Ridge to Rivers Seeks Input on 10-year Draft Master Plan
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The Ridge to Rivers partnership has released the draft trail plan that will guide development and management of the popular trail system over the next 10 years.
The planning process began in the fall of 2015, and through the use of an online user survey, public open house workshops, and the input from a 20-member planning committee, the draft plan is now ready for public review. “After gathering input over the last six months, we are very interested to see if we have captured how the public envisions the trail system in the next ten years,” says Ridge to Rivers Program Manager, David Gordon. The draft trail plan is available at www.ridgetorivers.org.
Gordon noted that there are two ways the public can provide input. First, an online survey will be available from April 21 through May 8 on the Ridge to Rivers website. Second, the public can email comments directly to r2rplan@gmail.com.
Trail use has increased significantly over the past decades. “The system is incredibly popular, and with increased use comes increased challenges," said Gordon. "There are many different ways of dealing with these challenges and our goal with this plan is to meet the needs of our trail users while balancing wildlife habitat, clean water and natural resources management.”
Ridge to Rivers is a multi-agency partnership consisting of the City of Boise, the Bureau of Land Management Four Rivers Field Office, Ada County Parks and Waterways, the Boise National Forest and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. Existing Ridge to Rivers pathways cross all of these jurisdictions, as well as many private lands via revocable or permanent easements.
Information pertaining to the planning process is available on the Ridge to Rivers website (www.ridgetorivers.org), as well as the Boise Foothills Trail Conditions Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/boisefoothillstrailconditions).
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.