Volunteers Help Restore Cactus Flats Area

Big Bear Valley, CA, October 4, 2012, 6am – Over 100 volunteers joined the National Forest Association on Saturday, September 29, to restore and beautify popular recreation land near Cactus Flats. The participants were part of a coast-to-coast effort of more than 170,000 who came together at more than 2,000 sites to donate their time and effort to improving the public lands they enjoy every day. Volunteers and families representing Mitsubishi Cement Corporation, University of Redlands, Cal State San Bernardino Biology Club, Inland Empire Four Wheelers, San Bernardino County Fire Department, and individual families all contributed towards National Public Lands Day making it a huge success. Cactus Flats staging area has expanded over the past decade due to heavy visitor use.  The National Forest Association and the U.S. Forest Service are working together to restore the staging and surrounding areas to their originally designated size. National Public Lands Day began in 1994 with three federal agencies and 700 volunteers. This year, eight federal agencies and many state and local lands participated in this annual day of caring for shared lands. Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. is the national sponsor for NPLD, providing support and thousands of employee volunteers for the 14th consecutive year.