Federal officials are using an urban backdrop to discuss an initiative called “America’s Great Outdoors.“’

Mayor Bloomberg will be joined in Manhattan’s Central Park on Thursday afternoon by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis.

The goals include improving access to outdoor recreation and restoring ecosystems.

President Barack Obama says the new administration effort to protect public lands will put people back to work in tourism and recreation and help Americans stay healthier.

The initiative aims to double federal spending on land and water conservation to $900 million.

Salazar also will discuss the program in Florida on Friday; in California on Sunday and Monday; in Maryland next Wednesday; and in Washington, D.C. next Thursday.