On this Centennial of the National Park Service, we as Marylanders can appreciate not only our national parks like Assateague Island or Antietam Battlefield, but the many public lands that we enjoy. Whether large parks, local greenspaces, or community gardens, we all benefit from these preserved spaces. National Public Lands Day is a day when local communities can show tangible support for our public lands.
Organized by the National Environmental Education Foundation, a non-profit organization that Congress created in 1990 to foster greater public knowledge of the environment, National Public Lands Day connects volunteers to service projects in local, state and national public lands. We at Preservation Maryland encourage you to go out and support your parks by volunteering for a day of service.
All federal parks have free admission on National Public Lands Day, as well as many state parks.
Events are taking place at the following Maryland locations:
- Montgomery County Parks
- Sligo Creek, Takoma Park
- Antietam National Battlefield, Sharpsburg
- Pickering Creek Audubon Center, Easton
- Greenbelt Park, Greenbelt
- Monocacy National Battlefield, Frederick
- Western Maryland Rail Trail, Fort Frederick
- Assateague Island National Seashore, Berlin
- Catoctin Mountain Park, Thurmont
- University Hills Duck Pond Park, Hyattsville
- Piscataway Park, Accokeek
Details about each of the events locations above, and more volunteer opportunities are available on the National Environmental Education Foundation website, so be sure to check there before heading out to lend a hand on National Public Lands Day. If you are interested in additional volunteer opportunities throughout the year, sign up for the Preservation Maryland newsletter.