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DEC and State Parks Encourage New Yorkers to 'Get
Outside, Get Offline' and Participate in Fish and Wildlife Day Events on
September 28
Published: September 18, 2024
at 10:15 a.m.
By: Press Release from NYS DEC
DEC and State Parks Encourage New Yorkers to 'Get
Outside, Get Offline' and Participate in Fish and Wildlife Day Events on
Sept. 28
Participants Will Celebrate New York’s Public Lands
by Volunteering in Stewardship and Educational Events Statewide
Events Coincide with New York’s Annual Free Fishing
Day and National Hunting and Fishing Day
Activities Promote State’s ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’
Campaign and Tree Planting Goals
The New York
State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Office of
Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today encouraged
New Yorkers to give back to the State lands and sites they treasure and get
outdoors by participating in stewardship events for Fish and Wildlife Day on Saturday, Sept. 28. This
summer, Governor Kathy Hochul launched the ‘Get Offline, Get Outside’ campaign to encourage New
Yorkers to put down their phones and screens and spend time in nature and
Fish and Wildlife Day provides a perfect opportunity to participate in fish
and wildlife conservation service projects and educational workshops across
the state, celebrating New York’s diverse wildlife and habitats.
“New York’s
abundant and peerless natural resources draw millions of visitors to the
outdoors every year, requiring continued efforts to protect and preserve
wildlife habitats,” DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar
said. “The stewardship opportunities during Love Our New York Lands
Fish and Wildlife Day bolster our efforts to protect State lands and sites
and are perfect for groups or individuals seeking to give back to nature
and the special places they love.”
“Love Our New
York Lands Fish and Wildlife Day is a great opportunity to give back and
promote responsible stewardship by strengthening the community’s
connections to our public lands and watersheds,” State Parks
Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said. “We look forward to
welcoming volunteers and inspiring the next generation of visitors to help
maintain and preserve our amazing public lands and to better understand the
natural habitats that continue to be protected and preserved in New York.”
"Effective
conservation is about land protection, but it's more about active
stewardship,” Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Paul
Steely White said. “On Saturday, September 28, join in one of many
opportunities to improve the vital habitats that support the broad array of
our treasured fish and wildlife-- from Muskies to Mallards!"
Registration is
currently open for the first Fish and Wildlife Day. New Yorkers are
encouraged to visit Parks & Trails website to sign up for events and
show appreciation for the natural world. Participants can plant native
plant species and remove invasives to foster healthy wildlife habitat at a
nearby State Park, learn how to build and repair bird houses that will
benefit species at a DEC Wildlife Management Area, or pair stewardship
efforts with a birding or nature walk that highlights the importance of
wildlife conservation.
Fish and Wildlife
Day is part of the Love Our New York Lands Stewardship campaign, a series
of themed public stewardship events that encourage year-round collaboration
and highlight the state’s outdoor recreation assets and the need to
safeguard those resources. The series began in April with Canal Clean
Sweep, followed by “I Love My Park” Day in May, and the first Adirondack
and Catskill Park Day on Sept. 7. The days are offered and organized in
partnership with Parks & Trails New York (PTNY), DEC, State Parks,
and the New York State Canal Corporation.
National Hunting
and Fishing Day was designated by Congress in 1972 to encourage people to
experience, understand, and appreciate traditional outdoor sports and
recreation and our abundant natural resources. This day also recognizes
hunters and anglers for their leadership in fish and wildlife
conservation.
To encourage
year-round stewardship, the goal of Love Our New York Lands is to help protect the
state’s natural resources by providing visitors with the knowledge
necessary to reduce their impact, engage users to practice sustainable and
safe recreation, and help all visitors feel welcome while visiting State
lands. The efforts to enhance New York’s public lands align with Governor
Hochul’s plan to plant 25 million trees across New York State by
2033, announced during her 2024 State of the State.
HuntFishNY Events – Workshops to Develop
Your Hunting and Fishing Skills
For New Yorkers interested in trying out a shooting sport or beginning
and advanced fishing programs DEC offers in-person, instructor-led courses
which provide hands-on experience in shooting, hunting, trapping and
fishing. For hunting-related courses, certified DEC instructors teach these
four-hour courses. While hunter education certification is not offered with
these courses, they are a great way for new hunters or those interested in
becoming a hunter to develop their skills. Check out the HuntFishNY Events page for currently
scheduled programs.
DEC also
designates several dates throughout the year as free fishing days, which allows anyone to
recreationally fish without a freshwater fishing license in New York State!
To complement National Hunting and Fishing Day, Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024,
is designated as a free fishing day. This offers the perfect opportunity to
try out fishing for the first time, for getting
back into the sport after taking a break, or for taking a friend or the
whole family along to fish. Even though a license is not needed, all fishing regulations apply.
About Parks &
Trails New York
Parks & Trails New York is New York's leading statewide advocate for
parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving our health, economy,
and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space for all.
With thousands of members and supporters across the state, PTNY is a
leading voice in the protection of New York's magnificent state park system
and the creation and promotion of more than 1,500 miles of greenways, bike
paths, river walks and trails. More information can be found on the Parks & Trails
website.
About the New
York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic
Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational
trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million
visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas,
visit the NYS Parks website, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app, or call (518)
474-0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and
connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter) and the OPRHP Blog.
About the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation
DEC manages five million acres of public lands, including three million
acres in the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve, 55 campgrounds and
day-use areas, more than 5,000 miles of formal trails and hundreds of
trailheads, boat launches, and fishing piers. Plan your next outdoor adventure and connect with us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Threads, and Instagram.
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