News Release

National Public Lands Day at Big Thicket National Preserve

Date: September 20, 2018
Contact: Jason Ginder, 409-951-6721

Big Thicket National Preserve in southeast Texas has been named the Signature Site for National Public Lands Day (NPLD) 2018 by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF). On Saturday, September 22nd, at 9:30 am, officials and volunteers from around the region will gather to complete a major debris clean-up effort along Pine Island Bayou, Cooks Lake and the Edgewater Day Use Area, all located in the Beaumont Unit of the national preserve. The kick-off ceremony and volunteer safety training will be held at the Freeway Baptist Church (10890 Eastex Freeway, Beaumont, Texas). All are welcome to sign-up as volunteers on-site the day of the event. 

On Saturday, volunteers across the country will visit their favorite parks, beaches, wildlife preserves and forests to give back to the treasured lands where we play, learn, and relax in celebration of the 25th annual National Public Lands Day – the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. Coordinated each year by the National Environmental Education Foundation, National Public Lands Day brings together volunteers from coast to coast to improve and restore the lands and facilities that people across America use and enjoy every day. 

Each year, National Public Lands Day volunteers provide tens of millions of dollars’ worth of services in one day that would otherwise take limited park staff months to accomplish. Last year, more than 200,000 people participated in events at more than 2,500 sites in all 50 states plus Washington, D.C. Press are invited and encouraged to attend. There will be opportunities for interviews with local dignitaries, volunteers, and park staff. For more information, check out NEEFusa.org/NPLD. 

For general information about Big Thicket National Preserve, visit www.nps.gov/bith or call the preserve visitor center at 409-951-6700. Visit us on Facebook www.facebook.com/BigThicketNPS, Twitter www.twitter.com/BigThicketNPS, and Instagram www.instagram.com/BigThicketNPS.