National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands in the United States. In 2012, NPLD will be held on September 29, 2012. Registration for 2012 will be open in January. 

NPLD began in 1994 with three sites and 700 volunteers. It proved to be a huge success and NPLD became a yearly tradition, typically held on the last Saturday in September.  Since the first NPLD, the event has grown by leaps and bounds. 

In 2011, 170,000 volunteers worked at over 2,010 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories. NPLD volunteers:

• http://www.publiclandsday.org/sites/default/themes/npld/images/green-bul...); background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Removed an estimated 450 tons of trash
• http://www.publiclandsday.org/sites/default/themes/npld/images/green-bul...); background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Collected an estimated 20,000 pounds of invasive plants
• http://www.publiclandsday.org/sites/default/themes/npld/images/green-bul...); background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Built and maintained an estimated 1,320 miles of trails
• http://www.publiclandsday.org/sites/default/themes/npld/images/green-bul...); background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Planted an estimated 100,000 trees, shrubs and other native plants
• http://www.publiclandsday.org/sites/default/themes/npld/images/green-bul...); background-attachment: scroll; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-position: 0% 6px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; ">Contributed an estimated $15 million to improve public lands across the country

Eight federal agencies, nonprofits and state, regional and local governments participate in the annual day of caring for shared lands.

National Public Lands Day keeps the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America's natural heritage.