National Public Lands Day, 2011

Proclamation 8719 of September 22, 2011

National Public Lands Day, 2011

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

At the dawn of the 20th century, President Theodore
Roosevelt embarked on a tour of the American West that
forever changed our Nation's relationship with the
outdoors. His visits to Yellowstone, Yosemite, the
Grand Canyon, and other natural wonders instilled in
him a commitment to conservation, and they motivated
him to designate millions of acres of protected land.
Today, our public lands system is a model of
conservation and an important resource for clean
energy, grazing, and recreation--vital economic engines
in both rural and urban communities.

On National Public Lands Day, we take time to
appreciate our parks, national forests, wildlife
refuges, and other public spaces, and we recommit to
protecting and restoring them for future generations.
This year, thousands of dedicated volunteers will
continue a proud American tradition by conserving and
restoring our public lands with local projects across
our Nation. Americans will restore hiking trails,
remove invasive plant species, clean lakes, and pick up
litter in city parks. Through their service, families
and children will find opportunities for outdoor
activity on the millions of acres of national forests,
parks, and trails.

To maintain our environmental heritage and build a
responsive conservation and recreation agenda, my
Administration launched the America's Great Outdoors
Initiative last year. We met with thousands of
Americans in listening sessions across our country, and
compiled the results of this national conversation in
the report, America's Great Outdoors: A Promise to
Future Generations. To act on these findings, we are
undertaking projects in collaboration with State,
local, and tribal governments to responsibly steward
the lands that belong to all Americans. First Lady
Michelle Obama also joined in support of getting
Americans outside when the Let's Move! initiative, in
coordination with the Department of the Interior,
launched Let's Move Outside! to help families exercise
in the great outdoors.

Countless Americans have experienced the same awe and
wonder that President Roosevelt felt on his westward
journey. By joining in this legacy of conservation,
Americans young and old protect not only our lands, but
also the promise that future generations will be able
to carry forward the spirit of adventure that lies at
the heart of our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim September 24, 2011,
as National Public Lands Day. I encourage all Americans
to participate in a day of public service for our
lands.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twenty-second day of September, in the year of our Lord
two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
sixth.