Angie Craig: “the focus of National Public Lands Day, 2003, is to improve and conserve our Nation's forests, grasslands, plains…”

“the focus of National Public Lands Day, 2003, is to improve and conserve our Nation's forests, grasslands, plains, rivers, streams and wetlands. As last year, we can expect tens of thousands of volunteers to join our dedicated land managers in projects across the country to protect America's rich natural resources and improve our opportunities to enjoy them. Year and year National Public Lands Day volunteers are maintaining the legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps, CCC, who exemplified land stewardship through the thirties and into the forties. National Public Lands Day continues to serve, as did the CCCs, to build a sense of ownership for our public lands. I believe this land stewardship and sense of ownership are most critical today as many changes are occurring which are affecting our public lands. I would like to spend just a few minutes to discuss these changes, how they are affecting our public lands and what we are, and can be, doing to address these impacts. Our first concern is fire and fuels.”