The Bahamas National Trust is excited to invite the public to celebrate their 4th annual National Parks Day! National Parks Day is a fee-free day that offers admission to national parks across The Bahamas at no cost, with a host of fun activities for individuals and groups alike to participate in. It is celebrated the Saturday after Earth Day, which is April 23rd this year.

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. Visitors can experience exciting nature-based activities, like kayaking, snorkelling, birdwatching, nature tours, outdoor yoga, sip n paints, and more in several national parks across the country.

BNT New Providence Parks Manager Chantal Curtis said “National parks are important because they safeguard our natural resources, our culture, and our history, and they provide green outdoor spaces that are perfect for family-friendly recreation. The BNT works every day to protect these special spaces so that everyone can enjoy them.”

She added, “As the national park managers of The Bahamas, we do our best to make our national parks accessible for all Bahamians, and visitors, too. We want them to know how important these areas are to protect and how they can benefit from them.”

In total the BNT manages 32 national parks, encompassing more than 2.2 million acres of precious land and sea. On National Parks Day, everyone is encouraged to celebrate these unique spaces by coming out to enjoy and #exploreyourpark first-hand.

This year, various special activities will be taking place at nine national parks on seven different islands throughout The Bahamas: Bonefish Pond National Park and Primeval Forest National Park in New Providence; the Leon Levy Native Plant Preserve in Eleuthera; the Rand Nature Centre in Grand Bahama; Moriah Harbour Cay National Park in Great Exuma; the Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park in the Exuma Cays; Abaco National Park in Abaco; Blue Holes National Park in Andros; and Inagua National Park in Inagua.

To learn more about National Parks Day 2022, visit www.bnt.bs/npd2022. And don’t forget to visit your local national park this National Parks Day, Saturday, April 23rd, 2022!

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.