A Vision for the Future of Outdoor Recreation on Colorado’s National Forests

The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests in Colorado are currently in the midst of Forest Planning, a process that will shape the future of how the forests are managed.

Outdoor Alliance recently shared a vision for the future of outdoor recreation on the GMUG with the Forest Service. You can read the whole vision for the forests by clicking on the vision document at right.

The Outdoor Alliance GMUG Vision (OAGV) is a blueprint for world-class sustainable recreation in the GMUG National Forests. The OAGV was developed in partnership with outdoor recreation and conservation organizations working across the GMUG National Forests to help guide the Forest Service during the Forest Plan Revision process. 

The OAGV reflects both forest-wide and place-based recommendations that enjoy broad support from local community members, as well as regional and national stakeholders. The OAGV considers other citizens’ proposals for the GMUG, recommends new policies and management designations unique to the OAGV, and offers a comprehensive vision from the outdoor recreation community.

Outdoor adventures in western Colorado – including rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, paddling, and snowsports – are more than just fun. The GMUG receives 2.6 million visits a year and human-powered outdoor recreation on the forest supports $392 million in annual visitor spending. Outdoor recreation needs to be prioritized in the forest plan revision process.

Through a collaborative process, the OAGV identifies seventeen forest-wide policy recommendations, ten new designated areas and site-specific management unique to the OAGV, and it endorses three outside citizens’ proposals and seven additional designated area recommendations from separate coalitions. Outdoor Alliance offers these community-sourced recommendations as a comprehensive vision for sustainable outdoor recreation in the GMUG National Forests