JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. –
U.S. Service members from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, partnered with the local community, Sept. 27, to begin a restoration project at the Bethel Park and Family Campground in Hampton after winning a National Public Lands Day Legacy Award.
The Department of Defense provides funds to the National Environmental Education Foundation for NPLD partnership projects on military lands open to the public for recreation, according to the official NPLD website. Funds are available for base-level projects on any DoD site that supports the goals of NPLD, which are to improve the quality of public lands and to educate the public about natural resource issues and stewardship.
"Recently the National Environmental Education Foundation and the DoD Legacy Resource Management Program selected JBLE as a recipient of a NPLD DoD Legacy Award in the amount of $6,212," said Thomas Olexa, 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron natural resource manager. "Awarded funds will be used to remove an unclaimed old tire stockpile, create a Bayscape pollinator garden, riparian buffer, native tree planting, installing wildlife nesting boxes and constructing a floating dock for wildlife observation and fishing."
U.S. Service members, members of the Hampton Master Gardeners Association, local Boy Scout troops and members of the Hampton Historical Society were all part of the approximately 30 volunteers helping Olexa during the first day of the restoration project.
"I'm ecstatic about this opportunity," said Olexa. "We are definitely maximizing the grant that we were awarded and doing the most use can at Bethel Park. We are very honored to be a part of this event."
Not only is the project an opportunity to keep the public lands alive, it is also a way of continuing to strengthen military bonds with the local community throughout this ongoing restoration, said Olexa.
For more information on volunteering to restore Bethel Park and Family Campground contact Mr. Olexa at
thomas.olexa.3@us.af.mil