Not only are fees waived, but thousands of volunteers help out on this day every year. According to the National Public Lands Day website:
In 2013, about 175,000 volunteers worked at 2,237 sites in every state, the District of Columbia, Guam and Puerto Rico.
NPLD volunteers:
- Collected an estimated 23,000 pounds of invasive plants
- Built and maintained an estimated 1,500 miles of trails
- Planted an estimated 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants
- Removed an estimated 500 tons of trash from trails and other places
- Contributed an estimated $18 million through volunteer services to improve public lands across the country
The photo above, taken by Leslie Kilduff, can be found on page 33 of the guidebook’s fourth edition.
Three cheers for volunteers! And enjoy your Saturday in a park or refuge.
—Beth, editor of Yellowstone Treasures