Bureau of Land Management Releases National Trails Plan

The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management today released its strategic plan setting out how the agency will manage its National Scenic and Historic Trails Program over the next 10 years.

The National Scenic and Historic Trails Strategy and Work Plan will enhance visitor services along the trails, provide consistent standards for protecting and developing trail resources, and boost the BLM’s partnerships with trail organizations and other agencies in managing the trails under the Bureau’s jurisdiction.

This is the Bureau’s first Strategy and Work Plan for these congressionally designated trails. The Plan establishes goals and objectives and describes how the BLM expects to implement these actions by 2015. Developing guidelines for signage, for example, will give BLM managers responsible for these trails a consistent standard to follow.

The BLM manages more miles of National Historic Trails than any other Federal agency, administering land along 10 National Historic Trails in 10 Western States. On three of these trails — Alaska’s Iditarod National Historic Trail as well as the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro and Old Spanish National Historic Trails in the Southwest — the Bureau coordinates management of the entire trail, including portions of the trail located on non-BLM land. The BLM also manages two National Scenic Trails as well as seven trail-related visitor centers, often in partnership with State agencies and local interest groups.

The Plan is available for public comment through July 1, 2005. Individuals interested in reviewing the Plan can request an electronic or printed copy by calling (202) 208-3516. All comments on the draft must be emailed or postmarked by July 1, 2005.

National Scenic and Historic Trails became part of the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System in 2000. In addition, the BLM’s Recreation, Cultural Resources, and Engineering Programs continue to support the development, maintenance, and protection of these trails as well as coordinate with trail organizations and volunteers.

The BLM manages more land – 261 million surface acres – than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western States, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1.8 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. 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, and cultural resources on the public lands.

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