By Michael Kipp
The Order of the Arrow and its members have a strong commitment to conservation. This year, there is hardly a better way to live up to that commitment than participating in National Public Lands Day (NPLD). As the largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands in the country, NPLD is a program that every Arrowman should become involved with. On September 26th, grab some friends and head to a NPLD site near you!
NPLD began in 1994 with just three work sites and 700 volunteers. Since then, the effort has ballooned to a total of approximately 175,000 volunteers working at 2,132 sites! Last year, projects took place in all fifty states, Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico.
Projects are organized by volunteers and organizations who work with the land management to develop service projects. You can find projects taking place near you online.
Participating in National Public Lands Day is a great way to give back to the many different parks and forests that Boy Scouts across the nation visit throughout the year. By volunteering with a project, Arrowmen will meet other like-minded Scouts and volunteers and working together to complete a variety of projects. From removing invasive plants, to planting trees, to building trails, Arrowmen have many opportunities to get involved. In the future, chapters, lodges and sections can even host their own NPLD event and coordinate their own project!