National Parks Day 2023 Encourages People to Explore Their Parks
May 10th, 2023 – Nassau, Bahamas
This April 22nd, The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) excitedly celebrated our fifth National Parks Day within national parks across The Bahamas.
Every Saturday following Earth Day, National Parks Day invites the public to enjoy free access to national parks and a host of exciting outdoor activities and features within them.
This year activities took place at nine different parks across seven different islands: the Rand Nature Centre in Grand Bahama; Abaco National Park; Inagua National Park; the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park (ECLSP); Blue Holes National Park in Andros; the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve (LLNPP) in Eleuthera; and The Retreat Garden, Bonefish Pond, and Primeval Forest in New Providence.
National Parks Day started as a way to celebrate Earth Day, as well as to encourage opportunities for people who normally wouldn’t, to explore their national parks and all they have to offer, free of cost. This year’s event got people into parks, into the water, and even into electric vehicles with EV test driving offered courtesy of EasyCar Sales. From birding, nature walks, kayaking, and snorkelling to plant sales, yoga, sip n paints, and film screenings – there was no shortage of activities, providing something for everyone to enjoy.
In total the BNT manages 32 national parks, encompassing more than 2.2 million acres of precious land and sea across The Bahamas. On National Parks Day 2023, visitors entered these special areas in droves. As the official national park manager of The Bahamas, we strive to make parks accessible for all Bahamians and visitors alike. It’s our mission not only to safeguard these incredible places, but also share what makes them so extraordinary to encourage others to care for them as well. We want you to know the value of national parks and how they can benefit you personally: as recreational spaces to enjoy and connect with nature; as havens for protecting biodiversity and natural resources; and as special spaces that can create unique opportunities and experiences.
To learn more about the role the BNT plays to manage terrestrial and marine national parks, protect species that inhabit them, and inform environmental policy, please visit its website: www.bnt.bs and follow/subscribe to various social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
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Media Contact: Leah Carr | lcarr@bnt.bs | (242) 429-7902
About the BNT:
The Bahamas National Trust (BNT) was created by an Act of Parliament in 1959 to build and manage the national park system of The Bahamas. Possibly the only non-governmental organization in the world charged with such a responsibility, the BNT works daily to conserve and protect the natural resources of The Bahamas through stewardship and education for present and future generations. There are currently 32 National Parks managed by the BNT with more than 2 million acres of marine and terrestrial areas protected.