National Public Lands Day (NPLD), a program of The National Environmental Education Foundation, began in 1994 and is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort for the improvement of America’s public lands. In 2008 alone, NPLD brought together over 120,000 volunteers who contributed an estimated $13 million of improvements to over 1,800 public lands sites in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Virgin Islands. Removing hundreds of thousands of pounds of trash, maintaining nearly a thousand miles of trail, and planting over 1.6 million trees, the volunteers on NPLD made a huge impact on America’s natural treasures. NPLD is much more than simply a one day rally for protecting public lands. The organization’s Director, Robb Hampton, is famous for his travels across America in Toyota hybrids to visit NPLD sites and to present small grants to assist with volunteer projects. In 2008, Robb hand delivered 13 grants for $1,000 and helped campaign for NPLD’s One Million Tree Planting Initiative. Driving a Toyota Prius, he visited sites in the Northeast, Mid Atlantic, New England, the Midwest, and the Upper Rocky Mountain regions of the US. Between the annual event itself and Robb’s coast-to-coast tours, NPLD is responsible for uniting the private sector with local communities in order to educate volunteers and help improve and restore America’s lands. It promotes the healthy lifestyle of living well while protecting and enjoying nature. NPLD’s reach knows no geographic bounds.

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION — NATIONAL PUBLIC LANDS DAY

Deputy Secretary of the Interior, David Hayes, accepting the award, Robb Hampton, Tracey Adams and Claudia Kessel, joining them, Director of Take Pride in America, Lisa Young.