The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has launched a campaign to encourage visitors to use state parks and beaches for recreation this summer.

DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said this initiative will help promote tourism for New Yorkers so they can enjoy their state. He wants a replay of last year when record numbers of people visited tourist sites during the pandemic.

“We were all locked inside; Nature became a place where we could find refuge and we have done so in record numbers, ”said Seggos. “As an agency, we were there for you – even during the pandemic. We tried to make the experience as good as possible, ”said Seggos.

The “Love Our NY Lands” campaign includes personal training at the starting points of the Adirondacks and Catskills during the hiking season.

Seggos also urges visitors to follow “Leave No Trace” to promote ways to keep nature clean and reduce the effects of pollution.

“We draw on their resources from their education, but we also help get their message across and educate people about what they are trying to get out of there,” said Eileen Mowrey, an educator at Leave No Trace.

She said New Yorkers can help keep no trace by:

  • Plan ahead and prepare
  • Travel and camping on durable surfaces
  • Dispose of waste properly
  • Leave what they find
  • Minimizing the impact on the campfire
  • Respect wildlife