Volunteers will gather rakes, shovels, and trash bags to help improve U.S. public lands for the annual National Public Lands Day (NPLD) on Saturday, September 28. You can join in and help maintain trails, clean up parks and rivers, plant trees, remove invasive species, and participate in hikes and other fun activities at parks throughout the country.
Sponsored by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), National Public Lands Day is a fee-free day at over 130 national parks. In 2023, more than 7,600 volunteers contributed 41,500 hours of service across clean-up and educational activities.
National Public Lands Day Events
In addition to in-person events in local, state, and battlefield parks and many of our national parks, NPLD will also feature a selection of virtual events. The following is just a small sample of the many events planned for this year.
iNaturalist BioBlitz
The national BioBlitz contributes to documenting the state of nature on public lands. Using the iNaturalist app (download for Android and iPhone, participants will record the species they encounter during the day to help track the state of nature in the United States. NEEF hosts observations collected around the country. Step up to support nature!
Mark Twain National Forest Pledge
From August 31 to September 30, you can join in stewarding the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. There will be a BioBlitz and photo sharing program on social media using the tags #MyMarkTwainNationalForest #NationalPublicLandsDay Sign up here.
Dark Sky Monitoring at Capitol Reef National Park
The night sky is full of stars obscured by human lighting. On National Public Lands Day, the public is invited to help measure the light pollution at Utah’s Capitol Reef National Park, which is a designated International Dark Sky Place. The data collected will help keep the region dark and beautifully natural for skywatchers. Email care_volunteer@nps.gov to register.
There are hundreds of events, from beach cleanups and trail repair to lectures and workshops.
Find an NPLD Event Near You
You can participate and spend the day volunteering on public land. With hundreds of activities planned throughout the country, there are ample opportunities to join the NPLD celebration virtually or in person. If attending an in-person event, please follow federal, state, and local COVID-19 safety guidelines.
Find an event near you using NEEF’s interactive map. To participate, most events require you to register in advance.
Host an NPLD Event
Would you like to host a National Public Lands Day event? Find information to help you plan, register, and promote your event.
About National Public Lands Day
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for U.S. public lands. Established in 1994 and held annually on the fourth Saturday in September, this celebration brings out thousands of volunteers to help restore, improve, and celebrate public lands around the country.
The National Park Service is proud to partner with NEEF for another successful National Public Lands Day, which brings people and communities together. The work completed by volunteers at NPS sites across the country help ensure that Americans of all ages and abilities can connect with our public lands for recreation, education, and community-building — now and in the future.” —Lenny Teh, program manager, Service-wide Volunteers-In-Parks, National Park Service.
Learn more about National Public Lands Day and join an event near you — or online!
Editor’s Note: Originally published on September 18, 2019, this article was updated in September 2024.
