America’s extensive and diverse outdoor spaces are a source of great national pride, and we have long strived to protect them for future generations. Great Outdoors Month highlights the benefits of getting outdoors and enjoying our wonderful shared resources of forests, parks, refuges, and other public lands and waters.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVD8CgRzLU[/youtube]Presidential recognition of Great Outdoors Week started in 1998 by President Clinton and has continued ever since. Since 2004, the National Wildlife Federation, American Recreation Coalition and a handful of other national groups have been writing to Governors and the President to proclaim June as Great Outdoors Month. Last year President Obama, and for the first time all 50 Governors, issued proclamations. This year twenty official proclamations have been submitted and more and more are being received every day. Many national organizations are also showing their support for June as Great Outdoors Month through events like the Great American Backyard Campout, National Trails Day, National Get Outdoors Day and others!