The Bureau of Land Management Royal Gorge Office is creating a new management plan for 650,000 acres of land and resources across eastern Colorado. The current plan is more than 20 years old.
According to BLM Field manager Keith Berger, his office has created a series of four potential management plans. One factor they're considering: population growth across the front range and increased demand on public land.
"We're trying to get ahead of all that with our planning to be able to make some good decisions on how we would manage those resources and resource uses in the face of increasing public pressure and increasing populations," Berger says.
Among other things, a public survey asks folks to rank priorities among issues like wildfire mitigation, water resources, and public access. It also asks people to mark a map demonstrating where they prefer action like mineral development, conservation, and renewable energy.
"What we'd really like to know at this point in time is if there is anything we've missed as far as issues that are of concern to folks. We'd like to know that now so we incorporate them into our planning effort," he says.
Public input is requested through May 5th. You can find the survey here.