June signifies the beginning of Great Outdoors Month®. As the nation begins reopening the economy, responsible outdoor recreation should be at the forefront of economic, social and mental recovery. In that spirit, ORR is proud to share what our partners are doing to celebrate our public lands and waters, and recreation economy during Great Outdoors Month®. This year, many organizations have adapted their events to take into account the effects of COVID-19 for example:
- On May 16, The National Park Trust took Kids to Parks Day digital and celebrated Parks to Kids Day, bringing a much-needed infusion of the outdoors to kids and families as they isolate at home and practice social distancing.
- American Hiking Society is shifting its June 6 National Trails Day® from in-person events to digital activation to inspire individuals to unite for the protection of trails and access to public lands during this time of social-distancing. They’ve put together a promotional toolkit to help people take part.
- Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF) has joined forces with Discover Boating to launch an industry-wide campaign to “share the restorative power of recreational boating and fishing at a time when the wellbeing of Americans is front and center.”
- National Get Outdoors Day (June 13) is a fee-free day at U.S. Forest Service sites across the country.
- The Corps Network will lead a social media campaign to celebrate modern Service and Conservation Corps and raise awareness about the important work Corps do to improve outdoor spaces, strengthen communities, and empower the next generation of leaders and stewards. The Corps Network will release shareable messages, images, and resources that help tell the story of the Corps movement. Join in by following #CorpsWork and @TheCorpsNetwork.
- The National Wildlife Federation is working to show how safely and responsibly connecting with wildlife and the outdoors can help people thrive during these unprecedented times, and planning is underway for the annual Great American Campout.
- And, the National Park Service (NPS) will be recognizing the mental and physical benefits of time outdoors during Great Outdoors Month® through its “#MilitaryMondaysPlus” campaign, a partnership between Building Healthy Military Communities (a DoD project) and NPS’ Healthy Parks Healthy People. The program aims to identify the positive health benefits that our parks can bring both physically and mentally as they begin to reopen in the current COVID-19 environment.
By working together, we can ensure all Americans have access to the great benefits outdoor recreation provides, while protecting our neighbors and natural resources.
Resources for Safely Getting Outside
