Parks & Trails New York invites volunteers, outdoor enthusiasts, and community members to join in giving back to New York’s public lands and the creatures who inhabit them at Wildlife Day on Saturday.
Volunteers across the state will celebrate and protect New York’s wildlife through stewardship projects and educational programming. Hosted by PTNY, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, Wildlife Day is more than a volunteer opportunity. As visitation to New York’s public lands grows, so does the responsibility to care for them. Volunteer efforts help reduce impact, improve trail conditions, and preserve the natural beauty of these spaces.
Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White said, “The health of our state depends on the vitality of the wildlife that call New York home. By protecting the habitats that sustain everything from eagles and turtles to the smallest pollinators, we ensure that future generations can experience the same wonder and connection to nature that inspires us today.”
View the full map of events: https://www.ptny.org/events/love-our-new-york-lands
Reinstein Woods Environmental Education Center
Time: 9:00am-8:00pm
Description: To celebrate Wildlife Day, Reinstein Woods is offering a series of bird walks and talks where you can search for birds and learn how you can help with bird conservation. Free bird-friendly coffee samples will be available to all participants. Register for one or more walks and talks online at https://reinsteinwoods.org/events/wildlife-day-birds/
Hamlin Beach State Park
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Description: 1. Trail work 2. Building Wood Duck and Bat boxes 3. Native species/ tree planting 4. Educational program by the parks environmental educators
Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve
Time: 9am-1pm
Description: Join Montezuma Audubon and NYS DEC staff for native seed collection at Seneca Meadows Wetlands Preserve! This 576-acre plot of beautiful wildlife habitat and recreational trails gives home to a variety of species of animals and plants. Having native plants to support our native wildlife is especially important to promote the health and diversity of our environment. Collecting seeds from native plants and spreading them with intention helps ensure we are taking seeds from local plants and putting them in places that need them most. Seed collection itself is very simple – just grab the seeds off the plant and place them in provided bags, making sure not to mix different seed types together. Different seed species grow in different conditions and are processed differently to ensure their success. All seeds collected will be seeded within the Montezuma Wetlands Complex to improve and enhance wildlife habitat.
Rogers Environmental Education Center
Time: 9:00am-12:00pm
Description: Creating pollinator plots and planting native trees.
Delta Lake State Park
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Description: Building bird, bat, and duck boxes. We will have all pieces cut, just assembling boxes with volunteers.
Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site – Union Hotel
Time: 10:00am-5:00pm
Description: Wildlife theme books display, take n’ make craft, hand-outs for Wildlife Day, at the Hay Memorial Library’s annual Community Quilt Show at the historic site’s Union Hotel building
Minna Anthony Common Nature Center
Time: 9:30am-12:30pm
Description: Bat house building, winter clean up preparations on grounds and Pollinator House, clean up of River shorelines.
Paul Smith’s College Visitor Interpretive Center
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Description: Butterfly House Take-Down. Preparing for Winter. Taking the net off and doing some preparation in our butterfly meadow.
Rogers Rock Campground
Time: 9:00am-1:00pm
Description: Nature Hike up to the top of Rogers Rock Slide
John Boyd Thacher State Park
Time: 11:00am-2:00pm
Description: volunteers will assist with removal of invasive species (Common Buckthorn) around the Nature Center and Campground trails
Five Rivers Environmental Education Center
Time: 1:00pm-3:00pm
Description: We’ll be working in and around the garden areas along Nature’s Accessible Backyard Trail to improve habitat for wildlife at Five Rivers. Activities may include mulching the gardens, removing invasive plants, and more.
Mawignack Preserve
Time: 10:00am-4:00pm
Description: Help us grow a greener future by planting trees at Mawignack Preserve! As we continue our multi-year floodplain forest restoration project, we’re planting 150 trees to help increase biodiversity at the preserve. Whether you’re a seasoned volunteer or new to joining in, this is a fantastic chance to connect with community who are already making a difference.
Brunel Park
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Description: Bulb Planting General site clean up and preparation for the end of the busy summer season Habitat restoration or pollinator garden care Native tree or shrub planting (supporting the state’s 25 Million Trees Initiative) Invasive species removal Litter cleanups near sensitive wildlife areas
Stony Kill Farm Environmental Education Center
Time: 9:00am-11am
Description: Help us clean up the Pollinator Garden at Stony Kill Farm after a busy summer season, with some weeding and mulching of the gardens. Afterwards, DEC Environmental Program Specialists Tom and Erin will lead the group in a birding program, where we will identify the diverse bird species that the gardens and surrounding habitat attracts. Make sure to stick around for the Harvest Fest, hosted from 11am to 3pm at Stony Kill, for an afternoon full of fall fun including homemade soups, crafts, vendors, food, and barn and livestock tours!
Little Stony Point in Hudson Highland State Park
Time: 10:00am-2:30pm
Description: EVENTS at location: (1) Planting, maintaining pollinator gardens; (2) fishing in Hudson River (rods & bait provided); (3) recreational/educational hike; (4) River Seining (aquatic species netting & identification); (5) native plant exhibit and educational information as to the plants; (6) native animal pelts & bones exhibit;
Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park
Time: 10:00am-2:30pm
Description: Restore forest habitat by planting native shrubs and plants along the Old Croton Aqueduct Trail
Rockefeller State Park Preserve
Time: 2:00pm-4:00pm
Description: Community birding and hikes, coinciding with our annual Abilities Celebration that focuses on inclusivity in outdoor recreation.
Gantry Plaza State Park, Pier 4
Time: 1:30pm-3:30pm
Description: Join NYS DEC and NYS Parks for a free fishing clinic and stewardship event during Wildlife Day at Gantry Plaza State Park, Pier 4 on October 4, 2025 from 1:30PM-3:30PM. During this special event, participants can join in a 2-part program to learn how to fish with the DEC and help survey eels and water quality of the East River with the NYS Parks community science program (2-3:30pm). During the fishing clinic, all gear and bait will be provided, and no fishing license is required to participate. There is no registration required for this FREE event, but it is first come, first served as space is limited. Email [email protected] for more event information and weather-related updates.
St. Francis Woodland
Time: 10:00am-12:30pm
Description: Join us on Saturday, October 4 for a morning of giving back to the forest that gives so much to us. We’ll roll up our sleeves for some stewardship work, then enjoy a guided hike along the accessible boardwalk to explore how NYC’s urban forest keeps our air clean, our streets cool, and our wildlife thriving. All are welcome — no experience necessary. Come for some or come for all and leave with a deeper connection to the city’s wild spaces.
Flax Pond Tidal Wetland Area
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Description: Litter pickup along the Flax Pond shoreline
Connetquot River State Park Preserve
Time: 9:00am-2:00pm
Description: It’s all about Phragmites! Learn about the species, how to properly remove them and what we can do with them afterwards!
Hallock State Park Preserve
Time: 10:00am-12:00pm
Description: AMSEAS will welcome volunteers for a talk about marine debris and the dangers it poses to local marine wildlife. We will then lead volunteers on a beach cleanup before weighing and tallying up the debris collected.
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