Volunteers will gather Sept. 29 to help remove this invasive plant species called Mullein growing at Bandelier. Courtesy/NPSNPS News:
Often just known as NPLD, National Public Lands Day is generally billed as the nation’s largest single-day volunteer effort for public lands.
On this day, thousands of people do volunteer work such as trail maintenance and litter pickup, while others make a special point of taking the day to enjoy the public lands that belong to everyone. To celebrate this special day, many federal lands, and some state parks as well, offer free admission.
This year Bandelier is hosting a Volunteer Work Project 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 29 to celebrate National Public Lands Day. Volunteers will remove common mullein, Verbascum thapsus, an invasive plant species, along the trail from Ponderosa Campground to the Upper Crossing. Volunteers will be asked to meet at the campground at 10 a.m. and bring gloves, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and wear long sleeves and long pants.
A pizza lunch will be served courtesy of the Friends of Bandelier after the event. Please RSVP to Ritchie Sahneyah at Ritchie_Sahneyah@nps.gov.
The theme of this year’s 25th annual National Public Lands Day is restoration and resilience. Removing an invasive plant species at Bandelier is a great opportunity to connect people to public lands in their community. Please join us Saturday Sept. 29, for this wonderful chance to participate in resource stewardship at Bandelier!
“This is a terrific opportunity to come out to Bandelier. Whether you enjoy a fee free day Sept. 22 or volunteer to help preserve Bandelier Sept. 29, take a day to celebrate the great outdoors and the lands that give us so much,” Bandelier Superintendent Jason Lott said.
The last fee free day for 2018 is Sunday, Nov. 11, in honor of Veterans Day.
For information about Bandelier National Monument, contact the Bandelier Visitor Center at 505.672.3861 x 517 or visit www.nps.gov/band, on Facebook, BandelierNPS.
