Looking to fund a National Public Lands Day project on DoD lands? Read this to see how!

National Public Lands Day (NPLD) is the nation's largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. In 2014, approximately 175,000 volunteers working at 2,132 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico contributed nearly $18 million in volunteer services to improve public lands.

For DoD, volunteers on 25 installations removed invasive species and landscaped with native plants, built trails picnic tables, and rain gardens, and more! For example:

- At Bellows Air Force Base in Hawaii, volunteers restored riparian habitat along Puha Stream by planting native trees, shrubs, and plants.

- At Fort McClellan Army National Guard Training Center in Alabama, volunteers installed sportsmen blinds with wheelchair accessible trails to help disabled hunters.

- At Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads Portsmouth Annex in Virginia, volunteers participated in an oyster gardening workshop and created a pollinator garden, providing wildlife habitat and a place for Wounded Warriors and personnel to relax.

To be a part of this great event and contribute to projects like these, look out for the online application in early summer at www.publiclandsday.org/! You can also register a site at www.publiclandsday.org/register-site.

Through its Natural Resources Program, the Department of Defense (DoD) funds the National Environmental Education Foundation for NPLD projects on military lands. Funding is awarded as part of the DoD Legacy Resource Management Program, and must be used to implement natural and cultural resources restoration and enhancement projects on DoD lands (note: lands managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are not eligible).

For more information, see the Frequently Asked Questions at www.publiclandsday.org/resources/grants-and-awards/department-defense-legacy-awards-frequently-asked-questions.