[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 125, 112th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
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.

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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.
BARACK OBAMA