ROLLA, Mo. —National Public Lands Day (NPLD) offers many excellent opportunities for people to volunteer on public lands.
The Mark Twain National Forest will have several NPLD events, providing multiple volunteer opportunities right here in Missouri.
A Fall Mega (big group trail maintenance day) event will be hosted by the Ozark Trail Association on Saturday, October 12th starting at Sutton Bluff Recreation Area.
A Monarch Butterfly Tagging event will take place on Oct. 5 at the Forest Service office in Potosi.
The Poplar Bluff Trail Coalition will also be hosting a Wolf Creek Trail maintenance event on Sep. 28 near Poplar Bluff.
NPLD was established in 1994, this event is held every year on the fourth Saturday of September, bringing together thousands of volunteers to help clean up, restore and enhance the natural beauty of public lands. Even if you are unable to physically make it to one of the NPLD events this year, you can still show your support for public lands and Mark Twain National Forest by taking the virtual stewardship pledge.
This year’s NPLD events are expected to draw many participants as people of all ages come together to support the stewardship of the lands we all cherish. The theme, “Together for Tomorrow”, emphasizes the importance of community connections, teamwork and establishing deep meaningful connections for youth with nature.
Through partnerships, the Forest maintains public lands for all to enjoy. Another partner, Brownsfield Chapter of Backcountry Horseman of Missouri, already conducted a NPLD group trail ride on Sep. 21, and will have more trail events happening in the future. Their trail ride consisted of several riders trimming and removing debris throughout several trails. Supporting groups like the ones hosting NPLD events is a great way to give back to your public lands.
Visit the National Environmental Education Foundation’s website to search for NPLD events near you and to learn more about how to get involved in these events.