Volunteer day includes trail maintenance, painting and weeding
Ashburn, Va. (April 23, 2019) — The National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) is proud to celebrate Earth Week with its fifth annual volunteer day at Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve in Leesburg, Virginia. As part of the volunteer day, NRPA staff will participate in a variety of activities, including trail maintenance, painting and weeding.
“At NRPA, we are committed to making a positive difference in the communities we serve,” said Ted Mattingly, NRPA director of facilities and administrative services. “This volunteer day is an opportunity for us to give back to the Loudoun community, and make a lasting impact on the environment.”
Nearly 700 acres in size, Banshee Reeks, which is managed by Loudoun County Parks, Recreation and Community Services, includes 20 miles of trails and an 11,000 square foot garden that is used to provide food to Loudoun Hunger Relief. Also included as part of the nature preserve is an outdoor classroom where children and adults can participate in hands-on learning activities, such as gardening.
Ron Circe’, Manager of Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve said, “We are extremely pleased to be partnering with NRPA for the fifth year. Our mutual commitment to community and stewardship of natural resources makes this a perfect partnership.”
Each year, NRPA marks Earth Week with a variety of earth-friendly activities. This year, in addition to the volunteer day, staff will participate in a BioBlitz where participants will find and identify as many pollinators and pollinator-friendly plants as possible. The week-long celebration will culminate with a wildflower garden maintenance day at NRPA headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia.
In 2016, NRPA, a participant in the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce’s Green Business Challenge, received the Innovation Award for its Great Urban Parks Campaign, which aims to improve environmental and social outcomes in underserved communities through green stormwater infrastructure in local parks. Additional information about NRPA’s conservation efforts is available here.
To learn more about NRPA, visit www.nrpa.org.
###
About the National Recreation and Park Association
The National Recreation and Park Association is a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have access to parks and recreation for health, conservation and social equity. Through its network of 60,000 recreation and park professionals and advocates, NRPA encourages the promotion of healthy and active lifestyles, conservation initiatives and equitable access to parks and public space. For more information, visit www.nrpa.org. For digital access to NRPA’s flagship publication, Parks & Recreation, visit www.parksandrecreation.org.