For Immediate Release    
 
Contact:  Nancy Rodlun
Community Outreach and Media Coordinator
Orange County Environmental Protection Division
(407) 836 – 1440, nancy.rodlun@ocfl.net

Orlando: The Orange County Environmental Protection Division is holding a workday in observance of National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 27, 2008, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The purpose of workday will be to build trails, remove old fencing, and pick up debris on Green PLACE’s Parcel 105, near Christmas (east Orlando). A guided habitat walk, including native plant identification, will be offered during the workday event. To volunteer, visit www.ocfl.net/epd or contact Ms. Brett Cogswell, WAV Coordinator at WAVOrange@sjrwmd.com or 407-836-1400.

Green PLACE is a public land acquisition initiative started in 2002 by Orange County Mayor Richard T. Crotty. Green PLACE stands for Park Land Acquisition for Conservation and Environmental Protection.  Its mission is to preserve and manage environmentally sensitive lands, protect water resource lands, and to provide a quality passive recreational outdoors experience for existing and future generations. Since Green PLACE’s inception, Orange County has acquired 7,320.66 acres of public lands. Since 1990, in cooperation with its partners, Orange County has purchased over 20,994 acres of environmentally sensitive lands.
 
National Public Lands Day is the nation’s largest hands-on volunteer effort to improve and enhance the public lands American’s enjoy. In 2006, approximately 100,000 volunteers built trails and bridges, planted trees and plants, and removed trash and invasive plants. Join us Saturday, September 27, 2008, for the 15th annual National Public Lands Day and help us care for our land.   

For more information on the Green PLACE program, please visit the Orange County website at www.ocfl.net/epd.   To learn more about National Public Lands Day visit http://www.publiclandsday.org/. 

-END-