UNITED STATES — June is Great Outdoors Month, and the National Park Service (NPS) encourages people to get outside to explore their natural surroundings. Take time to spend an hour or the day at a nearby wildlife refuge, park, lake or river.
In 1998, President Bill Clinton designated Great Outdoors Week, which eventually grew over the years into the month-long celebration of America’s public lands and waters at the national, state and local levels. On June 5, 2019, the U.S. Senate officially designated June as Great Outdoors Month.
This year’s celebration aims to raise awareness of the accessibility of the great outdoors, according to the park service.
“Studies have shown that outdoor recreation has amazing benefits all year long, including mental and physical health benefits, but also social and economic benefits,” the National Park Service said via social media.
According to the NPS, over half the Governors from across the country have joined in proclaiming June as a month to celebrate the great outdoors, and thousands of events are held across the country.
