In The News

June, 2024

'The great outdoors helps grow the economy'

Weekly Column by Sen. O'Mara

PTNY's work with New York State Parks is referenced in the Senator's weekly column.

May, 2024

Local state parks gearing up for annual clean up efforts

Lockport Union Sun & Journal

Multiple state parks throughout Niagara County are gearing up for some spring cleaning this weekend. The 13th annual I Love My Park Day is organized by Parks & Trails New York in partnership with the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the Department of Environmental Conservation. More than 150 events will take place, providing opportunities for New Yorkers to clean up their favorite parks and shorelines, plant trees and gardens, restore trails and wildlife habitat, remove invasive species and work on various site improvement projects.

'I Love My Park' day is Saturday as New York state parks celebrate their centennial

Spectrum News

This weekend, state parks want to celebrate their centennial year with you. Parks and Trails New York hosts "I Love My Park" day on Saturday. They want people to get out and enjoy an area park or even volunteer to help spruce things up before the summer park season. Parks and Trails say they have seen vast growth in visitorship experienced since the COVID-19 pandemic, boasting more than 84 million visitors in 2023 alone.

Parks & Trails New York to Celebrate NYS Parks Centennial May 4 with 13th Annual I Love My Park Day

I Love NY

146 Volunteerism Events Scheduled at Parks, Historic Sites, and other Public Lands Across NYS for Centennial Celebration. In 2024, the NYS Parks System celebrates its Centennial Year. With the vast growth in visitorship experienced since the pandemic—84+ million in 2023 alone—service to our public lands is more important than ever. Volunteer organizations and site managers are making final preparations for the 13th annual I Love My Park Day to be held on May 4, 2024.

April, 2024

Volunteers sought to spruce up state parks

Livingston County News

Parks & Trails New York hope that the centennial year of the state park system encourages people to sign up for the annual "I Love My Park Day." This year, the event is May 4. "I Love My Park Day," which takes the first Saturday in May, is dedicated to revamping and sprucing up state parks, historic sites, greenway trails, and public lands. More than 100 events are scheduled across the state, including several in the four-county GLOW region of Genesee, Livingston, Orleans and Wyoming counties, and adjacent counties.

Get Ready for New York’s Largest Earth Day Event: Canal Clean Sweep Starts Friday

News Channel 2 -- Utica

UTICA, N.Y. -- Community members in New York State are gearing up for the 19th annual Canal Clean Sweep. It takes place April 19-21, 2024. Organized by Parks & Trails New York and New York State Canal Corporation, the event aims to tidy up the NYS Canal System and Canalway Trail with over 190 events scheduled across the systems.

Gov. encourages New Yorkers to become park stewards

The Sun

ALBANY | Gov. Hochul has announced that New York State agencies and partners will celebrate a series of stewardship days to help enhance parks, historic sites and public lands. Service projects during four events held throughout the year will raise awareness and visibility of the state’s many outdoor recreation assets and their needs during the Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Days.

Governor Hochul Encourages New Yorkers to Participate in Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Days

I Love NY

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State agencies and partners will celebrate a series of stewardship days to help enhance parks, historic sites and public lands. Service projects during four events held throughout the year will raise awareness and visibility of the state’s many outdoor recreation assets and their needs during the Love Our New York Lands Stewardship Days.

March, 2024

Haudenosaunee Confederacy Commemorates 800-Year Anniversary at EAclipse Celebration

ILoveNY.com

East Aurora, NY—As the world observes the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024, a pivotal moment in Indigenous history will be celebrated and honored at the Friends of Knox Farm State Park EAclipse Celebration. The event was funded in part by a Park and Trail Partnership Grant.

A Vital Piece of Aqueduct History Rescued From Oblivion

The Hudson Independent

A consortium including Parks and Trails New York, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Protection successfully rescued one of three sluice gate actuators that that were scheduled to be scrapped at the New Croton Dam.

January, 2024

New tool for local trail advocates will help expand New York’s growing Greenway Trail Network

Rome Sentinel

ALBANY — Parks & Trails New York and OPRHP announced the release of the Trails Across New York: A Grassroots Guide to Developing Greenway Trails.

ADK nonprofits included in $1.8M to state parks, public lands

The Sun

ALBANY | Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced $1.8 million in grants to support 27 nonprofit organizations involved with stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites and other public lands. The grants support public-private partnerships leveraging private funds for new state park amenities, to engage in state park and historic site maintenance and beautification projects, and to provide educational programming and special events.

State Parks Gets $1.8 Million Towards Upgrades and New Amenities

Rochester First

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — On Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that $1.8 million in grants will go toward state parks, trails, historic sites, and other public lands. The grants support both public and private partnerships funding park amenities, park and site maintenance, beautification projects, educational programming, and special events.

State sends thousands of dollars to trails, historic sites

Albany Times Union

Several area nonprofits will receive state funds to improve their offerings, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s office said. The focus of this round is on the 2024 New York State Park Centennial Celebration, which promotes public use of the parks.

September, 2023

Cyclists ring in fall with ride from Corning Preserve to Peebles Island

Albany Times Union

COHOES — As fall arrived in the Capital Region Saturday morning, around 70 cyclists made their way from the Corning Preserve in Albany to Peebles Island State Park in Cohoes.

June, 2023

NY State Senator Tom O’Mara: “Step outdoors and grow the economy”

Wellsville Sun

The advocacy group Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) routinely highlights the economic impact of New York’s more than 200 state parks, dozens of historic sites, more than a thousand miles of hiking trails, and over 8,000 campsites (to say nothing of numerous boat launches, beaches, swimming pools, and nature centers). PTNY has estimated that the state parks and trails system supports approximately 54,000 jobs and generates upwards of $5 billion in park and visitor spending – which means each dollar of state investment is supporting a return of an estimated nine dollars in consumer spending.

Bike tour of the Hudson Valley celebrates the region

Albany Times Union

A seven-day, 200-mile ride from Troy to NYC includes stops at historic sites and culinary gems. New York’s Empire Trail is the largest multiuse trail in the United States and from July 30 through Aug. 5, the Hudson Valley section will host 300 riders on a seven-day, 200-mile cycle tour from Troy to New York City.

May, 2023

Governor Hochul Announces $1.8 Million in Grants Awarded to State Parks, Trails, Historic Sites and Public Lands Partner Organizations

Governor's Press Release

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $1.8 million in grants to support 28 not-for-profit organizations involved with stewardship of state parks, trails, historic sites and public lands, the highest amount awarded in the Park and Trail Partnership Grants program history. The grants support partner group efforts to raise private funds for capital projects, engage in maintenance and beautification projects, provide educational programming, and host special events that promote public use of the parks.

‘I Love My Park Day’ Volunteer Events Blanket NY This Weekend

I Love NY

5,000 all-age volunteers give back to the parks and public lands that nurtured New Yorkers through the pandemic. Parks & Trails New York, along with partners at the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (State Parks) and the Department of Environmental Conservation, are hosting I Love My Park Day, a statewide event to give back to our beloved outdoor spaces which welcomed nearly 80 million visitors in 2022.

I Love My Park Day cleanups set for Saturday

The Olean Times

Do you love your park? Show it some love on Saturday, state and nonprofit officials suggest. The annual I Love My Park cleanup and maintenance day is Saturday, Parts and Trails New York officials said, with projects planned locally at Allegany State Park, along the Genesee Valley Greenway, and along the Finger Lakes Trail in eastern Allegany County.