Patchogue, NY - On Saturday, July 22 the National Park Service (NPS) and Friends of Fire Island National Seashore (FFINS) will host a day of family fun in celebration of Latino Conservation Week. Launched in 2014 by the Hispanic Access Foundation, Latino Conservation Week aims to provide outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation opportunities for the Latino community.

 

The family fun day celebration will kick off at the Watch Hill Ferry Terminal in Patchogue at 8:30 AM where local residents will join park rangers and FFINS for an orientation and ferry ride to Watch Hill, one of the six NPS sites within Fire Island National Seashore. Activities will be offered throughout the day, including a free park ranger-guided canoe tour, seining on the bay, crafts for children, and a reading of Joel Harper's book, "All the Way to the Ocean."

 

"It's important for the local Latino community to come enjoy the national park in their backyard," said Latino Heritage Intern Roxana Saravia. Ms. Saravia and Amy Carrillo are participating in the Latino Heritage Internship Program this summer, helping the NPS connect local Latino and Spanish speaking communities with recreational and educational opportunities at Fire Island.

 

The Latino Heritage Internship Program began at Fire Island National Seashore in 2015. Since then, five interns have worked alongside staff to translate information about the Seashore and offer programs in Spanish. Latino Heritage interns also participate in community events such as Alive After Five in Patchogue. "This internship program not only gives us the opportunity to gain experience working in a national park," said Ms. Saravia,"it also means that the Latino community sees someone representing them in a place like Fire Island National Seashore."

 

For more information on Latino Conservation Week, please visit: latinoconservationweek.com.