CALENDAR ANNOUNCEMENT CONTACT: DEP Press Office, 850.245.2112, DEPNews@dep.state.fl.us DEP to Host International Coastal Cleanup Day and National Public Lands Day Volunteer Events in Northwest Florida ~Join your community in volunteer conservation while enjoying natural beauty~ In celebration of International Coastal Cleanup and National Public Lands Day, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection invites Florida residents and visitors to participate in volunteer events at Florida’s state parks, aquatic preserves and National Estuarine Research Reserves Sept. 15-22, 2018. Sept. 15 is International Coastal Cleanup Day, the world’s largest volunteer effort to help protect oceans, lakes and rivers, and Sept. 22 is National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest single-day volunteer event for public lands. DEP will join partners in offering statewide beach and trail cleanups, exotic plant removals, native plantings, and informational sessions throughout the week to promote volunteerism and encourage the preservation of Florida’s natural resources.  International Coastal Cleanup Day events in Northwest Florida include: Beach Cleanup at Henderson Beach State Park Saturday, Sept. 15, 8 – 10 a.m. CDT St. Marks and Wakulla River Cleanup at San Marcos de Apalache Historic State Park Saturday, Sept. 15, 8 – 11:30 a.m. Beach Cleanup at Perdido Key State Park Saturday, Sept. 15, 8 a.m. – noon CDT Franklin County Beach Cleanup at Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve (17 locations total) Saturday, Sept. 15, 8:30-11:30 a.m.  Find an International Coastal Cleanup Day event near you. National Public Lands Day events in Northwest Florida include: Rattlebox Removal at Three Rivers State Park Saturday, Sept. 22, 8:30 a.m. – noon CDT Trail Improvement at T.H. Stone St. Joseph Peninsula State Park Saturday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m. – noon   Invasive Plant Removal at Alfred B. Maclay Gardens State Park Saturday, Sept. 22, 9 a.m. – noon Find a National Public Lands Day event near you.  About the Florida Department of Environmental Protection The Florida Department of Environmental Protection is the state’s principal environmental agency, created to protect, conserve and manage Florida’s environment and natural resources. The department enforces federal and state environmental laws, protects Florida’s air and water quality, cleans up pollution, regulates solid waste management, promotes pollution prevention and acquires environmentally sensitive lands for preservation. The agency also maintains a statewide system of parks, trails and aquatic preserves. Visit the department’s website at FloridaDEP.org.

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