Participate in Love Our NY Lands Stewardship Days

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State agencies and partners will celebrate a series of stewardship events to help enhance parks, historic sites, environmental education centers, campgrounds, state forests, wildlife management areas, and a variety of public lands as part of the Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Days. Service projects hosted during these events will raise awareness and visibility of the State’s expansive outdoor recreation assets and provide opportunities for volunteers to plant trees, restore habitats, and engage with their local communities throughout the year.

“New York’s natural beauty is unmatched, and with a record number of visitors continuing to take advantage of the world-class outdoor recreation opportunities our state has to offer, we have a responsibility to preserve these outdoor spaces for future generations to enjoy,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage all New Yorkers to get offline and get outside – to connect in person, give back, and help protect the lands we love while strengthening the environmental and cultural legacy of our state.”

The 2025 Love Our New York Lands days kicks off with Canal Clean Sweep from April 18 through 20, followed by I Love My Park Day on May 3, Adirondack and Catskill Park Day on September 6, and Wildlife Day on October 4. This volunteer initiative is operated in partnership with Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks), Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), and Canal Corporation.

Love Our New York Lands encourages year-round stewardship and provides visitors with the knowledge to reduce their impact, engages users to practice sustainable and safe recreation, and helps all visitors feel welcome while visiting state lands. To help achieve Governor Hochul’s initiative to plant 25 million trees by 2033, up to 2,500 tree seedlings from the DEC’s Colonel William F. Fox Memorial Saratoga Tree Nursery will be made available to plant at I Love My Park Day this year. These efforts will invigorate tree planting efforts and help achieve the many benefits of trees in New York’s communities. The public can track and record tree plantings and find other community-based tree planting events through the DEC Tree Tracker Dashboard.

Registration is currently open for the 20th annual Canal Clean Sweep taking place April 18-20. Volunteers can choose from nearly 100 events across the New York State Canal System and Canalway Trail. Help celebrate the bicentennial of the Erie Canal by joining thousands of volunteers to clean up our state’s greenways and canalways in preparation for the summer season. Visit www.ptny.org/canalsweep for more information and to sign up for an event.

Registration is also open for the 14th annual I Love My Park Day on May 3. This is the largest single-day statewide volunteer event that enhances our State Park system, and DEC public lands, with volunteers participating by cleaning up debris, planting trees and gardens, restoring trails and wildlife habitats, removing invasive species, and working on various site improvement projects. Visit https://www.ptny.org/ilovemypark to sign up and participate.

Additional opportunities will be available at Adirondack and Catskill Park Day on September 6 and at Wildlife Day on October 4. These events will highlight the state’s uniquely protected Forest Preserve lands in the Catskills and Adirondacks and wildlife conservation efforts and wildlife-associated recreation. More information will be available at https://www.ptny.org/lovenylands.

Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White said, "State Parks are welcoming more visitors each year–88 million visits across 250+ sites in 2024 alone. If only a fraction of those visitors attend a Love Our New York Lands volunteer event, we can make a real difference. Stewardship helps park goers feel connected to their environment and their community. PTNY is encouraged to work alongside agency partners committed to making their sites more enjoyable, accessible, and inviting to people of all backgrounds. We’ll see you out there!"

Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, “Our volunteers are crucial in making our state park system the very best in the nation and thanks to our partners at Parks & Trails New York, we are continuing to expand the opportunities to give back and promote responsible stewardship. We look forward to welcoming new and returning volunteers for these events and inspiring the next generation of visitors to help maintain and preserve our amazing public lands.”

New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “The Canal Clean Sweep, co-hosted with our partners at Parks & Trails New York, is a perfect way to get people connecting with each other, their communities and the Canalway Trail. Working together, these stewardship days make a real difference in creating spaces that are more inviting and welcoming for visitors from near and far. I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and joining our volunteers for the Canal Clean Sweep in just a few short weeks.”

Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton said, “New York State’s unparalleled environmental and recreational assets draw millions of people each year. Thanks to the many volunteers and environmental stewards, the Love Our New York Lands days and ongoing educational campaign continue to encourage visitors to plan ahead, visit responsibly, and practice Leave No Trace™ principles to collectively preserve and continue sharing our public lands. We hope you can join Parks & Trails New York and our State agency partners to steward public lands and promote safe, sustainable, and responsible recreation all year round.”

Assemblymember Deborah Glick said, “Since the pandemic, New Yorkers have learned that our state parks are not only a wonderful way to get out and enjoy the amazing nature our beautiful state has to offer, but also to give back. Love Our New York Lands is a great opportunity for New Yorkers to get outside, enjoy our beautiful parks, and reduce their impact on the climate, and I hope many of us will participate.”

The Love Our New York Lands campaign, launched in 2020 by DEC and State Parks, encourages all users of state-owned lands to recognize that these lands are shared by ALL of us, our families, and our neighbors, and we all need to take care of them. The campaign includes guidance on Leave No Trace™ principles so that visitors can do their part to help ensure these special places are protected for future generations. Love Our New York Lands encourages visitors to be respectful of other visitors in these shared spaces. Visitors are asked to share trails, treat people with kindness, and leave things as they found them for others to enjoy. Visitors are encouraged to think of themselves as responsible for helping protect these irreplaceable destinations for future generations. More information is available on DEC’s website.

Governor Hochul is committed to expanding access to outdoor recreation. The FY25 Enacted Budget included $300 million in capital funding to invest in park improvements, which includes $100 million for the celebration of the New York State Parks' Centennial. The Governor also launched a new $150 million NY SWIMS capital grant program to expand access to safe swimming opportunities for New Yorkers, address equity gaps, and provide resources for communities facing extreme heat.

Additionally, the FY26 Executive Budget proposes $200 million for State Parks to invest in and aid the ongoing transformation of New York's flagship parks and support critical infrastructure projects throughout the park system. The Governor's new Unplug and Play initiative also earmarks $100 million for construction and renovation of community centers through the Build Recreational Infrastructure for Communities, Kids and Seniors (NY BRICKS), $67.5 million for the Places for Learning, Activity and Youth Socialization (NY PLAYS) initiative helping New York communities construct new playgrounds and renovate existing playgrounds; and an additional $50 million for the Statewide Investment in More Swimming (NY SWIMS) initiative supporting municipalities in the renovation and construction of swimming facilities.

About Parks & Trails New York

Parks & Trails New York is New York's leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving our health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space for all. With thousands of members and supporters across the state, PTNY is a leading voice in the protection of New York's magnificent state park system and the creation and promotion of more than 1,500 miles of greenways, bike paths, river walks and trails. More information can be found here.

About New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 88 million visits in 2024. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app  or call 518.474.0456. Connect with us on  Facebook,  Instagram, X, LinkedIn the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom.

About New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation manages five million acres of public lands, including three million acres in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve, 55 campgrounds and day-use areas, more than 5,000 miles of formal trails and hundreds of trailheads, boat launches, and fishing piers. Plan your next outdoor adventure and connect with @NYSDEC on social media.

About the New York State Canal System

New York’s Canal system includes four historic canals: the Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga – Seneca. Spanning 524 miles, the waterway links the Hudson River with the Great Lakes, the Finger Lakes and Lake Champlain. The canals form the backbone of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and connect hundreds of unique communities. The New York State Canal Corporation is a subsidiary of the New York Power Authority. Like Canals on Facebook at NYS Canal Corporation and follow Canals on X (formerly Twitter) at @NYSCanalCorp.