National Public Lands Day is Saturday, Sept. 26, and the National Park Service and National Park Foundation are inviting everyone to make America’s Best Idea – the national parks – even better by supporting and visiting a national park. This year’s National Public Lands Day is extra special because of the anticipated premier of Ken Burns’s new documentary, The National Parks: America’s Best Idea. Entrance fees are waived for at America’s national parks and many will host volunteer activities and a sneak peak of the Burns documentary.

Also happening on Sept. 26 is the new year launch of National Park Foundation’s First Bloom programming. First Bloom connects urban youth with parks facilitated by a ranger. The year-long program will culminate with participants planting a native garden at the particular national park.

“First Bloom is designed to give city kids a sense of connection and ownership to their national parks,” said Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation, “That’s also what the national celebration in the parks on September 26th and the new Burns film are about -recognizing that we are all owners of America’s Best Idea - the national parks.”

Volunteer projects include building hiking trails, prairie restoration, and removing invasive species. To find out what a park near you is doing, give them a call or visit http://www.nps.gov/september26. New activities are being added daily.

Logo Credit: National Park Foundation