and signing ceremony launch event for the Latino Youth Outings Project at the Bureau of Land Management's Meadowood Special Recreation Management AreaWHO: The Sierra Club, Bureau of Land Management - Eastern States (BLM-ES), Cesar Chavez Schools, LULAC National Educational Service Centers, National Latino Coalition on Climate Change, Executive Office of the Mayor-Office on Latino Affairs, National Hispanic Environmental CouncilWHERE: BLM Meadowood Special Recreation Management Area, 10705 Belmont Blvd. Lorton, VA 22079.Transportation will be provided from Union Station in Washington D.C., and from the Department of the Interior building.WHEN: April 21, 2010Breakfast 9:15 AMCeremony 10:00AM -1:00AM ETRSVP: Lala Shamirzaian, (202) 548-6597, or lala.shamirzaian@sierraclub.orgBackground: The Sierra Club and the BLM-ES believe that the outdoor experience is a powerful one that can shape interest in the natural world in a positive way, providing a healthy and educational path to a better life. In addition to exposure to the natural world, an outdoor experience also introduces young people to careers in natural resources, science and conservation. Today's Latino youth will be some of the key future leaders that will help protect the pristine places around the country, lead efforts to conserve the natural resources of the planet and ensure our communities thrive in a healthy environment.The overall goals of this pilot project are to: 1) provide an outdoors experience to Latino urban youth who would otherwise be completely disconnected from nature because of social and economic disadvantages; 2) provide healthy lifestyle opportunities for the new generation of Latinos; and 3) diversify the conservation and environmental movement. We strongly believe that hands-on, experiential learning can lead to a lifetime of environmental stewardship. Participation in the Outings Project will be completely free for the youth participants, who will spend a weekend at Meadowood.
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.