From scenic landscapes to the many activities available for a fun day outside, New York state parks offer people the opportunity to explore nature and get away from the daily grind with new fun and adventures. As a way to build pride and take care of our getaways in nature, the fourth annual I Love My Park Day will take place this Saturday, May 2nd, with events scheduled at over 90 locations throughout the state.
I Love My Park Day is an exciting statewide event, organized by Parks & Trails New York in partnership with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and local grassroots groups to celebrate and bring visibility to the entire park system and its needs. At this year’s I Love My Park Day, our SUNY students, faculty, and staff are all encouraged to register and volunteer to help enhance New York’s parks and historic sites. With SUNY’s 64 campuses being in every region and corner of New York, a parkland getaway is nearby and easily accessible for all of our 460,000 students.
What can you do at an I Love My Park event?
At any of the events scheduled this weekend, volunteers will help clean the damage to parks created during the winter. They can plant trees and restore gardens, trails, and wildlife habitat by removing invasive species and debris in the sites. Students and faculty can also participate in various development and improvement projects.
The New York State Park System includes 180 state parks and 35 state historic sites, which includes a valuable collection of natural and recreational assets, including 1,350 miles of hiking trails, over 8,000 campsites, numerous swimming pools, beaches, boat launches, nature centers and golf courses. This collection of resources contributes significant benefits to New York State’s economy, health, environment and history.
In order to volunteer, registration is required. Those who are interested may register to attend at a site that is near to where the live and convenient to access. Simply follow the link to registration provided on the Parks & Trails New York website: https://ptny.wufoo.com/forms/i-love-my-park-day-volunteer-registration-mz/.
To help you find the best park match, the Parks & Trails New York website even lists the tasks that will be conducted at each site and the ages appropriate for each.
So this weekend, go outside, enjoy nature, and help enhance the beauty and accessibility of our New York State Parks.
