Free admission, dozens of volunteer projects and family-friendly events await Georgia State Park and Historic Site visitors on Your State Parks Day, set for Saturday, Sept. 27.
The event is sponsored by Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, a nonprofit dedicating to preserving and enhancing the state’s natural treasures. Your State Parks Day is Georgia’s annual celebration of National Public Lands Day. The statewide effort showcases how parks enrich communities while emphasizing the importance of local volunteerism.
Throughout the day, visitors can join volunteer projects, such as re-routing a trail at Cloudland Canyon or invasive-plant removal at Skidaway Island. Guests also can join fun activities, such as fishing and paddling. To encourage participation, Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites will pay the regular $5 parking fee and historic-site admission fees for all visitors. More than 60 participating locations may be found at www.GaStateParks.org/map.
“Your State Parks Day is about providing opportunities to practice stewardship through volunteer projects at state parks and historic sites,” Friends Executive Director Andy Fleming said. “We welcome all Georgia residents and visitors interested joining us on Your State Parks Day. However, it is important to remember that the need to preserve our parks for future generations isn’t limited to a single day. It is our hope that the individuals and families who volunteer with us on Sept. 27 will continue to make a difference at parks throughout the year.”
Georgia’s director of state parks, Becky Kelley, said that volunteers are crucial to the park system, helping with everything from landscaping and trail maintenance to junior ranger programs for children.
“We wouldn’t be able to offer the activities and facilities that we do without our volunteers and Friends members,” Kelley said. “Even those who come out for a few hours during Your State Parks Day are making a difference. Many have such a good time that they come back as regular volunteers.”
To see a complete list of events planned for Your State Parks Day, go to www.GeorgiaStateParks.org/stateparks-day. The statewide event is part of National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for America’s public lands.