National Public Lands Day

Date: September 24, 2013
Contact: MaryEllen Snyder, 724-329-8131

No Entrance Fees to be Charged in Western PA National Parks on Saturday September 28, 2013

FARMINGTON, Pa., -This Saturday is National Public Lands Day, visitors and residents of western Pennsylvania can visit any of their five National Parks for free. Entrance fees will be waived at Fort Necessity National Battlefield in Farmington, Johnstown Flood National Memorial in St. Michael, and Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site in Cresson. Admission is free every day at Friendship Hill National Historic Site in Point Marion and Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville.

“We hope that visitors and area residents will take this opportunity to not only come to their parks this Saturday, but consider joining us as volunteers throughout the year. We rely heavily on volunteer support and by sharing their time and talents, people not only help us care for these places, but bring them to life,” said Jeff Reinbold, Superintendent. The weather forecast for this Saturday is Sunny, 70 degrees and no rain. The end of September is a great time to visit the five Parks and view the changing fall colors along the trails and in the meadows. All Visitor Centers will be open and staffed from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. this Saturday and no entrance fees will be charged.

To celebrate the legacy and stewardship of our shared lands, Americans can enjoy free admission to all National Parks and other public lands this Saturday. The annual event, now in its 20th year, is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the nation’s 600 million acres of public lands. In 2012, about 175,000 volunteers worked at 2,206 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories. Seven federal agencies as well as nonprofit organizations and state, regional and local governments participate in the annual day of caring for public lands. National Public Lands Day keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America's natural heritage.

For more information about National Public Lands Day visit www.publiclandsday.org. For Western PA National Park information visit the parks website at www.nps.gov/flni/planyourvisit, Facebook pages, e-mail or call MaryEllen Snyder at 724-329-8131 for more information on the five National Parks units in western Pennsylvania.