New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is launching a photo contest to promote state lands as safe and welcoming spaces for all New Yorkers.

The initiative is part of the 2024 ‘Love Our New York Lands’ photo contest, announced on Friday, June 7, by DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar. The contest has five monthly themes, running from June to mid-October. Each theme focuses on a different aspect of what it means to care for state lands respectfully and sustainably.

June’s theme is “Pride” to highlight the importance of sharing State lands with all New Yorkers, including the LGBTQIA+ community, and ensuring a safe and welcoming space.

“Every day, New Yorkers are outside enjoying DEC public lands and want to share their experiences by capturing beautiful images,” Mahar said. “Building upon the success of DEC’s annual fall foliage photo contest, DEC’s multimedia will feature winning photos that help represent the many ways visitors can access, feel welcome, and Love Our New York Lands to protect natural resources for future enjoyment and appreciation by all New Yorkers.”

This month, seven winning photos will be chosen, representing each color of the Pride rainbow. The photos will be featured in digital and print campaigns to promote the responsible use of public lands, as well as in a curated compilation on the DEC website next year.

Photos will be judged on the following criteria: originality, artistic composition, technical quality and whether the photograph showcases people enjoying New York’s outdoor activities safely and responsibly.

Photo submissions are due by Sunday, June 30. To submit a photo to the contest, email it to social@dec.ny.gov and include “LONYL Photo Contest” in the subject line. Please also include your full name, the DEC land where the image was taken (if applicable), and your Instagram or social media handle.

LONYL was launched in 2020 and has enjoyed 3 successful seasons encouraging respect for our outdoor spaces. To learn more about it, visit https://dec.ny.gov.