This Saturday, September 24, is a day for celebrating our heritage – and you can join in by giving back
I love being outside, and I’m guessing that if you’ve found your way to this blog, then you do too. I am happy to live in Washington, DC, because it means I get to work at the TRCP, spending my days fighting for conservation and ensuring that that 640 million acres of public land remain public and remain accessible. However, lately, I’ve been neglecting my need to see the sky, smell the trees, and get my hands dirty. Sportsmen have a long history of getting their hands dirty – literally and figuratively – for conservation, and sometimes I just need to get out there and the work with my own two hands.
This Saturday, Sept 24, I’m going to get my on-the-ground fix – and you can too. In celebration of National Public Lands Day, parks, recreation areas, and more are hosting volunteer events all over the country. Additionally, if you’re in the Wyoming area, consider joining us at a Public Lands Day Celebration in Laramie.
Here are a few examples of Public Lands Day volunteer opportunities, in case you want to join me in celebrating our sporting heritage by taking care of our favorite spaces. Don’t see an event for your area listed here? Check in with your nearby public land agency and find events or start by browsing Find Your Park to find a spot near you.

Click here for more information on National Public Lands Day. Whether or not you get your hands dirty this Saturday, take the future of our public lands into your hands by signing the Sportsmen’s Access petition.
Where: Pipestone National Monument, Pipestone, Minn.
What: Seed collection from native tall grass prairie
Where: Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Western Ky. and Tenn.
What: Trail clean-up and work day
Where: Red Top Mountain State Park, Cartersville, Ga.
What: Improve outdoor classroom
Where: Don Carter State Park, Gainesville, Ga.
What: Shore sweep and trash clean-up
Where: Yellowstone National Park
What: Trail maintenance
Where: Colt Creek State Park, Lakeland, Fla.
What: Mulching
Where: Lake Kissimmee State Park, Lake Wales, Fla.
What: Invasive weed removal
Where: Lake Louisa State Park, Clermont, Fla.
What: Invasive weed and vegetation removal
Where: 19 sites across Indiana
What: Trash clean-up, garden maintenance, trail work, invasive species removal, and more.
Where: Poudre Wilderness, Northern Colo.
What: Trail maintenance
Where: Hidden Canyon Community Park, Carlsbad, Calif.
What: Trail maintenance
Where: Detroit Lake Campground shoreline, Detroit, Ore.
What: Shoreline and riverside clean-up