WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will waive day use fees at its more than 2,200 USACE-operated recreation areas nationwide in recognition of National Public Lands Day Saturday. On this day, fees normally charged at boat launch ramps and swimming beaches will be waived.
The waiver does not apply to camping and camping-related services, or fees for specialized facilities such as group picnic shelters. Other agencies and partners that manage recreation areas located on USACE lands are encouraged, but not required, to comply with this waiver of day use fees in the areas they manage.
In addition, volunteers who participate in one of USACE’s National Public Lands Day activities will be issued a fee-free coupon if the volunteer site is participating in the coupon program.
Volunteers should check with their local USACE project for more information. The fee-free coupon is valid for one year from date of issue and may be used for one day of entrance or day use fees at any participating federal agency's park, forest or recreation area that charges either of these types of fees. For more information on the fee-free day and coupons visit http://www.publiclandsday.org/highlights/fee-free-day-and-coupons.
Within the Rock Island District of the Corps – which includes most of Iowa and Illinois as well as parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Missouri – volunteer events are scheduled in conjunction with National Public Lands Day. Those events include the following:
Coralville Lake near Iowa City, will host a habitat restoration event. For more information call (319) 338-3542, extension 6305. Also, registration forms are available at http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/Missions/Recreation/CoralvilleLake.aspx
Thousands of local volunteers are expected to support the more than 233 USACE sites participating in this year’s 21st annual National Public Lands Day, the largest annual volunteer hands-on restoration activity of its kind.
Volunteers at USACE sites will take part in tree planting, erosion control, bank stabilization, building trails, restoring recreation areas, trash pickup, removing invasive species and non-native plants, improving wildlife habitats, harvesting prairie plant seeds and rehabilitating playgrounds.
In 2013, more than 16,000 volunteers worked to clean 1,651 miles of shoreline, maintain 135 miles of trails, and plant some 835 trees and shrubs at USACE-operated sites.
Volunteering in National Public Lands Day events is one way to answer President Obama’s call to service and play a role in supporting America’s Great Outdoors Initiative, an effort to promote the conservation of outdoor spaces and reconnect Americans to the outdoors.