Joshua Tree National Park is looking for volunteers to participate in National Public Lands Day (NPLD), on Saturday, September 29, 2007. Park volunteers will join thousands of others gathering at national parks and forests, reservoirs and other public areas to improve and enhance the resources of these special places where Americans go to enjoy the outdoors. Those wishing to volunteer should meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Oasis Visitor Center, 74485 National Park Drive in Twentynine Palms.

The staff at Joshua Tree National Park will ask volunteers to get “down and dirty” to help prepare campgrounds for the fall season. Summer closures, recent rains, and wind blown trash are now a top priority, as the busy fall season approaches. Volunteers will rake out campsites at Belle, White Tank, Jumbo Rocks, Indian Cove, Cottonwood, Black Rock, and Sheep Pass campgrounds.

Other NPLD projects include: berm building, marking and cutting PVC pipe, stacking nursery pots, soil sterilization and vertical mulching. All volunteers should bring water, snacks, sun protection, hats, work gloves and appropriate boots. To join the campground cleanup, bring your favorite rake and a friend.

Entrance to the park is free on National Public Lands Day. Project volunteers will also be issued an interagency coupon for a one-day free entrance to a BLM, NPS, US Army Corps of Engineers, US Fish and Wildlife Service, or US Forest Service site.

Please call Laureen Lentz at 760-367-5524 for more information or check out the NPLD website at http://www.publiclandsday.org