The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Colorado has recommended recreation guidelines to meet land health standards for BLM-administered lands. The public is invited to review the recommendations and provide comments by September 22, 2000.

The recommended recreation guidelines were developed over the last several years. The three Resource Advisory Councils (RACs) assisted in developing the draft guidelines and soliciting public comment. "We are very grateful to the RACs for their assistance in the development of the guidelines," said Ann Morgan, BLM Colorado State Director.

In February 1997, Standards for Public Land Health in Colorado were approved by the Secretary of the Interior and adopted as decisions in all of BLM's land use plans, commonly referred to as Resource Management Plans (RMP). The Standards describe natural resource conditions that are needed to sustain public land health. The Standards encompass upland soils; riparian systems; plant and animal communities; special, threatened, and endangered species; and water quality. The Standards relate to all uses of the public lands, including recreation.

Guidelines are tools, methods, and techniques that can used by managers to maintain or meet the standards as they implement various programs on the public lands. Previously, livestock grazing guidelines were developed in conjunction with the Standards. A copy of the recommended recreation guidelines is available on BLM Colorado's web site titled BLM Colorado - Recreation - Recreation  Guidelines, or by writing to: BLM Colorado State Office, 2850 Youngfield Street, Lakewood, Colorado 80215, Attention: Recreation Guidelines.