SGMA has joined the Americans Saving American Places (ASAP) campaign to support full federal funding for America's parks, playgrounds, ball fields, and running and biking trails.

Americans Saving American Places began its "Sign It This Summer" campaign on Earth Day.

Our goal: to use the 140 days between Earth Day and Labor Day to rally Americans who love the great outdoors. In 20 weeks' time, our goal is to gather the signatures of more than one million Americans on the ASAP Petition. When enough people "Sign It This Summer," we'll persuade President Bush to keep his promise to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), whose original purpose was to provide close to home recreation for all Americans.

Please fill out the petition to help ASAP achieve its goal of one million signatures.

The bad news is that America's open spaces - parks, playgrounds and ball fields, bike paths and hiking trails - are shrinking at an alarming rate. The good news is that the Americans Saving American Places petition is the right plan for securing full funding for these parks.

The participation of the sports community in the "Sign It This Summer" campaign is essential because it's the only way we can win full funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and other critical conservation efforts. With full funding of the LWCF, America ns will have more safe and accessible recreation opportunities than ever before. This will in turn dramatically improve the sports, recreation, and little league communities.

Forty years ago, our country created the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which has created more than 40,000 parks all across America. This visionary tool sets aside just under 20 percent of federal offshore oil and gas leasing receipts for use in protecting America's great outdoors.

This petition is the single most effective step we can take to protect the Great Outdoors before it's too late. Please help us to convince President Bush to live up to his promise to fully fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund.