On Saturday, September 26, thousands of people will visit public lands to repair trails and clean up beaches. For many, it will be their first time volunteering.
The Foundation for America’s Public Lands is the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and we want to ensure as many Americans as possible have the opportunity to get outside and support the lands they love. That’s why we’re thrilled to support the BLM’s National Volunteer Celebration and help fund over 70 volunteer events on BLM land for National Public Lands Day. Here are a few examples of volunteer activities you can do on the ground in the great outdoors.
At 8 a.m., the volunteers will gather at the newly built parking area situated just outside Plush, a small town in south-central Oregon.
The property is part of the Hart Bar Interpretive Site at Warner Wetlands, a 40-mile chain of lakes below Hart Mountain, where thousands of migrating birds rest. Volunteers will help clean the area and complete the new parking area. A quarter-mile trail is available, and restrooms are accessible. Hart Bar is also within the Oregon Outback International Dark Sky Sanctuary, recognized as the largest in the world when it received certification in 2024.
That same morning in Anchorage, Alaska, the BLM’s field office will welcome volunteers at Campbell Tract, 730 acres of public land in the heart of the state’s biggest city. It’s the most visited BLM recreation site in Alaska, with about 400,000 people using its trails each year. Moose and bears wander the woods, and salmon spawn in Campbell Creek. The goal is 100 volunteers to help restore habitat and repair trails. Crews meet at the Campbell Creek Science Center and work from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The event is free, but registration is required so the BLM can plan for lunch and equipment.
In western New Mexico, volunteers at El Malpais National Conservation Area will form crews, with one going into Cebolla Canyon to repair the fence and collect trash and another working on the Narrows Rim Trail. Remember to bring sunscreen, wear sturdy shoes, and bring more water than you think you need.
In Montana, volunteers will carry out a cleanup at the Scratchgravel Hills Recreation Area, a trail site just outside Helena. The Foundation is also working with the BLM, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and the Montana Bicycle Guild to construct an accessible trail loop so people of all abilities can enjoy the hills.
Volunteers of all experience levels are welcome. If none of these events are close to home, the BLM has plenty more across the country. You could spend the morning clearing a trail or bring the kids to a family program. However you join in, we hope you’ll get outside and have fun supporting your public lands.
A Year of Volunteerism
If you can’t make it out on September 26, don’t worry. There are plenty of other ways to give back, because this whole year is about getting all Americans outside and caring for their public lands. It’s a big year. America celebrates its 250th birthday, and the BLM turns 80. To celebrate both, the BLM launched the Freedom 250 Volunteer Celebration in April, during National Volunteer Month. It runs through December, with National Public Lands Day at its center, and volunteer opportunities will keep coming through the end of the year. The Foundation is proud to support it.
“Connecting people to their public lands and building a culture of shared stewardship and volunteerism is at the heart of our mission,” said I Ling Thompson, CEO of the Foundation for America’s Public Lands. “Our public lands need our help now more than ever, and the BLM’s Freedom 250 Volunteer Celebration offers a meaningful way for everyone to get involved and care for the public lands they love. Every hour volunteered helps keep these lands healthy and accessible, while also supporting the local communities that rely on them.”
If you cannot attend on the 26th, other events will take place this fall and winter. For example, during the weekend that includes Veterans Day, on November 13 and 14, Glamis Veterans will organize the biggest veteran-led off-highway vehicle (OHV) cleanup on public lands at the Imperial Sand Dunes in southeastern California.
Grab a friend and start counting your hours. Reach 250 volunteer hours with the BLM or other federal land agencies and earn a free America the Beautiful pass, your ticket into national parks and public lands across the country. Log your time on America Gives and help make 2026 the largest year of service on record. We’ll see you out there!
ABOUT THE FOUNDATION FOR AMERICA’S PUBLIC LANDS
As the official charitable partner of the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Foundation for America’s Public Lands serves as a convener, partner, and fundraising catalyst to help ensure the health and stewardship of America’s public lands and waters today, and for the future. To learn more, visit americaslands.org.
The Foundation funds projects that solve real-world problems for local communities and public lands. To date, the Foundation has leveraged more than $20 million in 88 on-the-ground projects across the country. Support for these investments is made possible by federal and state funding, as well as the generous backing of charitable partners and donors.
