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Park Advocacy Day

Join Us for Park Advocacy Day 2023 Banner with photos of parks

 

Park Advocacy Day is an annual advocacy event hosted by Parks & Trails New York and the Open Space Institute. Traditionally, park supporters from across the state, dubbed “the green scarf brigade” gather in Albany on the first Monday of March to meet with state legislators to connect on the value our great parks bring to their constituencies, economy and community. Though the last two Park Advocacy Days were held virtually over Zoom, PTNY and OSI hope to reunite with the "green scarf brigade" at the capitol on Wednesday, March 8, to advocate for the continued revitalization of the state parks system and for healthier and more economically vibrant communities that parks help provide.

SAVE THE DATE: 17TH PARK ADVOCACY DAY TO BE HELD MARCH 8, 2023

March 8 Park Advocacy Day TENTATIVE Schedule
Location: Hart Lounge in the Egg Performing Arts Center at the Empire State Plaza

  • 9:00 AM: Check-in
  • 9:30 AM: Morning Program
  • 11:00 AM: Early Lunch
  • 12:00 PM: Participants head to Legislative Office Building
  • 12:30-3:30 PM: Meetings with Legislators
  • 3:30 PM - 4 PM: Participants Depart 
  • 4pm: Join PTNY for a responsible, cash bar, happy hour at Wellington’s at the Renaissance Hotel across from the Capitol 
Register for Park Advocacy Day 2023

If you plan on attending, please register by Friday, February 12. The sooner you register, the more it will help our planning team schedule meetings with legislators. 

Park Advocacy Day 2022 Highlights

Park Advocacy Day

On Thursday, March 10th via Zoom, with 52 individuals representing 20 Friends groups, 7 partner organizations, and 5 state park regional commissions, we accomplished 25 virtual legislative meetings. This would not have been possible without you.

Park Advocacy Day gave us the opportunity to work with the Legislature to ensure that this historic proposal for the state's parks, trails and public lands is included in the FY 2023 Adopted Budget, and that New York continues to provide the nation's premier outdoor recreational opportunities to its citizens and visitors. Read more about our 2022 advocacy priorities here.

Partner Sign-On Letter

Thank you to the 50+ partner organizations that signed-on in support of our legislative asks this year. Demonstrating a wide range of support for these asks will help us secure the critical and historic investments proposed in Governor Hochul's 2023 executive budget, ensuring that New York continues to provide the nation's premier outdoor recreational opportunities to its citizens and visitors

Support for a $2 Million Park and Trail Partnership Grant

Thank you to all Friends groups of NYS parks, historic sites, and public lands who demonstrated support for an increased Park and Trail Partnership Grant Program to $2 million dollars by sharing your stories about how these grants have impacted your site and community. We received some incredible testimonials from every corner of the state and are encouraged by how much this funding has impacted your organizations and the lands that you steward. We will be sending this video montage (below) to legislative leaders as a follow-up to Park Advocacy Day.

Additionally, as a result of your efforts, we sent 500+ letters to NYS legislative leaders in support of the $1 million increase for the Park and Trail Partnership grants. Thank you to all who took action and sent a letter via our online campaign