Agency Blueprint Sets New Vision for Outdoor Recreation
Curecanti National Recreation Area, CO
Mason Cummings, TWS
Bureau of Land Management launches vision for more inclusive partnerships, sustainable access and better funding for recreation across western US.
(WASHGTON, DC) -- The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) released a new plan today to direct how the agency will manage recreation on 245 million acres of lands across the western United States. The “Blueprint for 21st Century Outdoor Recreation” commits the agency to four policies that are meant to provide local field office staff with management guidance around recreational decisions when updating and creating resource management plans: growing and diversifying funding sources; prioritizing partnerships; establishing a culture of inclusion; and expanding access opportunities to these lands.
The Wilderness Society responded to the blueprint:
“Bureau of Land Management lands offer some of the best recreation opportunities in the west—uncrowded and full of wonder—that one can still find on our nation’s public lands. We need to be proactive in our management decisions so they stay that way,” says Jordan Schreiber, government relations director for The Wilderness Society. “This agency blueprint is a powerful commitment to the many values people seek when they head outdoors: vibrant landscapes, learning experiences that respect ancestral homelands, clean campsites and well-maintained trails, and healthy lands and waters that support abundant wildlife. There are joyful memories for everyone to be had on our public lands and the Bureau of Land Management’s focus on inclusion, local partnerships and diverse funding sources will ensure that visitors to these special areas find those experiences again and again.”
The Blueprint is not a formal management plan but rather a strategic document to guide the agency’s work. The full text of the Blueprint and associated fact sheet are available on their Recreation Strategy webpage. The Bureau welcomes feedback on how the agency can best implement the Blueprint. To do so, the public is encouraged to email blm_recreation_feedback@blm.gov.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association’s “2023 Outdoor Participation Trends Report”, outdoor recreation participation grew 2.3 percent in 2022 to a record 168.1 million participants. That participant base became more diverse in 2022, including increases in participation among Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQIA+ people. In FY 2021, BLM-managed lands received more than 80 million recreation-related visits—an increase of about 10 percent over the previous year.
Contact: Kate Mackay, Principal Communications Director – Landscape Connectivity: 602-571-2603 kate_mackay@tws.org
