Volunteers urged to help with ‘I Love My Park Day’ on May 5
Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Registration is now open for the seventh annual I Love My Park Day, to be held on May 5, 2018 at state parks, historic sites and public lands across New York.
The event, sponsored by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Parks & Trails New York, is a statewide event to enhance parks, historic sites and public lands and raise awareness and visibility to the state outdoor recreation assets and their needs.
“Our state parks are natural treasures that offer extraordinary outdoor recreational opportunities, attract tourists who support local economies and draw people together,” Governor Cuomo said. “I encourage New Yorkers to participate in I Love My Park Day to enjoy all our parks have to offer and help us to protect and preserve our system for generations to come.”
Volunteers will have the opportunity to participate in clean up events at more than 120 state parks, historic sites and public lands from Jones Beach State Park to Niagara Falls State Park and covering all regions in between, including sites operated by the Department of Environmental Conservation, the National Park Service and municipal parks. Registration for I Love My Park Day can be completed by clicking here.
Volunteers will celebrate New York’s public lands by cleaning up debris, planting trees and gardens, restoring trails and wildlife habitats, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects. The New York State Commission on Volunteer and Community Service is joining the effort again this year to help recruit volunteers, promote the initiative and provide support to projects across the state. Members of the New York State Excelsior Conservation Corps, a New York State AmeriCorps program run by the Student Conservation Association, will help State Parks organize and implement I Love My Park Day projects.
State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said, “Volunteers are vital partners in making our park system the very best it can be. I look forward to joining with Parks & Trails New York to welcome thousands of volunteers for our seventh I Love My Park Day, so we can all work together in a positive way to improve our communities and our state.”
