Dear National Public Lands Day Site Managers, Partners and Volunteers,
The President declared this season the "Summer of Service" as part of the administration's United We Serve initiative. National Public Lands Day is poised to carry on the President's mission of service with thousands of volunteers gathering at over 2,000 public lands sites across the country this September 26.
If you haven't done so already, make sure to register your site today by going to www.publiclandsday.org and join thousands of other citizens to give something back to our community and our nation. Robb Hampton
Program Director
National Public Lands Day |
| Register for National Public Lands Day
Sept. 26, 2009 |
 Less than two months remain before National Public Lands Day! Register your site now and receive our FREE promotional materials while supplies last. These include informational rack cards and promotional posters.
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| Resources for Site Managers
Make the Most of Your National Public Lands Day Event |
Many resources are available at www.publiclandsday.org to help site managers organize and promote their volunteer events.
 Be sure to download the 2009 Media Kit! The Media Kit assists site managers in promoting their event to the local media and attracting volunteers. It includes a suggested media outreach calendar, talking points, press releases, pitch letters, sample editorials, links to public service announcements, a social media guide and other information.
Also download the newly revised 2009 Manual for Site Managers. Learn how to plan your NPLD event, recruit volunteers, incorporate an educational activity into the day, promote the event and create a safety plan. |
| KaBOOM!
It Starts With A Playground |
National Public Lands Day is pleased to partner with KaBOOM! this year on an initiative to feature NPLD events as KaBOOM! Play Days.
KaBOOM! is a national nonprofit that empowers communities to build and refurbish play spaces. The organization promotes "play with a purpose" - the idea that unstructured play in particular is vital to the development of happy, healthy and well-adjusted children.  The KaBOOM! vision is a great place to play for every child - and America's public lands are just that! Parks, trails and other natural areas are great places for kids and families to spend time together, play and discover the wonders of the nature. By doing service-projects on September 26, people across the country are not only taking care of public lands and giving back to their communities, but restoring places to play and connecting with nature. You will also be helping raise awareness about the vital role of play in the health and happiness of America's children. 
The first 200 NPLD projects that register in the KaBOOM! Play Day Planner and complete the steps below will receive a $50 Home Depot gift card. All completed projects in the planner are eligible to be considered for one of seven equipment grants (e.g., benches, picnic tables), totaling $25,000.
It's as easy as 1-2-3! 
1. Register your project details in the Play Day Planner, and put "NPLD" in the title. Ex: NPLD Overlook Park Clean-Up; 2. Complete the required tasks through Mile Marker 4 (in the Planner);
3. Host your NPLD event as scheduled.
We look forward to celebrating your success on September 26. Be sure to check out the KaBOOM! blog about Play Days and NPLD. Play and National Public Lands Day, a winning combination - naturally! |
| Forest Service Funding for NPLD
Applications due Aug. 20, 2009 |
 Funds are available for US Forest Service projects that support the goals of National Public Lands Day-- to improve the quality of public lands and to educate the public about natural resource issues and stewardship. Sites must be registered on www.publiclandsday.org to be eligible for these funds. Applications should be submitted to Sue Cummings, (202) 205-0986, by this Thursday, August 20.
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| Audubon TogetherGreen
Lending Volunteer Hands for National Public Lands Day |
National Public Lands Day is proud to announce that Audubon's TogetherGreen initiative will be participating in NPLD again this year. Now in its second year of programming, TogetherGreen is helping to build the promise of a greener, healthier future through innovation, leadership and volunteerism. This dynamic alliance between Audubon and Toyota aims to provide opportunities for people from diverse communities across the nation to take environmental action. |
| United We Serve
Volunteers Join in the Summer of Service |
United We Serve engages Americans from coast to coast in addressing community needs in education, health care, energy independence, economic renewal and other issues. United We Serve is an initial 81 days of service but will grow into a sustained, collaborative and focused effort to promote service as a way of life for all Americans.
Let's build off the momentum from the Summer of Service and make this September 26 the biggest National Public Lands Day yet.
