Over the past almost 2 years, the regional team, with the help of consultants from BDO and ISET International, has met to look at the impacts and challenges resulting from growth and change in visitor use of the region’s public lands. This collaboration team consists of representatives from; Ouray County Government, San Miguel County Colorado Government, Hinsdale County, Colorado, Town of Lake City, Colorado, Dolores County, CO, San Juan County Colorado, City of Ouray – Government, Town of Ridgway, Colo., Town of Telluride CO – Government, Town of Mountain Village, Town of Silverton, CO, Town of Rico, Region 10 LEAP, Inc., Region 9 Economic Development District of Southwest Colorado, Dolores County Development Corporation, San Juan Development Association, Lake City DIRT, Colorado Scenic and Historic Byways, Bureau of Land Managment, U.S. Forest Service-Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre & Gunnison National Forests, San Juan Mountains Association, Mountain Studies Institute, ORRCA
Regional collaborations aren’t new, the scope of this one is; this is a place where the high alpine municipalities and counties have come together to speak with one voice as they engage public land managers through a forward-looking resilience lens. The objective of this Roadmap is to preserve healthy public lands that sustain ecosystem services, a healthy economy, and human health and safety across Central San Juans High Alpine jurisdictions in Colorado through sustained collaboration with federal land agencies, recognizing that this is foundational to the resilience and
economic health of the region.
In 2024, partner Region 9 EDD applied for and was granted funding to complete a Infrastructure Study of the High Alpine Region. The purpose of the study was identified in Strategy 3 to “Conduct a socio-environmental study to evaluate trail and camping use and collect data on negative impacts, the carrying capacity of different locations, travel data, and recommended solutions.” Next steps are identified in Strategy 4 where the group will “Develop strategies for addressing priority gaps and needs identified in the socia-environmental use study.” Partners of the Roadmaps program, Mountain Studies Institute, conducted the recreation infrastructure study. Please read it below:
Roadmap Partners
