The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has released new mobile device compatible maps that highlight world class outdoor recreation opportunities on Utah’s public lands.
A dozen new Adobe PDF maps will help visitors explore BLM lands throughout the state, with more planned for release throughout the year. Maps will be available for download on www.BLM.gov <http://www.blm.gov/> and starting in mid-May through the Avenza PDF Maps mobile app.
Each map is geo-referenced to display the visitor’s current location in real time. To utilize this feature, users will need a geospatial PDF, GeoPDF®, or GeoTIFF reader for Apple iOS or Android smartphones and tablets to view the maps. Visitors can use the maps to navigate without cellular reception.
The mobile maps will help promote and enhance recreation in the Colorado Riverway near Moab, the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the San Rafael Swell, and the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area.
“We are excited to put the public lands into visitors’ hands with these new mobile device maps,” said Jenna Whitlock, acting BLM-Utah state director. “These new tools help to showcase Utah’s spectacular recreation opportunities.”
The maps also feature recreational sites near Utah communities, including the new wildlands disc golf course near Cedar City, the McCoy Flats mountain biking trail system near Vernal, and hiking trails that connect to Kanab. BLM-Utah will continue to develop new maps throughout the year.
BLM-Utah partnered with the Great Basin Institute’s Research Associate Program to develop the maps. The Institute provides recent college graduates with professional career opportunities to support the conservation and management of natural and cultural resources across the West.
“It is exciting to see our partnership evolving to promote recreation safety and awareness through technological advancements,” commented Jerry Keir, executive director. “We are serving both user groups and public lands by increasing real time information availability.”
Visit http://bit.ly/geoPDFutah to learn more and download the maps.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s mission is to manage and conserve the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations under our mandate of multiple-use and sustained yield. In Fiscal Year 2015, the BLM generated $4.1 billion in receipts from activities occurring on public lands.