Volunteers Chuck Davies, Nicole Hacke and Mary Emmett haul gravel during the National Public Lands Day volunteer cleanup at Jennings Environmental Education Center on Saturday.

Jennings Environmental Education Center in northern Butler County held its annual fall volunteer maintenance and clean-up event in the park as part of National Public Lands Day on Saturday morning.

National Public Lands Day makes up the largest nationwide hands-on volunteer effort to maintain and improve public lands, which include national and state parks.

Participation in the volunteer projects at Jennings on Saturday was capped at 50 people for COVID-19 safety, but in previous years, the day has seen upwards of 80 volunteers meet to maintain trails and clean up park areas.

Park manager Wil Taylor commended the volunteers on their work.

“Your efforts are huge,” he said. “I’m still astounded that every year, we can ask people to come and help out, and they come.”

Read more in Monday's Butler Eagle.