BLM Listening Sessions- Colorado- Greenwood Village

The National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC) is a non-profit 501C3 organization dedicated to creating a positive future for off-highway vehicle recreation. You can learn more at www.nohvcc.org. NOHVCC is working in partnership with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), US Forest Service (USFS), Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) and the Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition (COHVCO) to create a Statewide OHV Action Plan. To make this happen we need your assistance in learning how the land management agencies can better provide access to high quality OHV recreation experiences in the state of Colorado.

In 2014 NOHVCC and the BLM partnered to develop a National Motorized Recreation Action Strategy designed to help the BLM develop individual state action plans for providing high quality OHV opportunities and develop partnerships to help maintain those opportunities. This process has created state specific OHV action plans in 5 other states where the BLM manages public land. In Colorado this process was expanded to include all land management agencies thanks to grant funds received by COHVCO through CPW. The strategies will be used to help guide future travel management and resource management decisions; however, the strategies are NOT part of a specific travel management plan. In developing these strategies, you as an enthusiast will have a chance to share your thoughts on the following topics:

• What activities are taking place on public land in Colorado?
• Where in general are these OHV activities taking place?
• What experiences are you looking for on public land?
• Where might these missing activities fit on public land in Colorado?
• What could the land managers do better to enhance your recreation experience?

Without your help and the help of other OHV recreationalists like you, we will not be able to answer the questions above and you could miss out on a chance to provide ideas that could lead to enhancements to the areas and trail systems you enjoy. To help us gather this very important information, NOHVCC will hold two series of community listening sessions and we ask that you participate in one of these sessions. The first round of listening sessions will be on the Front Range in January, with the second set taking place on the Western Slope in April.

The second round of listening sessions will be announced in a separate letter coming to you at a later date. These sessions are not being organized by the BLM, USFS, or CPW, however staff from these agencies have been invited to attend these meetings as participants and will be on hand to discuss current travel management processes and how your suggestions could help shape future decisions. The meetings will also be an excellent time for you to meet national, state and local agency personnel. These organizations are interested in developing partnerships with individuals and organizations to improve the management of OHV recreation on public lands.

The more information we gather, the higher the quality of each statewide strategy and action plan, so please participate in the listening sessions and invite your fellow club members and riding buddies as well. For more information on the meetings please contact Marc Hildesheim, NOHVCC Project Manager, at 208-416-3557 or at marc@nohvcc.org.