Learn How You Can Help Spruce Up Our Beautiful Lands!

National Public Lands Day 2009

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, Atlanta, GA

  • Date: September 26, 2009
  • Time: 9am to 3pm, with a lunch break.
  • Volunteer Registration: 8:30am
  • Location: Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site Visitor Center, 450 Auburn Ave, NE Atlanta, Georgia 30312
  • Contact Information: Andrew Callens  (andrew_callens@nps.gov), Facilities Manager, MLK Jr. NHS -  (404) 867 - 1589 or
  • Bobby Cato  (bcato@neefusa.org), Sr. Education Project Manager, NEEF -  (202)  321 - 1731

Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site will host a number of volunteer projects to celebrate National Public Lands Day, the nation's largest one-day volunteer effort for America's public lands. A program of the National Environmental Education Foundation, National Public Lands Day is now in its 16th year. Toyota is the sponsor for the 11th year.

Volunteers will be part of a national program with events in all 50 states and the District of Columbia drawing more than 120,000 volunteers. Together, their one-day efforts equate more than $14 million in improvements to America's public lands.

Volunteers will gather at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site Visitor Center at 450 Auburn Ave, NE Atlanta, GA at 8:30 a.m. for volunteer registration. Volunteer activities will begin at 9:00 a.m. and include various projects focused on the restoration of historic houses adjacent to Martin Luther King Jr’s first home. Other volunteer activities will include weeding, painting, and mulching around the site.

This year, National Public Lands Day is the day before the the national premier of Ken Burns' PBS documentary, The National Parks: America's Best Idea. A preview of excerpts from the Ken Burns’ documentary will be presented throughout the day in the theater at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Visitor Center. For more information, visit the National Park Service Web site at www.nps.gov

National Public Lands Day also marks the conclusion of the 2009 conference Breaking the Color Barrier in the Great American Outdoors.

All volunteers should wear long pants, long sleeve shirts, sturdy shoes or boots, and hats. Please bring water to drink and sunscreen.

T-Shirts and lunch will be provided courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales USA Inc.