| Contacts: | Shannon Borders, 970-240-5399 |
BLM Seeks Comments on Hartman Rocks Recreation Area Management Plan (07-25-12)
GUNNISON, Colo.-The Bureau of Land Management is accepting comments on an Environmental Assessment that will determine whether the Hartman Rocks Recreation Area Management Plan is updated to include an adaptive management approach to the recreation planning area.
“An updated RAMP will guide recreation in a manner that improves the condition of the unique landscape and resources at Hartman Rocks. It will help promote sustainable, high quality recreation opportunities and provide for the health and safety of visitors,” said Kristi Murphy, BLM outdoor recreation planner.
The updated RAMP considers increased visitor use, changed conditions, sensitive species issues and management actions to reduce human impacts and conflicts in the area. The 2006 RAMP focused on local uses and did not consider use from outside the Gunnison area. Additionally, it did not allow for geographic expansion and did not include a large southern area including the Aberdeen Loop Trail. The 2006 RAMP included site-specific direction for trail and road management but lacked direction and vision to address human use impacts on public lands.
“In 2011, the BLM set up traffic counters and use figures have grown from about 20,000 in 2006 to 40,000 in 2011. This increase in use leads to impacts to the resource. The revised plan will limit these impacts to deliberate locations,” said Murphy.
A few highlights from the proposed revised plan include designating a Rock Hopping/Trials Riding Area, developing a Rock Crawling Route, obliterating closed routes, allowing camping and campfires in designated sites, prohibiting pallet burning and relocating recreational target shooting behind the new OHV parking area near the McCabe’s Lane entrance.
The BLM worked closely with Hartman Rocks visitors and users for the past two years to outline and resolve the issues in the area. Feedback from the visitors and users was incorporated into the Environmental Assessment, and now the public has 30 days to comment.
A copy of the proposed Hartman Rocks Recreation Area Management Plan can be found at http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gfo.html. Written comments must be submitted by August 31, 2012, to BLM, Attn: Kristi Murphy, 650 South 11th St., Gunnison, CO 81230, by fax to 970-642-4990 or by email to kmurphy@blm.gov.
Before including your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your personal identifying information – may be made publicly available at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your personal identifying information from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
650 S. 11 Street Gunnison, CO 81230