BLM Posts National Historic Trails Monitoring Report

Organization

Bureau of Land Management

BLM Office:

Wind River/Bighorn Basin District Office

Media Contact:

The Bureau of Land Management Lander Field Office has posted the National Historic Trails annual monitoring report online at http://bit.ly/Handcart-SRP

The BLM conducts annual monitoring of the National Historic Trails to ensure uses in the area do not impact the historic resource and setting. The BLM’s monitoring efforts are guided by the June 2016 Renewal of a Special Recreation Permit Decision Record for the trails. If conditions exceed the monitoring thresholds set forth in the decision, a change in management is necessary.

"We have found that the current resource conditions sit well below the thresholds set in the decision record so the BLM is not proposing a change in the visitor service management for the 2017 use season," said BLM Outdoor Recreation Planner Jared Oakleaf.

The BLM and volunteers worked together to monitor for physical impacts, recreation opportunities and special recreation permit compliance. The monitoring focus is in the Rocky Ridge section of the trails.

"This year we had extensive volunteer support for our National Historic Trails monitoring,” said BLM Outdoor Recreation Technician Mike Coyne. “It sure improved our efficiency to receive that kind of support from our partners."

The BLM thanks the members of the Alliance for Historic Wyoming, Oregon-California Trail Association and Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for assistance with the effort.

The monitoring report, as well as the decision record and all documentation associated with the renewal of the handcart trekking special recreation permit, are available at http://bit.ly/Handcart-SRP.

The BLM will continue the annual trail monitoring and provides ride-along opportunities to interested people during this effort. For more information, please contact Coyne at 307-332-8400.


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.