The Power of Friends

National Public Lands Day wouldn’t be as successful without the partnership of numerous non-profit Friends organizations that participate each year. Friends groups organize a significant percentage of National Public Lands Day volunteer work events each year.

Since 2004, NPLD has distributed $45,000 in funding to 44 non-profit groups.  In 2009,  the National Environmental Education Foundation launched the Public Lands Program, which aims to increase the capacity of public land stewards to engage the local communities to help care for public lands. The program's Capacity Building Grants stengthen the capacity of nonprofit friends groups that partner with federal, state and local agencies to care for public lands.

Learn more about the Public Lands Program Capacity Building Grants.

NPLD previously offered the Toyota sponsored National Public Lands Day Tour grants. These were awarded to assist with financial needs for National Public Lands Day events at parks, forests, refuges and other public land areas.

Listed alphabetically by state -- below are Friends organizations that have joined forces with National Public Lands Day in past years.

* denotes group that has received NPLD Tour Grant

Alabama

• Flint River Conservation Association, Brownsboro, AL

Alaska

• SAGA, Juneau, AK

Arizona

• Arizona Trail Association, Phoenix, Arizona
• Grand Canyon Trust, Flagstaff, AZ
• Friends of Sabino Canyon,Tucson, Arizona
• Volunteers for Outdoor Arizona, Tempe, AZ

California

• Friends of the High Lakes,Paradise, CA
• Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy*, San Francisco, CA
• River Tree Volunteers, Fresno, CA
• Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Sonoma County, CA
• Tree People, Los Angeles, California
• Yosemite Climbing Association*
• San Diego River Park Foundation, San Diego, CA
• Friends of the Urban Forest, San Francisco, CA

Colorado

• Continental Divide Trail Alliance*,Pine, CO
• Friends of McInnis Canyons National Conservation Area, CO
• Headwaters Trail Alliance, Granby, CO
• San Juan Mountains Association, Durango, CO
• Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, Denver, CO

Connecticut

• Connecticut Forest and Park Association,Rockfall, CT

Delaware

• Friends of Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge, Smyrna, DE

District of Columbia

• Anacostia Watershed Association,Washington, DC
• Casey Trees,Washington, DC
• Friends of Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens*, Washington, DC

Florida

• Sand Sifters,Boynton Beach, Florida
• Florida Trail Association, Gainesville, Florida

Georgia

• Friends of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites, Cartersville, GA
• Lake Lanier Association, Gainesville, GA
• Savannah Tree Foundation, Savannah, GA

Illinois

• CAMbr-Chicago Area Mountain Bikers, Chicago, Illinois
• Chicago Gateway Green, Chicago, Illinois
• Citizens for Conservation, Barrington, Illinois
• Friends of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Marion, Illinois
• Land Conservancy of McHenry County*,Woodstock, IL
• Save the Prairie Society, Riverside, Illinois

Indiana

• Friends of Potato Creek State Park,Michigan City, IN

Iowa

• Central Iowa Trail Association, Ashworth Park,Iowa
• Mayor’s Youth Empowerment Program (MYEP), Coralville Lake, Iowa

Louisiana

• Louisiana Green Corps,Metairie, LA
• Shreveport Green, Shreveport, LA

Kentucky

• Olmstead Park Conservancy, Louisville, KY

Maryland

• Chesapeake Bay Foundation*,Annapolis, MD
• Friends of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge*, Blackwater, MD
• Friends of Patapsco Valley & Heritage Greenway, Inc, Ellicott City, MD
• Friends of Sligo Creek, Silver Spring, MD
• Parks & People Foundation*, Baltimore, MD

Massachusetts

• Boston Natural Areas Natural, Boston, MA
• Friends of Myles Standish State Forest, Plymouth, MA

Michigan

• Friends of Dicken Woods, Ann Arbor, MI

Minnesota

• Foundation for Minneapolis Parks*,Minneapolis, MN

Mississippi

• Coastal Conservation Association Mississippi

Missouri

• Bridging The Gap, Kansas City, MO

Montana

• Montana Conservation Corps*

New Jersey

• Saddler Woods Conservation Association,Oaklyn, NJ

New York

• Allegany State Park Historical Society*
• Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx, NY
• Partnership for Parks*, New York City

Nevada

• Nevada Econet, Reno, NV
• Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Reno, NV
• Friends of Gold Butte, Mesquite, NV

North Carolina

• Appalachian Trail Conservancy*, Asheville, North Carolina
• Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Arden, NC
• Friends of the Mountain to Sea Trail, North Carolina

Ohio

• Cuyahoga Valley National Park Association, Peninsula, OH
• Friends of Alum Creek, Academy Park, OH

Pennsylvania

• Delaware River Network, Bristol, PA

South Carolina

• Kudzu Coalition*, Spartanburg, SC

Tennessee

• Cumberland Trail Conference
• Tennessee Trails Association, Nashville, TN

Texas

• Hermann Park Conservancy, Houston, TX
• Memorial Park Conservancy, Houston, TX
• Friends of Big Bend National Park, Big Bend National Park, TX

Utah

• Utah 4-Wheel Drive Association,Salt Lake City, UT
• Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance, Salt Lake City, UT

Virginia

• Arlingtonians for a Clean Environment, Arlington, VA
• Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Roanoke, VA
• Friends of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge*, Chincoteague, VA
• Friends of Prince William Park*, Triangle, VA
• Friends of Shenandoah National Park, Luray, VA
• Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PACT)

Vermont

• Black River Action Team, Springfield, Vermont
• Moosalamoo Association*
• Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, Richmond, VT

Washington

• Earthcorps, Seattle, WA
• Green Seattle Partnership, Seattle, WA
• Mountains to Sound Greenway, Seattle, WA
• Volunteers for Outdoor Washington

West Virginia

• Friends of Blackwater Falls State Park, Charleston, WV
• West Virginia Highlands Conservancy*, (Canaan Valley National Wildlife Refuge), Hillsboro, WV

Wisconsin

• Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway (FLOW)
• Milwaukee Community Service Corps*, Milwaukee, WI
• River Revitalization Foundation, Milwaukee, WI

Wyoming

• Friends of Pathways*, Russ Garaman Park, Jackson, WY

Sponsors

• Toyota
• Northrop Grumman

Partners

• Federal Agency Partners
• State and Local Agency Partners
• National Nonprofit Partners
• Friends Groups and Local Nonprofit Partners
• Featured Partners
• Audubon
• Girl Scouts
• Boy Scouts
• Take Pride in America
• Civilian Conservation Corps
• DOD Legacy Funding

 

National Non Profit Organizations with state or regional chapters:

• National Audubon Society
• Sierra Club
• The Nature Conservancy
• Student Conservation Association
• 4-H Club
• Keep America Beautiful