For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 11, 2001
Great Outdoors Week, 2001
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
During Great Outdoors Week, our Nation
celebrates the beauty and majesty of the great
outdoors. This occasion allows Americans to reflect on the
role our parks, forests, wildlife refuges, recreation areas, and other
public lands and waters play in our lives. We also
acknowledge how this wonderful shared legacy would not be possible
without our strong tradition of natural resource conservation.
No other country boasts more extraordinary or
more diverse options for recreation. Our Nation's federally
managed lands account for nearly one in every three acres and, together
with our Nation's waters, provide visitors with almost 2 billion
opportunities for recreation annually. Eight of ten
Americans participate at least monthly in outdoor recreation, and we
may choose to challenge ourselves through demanding activities like
mountain climbing or river rafting. Enjoying the outdoors
also can be as tranquil as birdwatching or viewing a golden sunset from
a campsite. These experiences leave us with wonder-ful
memories of time shared with family and friends, provide opportunities
for improving our health, and expose us to the wonders of nature.
Recognizing that most Americans enjoy the
outdoors by visiting Federal, State, or local sites, my budget proposes
to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million for
Fiscal Year 2002. Half of the Fund will go toward grants to
support State and local conservation and outdoor recreation
efforts. My National Parks Legacy Project pledges to secure
$4.9 billion to help ensure that our national parks are properly
maintained and enhanced. In addition, I have directed the
Department of the Interior to prepare an annual report describing the
condition of our parks and offering specific recommendations to improve
them.
During Great Outdoors Week, we also honor
Americans who volunteer their time to restore and safeguard these
national treasures. These generous individuals collectively
contribute millions of hours to clean shorelines and waterways,
maintain trails and campsites, staff interpretive centers, and perform
other important tasks. Their efforts help ensure the
continued vitality of our precious natural areas and enhance the
quality of life for all Americans.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President
of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in
me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby
proclaim June 10-16, 2001, as Great Outdoors Week. I call
upon the people of the United States to observe this week with
appro-priate ceremonies and activities and to participate in safe and
wholesome outdoor recreation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my
hand this eleventh day of June, in the year of our Lord two thousand
one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two
hundred and twenty-fifth.
GEORGE
W. BUSH
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