June is a special time to celebrate America’s Great Outdoors. National leaders for years have issued proclamations recognizing this month as Great Outdoors Month, a time when America celebrates its natural treasures. This recognition highlights the benefits of active fun outdoors in our magnificent shared resources of forests, parks, refuges, and other public lands and waters. Proclamations generate widespread media attention, encouraging millions of American families to move outside, and prompting public discussion of important issues linked to outdoor recreation, including volunteerism, health, and outdoor ethics.
Presidential recognition of these benefits began in 1998 with the establishment of Great Outdoors Week under then-President Clinton, and has since continued and expanded. In 2004, then-President Bush recognized the entire month of June as Great Outdoors Month, and Presidential proclamations have been issued in each successive year. See the 2015 Presidential Proclamation here.
In 2012 a record-breaking number of additional proclamations were issued, including all 50 governors and many mayors. These leaders declared June as Great Outdoors Month in their states and towns, and many went further, planning Governor’s Outdoor Conferences and hosting campouts for local kids on capitol grounds. These proclamations can be viewed here. Last year was no different as all 50 governors and many other elected officials issued their own proclamations declaring June 2014 as Great Outdoors Month. These proclamations can be viewed here.
Great Outdoors Month 2015 Proclamations have already been issued for the below States. We urge you to write to your governor thanking them for supporting the Great Outdoors.
Alabama Proclamation
Alaska Proclamation
Arizona Proclamation
Arkansas Proclamation
California Proclamation
Colorado Proclamation
Connecticut Proclamation
Delaware Proclamation
Florida Proclamation
Georgia Proclamation
Hawai'i Proclamation
Idaho Proclamation
Illinois Proclamation
Indiana Proclamation
Iowa Proclamation
Kansas Proclamation
Kentucky Proclamation
Louisiana Proclamation
Maine Proclamation
Maryland Proclamation
Massachusetts Proclamation
Michigan Proclamation
Minnesota Proclamation
Mississippi Proclamation
Missouri Proclamation
Montana Proclamation
Nebraska Proclamation
Nevada Proclamation
New Hampshire Proclamation
New Jersey Proclamation
New Mexico Proclamation
New York Proclamation
North Carolina Proclamation
North Dakota Proclamation
Ohio Proclamation
Oklahoma Proclamation
Oregon Proclamation
Pennsylvania Proclamation
Rhode Island Proclamation
South Carolina Proclamation
South Dakota Proclamation
Tennessee Proclamation
Texas Proclamation
Utah Proclamation
Vermont Proclamation
Virginia Proclamation
Washington Proclamation
West Virginia Proclamation
Wisconsin Proclamation
Wyoming Proclamation