Volunteers Sought for Upcoming National Public Lands Day

September 29 has been designated as the 14th annual National Public Lands Day, when more than 100,000 volunteers are sought to help organize cleanups, fix-ups and recreational events in country's parks, forests, rivers, lakes, wetlands, cultural and historic sites and neighborhood areas.

This year's theme is removing invasive species. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, the U.S. spends $120 billion annually on the control and impact of more than 800 out-of-control invaders that pose a threat to the environment, human health, and/or the economy. Invasive species also crowd out native species, sometimes to the point of extinction, impacting precious biodiversity and aesthetics. Volunteer assistance can make a significant impact.

The goal is to increase from last year’s 100,000 volunteers by at least an additional 10,000 participants this year. Every 100,000 volunteers represent an additional $1.8 million worth of labor for American lands, if the value of volunteer time is calculated at $18.77 per hour.

Organizers remind us that one-third of America's land belongs to the public, and may be used for everything from recreation and to logging and mining for natural resources. The organizers note that "National Public Lands Day is a yearly chance for Americans to take ownership of these lands, which are constantly threatened by human causes such as deforestation and pollutants and natural causes like disasters and erosion." Those "human causes" include extractive uses that take their toll on public lands, especially in the West. It's not just the wide open spaces that can benefit from the work of National Public Lands Day volunteers, but also urban and suburban clean-up efforts make communities healthier, safer and more attractive.

The website includes a pull-down list of states and projects in each, as well as contacts for each and other resources.