The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is excited to announce that this year’s National Public Lands Day (NPLD) Signature Event will take place along the Lower Salt River near Mesa, Arizona on Saturday, September 26, 2026.
Each year, NEEF partners with a public lands site to host the NPLD Signature Event, offering participants a chance to give back to the outdoor spaces that so many communities rely on. This year, that honor goes to Natural Restorations' Lower Salt River Cleanup, which returns for its 11th consecutive year in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service Tonto National Forest.
This year's theme, Caring for Our Shared America, is really what the Lower Salt River Cleanup has represented for over a decade.
Kelley V. Phillips, Program Director, Conservation at NEEF
"This year's theme, Caring for Our Shared America, is really what the Lower Salt River Cleanup has represented for over a decade," said Kelley V. Phillips, Program Director, Conservation at NEEF. "Volunteers coming back year after year to care for this stretch of river is exactly the kind of shared stewardship we want to celebrate as our Signature Event for National Public Lands Day."
NPLD falls during a milestone year, as the nation marks America's 250th anniversary. This year's theme, Caring for Our Shared America, calls on volunteers to care for the parks, trails, forests, and waterways that connect communities across the country. Time spent outdoors comes with well documented physical and mental health benefits, and the 2026 Signature Event is made possible with support from the American Medical Association (AMA) and NEEF.
Volunteers will spend the morning of September 26 caring for the riverbanks and trails along the Lower Salt River while learning why the work matters. Along the way, they’ll see how plastic and other debris can harm the fish, birds, and wildlife that depend on the river and help tackle invasive species threatening the area. That includes knocking the bright pink egg clusters of invasive apple snails into the water before they can hatch and pulling stinknet, also known as globe chamomile, from the riverbanks.
Adult and youth volunteers are welcome, making the event a great opportunity for families to take part together. Veterans are also a growing part of Natural Restorations’ volunteer community, including through its Dedicated Restoration Team, which provides veterans with paid contract work in nature throughout the year to support this population’s health and wellness through nature-based experiences. The event will include a special moment recognizing veterans in attendance.
Every year, this cleanup shows what a community can accomplish in a single morning when people show up for a place they love.
Nicole Corey, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Natural Restorations
"Every year, this cleanup shows what a community can accomplish in a single morning when people show up for a place they love," said Nicole Corey, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Natural Restorations. "We're grateful to the US Forest Service Tonto National Forest, NEEF, and everyone who has helped this event grow over 11 years, and we can't wait to welcome families and volunteers of all ages back to the river this September."
To learn more about the Lower Salt River Cleanup and find other National Public Lands Day events happening across the country on Saturday, September 26, please visit the official NPLD event map at NEEFusa.org.