SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Sept 20, 2023 – The San Bernardino National Forest will celebrate National Public Lands Day with volunteers at two events, Sept. 23. The nation's largest single-day volunteer day for public lands is observed in National Forests across the country on the fourth Saturday in September. This occasion attracts thousands of people to help restore and improve public lands around the country. This year’s theme is “NPLD: 30 Years of Care and Community.” On the San Bernardino National Forest, two events are scheduled to be hosted in partnership with the Southern California Mountains Foundation and its group of volunteers. The foundation supports the forest with the Big Bear Trails Program, Green Thumbs and visitor services at the Big Bear Discovery Center, among others. The trails program event is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pinnacles Climbing Area, north of Big Bear Lake, Calif. Other partners for this event include Rim of the World Climbing Club and Southern California Mountaineers Association. The meeting location will be at Holcomb Valley Pinnacles parking lot at 9:30 a.m., where volunteers will break into groups and start restoration and conservation work in the area including: fire ring dismantling, unauthorized trail restoration, and trash clean up. There will be education and outreach booths, information on current projects in the Big Bear Valley, beginner-friendly trail work and trailhead maintenance work. For those wanting to participate in trail or trailhead work, please wear close-toed shoes and long pants. Tools, gloves, and hard hats (if needed) will be available. Lunch, as well as drinks and snacks, will be provided. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian. Sign up at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-public-lands-trail-work-day-tickets681775347417?fbclid=IwAR3IEZessgNhpFyPFs5zrl6zNqG0NYRZ9WXmShcwVoLrQQF3LT 4-CDS7JJk The Green Thumbs activity, planned for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., will be located near Forest Service Road 2N25, east of Lake Arrowhead, Calif. Activities for this event may include the outplanting of native species grown in a native plant nursery, collecting and dispersing native seeds, invasive species removal, fence and sign installation and restoring user-created trails. Transportation will include caravanning approximately one mile on Forest Service dirt roads to the work site; shuttling of volunteers will not be possible.