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Site managers: This is a great opportunity to attract more volunteers to your National Public Lands Day event. When you register for National Public Lands Day, your site will automatically be listed on Serve.gov. No need to double register! To assist you, Serve.gov features toolkits for developing projects in education, health, energy and the environment and community renewal. Volunteers: Get involved in the Summer of Service by finding events at Serve.gov and continue the momentum of service by participating on National Public Lands Day. Let's continue to honor the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps by joining in this nation-wide service effort and lend a hand for our public lands! Watch the United We Serve video |
| We Want to Hear From You
Tell Us About Your Volunteering Experience |
Do you have a unique and compelling personal story about your involvement with NPLD that you would be willing to share with the media? If so, we want to hear from you! Send an email with your story and your contact information to Kelley Campaigns at npldmedia@kelleycampaigns.com. We look forward to hearing from you! |
| Water Resources
Educate Your Volunteers about Public Lands and Water |
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If you know of any additional water-related educational resources that we might showcase, contact Tracey Adams at (202) 261-6479. |
| CLIF Green Notes
Download Free Songs from the Benefit Album |
CLIF bar is a long time partner of National Public Lands Day. CLIF Green Notes, from the makers of the natural and organic CLIF energy bar, is a program that marries the power of music with a passion for the environment. CLIF Green Notes artists appearing on this first ever Protect The Places We Play benefit album include: Martin Sexton, the John Butler Trio, Michael Franti, Brett Dennen, Missy Higgins, Gomez, Mason Jennings and more.
All of the proceeds from the sale of this album go towards organizations that are actively working to protect those natural playgrounds in our backyards and across our country, including the National Environmental Education Foundation.
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The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) provides knowledge to trusted professionals who, with their credibility, amplify messages to national audiences to solve everyday environmental problems. Together, we generate lasting positive change.
NEEF partners with professionals in health, education, media, business and public land management to promote daily actions for helping people protect and enjoy the environment. Through our primary programs- Classroom Earth, National Public Lands Day, National Environmental Education Week, Business and Environment, Earth GaugeŽ, and Health and Environment- we offer Americans knowledge to live by. To learn more, call (202) 833-2933 or visit www.neefusa.org.
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Our Program
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National Public Lands Day is the nation's largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve America's public lands. NPLD began in 1994 with three federal agencies and 700 volunteers. On Sept. 26, 2009, 130,000 volunteers will lend a hand at an estimated 2,000 locations across the nation. Eight federal land management agencies along with many state and local agencies participate in this annual day of caring for shared lands.
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| NPLD Material Shipment Update |
Materials are being shipped to sites in five mailings throughout the summer and fall. Our first three mailings have now been sent out. The August mailing has just been shipped this week.
Make sure to register by September 12 to receive materials in our last mailing! Contact Claudia Kessel, NPLD Program Coordinator, at (202) 261-6478 with any questions. |
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Scouts Invited to Participate on NPLD |
National Public Lands Day is an excellent opportunity to educate Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts about the natural world while engaging them in the outdoors. Learn more about National Public Lands Day's partnership with the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. Register your troop to participate on Sept. 26, 2009.
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Become a fan of National Public Lands Day and help to spread the word to potential volunteers! Site managers and volunteers are encouraged to share their experiences, stories, photos, news and video clips of their National Public Lands Day events.
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National Public Lands Day is now on Twitter! Check out our Twitter page for NPLD updates. Also take a look at the National Environmental Education Foundation's Twitter page, too! |
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Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. operates under a Global Earth Charter which was set forth to promote environmental responsibility for every aspect of the company and significantly reduce the impact that Toyota's vehicles have on the planet.
In line with their commitment to environmental responsibility, Toyota has sponsored the National Public Lands Day program for the past 11 years. In addition to their sponsorship, Toyota has also encouraged their employees to get involved in NPLD activities throughout the nation by helping to care for parks, forests, rivers, beaches, shorelines and other public lands.
Last September, thousands of Toyota employees volunteered at 31 different public land areas in 17 states. Read more about Toyota's strong commitment to the environment and their involvement in National Public Lands Day.
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Northrop Grumman Corporation is a leading global security company whose 120,000 employees provide innovative systems, products, and solutions in aerospace, electronics, information systems, shipbuilding and technical services to government and commercial customers worldwide.
Through its partnership with National Public Lands Day, Northrop Grumman employees across the nation will join together to improve and enhance public lands, supporting the company's corporate responsibility efforts in embracing green initiatives and translating values into action. Northrop Grumman aims to become a more sustainable business, encourages conservation at home, in the workplace and in the community, and actively supports environmentally friendly businesses and organizations. | |
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This September, NPLD volunteers are focusing on 
