Great Outdoors Week, 2001

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Part IX

The President

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Proclamation 7450--Great Outdoors Week, 2001

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 7450 of June 11, 2001

Great Outdoors Week, 2001

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

During Great Outdoors Week, our Nation celebrates the
beauty and majesty of the great outdoors. This occasion
allows Americans to reflect on the role our parks,
forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and other
public lands and waters play in our lives. We also
acknowledge how this wonderful shared legacy would not
be possible without our strong tradition of natural
resource conservation.

No other country boasts more extraordinary or more
diverse options for recreation. Our Nation's federally
managed lands account for nearly one in every three
acres and, together with our Nation's waters, provide
visitors with almost 2 billion opportunities for
recreation annually. Eight of ten Americans participate
at least monthly in outdoor recreation, and we may
choose to challenge ourselves through demanding
activities like mountain climbing or river rafting.
Enjoying the outdoors also can be as tranquil as
birdwatching or viewing a golden sunset from a
campsite. These experiences leave us with wonderful
memories of time shared with family and friends,
provide opportunities for improving our health, and
expose us to the wonders of nature.

Recognizing that most Americans enjoy the outdoors by
visiting Federal, State, or local sites, my budget
proposes to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation
Fund at $900 million for Fiscal Year 2002. Half of the
Fund will go toward grants to support State and local
conservation and outdoor recreation efforts. My
National Parks Legacy Project pledges to secure $4.9
billion to help ensure that our national parks are
properly maintained and enhanced. In addition, I have
directed the Department of the Interior to prepare an
annual report describing the condition of our parks and
offering specific recommendations to improve them.

During Great Outdoors Week, we also honor Americans who
volunteer their time to restore and safeguard these
national treasures. These generous individuals
collectively contribute millions of hours to clean
shorelines and waterways, maintain trails and
campsites, staff interpretive centers, and perform
other important tasks. Their efforts help ensure the
continued vitality of our precious natural areas and
enhance the quality of life for all Americans.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United
States, do hereby proclaim June 10-16, 2001, as Great
Outdoors Week. I call upon the people of the United
States to observe this week with appropriate ceremonies
and activities and to participate in safe and wholesome
outdoor recreation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord two
thousand one, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-fifth.

(Presidential Sig.)B