NPLD Site Manager Guide: Overview
What is National Public Lands Day?
A Signature Event of the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF)
National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands. Held annually on the fourth Saturday in September, NPLD is a “Fee-Free day”—meaning entrance fees are waived at national parks, national forests, and other participating state and federal lands.
Over the years, NPLD has brought together hundreds of thousands of individual and organizational volunteers to help restore America’s public lands, in states and territories across the globe. Our public lands are special places that Americans use for outdoor recreation, education, and relaxation, and they encompass national parks, monuments, wildlife refuges, forests, grasslands, marine sanctuaries, lakes, and reservoirs, as well as state, county, and city parks that are managed by public and nonprofit agencies for the purposes of recreation and enjoyment by all.
There are myriad ways to bring people together and celebrate public lands. On NPLD, volunteers can work with land managers to complete various service projects like building bridges and trails, planting native species, collecting trash, removing invasive species, and more. Or, in lieu of traditional volunteering, many NPLD Site Managers use outdoor recreation or youth education offerings as the centerpiece of their event. These opportunities give volunteers and participants the opportunity to learn more about public lands and understand the environmental, economic, and health benefits they provide.
Over a Quarter Century of Service
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) has been the official coordinator of NPLD for more than 30 years. In 1994, NEEF helped coordinate the very first National Public Lands Day project at three sites in Oregon with a total of 700 volunteers. Since then, the program has grown to include thousands of sites and volunteers throughout the country.
Why Host a National Public Lands Day Event?
Hosting an NPLD event brings a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction to everyone involved, especially Site Managers. Many say it deepens their connection to their local lands and their community. NEEF provides an interactive map that shows all the NPLD events happening around the US. To ensure comprehensive coverage, NEEF collaborates with its federal, state, and nonprofit partners to encourage all of their field sites to register their NPLD events. NEEF also coordinates press and communications to encourage the registration of individual events operated by nonprofits or local entities. NEEF’s interactive NPLD map makes it easy for volunteers to locate an event near them and offers Site Managers who register events many other benefits.
- Boost your reach
Site Managers who register their NPLD event with NEEF will have their event posted to our interactive site map. Volunteers can use the map to search for events by location or type of activity—and even locate bilingual events. Event registrants may also be highlighted in NEEF’s weekly NPLD email blasts or social media posts, which reach over 10,000 recipients. - Get Exclusive Event Planning & Brand Resources
By registering an NPLD event with NEEF, Site Managers gain access to NEEF/NPLD branded logos, social media graphics, and other promotional materials. NEEF’s Site Manager Resources Hub also has toolkits to help you plan and execute a successful event. - Join a larger movement
With its status as the nation's largest single-day volunteer event for public lands, add legitimacy to your event by leveraging NEEF’s NPLD name recognition and press attention. Its prominence serves as a catalyst to attract new volunteers and visitors to your public land. Once a person is introduced to your public land as a volunteer, they will deepen their connection with your space and want to return again and again.
Use #NPLD to see what public lands of all sizes are doing to celebrate this year. - Unlock NEEF Support
Only registered sites are considered for NEEF grant funding and communications support. NEEF will promote open grants on the NEEF grants main page (LINK) if available. Grants that are location-specific may also be available by invitation only. During the registration process, site managers can elect to be considered for communications support. NEEF staff love to promote events through national press outreach, email communications, and more. - Recognize your Volunteers
Celebrate those who make it happen! Registered federal events can offer volunteers a fee-free coupon valid at federal public lands. This serves as a thank you gift for event participants and volunteers by awarding free entry to a participating federal land within the next 365 days. - Strengthen National Impact
Public lands are core to Americans’ everyday lives. They provide places to play, learn, explore, vacation, and be active. From the community park in your neighborhood to our nation’s iconic national parks, these public lands welcome all ages, stimulate the senses, build new connections to nature, and create lasting memories for millions of people each year. Your event’s contributions will be counted in the national impact statistics, helping demonstrate to the public, leadership, and potential funders the collective impact of public lands stewardship efforts.
Who is the National Environmental Education Foundation?
The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) was chartered by Congress in 1990 to partner with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to advance environmental literacy nationwide.
NEEF works with trusted professionals, corporations, and communities to develop environmental education and engagement programs that make the environment more accessible, relevant, and connected to people’s daily lives.
As the official coordinator for National Public Lands Day, the National Environmental Education Foundation:
- Works with federal, state, and local land management agencies to host NPLD events across the country
- Leads national media efforts to promote NPLD messaging about the importance of connecting with the outdoors and caring for the environment
- Assists NPLD Site Managers in promoting and executing successful events
- Develops marketing and promotional resources designed to help NPLD Site Managers promote their events and recruit volunteers
- Provides educational materials and activity guides designed to help NPLD Site Managers incorporate environmental education and health and wellness into their events
- Provides sponsorship and funding opportunities to support NPLD events
- Manages the Department of Defense’s Legacy Resource Management Program
- Maintains the official National Public Lands Day landing page and holds the registration for the event
- Demonstrates the positive effects of a single day of service through nationwide impact reporting
