Please join senior representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a public listening session and discussions in Nashville, Tennessee on conservation, recreation, and reconnecting people to the outdoors. The session will be held Friday, August 27, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., in the auditorium at the Main Branch of the Nashville Public Library.
 
 This past April, at the White House Conference on America’s Great Outdoors, President Obama signed a memorandum establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to develop a conservation and recreation agenda worthy of the 21st century and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. The President understands that protecting and restoring the lands and waters that we love and reconnecting people to the outdoors must happen at the local level.
 
 Therefore, President Obama directed the principal leaders of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to travel across the country to listen and learn from people directly involved in finding grassroots solutions to conserve our lands, waterways, historical and cultural resources, and reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. The President indicated that the sessions should engage the full range of interested groups, including tribal leaders, farmers and ranchers, sportsmen, community park groups, foresters, youth groups, businesspeople, educators, State and local governments, recreation and conservation groups, and others.
 
 
 The listening session in Nashville, Tennessee offers an opportunity to engage in a conversation about the solutions you and your community have created to address the challenges and opportunities facing land and water conservation; for engaging people in outdoor activities; and in restoring and conserving our vital natural and cultural resources.
 
 This public listening sessions and discussions on August 27 provide an opportunity for the leaders of the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative to hear from you and other voices in the region about solutions for building a 21st century conservation and recreation agenda. Please join us and encourage others to participate. Here are the details:
 
 Listening Session and Discussion Information:
 
 When:   Friday, August 27, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
 
(Check-in table opens at 9:30 a.m.)
 
 What:                   Public Listening Session on President Obama’s America’s Great Outdoors Initiative
 
 
 Where:                 Nashville Public Library (Main Branch), 615 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37219, 615-862-5800.
 
 
 Who:                     Representatives from DOI and USDA will be present to hear your thoughts and to participate in a conversation with you about land conservation, recreation, historic preservation and reconnecting Americans to the great outdoors.
 
 Register:              This event is free and open to the public. We will make every effort to accommodate everyone. To help with our planning, we encourage you to pre-register by Thursday, August 26th. To pre-register, please email Ashley Baggett [email protected].  Include with your email your name and organization. We also welcome registration on the day of the listening session beginning at 9:30 a.m. at the Nashville Public Library (Main Branch).
 
 Questions:          Call Chris Abbett at (404) 507-5685 with any questions about the listening session.
 
 
In the event you are unable to participate, please submit your comments and ideas via the America’s Great Outdoors website at: http://www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/.
 
 We hope you will participate and look forward to hearing from you. Please share this notification with other individuals and organizations that may have an interest.
 
 
 
 
 
 
*photo courtesy of USACOE