Partners: Girl Scouts
Linking Girls to the Land Through National Public Lands Day
September 27, 2008
HOW GIRL SCOUTS CAN GET INVOLVED
- What can Girl Scouts do on NPLD?
Install bird boxes. Plant trees and flowers. Restore wildlife habitat. Clean up trash. Collect native seeds. Repair stream banks. Clean or build trails. Remove invasive plants. Paint picnic tables. Weed plant nurseries. Take photographs. And much more!
Whether the girls work for two hours or all day long, they-- Learn to be good stewards of the environment
- Experience the pleasure of serving the community
- Have fun outdoors
- May earn the Get with the Land patch for projects done in collaboration with a federal or state natural resource agency
Girl Scout troops that register for NPLD by September 27th, 2008 will receive FREE NPLD brochures, one commemorative poster per troop, as well as certificates for each participating Girl Scout. Each registered troop will have their event listed on the NPLD website. Note that it is required to register in order to receive the materials.
- How to Plan an NPLD Event
Decide whether you want to --
1. Plan your own event with your troop or
2. Join an NPLD scheduled activity that is already planned by
- Land managers of the federal land agency partners or
- Another Girl Scout troop.
Plan your own event:
- Search out a local public land site such as a state, county or city park; a forest preserve, public beach; playground; schoolyard; walking trail; or bike path. You may want to choose a local park or public space where you have noticed that work needs to be done.
- Contact the public land manager or other person in charge of that space (i.e. the principal of a school, or a city superintendent for parks) to determine what age-appropriate work activities your troop might perform on NPLD to help improve or enhance that site.
- As soon as you have planned a work activity, send in your troop's registration form. Register by September 27th and you will receive FREE NPLD materials and your event will be listed on our website. Download Registration Form
- Decide what kinds of tools, materials personal protection (i.e. gloves), and clean up items (i.e. plastic trash bags) that you will need.
- Determine how to provide water, snacks, lunch, and access to a toilet at the site.
- Consider asking a hardware store to donate the materials that you will need, and a restaurant to donate your food and drinks. Emphasize to them that this is a national event, the largest volunteer event that benefits America's public lands.
- On the day of the event, make sure that you follow the safety guidelines in Safety Wise, which you can find on the Girl Scout web site or in Girl Scout Shops at councils everywhere.
- Take photos and/or have the Girl Scouts take photos to enter into the annual NPLD photo contest. Make sure that each participant fills out the
Photo Release Form. - Consider organizing an environmental education component for your event to teach the Girl Scouts about some natural resource or environmental issue. Download
A Manual for Site Managers for information about environmental education resources. - Participate in NPLD 2008 and have fun!
- When you have finished your NPLD event, complete and send in the evaluation form. Help us to share how Girl Scouts were "Linked to the Land" through NPLD! Download Evaluation Form
--Join an NPLD Scheduled Activity:
- Click on the Interactive Site Map on the NPLD Home Page to find NPLD events organized by land managers. Click on your state and find a list of the events that are already organized and registered in your area.
- Or Click on the Girl Scout Work Sites NPLD 2008 to find NPLD events with other Girl Scout troops.
- Call the contact person. Be sure to find out if you need to provide your own tools, materials, food and drinks, and if the planned activities are age-appropriate for your Girl Scouts.
- When you have decided to join one of the scheduled events, send in your troop's registration form. Register by September 27th and you will receive FREE NPLD materials and your event will be listed on our website.
Download Registration Form - On the day of the event, make sure that you follow the safety guidelines in Safety Wise, which you can find on the Girl Scout web site or in Girl Scout Shops at councils everywhere.
- Take photos and have the Girl Scouts take photos to enter into the annual NPLD photo contest. Make sure that each participant fills out the
Photo Release Form. - Consider organizing an environmental education component for your event to teach the Girl Scouts about some natural resource or environmental issue. Download
A Manual for Site Managers for information about environmental education resources. - Participate in NPLD 2008 and have fun!
- When you have finished your NPLD event, complete and send in the evaluation form. Help us to share how Girl Scouts were "Linked to the Land" through NPLD! Download Evaluation Form
Next Page