New York will have 21 venues hosting free and low-cost events titled “Go Outside and Get Together” to connect people with nature and provide greater access to the outdoors, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Tuesday.
The events will take place on June 11 and are organized by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the State Office of Parks, Recreation and History Preservation, in partnership with the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities and the Division of Veterans Services.
Getting Outdoors and Celebrating Nature will bring together people of all abilities, ages, identities and backgrounds for fun and healthy activities as part of the Governor’s launch of a new initiative to expand user diversity and ensure inclusive access to state public lands.
“New York is home to some of the most spectacular and accessible outdoor spaces in the country, and Go outdoors and gather is a great opportunity to not only showcase these spaces, but also encourage their use by people of all abilities,” Governor Hochul said. “By encouraging people of all backgrounds and abilities to participate in these activities together by fun and accessible outdoors, New York State is creating a model of inclusion for the rest of the nation to follow.”
At 21 events across the state, participants will be encouraged to discover new skills and enjoy a variety of introductory-level outdoor recreation activities including fishing, hiking, bird watching, archery, camping, paddling and more . Each event will highlight ways to enjoy the outdoors safely and sustainably. All locations will offer a selection of accessible activities; and use of adaptive equipment and demonstrations will be provided at many sites, including trail and beach mobility aids, archery assist supports, fishing arm supports and more.
New York’s Get Outdoors and Get Together Day coincides with National Get Outdoors Day, an annual event to encourage healthy, active fun outdoors.
The need for access to nature and outdoor recreation has never been greater.
Childhood obesity has doubled in the last 20 years, with the average American child spending as little as 30 minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day and more than seven hours each day in front of an electronic screen. During the COVID-19 pandemic, New Yorkers have turned to the outdoors and public lands to take a break in nature, which is good for physical and mental health. The events Get Outdoors & Get Together Day help New Yorkers of all skill levels try healthy outdoor activities.
Event Locations and Activities:
DEC Event Locations:
- Region 1/Long Island: Hempstead Lake State Park (Nassau County)
- Region 2/New York: Exclusive Mount Loretto Area (Richmond County)
- Region 3/Hudson Valley: Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center (Dutchess County)
- Region 3/Catskills: Camp Kenneth L. Wilson (Ulster County)
- Region 3/Catskills: Catskills Visitor Center (Ulster County)
- Region 3/Hudson Valley: Long Dock Park (Dutchess County, in partnership with Scenic Hudson)
- Región 4/Catskills: North-South Lake Campground (Condado de Greene)
- Region 4/Capital Region: Five Rivers Environmental Education Center (Albany County)
- Region 5/Adirondacks: Scaroon Manor Campground (Warren County)
- Region 6/Western Adirondacks: Lowville Forest Demonstration Area (Lewis County)
- Region 7/Central New York: Rogers Environmental Education Center (Chenango County)
- Region 8/Central New York: In conjunction with ADK Outdoor Expo (Monroe County)
- Region 9/Western NY: Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center (Erie County)
All locations offer wheelchair accessible features and activities, including restrooms and select recreational opportunities. Please contact the event coordinator directly with lodging requests and for information on adaptive equipment and activities offered at each site.
Activities at DEC facilities include the following:
- Fishing: The I Fish NY program will offer free catch and release fishing clinics for everyone. Learn about fishing equipment, techniques, regulations, consumer advisories and good places to fish. Participants are welcome to bring their own equipment, but rods and reels will also be available for loan.
- Camp 101: Visitors can try their hand at camping basics by pitching a tent on the lawn and learning how to pack for a camping trip.
- Paddling: Participants can learn the basics of this fast-growing fun sport and try their hand at getting out on the water.
- Archery: Participants can try to get a target with a bow and arrow and learn important safety tips.
- Bird Watching – Participants can learn how easy and fun it is to enjoy bird watching almost anywhere.
- Hiking: Participants can take a short hike and learn the basics of finding the perfect trails on their own.
- Outdoor Safety: Learn the basics of being prepared and safe to make every outdoor adventure a good one.
- Accessible Outdoor Recreation: Experience and learn about accessible outdoor recreation opportunities on state lands, including hiking, camping, birding, fishing, and boating.
- At Long Dock Park, participants will be able to fish with purse seines in the Hudson River, learn about indigenous fishing techniques as well as learn to fish with a rod and reel. A Spanish interpreter will be on site for this event.
In addition to the event at Mt. Loretto, DEC and NOAA will also host a purse seine and net fishing event from 12 pm to 2 pm at Lemon Creek Park on Staten Island as part of World Fish Migration Day.
All DEC events are free. Details, including hours and registration requirements, can be found on the DEC website. Please note that event times vary.
State Park Event Locations and Activities
State Park Locations:
- Long Island: Parque Estatal Sunken Meadow
- Niagara: Buffalo Harbor State Park
- Genesee: Hamlin Beach State Park
- Allegany: Allegany State Park
- Saratoga/Capitol Region: Saratoga Spa State Park
- Finger Lakes: Taughannock Falls State Park
- New York: Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park
- Taconic: Taghkanic Lake State Park
Program details and scheduling for each location can be found by visiting www.parks.ny.gov. There will be no parking fee during event hours.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT OTHER TYPES OF ACTIVITIES IN OUR AREA VISIT OUR COOL AND FREE SECTION HERE.
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