ALBANY, NY (03/22/2012)(readMedia)-- The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Parks & Trails New York are teaming up for I Love My Park Day, a statewide event to improve and enhance New York's parks and historic sites and bring visibility to the entire park system and its needs. On-line registration is now available for volunteers to sign up for improvement projects taking place at more than 30 parks and historic sites on Saturday, May 5th.

"Our state parks and historic sites can't thrive without dedicated partners and broad public support," State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said. "I Love My Park Day is a great way for citizens to make a strong show of support for New York's wonderful park system. I'm grateful to Parks & Trails New York for organizing this inspiring initiative, and I encourage New Yorkers who love their parks to roll up their sleeves and make it a success."

"We know New Yorkers love their parks," said Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Robin Dropkin. "I Love My Park Day is an exciting way to tap into that love and enthusiasm and make a real difference for our state parks and historic sites. Volunteers will give these special places a boost, keeping them beautiful and inviting to the 57 million people who visit our park system each year."

I Love My Park Day is an opportunity to participate in cleanup, improvement, and beautification events at New York State parks and historic sites across the state. Volunteers will celebrate New York's park system by cleaning up park lands and beaches, planting trees and gardens, restoring trails and wildlife habitat, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects.

In coordination with Parks & Trails New York, park friends groups and park staff will oversee cleanup, improvement and beautification projects and organize volunteers at parks and historic sites in every region on May 5th. To find an event and/or sign up to volunteer, visit www.ptny.org/ilovemypark.

I Love My Park Day is sponsored statewide by REI (Premier Sponsor), CHA (Exclusive Engineering Sponsor), Brookfield, Chobani, and EarthShare New York.

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees 178 state parks and 35 historic sites. For more information on any of these recreation areas, call 518-474-0456, visit www.nysparks.com, or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Parks & Trails New York is the leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 topreserving and enhancing a network of parks, trails and greenways for all New Yorkers for generations to come. For more information, visit www.ptny.org or follow on Facebook and Twitter.

Posted Thursday March 22, 2012 at 12:13 pm by New York State Office of Parks & Recreation
Last Updated Friday March 23, 2012 at 04:19 pm