BLM focus groups to discuss recreation in Granite, Missoula, Powell counties
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member of the public makes a point during a 2016 public
meeting on recreation on Bureau of Land Management-
managed public lands. (BLM photo by David Abrams)
(MISSOULA, Mont.) – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wants to hear the public’s opinions on what they think is great about the great outdoors. The BLM Missoula Field Office will hold a series of focus groups, engaging the public in a conversation about recreation management on BLM-administered public lands in Granite, Missoula, and Powell counties. The focus groups—scheduled for July 14 and 15 in Seeley Lake, Greenough and Missoula—will be hosted by Colorado Mesa University’s Natural Resource Center and the BLM Missoula Field Office.
“The idea behind the focus groups is to open dialogue between BLM land managers and the public on recreation issues, to provide information for future planning efforts and project assessments, and to gather data needed to better understand the public’s desired outcomes for recreation management in the three-county area,” said Joe Ashor, Missoula Field Office manager. “We welcome and value diverse views from all members of the public. We strongly believe partnerships and inclusion are vital to managing sustainable, working public lands.”
The sessions are part of data collection associated with the Missoula Field Office’s Resource Management Plan revision and are being conducted by Colorado Mesa University to help BLM better respond to the public’s desires and expectations for how recreation is managed on public lands in this region.
This research seeks to engage residents, business owners, local leaders, recreational user groups and visitors that either participate in recreational activities in this region, or have a stake in the quality of the experience of those that do. A focus group is a form of research in which a group of people is asked about their perceptions, opinions, preferences, and attitudes towards, in this case, recreational use on public lands in this region. Questions are asked in an interactive group setting where participants are free to talk with other group members.
The focus groups will be facilitated by Dr. Tim Casey, Professor of Political Science at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado and Dr. Randy Virden, Emeritus Professor at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. Each focus group session will last about two hours. The dates, times, and locations are noted below:
DATE | TIME | LOCATION | ADDRESS |
July 14 | 9:30 a.m. | Holiday Inn Missoula Downtown Madison/Jefferson Rooms | 200 S. Pattee St., Missoula
|
July 14 | 3:00 p.m. | Seeley Lake Community Hall | 3248 Highway 83, Seeley Lake |
July 15 | 9:30 a.m. | Lubrecht Forest | 38689 Hwy 200 East, Greenough |
For more information, contact Joe Ashor at 406-329-3717 or jashor@blm.gov, or Dr. Tim Casey at 970-248-1095 or tcasey@coloradomesa.edu.
– BLM –
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.