HUMBOLDT PARK — The nation’s largest volunteer effort for public lands will kick off with a stop in Humboldt Park this weekend.
More than 175,000 volunteers will paint, plant, mulch and clean thousands of public lands across the United States on Saturday as part of National Public Lands Day’s 2,200 sites — with at least one in every state.
Events range in size from a dozen volunteers cleaning the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Alamo, Texas to 75 volunteers painting “Tug Boat Dan” at the John H. Kerr Dam and Reservoir in Boydton, Va., to 1,500 rock climbers leading the 12th Annual Yosemite Facelift at Yosemite, Calif., according to the National Environmental Education Fund.
On Friday night, Chicago youth will spend the night in Humboldt Park for an educational urban campout experience, and on Saturday, volunteers will paint fences and gates, distribute mulch, plant trees, remove invasive plants and more.
The Saturday event at Humboldt Park includes a two-night community campout, organized on the 207-acre park with help from several local organizations.
The volunteer day comes at an especially fortunate time for the park as damage estimates from Riot Fest are calculated by the city and remnants of the three-day festival linger.
For the past 21 years, millions of volunteers around the country have pitched in to spruce up some of America's most precious treasures.
“Thousands of volunteers will visit their favorite parks, beaches, wildlife preserves or forests and chip in to help improve the lands and facilities that all Americans own, and that we use for recreation, education, exercise and just plain enjoyment,“ said Diane Wood, president of the fund. “One third of America's land is in public hands and NPLD offers everyone an opportunity to explore and give back.”
Volunteers will gather at Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1301 N. Sacramento Ave. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
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