Recreation and Public Lands

While volunteers will be working hard to improve their parks on National Public Lands Day, they will also be enjoying America’s natural wonders. NPLD is a gateway to discovering the beauty and opportunity for fun at our parks. Site managers are encouraged to promote recreational opportunities to volunteers that are available at public lands.

Play --- Hike --- Bike --- Birding  --- Outdoor Ethics --- Recreation

Play

Nickelodeon's Big Help

In 2011, National Public Lands Day coincided with Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play. On September 24, Nickelodeon went dark for three full hours to encourage kids to turn the television off, get outside and go play! Many young people took this opportunity to volunteer on NPLD. Learn more about the Worldwide Day of Play and other Nickelodeon volunteer campaigns at www.nick.com/thebighelp.

KaBOOM!

KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing play back into the lives of our children. KaBOOM! facilitates this by building innovative, kid-inspired play-spaces, using a community-build model which improves the well-being of the children they serve, as well as, the communities in which they live. They create platforms and opportunities for the collaborative sharing and continual improvement of knowledge and tools needed for anyone to build playgrounds on their own.

Hike

American Hiking Society

As the national voice for America’s hikers, American Hiking Society promotes and protects foot trails and the hiking experience. As a recreation based nonprofit organization, American Hiking Society champions conservation issues, builds partnerships between public and private stakeholders and provides critical resources to plan, fund and develop foot trails. National Trails Day, AHS's signature trail awareness event, inspires the public and trail enthusiasts to seek out and enjoy their favorite trails every June.

Bike

International Mountain Bicycling Association

The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a nonprofit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve great trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. Since 1988, IMBA has been bringing out the best in mountain biking by encouraging low impact riding, volunteer trailwork participation, cooperation among different trail user groups, grassroots advocacy and innovative trail management solutions.

Go Birding

Audubon

Audubon's mission is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Our national network of community based nature centers and chapters, scientific and educational programs and advocacy on behalf of areas sustaining important bird populations, engage millions of people of all ages and backgrounds in positive conservation experiences. The Get Outside section of their website contains helpful tips on how to go birding and where to find Audubon nature centers.

Cornell's All About Birds

Great Backyard Bird Count: February 17-20, 2012. Cornell's Lab of Ornithology is a nationwide leader in the study of birds. One of the goals of the lab is to help the public better understand bird biology, movement and conservation and utilize the public's interest in birds to support research studies. The All About Birds website is an online field guide with extensive information about U.S. birds, tips on how to go birding and numerous, easy to read science articles on wildlife. The Cornell Lab encourages people to get involved in bird conservation by taking part in citizen science projects, such as Project FeederWatch, NestWatch and My Yard eBird.

Outdoor Ethics

Tread Lightly!

The mission of Tread Lightly! is to encourage outdoor recreation and safe, ethical usage of public lands. Visit the education section of their website to download curriculum and watch informative videos.

Leave No Trace

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics is an educational, nonprofit organization dedicated to the responsible enjoyment and active stewardship of the outdoors by all people, worldwide. Leave No Trace is guided by seven principles:

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors

Recreation

National Recreation and Parks Association

The National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) is the leading advocacy organization dedicated to the advancement of public parks and recreation opportunities. Founded in 1965 through the merger of five national organizations dedicated to the same cause, NRPA has grown over the years in total membership, outreach efforts, building partnerships and serving as the voice and defender of parks and recreation.

Get Outdoors USA!

National Get Outdoors Day is an annual event to encourage healthy, active outdoor fun. Participating partners will offer opportunities for American families to experience traditional and nontraditional types of outdoor activities. Prime goals of the day are reaching first time visitors to public lands and reconnecting our youth to the great outdoors.

National Park Trust

The National Park Trust is dedicated to the preservation of public lands, the creation of new open spaces and engaging adults and youth in getting outdoors. National Kids to Parks Day is a signature youth event to get families out into public lands that they have not visited before.