Pitch in on National Public Lands Day, September 28th

Come together with volunteers across the U.S. on September 28th for National Public Lands Day (NPLD). Grab your rakes, shovels, and trash bags to help improve public lands by maintaining trails, cleaning up parks and rivers, planting trees, removing invasive species, and participating in other fun activities at parks nationwide.

Sponsored by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF), NPLD offers a fee-free day at over 130 national parks. Last year, over 7,600 volunteers dedicated 41,500 hours of service to clean-up and educational activities.

Discover NPLD Events

Get involved in in-person events at local, state, and national parks, as well as virtual events. Participate in activities like the iNaturalist BioBlitz to document nature on public lands, stewarding the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, and measuring light pollution at Capitol Reef National Park.

Join the Celebration

Find an NPLD event near you and volunteer for the day. With hundreds of activities scheduled nationwide, there are plenty of opportunities to participate. Remember to follow all federal, state, and local COVID-19 safety guidelines for in-person events.

Host Your Own Event

Interested in hosting a National Public Lands Day event? Find resources to plan, register, and promote your event.

Learn About NPLD

National Public Lands Day, established in 1994 and held on the fourth Saturday of September each year, is the country’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands. Join thousands of volunteers in restoring, improving, and celebrating public lands nationwide.

Join the National Park Service and NEEF for National Public Lands Day to connect with public lands for recreation, education, and community-building now and in the future.

Discover more about National Public Lands Day and participate in an event near you or online!

Editor’s Note: Originally published on September 18, 2019, this article was updated in September 2024.