[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 7, 2011)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 32857-32858]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-14185]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 109 / Tuesday, June 7, 2011 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 32857]]


                Proclamation 8687 of May 31, 2011

                
Great Outdoors Month, 2011

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                For generations, America's great outdoors have ignited 
                our imaginations, bolstered our economy, and fueled our 
                national spirit of adventure and independence. The 
                United States holds a stunning array of natural 
                beauty--from sweeping rangelands and tranquil beaches, 
                to forests stretching over rolling hills and rivers 
                raging through stone-faced cliffs. During Great 
                Outdoors Month, we rededicate ourselves to experiencing 
                and protecting these unique landscapes and treasured 
                sites.

                As America's frontier diminished and our cities 
                expanded, a few bold leaders and individuals had the 
                foresight to protect our most precious natural and 
                historic places. Today, we all share the responsibility 
                to uphold their legacy of conservation, whether by 
                protecting an iconic vast public land, or by creating a 
                community garden or an urban park. Last year, I was 
                proud to launch the America's Great Outdoors 
                Initiative, a project that empowers Americans to help 
                build a new approach to conservation and outdoor 
                recreation. My Administration hosted dozens of regional 
                listening sessions to collect ideas from people from 
                across our country with a stake in the health of our 
                environment and natural places. Our conversations with 
                businesspeople, ranchers, hunters, fishermen, tribal 
                leaders, students, and community groups led to a report 
                unveiled in February, America's Great Outdoors: A 
                Promise to Future Generations, which lays the 
                foundation for smarter, more community-driven action to 
                protect our invaluable natural heritage.

                Our plan will restore and increase recreational access 
                to public lands and waterways; bolster rural 
                landscapes, including working farms and ranches; 
                develop the next generation of urban parks and 
                community green spaces; and create a new Conservation 
                Service Corps so that young people can experience and 
                restore the great outdoors. To implement these 
                recommendations, my Administration is dedicated to 
                building strong working relationships with State, 
                local, and tribal governments, as well as community, 
                private, and non-profit partners across America. The 
                First Lady's ``Let's Move!'' initiative encourages 
                youth to enjoy what our outdoors have to offer. These 
                programs and partnerships will improve our quality of 
                life and our health, rejuvenate local and regional 
                economies, spur job creation, protect wildlife and 
                historic places, and ensure our natural legacy endures 
                for generations to come. All Americans can read the 
                report and learn more at www.AmericasGreatOutdoors.gov.

                As we commit to protecting our country's outdoor 
                spaces, we also celebrate all they have to offer. Our 
                public lands and other open areas provide myriad 
                opportunities for families and friends to explore, 
                play, and grow together--from hiking and wildlife 
                watching to canoeing, hunting, and fishing, and playing 
                in a neighborhood park. These activities can help our 
                kids stay healthy, active, and energized, while 
                reconnecting with their natural heritage. This month, 
                let each of us resolve to protect our great outdoors; 
                discover their wonders; and share them with our 
                friends, our neighbors, and our children.

[[Page 32858]]

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim June 2011 as Great 
                Outdoors Month. I urge all Americans to explore the 
                great outdoors and to uphold our Nation's legacy of 
                conserving our lands for future generations.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                thirty-first day of May, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2011-14185
Filed 6-6-11; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-W1-P