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Middle Snake River Recreation Plan Faced with mounting land development pressure and loved by an adoring public, the Middle Snake River needed help to protect what made it special -- its spectacular recreation resources. Project Partners
A Big-Scale Approach When Mike Pepper and the Middle Snake River Recreation Work Group sought to protect the recreation resources of the Middle Snake River, they thought expansively and looked at the whole 120-mile stretch of the river.
This big-scale approach was important given the Snake River corridor's popularity and the resulting pressure to develop land along the river and on top of its spectacular canyon rim. The corridor is home to three-quarters of Idaho's residents and attracts over two million visitors -- mostly anglers and boaters who annually spend $100 million in South Central Idaho's economy.
The Work Group formed in 1995 to chart a course for the river's future after a proposed sale of Bureau of Land Management property threatened to forever change the river corridor's character. Recognizing that recreation had always been (and would always be) integral to life in the corridor, the Work Group sought to develop a recreation management plan and turned to the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (Rivers & Trails) program of the National Park Service for help. Reaching Out to Develop a Recreation Plan Rivers & Trails recommended that the Work Group diversify its membership to include citizens and land managers who represented the communities and resources throughout the corridor, an important step in developing a plan for the entire 120-mile stretch of river. Rivers & Trails helped the Work Group collect data and facilitate public workshops to collect ideas about what should be done to enhance the river's recreation resources. The resulting plan, Recreation Opportunities at Risk: An Action Plan for Managing Recreation in the Middle Snake River Corridor, made over 100 recommendations to enhance 113 recreation sites, proposed a system of trails, recommended improved comprehensive planning, and promoted education about the river's resources. Action It didn't take long for local governments and landowners to put the Work Group's plan in motion. Ride the Great Rift, an interactive learning kit, was added to 4th grade history programs, and a new 7-mile trail opened to connect Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument with a regional trail system. With the plan to guide them, Pepper's and the Work Group's ultimate goal is within reach -- enhancement and lasting protection of the incredible recreation resources on the Middle Snake River, and a strong conservation ethic among South Central Idaho's residents. Keys to Success Forming an inclusive work group representing key stakeholders and citizens interested in the river corridor.
Strong leadership of Mike Pepper, chair of the Middle Snake River Recreation Work Group.
Collecting resident's ideas Publishing Recreation Opportunities at Risk: An Action Plan for Managing Recreation in the Middle Snake River Corridor. Help From the National Park Service Diversifying membership. Facilitating public workshops. Collecting data. Guiding development of a recreation management plan. In these ways over the course of two years, the National Park Service contributed to the Middle Snake River Recreation Work Group's five-year-long effort to protect the recreation resources of the Middle Snake River. This is one example of how the National Park Service's Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program works. It provides short-term staff assistance to local groups to help them solve the problems they face when protecting their community's important resources. If you think the National Park Service could help your group, contact Michael Linde, Program Leader, Rivers & Trails, 909 First Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104 or (206) 220-4113 or visit www.ncrc.nps.gov/rtca/. "Thanks to Rivers & Trails, the recreation management plan we developed is a high-quality tool which truly represents the vision of the Work Group and the public. We couldn't have done it without them." -Mike Pepper, Chair, Recreation Work Group What the Future Holds for the Middle Snake River The Work Group continues to build momentum for the plan's implementation, and awareness of the river's resources. Jerome and Twin Falls Counties and Idaho Power have adopted parts of the plan. Two new groups -- Friends of the Snake River and the Southern Idaho Land Trust -- are organizing to add public access points called for in the plan. Regional information is now being shared among local visitor centers. A sign plan and boater's map are planned to advertise recreation sites and access points. For More Information On This Project Contact Sue Abbott (206/220-4116, sue_abbott@nps.gov) or Michael Linde (206/220-4113, michael_linde@nps.gov) of the National Park Service's Rivers & Trails program. |
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