National Public Lands Day

Date: September 22, 2009

Join Theodore Roosevelt National Park on September 26 for a Day of Service and Celebration

Be part of an unprecedented event on September 26 when Theodore Roosevelt National Park and national parks across the country invite you to make America's Best Idea - the national parks - even better. Presented by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation it will be a special day of service and celebration for visitors and volunteers to experience their parks and catch a sneak preview of Ken Burn's new documentary The National Parks: America's Best Idea premiering on PBS on September 27.

"We are excited about the opportunity to greet old friends and welcome new visitors to explain how Theodore Roosevelt National Park is part of America's Best Idea," said Superintendent Valerie Naylor. Making that best idea even better is our goal and one we can only accomplish with the support of our visitors, volunteers, and partners."

People who would like to support Theodore Roosevelt National Park by volunteering will have an opportunity to help restain the wooden fencing at the wildlife handling facility in the North Unit. The facility is the winter residence of the park’s longhorn steers and is used in bison roundups. Volunteers will meet at the North Unit Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. CDT. Volunteers should bring a lunch; materials and brushes will be provided. Participants in this National Public Lands Day project will receive a free one day pass valid for future use at any National Park Service site. Those interested in volunteering should contact the North Unit Visitor Center at 701-842-2333 by Thursday, September 24 so that enough materials will be on hand for those who would like to participate.

To thank volunteers, the park will offer a sneak peak of the new Ken Burns film The National Parks: America’s Best Idea that premieres on September 27. The screening will be held at the North Unit Visitor Center at 3 p.m. CDT. There will also be a sneak peek of the film at the South Unit Visitor Center at 2:30 p.m. MDT for the general public who are visiting the Medora area and the park’s South Unit.

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park event is just one of many occurring in the national parks across the country. The nationwide program is cosponsored by the National Park Foundation (www.nationalparks.org), the National Park Service’s Congressionally-chartered philanthropic partner. See www.nps.gov/September26 for more information.