PITTSBURGH – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host National Public Lands Day events at various lakes throughout the Pittsburgh District.
The Army Corps also announces that it will waive day-use fees normally charged at boat launch ramps and recreational areas nationwide in recognition of National Public Lands Day Sept 24. The waiver does not apply to camping and camping-related services or fees for specialized facilities such as group picnic shelters. Please visit www.publiclandsday.org; for Army Corps recreational opportunities, visit www.CorpsLakes.us
Over the years, hundreds of volunteers have come to nearly all of the 16 Pittsburgh District recreation projects and provided thousands of hours of work valued at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here are the planned local events:
Conemaugh Lake, Sept. 25 - Conemaugh Lake Park Ranger Mark Keppler will be hosting a Water Safety and FDR Display at the Irwin Sportsmen Club Annual National Hunting and Fishing Day Event at the Irwin Sportsmen Club, Irwin, Pa., from noon to 5 p.m. In addition to the exhibit, Park Ranger Keppler will lead a hands-on wildlife management activity.
Loyalhanna Lake, Sept. 24 – Loyalhanna Lake will be participating in National Public Lands Day from 9 a.m. to noon at the Loyalhanna Lake Bush Recreation Area. Volunteer projects will include a shoreline and roadway clean up along with planting of native species. For more information contact, Park Ranger April Richards at (724) 639-9013 or visit http://www.facebook.com/LoyalhannaLakeUSACE
Stonewall Jackson Lake, Sept. 24– Stonewall Jackson Lake will be participating in the National Public Lands Day, noon to 6 p.m., at Stonewall Jackson Lake’s Georgetown Launch Ramp. If you are interested in helping us, please go to https://www.neefusa.org/site-event/stonewall-jackson-lake-clean-georgetownlittle-skin-creek for more information or contact Ranger Scott Hannah at 304-269-4588 or Christopher.S.Hannah@usace.army.mil.
Each year on the last Saturday in September, more than 200,000 volunteers, nationwide, donate their time, money, and resources for National Public Lands Day (NPLD), where participants across the country pick up litter, clear invasive vegetation, complete conservation projects and learn about environmental stewardship in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories. Eight federal agencies and many nonprofits and state, regional and local governments participate in the annual day of caring for shared lands. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had the most sites of any agency with 266 sites.
National Public Lands Day keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America's natural heritage. The initiative is important because it educates Americans about critical environmental and natural resource issues. It also capitalizes on the need for shared stewardship of these valued, irreplaceable lands.
NPLD builds partnerships between the public sector and the local community based upon mutual interests in the enhancement and restoration of America's public lands. At the end of the day, NPLD improves public lands for outdoor recreation, with volunteers assisting land managers with hands-on work.
Visit the Pittsburgh District on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PittsburghUSACE and Twitter at www.twitter.com/PittsburghUSACE.
-30-