We Were Honored
Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) was honored to receive the Environmental Excellence award from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for I Love My Park Day (ILMPD) in partnership with the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP). PTNY was one of six organizations and businesses recognized for our outstanding commitment to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and economic viability.
The awards ceremony was held on November 14 at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York. DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos presented the awards and said, "I am proud to present this year's Environmental Excellence Awards to municipalities and organizations demonstrating green leadership by adopting innovative solutions to protect our environment and strengthen our economy.”
I Love My Park Day is an impressive demonstration of environmental stewardship, engaging thousands of volunteers in cleanup, improvement, and beautification projects at New York State Parks, historic sites, and public lands. This statewide annual event has gathered momentum because of the unique partnership between Parks & Trails New York and the State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
Since its inception in 2012, I Love My Park Day has resulted in 930 park improvement projects completed by 34,000 volunteers, contributing 77,350 hours of community service. These extraordinary efforts preserve and protect New York's treasured outdoor recreational areas and enhance the experiences of more than 71 million visitors each year, generating an estimated $5 billion in spending and supporting nearly 54,000 jobs.
New York State Parks Commissioner Rose Harvey said, "New York State Parks have been extremely proud to partner with Parks & Trails New York on I Love My Park Day. Each year, thousands of New Yorkers join to improve beloved state parks in their communities through hands-on cleanup and beautification projects. It is a beautiful and inspiring day that reflects the spirit of stewardship that makes the New York State Park system the best in the nation. With over 130 participating parks and historic sites, I Love My Park Day is our largest single-day statewide event and has inspired a new era of volunteerism in our parks. We are grateful to Parks & Trails New York for their commitment to this effort, and we are honored that our partnership has been recognized with the NYS Environmental Excellence Award."
Mark your calendars - I Love My Park Day will take place on May 4, 2019!