Tag Archives: state parks

Family Fun, Park Volunteers

I Love My Park Day – 2016

Leave a comment

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

I Love My Park Day (ILMPD) started in 2012 when 49 New York state parks and historic sites were helped by thousands of volunteers, including Governor Andrew Cuomo.  These volunteers worked on a variety of projects including 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 2015 ILMPD grew to 6,500 volunteers who helped with 200 projects in 95 state parks and historic sites across the state.

In 2016, I Love My Park Day is Saturday May 7 with events planned at 110 parks and historic sites across the state.  Find a place to help here (or at nysparks.com/events).  From Hither Hills State Park in eastern Long Island, to Point au Roche State Park on Lake Champlain, Sonnenberg Gardens & Mansion State Historic Site in the Finger Lakes, Mine Kill State Park in the Catskills, Two Rivers State Park Recreation Area in the southern tier, Walkway Over The Hudson State Historic Park in the Hudson Valley, and more – there is something for everyone.  ILMPD also expanded this year to include DEC properties in the Adirondacks and Catskills as well as local and federal parks in New York. ILMPD is a great opportunity to get outside, enjoy the camaraderie of old and new friends, and give back to your favorite park.

I Love My Park Day is a joint program organized by Parks and Trails NY (PTNY) in partnership with State Parks, and local park Friends groups.

We hope to see you on May 7 for a day of fun and stewardship in New York’s backyard that is open to everyone – State Parks!

#ilovemyparkday

Valley Stream
Bring your friends to ILMPD! Taking a break at Valley Stream, photo by OPRHP

Family Fun, Flora & Fauna, Fun & Games, Park History, Park Personnel, Park Projects, Park Volunteers, Research

Happy Second Birthday Nature Times!

Leave a comment

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In this second year of Nature Times we have gotten to know snapping turtles, carnivorous plants, black squirrels, and Sammi, Trailside Museums’ 36 year old bald eagle.  We’ve learned how trails are mapped, how a flock of sheep and goats have become one of State Parks’ 21st century mowing crews, and ways to explore State Parks on foot, in kayaks, on snowmobiles, and on frozen lakes. The stories have featured all kinds of work that State Parks staff and volunteers do throughout the year to help preserve and protect some of New York’s unique and exceptional places. These range from protecting sand dunes on Lake Ontario and old-growth forest at Allegany, to creating native grasslands at Ganondagan State Historic Site, and monitoring invasive species infestations and removing invasive species both on land and water.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

We mark this second birthday with 61 new followers and over 24,000 page hits!  And we thank the 32 staff, interns, and partner organizations who have shared their passion for State Parks through the blogs that they have written. We also want to recognize our partnership with the New York Natural Heritage Program who helped in initiating this feature and continues to provide support.

We look forward to continuing our celebration of State Parks in the months to come in Nature Times.  Hope to see you soon at one of our Parks or Historic Sites!