A Presidential Proclamation was signed by President Barack Obama on May 31, 2011 declaring June as the official Great Outdoors Month.
In the Proclamation, he states “This month, let each of us resolve to protect our great outdoors; discover their wonders; and share them with our friends, our neighbors, and our children.”
Click here to read the Presidential Proclamation.
Great Outdoors month is in support of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. America’s Great Outdoors: A Promise to Future Generations, lays the foundation for smarter, more community-driven action to protect our invaluable natural heritage. Instead of dictating policies, this initiative turns to communities for local, grassroots conservation initiatives. Instead of growing bureaucracy, it calls for reworking inefficient policies and making the Federal Government a better partner with states, tribes, and local communities. The plan is to restore and increase recreational access to public lands and waterways; bolster rural landscapes, including working farms and ranches; develop the next generation of urban parks and community green spaces. It also calls for the creation of a new Conservation Service Corps so that young people can experience and restore the great outdoors. To learn more about this initiative and ways to get involved, visit the America’s Great Outdoors website.
Regardless of your political association, as a member of the RV community, this is important news. Access to parks and recreational facilities is vital to the way of life we have chosen. And it is our responsibility to do what we can to ensure that future generations have the same opportunities.
There are many simple ways to get involved.
- Choose to support our National Parks and state and federal facilities with your travel dollars.
- Take your grandchildren camping. Help them develop an appreciation for the beauty and bounty available to them in this country.
- Never pass up an opportunity to vote.
- Volunteer. There is never a shortage of opportunities to volunteer your services. If you don’t know where to look, the National Park Service website can help you find volunteer opportunities at over 400 national parks. You can search based on a specific park, by State, or even by a specific zip code. This site is also a great resource on our National Parks.
If you haven’t been to a National Park recently, and are looking for a some information on the different parks, National Geographic has a great book entitled National Geographic Guide to the National Parks of the United States. I found it on Amazon for $15.85. This book presents the parks alphabetically region by region, with individual maps and provides practical advice on visiting—park contact information, camping and lodging, accessibility, pet restrictions, things to do, and special advisories.
Happy travels — and Enjoy the Great Outdoors!
