Fall Deer Survey Equals Public Lands Day Volunteer Opportunity

Date: September 22, 2015

On Saturday, September 26, 2015 from 9:30 a.m. – noon, Homestead National Monument of America will participate in National Public Lands Day by offering the public the opportunity to help conduct a fall deer survey. Meet at Homestead’s Education Center and help the monument staff count deer! No experience is needed; just show up for a 9:30 a.m. orientation; wear long pants, long sleeved shirt, good walking shoes, and a coat appropriate for the weather. You can be a walker or a counter - the walkers will hike approximately 3/4 of a mile through the prairie – which has grasses over 10 feet tall this year! For those who can't or don't want to walk that far, people are needed to watch monument boundaries and count deer as they exit. The survey will be completed by noon. Motorists on State Highway 4 need to be alert for deer crossing the highway as they drive through the monument on the morning of September 26, 2015.

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) - the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands – is a celebration of the work, play and learning that takes place on public lands every day. One third of America's land is in public hands, and NPLD offers everyone an opportunity to help maintain them. NPLD began in 1994 with three federal agencies and 700 volunteers. Last year, 175,000 volunteers worked in more than 2,100 locations and in every state. This year, seven federal agencies and many state and local lands participated in this annual day of caring for shared lands.

“This year the National Park Service has been encouraging visitors to Find Your Park as they explore national, state and local public places. Volunteer opportunities provided through National Public Lands Day, such as the deer survey at Homestead, provide ways for the public to have a real, hands-on “Find Your Park” experience,” stated Superintendent Mark Engler.

Remember, Homestead National Monument of America has an exciting schedule of events planned for 2015. Keep up with the latest information by following us on Twitter (HomesteadNM) and Facebook (Homestead National Monument of America).

Homestead National Monument of America is a unit of the National Park Service located four miles west of Beatrice, Nebraska. Hours of operation are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free of charge. For additional information, please call 402-223-3514 or visit https://www.nps.gov/home.

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