Backcountry Snowsports Alliance Awarded Grants to Resolve Conflict and Protect Natural Resources on Routt National Forest
The Backcountry Snowsports Alliance has been awarded grants to implement a collaborative effort to resolve conflicts between competing forms of recreation and protecting natural resources on the Routt National Forest. The National Forest Foundation awarded $44,690 in matching funds and the City of Steamboat Springs awarded $9975 for this project. Last summer the Entelco Fund awarded $3,000 as seed money for this project.
The proposed collaborative project is designed to address unmanaged recreation on the 1.1 million acre Routt National Forest. The first part will to use volunteers to help ensure a quality recreational experience on Rabbit Ears Pass and Buffalo Pass, areas just designated (summer 2005) by the US Forest Service to separate winter motorized and non-motorized use. The second part of the project will to create a vision for the Routt National Forest near Hahn’s Peak to address winter motorized and non-motorized use.
This plan will benefit many recreation groups, including snowshoers, cross country skiers, snowboarders, cat skiers, snowmobilers, and towed skiers/snowboarders (or hybrid users as they are commonly known). Conflicts will be mitigated due to increased education of the uses of the area. Because of this project, local businesses including a commercial snow cat operator, surrounding guest ranches, establishments, a snowmobile tour operator, and other local businesses will continue to see a desired level of tourist traffic. Over 200 local citizens rely on these businesses for long-term employment.
The objectives of this project are to enhance the winter user experience in the Routt National Forest, mitigate conflicts, and help create a collaborative vision for winter recreational use in the northern part of the Routt National Forest.
The project has been endorsed by the Forest Service and the motorized and non-motorized communities. By keeping this project high profile through concentrated public relations efforts, it is expected that the surrounding communities of Steamboat Springs, Summit County, and even the Front Range of Colorado will recognize the importance of such a project.
Local governmental entities have identified the Routt National Forest as critical because tourists drive their economies. Craig, Kremmling, Oak Creek, and Steamboat Springs rely upon National Forest lands for recreation opportunities because recreation interests bring in significant revenues. The popularity of winter recreation has risen dramatically in recent years. As a result, the highest priority should be to find better ways to manage this multiple-use area, so that all users can enjoy the area.